Lin Shuang: I Genuinely Want to Be Friends with You Now

Yet within that "nothingness," blood-red killing intent existed, relentlessly crushing Lin Shuang's will.

Acheron looked at Lin Shuang, who stood frozen in place.

She gently loosened her fingers, and the long blade returned to its sheath as her power subsided once more.

Sure enough...

Acheron carefully sensed the power of The Nihility. For some reason, the erosion from The Nihility had stopped.

Not only had it stopped, but its effects on her were gradually fading as well.

She did not know how far it would recede, but even when she used her full strength and invoked the power of the path of The Nihility, it did not return.

Acheron found it difficult to remain calm.

Her sense of taste had returned. Even... she felt that she had been able to remember more things lately.

Was it because of meeting you?

Having regained her composure, Acheron looked at Lin Shuang, who was still being affected by the power of The Nihility, and could not help raising a hand to gently brush her cheek.

The trace of power she had released would not affect Lin Shuang's body. Yet it could display killing intent and pressure closer to her peak state.

This kind of tempering was more effective for Lin Shuang.

Even if Lin Shuang failed, she would only need to lie down for half a day. With Acheron there, nothing would happen to her.

Acheron's fingers slid over her cheek as she stared at those hollow blue eyes and muttered to herself.

"If there is any difference between now and before... it can only be that I met you. Could all of this be related to your ritual?"

Since meeting Lin Shuang, Acheron had been shocked more than once.

If it were merely a miracle, then why had such things happened so frequently after she met Lin Shuang?

No one could predict

how someone who had futilely struggled against The Nihility for countless years would feel upon suddenly discovering that she was no longer continuing to slide into it.

Her loss of composure several days ago had been the real Acheron. Her current calm was only because the result remained uncertain, so she had restrained her feelings.

Yet even so, the instant this thought arose, Acheron could not help wanting to touch Lin Shuang, even developing the desire to possess her.

After encountering the Stellaron, would she have to part ways with Lin Shuang?

The two had discussed this matter while resting before.

Acheron had her own destination, while Lin Shuang had yet to establish what she sought in this world.

When faced with this question, Lin Shuang had once given an answer.

"My strength still isn't enough. Staying by your side would only make me a burden forever, and that isn't what I want. Didn't you say that, after a while, you would probably go to Penacony for the Harmony Festival? We'll meet again then."

Penacony's Harmony Festival was something Acheron herself had mentioned during their idle chats.

She had also brought up several famous places throughout the universe, one by one.

At the time, Acheron had not thought much of it. But now, she felt somewhat regretful.

Just then.

Acheron suddenly noticed that the ring on Lin Shuang's hand flashed twice despite not being directly illuminated.

Then Lin Shuang broke free from the power of The Nihility and suddenly opened her eyes.

This sight caught Acheron's attention.

After opening her eyes, Lin Shuang still felt lingering fear toward the power of The Nihility.

That forced descent, that gradual loss of sensation and ability to think, was simply too terrifying.

Even though Lin Shuang knew this was likely a trial Acheron had given her, she had found it difficult to escape The Nihility's influence.

Until just now, when Lin Shuang felt she could no longer hold on, two points of light had suddenly appeared in her vision.

Then she had broken free from the power of The Nihility in an instant and awakened from her descent.

Acheron kept examining Lin Shuang. From what she had sensed just now, Lin Shuang had clearly been on the verge of collapse and should have sunk directly into it.

Yet after the ring suddenly flashed, Lin Shuang, who should have fallen, had escaped without any logic whatsoever.

"That power just now was The Nihility, wasn't it?"

Lin Shuang tilted her head up at Acheron and voluntarily brought up The Nihility before her.

Recently, intentionally or otherwise, Acheron had already revealed plenty of information.

And by releasing the power of The Nihility today, Acheron had probably already prepared herself to discuss it.

Just as Lin Shuang had guessed, Acheron nodded.

"My power comes from the path of The Nihility. The Galaxy Ranger is merely a convenient identity."

After speaking, Acheron paused before asking on her own initiative.

"How did you break free just now? I thought you would fail."

Lin Shuang was stunned as well. Hadn't Acheron seen that she was about to fail and withdrawn her power herself?

"Didn't you withdraw the power of The Nihility, and that's why I woke up? When I couldn't hold on anymore just now, two flashes of white light suddenly appeared before my eyes, and then I woke up. Wasn't that you?"

Twice. White light.

Acheron keenly caught the keywords. They matched the reaction she had just seen from the ring on Lin Shuang's finger.

Come to think of it... the ring in the photo from several days ago had seemed to be glowing too.

This Pair of Rings was likely no ordinary trinket. Could it help one escape The Nihility's erosion?

She discreetly glanced at her left hand, then shook her head.

"It wasn't me. In my view, even if you failed, you would merely sleep for half a day. I had not planned to withdraw it early."

"Then that's strange. Could I be exceptionally talented and have broken through in the heat of battle?"

Lin Shuang scratched her head in confusion, thinking perhaps she was talented in this regard as well.

Acheron neither confirmed nor denied it. She suddenly asked.

"Lin Shuang, what significance does the ring you gave me have in the ritual?"

"Significance?"

Lin Shuang looked at Acheron in confusion, not knowing why she had suddenly steered the conversation there.

But now, she would no longer be as nervous as before.

"It's only a token showing that the ritual was completed. Other people can tell at a glance that you've undergone the ritual... of course, that's only how it is in my hometown. It has no special meaning."

"Is that so?"

Acheron nodded and instinctively touched the ring finger of her left hand. It was unclear whether she accepted that explanation or simply did not intend to press further.

Lin Shuang: I Really Do Want to Be Friends with You Now

Lin Shuang and Acheron rested in silence for a while.

Once Lin Shuang's expression had recovered, Acheron spoke again.

"Continue?"

"Uh..."

Lin Shuang froze for a moment, but after thinking about it, she still nodded and agreed to Acheron's suggestion.

Then Lin Shuang got beaten up again.

And once more sank into the power of The Nihility, unable to pull herself free.

This time, Acheron was not merely watching Lin Shuang's condition.

She also removed the glove from her left hand.

Not long after, Lin Shuang's ring flashed again, allowing her to break free from the power of The Nihility.

If it had only happened once, it could have been called a coincidence. Yet both Acheron's own situation and Lin Shuang escaping The Nihility's influence twice in a row had been accompanied by the rings flashing.

This allowed Acheron to tentatively conclude that the ring Lin Shuang had given her might possess some kind of unusual power.

Moreover, Acheron had tested it herself just now and discovered that the ring on her hand had produced the same effect.

This power truly could resist The Nihility.

Having reached that conclusion, even Acheron's eyes, which should have been as tranquil as an abyss, began to tremble slightly.

As for Lin Shuang, who had regained consciousness,

she felt that something was off with her condition. Twice in a row, just as she was about to fall, she had suddenly broken free. This ability might not seem remarkable, but it could save her life at a crucial moment.

"Lin Shuang, how did you feel just now?"

"It was the same as before. I just felt a few points of light flash, then I suddenly woke up."

"Before you escaped The Nihility's influence just now, your ring reacted."

"Coincidence, probably..."

"Is that so?"

When Lin Shuang answered, she naturally noticed Acheron's gaze fixed on the ring.

Could Acheron really think the ring had done something?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

After all, when the system gave it to her, it had said that this Pair of Rings really was just an ordinary item.

Even if there truly was some connection, Lin Shuang would rather believe that the ring was merely displaying special effects.

The thing actually doing the work had to be something else.

Like the Herrscher Core.

After all, she already had a glowing greatsword toy. Was one little ring toy really that surprising?

At the very least, Lin Shuang did not believe the ring had any other use at all.

Other than automatically adjusting to the size of her finger, expecting anything more from it would be less practical than hoping Acheron might go a little easier on her during training.

But judging by Acheron's attitude, she seemed to be starting to believe that the ritual Lin Shuang had performed, as well as the ring she had given her afterward, possessed some kind of power.

And Acheron had deliberately brought up "The Nihility."

Could she also think that the return of her sense of taste was because of her?

That gave Lin Shuang quite a headache.

She had already felt terribly guilty about tricking Acheron into Bowing to Heaven and Earth with her before. She had even woken up in the middle of the night and cursed herself a few times.

If Acheron also came to believe that the changes in her were due to Lin Shuang's extremely crude wedding ceremony and that Pair of Rings,

then that would be way too messed up...

If she accepted that kind of affection, she would have to slap herself twice every time she woke up in the middle of the night.

Considering that Acheron was about to appear in the story, perhaps some upheaval had originally been arranged to happen around this time.

"That's how it is. If the ring had any other abilities, I would definitely tell you. After all, this ritual only affects me. And even within the ritual, the ring is only symbolic."

Feeling increasingly guilty, Lin Shuang looked at Acheron sitting beside her in silence, touching her ring finger, and could not help explaining further.

Yet Acheron merely lifted her gaze and smiled gently.

She stared into Lin Shuang's eyes. Her violet pupils were like melting ice, revealing an unusual charm.

"Mm, I know."

"..."

What do you know?!