The Hotel

"A harsher punishment?" Amber stared at Yu Xing, repeating the question as if sighing, yet also seemingly puzzled.

"Why are you the one saying this?" she asked softly.

Why should you be the one to give this punishment?

"No matter what I did in my life..." Amber Bradley spoke of the past, a hint of the female pirate's decisiveness and ruthlessness flashing across her face, but it quickly dissipated into the "Saintess's " habitual compassion and purity.

"At the very least, I haven't harmed you."

"What is your stance, and what qualifications do you have, to punish those who died at the hands of us believers?"

Yu Xing lowered her gaze, and her eyes met Amber's.

"No wonder she was chosen from a group of thugs to be the Saintess," he said. "She has good eloquence."

The atmosphere that had been brewing hadn't even fully formed before he tore it apart, reducing it to nothing. "He even knows how to attack people's psychology; he's a talent, too bad he met me."

"Are you mistaking me for some kind of righteous person again?" His tone held a hint of mockery. "Because you know who you are, you willingly accepted the role of the villain. So, someone who caused irreparable damage to the villain is automatically categorized as a righteous person by you, isn't that right?"

"It's a pity, I'm not a good person either." Yu Xing lowered his head and moved closer to Amber, his inherent aggression emanating from him without any concealment, creating an indescribable sense of oppression.

"What right do I have? Because I am also one of your victims."

Amber's pupils constricted sharply. "What...?"

Yu Xing suddenly changed the subject. "Even if I weren't, what qualifications would I need to destroy you?"

"You ruined so many lives while you were alive, did you ever think you deserved it?" His voice lowered, still carrying a hint of amusement, but that amusement was chilling. "I'm not a good person, so I don't need to deserve it. I only know that your end has been far too late."

This passage was written on a whim, reflecting Yu Xing's sudden urge to speak after encountering something that could make sounds.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have said these things to Amber.

Having lost his enthusiasm for speaking, Yu Xing was rather uninterested. Since this one had already been delivered right to his doorstep, he might as well remove the curse that Ghost Tree had placed inside Amber first.

Destroy one first, and we can look for the rest later.

In that instant, Amber suddenly felt a deep sense of fear.

She could no longer maintain her pretense of holding the dagger, and as if sensing something, she took two steps back, looking somewhat bewildered at the black figures that were vaguely closing in on her.

This touch of black was inconspicuous in the already pitch-black space; it was merely a feeling, a feeling that could not be ignored.

She's going to die.

Amber's chest heaved rapidly, her breathing quickened, and she looked at "Roy," whom she hadn't seen for a while and who had suddenly become someone she feared. Her survival instinct overwhelmed everything else.

"Roy!" she suddenly shouted.

Yu Xing tilted her head, not wanting to guess what else the woman wanted to say.

I'm not very interested in knowing.

As darkness enveloped the area, Amber Bradley panicked completely. Her voice was hoarse and strained as she said, "Roy, you can wreak havoc here, but please spare me."

The word "Saintess" was finally stripped away from her completely, and her selfishness and the ruthlessness buried deep in her soul were exposed at this moment.

"You can ignore me and let me fend for myself here. I've only brought myself to earth to serve you forever. I have decent management skills; if you ever want to build up any power in the future, I'll be your best assistant."

"You can control me, implant something inside me that can kill me at any time, then you'll trust me and make me work for you under your control. Wouldn't that give you another capable assistant?"

Amber's tone was pleading, suddenly becoming extremely humble, making one wonder if she had ever spoken to someone with her head bowed like this before.

Yu Xing replied lazily, "Weren't you just blaming me? Blaming me for ruining your family and your other believers."

"Now you want to come with me? Amber, what are you thinking?"

"I'm not asking for anything anymore. I have no right to hold my master accountable like this." Amber Bradley closed his eyes. "Roy... I'm willing to give anything for you, just let me go now, let me continue to 'live.' I haven't... seen enough of the colors beyond this darkness."

"We... we did it, and it felt pretty good, right?" A glimmer of hope shone in her eyes. "We can do it again in the future..."

"No." Yu Xing had just given her free rein, looking like she was all ears and ready to listen until she finished speaking, but now she suddenly interrupted her.

"Nothing?" Amber murmured.

"I didn't do it." Yu Xing's smile was extremely malicious, and in his dark pupils, Amber's greedy and hypocritical face was reflected.

"I was lying to you."

"I'm not interested in you, Miss Amber Bradley. You probably already guessed that, didn't you?"

"Since I came here with the intention of destroying your sect, use your brain. How could I allow my body to be defiled by something I want to destroy?" Yu Xing raised a hand and reached out to Amber. Amber flinched, then forced himself to remain rooted to the spot.

Like a submissive lamb placed on the altar.

This sight truly made Yu Xing feel mocked.

"Why? You already know the truth, yet you insist I deny it again. Do you think I'll be moved by you, cooperate with you, pretend you don't know the truth in the bathtub, and naturally accept you?"

He shook his head, and with his outstretched hand, he only touched the fingertips of Amber's dagger, and without any force, he skillfully switched the dagger to his own hand.

"What a pity, I'm not a very compassionate person, and I certainly won't waste this hard-won compassion on you."

Amber's face finally contorted for a moment as she made her last stand. "I guessed it, you've been lying to me from the beginning, but I didn't... I didn't want to blackmail you with things I did or didn't do before, I just..."

"Can you understand? I sensed your arrival. I knew I might be killed by you, but I still came, to try and get a chance to stay by your side." Her eyes welled up with tears. "I... like you."

"Otherwise, I wouldn't take such a big risk. Wouldn't it be better if I just kept hiding?"

"You like me?" Yu Xing blinked.

Amber remained silent, as if her hasty confession at this moment had exhausted her last bit of self-respect and courage.

Silent, like a lamb awaiting God's judgment.

A few seconds later, God chuckled, plunging the lamb's heart into despair.

"You really dare to say that! You know, the last person who said they liked me, I already killed with my own hands."

That yandere is, in some ways, much more troublesome than Amber.

"And you came here, wasn't it because..." Yu Xing paused, then said with a laugh, "... greedy?"

"Even if it's an ending of being left to fend for yourself, you're not willing to accept it, are you? You saw me, and you think I'm the best target for you, so you bring up the idea of liking me, just wanting me to take you to the ground."

"Because you are no longer Saintess, even if you stay here, the remaining believers will no longer listen to you."

"You'll become no different from them, and eventually, those believers will perish one by one. If you're lucky enough to survive, you'll become a lonely wandering soul, with no one to command you, no one to witness your hypocrisy."

"You must have been a gambler while you were alive." Yu Xing averted her gaze from Amber and said dismissively, "I'd rather gamble on a greedy future than hide in the shadows and passively wait for a chance to survive."

"Now you've simply lost the gamble, so you must go before your other believers."

Amber's eyes widened suddenly as darkness surged towards her, almost tangible, instantly enveloping her. The insults that were about to be unleashed were sewn shut by the darkness, never reaching Yu Xing's ears.

Yu Xing didn't even want to turn her head. She sneered, turned around, and yawned again.

Like him? Are you kidding me?

These sorcerer followers, with their empty, decaying bodies, had long since lost the capacity to appreciate such feelings.

Because the Ghost Tree has never had such feelings, it has no way to bestow them upon its followers.

His spiritual power surged outwards along the branches of the tree, instantly locking onto the few survivors who had slipped through the net in the Underground City.

Since we've already dealt with Amber Bradley, let's get rid of the rest while we're at it.

Then this so-called city, which is actually just a dilapidated village, should forever collapse into the forgotten underground.

The gray sky was gloomy and overcast, like white brain matter, thick and oppressive.

Beneath the sky lies an endless sea, a blend of pure blue and deep black. Occasionally, beneath the rippling waves, one can vaguely see enormous fish fins, their streamlined lines flowing smoothly across the seabed, adding to the shadows.

In this boundless sea, the small island is like a drifting boat, unremarkable and isolated.

Silence enveloped the small island.

The scent of death also permeated the air.

Dead silence.

The Dead Silent Island fell into true stillness.

The dilapidated ancient buildings that Yu Xing and the others had seen when they arrived on the island now collapsed as if they had experienced an earthquake, forming ruins.

The wandering ghosts have transformed into unique materials, scattered throughout the island. They could have been crafted into countless different things, but now no one cares about them.

Yu Xing emerged from the ruins.

Having been out of the light of day for so long, the moment he emerged, he disregarded the trembling ground and immediately looked up at the sky.

Suddenly, even the ugly and gloomy sky seemed to brighten up, making it a place one could linger in.

Although... Yu Xing didn't know why the sky above Dead Silent Island was like this; looking around, the entire sea area was shrouded in a gray sky.

This was definitely not a scene caused by the Ghost Tree; the sky there was far more vast than a single tree.

However, after only a short while, Yu Xing turned her attention to the surrounding ruins.

... ruins.

It appears that Dead Silent Island has been destroyed once.

One of his missions when he came here was to destroy Dead Silent Island, which he should have already accomplished.

Yu Xing touched the tip of his nose and sensed the area as much as he could, confirming that there wasn't a single living person or even a ghost on the island. Only then could he be certain that he had been underground for more than two months, and everyone else had left.

The Absurdity System probably couldn't find him, so it automatically ignored him and took the others back.

He was left all alone, facing a desolate island, to figure out how to get back on his own.

Yu Xing shifted his legs awkwardly. Even though he had expected this and remained calm, an overwhelming sense of bewilderment briefly crossed his mind.

Robinson Crusoe?

A word suddenly flashed through Yu Xing's mind, Yu Xing couldn't help but chuckle.

He walked barefoot through the ruins, wandering aimlessly, constantly channeling his abundant mental energy in an attempt to find some information left behind by his teammates.

Suddenly, in the dead silence, he sensed a faint, very peculiar presence.

The aura felt somewhat familiar; he was certain he had seen it before. Yu Xing's eyes lit up, and he subconsciously walked in that direction.

He could have chosen not to "walk," but to loosen his muscles, he opted for the simplest method of movement, taking uneven, stumbling steps.

What might happen in that direction?

His probing spiritual energy yielded no definite feedback, which could only prove that the thing was not connected to the Ghost Tree.

The distant sound of the waves, mingled with the slightly salty sea breeze, entered his keen senses of hearing and smell, like a lullaby.

Ten minutes later, Yu Xing saw the source of that unusual aura.

Hostel.

It was the first building they arrived at after landing, that strange hotel.

The entire island was in ruins, but this hotel miraculously survived, standing alone atop the ruins.

Looking back at the event's objectives, this inn is indeed special.

He not only provides outsiders with food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, but also allows them to trade special materials left behind after the island's ghosts dissipated.

Previously, Yu Xing regarded this hotel as a functional building on the entire island and did not feel that this hotel was any different from other buildings in any essential way.

But now, with a different perspective, everything becomes clear.

This hotel is not connected to the underground area.

There were no signs of Ghost Tree branches entwining it.

In other words, this building is completely independent of the island, and its very existence is worthy of deep reflection.

Especially when the mission ends, but it doesn't disappear.

It's as if it's stubbornly staying here, waiting for the next person to come ashore.

Yu Xing recalled the faceless old lady in the hotel who loved rocking chairs, a hint of interest flashing in her eyes, and she walked happily toward the hotel entrance.

If the old lady were still alive, or if her daughter were still alive, he could change his clothes.

You can also enjoy a nice meal, take a hot shower, and sleep in your room.

That's right, these simple wishes are what Yu Xing wants to do most right now.

Not to mention...

This remaining hotel seems to have become the only medium for him to leave this "world" and return to the reality he should be in.

He wanted to go back, and probably also look for some clues in the hotel.

Yu Xing had already arrived at the hotel entrance. He bent his finger and knocked on the door.