"Why are you here?"
Chen Xi didn't feel much about having her cover blown.
Transcendents had all kinds of abilities, so it was perfectly normal for someone to spot a flaw in her disguise somewhere along the way.
At her words, Zhu Li stood up. She didn't reply, but instead took out a yellow sticky note and placed it in front of her.
Under the headlights, Chen Xi could make out the words.
[I'd like to talk to you]
"You can't speak?" she asked in surprise.
Zhu Li nodded.
Chen Xi had thought she was simply aloof. She'd never imagined the girl was mute.
A chat or something... Sure, why not?
Zhu Li clearly wasn't some insignificant side character. Maybe she could even unlock a few CGs.
"Okay." Chen Xi opened the door, and the red-haired girl obediently followed behind her.
Chen Xi walked toward the kitchen, then turned around. "Would you like something to drink? There's milk and grape juice in the fridge."
When the red-haired girl reached for her pen again, Chen Xi simply spread her hands. "Milk's on the left, grape juice on the right."
Zhu Li paused with the pen in her hand, clearly not expecting her to say that.
After hesitating for a moment, she pointed to the left.
Chen Xi poured her some chilled milk, and the two of them sat on opposite ends of the sofa.
Since Zhu Li couldn't speak, Chen Xi asked, "What did you want to talk about?"
The red-haired girl seemed to have expected that question. She took out some notes she'd prepared in advance and flipped through them with practiced ease.
[You're the armored Transcendent who took the Pupil of Rain Lord, right?]
Chen Xi chuckled and drained her grape juice. "That's me. What about it?"
"Are you going to report me to the Countermeasure Bureau?" She looked at Zhu Li, who shook her head vigorously and flipped through the notes.
[That's not what I mean]
The ink on this page had long since dried, and the paper was wrinkled. It was clearly one of Zhu Li's most-used notes.
[Thank you. If you hadn't stepped in, a lot of people would've died]
When she turned to that page, she smiled at Chen Xi.
Embarrassed by the praise, Chen Xi picked up her empty glass and pretended to keep drinking her juice. "It was nothing. I just happened to be there."
"Is that why you came to see me?"
Zhu Li shook her head and flipped to the last page of her notes.
[I'll explode in seven days]
"Huh?!"
The reason was so unexpected that Chen Xi rubbed her eyes and checked the note again.
"You'll explode... What does that mean?"
Zhu Li had clearly anticipated all of her questions. She flipped to a few more pages.
[It means exactly what it says. In seven days, the fire inside me will burn at its fiercest, then explode]
To make their conversation more efficient, she kept flipping through the notes.
[Hiding won't work. Going somewhere remote won't work. Killing myself in advance won't work. Having someone else kill me won't work]
[The flames can only be quelled if Rain Lord kills me with her own hands]
[In truth, the Legend I control isn't the Vermilion Bird you all imagine]
[It's—Flame Ghost]
[A Legend that feeds on other people's negative emotions. I don't even need to hunt wild Legends for my strength to steadily grow]
[Once I reach Third Rank, my body will explode, and then I'll become a vessel for Flame Ghost]
[I originally planned to die deliberately at Rain Lord's hands, but then you showed up]
Zhu Li stared at Chen Xi, her eyes full of longing for life.
The desire to live was instinctive. Since she had a choice, of course she wanted to live for six more days.
[So I'm begging you. After you control Rain Lord, kill me on the night of the sixth day]
After reading all the notes, Chen Xi finally understood what had happened in the previous loop.
Already determined to die, Zhu Li had used all her magic power to protect the citizens, then left Rain Lord gravely wounded before dying at her hands.
But Rain Lord had still kept her recovery ability in reserve. That was how things had ended up the way they were when the two of them arrived.
"I understand."
She didn't ask why Zhu Li hadn't sought help from some higher-ranked being. It was obvious that she'd already tried every possible option and had come to this only after reaching a dead end.
[Thank you]
[I won't keep you from resting. Goodbye]
Zhu Li put away the notes and got up to head for the door.
"Goodbye." Chen Xi bid her farewell, then noticed that the red-haired girl was standing motionless in front of the metal door.
Zhu Li looked at her and silently pointed outside.
"What is it?" Chen Xi had barely finished speaking when a knock came from outside.
"Chen Xi! Open the door!" Lin Yue's voice carried remarkably well.
Even with the door between them, Chen Xi could picture her pounding on it.
Zhu Li watched the black-haired girl, who didn't know what to do. After a moment's thought, she suddenly hurried toward the bedroom.
"Huh?" Chen Xi had never expected her to pull that move, so she hadn't even had time to think of stopping her.
Who taught you to do that?
She really wanted to go in and drag Zhu Li back out, but Lin Yue was still calling out in a hurry.
"Chen Xi, did Wu Xin tie you up? If you don't answer, I'm using Shadow Form to get in."
Chen Xi helplessly raised her voice on purpose. "Don't! I'm getting dressed!"
Lin Yue clearly froze when she heard that. "Huh? Oh."
With one hand on her collar, Chen Xi opened the door for Lin Yue, pretending she'd just finished putting on her top.
"It's so late. What are you doing here? Aren't you going back to the dorm?"
She leaned against the doorframe and looked helplessly at the big golden retriever standing in front of her.
"I was worried about you..." Lin Yue said, already walking into the living room.
"I was afraid Wu Xin would sneak in during the night and steal Rain Lord's eyes."
"You don't have to worry about that."
Chen Xi explained how Rain Lord's control mechanism worked.
As soon as Lin Yue heard her, her confident demeanor crumbled.
The girl rapidly thought of another excuse to stay at Chen Xi's place.
Cry again?
No, that'd be too embarrassing.
After the transformation that night, she wasn't as fragile anymore.
Knowing exactly what she was thinking, Chen Xi took the opportunity to fill her glass with milk. "Miss Lin Yue, finish your milk and then go home."
She wasn't sending Lin Yue away just because of Zhu Li. She also needed to brush up on her knowledge about Legends and make an alternate account to message Lin Yue.
Now that she knew Wu Xin wouldn't make a move, she really didn't have time to indulge Lin Yue.
Lin Yue didn't answer. She silently cupped the glass and pressed her upper lip against the rim, moving it as if she were drinking the milk.
Chen Xi wasn't in a hurry. She sat right in front of her, browsing the forums and quietly watching her performance.
Five minutes later, the blonde girl finally admitted defeat and surrendered.
"I'm leaving, okay? I'm leaving. You don't have to see me out." Lin Yue stood and left.
She reached the door, then glanced back at Chen Xi, who remained motionless on the sofa.
Because of the way the room was laid out, the area where Chen Xi sat was dimly lit. Moonlight streamed through the bedroom window, casting two shadows.
...Two shadows?
Lin Yue stared in horror at Chen Xi, who was still sitting calmly in place.
"Your house is haunted! How do you not know?!"
Before you continue