Ink Dot

Several names flashed through her mind, soon leaving only the "True Creator." If she could withstand the influence of His ravings, He would undoubtedly be the best choice.

And Cheng Jianxue had known the answer to that ever since she opened her eyes on this land.

Of course, aside from Him, Cheng Jianxue had also kept Klein as an option for the time being. Once everything settled down, she would certainly try praying to this "protagonist." If he was already at a high sequence, she could try latching onto him for protection. If he was still at a middle-low sequence, she could exchange information at the Tarot Club for supplies, such as food.

Even if Klein, the "Fool," had yet to arrive, she would at least learn where she was in the timeline...

Cheng Jianxue shook her head and looked down at the Blank Canvas. The help she wanted was no small matter. To approach the "True Creator," she needed a bargaining chip.

With that thought, Cheng Jianxue closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Only after calming herself did she open her eyes, turn, and walk away. A little farther off, she quietly recited that honorific name:

"The Lord that Created Everything;

"The Lord who Reigns Behind the Curtain of Shadows;

"The Degenerate Nature of all Living Things;

"I pray for Your gaze;

"I pray for Your help;

"Please let this world remember my existence again, and let others perceive my existence. I am willing to become Your emissary, and to help You contend for the position of Creator in the future."

This was the potential the Blank Canvas had displayed, as well as Cheng Jianxue's bargaining chip and her own private agenda.

As a devoted fan of Lord of the Mysteries, Cheng Jianxue had actually been following its sequel, Circle of Inevitability. Before she transmigrated, Circle of Inevitability was updating its sixth volume. As for the five volumes before that...

Oh, Adam wrote those.

-Cheng Jianxue did not want to watch Adam write them a second time.

After a brief silence, a dark, foul aura enveloped her. Cheng Jianxue was not surprised. Although Amon refused to acknowledge the "True Creator" as his father, They were indeed very similar in Their hospitality.

Her bargaining chip had been offered, and the situation had been made clear. Cheng Jianxue stood quietly where she was, waiting for the final verdict of this judgment. Her fingers unconsciously tightened, and her lips pressed firmly together.

-It was not that she was not nervous. Rather, amid the cold brought by the Blank Canvas, her emotions seemed to have frozen as well. Even after such a drastic upheaval, she could still make decisions calmly.

After briefly fixing on her, the "True Creator's" gaze suddenly seethed. Cheng Jianxue heard no ravings, but the Blank Canvas in her hands churned. Flecks of ink emerged, only to vanish without a trace moments later.

This won't do. Cheng Jianxue mustered some of her scant remaining spirituality and extended it into the Blank Canvas. As though scenting some enticing food, the ink began creeping up along her spirituality.

Cheng Jianxue drew her spirituality swiftly across the Blank Canvas. The ink chased it, leaving a trail that went from pale to dark.

As Cheng Jianxue withdrew her spirituality, the ink surged toward the final dot, trying to break free of the Blank Canvas's restraints and catch up with her. But the chill from the Blank Canvas abruptly intensified. Even Cheng Jianxue, who had some resistance to the cold, instinctively let go, allowing the Blank Canvas to fall to the ground.

It was far from over. A thin layer of frost appeared on the ground, showing faint signs of freezing the surrounding earth. Cheng Jianxue watched that spot of ink nervously. Somewhere deep inside, she had an intuition that the black dot was the key to whether others could perceive her.

The encroaching pure white still seemed to be trying to fade the black dot. Cheng Jianxue watched with her breath held and her attention focused. Only when the faint frost on the ground receded, and the black dot became a pale mark, did she let out a breath of relief.

The moment she relaxed, mental exhaustion welled up, and the strain on her emotions seemed to erupt all at once. The scene before Cheng Jianxue's eyes swayed. Her final memory before losing consciousness was of clutching the Blank Canvas tightly.

"Ah!" A startled cry broke the silence. The woman named Ali pulled her foot back. Beside her, the woman named Yayi instantly raised her sword.

The sword's edge and Ali's short blade pointed in the same direction, toward a young woman. Her complexion had the pallor of a corpse, her skin was smooth, and her features were delicate. Her exposed arms were smooth and unblemished-the sort of normal arms rarely seen in Moon City.

Her clothes were not made of crudely treated animal hides. They looked far softer and more closely fitted than hides. Pink was the predominant color, mixed with a little black and white, and the style was unlike anything they had ever seen.

She held an unidentified long, white object in her arms that looked like cloth. She was very tall, a fact that remained apparent even while she lay down. Yayi estimated that she would only reach the young woman's chest. Yet her face looked rather youthful, as though she was not very old. This sparked a certain association in Yayi's mind. Holding her breath, she looked toward the grayish-white barrier not far away.

They did not go to fetch anyone. Ali's scream had been loud enough that the other two nearby teams soon came over. After the earlier disturbance subsided, Zaphir had arranged for the teams to spread out again and resume their patrol. But barely had they separated when something happened to Bartel, Ali, and Yayi.

Adal stood to one side with Xin and Rus. Zaphir had Lin, Venn, and Suh stay where they were, then stepped forward himself. He first surveyed the surroundings, then asked:

"What happened?"

Yayi looked at Ali, who began explaining in a trembling voice:

"I... just now, after we split up, we headed this way. I felt like I'd stepped on something soft. When I looked down, I saw... saw..."

She pointed at the young woman on the ground, making her meaning plain. Zaphir frowned at the "corpse." She showed nothing unusual under the light. The keen senses granted by the Hunter pathway allowed him to detect the young woman's slow breathing and heartbeat-she was alive!

A pathway related to the undead...?

Zaphir likewise glanced at the grayish-white barrier. He raised his head and told the others in a grave voice:

"Ali, Yayi, Bartel, the three of you go back and ask the High Priest to come. Tell him what happened here.

"Everyone else, stay here with me. Carefully investigate the surroundings and check for any other abnormalities."

They all nodded in acknowledgment. Then Ali, Yayi, and Bartel left. Zaphir looked at the others and had the two remaining teams take turns investigating the surrounding area.

When Cheng Jianxue awoke, she found herself in a pitch-black room. She was lying on a bed, with the Blank Canvas still in her arms. It seemed no one had touched it.

There was nothing in the room except the bed. Cheng Jianxue

jumped off the bed, and a voice sounded from the wall to one side:

"You're awake?"

The voice sounded somewhat familiar. Cheng Jianxue quickly recalled whom it belonged to. She approached the wall and said:

"Zaphir?"