Chapter 206: A Viscous, Evil Woman! |
As the shadows surged towards Gu Qianqian like a tide, a dazzling golden light flashed from her body.
Thunderous breathing, accompanied by each rise and fall of her chest, came from her body.
With the intense burning pain, Yibei saw the image of a huge arm emerging behind her, and its huge palm gently pressed against the back of her hand with its onyx-coloured skin. Golden lines outlined the shape of the arm as if they were blessing her with an otherworldly power.
As the shadows started to pounce on her, she narrowed her eyes, clenched her metal bat with both hands and swung it forward.
Home run!
Accompanied by a loud explosion, the shadows were instantly blasted away into the rain clouds and disappeared.
Her bright red scarf buzzed behind her with the wind, and Yibei breathed a sigh of relief.
However, the sound of plates shattering could be heard, and watching the Old Ladies, Yibei narrowed her eyes.
Should I really sit around and do nothing?
She knew the Old Ladies had the power to conjure the power of their god, and she knew that they were the most powerful, humanoid existences in this village.
If they do anything, Gu Qianqian might be out of luck.
The Old Ladies surrounded the deformed Old Lady, and they spoke in a rushed, hushed tone.
The surrounding villagers scattered away from the skin, and each godly blast of her metal bat roared against the wind, and the rain seemed to have no intention of stopping.
All kinds of sounds crowded around Yibei’s ear, making it impossible to hear what the Old Ladies were saying.
You’ve grown, Yibei. For once in your life, you’re not running away.
She brushed past the fleeing crowd, getting closer and closer to the table of the Old Ladies.
All the black shadows pursuing her were blasted into the rain clouds, leaving ash behind that sputtered with faint movement.
She shook the metal bat against the floor, looked towards the priests carrying the dark wooden boxes, and said, “System, is it fine if I complete my side quest now?”
The system slightly senses psychic energy radiating off the Old Ladies and the priests, as confirmed.
Its confirmation gave Gu Qianqian great confidence, and she grinned, swinging her metal bat as she charged forward.
At this moment, the Old Ladies retreated, but the deformed Old Lady stood forward as she stared Gu Qianqian down.
Suddenly, she raised her head, stretching her hands into the sky as she let out a harsh hiss into the air.
The eerie hists penetrated into Yibei’s ears, and she could feel her mind emptying in an instant as she collapsed to the floor, as if forgetting her motor functions. She could then hear a prayer being uttered in a strange language.
“O’ Serpent God, born in a distant plane, heed me.”
As she uttered her prayer, her scaly body began to squirm as if something were alive underneath her skin.
Boom!
Accompanied by the sound of her body exploding, her snake-like head separated from her body, and her golden iris’ locked onto Gu Qianqian in a purple light, flying towards Gu Qianqian like an arc of lightning.
“She’s like a Dullahan!” The system sneered. “Gu Qianqian, don’t be afraid! Stand your ground!”
Gu Qianqian immediately cast a spell: “A mountain’s might!”
Immediately, rock-like substances shielded her body with the breath of life; when the lightning hit her body, it crackled, and the impact left a black mark on the shield. The electricity dispersed instantly, but Gu Qianqian was completely fine.
“Well done, Gu Qianqian!”
The system thought that her fighting was almost instinctive and praised itself for making such great judgements about choosing a host.
Gu Qianqian walked forward, approaching the other Old Ladies. However, a ray of light flickered on her shield from the dark mark.
It was weak, barely visible, but it flashed with an intense light, filling the village with an evil aura.
The next moment, purple-black flames clawed themselves out of her shield, and her complexion turned pale as numbness settled throughout her body, falling limply to the floor.
The system didn’t even know what had hit Gu Qianqian, and seeing that she was struggling to get up from the impact, it shouted in horror upon realising what the mark was doing.
“Gu Qianqian, stop using your psychic abilities immediately! She was using their god’s corrupted blood on you!”
“W-what are you talking about?” She forced herself out, attempting to get up.
“Something unclean,” it explained. “It contaminates the runic structures of high-level urban legends and myths… Gu Qianqian, we’re in big trouble.”
The mark wasn’t strong enough to destroy Gu Qianqian’s abilities and corrupt her, but it would take at least an hour or two to dispel the curse placed on her.
And if she had nothing to fight back, it’s no better than dying.
Standing within the panicked crowd and witnessing Gu Qianqian fall to the floor, the Witch felt scared.
W-what happened? Is she okay?
Are those hags really that powerful?
Several black snakes pooled under Gu Qianqian, wrapping around her and dragging her to the front of the deformed Old Lady.
“Silence!”
With a loud roar, the fleeing villagers froze in place and ceased their screams, and they all turned around to look at the Old Lady.
Her golden slits glanced over the villagers as her voice boomed across the village: “My innocent kin, this woman here is a sinner who desecrated our ceremony. She shall bear the punishment alone, and only after receiving her due punishment will the anger of our god subside.”
As soon as she spoke, the villagers roared with ferocity.
“Traitor!”
“Kill her!”
The villagers didn’t want to offend their god, cheering on.
All of their pupils were bloodshot, staring at the girl before them being entangled by black snakes. However, all she did was purse her lips as she fiddled with the metal bat in her hand.
Looking at the chaotic scene, Yibei’s breathing became shallow, and her tiny fists became red from her grip.
Come on… Do something, Yibei. Do something, anything!
A trace of anger flashed in her eyes, and she couldn’t help but scream at the top of her lungs.
“Enough!”
Her voice boomed across the village, and the village fell into a deep silence.
Gu Qianqian finally noticed Lu Yibei’s presence, and she couldn’t help but cheer in her heart, “System! Look, it’s her! She’s going to help us!”
“No, she’s not!”
Surrounded by enemies, only for a bigger enemy to sneak into the crowd. There is no saving to be done.
“Why not?” Gu Qianqian pouted. “She’s technically an outsider; do you think the villagers will let her go? She’s here to save us for sure!”
“Not necessarily! A Witch like her can infiltrate even the highest ranks of the Eclipse Society. A realm like this means nothing to her! She is nothing but a Deceiver and a World Ender! Keep your guard up!”
“System?”
“Yes?”
“I don’t think she’s the type of person to do all that.”
The deformed Old Lady glanced at the girl who had just interrupted her speech, and she muttered coldly in the language of the serpent, “Is there anything wrong, little girl? Do you not think she should be punished for her sins?”
“Well, yes!” She gave it a thumbs up. “Absolutely! Your decision is the wisest choice.”
Forgive me, Gu Qianqian.
“But I don’t think her punishment is enough.”
“Oh?” The Old Lady narrowed her slits. “Is that so?”
“How do you plan on punishing her?” Yibei asked, feigning confidence.
“Execution.”
“Skinning, livestock, hanging…” the Old Ladies behind her whispered in unison.
Thank God, Yibei thought. That makes my job easier.
“If that’s the case,” she said. “We’re letting her off easy! I’d say we sacrifice her to our god and let it be the judge!”
As soon as she spoke, Gu Qianqian stared at the Witch with wide eyes, and the system couldn’t help but laugh dryly.
“Hah, what did I tell you, Gu Qianqian? What did I say? She is viscous and evil! I was right all along!”
“System…”
“Yes?”
“Why do you sound so excited when I’m about to be executed?”
