After two massive energies collided, the viewing screens for the spectators went dead.
“Hey, what gives!”
“Why can’t we see anything anymore?”
“Everyone, disperse. The recording equipment is fried.”
“Damn, what the hell is going on in there? What caused such a huge commotion?”
“Alright, break it up, break it up. Get back to your training, don’t block the area.”
The crowd gradually dispersed. News of the duel between Ling Xiaoxiao and Xue Ji quickly spread throughout the superhuman forces of City A. Everyone was talking about the incredibly powerful little white-haired girl who had arrived, someone unimaginably strong, just like Ling Xiaoxiao. Their fight was so intense it seemed to grind the very laws of the world to dust.
Inside the testing area, the aftermath of Ling Xiaoxiao and Xue Ji’s clash had almost exceeded the site’s maximum repair capacity. The usual green energy streams had turned red, operating overloaded just to dissipate the rampant energies.
A mist filled the area, their figures faintly visible within it.
All the area’s defensive arrays activated, rapidly absorbing the water vapor.
Ling Xiaoxiao’s sword was pressed against Xue Ji’s neck, a mere two fingers’ breadth away.
“Xiao Ji, you’ve lost,” Ling Xiaoxiao declared her victory.
“Really?” Xue Ji showed no fear, instead revealing a triumphant, scheming smile.
She crooked the index and middle fingers of her right hand. A spiderweb of spiritual energy threads suddenly materialized, thoroughly restraining Ling Xiaoxiao from head to toe.
Xue Ji gently turned her head, a few strands of her own hair drifting down.
“Don’t move now, these threads are very sharp,” Xue Ji said, then smiled innocently. “You lose. Now you know who’s the boss, right?”
Xue Ji, somewhat carried away, placed her left hand on her hip and swayed her head slightly. Ling Xiaoxiao, looking at the expanse of pale skin on Xue Ji’s neck, felt an inexplicable urge to snap it.
‘Xiao Ji, being this cute is dangerous. Both for others, and for yourself.’
Ling Xiaoxiao bit her lip, forcing herself to calm down before responding.
“So~ you think you’re pretty tough, huh?”
“Come on, I’m super tough, alright?” Xue Ji brimmed with confidence, demonstratively crooking her fingers. The spiritual threads tightened, slicing through Ling Xiaoxiao’s clothes.
Ling Xiaoxiao’s spring light was exposed. Hindered by the spiritual threads, she couldn’t cover herself and could only let her clothes slip off.
Xue Ji hurriedly dispersed the spiritual threads and stepped forward, wrapping her own robe around Ling Xiaoxiao.
“Um, sorry,” Xue Ji’s movements were flustered as she bundled Ling Xiaoxiao tightly. “I didn’t mean to.”
“Scared of what? The recording equipment here was already wrecked by our little outburst earlier.” Wrapped in Xue Ji’s robe, Ling Xiaoxiao unabashedly sniffed it right in front of her.
Watching Ling Xiaoxiao be intoxicated as she deeply inhaled the scent of her robe, Xue Ji blushed and quickly turned her head away.
“So, this counts as my win, right?” Xue Ji ventured.
“Not really. Did I actually concede?” A sly smile appeared on Ling Xiaoxiao’s pretty face. “You let your guard down on your own. If this were a fight to the death, you’d already be dead by my hand.”
“How can you be like this! You’re cheating! You’re just a sore loser!” Xue Ji flushed with anger, puffed her cheeks, and raised a fist threateningly.
But to Ling Xiaoxiao, this was nothing but adorable—absolutely, maliciously cute.
She directly grabbed Xue Ji’s small, clenched fist, pulled her into an embrace, wrapped them both in the robe, and held her tightly.
“Sorry, Xiao Ji, you’re just too cute.” Ling Xiaoxiao’s tone shifted, losing its previous edge as she held on tightly. “If I could, I’d want to hold you like this forever.”
Such corny, mushy words from her always made Xue Ji’s thoughts stray, leading her to wonder how Ling Xiaoxiao had handled her corpse in her previous life.
“You win. I surrender.” Ling Xiaoxiao rubbed Xue Ji’s head and tentatively hugged her again.
Xue Ji seemed to sense something and didn’t resist, allowing herself to be held.
Receiving Xue Ji’s silent permission, Ling Xiaoxiao was flustered yet overjoyed, wishing she could melt Xue Ji into her very being. She held Xue Ji for a full half hour before finally, reluctantly, loosening her embrace.
“You have something important you must do, and you have to leave for a while, right?” Xue Ji asked, while smoothing down her hair, which had been mussed up by Ling Xiaoxiao.
“Mm. Xiao Ji, you understand me so well—you must like me, right?” Ling Xiaoxiao teased.
“W-where would you get that idea! You’re just being too obvious.” The words flustered Xue Ji, her face reddening as she tried to explain.
“Alright, alright, I’ll stop teasing you. I have something serious to discuss.” Ling Xiaoxiao became serious again, holding Xue Ji’s hands earnestly.
“I want you and Shayna to be the final safeguard, the backup, for the upcoming vampire extermination campaign.”
“What about you?”
“I’m going to meet Cain.” As she spoke, Ling Xiaoxiao took out her communicator, performed some operations, and transferred partial access permissions to Xue Ji.
“That Vampire Progenitor? Why now?”
Xue Ji found it strange. Why choose such a risky move, ignoring the crucial vampire antibody?
“It’s not that simple. The forces involved behind this are too bizarre.”
Ling Xiaoxiao opened a video file from the archives. The footage seemed familiar to Xue Ji.
It was again the unfortunate Song Liangpeng, tied up in his home. The difference this time was that Xue Ji could see the four cultists he had mentioned.
They wore black robes and human skin masks. Aside from their withered hands and the eerie blood-red cross tattoos on their hands, they had no distinguishing features.
“They’re connected to that black magic storm I encountered that day?” Xue Ji voiced her conjecture.
“Let’s hope it’s just that. Things are messy enough already,” Ling Xiaoxiao complained. “And there’s something more serious. Vampires, as a long-existing race, have deeply infiltrated abroad.”
Xue Ji continued the thought: “If we don’t quickly resolve Cain’s nation-building plan, once they establish themselves internationally, it will be impossible to gather such a large force to crusade against them.”
“Half right. The other half is due to the effects of the spiritual energy resurgence. And since vampire physiology is extremely similar to humans, do you know what that means?”
“Vampires can also awaken superhuman abilities and cultivate them!” Xue Ji realized the severity. Nation-building was a delaying tactic; Cain’s real goal was to bring the bloodline onto the stage of history and replace humanity.
Ling Xiaoxiao nodded. “The intelligence gathered by various countries only goes this far so far.”
“Moreover, the strength of the bloodline’s leader, that Progenitor, is estimated to be approaching the realm of the gods. After much investigation, the joint superhuman organization has classified this matter as a top-priority emergency.”
“The realm of gods… can it threaten you?” Xue Ji asked with concern.
“Hmm? You’re worried about me?” Ling Xiaoxiao seemed surprised, feeling a sweet warmth inside.
Xue Ji felt speechless at this love-addled brain and said helplessly, “Yes, yes, I’m worried about you.”
“To be honest, I don’t know if my Immortal Beast body can slay a god. The research departments of various countries have scoured all relevant materials dry. Supercomputers worldwide have been running simulations continuously for a month, yet they can barely simulate the divine realm described in ancient texts.”
“But no matter what, I have to go.” Ling Xiaoxiao’s tone was calm, unwavering.
Xue Ji felt the atmosphere grow somewhat strange. She was afraid Ling Xiaoxiao’s next words would be some kind of flag, like promising to marry her upon return.
She hurriedly interrupted Ling Xiaoxiao, saying, “I’ll go with you!”
“You can’t. We need someone reliable here as the final safeguard. The vampire antibody can fundamentally threaten their entire species.”
Xue Ji still wanted to argue. “Can’t Shayna do it?”
Shayna, who had been playing dead on the ground nearby, pricked up her ears upon hearing this.
“What would have happened that day with the black magic storm if you hadn’t been there?”
Xue Ji had no retort. She nodded silently.
Before the three of them left the testing area, Ling Xiaoxiao finally found an opportunity. Seizing the moment when Xue Ji was off guard, she darted to her ear and whispered, “After we finish this battle, let’s get married.”
“You!” Xue Ji wanted to say something, but Ling Xiaoxiao planted a kiss on her cheek and then vanished without a trace, leaving Xue Ji utterly flustered and alone on the spot.