Chapter 142: The Cure for Illness is… a Cuddle?
The aura of the Evil God slowly emerged, a presence even more aggressive than that of ordinary ghosts. It induced a fear akin to that brought on by Evil Ghosts but added an extra psychological oppression, known as “divinity.”
While using a warm towel to wipe down Feng Er’s body, Zhao Mingyue noticed Bai Yu getting up, suddenly gripping her wrist.
“Bai Yu?” Zhao Mingyue jumped in surprise, her gaze filled with suspicion.
Her voice drew the attention of Feng Er and Lu Liangting, who looked at Bai Yu with the same puzzled expression, unsure of what was happening.
Bai Yu remained silent, her grip on Zhao Mingyue’s hand unyielding.
The cold resentment of the Evil Ghost only produced a minimal effect; the energy rising within Zhao Mingyue was barely slowed down.
Bai Yu frowned, placing her other hand on Zhao Mingyue’s shoulder, but it still seemed ineffective.
“Stand up!” Glancing at Huang Fengxi, Bai Yu seemed to sense where the problem lay. “Slowly move towards me.”
Detecting urgency in Bai Yu’s tone, Zhao Mingyue didn’t think twice and quickly put down the warm towel, rising to her feet and following Bai Yu slowly toward the awning leading to the Spirit Hall, her movements painfully sluggish.
“What’s going on, Bai Yu?”
“Don’t ask, something’s come up.”
Huang Fengxi’s unique physique had triggered something within Zhao Mingyue, whether it was the influence of the bl**d or the aura was unclear.
Why was it that she could touch Feng Er without any issues, even completely encasing her in bl**d Threads without feeling a thing?
The further she moved away from Huang Fengxi, the more the energy in Zhao Mingyue’s body surged, akin to a child robbed of their snack.
Finally, after taking her third step, Zhao Mingyue’s expression changed. She felt something stirring within her body—her heartbeat skyrocketing. She struggled to breathe, pressing her hand against her chest, convinced her heart was about to leap out of her throat.
Zhao Mingyue’s body temperature was rising rapidly, which Bai Yu could feel through her grip.
Her cheeks flushed hot; the whites of her eyes were gradually overtaken by a creeping darkness—that was a second pupil!
“Hmph.” Bai Yu huffed, suddenly yanking Zhao Mingyue close, catching her off guard. Zhao Mingyue squeaked as she was enveloped in Bai Yu’s embrace, her petite figure resembling a younger sister being cradled by her older sister, completely unawkward.
Her cheeks, already flushed, turned even redder, and now it felt like a stampede of little deer was racing in her chest instead of just one. Zhao Mingyue’s eyes began to glaze over.
Bai Yu had entered Zhao Mingyue’s body, battling for control against that lurking presence within her.
She realized that the Evil God had not been sleeping by choice; it was heavily wounded and forced into dormancy. Whether through the Ghost’s corpse or Feng Er, both appeared to be recovery supplements, naturally causing the Evil God to start rampaging uncontrollably after contact.
With Bai Yu’s entrance, Zhao Mingyue’s heartbeat gradually returned to normal, the scorching temperature subsiding, and her face lost its flush as consciousness returned.
Once her body stabilized, Bai Yu exited Zhao Mingyue.
“What on earth just happened?” They locked eyes, and Zhao Mingyue patted her chest, exhaling in relief. “For a moment there, I felt like my body was no longer under my control.”
Bai Yu fell silent, her expression serious.
She hadn’t yet told Zhao Mingyue about the Evil God. She wanted to resolve it all when they got to the back village, avoiding the need for Zhao Mingyue to delve into this matter.
But now, it seemed she couldn’t avoid the topic any longer.
“I’ll tell you when we get back.”
“Okay.”
Zhao Mingyue could see Bai Yu’s heavy heart but was considerate enough not to press her for answers. She trusted Bai Yu completely, believing that when Bai Yu was ready to share, she would.
Silence enveloped the courtyard again, with just the sound of the rain pouring. It took a full two hours to clear away the corpses inside and outside the Huang residence, leaving only the unconscious Huang Tianhua alive.
“I’ve got this handled.” Lu Liangting spoke up, taking charge since he had experience with such matters, ensuring he had a role to play rather than just spectating.
He stored the Female Ghost in his phone. Checking the time, he decided to wait until the rain stopped before leaving. However, considering it was still early, everyone was still drenched. Huang Fengxi needed a hospital checkup, so he grit his teeth and decided to drive everyone home.
Soaked by the rain and nearly accosted by a Red-clothed Evil Ghost, Lu Liangting felt surprisingly alert.
The ride home was quiet, an oppressive atmosphere lingering.
The events at the Huang residence felt like a heavy hammer striking Zhao Mingyue and Lu Liangting’s hearts, teaching them what true human tragedy looked like.
They made it home without a hitch, and Lu Liangting’s luck held up—no police checkpoints in sight.
“I’ll take Feng Er to the hospital first. I have a friend there; it’ll save some hassle. You can just visit her tomorrow or another day. Once she’s discharged, I’ll sort out her accommodation,” Lu Liangting said.
“Sounds good, thank you.”
“It’s no trouble. Her injuries are severe; we must get her treated immediately. You’re soaked too, so take care of yourself. It’s getting late anyway; you and Bai Yu should head back first, no need to rush tonight.”
“Okay, you too; make sure to rest well when you get back.”
Saying this, Zhao Mingyue opened the door to get out. bl**d Threads snaked from the back of her head, forming a rather odd little umbrella atop her head, which she only dispelled once she entered the hallway.
Finally back home, Zhao Mingyue didn’t flop onto the sofa. Instead, she searched through her bedroom for a change of clothes, pulling Bai Yu into the bathroom with her.
In a matter of moments, the hot water filled the tub, steam rising in the bathroom.
This time, they weren’t in a traditional embrace; Zhao Mingyue and Bai Yu sat across from each other in the spacious tub, their small sizes allowing them to fold their legs comfortably.
“Ah, finally, this is so comfy! The clingy wet clothes sticking to me felt horrible, and my hair was drenched too!” With her knees hugged, Zhao Mingyue leaned back, extending her bubbling, pale feet above the water’s surface.
“My shoes are soaked, my socks are drenched, and my feet have turned into prunes!”
As she spoke, she dunked her feet back into the water, suddenly reaching for Bai Yu’s feet, pulling them into her embrace, both squeezing and kneading them, revealing a mischievous grin. “Hehehe, Bai Yu, you’re the best—so tiny and fragrant!”
Bai Yu, facepalming, wanted to kick this girl.
Your body’s about to be overtaken by an Evil God, and you’re worried about feet? Your little life matters less than a pair of feet?
“Bai Yu, what on earth happened today? Why do I feel you were so tense!”
Holding Bai Yu’s tiny feet in her lap, Zhao Mingyue recalled the serious matter at hand.
She couldn’t shake the sensation from earlier, standing in the Huang courtyard, feeling utterly out of control. When she regained her senses, it felt oddly comforting to hold Bai Yu like this.
Before, hugging Bai Yu was just cold and uninviting, comfort was outside the conversation entirely.
What had changed in such a short time?
“It’s related to Ping Shan Village,” Bai Yu attempted to retract her foot, but the moment she exerted force, Zhao Mingyue relaxed her grip, causing one foot to land squarely on Zhao Mingyue’s chest.
Not so much as stuck; more like a cozy foot sandwich.
Bai Yu sighed, trying her best to ignore it and let Zhao Mingyue have her fun. “Eternal Life Village has four Evil Gods. We’ve only interacted with two so far, and we’ve been in contact with the third one, who represents the eye. The one we don’t understand yet is the strongest of the bunch…”
“In your body.”
Zhao Mingyue paused mid-knead upon hearing that.
“What do you mean, ‘in my body’?”
“To put it simply, the ceremony back when you were recognized as the Goddess succeeded. In the end, the Evil God entered your body, and you were completely unaware of its presence because it was too injured and fell into a deep sleep. Unfortunately, this Evil God has now awakened.”
Bai Yu tried to keep her voice serious, hoping Zhao Mingyue would grasp the gravity of the situation. She felt like Zhao Mingyue had begun to let loose after she started getting help, losing her sense of danger.
Other problems could be brushed aside, but this one definitely couldn’t be taken lightly.
“This Evil God has set its sights on your body. Once it fully wakes up, it will invade your soul, and then you won’t be you anymore. You’ll transform into one of those villagers in Ping Shan Village.”
“Is there any way to solve this?”
“There is.” Bai Yu hesitated, considering whether to reveal the means of resolution to Zhao Mingyue.
“What is it?”
“Go to the back village of Eternal Life Village; during this time… you need to spend more time with me.”
“Spend more time? Elaborate!”
Zhao Mingyue’s expression turned serious, her previous levity replaced with earnest concern. But Bai Yu felt like something was slightly off.
She outlined the method for alleviating the problem, which was straightforward, yet it primarily addressed the symptoms and not the root cause. Still, it would merely buy them time.
Upon hearing this method, the tension melted off Zhao Mingyue’s face as she leaped up from the bathtub, splashing water everywhere and lunging at Bai Yu.
Face to face, Zhao Mingyue hugged Bai Yu tightly.
“Oh no, I can feel the Evil God stirring inside me again!”
“Bai Yu, in what little life force I have left, promise me one thing, okay?”
“Let’s sleep together tonight!”
“I’ve wanted to for ages—cough, cough, I mean, I sensed it long ago!”
Bai Yu: “……”
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