Chapter 166: Can You See Me?
Xia Lianqing? How did she appear in broad daylight?
Lu Xianbei was momentarily stunned as Xia Lianqing’s figure flashed before him, instinctively taking a couple of steps to follow her, and then the sights around him returned to normal.
It was as if what he saw just now was merely an illusion.
She stood still, glanced at Shen Baiwei, who looked pitiful, then looked at the direction where Xia Lianqing had appeared earlier, gently shook her head, pushed open the door, and left the room, only to encounter Huaiyuan Jun waiting outside.
Seeing her bloodied face, Huaiyuan Jun approached with a concerned look and asked, “What happened to you? It was supposed to be a routine pre-interrogation; how did you end up covered in bl**d? Oh, I get it, you had a scuffle with the suspect, right?”
She tousled her hair, lamenting, “You’re still too young and inexperienced! How could you let yourself be provoked into hitting the suspect? The key point is, after striking, you didn’t even win. If this gets out… uh, don’t worry, I have a tight seal on my lips.”
As she spoke, she stretched her neck and glanced into the room as if trying to confirm Shen Baiwei’s injuries.
Generally speaking, a favored disciple of the Dachunyang Palace’s leader should have no problem overpowering a member of the Miracle Cult, at least in terms of martial prowess.
But that was only the general case…
It was reasonable to think that unexpected miracles could happen to a member of the Miracle Cult.
Does having a tight seal on my lips also mean I’ll keep to myself about that old man Zhang Hainan’s unsightly behaviors? Lu Xianbei thought, maintaining an expressionless face as he glanced at Huaiyuan Jun and said, “The pre-interrogation went smoothly, the suspects confessed everything and are even willing to join the Siye Society to turn over a new leaf.”
Lu Xianbei spoke rapidly. Initially, Huaiyuan Jun thought she might have misheard, but as Lu Xianbei continued, she seemed to awaken from a dream, her eyes gradually widening.
“However, just to be safe, after we leave Yumen Pass, it’s best to quickly get her to sign a [Moonlight Project Contract]; then even if she’s currently in a double-cross, she can’t backtrack.” Lu Xianbei said.
“Oh, oh…” Huaiyuan Jun nodded, dazed.
She immediately flipped the suspect? It’s unfathomable! How did she do it?
Self-proclaimed the strongest interrogator of the Siye Society, Huaiyuan Jun felt a shift in her mindset.
She had participated in many interrogations of high-level spiritual ability users and urban legends and knew very well that high-level spiritual ability users and urban legends, even when captured by the Siye Society, wouldn’t readily confess.
To make a suspect admit their crimes in just a few minutes and successfully convert them was simply absurd.
The Solar Eclipse Society couldn’t brainwash that quickly…
This girl, if she hasn’t been deceived, must be an interrogation genius!
While Huaiyuan Jun was lost in thought, Lu Xianbei spoke again, “The suspect, core member of the Miracle Cult Shen Baiwei, is inside. If the senior has anything else to inquire, you can ask her directly. If there’s nothing else, I’d like to take a break; I’m feeling a bit tired.”
Since concluding the pre-interrogation with Shen Baiwei, Lu Xianbei felt an intense fatigue.
It felt like having a severe cold—dizzy, heavy eyelids, weak limbs… she just wanted to find a place to lie down and rest for a bit.
“Uh…” Huaiyuan Jun returned to her senses, nodded and said, “Alright, you go rest; thank you for your hard work.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Xianbei nodded respectfully to Huaiyuan Jun, then took some heavy steps forward, opening the door.
Perhaps due to her poor physical condition, her mind was hazy, and in a daze, she didn’t notice she had walked into Xia Lianqing’s room and lay down on Xia Lianqing’s bed.
Huaiyuan Jun watched the promising “Lu Qingyi” operative enter the room and directly lie down on the bed, shaking her head.
“Tsk tsk, the new generation pushes the old! To flip a core member of the Miracle Cult in such a short time, it would be odd if it weren’t exhausting! She should indeed take a good rest.”
As she spoke, Huaiyuan Jun kindly closed the door for the worn-out “Lu Qingyi” operative.
————
Lying drowsily on the bed, Lu Xianbei recalled leaving the room where Shen Baiwei was detained, suddenly feeling unwell, inexplicably bleeding from her nose, and even flashed with the image of Xia Lianqing’s figure as if “seeing ghosts in broad daylight.”
Something felt off, thought Lu Xianbei.
She attempted to connect these peculiar incidents, but failed.
Under the dual assaults of fatigue and dizziness, her mind was scattered, like broken willow fluff blown by the wind, drifting here and there, difficult to concentrate.
Could it just be symptoms of metal poisoning? Lu Xianbei, with the scant concentration she could muster, made this assumption.
To be fair, I was almost transformed into a little golden figurine before; even with the witch-like urban legend’s core continuously detoxifying for her, it shouldn’t have been so quick to heal.
Previously, I didn’t feel unwell because after entering Yumen Pass, her experiences, not to undermine, were almost nonstop action without rest.
Now that she finally relaxed, the discomfort from poisoning reemerged, making sense.
Besides that…
Could it be that Shen Baiwei did something to me?
While I was unaware… Lu Xianbei contemplated.
In her view, Nanling Yaohua and Huaiyuan Jun wouldn’t harm her; if anyone could be up to no good, it had to be Shen Baiwei.
She tried to concentrate on recalling details from her interaction with Shen Baiwei, but her mind just became more scattered.
Her eyelids grew heavier.
Eventually, as if utterly exhausted, everything went black before her eyes, and she lost consciousness.
————
“… The events unfolded roughly like this. Besides being tasked to F Country to hunt down the two rebellious elders, I don’t know the specific plans of the Holy Son or the envoy Fang. I just know that while I acted, other members were also carrying out similar tasks.”
After Shen Baiwei finished speaking, she looked at Huaiyuan Jun, who sat across from her, silently waiting for a response.
To be fair, just from the pre-interrogation standpoint, Huaiyuan Jun was indeed more professional and normal than Calamity.
At least she wouldn’t ask any absurd, nonsensical questions.
However, due to her professionalism and normality, Huaiyuan Jun was also much easier to deceive than Calamity.
After a while, when Shen Baiwei didn’t receive a response from Huaiyuan Jun, she instead felt someone touch her, causing her pain.
Her body suddenly began to spasm, and her complexion paled instantly. With her insides violently churning, a trickle of black bl**d seeped from her lips.
Struggling, she raised her head as if trying to penetrate the wall separating the two rooms, suddenly turned to look in the direction of Lu Xianbei, her gaze filled with suspicion.
Is it Calamity?
Why did she suddenly begin to act?
Is it because of just now? Shen Baiwei thought anxiously.
She suddenly had a dreadful speculation: Calamity might have known her ability all along, and played a role this whole time, which is why she consistently asked her nearly identical questions.
Now, under the influence of Calamity’s power, repeatedly returning to the “past,” capitalizing on the energy of the “past” still lingering on her, made it easier for her to touch the past, prompting her to act and achieve her nefarious goals!
You really are something, Calamity!
So sinister and despicable! Shen Baiwei thought fiercely, her fists tightening.
And just like Shen Baiwei, with eyes filled with suspicion, was Huaiyuan Jun, who was questioning her.
Huaiyuan Jun, “…”
What’s happening? Is she injured? Did Lu Qingyi do this?
Her first reaction was that Shen Baiwei was injured by “Lu Qingyi,” but “Lu Qingyi” had injured Shen Baiwei internally.
————
“Quick, quick, quick! Everyone grab your things; the time set with the general is approaching fast! Hurry and deliver the items to them, we must intercept Shaman Queen’s army outside before that time!”
Following the woman’s shout, a chaotic sound filled the air, awakening Lu Xianbei from her slumber.
Steadying herself, she opened her eyes to see a scene of chaos.
Sharp knives, gleaming iron armor, and spirit energy-filled crossbows… various equipment crowded Xia Lianqing’s once spacious room, even cluttering the corridor outside.
Women dressed in what appeared to be travel-worn clothing used their seemingly frail hands to stuff the various equipment into pre-prepared wooden boxes, then picked them up and swiftly ran out the door.
The chaotic footsteps echoed in the corridor, on the stairs, and in the hall, as if the entire Dai Mu Institute had transformed from a hook column into a military supply warehouse.
Looking at the scene, Lu Xianbei quickly regained her senses, realizing she was witnessing the past’s influence again.
But shortly after, confusion filled her mind.
What are they doing?
Not focusing on running a hook column business, but switching to blacksmithing?
That wouldn’t make sense! Could it be that the equipment made by beautiful ladies could deal critical hits? Lu Xianbei thought.
As she pondered, a figure suddenly approached, standing next to her and then reaching out to slap her on the head.
Immediately after, she heard a charmingly reproachful voice.
“Which mistress’s maid are you? How can you be slacking off at a time like this?!”
Lu Xianbei felt a sharp pain in her head, jolting back to reality. She looked up to see a girl with hands on her hips glaring at her menacingly.
Upon careful observation, this girl was none other than Xia Lianqing’s close attendant.
“You, you can see me?” Lu Xianbei exclaimed in surprise.
She suddenly felt as if she believed she had mastered invisibility, confidently stripped down, and went out for a stroll, only to be caught and treated as a pervert.
The girl, with willow eyebrows furrowed, raised her hand and gave her another slap.
“Of course I can see you! You’re not a ghost! Do you think I wouldn’t notice just because you’re hiding back here? Hurry and get moving; stop slacking!”
Lu Xianbei, “…”
But still… to get moving, you at least need to tell me what I should do!
Chapter 167: My Name is Shen Baiwei
It took Lu Xianbei several minutes to thoroughly digest the fact that the people around her could see her.
It wasn’t just the girl who had been rough with her.
During the few minutes she was dazed, various figures entered and exited the room filled with military supplies—either burly men or beautiful women, even some familiar faces—those merchants she had seen in the market outside the Dai Mu Institute.
They busily operated like a colony of worker ants, constantly carrying the military equipment packed into wooden boxes outside, occasionally bumping into door frames and corners but never halting their pace, filling the entire institute with a thrilling and tense atmosphere.
However, this group of people, when passing by Lu Xianbei, noticed this unfamiliar girl with a “dumbfounded” expression and paused briefly, casting her meaningful looks.
Their eyes seemed to say, “What a pretty girl; how can she be so foolish? Poor thing!”
Lu Xianbei was indeed somewhat dumbfounded.
Though it wasn’t her first time catching glimpses of the past, and she had even saved Xia Lianqing from wanting to hang herself last time, she had previously held a mindset toward viewing the past that was akin to watching a movie.
Even if one could interact with the people and events of the past, it wouldn’t be more than simply replacing an ordinary film with a 4D immersive experience.
But now…
It felt like watching a movie, and suddenly the characters on screen jumped out, giving her a punch.
It had gotten outrageous!
What went wrong?
What exactly happened? Lu Xianbei pondered blankly.
After a moment, seeing she still sat there “slacking off,” the maid-like girl clenched her pink fist, prepared to give her another slap when suddenly a crisp voice called out from the side.
“Ah Yun, stop it! You can’t!”
Looking in the direction of the voice, Lu Xianbei saw a woman dressed in a narrow-collared robe with striped trousers, entering her view.
It was Xia Lianqing.
In fact, like everyone else coming in and out of the room, she had already noticed this unfamiliar girl but had been busy until now, only just finding a moment to approach Lu Xianbei.
At this moment, she had changed into practical clothing, her long hair tied back in a simple bun, a far cry from her usual stunning makeup, exuding a capable demeanor.
She looked like she had stepped out from the images of Tang dynasty women.
“Miss…” the girl called Ah Yun turned to Xia Lianqing, pouting her discontent, “It’s already such a time, and she’s still slacking here! I just wanted to teach her a lesson to make her hurry up.”
Xia Lianqing glanced at Ah Yun and then at Lu Xianbei, waved her hand to signal Ah Yun to step aside, and then walked forward to stand in front of Lu Xianbei.
She scrutinized the unfamiliar girl before her, slightly frowning.
Lu Xianbei’s completely expressionless face and her dazed eyes, confused by suddenly being seen by people from the past, all looked like a naive girl suddenly learning that war was imminent.
Although the current situation was chaotic, and various tribes under the Shaman Queen might send spies, Xia Lianqing did suspect this unfamiliar girl before her, but she recalled how the girl seemed years ago when her father was killed in battle, and their tribe had to flee, which brought forth her sympathy.
Moreover, she did not sense any flow of spirit energy from the girl, proving that other than her stunning appearance, she had no other special traits, just like the sisters in the Dai Mu Institute.
Just an ordinary weak girl.
So far, her encounters with beings that she couldn’t detect spirit energy from were limited to Nanling County King and Hong Bian Monk.
Thus, could it be that this girl was actually formidable, nearly reaching the legendary status of Nanling County King and Hong Bian Monk?
Of course, it was possible, but the likelihood was negligible.
Such powerful figures, why would the tribes send them as spies? Surely being on the front lines is a better placement!
Even if there’s a one in ten thousand chance they sent such a terrifying figure as a spy, they wouldn’t set their sights on Xia Lianqing.
After all, the ones secretly assisting the dragon-scaled armor soldiers within Yumen Pass had included five individuals from various trades, with Xia Lianqing being the least significant and most inconspicuous link among them.
Even if all the tribes dispatched spies to create disorder, it wouldn’t be her as their target.
Recollecting her thoughts, Xia Lianqing scrutinized the girl again and sighed silently.
“…”
By the looks of it, she probably hasn’t even reached marriageable age; how could she have encountered any worldly turbulence?
Hearing that the Shaman Queen’s vanguard had invaded the city would surely frighten her to d*ath, Xia Lianqing thought, gently shaking her head as she stepped forward, placing a hand softly on Lu Xianbei’s shoulder and saying gently, “Sister, don’t be afraid; you’re safe here.”
“Mm, mm…” Lu Xianbei glanced at Xia Lianqing, quickly averting her gaze and nodded.
“The younger sister seems unfamiliar; you haven’t lived around here before, have you?” Xia Lianqing asked again.
“Ah, yes…” Lu Xianbei snapped back to her wits and quickly improvised, “I escaped here during the recent chaos.”
Having had previous experiences peering into the past, she could roughly guess that amidst the tense atmosphere in the Dai Mu Institute, war must have reached near Yumen Pass, and at such a time, her unfamiliar presence could easily be implicated as a traitor.
Though Lu Xianbei was accustomed to playing the role of a traitor, she had always been the one to initiate it, never in a position where others suspected her!
Thus, her response came off as somewhat perfunctory, lacking obvious flaws.
She didn’t want to be suspected.
If Lu Xianbei previously had a playful attitude toward “glimpsing the past,” now she felt her situation was perilous.
Heaven knows how long it would take to detach from the “past.” If it took too long to return and she was mistaken for a traitor, would she even survive?
This situation was different from the last time; everyone could see her, so she couldn’t act recklessly like before. She needed to bide her time and act according to the circumstances.
“What’s your name, younger sister?” Xia Lianqing inquired again, “What about your family?”
What kind of retribution is this? Just after inquiring about Shen Baiwei, now I’m being questioned again? Lu Xianbei thought, glancing at Xia Lianqing before slowly lowering her head, adding a hint of a sob, “My family…”
“They… they are all… gone.”
This could count as saying the truth; the ancestor didn’t count as a living person, Water Brother had no bl**d ties, and though there were many fiancées, none had actually come to the door… even if Xia Lianqing had some means to discern lies, she should find no issues.
After a moment, a timid addendum followed, “Oh right, to answer the sister, my name is Shen Baiwei, from Jianzhou; I arrived here with my father for business half a year ago.”
Upon hearing this, Xia Lianqing furrowed her brow and patted Lu Xianbei’s shoulder, saying, “I’m sorry Baiwei; I offer my condolences…”
After a pause, as if recalling something, her expression brightened as she said to Lu Xianbei, “How about this! If you’re really scared, just stay by my side for now; it’ll be easier for you.”
This decision was not made on a whim by Xia Lianqing.
Part of her reasoning for this decision was seeing “Shen Baiwei” having shared suffering and perhaps not putting her trust in “Shen Baiwei.”
Although the possibility of “Shen Baiwei” being an envoy sent by the tribes was extremely low, it wasn’t entirely out of the realm of possibility.
In fact, leveraging Ah Yun’s scolding of “Shen Baiwei” to approach her, Xia Lianqing had quietly communicated with her sisters in the Dai Mu Institute, the dragon-scaled armor soldiers, and the market-goers nearby.
From these discussions, she learned that nobody had any impression of “Shen Baiwei.”
This was quite odd.
Despite “Shen Baiwei” being relatively young, her looks had already reached what could be considered stunning.
If nothing outrageous happens in the coming years, she would quite likely grow to become a beauty, with an aura of elegance about her. If not for appearing in Yumen Pass now facing imminent war, one might speculate she was a runaway princess, even…
Had there been recent rumors about a princess running away?
In short, a girl like this, if people had seen her regularly, would certainly not go unnoticed.
Thus, the answer was clear: “Shen Baiwei” had only recently appeared in the vicinity of the Dai Mu Institute, perhaps even just today.
Although this aligned with “Shen Baiwei”’s previous response and independently couldn’t conclude that “Shen Baiwei” was an enemy, keeping “Shen Baiwei” close, observing her actions, and preventing her from engaging with the core of any operation would allow Xia Lianqing some peace of mind.
It’s precisely because Xia Lianqing was soft-hearted that, were it someone else, they might have imprisoned this “Shen Baiwei” or even slashed her with a sword on the spot.
“…”
If she really did have malicious intent, it wouldn’t be too late to deal with her then!
After all, she’s so weak, it’s unlikely she could stir up any trouble… Xia Lianqing thought.
“Sure, sure!” Upon hearing Xia Lianqing’s words, Lu Xianbei nodded vigorously, “Then I’ll be troubling you, sister.”
Since she didn’t want to stir up any incidents, why not hold onto a strong ally?
Although this ally was a bit on the frail side…
————
Just as Lu Xianbei joyfully embraced Xia Lianqing’s support, Shen Baiwei, who was being impersonated, felt anything but happy.
Almost the moment Lu Xianbei called herself “Shen Baiwei,” her symptoms of uncontrolled spirit patterns and the degree of night erosion within her body surged sharply, akin to a roller coaster reaching its peak.
She staggered as if struck by a heavy blow, only able to lowly growl, “Calamity, you…” before spitting out a large pool of black bl**d and then losing consciousness, leaving Huaiyuan Jun, who had not yet departed, completely baffled.
“???”
What on earth? What’s going on? Why did her injury suddenly worsen?
Did Lu Qingyi do this? Did she get her knocked near the edge of becoming an urban legend? And what about…
What did her utterance of “Calamity” mean? Huaiyuan Jun wondered in confusion.
Just then, Nanling Yaohua quietly appeared outside the door…
