Chapter 99: Zhao Mingyue’s Love Rival?
Bai Yu knew the Dragon Lady all too well. They had spent countless missions hunting each other, collecting intel, and exploiting weaknesses like a couple of obsessive spies on a bizarre reality show.
Based on her understanding, in the shrine just a moment ago, the Dragon Lady wouldn’t have been the type to run away first. No, she would have laid in wait, ready to pounce on her opponent—like a hunter lurking in the shadows. If it were Zhao Mingyue she wanted to catch, she’d probably prefer to injure her severely and let her limp away, rather than just skedaddle off.
There were incredibly few scenarios where the Dragon Lady would flee.
See, normal people might run to avoid exposure, but for the Dragon Lady, it’s always about delivering a knock-out blow and ensuring no loose ends are left. If she was in danger, she’d use it as an opportunity to stab you in the back, like a surprise party where the surprise is “you’re dead.”
This unparalleled knowledge of the Dragon Lady left Bai Yu utterly bamboozled by her sudden retreat.
Honestly, she hadn’t even noticed the Dragon Lady hiding on the rooftop. Looking back, she shuddered at how close she had come to disaster. Bai Yu was confident she could protect Zhao Mingyue from dying, but the idea of keeping her completely unscathed? Now that was a long shot.
At the foot of the mountain, a figure darted through the tangled dead grass.
This figure was petite, barely hitting one point five meters, even more of a loli than Bai Yu.
But oh boy, was she fast! In that chaotic environment, she moved like the wind—a ghost in broad daylight. Blink and you’ll miss her! With every step she took being so wispy and unpredictable, figuring out her next move was like predicting the weather in a tornado.
So, what did Bai Yu do? Easy! Ghost Wall!
This nifty little trick messes with the magnetic field, causing a person to experience hallucinations. It’s a rudimentary skill that’s easy to counter, but boy, can it save your bacon when the chips are down.
Bai Yu stretched out her bl**d Thread and wrapped it around the fleeing figure, who promptly slowed down, making a half-circle as she started running in loops.
Bai Yu raised an eyebrow. She hadn’t expected the ghostly trick to be so effective!
For real, even though she was a ghost, she hardly ever used ghost-like abilities because, let’s face it, they didn’t seem practical. Sure, they worked on regular folks, but against someone with strength? Not so much. Why waste energy when she could just slice and dice in one clean swipe?
But now, with her encounter with the Dragon Lady, she realized she had underestimated ghost abilities a bit.
Take Ghost Wall, for example. Sure, it’s easy to break, but before you even realize you’re caught, you need to acknowledge you’re being played, right?
Most folks usually sprint away, only realizing they’ve fallen for the trick when they’re a good distance away—too late to counter! By that point, those few seconds could be fatal.
And wouldn’t you know it, after two dizzying loops, the Dragon Lady finally sensed something was off. With a delicate huff, her petite frame—which had barely reached one fifty—suddenly surged to about one sixty in an eye blink, as if she had put on some kind of biological battle armor, with a long, scaly tail swishing behind her.
That was it! Bai Yu had pieced together her true identity.
In that fleeting glimpse as she fled, there hadn’t been much to go on, but her movements were a dead giveaway.
With a swift motion, Bai Yu stepped forward, blocking the Dragon Lady’s way.
The moment she transformed, the Dragon Lady shattered the Ghost Wall with ease. By the time she processed what had happened, a familiar figure was standing right in front of her.
Her body was covered in shimmering silver scales. Though she appeared a bit more robust, she still seemed fragile. Her face was draped with a mask made of scales—no features, just a pair of icy-blue slit eyes that could freeze you in your tracks.
The heavy tail flicked in irritation, and claws glimmered ominously.
Bai Yu didn’t flinch at the Dragon Lady’s battle stance. She kept her mouth shut, knowing the eyes of the foe were scanning for their next move.
“Is that you, Bai Yu? You’ve turned into a ghost?” the Dragon Lady chirped, her voice comically youthful, complete with a digital echo effect.
“Surprised? So, are you too shy to show your true form now that you see me?”
The Dragon Lady’s lilting voice hummed with a laugh. “Oh, I know your situation—it’s hilarious! But you know what, I actually don’t mind you, Bai Yu. I like you not for your looks, but for your soul.”
“Let’s team up,” Zhao Mingyue chimed in, backing up several steps. Bai Yu emerged from her, standing a solid three meters in front of the Dragon Lady, blocking her sight of Zhao Mingyue.
“Dragon Lady, you know what this place signifies for you.”
“The rear village is dangerous. Going there alone means certain d*ath.”
At this, the Dragon Lady mercilessly retracted her claws, and a sweet, tinkling giggle erupted from behind the mask. “Did I hear that right, Bai Yu? You want to help me?”
“Let me think… We’ve known each other for three years, six months, and three days. During this time, you’ve tried to slice my throat two hundred thirty-eight times, told me to run away one hundred eighty-two times, attempted to argue with me five times, and left without a word eighty-nine times.”
“But this? This is the first time you’ve ever said you wanted to help me!”
The delight in the Dragon Lady’s voice was palpable. Her eyes crescented into smiles, practically blooming like flowers, yet the undertones remained lethal.
Once done giggling, her expression shifted to a more serious tone.
“Why didn’t you say this sooner…”
“I know what I need to do; just worry about yourself. If I kick the bucket, please collect my body.”
“No, make sure to collect it! Because if I become a ghost, I’ll still haunt you otherwise!”
“Don’t you dare follow me! If you do, I’ll strangle your new love interest!”
With that, the Dragon Lady twirled and strutted off, her tail sweeping through the dead grass on either side of the path. Just a few steps in, she halted, spun around, and added, “Oh, by the way, you look really good now—much better than before. I really like it!”
And off she went toward the back mountain.
Bai Yu didn’t chase after her.
So what if the redemption mission was a bust? She wasn’t keen on working with the Dragon Lady. If given the chance, she’d prefer to take her out instead.
Truth be told, it was less about wanting to k*ll her and more about wishing she’d just keep her distance and not keep showing up—it would be a massive improvement.
“Is that it? We’re just going to let her walk away?” Zhao Mingyue blinked in bewilderment.
“We’re not following. Let’s head back.”
“Fine. But… Bai Yu, who on earth was that? She seems to know you, and you looked pretty cozy together. Does she like you?”
Stealing a sideways glance at Bai Yu, Zhao Mingyue felt a touch of resignation wash over her.
Great. Another competitor had emerged.
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Today was something of a mess, so I’m late, whimper whimper.
But once the 15th hits, I’ll drop a mega-update! Expect at least ten thousand words a day!
