Chapter 183: Shen Baiwei Makes a Wish, Calamity Causes Suffering
“Speak your wish…”
When such a voice echoed in her mind, Luxianbei almost instinctively blurted out, “I want Bai Xiaohua, a tangible, living Bai Xiaohua!”
That voice seemed to carry a power that influenced the mind, akin to when a student had committed a wrongdoing and a parent had to come to school; it reminded her of that moment when her father came out of the teacher’s office, gritting his teeth and saying, “I’ll deal with you when we get home!” It could truly make one feel threatened.
However, before she could say the words, Luxianbei quickly became alert.
Wait, something is off! Is this wish free?
In today’s world, even to receive a pack of free tissues, one must scan a QR code and add a bunch of perplexing public accounts, let alone this mysterious voice suddenly asking for a wish.
She heard a ghostly voice, and before asking any clarifying questions, carelessly making a wish could very well push herself into a pit of fire, right?
Thinking of this, Luxianbei cleared her throat and cautiously probed, “Well, may I ask if I can add a few limited conditions, slightly, as long as it doesn’t affect the substance of the wish?”
“Understanding how wishes work is essential; you worry that I might ask for too much, and I fear you might tamper with the ways, processes, and after-service of how the wish is fulfilled. Wouldn’t you agree?”
After speaking, she waited a few seconds, but no voice echoed in her mind again. Luxianbei silently sighed.
As expected, this matter is non-negotiable…
It’s the type of situation where you can either wish or not.
She narrowed her eyes and looked up at the sky, her gaze landing on a figure enveloped in golden light.
At first glance, the figure seemed to be wrapped in a thick layer of golden fur, but upon closer inspection, it was discernible that it was not fur, but a layer of dazzling, slowly writhing, bizarre substance resembling numerous underdeveloped tiny tentacles.
The golden substance flowed around the figure’s surface like a liquid or gas, following some special rule, occasionally extending thin strands that were difficult for the n*ked eye to capture, intertwining to sketch out incomplete, incomprehensible patterns.
Then, as those incomplete patterns dissipated, a dreamlike array of colorful blossoms sprang forth in mid-air, followed by their wilting and dispersing into the wind, bringing with it an indistinct yet oddly melodious tune.
“……”
That figure appeared alongside a blazing light that rose up a few seconds ago, engulfing the entire sky of Yumen Pass…
And from that figure, she sensed a familiar spirit energy fluctuation, highly similar to those she had previously detected on Oujinbang and Fang Ji…
And the voice in her mind grew clearer, resonating alongside that figure in the brilliant light.
So, is that guy a member of the Miracle Cult?
That guy Fang Ji went to great lengths to open the gates of Yumen Pass, just to let him appear, right?
Was that earlier voice asking for a wish issued by him? Luxianbei wondered.
In her view, making a wish to such a ghostly entity could indeed be realized, yet without at least a hundred or eighty supplementary conditions, after the wish was granted, the wishmaker wouldn’t d*e but would surely be skinned alive.
Of course, there was a chance of miracles happening, but even if the probability of danger was only one percent, in this matter, it translated to a hundred percent!
Thinking more negatively, this situation resembled wishing to an unknown evil god for a hundred billion in money.
Heaven knows, would she receive a hundred billion Zimbabwean dollars or even a single hundred billion level ghost money?
There was also the possibility of instant inflation, making that hundred billion lose its original purchasing power, or sudden wars and calamities preventing one from spending money even if they had it.
Even in the moment just after making a wish, the “God of Wealth” from the Siye Society might appear to confiscate those dubious funds.
No matter whether or not one gained substantial benefits from a hundred billion of Z Country’s currency, the evil god would have fulfilled your wish, and then came the time to bear the cost of that wish.
From a certain perspective, wishing for “a tangible, living Bai Xiaohua” or any wish follows the same reasoning.
If the wish was truly made, would a mutilated corpse of Bai Xiaohua materialize right away?
Would a lively Bai Xiaohua just appear, only to have a Demon g*n strike her dead the moment she was summoned by her “husband fan?”
If none of those situations occurred, who said that just summoning Bai Xiaohua would allow the wishmaker to remain in this world?
As her thoughts flowed towards the potential costs of making a wish, Luxianbei could not help but shiver.
Deliberately thinking about it was chilling; she almost fell for it!
It was just like online dating; one careless move not only resulted in losing money but also getting one’s kidney taken away.
So, let it be? The affairs of the two-dimensional realm should stay in the two-dimensional realm; that would be the most beautiful. Bringing it into reality would be impolite.
Just as Luxianbei felt regretful about not being able to have close contact with Bai Xiaohua in the real world, secretly lamenting that only fools would wish to that guy, she suddenly heard the voice say, “fool.”
“I wish to be free from the influence of spirit patterns, break free from past constraints, and possess a truly future.”
Upon hearing this, Luxianbei froze for a moment, turning in the direction of the voice only to suddenly remember that Shen Baiwei was right next to her.
Resplendent light poured down from the golden figure in the sky, illuminating Shen Baiwei through an antiquated wooden window, outlining her in soft, glowing lines.
She knelt on one knee, gazing fervently at the sky, lightly biting her lip, her fingers clenched tightly in front of her chest until her joints turned white, her chest heaving violently from emotional agitation.
She seemed like a girl bathing in holy light, praying to a deity.
Very devout, yet also very humble.
Luxianbei, unsure if it was an illusion, felt that Shen Baiwei’s figure appeared a little smaller, creating an inexplicable sense of compassion.
However… breaking free from the influence of spirit patterns, breaking free from the past, and possessing a true future—didn’t that all sound like three wishes? Luxianbei looked at Shen Baiwei, wanting to say something but hesitating.
She hadn’t expected Shen Baiwei would truly dare to make a wish to that ghostly entity in the sky.
After waiting for a moment, as if her wish hadn’t been granted, Shen Baiwei raised her voice a little and repeated her earlier words, “I want to be free from the influence of spirit patterns, break free from the constraints of the past, and possess a true future!”
As soon as she finished speaking, Luxianbei’s eyes suddenly burned with pain.
It felt as though a red-hot steel needle pierced her eyeball, sinking into flesh and bl**d, stirring about, the pain and heat erupting from a single point in her gaze, then the nerve swiftly expanded, and within an instant, her consciousness began to feel hazy.
Vivid colors and strips of brilliant light constantly flickered before her eyes.
It felt somewhat like the disco lights shining above a nightclub’s dance floor, yet a thousand times stronger, flickering at a frequency exponentially faster.
In an instant, her vision was left with only a dazzling and indistinct light.
In a daze, as if experiencing a visual afterimage effect, Luxianbei saw Shen Baiwei’s figure.
Not just one…
But two Shen Baiwei!
One Shen Baiwei remained kneeling there, looking up at the sky, while the other stood behind her, expressionless and devoid of spirit like a puppet.
A thin, silvery mist drifted between the two Shen Baiwei, constantly changing shape.
Sundial, pocket watch, pendulum clock…
After a fleeting glance, Luxianbei’s vision was quickly overwhelmed by blinding light, losing sight once more.
A few seconds later, when a scene once again flashed before her eyes, she saw the Shen Baiwei in the back, her body extending countless chaotic dark lines.
All the lines were twisting and writhing violently, rapidly congealing into a strange amalgamation that resembled a snake with horns.
That strange snake coiled around her body, encircling her neck, tightly binding her limbs, and finally connecting back at her neck.
As if guided by the serpent, the Shen Baiwei in the background slowly raised her hand, resting it on the shoulder of the forward Shen Baiwei.
Then, a burst of colorful light flashed.
When Luxianbei saw the two Shen Baiwei again, she found the forward Shen Baiwei had collapsed to the ground, convulsing violently.
Then…
It suddenly exploded.
Like an ink bottle filled with ink suddenly bursting.
A type of black substance splattered from within Shen Baiwei, hitting Luxianbei and slowly invading her body.
It splattered onto the walls and ceiling, writhing and twisting, thoroughly dyeing all surrounding space black.
Thus, a long silence descended.
Vaguely, Luxianbei heard voices speaking in her ears, the sound coming from all around, seemingly from more than one person, but all spoke in the same voice, saying the same words.
They were all Shen Baiwei!
In a melancholic tone, they spoke, “What a pity, do we have to start over again? It was too easy to predict…”
————
“Haah… Haah…”
When Luxianbei finally emerged from the silence and darkness, it felt as if she had just experienced an incredibly real nightmare, leaving her with a strong sense of fatigue. She propped her hands against the window sill, taking a moment to pull her thoughts back from the drifting state.
Once she stabilized her emotions, she eagerly turned to look at Shen Baiwei.
However, before her eyes could catch Shen Baiwei’s figure, the voice echoing in her mind suddenly caused her heartbeat to come to a halt.
“Speak your wish…”
Here it comes again? What is going on? Luxianbei thought in disbelief.
Following that, when she saw Shen Baiwei on one knee, looking like a devout girl praying to the sky, the familiar scene caused her to freeze for a few seconds before gradually understanding everything.
Perhaps… it seemed like… maybe… it was a reset?
At that moment, Shen Baiwei once again voiced her heart’s desire.
“I want to be free from the influence of spirit patterns, break free from past constraints, and possess a true future!”
As soon as Shen Baiwei’s voice fell, just as Luxianbei anticipated, her eyes immediately burned fiercely with pain.
“……”
This is ridiculous! Why is Shen Baiwei making the wish, and yet I am the one suffering?
I need to think of a way to make her shut up!
Luxianbei thought, a trace of determination flashing in her eyes. Struggling against the dizziness and blurred vision caused by her eyes, she silently crept closer to Shen Baiwei, raising her guilty little hand.
Yet, before she could strike Shen Baiwei, the dazzling light engulfed her vision once more.
A few seconds later, Shen Baiwei exploded again.
Luxianbei, “……”
