Chapter 32: I’m Really Cowardly
In a dimly lit basement.
Night Lan was using puppet strings to control the Blue-haired Loli’s body.
The Blue-haired Loli wore a pitiful, scared expression, as if she had just been bullied.
This scene certainly invited all sorts of thoughts.
Night Lan pondered for a moment.
Suddenly, she felt that compared to this shy and withdrawn Blue-haired Loli, her own social anxiety was nothing to worry about.
In fact, her social anxiety might have vanished!
Congratulations!
“So… are you interested in being friends with me?”
Night Lan tried to get closer.
The Blue-haired Loli didn’t respond but looked at her with teary eyes.
Or rather, she was staring at the “friend” in the fishbowl.
Why were these friends just watching her!?
Someone, please rescue her!
Even her most reliable friend couldn’t help her.
Was she really doomed to be all alone?
The Blue-haired Loli went fully introverted.
Seeing her like this, Night Lan could only try to bring out her cheat item.
“Um… check out this adorable little thing I have; are you interested?”
The Blue-haired Loli lifted her head slightly, gazing at the small bag in Night Lan’s hand.
Inside, there seemed to be a swimming little goldfish, clearly full of life.
“Is this for my friend…?”
The Blue-haired Loli finally decided to speak to Night Lan.
But she still wore a pitiful expression.
So it seemed, she still didn’t trust Night Lan.
If it weren’t for the goldfish in Night Lan’s hand, she probably wouldn’t have opened her mouth at all.
This confirmed Night Lan’s suspicions.
“Ah, so that’s it. You really think of fish as friends, huh?”
Night Lan began mumbling to herself, connecting the dots.
It seemed this Loli didn’t like humans; she preferred marine life.
Thus, this was her only potential breakthrough.
Night Lan got closer to the Blue-haired Loli.
“What’s your name? If you answer my questions, I’ll give you this goldfish.”
“Star Sheng…”
Although she still seemed a bit resistant to Night Lan’s proximity, her eyes were glued to the goldfish in her hand.
And since she was controlled by puppet strings, there was no way for her to back away.
“Ah, so your name is Star Sheng? It starts like Star Yoon’s.”
Night Lan murmured and continued to extract the information she wanted from Star Sheng.
“Next, I’m going to ask you some questions, and as long as you answer clearly, I’ll give you this goldfish.”
“Mm…”
Star Sheng appeared very cooperative.
It looked like the little goldfish was quite the temptation for her.
It was hard to imagine that such a cute girl was the mastermind behind creating gigantic marine monsters.
If all Star Eclipses looked this adorable, Night Lan would have a hard time dealing with them.
“Ahem~ So, the first question is, why do you turn the fish in the ocean into monsters?”
“They’re not monsters; they’re Star Sheng’s friends.”
Star Sheng expressed her dissatisfaction, with a bit of a frown.
“Well then, let’s put it another way. Why do they change into a different form? Do you control them yourself?”
“I don’t know… I really like them, and I think of them as my best friends, but after a while, they just changed. Even so, they’re still my best friends.”
Star Sheng looked towards the bizarre ornamental fish in the fishbowl, her gaze slowly turning into a sickly affection.
The emotion in her eyes was just like how one would look at their real friends.
She wasn’t kidding.
It seemed to her that only those fish could be called friends.
Everything else was dangerous.
“My friends really like me, they play with me, protect me from being hurt, and gather around me. That feeling is warm and exciting…”
Upon hearing this, Night Lan started to piece things together.
“So it really is the fault of Star Eclipse pollution?”
As everyone knows, the pollution ability of Star Eclipses is uncontrollable.
Even the Group Leader and the others can only rely on Kong Yu Bai or Night Star’s abilities to mask the failures.
Only Star Eclipses of Supernova-class might be able to control their own pollution abilities.
But for Star Sheng, this kind of Star Eclipse isn’t able to control that dangerous pollution ability.
However, from the name “Ecological Distortion,” it was clear that the scope of pollution went beyond just marine life.
Other creatures might also be altered.
Including the humans.
Since the incarnation of “Ecological Distortion” appeared, no humans had suffered persecution — only marine life.
There must be some kind of restriction involved.
“Could it be emotions?”
Like preferences, perhaps?
The more Star Sheng likes something, the more likely the Star Eclipse pollution will affect it.
Her intense affection for fish, even treating them as friends, may have caused them to distort, becoming monsters that have lost their original nature.
Is that it?
Night Lan felt she was getting pretty close to the truth.
If that’s the case, then Star Sheng’s introverted personality might actually be a good thing.
Her dislike for humans has allowed the humans in the marine cities to avoid a disaster.
But the marine creatures suffered instead.
Once she entered the ocean, it would be equivalent to dropping a strong pollution source in.
The local ecosystem would collapse.
That’s truly terrifying.
“Well, I think I’ve mostly figured it out.”
Night Lan nodded thoughtfully.
Star Sheng quietly asked, “Can I have that goldfish now?”
“Nope, there’s still one more question.”
You’ve got to be kidding.
That goldfish is my trophy; if I give it to Star Sheng, it will definitely turn into an ugly fish.
Even if I want to give it to her, I need to resolve her pollution issue first.
“I ask you: do you know that Black-haired Youth who just came in?”
“Li Yan…?”
Star Sheng asked uncertainly, as if she wasn’t sure if Night Lan was talking about the same person.
Hearing that name, Night Lan gestured for her to continue.
Star Sheng obediently replied.
“He picked me up and brought me here. He keeps bringing new friends and says he’ll help me make my wishes come true.”
That was where Star Sheng’s explanation ended, as if she had no further introductions.
From her perspective, that fellow named Li Yan was a strange person.
Night Lan sat down, stroking her chin, pondering Li Yan’s identity.
Could he also be a runaway Star Eclipse from Pinghaishi?
It made sense.
That guy looked rational enough; maybe he still retained some humanity.
And since humans tend to be social creatures, it was understandable he wanted to gather others like him.
Just then, Night Lan suddenly sensed something.
“Hmm?”
Turning around.
She saw a figure standing not far behind her — it was the Black-haired Youth who had just left!
Oh hell no!
“You scared the life out of me!”
Night Lan jumped at first, but after realizing it was the one named Li Yan, she let out a sigh of relief.
“Who are you?”
Li Yan, who had hurried back upon receiving invading information, regarded the Black-haired girl with confusion, eyes filled with caution.
He didn’t expect someone to find this place.
Not even those Night Watchers had been able to locate it.
Could this girl be a member of the Night Watchers?
Li Yan stepped forward.
But this action startled Night Lan; a puppet string suddenly sprang into action, taking over his body.
“Don’t come any closer, I’m really cowardly.”
Li Yan sensed the powerful Star Eclipse aura and finally confirmed one thing.
“Another of my kind?”
