Chapter 31: Golden Isle: A Predetermined Paradise

Hua Mu’ai was so incensed, she longed to give Lin Xiaolu a sharp rap on the head.

Startled, Lin Xiaolu instinctively drew her neck back, clapped a hand over her mouth, and vigorously shook her head like a child’s rattle.

With their playful banter echoing, the trio stepped into “Sweet Time”.

The moment they pushed open the door and entered, an elderly man with silver hair, seated in an inconspicuous white car across the street, picked up his phone.

“Miss, the targets have entered the premises.”

From the other end of the line, Xia Xingyan’s habitually cool and detached voice responded.

“Excellent, Uncle Chen. Inform the manager to proceed according to our plan.”

“Understood, Miss.”

Within the study of the Xia family’s estate, Xia Xingyan ended the call, then resumed her perusal of ‘100 Super Tips for Chasing Girls,’ which lay open beside her.

Since witnessing Tian Lanxing revert to Bai Shiyu in the infirmary, and subsequently discovering that the pink-haired girl was also Tian Lanxing, a compelling hypothesis had begun to solidify in her mind.

Tian Lanxing, it seemed, possessed several different forms.

Driven by her desire to approach her idol, she had dispatched agents to meticulously shadow Lin Xiaolu, effortlessly uncovering their regular routines.

This particular “Sweet Time” dessert shop had emerged as their most frequent haunt.

Consequently, Xia Xingyan deployed her formidable ‘money power’ (TL Note: A slang term referring to the ability to achieve anything through wealth), compelling the shop’s owner to willingly become a pawn in her elaborate scheme.

****

“Welcome!”

A server greeted them with effusive warmth.

The trio settled into their customary seats, and Gu Qianqian, with practiced ease, placed their order: “The usual: one ‘Strawberry Dream,’ one ‘Dark Chocolate Forest,’ and a mango pudding.”

Across from them, Hua Mu’ai sat embroiled in an intense internal struggle.

She yearned to preserve her carefully crafted image, even if just for a moment, by ordering an unsweetened iced Americano.

Yet, her mouth, seemingly with a will of its own, blurted out, “Bring this young lady another parfait, strawberry-flavored.”

The words had barely escaped her lips before she found herself utterly bewildered.

‘Who am I? Where am I? What did I just say?’

“Pfft…” Gu Qianqian burst into laughter, unable to contain herself. “Captain, you truly do have an insatiable sweet tooth.”

“This young lady is merely in a foul mood and suddenly desired something sweet; is that not permissible?” Hua Mu’ai’s cheeks burned crimson, yet she maintained her stubborn denial.

At that very moment, a server approached their table, carrying a lottery box and sporting a practiced, professional smile.

“Good day, esteemed guests. Our establishment is currently celebrating its anniversary, and each table receives one complimentary chance to participate in our prize draw.”

“A prize draw?” Lin Xiaolu’s eyes immediately sparkled with excitement.

Gu Qianqian, equally intrigued, pushed the lottery box towards Hua Mu’ai. “Captain, you should draw! Your luck is always impeccable.”

“Hmph, mere child’s play.”

Though Hua Mu’ai voiced her disdain, under the eager, hopeful gazes of the two girls, she reluctantly extended her hand into the box and haphazardly drew out a single card.

With a casual flick of her fingernail, she scratched away the card’s opaque coating.

The very next second, all three were utterly dumbfounded.

Boldly emblazoned on the card were several dazzling, glittering characters.

[First Prize: Golden Isle — Seven-Day Luxury Trip for Three]

“We won, Senior! We actually won the grand prize! It’s a seven-day luxury trip to Golden Isle!”

Gu Qianqian, overcome with excitement, seized Hua Mu’ai’s shoulders and shook her vigorously.

Lin Xiaolu, equally stunned, gasped, her mouth forming a perfect ‘O’ of disbelief, her face a tableau of utter incredulity.

“Golden Isle? The very resort lauded as a paradise on earth?”

Every patron in the establishment turned their heads, their gazes filled with overt envy.

Only Hua Mu’ai, however, eyed the prize ticket in her hand with a deepening frown.

‘Something isn’t right.’

‘When have I ever been blessed with such improbable luck?’

‘Moreover, this prize voucher is precisely for a trip for three. Could such a perfect coincidence truly exist?’

‘There’s no such thing as a free lunch; there must be a catch.’

Furthermore, Hua Mu’ai already harbored a deep-seated aversion to Golden Isle, making her even more disinclined to visit.

“So noisy,” she grumbled, slapping the prize ticket onto the table with a look of utter distaste. “What a wretched island. This young lady has no interest; if you wish to go, then go yourselves.”

Having declared her disinterest, Hua Mu’ai found her appetite completely vanished and promptly rose to depart.

“No!”

Gu Qianqian, with lightning-fast reflexes, snatched hold of her arm.

“Captain, this is a free trip! It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”

“Precisely!” Lin Xiaolu chimed in, rushing over to embrace Hua Mu’ai’s other arm.

She tilted her small face upwards, her eyes wide and pleading. “Senior, our team has just been established; this would be the perfect opportunity for team building! Please, please, let’s go together.”

Her voice, soft and sweet as glutinous rice, made it utterly impossible for anyone to find the resolve to refuse her.

The two young girls, one on each side, clung to her like a pair of affectionate koalas.

Hua Mu’ai felt an immense headache brewing.

She had intended to refuse, but the moment her gaze fell upon Gu Qianqian’s radiant smile, the refusal poised on her lips was silently swallowed.

‘Since Su Wanning’s departure, how long had it been since she last saw her daughter smile with such unadulterated joy?’

‘Perhaps a trip to Golden Isle, allowing this girl to truly unwind, wouldn’t be such a terrible idea after all.’

The instant this thought surfaced, Hua Mu’ai’s internal resolve began to crumble.

Ultimately, she capitulated.

“Fine, I agree to go. Now, release this young lady at once!”

“Yay! Captain is the absolute best!”

Gu Qianqian erupted in a triumphant cheer.

Hua Mu’ai resumed her seat, and, determined to regain some semblance of authority, she began to lecture with a stern expression.

“This young lady shall make things abundantly clear: on this trip, all actions will be carried out under my command. Should anyone dare to disobey, they need not ever expect a second outing!”

Watching the two young girls nod their heads with such fervent enthusiasm, Hua Mu’ai’s mood finally began to lighten.

****

Concurrently, within the subterranean laboratory of the Gothic cathedral.

Upon the operating table, situated in the heart of the circular chamber, a woman lay perfectly still.

“Vital signs stable. Void Abyss energy fusion rate: ninety-eight point seven percent.” Nidhogg’s eyes, magnified behind her lenses, gleamed with fervent zeal. “Soul reconstruction complete, and negative emotions successfully amplified. This is utterly perfect—a veritable masterpiece!”

Standing beside her, Yue Xi merely offered a dismissive, knowing smirk.

“This is far from sufficient. After this, I shall unveil true perfection to you.”

“I eagerly await it, Your Royal Highness.”

“And so, where shall our inaugural masterpiece be sent for exhibition?” Yue Xi licked the tip of her sharp canine tooth, a cruel curve gracing the corner of her lips.

“Naturally, only the grandest stage can truly befit our magnum opus. On that note, Kraken has offered a rather insightful suggestion.”

Nidhogg gently tapped the screen, and an island depicted on the display was instantly magnified.

“Golden Isle: a premier global resort, a veritable paradise on earth. It is currently peak tourist season, and most crucially, it lies across the sea from the nearest GSA branch. Even in the event of a major catastrophe, their reinforcements would require a considerable amount of time to arrive.”

A chilling smile spread across Nidhogg’s lips. “And that interval will be more than sufficient for us to transform that paradise into a living hell.”

“This script is excellent; I find it most appealing.” A fervent zeal flared in Yue Xi’s eyes. “Go, Sunflower. Let those who revel in false light personally experience the torment you have endured!”

No sooner had her words faded than the woman on the operating table abruptly opened her eyes, her obsidian pupils devoid of even a flicker of light.