Chapter 115: The Hostage’s Gambit

Xiluo’er couldn’t turn back to check on Irene’s progress, having no idea how much longer it would take for her to finish. She could only stammer out words to keep Eve at bay, urging her not to approach.

“What’s wrong, Xiluo’er?”

Eve tilted her head, clearly perplexed by Xiluo’er’s strange behavior.

“It’s just that…”

It wasn’t just Eve; Xiluo’er noticed Ellen and the others also focusing their gazes on her.

This was bad.

Her original intention had only been to buy some time, but now she had attracted even more attention.

Xiluo’er opened her mouth, but the words caught in her throat as she saw Eve’s expression suddenly shift.

“Xiluo’er, look out!”

Behind her, Irene’s movements abruptly became more pronounced, seemingly on the verge of success. Irene no longer bothered to conceal her actions.

Eve immediately surged forward, but Irene’s movements were clearly swifter. The last vestiges of the rope snapped completely under Irene’s decisive action.

With her hands freed, Irene’s first move was to reach out and grab Xiluo’er, who stood directly in front of her.

Eve’s face instantly turned cold, but Xiluo’er was already within Irene’s grasp. No matter how fast Eve reacted, she couldn’t outpace Irene.

“Huh? What is it, Sister Eve?”

Though Xiluo’er’s face showed complete surprise at being freed from her restraints, she inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Her body compliantly allowed Irene to pull her into an embrace.

‘Thankfully, Irene was quick. Otherwise, there would have been nothing left after that half-sentence.’

Given the race against time, Irene’s movements were forceful. Xiluo’er, offering no resistance, felt a “thump” and a subsequent sway behind her, confirming she had been successfully captured by Irene.

‘Irene is surprisingly strong!’ Xiluo’er thought, feeling as though she had nearly bounced off her.

However, that didn’t happen. To maintain the pretense, Irene held Xiluo’er tightly in her embrace. Xiluo’er merely swayed back and forth, absorbing the impact.

With her hands unbound, the knots on her feet quickly became useless under the cold glint of a dagger. Irene was swiftly completely free.

“Nobody move!”

Like a robber holding up a bank, Irene’s shout immediately echoed through the mansion’s main hall.

Yes, this was the plan Xiluo’er had devised earlier.

Even if she simply threw Irene away, with so many powerful individuals present, Irene wouldn’t be able to escape on her own. But if Irene “held her hostage,” and the others didn’t dare to act, wouldn’t that solve everything?

‘She truly is brilliant!’

Eve, who had been rushing towards Xiluo’er, froze at the sight, her expression turning volatile.

When they had brought this person back to the mansion, Eve had searched her thoroughly. She was certain there were no weapons on her. ‘Where did that dagger come from?’

However, this was clearly not the time to blame herself for an incomplete search, as Irene had now completely taken control of Xiluo’er.

Xiluo’er felt something cold press against a vital point on her neck. After a brief pause, the blade shifted slightly downwards.

The sensation of the dagger’s tip was not unfamiliar to Xiluo’er, an assassin herself. When the sharp, cold edge first touched her vital spot, Xiluo’er instinctively wanted to resist, but she forcefully suppressed the urge.

Instead, Xiluo’er immediately adopted a frightened expression, her body trembling slightly.

“S-Sister Eve…”

Despite her excellent acting, Xiluo’er felt no actual fear. In fact, while pretending to be scared and wriggling in Irene’s arms, her movements inadvertently brushed against Irene’s ‘cushioning’. Xiluo’er instinctively began comparing Irene and Eve.

‘After all, with her sister’s ‘cushioning’ behind her and her older sister’s curves fully visible in front, the comparison was starkly clear.’

‘The difference between these sisters is quite significant, not just in personality, but also in these subtle details. Hmm, quite substantial indeed.’

“Little one, don’t move!”

Irene’s sharp reprimand immediately made Xiluo’er freeze in terror.

However, Xiluo’er was quite speechless internally. When Irene had scolded her, she distinctly felt a hand secretly pinching and twisting the flesh at her waist from behind.

‘This person has absolutely no sense of tension, does she?’

Regardless of Irene’s own tension, the atmosphere in the mansion was undeniably tense. Everyone’s attention was fixed on Irene, and a standoff instantly formed.

“Release Xiluo’er!”

Eve’s magic staff was already aimed at Irene, who held Xiluo’er. Ellen and the others slowly surrounded Irene, yet no one dared to make a move, intimidated by the dagger in Irene’s hand.

“Release her? Hehehe…”

Irene retorted with a few laughs. Twisted by the magic etched into her mask, her laughter sounded somewhat sinister.

“Now, everyone, look at me! I have an announcement to make.”

‘Releasing her isn’t impossible, but if you don’t want anything to happen to this little brat, then clear a path for me.’

Irene twirled the dagger in her hand before pressing it against Xiluo’er’s neck once more.

“Don’t even think about making a move. No matter how fast you are, you won’t be faster than a quick slash of my hand.”

Irene’s action seemed to instantly drop the temperature in the entire hall. Everyone nervously stared at Irene and the dagger pressed against Xiluo’er’s throat.

However, the protagonist of this conflict clearly lacked self-awareness. Xiluo’er even heard Irene whisper something in her ear, audible only to her.

“Little Cat Tail, you’re cute even when you’re pretending to be scared, hehe~”

‘Can you please be more professional?!’

“Be serious!”

Xiluo’er didn’t understand why Irene could be so relaxed at such a critical moment. She could only force out a small whisper from her throat, trying not to open her mouth too much.

‘This isn’t some school bullying play! If you mess up, you’ll end up like a black suspect emptied of a magazine by a white police officer!’

‘Even actors are more professional than you, alright? At least the robbers in movies don’t casually chat with their hostages!’

Now, she, the hostage, had to turn around and warn the robber to be serious. It was truly exhausting.

After hearing Irene’s words, Eve’s grip on her magic staff tightened even further.

However, she did not clear a path.

Irene’s intention was obvious: she planned to use Xiluo’er as a hostage to escape. But Eve didn’t want Irene to simply abduct Xiluo’er like this.

If Xiluo’er left their sight, her safety would be completely unprotected.

“If you don’t do as I say, I can’t guarantee the safety of this little brat.”

Seeing Eve make no move, Irene issued another symbolic threat.

Though she felt no inner turmoil, Xiluo’er trembled fearfully, playing along perfectly.

“Sister Irene, I…”

“Don’t talk, you’re annoying me with your chirping!”

Xiluo’er’s original intention was to act more convincingly as a hostage, lest any issues be discovered. Who knew Irene would get so into character, immediately yelling at her?

Hmm, it was also possible that because Xiluo’er had just chastised her for not being serious enough, Irene’s dramatic spirit had instantly surged.

‘So, you’re mad at me now, aren’t you?’

Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, Xiluo’er obediently shut her mouth, letting Irene take the lead.

“Listen well. I don’t want to make things difficult for this little one, but if I can’t get out of here today, I won’t mind taking someone down with me, hehehe…”

Irene spoke, letting out a laugh that sounded distinctly villainous.

Xiluo’er knew Irene wasn’t truly the type to drag someone down with her, even in death. She was likely just trying to intimidate everyone present.

A persona of someone who would lash out wildly when cornered—such a person would make Ellen and Eve even more hesitant to act rashly.

Eve took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down.

“Very well, we can agree to your terms. But once you’re out of here, you must immediately release Xiluo’er. Understand?”

“Hehehe, that won’t do.”

Irene seemed to have quite a talent for acting. At this moment, her laughter, enhanced by the magic-altered voice, became even more evocative.

“Once I’m out of here, none of you are allowed to follow.”

“If you agree to that, I guarantee this little brat will be back safe and sound tomorrow morning. Understand?”

During their previous confrontation, Irene had already witnessed Eve’s strength. Not only was this person a high-ranking mage, but she also possessed abilities whose specific effects Irene didn’t fully understand. Irene dared not be careless in front of such an individual.

If she released Xiluo’er right in front of her, who knew if this person had any other strange tricks to catch her off guard and recapture her?

Irene’s creed as an assassin was never to undertake anything without thorough preparation.

“This…”

Eve frowned slightly, hesitating whether to agree to Irene’s terms. She didn’t care if this Chaos Cult captive escaped; she was only concerned about Xiluo’er’s safety.

Eve naturally didn’t know what kind of person Irene truly was. The persona Irene projected made Eve very worried that Xiluo’er might be harmed in her hands.

Just as Irene was worried about releasing Xiluo’er in front of Eve, Eve was also worried that if Irene escaped their surveillance, she might not release Xiluo’er.

“Tsk tsk, why are you hesitating for so long?”

“Little Cat Tail, I think we need to turn up the heat a bit.”

Noticing Eve’s hesitation, Irene immediately decided to push her further. The dagger in Irene’s hand pressed against Xiluo’er’s neck, and Xiluo’er instantly understood Irene’s meaning.

“It’s fine, just do it.”

Xiluo’er was certainly no fragile little loli. To make the act more convincing, a small injury was of no concern to her.

“Don’t hesitate. If you don’t agree to my demands, this fellow’s fate will be hard to predict.”

Irene gestured towards the dagger with her chin. Xiluo’er distinctly felt the cold, sharp sensation against her neck intensify. Then, Irene controlled her strength, and the dagger lightly drew a line of blood on Xiluo’er’s neck.

Crimson blood immediately trickled down Xiluo’er’s neck. Feeling the stinging pain, Xiluo’er cooperatively closed her eyes and squirmed a couple of times.

“Eek—”

“Hehe, sorry, Little Cat Tail.”

Looking at the ‘frightened’ little loli wriggling in her arms, Irene softly apologized.

However, at this moment, even though it was just an act, Irene felt a strange sensation welling up within her. Xiluo’er’s fear was naturally feigned; Irene knew this.

But for some reason, watching the little loli in her arms get wounded by her own dagger and begin to tremble in fear, Irene inexplicably felt a sense of satisfaction.

The crimson blood stimulated Irene’s senses. Xiluo’er was already very cute, but now, Xiluo’er, wounded by her own hand… seemed even cuter.

‘I want to see more of Little Cat Tail’s frightened expressions…’

Such a thought inexplicably arose in Irene’s mind.

It turned out Xiluo’er’s earlier thoughts were right, but not entirely. These two sisters weren’t as dissimilar as she’d believed. Like Eve, Irene also harbored some not-so-good, well, ‘hobbies’.

And now, that switch had unfortunately been flipped.

However, these two sisters truly stood on opposing, distinct sides. Unlike Eve’s ‘protective instincts’, Irene’s hidden ‘hobby’ clearly leaned more towards ‘destructive desires’.

Inside the mansion, the sight of blood and Xiluo’er’s startled cry instantly heightened the tension.

“Don’t be reckless. If you kill her, it will be even more impossible for you to get out of here, won’t it?”

Ellen quickly spoke up, gently reminding Irene of the hostage’s importance. After all, only a living hostage could restrain them; a dead one would lose all value. As a kidnapper, Irene should understand this.

“Sister, I naturally understand such things.”

To everyone’s surprise, Irene suddenly burst into maniacal laughter.

“If I kill her, I won’t survive, but you also won’t have a chance to save her, will you?”

“Didn’t I say it before? Even if I die, I’ll drag someone down with me!”

Like a madman determined to take someone down with them even in death, Irene’s words, twisted by the magic etched into her mask, made everyone’s heart clench. Irene knew very well that at this moment, pushing these people one more time would likely make them stop blocking her.

The more threatening she appeared, the less they would dare to act rashly.

“All right, we’ll agree to your demands…”

Ellen frowned, about to calm Irene’s emotions and agree to her terms, but halfway through her sentence, Eve, standing nearby, suddenly placed a hand on Ellen’s shoulder.

Though there was no verbal exchange, Ellen knew from Eve’s gaze that she seemed to be planning something.

Eve indeed had a plan. She knew the person in front of her seemed emotionally unstable, which made her even more uneasy about letting Xiluo’er be abducted by her. What if this person, purely for spite, harmed Xiluo’er after abducting her?

Eve just wanted to try. She now had a plan that could rescue Xiluo’er on the spot.

This person, Irene, should still be unaware of Eve’s specific special abilities as the Hero. Xiluo’er, however, was clearly aware.

After all, just two days prior, Eve had not only told Xiluo’er what her ability was but had also let Xiluo’er experience it firsthand.

Such an unforgettable experience, surely Xiluo’er wouldn’t forget it.

This discrepancy in knowledge could help Eve rescue Xiluo’er on the spot.

First, she would establish a secret signal with Xiluo’er, without the kidnapper understanding its true meaning, to let Xiluo’er know she was about to use her Hero’s ability. Then, she would use a rule like “no holding or using cold weapons” to prevent Irene from harming Xiluo’er for a short period. After all, Eve had searched Irene before. While this mysterious dagger was indeed an oversight, Irene absolutely had no other weapons on her.

In this scenario, even though Eve knew her [Order] ability could only last a few seconds, Xiluo’er, having been prepared in advance, could completely use this time to break free from the unarmed kidnapper’s restraints.

As long as the kidnapper and Xiluo’er could be separated, it would be much simpler. Eve could then unleash a no-chant spell to blast the scoundrel who dared to abduct Xiluo’er.

Eve first coughed twice, then put away her magic staff and nodded to Irene.

“All right, we can agree to your terms.”

‘But you’d better not injure Xiluo’er with your dagger.’

Eve subtly emphasized the word “dagger.” She knew that after she and Xiluo’er exchanged their secret signal in the next sentence, with that child’s clever mind, Xiluo’er should understand what she meant.

To be honest, Eve’s plan was quite perfect and entirely feasible. However, she overlooked a premise that normally wouldn’t arise: what if the hostage didn’t cooperate with her actions?

Yes, that was exactly Xiluo’er’s internal state now. Upon realizing Eve was trying to exchange a secret signal with her, Xiluo’er felt a little like crying without tears.

‘Although I’m touched that you have a way to save me, Sister…’

‘You’re making this very difficult for me!’

‘I don’t want to be rescued by you right now!’

“Xiluo’er, don’t be afraid.”

“This person will let you go in a moment. Just bear with it a little longer.”

“If you’re really scared, just think about the bedtime story I told you the night before last.”

In fact, Eve hadn’t told Xiluo’er any story the night before last. Busy fiercely replenishing Xiluo’er’s magic, how could she have time for a bedtime story?

And Eve was right; Xiluo’er indeed remembered the events of two nights ago vividly. Hearing Eve mention the nonexistent bedtime story, Xiluo’er immediately recalled the terror of their ‘duel’ in bed until she passed out.

Naturally, Xiluo’er also immediately understood what Eve meant.

‘Using the Hero’s special ability to rescue her, that’s actually a pretty good idea.’

Xiluo’er sighed heavily inwardly. Irene only needed to abduct her, and it would be over. But now, she also had to find a way to deal with Eve.

‘I’m sorry, Sister Eve!’

Xiluo’er naturally couldn’t go along with Eve’s wishes. If Eve wanted to rescue her this way, the solution was actually simple: just pretend not to hear what Eve was saying.

So, Xiluo’er spoke with a puzzled expression, “But, Sister Eve, you didn’t tell me any bedtime story the night before last, did you?”

“It’s that bedtime story I told you the day before yesterday, Xiluo’er, that one.”

“That one?”

Eve choked. ‘This shouldn’t be happening. In her impression, this child wasn’t that foolish. Could she have made her foolish?’

‘There was indeed a saying that doing too much could make one foolish.’

“It’s just…”

Eve opened her mouth but didn’t know how to continue. One reason was that the kidnapper was right there, and she couldn’t be too explicit. The second was that the matter of using her Hero’s ability on Xiluo’er was such a thing. It wasn’t really appropriate to discuss in public.

Xiluo’er was also starting to lose her composure. After an entire night of scheming, her brain was on the verge of shutting down. Now, in the mansion’s main hall, she, Eve, and Irene, all three of them, were acting with ulterior motives, and it was utterly exhausting her.

Xiluo’er pretended to lose her footing, stumbling a couple of steps and stepping on Irene’s foot. In reality, she stomped hard, reminding Irene.

Irene, being shrewd herself, naturally sensed that Eve seemed off. Now, with Xiluo’er’s reminder, Irene immediately coughed twice, then gestured with the dagger across Xiluo’er’s face.

“Don’t try to exchange any secret signals! If I find anything else amiss, I’ll kill this brat immediately!”

“Ugh…”

At this, Eve naturally dared not make any further plans and immediately stepped aside, clearing a path.

“Don’t get agitated. Just go.”

“Hehe, that’s more like it.”

Holding Xiluo’er in front of her, Irene slowly walked towards the mansion’s main door, all the while guarding against a sudden attack from the others.

****

The public order in Lund City was excellent, so at night, at least in the West District, sounds of peace being broken were rare. However, tonight, the sound of shattering glass clearly echoed from the Witch’s Photo Studio.

To maintain her wild persona, Irene didn’t bother using a key to unlock the door and leave. Instead, she grabbed a nearby camera and violently smashed the glass door.

“You’re all so enthusiastic! This is far enough, no need to see me off further.”

Irene waved goodbye to the people in the photo studio.

“Ah, the camera…”

Aila seemed distressed about the camera, but at this moment, she dared not say anything more.

“Listen well, don’t let me find any of you secretly following me. Otherwise, you know the consequences.”

“Then, until we meet again, you dimwits. Your Destiny Observation Society is nothing special. You think you can oppose our Chaos Cult at this level?”

Irene didn’t forget to redirect the conflict back to the Chaos Cult one last time. Seeing that the group indeed made no further moves, Irene immediately turned and sprinted into the endless night.

Irene’s figure quickly vanished at the edge of their sight.

“Don’t worry, Miss Eve.”

Ellen comforted Eve, who was gripping her magic staff tightly.

“She still needs to control Miss Xiluo’er, so she won’t be able to run very fast. We still have a chance.”

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