Chapter 15: The Illusion’s Grasp and a Fateful Reunion

The mysterious figure had vanished, replaced instead by this peculiar location.

Mo Qiu’s first instinct was to pinch her own cheek, the sharp pain nearly bringing tears to her eyes.

If it wasn’t a dream, then it had to be some sort of illusion, didn’t it?

“Fengling Middle School… does it bear any relation to a real-world institution?”

Approaching the low-slung bungalow, Mo Qiu extended a hand to touch its wall.

The chilling sensation felt incredibly real, blurring the line between reality and hallucination.

Mo Qiu attempted to channel the demonic power within her, only for a wave of throbbing pain to surge through her head, compelling her to cease.

‘Should I drop my disguise? It appears this illusion isn’t exactly welcoming to demonic entities.’

Without the ability to wield her demonic power, Mo Qiu found herself stripped of any means to forcibly shatter this illusion.

“I wonder what’s happening in the real world.”

The thought of her physical body lying vulnerable in the real world, susceptible to the mysterious person’s sinister grasp at any moment, made it impossible for Mo Qiu to remain calm.

“Have you heard about that ghost story concerning the school?”

“It’s the legendary basement, isn’t it?”

“But isn’t that just a fabrication?”

The instant the voices reached her ears, Mo Qiu whirled around, spotting several children conversing not far off. Dressed in short-sleeved shirts and shorts, with slippers on their feet, they embodied the quintessential image of rural children.

“Maybe we should just go back. I don’t want Dad to spank me.”

“Coward! If you’re not coming, just run home and go to sleep then.”

“Exactly! A true man seeks excitement.”

As they chattered, they began to run toward Mo Qiu. One of them, to her astonishment, passed directly through her body, following their companions deeper into the school grounds.

After a few moments of hesitation, Mo Qiu decided to follow them.

These children had mentioned ghost stories; what exactly was this legendary basement they spoke of?

Mo Qiu watched them scour the empty lot, her fingers lightly tapping her arm. Just as her patience began to wane, one of the children suddenly let out a shout.

“I found it! It’s a button!”

Before anyone could fully grasp what he had done, and to the bewildered gazes of the others, a subterranean entrance opened up on the empty patch of ground.

“There’s actually a basement?”

Watching the children cheer and scramble inside, Mo Qiu’s curiosity was piqued, and she stepped forward to follow.

****

*Bang!*

“Ouch!”

The young woman clutched her throbbing, crimson nose, her path abruptly halted by an invisible wall.

‘What kind of lock is this, with two keyholes? Do I need to solve a puzzle to continue exploring?’

As Mo Qiu grumbled to herself, she suddenly heard footsteps approaching from behind.

A chilling surge of killing intent washed over her, and Mo Qiu instinctively leaped aside. The ground where the black leather boot had just stood fractured, as enormous vines erupted from the earth, lashing out like monstrous tentacles.

The assailant stood not far off. Mo Qiu looked, only to discover it was the mysterious person!

Still, their face remained obscured. The robe they wore was clearly no ordinary garment; with the hood drawn, their features were entirely swallowed by shadow.

‘Why can they attack?’

Mo Qiu attempted to summon her power once more, but to no avail.

The mysterious person raised a hand, and the barbed vines lunged at her once more.

Mo Qiu hastily retreated, only to collide with the transparent wall.

‘Damn it!’

Having no time to alter her course, the young woman was instantly ensnared by the vines, her feet left dangling precariously in the air.

Fortunately, her Gothic black dress, crafted from a unique material, prevented the barbs on the vines from directly piercing her skin. However, as the vines inexorably tightened, Mo Qiu could distinctly feel her body protesting with agonizing screams.

The mysterious person casually crooked a finger, conjuring another slender vine.

This particular vine lacked barbs, yet its surface was slick with an unusual mucus, making it exceedingly slippery. It snaked its way up the young woman’s body, relentlessly climbing until it finally coiled around her graceful neck.

Just as the mysterious person prepared to forcefully snap her neck, Mo Qiu suddenly cried out:

“Wait! We’re allies! This is friendly fire!”

The mysterious person offered no reply, and the vine encircling her neck began to tighten its grip.

Mo Qiu abruptly lifted her head, speaking with considerable effort:

“As fellow members of the Imperial organization, aren’t you afraid of being discovered by a demon user?”

“…A mere messenger? What could they possibly do to me?” The mysterious person finally spoke, their voice still an unidentifiable blend of male and female tones.

‘So arrogant? Could this individual’s rank actually be extraordinarily high?’

“Blame only your own misfortune, for having come into contact with something you shouldn’t have.”

As they spoke, the mysterious person glanced at the transparent wall behind her.

“However, you’ve done me a great favor.”

‘What favor?’

Mo Qiu’s mind immediately flashed to the peculiar lock, and she managed to force a smile:

“So you were searching for this illusion too? I’ve uncovered a few minor secrets; I wonder if you’d be interested in hearing them?”

“Do you truly believe you can deceive me?”

“Truly!” Mo Qiu insisted, “As long as you’re willing to release me, I’ll reveal everything. Trust me, it’s genuinely important. If you refuse to listen, your exploration of this illusion will come to an abrupt halt.”

“…”

“We are both demonic beings loyal to His Majesty the Emperor; why must we harm one another?” Mo Qiu reasoned, adopting what she believed to be an adequately charming expression.

‘Damn it, what am I doing? Has my mind been warped by this demonic power, turning me abnormal?’

The mysterious person stood rooted to the spot like a statue. After a long moment, they crooked a finger, causing the vine to deliver Mo Qiu directly before them.

“Speak then, that secret…”

Before the vine could even come to a complete stop, Mo Qiu launched herself forward, headbutting the face hidden beneath their hood.

‘That sounded good. Definitely a solid head.’

‘Such a firm impact. So the hood wasn’t empty after all.’

Due to Mo Qiu’s sudden assault, the mysterious person stumbled backward, causing the vines to lose their control.

The instant Mo Qiu landed, the surrounding environment warped and twisted; mountains, forests, and low-slung bungalows all dissolved into nothingness, and they found themselves back in the familiar Fengling City.

The very first thing Mo Qiu did upon freeing herself was to charge at the mysterious person, shards of mirror in her hand coalescing into a short dagger.

Just as she was about to strike, the ground beneath the mysterious person’s feet was violently ruptured by erupting vines, which simultaneously knocked Mo Qiu to the ground and propelled them high into the air.

Expecting a furious counterattack, Mo Qiu instead only felt their chilling gaze as their figure vanished over the rooftops.

The now uncontrolled vines rapidly withered, disintegrating into specks of powder that dispersed into the air.

‘They got away.’

Mo Qiu still ached all over, particularly her forehead; the impact had been far too forceful, leaving her feeling quite disoriented.

“Why on earth did I think to use a headbutt?”

‘That was incredibly dangerous. Does demonic power turn people into fools?’

‘No, if this continues, there’s no telling what foolish things I might do next.’

After exiting the school grounds, Mo Qiu was about to shed her disguise and revert to her original form when a familiar figure suddenly materialized a short distance down the street.

‘Bai Chen? What’s he doing here?’

‘Could the illusion be observed from the outside, or did the mysterious person create too much commotion?’

Bai Chen’s sudden appearance interrupted Mo Qiu’s movements. Even from a distance, she could discern the frantic thump of his heartbeat. He was clearly anxious and flustered, having run for so long that he was drenched in sweat.

Mo Qiu didn’t have time to ponder the reason; the familiar pangs of hunger surged through her once more, leaving her unable to react immediately.

The surrounding area was entirely open ground, offering no place to conceal herself.

‘Except for this tree right beside me…’

“Hmm? Was there just someone here a moment ago?”

When Bai Chen approached, only a few leaves drifted down, and no human figure was in sight.

‘I must be too exhausted.’

With this thought, Bai Chen leaned back against the tree trunk, his breathing slowly evening out.

He had been searching for Mo Qiu for what felt like an eternity; there was no trace of her anywhere, and she hadn’t even responded to his messages. It was as if she had simply vanished into thin air.

“Could she truly have been abducted by a demon?”

Fengling City boasted an enormous population, making the task of locating a single missing person exceedingly difficult. Moreover, the longer the search dragged on, the greater the peril she faced.

*Bang!*

Bai Chen let out an angry curse, violently striking the nearby tree, causing several more leaves to flutter down. One of them, in a moment of comedic precision, landed directly on his head, making him look utterly ridiculous.

Not just Bai Chen, but Mo Qiu, currently hidden in the tree, also felt an urge to curse aloud.

‘Why on earth is he attacking a perfectly innocent tree? I nearly lost my balance.’

The young woman crouched, one hand gripping the tree trunk, the other clutching her skirt. If Bai Chen were to glance up at this precise moment, the view beneath her skirt would be entirely exposed.

‘Just go already! Whatever you’re looking for, hurry up and leave; it’s definitely not here!’

‘Why isn’t he leaving yet? Look at him! Whatever he’s searching for must have been stolen by now.’

When Mo Qiu saw Bai Chen not only fail to leave but actually settle into a chair beside the tree, her expression became utterly indescribable, far beyond mere embarrassment.

Accompanied by a self-reproaching sigh, Bai Chen’s index of pessimism surged dramatically.

‘Running out here alone late at night to wallow in sadness (TL Note: ’emo’ is a slang term referring to emotional distress or melancholy, often used humorously to describe someone feeling down), is there something wrong with his head?’

It was akin to someone dangling a succulent chicken leg right before Mo Qiu, yet she was forced to endure the agonizing temptation of not being able to eat it.

Just as she wrestled with her demonic instincts, her numb legs suddenly gave way, and she nearly tumbled from the tree.

“What was that sound?” Bai Chen looked up.

‘Oh no!’

In this dire emergency, Mo Qiu had no time to deliberate on a more appropriate course of action; she simply reacted on instinct.

“Meow~ Meow~”

“…What? It’s just a cat.”

‘He believed it?!’

Mo Qiu herself was utterly stunned. How could this individual, with such a seemingly deficient mind, have possibly become a world-saving hero?

‘Still, it’s good that I’ve dispelled his suspicions. Now, I just need to wait for him to…’

Mo Qiu glanced down, her gaze locking directly with Bai Chen’s as he looked up from beneath the tree.

The air instantly solidified between them. Both remained frozen in place, save for the subtle tremor of the young woman’s skirt.

Bai Chen’s expression was subtly amused. “Black with white peeking through? Quite the fashion choice. Are you worried people won’t get a clear enough view?”

Mo Qiu’s first impulse wasn’t to deliver a punch, but to spin around, leap from the tree, and flee. This was not the time to engage him in a struggle; she had to first…

Before the young woman could run much further, something tripped her, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Looking back, she saw it was a rope composed of lightning, its electrical arcs passing through her black stockings and paralyzing her foot.

“Trying to run? Do you think you can escape this time?” Bai Chen asked, gripping the other end of the rope, his smile chilling.

As Bai Chen reeled her back, Mo Qiu kept pondering the same question:

‘Am I destined to be bound tonight, or what?’