Chapter 22: The Octopus Embrace and a Midnight Escape

The arm wrapped around her suddenly tightened, causing Xiluo’er’s heart to clench.

For a moment, she even thought Eve intended to strangle her right there in the bed.

Fortunately, the pressure on her arm only intensified slightly. Though it made Xiluo’er’s breathing a little difficult, it remained within a tolerable range.

Resigned, Xiluo’er closed her eyes once more, waiting patiently.

But then…

Not long after, Xiluo’er heard a rustling sound from behind her, as if Eve was turning over.

The arm draped over her relaxed slightly. Before Xiluo’er could even sigh in relief, Eve entwined herself around her once more.

As Eve’s arms wrapped around her chest, her legs coiled around Xiluo’er like snakes.

Like a giant octopus, Eve’s limbs completed a perfect full nelson on Xiluo’er’s body!

‘What are you doing?!’

Xiluo’er even suspected Eve was deliberately teasing her. She yearned to turn around and demand, ‘Are you perhaps toying with me?’

However, after a moment of quiet discernment, Xiluo’er realized Eve might simply be deep in slumber.

Much like cuddling a body pillow, Eve had completely wrapped herself around Xiluo’er, burying her head in the crook of Xiluo’er’s neck.

Strands of hair peeked out from the gaps in the pillow, and a faint, steady breath caressed Xiluo’er’s skin.

Not only was Eve asleep, but she seemed to be sleeping soundly.

Xiluo’er breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. At least Eve was merely asleep.

However, she had never imagined that Eve, who appeared so cold and indifferent on the surface, would have such terrible sleeping habits.

Xiluo’er began to move inch by inch beneath the covers, employing small, careful motions that wouldn’t disturb Eve’s sleep.

For an assassin, merely breaking free from a restraint wasn’t particularly difficult. The problem was that Eve was holding her incredibly tightly, and Xiluo’er needed to escape without waking her.

She carefully withdrew her entangled legs and pulled her head back from the crook of Eve’s arm.

By the time Xiluo’er finally managed to break free from Eve’s embrace, she was drenched in sweat.

‘That was exhausting!’

She cast a final glance at Eve on the bed. Perhaps due to the absence of the object she had been holding, Eve frowned in her sleep, murmuring incoherently.

Seeing this, Xiluo’er quickly grabbed a pillow and tucked it into Eve’s arms. Once Eve had settled down, Xiluo’er tiptoed out of the room.

****

When Xiluo’er, cloaked and masked, appeared in the backyard, Shadow, who was gazing up at the sky, seemed to have been waiting for a long time.

“You’re a bit slow, Cat’s Tail.”

“I think you need to control the distance between you and Eve.”

Though Xiluo’er felt like cursing, she showed no outward emotion.

“I know my limits.”

She effortlessly caught the antidote Shadow tossed to her, then, resisting the urge to swallow it immediately, Xiluo’er took a deep breath.

“I believe we need to devise a more convenient method of communication.”

****

Under the crisp moonlight, their conversation didn’t last long.

After all, Xiluo’er’s current mission wasn’t to manipulate Eve, but simply to remain in deep cover.

Their weekly meetings felt more like routine briefings than sessions requiring substantial progress reports.

Nevertheless, before leaving, Xiluo’er couldn’t help but ask a question.

“How has Rona been recently?”

This was a rather vague question. Shadow had only mentioned Rona’s name during their last meeting, so Xiluo’er simply followed up with a question based on that name.

“Why, are you very concerned about this, Cat’s Tail?”

“Not exactly. It’s just that, being around Eve, I’ve inevitably had some contact with Rona recently.”

“Just asking, to be on the safe side.”

Xiluo’er’s excuse was perfectly reasonable.

Shadow remained silent for a moment before speaking again: “Don’t worry, I can guarantee that Rona won’t interfere with your infiltration mission.”

“When the bloodbath erupts in Kana City, you will naturally understand what it’s all about.”

‘A major event? Does he mean Rona turning into a monster and causing chaos in Kana City? But Rona isn’t part of the Chaos Cult, and the game’s plot in Kana City had nothing to do with the Chaos Cult either.’

Xiluo’er frowned.

She could sense that Shadow seemed reluctant to reveal the details of his so-called ‘plan’ currently underway.

Such secrecy only made her more curious.

Xiluo’er didn’t press further. Since she couldn’t get any information from Shadow, she would simply investigate through Rona herself.

****

Upon returning to the Adventurers’ Guild, Xiluo’er first slipped back into her room through the window, hid her clothes, and eliminated any lingering scent on her body.

Staring at the small, pill-like object in her hand, Xiluo’er sighed, then tilted her head back and swallowed it in one gulp.

‘It’s not a good feeling to have your lifeline in someone else’s hands!’

‘Ugh… so bitter.’

It was nowhere near as delicious as the chocolate cake Eve bought her.

Moving silently, Xiluo’er navigated the pitch-black corridor, soon finding her way to Eve’s room door.

She gently pulled open the door, cautiously stepped inside, and used her hand to brace the door as she closed it, preventing the slightest sound.

“Xiluo’er… where did you go just now?”

The moment she turned, a somewhat groggy voice came from within the room. Eve didn’t sound fully awake.

Xiluo’er’s body instantly froze.

Eve, it turned out, had only just woken up.

Perhaps the feel of what she was holding wasn’t quite right. After groggily opening her eyes, Eve instinctively squeezed the object in her arms.

‘So soft. Is Xiluo’er really this big?’

Upon focusing, Eve realized she wasn’t holding Xiluo’er at all, but merely a large pillow.

‘Where did this child run off to in the middle of the night?’

Eve frowned. Before she could even get out of bed to search, her eyes, now adjusted to the darkness, spotted a small figure pulling open the door and tiptoeing in.

“I went to… the restroom?”

Xiluo’er instinctively straightened her posture.

“But… there’s a restroom right here in the room.”

Eve pointed to another door within the room.

‘I…’

Xiluo’er only then realized that Eve’s room was different from her own. The Adventurers’ Guild’s accommodations weren’t all the same; Xiluo’er seemed to be staying in an ordinary guest room, while Eve, who was registered as an adventurer with the guild, had a slightly more luxurious room.

“This… that…”

Xiluo’er was still racking her brain for a way to explain herself, but then she heard Eve let out a soft sigh.

‘It’s over. Is my cover about to be blown?’

“Come here, Xiluo’er.”

‘It’s over. This time, I might really be doomed!’