Chapter 27: Two Years Ago

As night deepened, Bai Zhi lay on her bed.

Just a short while ago, at her ‘suggestion,’ everyone had retired to their respective rooms.

Though Xia Ranxin was reluctant to leave Bastet, she understood that letting the cat continue would lead to sensitive topics, so she found an excuse and pulled Lin back to their room with her.

Rena, on the other hand, had looked troubled, but she said nothing in the end.

As for Bai Zhi, she was curious about the truth of the war between the kingdom and the Crimson Moon Clan, but if its revelation would hurt one of her friends, she preferred to remain in ignorance.

Besides, Bai Zhi had far more to consider than just that.

‘The Thirteen-Member Council…’

Her expression turned solemn as she murmured the name aloud.

It was the name of a mysterious organization she had only heard of today, one supposedly created by the transmigrators lurking in this city for the sole purpose of dealing with her.

Frankly, if that was all there was to it, she wouldn’t be too concerned.

Judging by Kuka’s performance in battle, Bai Zhi felt she could easily handle all thirteen of them at once.

The problem was, they hadn’t done anything—at least, not openly.

That was what made it so vexing.

After all, schemers plotting in the shadows were far more unsettling than brutes who openly declared their intent to challenge her.

Such insidious types could cause real trouble for her.

Moreover, according to the information Kuka had let slip, it seemed two of them had already formed a partnership and were planning something in secret.

The second issue was the White-Robed Figure, who had significantly increased her workload.

Although the investigation had yet to yield any useful clues, one thing was certain: someone in Granzenias was frequently opening portals to the real world, sending a steady stream of powerful individuals from other worlds.

Putting aside the person’s motives—whether it was part of some grand plan or simply for amusement—Bai Zhi was more concerned about something else.

That White-Robed Figure… possessed the ability to open worldly passages.

‘Interfering with and adjusting the World Barrier shouldn’t be something just anyone can do…’

Bai Zhi rolled over, speaking her thoughts aloud.

‘Even I took a long time to master it, and that was with ‘that person’s’ guidance. Yet this White-Robed Figure has the same ability…’

At that thought, Bai Zhi shot up in bed, a look of sudden realization dawning on her face before she raised a small fist, simmering with indignation.

“Don’t tell me ‘that person’ is deliberately making trouble for me just for fun!”

An image involuntarily surfaced in her mind: a figure with a blurred face, surrounded by a blinding, ever-changing aura of special effects, whose voice always carried a gleeful tone.

“No, even they wouldn’t do something so malicious… wait, on second thought, they absolutely would!”

“This won’t do. I have to find time to ask them… but they’re never around. Even if I go looking, I might not find them…”

Bai Zhi clutched her head, her expression pained as she mulled it over.

A moment later, she calmed down, deciding to set the problem aside for now.

After all, information on the White-Robed Figure was too limited to draw any conclusions yet.

Perhaps it really was just an exceptionally talented individual from another world who had found some kind of loophole.

The World Barrier had been unstable for the past two years, after all.

Even without intervention, short-lived passages would form on their own, so it wasn’t impossible that someone had found a way to exploit a weakness.

That left only one remaining problem.

Bai Zhi’s expression suddenly grew heavy.

“Two years ago…”

The disappearance of Xia Ranxin’s father, the war between the kingdom and the Crimson Moon Clan, even the mass amnesia incident in San City from the urban legends—all of it pointed to the same moment in time.

Two years ago.

‘Could the fallout from that incident really be this far-reaching?… I thought it had been handled properly, but I never expected it to cause so many tragedies…’

Bai Zhi’s voice held a trace of self-reproach, as if reflecting on a past mistake.

‘If all of this truly happened because of that incident, how am I supposed to face them…’

Bai Zhi drifted to the window, her gaze lost in the starless, inky sky outside.

A wave of melancholy washed over her.

Just then, the soft sound of her door sliding open came from behind, followed by footsteps so light they were nearly imperceptible.

“Hey, ‘Guardian,’ still awake? Perfect, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

Bastet strolled into Bai Zhi’s room with a practiced ease, casually flicking on the light.

“…Barging in so brazenly, you would have woken me up even if I had been asleep.”

Bai Zhi rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

The melancholy that had enveloped her moments ago vanished, and her usual composure returned.

“You really don’t stand on ceremony, do you?”

“Well, you’re the one who said I’m ‘part of the family now.’ If I acted all formal, wouldn’t that be letting your kindness go to waste?”

Bastet said teasingly as she leaped onto Bai Zhi’s bed, using a paw to smooth out the ruffled fur on her head.

“So, why did you stop me from asking more questions earlier? Did something happen between those two?”

“Nothing’s happened between Lin and Rena personally—they’ve only known each other for a few days—but there is history between the kingdom and the Crimson Moon Clan.”

Bai Zhi sighed and proceeded to tell Bastet everything she knew, including the war between the kingdom and the Crimson Moon Clan, as well as matters concerning the Holy Light and the Way of the Holy Light.

“So… something like that happened. No wonder that Lin girl said the Crimson Moon Clan’s population had dwindled. It also explains the tension I’ve seen between those two.”

Bastet mused, then looked at Bai Zhi.

“So, what’s your take on it, ‘Guardian’?”

“Honestly, based on the information we have, I don’t see how those two factions could have gone to war.” Bai Zhi spread her hands.

“The Crimson Moon Clan abides by a code of repaying kindness. They were willing to cut off all contact with the outside world and live in seclusion in the wilderness just to honor a promise made decades ago. It’s unimaginable that they would attack the very kingdom that had graciously taken them in without reason.”

“As for the kingdom, they are bound by the Way of the Holy Light, which makes it nearly impossible for them to fabricate a reason to declare war on the Crimson Moon Clan. If they did, the Holy Light itself would punish the instigators.”

“But the fact remains that a war did happen. The kingdom’s knights suffered heavy losses, and the Crimson Moon Clan was nearly wiped out,” Bastet countered. “Perhaps one of them is lying.”

“…Or perhaps their information is simply limited.” Bai Zhi didn’t affirm Bastet’s conclusion, instead offering her own thoughts. “Neither Lin nor Rena witnessed the full scope of the war. It’s possible a ‘misunderstanding’ arose from the discrepancies in what they know.”

“Unwilling to suspect your friends, are you? I feel like I’m starting to understand you a little better, Guardian.”

“In any case, until we know the truth, it’s best to avoid mentioning this in front of Lin and Rena,” Bai Zhi warned with a serious expression.

“Fine. I’m curious, but I have no desire to get dragged into trouble.” Bastet nodded, then changed the subject.

“And… there’s actually one other thing I wanted to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“That girl, Xia Ranxin—is she being targeted by some kind of evil creature?”