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High above, Ling Wei sat upon a wisp of flowing cloud. She lowered her beautiful eyes, her gaze sweeping across the forests sprawled upon the earth.
Mist permeated the woods below, yet it failed to obscure the young woman’s keen sight or perception.
After observing Envy’s miserable state, pinned to the ground and beaten, for a moment, Ling Wei turned her head. She looked towards The Consultant, who floated not far away.
She extended a fair, slender finger, holding it horizontally across her throat like a blade.
“It seems a victor has emerged below. Mr. Consultant… no, Miss Consultant, what do you say? Will you continue trying to kill me?”
“You’re quite formidable. Try a little harder, and perhaps you’ll find a way, you know?”
The mysterious figure’s robe was tattered and torn, and the magical energy around her began to grow chaotic and distorted. She hovered above the clouds, gazing breathlessly at the black-haired young woman.
“…Thank you for your praise, but it seems my spirit is willing yet my flesh is weak. Let us conclude our engagement for today.”
“Is that so? Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”
Ling Wei stretched languidly, waving a hand dismissively. The Consultant watched the young woman with caution, then darted back, vanishing into the dense sea of clouds.
The young woman parted the clouds and pulled out the crow that had been hiding within, avoiding the collateral damage from the battle.
Zero inhaled a deep breath of fresh, crisp air, then looked up at his master.
“You just let her go? Aren’t you going to stop her, torture her, and interrogate her for information?”
The young woman lowered her head, her gaze piercing through the high altitude. As she admired Envy, who was currently being trussed up like a zongzi by Lily of the Valley, she plucked a cloud, molded it into a marshmallow, and popped it into her mouth.
“The Consultant isn’t some common minion you find anywhere. Keeping her here would require far more power, and if Morning Star were to notice, it wouldn’t be worth the trouble.”
“As for information, I’ve already gathered quite a bit through our ‘earnest exchange’ just now.”
“Forgive my poor insight, but it seemed to me you were simply sparring with The Consultant for amusement.”
The young woman held up a tiny marshmallow and tossed it into Zero’s beak.
“Conflict is the best form of communication, you see.”
“She didn’t reveal her exclusive magic, yet she managed to hold her own against me for so long… that in itself is an excellent screening criterion. With just a little thought, the pool of potential identities for Miss Consultant shrinks to something smaller than this marshmallow.”
“There’s the wicked Aunt Morning Star, the kind Mother Candle Tear, and the good sister Wrath… and, assuming Xia Shi hasn’t been resurrected, at most three or four more individuals.”
“I see. But none of the individuals you’ve listed have a reason to help Envy.”
“That’s why I said we’d add three or four more and investigate them thoroughly back home.”
“Alright, my dear Zero, Miss Consultant’s matter isn’t urgent for now. Please focus your attention on Mr. Lu Chen instead.”
“His affection is already hovering at the threshold, and I’ve grown tired of this role-playing game.”
“It’s almost time to wrap things up.”
Ling Wei floated up from the cloud, her flowing long hair once again tinged with a deep crimson.
“Let’s set a small goal. Within the next seven days, we shall retrieve the Heart of the Moon from him.”
****
After being escorted into the deep underground dungeon, the magic-draining vines binding Envy were finally slowly unfastened.
With the restraints gone, he instead went limp, toppling forward to strike the cold, hard concrete floor head-on.
As a welcoming gift, the group’s sorcerers had layered countless seals upon the Incarnation of Sin, completely nullifying most of his magic. They then placed him in this prison, which boasted the most comprehensive security and had previously held several other Incarnations of Sin.
Now, Envy was no different from an ordinary person… no, he was even more fragile and powerless than one.
The sorcerer who had escorted him walked to the door and spoke in a cold voice:
“Your trial will commence in seven days. At that time, lawyers and prosecutors will arrive to question you.”
“Until then, you will remain alone in this secluded cell, slowly repenting for your actions.”
The sorcerer closed the heavy iron door, plunging the small, cold cell into utter silence. Only Envy’s ragged breathing remained.
A strip light was embedded in the ceiling, casting a stark, pallid glow throughout the room. The air was thick with the pungent, acrid scent of disinfectant, making Envy feel as though he were a corpse sealed in a freezer.
He extended his trembling hands, pressing them against the floor, attempting to push himself upright.
Yet, the moment he straightened his arms, his limbs gave way, and he collapsed, his head striking the edge of the iron bed.
Envy instantly let out a cry of pain. He rolled onto the floor, clutching the injured spot and moaning.
“Ugh… why is it always me who suffers through this damned rotten luck… why me…?”
After a long period of whimpering, the pain in his forehead finally began to subside. Envy pressed against the swelling lump, his shoulders trembling incessantly, gnashing his teeth as if he meant to shatter his own jaw.
“Lily of the Valley… Fireworks… and that useless Consultant! Once I get out of this cursed place, I’ll slaughter all of you—”
Mid-curse, Envy suddenly saw a shadow fall over him.
A wave of terror washed over him, draining the color from his face. He quickly snapped his mouth shut, turned his head, and fell to his knees, pleading:
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Spare me! I’m truly repenting with all my heart; I didn’t mean to insult them just now!”
“Please, rise. I bear you no ill will.”
A familiar voice reached his ears. Envy, surprised, lifted his head and looked at The Consultant standing before him.
She still wore her long robe, her face concealed beneath layers of bandages. Envy gasped in astonishment:
“You… how did you get past the defenses?”
The Consultant extended an arm, her knuckles gently stroking the Incarnation of Sin’s cheek.
“For ordinary anomalies, the defenses here are indeed formidable. But as your loyal supporter, I traversed them with a tide-like surge of passion.”
“I see! I see! You truly are my best—”
The Consultant suddenly exerted force, snapping his neck as easily as one would break a chopstick.
The man couldn’t even let out a scream before he collapsed to the ground, his entire body convulsing like a fish out of water.
To prevent him from committing suicide, the sorcerers hadn’t sealed off Envy’s self-healing ability; instead, they had activated and enhanced it.
After struggling for several seconds, the Incarnation of Sin finally completed his healing, clawing his way back from the brink of death.
He glanced at The Consultant, utterly terrified, then tried to claw at the ground to escape, using both his hands and feet. Instead, he slammed head-first into the prison wall and tumbled to the floor.
The Consultant leaned closer, crouching beside him, and spoke softly:
“However, if you continue to retreat in such a manner, my passion will eventually wane and be utterly consumed.”
“Do you understand this point?”
“I understand! I completely understand!”
The Consultant nodded slightly, a smile curving the corner of her mouth beneath the bandages.
“Excellent, truly excellent. You are indeed the one I’ve chosen. Now, I shall grant you one final opportunity.”
“I will lead you out of this place and reveal the method to confront Fireworks and Lily of the Valley.”
“A method…?”
“Yes, a foolproof and absolutely effective method.”
“As long as you follow my instructions precisely, you will be able to evade Fireworks and Lily of the Valley’s notice and obtain half of the Heart of the Moon within the next seven days.”
You think this chapter was thrilling? Wait until you read My Abnormal Life After Becoming a Monster! Click here to discover the next big twist!
Read : My Abnormal Life After Becoming a Monster
