Chapter 8: Poisoned Loyalty

Under the cold moonlight, the figure in black fell silent for a moment. They seemed to size up Xiluo’er. Two eyes lingered on her.

“I’ve long heard of the title ‘Cat Tail’,” the figure began, “but I never imagined your stature would be so petite.”

“Heh, even within the Cult, I doubt many have actually seen you, have they?”

“Let’s get to the point.”

Xiluo’er spoke, deftly sidestepping Ying’s query.

Her voice, too, was imbued with a chilling unreality, making it impossible to discern her true, natural tone.

This was an effect of the mask Xiluo’er wore.

“Very well then. First, I must congratulate you on approaching Eve so swiftly.”

Ying offered a perfunctory clap.

“I had initially assumed that even for you, gaining her proximity would require considerable effort.”

“Perhaps it’s only to be expected from someone directly under the High Priest?”

Beneath her mask, a wry smile touched Xiluo’er’s lips.

‘As if I wanted to get close to her!’

Seeing Xiluo’er offer no reply, Ying continued speaking.

“You are aware of Eve’s identity, aren’t you?”

“Not long ago, she was bestowed the title of Hero by the [Nation of Order]. Yet, her actions remain largely unrestricted, and she continues to be active within the Adventurers’ Guild.”

“Considering the Kingdom of Verseti, the total number of Heroes now exceeds ten.”

Indeed, in the game *Tales of Heroic Adventures*, there was never just one Hero.

The game’s lore established that to avert an impending world-ending crisis, various nations had chosen “Heroes” deemed worthy of saving the world. Among them, Eve was the Hero selected by the Nation of Order—Verseti, the very country they were currently in.

“While Eve hasn’t accomplished anything significant yet, the High Priests seem particularly interested in this newly chosen Hero from the Nation of Order.”

“The Cult believes that this Eve is crucial to their upcoming plans.”

Xiluo’er simply nodded.

The best way to avoid revealing anything was to remain silent and speak as little as possible.

However, the Chaos Cult possessed certain methods, being able to recognize Eve as no ordinary Hero.

After all, she was the game’s protagonist!

Eve’s unique abilities were incredibly potent. This was precisely why Xiluo’er always felt a little intimidated when facing her.

“Your next mission is to remain by Eve’s side, cultivate a closer relationship with her, and monitor her actions.”

“Heh, I had originally intended for you to also handle tasks related to Rona. But since you’ve connected with Eve so quickly, we’ll forgo that.”

“For now, you only need to focus on infiltrating Eve’s inner circle.”

The name “Rona” sent a sudden jolt through Xiluo’er’s heart.

Rona!

Hearing Rona’s name from Ying’s lips confirmed only one thing: Rona was indeed problematic.

“Rona? Is she also one of our operatives in Cana City?” Xiluo’er feigned a casual inquiry.

Ying replied, “No, but she is connected to the Cult’s upcoming plans in Cana City.”

“Alright, I understand.”

Though she dared not ask further, Xiluo’er’s brow furrowed in thought.

‘Plans…’

In her recollection, the Chaos Cult had no involvement in this particular plotline in Cana City.

The game had only revealed at its climax that the monster before the players was Rona, transformed by her cultist nature, leading directly into a boss battle.

Ying had stated Rona wasn’t a member of the Chaos Cult. But if Rona belonged to some other nefarious cult… what then did the Chaos Cult intend to do in Cana City?

“Very well, then. Return here next week, at the same place and time, to find me.”

Ying’s words broke Xiluo’er’s reverie, and she secretly breathed a sigh of relief at the meeting’s conclusion.

Yet, just as she prepared to depart, Ying suddenly tossed something her way.

Catching it instinctively, Xiluo’er fixed her gaze upon the object in her hand.

It was a small box.

Xiluo’er looked up at Ying, asking, “What is this?”

“An antidote.”

Ying’s explanation was brief and understated.

“Given that your mission is to infiltrate the Hero’s side, the High Priests have administered a poison to your body that requires a regular antidote.”

“I had assumed you already knew. Did someone from the Cult forget to inform you?”

“Well, try to understand. While I personally trust your unwavering loyalty to the Cult, this is merely a precaution.”

‘What?! Poison?’

Xiluo’er’s body instantly stiffened. For a fleeting moment, she even wondered if her ears had deceived her.

‘Had the Chaos Cult poisoned her?’

Indeed, such minute details were beyond what she could learn from the game’s plot.

However, Xiluo’er surmised that the absence of any memory informing her of being poisoned wasn’t simply due to the Chaos Cult forgetting to tell Xiluo’er.

This was a test.

If she harbored any ill intentions towards the Chaos Cult, intending to seize this opportunity to escape their ranks… the consequences would likely be dire.

After all, if one knew beforehand that their body had been tampered with, any ulterior motives would undoubtedly be kept well hidden.

“The poison in your body should be nearing its activation. This antidote will suppress its effects for one week.”

“Should you fail to take another dose of the antidote after a week, the poison will activate, draining all the magical elements and life force from your body until nothing remains.”

Xiluo’er understood that Ying’s seemingly casual explanation was, in reality, a stark warning.

A warning not to entertain any treacherous thoughts.

Xiluo’er yearned to curse aloud, but she restrained herself.

“Rest assured,” she stated, “my loyalty to the Cult is absolute.”

‘Like hell it is!’

Xiluo’er silently completed the unspoken part of her sentence.

‘I’d be a ghost before I’d willingly work for a black-hearted organization like yours!’

Without betraying a single iota of her true emotions, Xiluo’er simply turned and re-entered the shadows.

In reality, however, the departing Xiluo’er was already grinding her teeth in frustration.

‘You want to play mind games with me, huh?!’

At this thought, Xiluo’er couldn’t help but feel a pang of relief that she hadn’t simply fled, abandoning Eve and the Chaos Cult.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t even know how she had met her end.

****

The moonlight remained cold and clear. Xiluo’er, having slipped through the window into her room, flung her mask onto the bed in a burst of frustration.

‘This is troublesome now.’

Seated on the edge of her bed, Xiluo’er began to ponder her next move.

Initially, she had only intended to symbolically go through the motions, with no real intention of aiding the Chaos Cult. But with her life now held in their grasp, the situation was entirely different.

What if Ying discovered her slacking off, failing to properly execute her infiltrator duties, and withheld the antidote?

But if she truly helped the Chaos Cult, what about Eve?

Caught between two difficult choices—this was Xiluo’er’s assessment of her current predicament.

Xiluo’er looked up, her wide eyes reflecting immense worry.

A sudden sense of crisis made her realize she had to take proactive steps.