Chapter 27: The Evil Saintess

Her golden hair gleamed brilliantly under the sun, and her deep blue eyes were as gentle and profound as the ocean. Such a beautiful and holy Saintess—surely, her heart must be as pure and flawless as the stockings beneath her nun’s robe.

Although the kingdom had forced the Wood Elves into submission by force, thanks to the Church and the Saintess, the elves had never suffered any injustice.

This time, when Saintess Yue Lan arrived, the Wood Elves greeted her with their usual respect.

In return for their kindness, Saintess Yue Lan also offered her blessing: “May the Holy Light protect you all!”

Most of the Deepwood District’s inhabitants seemed happy to see her, but a few were not.

For example, the Wood Elf named Cuihua.

“Hiss… Here we go again, ugh.”

Cuihua watched the Saintess, surrounded by knights and mages, her entire body radiating holy light, and felt nothing but dread.

She could never forget the image of the Saintess bursting out from the sanctuary like a mad dog, drooling, resembling some beast from an evil legend.

That woman is definitely no Saintess…

So, what exactly is Qingmu to her?

For a moment, Cuihua hesitated, unsure whether she should reveal Qingmu’s awakening.

In the end, as Saintess Yue Lan’s gaze was about to fall upon her, Cuihua quickly vanished into the shadows.

“Better not get involved with her,” Cuihua thought, shivering with fear, feeling like she was about to be dragged into some extremely dangerous matter.

What the hell! I’m just a connection!

Stuff involving those big shots is definitely not something a small fry like me should get tangled up in!

Being unnoticed is the safest!

With that thought, Cuihua chose to leave, but Saintess Yue Lan subtly noticed something as Cuihua departed.

Before entering the sanctuary, Yue Lan had whispered a few instructions to the mage beside her.

“Qingmu, Qingmu, Qingmu, Qingmu, Qingmu—”

Upon entering the sanctuary, Yue Lan shifted her demeanor.

She twisted her body and clutched her face, walking toward Qingmu with a mixture of excitement and sadness.

“I’ve come to see you again. I wonder if you’ve missed me? Did you see me in your dreams? Was I beautiful there? Did you see the truth?

I’m sorry, sorry, sorry! I’m really sorry!

The selection of the hero was just so busy, so busy, I had to interfere!”

Saying this, Yue Lan suddenly crouched down and hid behind the jade bed, in front of the statue of the Elf Goddess.

Then she grabbed Qingmu’s arm, peeking out stealthily and glancing around warily.

“Ah… Moon Qi is back! She’s got help this time. That devil Moon Qi has allies; she wants to ruin everything I’ve built!

She wants to destroy the peace under Yue Lan’s rule! I absolutely cannot allow that. I must find the rats among those participating in the hero selection.

No matter the cost—even if it means killing all the candidates—I will not let that devil Moon Qi succeed!

This is for us~”

Tense, Yue Lan laughed again, craning her neck to plant a few kisses on the sleeping Qingmu’s face, licking it with her tongue.

“When will you finally wake up?”

Yue Lan then made a crying face and pulled out a syringe from under her skirt, muttering, “Hehe, this is some heavy stuff I got from the black market…”

Just as the needle was about to pierce Qingmu’s body, the visitor she requested arrived at an inopportune moment.

So Yue Lan hid the syringe and resumed her dignified Saintess appearance.

“Good day, Saintess.”

A Wood Elf stood before her—male, it seemed?

She remembered the clan chief’s promise.

Yue Lan crossed her hands over her abdomen and softly asked, “Hmm, you’re the attendant the chief assigned to take care of Qingmu, right?”

“Yes.”

“What’s your name?”

“A green flower, Cuihua.”

What a terrible name.

Yue Lan thought this to herself, then gracefully stepped toward Cuihua and quietly asked, “Seven months ago… on the seventeenth afternoon of the Falling Flowers Month, did you notice any unusual sounds near the sanctuary?”

“Unusual sounds… Saintess, what are you talking about?”

Cuihua blinked, her face full of confusion.

“Really nothing?”

Danger flickered in Yue Lan’s deep blue eyes as she stared intently at Cuihua’s face, trying to detect something in her subtle expression.

Hmm?

This male Wood Elf seems a bit too… gentle-faced?

Although all Wood Elves are handsome, why does this one feel so strange?

Could it be a female Wood Elf?

Yue Lan’s gaze suddenly turned terrifying as she silently muttered:

If you’re a woman and you touched my Qingmu, I’ll tear you to pieces! If you’re a woman and you touched my Qingmu, I’ll tear you to pieces! If you’re a woman and you touched my Qingmu, I’ll tear you to pieces!

Her gaze scraped across Cuihua’s face like a blade, making the elf uncomfortable and glance away a few times. Swallowing nervously, Cuihua finally mustered the courage to speak.

“Saintess, actually, there’s something… I want to tell you!”

Cuihua glanced at the motionless Qingmu on the jade bed, then made her decision.

“Not long ago, I discovered…”

*****

A headache.

Qingmu felt as if his head was about to split open.

But his consciousness seemed nailed to a wooden board with countless steel spikes, bound and weighed down, unable to awaken.

He only knew that the simulation had ended, and his story with Lin Qiyou was over.

He had finally returned from that world… but why did his heart feel so heavy?

Lin Qiyou…

How is she doing now?

Qingmu struggled to take control of his body, but even moving a finger was exhausting.

Instinctively, he recalled something.

That world was fake. Could it be that now the simulation is over, his “Qi Resolution” no longer works?

So he’s become a helpless vegetable again?

As he pondered this, Qingmu suddenly heard a noise nearby.

Then, the worries he just had felt unnecessary.

His eyes narrowed slightly and glanced to the side, and his newly regained hearing gave him a shock.

It was a butt!

A woman’s butt!

But this butt looked familiar!

A black nun’s robe, split slightly on both sides, then white stockings over the knees, and the stockings bore the Church’s hollow emblem on the thighs…

“Hm, are you sure you’re not lying to me? Absolutely sure?”

And that voice…

Yue Lan!

How did that crazy girl get here?!

Qingmu’s heart suddenly pounded wildly as he stared at Yue Lan’s back, and Cuihua, who was facing him and speaking to Yue Lan.

In the next moment, his heart plummeted.

Could it be that Cuihua is going to tell Yue Lan about his awakening?

No good!

Qingmu’s eyes widened, and at that moment, Cuihua noticed he was awake.

They stared at each other—big eyes meeting small—Yue Lan between them.

Qingmu shook his eyes from side to side, trying to warn Cuihua not to act rashly.

But Cuihua pointed at his face.

Damn it!

Qingmu cursed silently in his mind.