Chapter 59: Reasoning

“Is your tail fun to play with?”

“It’s so much fun! It’s just a bit inconvenient when walking, and it feels like I’ve got a new weak spot in a fight… But it’s really fun! I can even use it as a little blanket!” Wu Xiaomi nodded rapidly. “By the way, Teacher, you look so cool today!”

“Is that so?”

Receiving her little disciple’s compliment, Nanalia forced a smile.

Wu Xiaomi’s face was lifeless—anyone could see it.

—She was definitely sick.

She should have realized it sooner, but she had never reminded her.

The first time they met, Wu Xiaomi had been so frail, her body depleted to the extreme, nearly sucked dry by the countless spiritual sources inside her.

After that, she overexerted herself again and again, and yet Nanalia never paid attention to the strain on her body, only indulged in the joy of reuniting with her loved ones…

Even the reunion itself,

was something Wu Xiaomi had traded for.

Now, it was too late to fix anything.

She was powerless, her heart overflowing with guilt, helplessly watching Wu Xiaomi wither away.

A bitter smile.

“As long as it’s fun. Once you get to know the Spirit of Rainfall, you can even try a Chi Dragon’s tail and horns. If you meet the Spirit of Sanctity, you could try angel wings. If you meet a Forest Ranger, you can learn from her how to become a Loli Fairy. There’s also the Spirit of Pastoral Song, the Spirit of Beacon Fire, the Spirit of the Deep Sea, the Spirit of the Dark Night…

With your talent, there are so many fun things waiting for you! Of course, you can always return to the embrace of the Spirit of Abundance whenever you wish.”

“So many!”

It sounded amazing.

“Mm.” Nanalia gave Bai Xiaozhi a look, then stood up. “You’re sick, so rest up. Your teacher and your sister Xiaozhi have things to take care of.”

I’m the older sister! Wait, no… I’m the older brother!

Before Wu Xiaomi could say anything, the two women hurried out of the bedroom.

“How is she?” Xiaozhi asked anxiously.

“This damned… Manggu!” Nanalia leaned against the wall, bent over, and sobbed uncontrollably.

“Manggu?”

“I think I finally know what’s causing Xiaomi’s illness…”

“What?”

“It’s the evil will of the Manggu Mountains. All of this started with Manggu’s hatred toward the Spirit of Abundance.”

“……”

Clearly, in her grief, Nanalia revealed a very significant secret.

Manggu.

The “Manggu” of the Manggu Mountains.

Its name was not without reason.

From the perspective of a strategist, Bai Xiaozhi should have been overjoyed right now.

After all, this was a legendary special side quest, far above any labor commission in terms of background, difficulty, and reward… perhaps even more important than the main storyline!

She should have been happy.

Whether it was for her innate curiosity, the points behind the event, or the power those points would bring.

Once she completed this side quest, she would receive a massive boost, making her stronger and letting her live longer.

Maybe, this was the push that would get the snowball rolling, the key brick to survive into the new world.

But the price was Wu Xiaomi.

Logically, she should forget her sadness, abandon personal joys and sorrows, and throw away the name Wu Xiaomi altogether.

Never think of this Wu Xiaomi again.

She should immerse herself completely in the task, do whatever it took to earn points and improve herself—that was the law of survival in the apocalypse.

…

But she simply couldn’t do it.

Not when it came to the girl who, in the face of danger, would stand in front of her with her sword and say, in an unquestionable tone, “Get behind me.”

She just couldn’t do it.

“So… the one behind all this is ‘Manggu’?” Bai Xiaozhi asked hoarsely.

“You should know that every brick and tile of the Manggu Mountains is blessed by the Spirit of Abundance. Those blessings held back Mirror Night and protected us for hundreds of years.

But actually, the blessings were bestowed long before Mirror Night appeared,” Nanalia said.

So the blessings weren’t meant to resist Mirror Night.

“It’s been so long that almost no one remembers the Spirit of Abundance’s motives. Few remember why she built a city here. But we remember—her priestesses remember—

It was to seal away that restless evil will—Manggu.”

“It broke free?”

“No, but there’s no denying that the seal has weakened.

The leaking evil will sensed Wu Xiaomi’s spiritual source and, driven by its extreme hatred for the Spirit of Abundance, attacked you all.

Xiaomi came into contact with the evil will during the attack. Her body was already on the verge of collapse, and with the evil will’s interference, her defenses were shattered. It was the last straw that broke her.

With the evil will raging inside her, and her spiritual source depleted, she…”

Collapsed.

Bai Xiaozhi closed her eyes.

Deep breath, steady herself, begin to analyze.

Her mind raced.

“Did the seal weaken because Kang Jie demolished the houses in Fengshou Village?” Bai Xiaozhi opened her eyes, starting to piece together clues.

“Of course not. Those few bricks are nothing compared to the seal on the entire Manggu Mountains. Besides, you only smashed the houses—the bricks and tiles are still on this land.”

“Then what was it…”

Information flashed through Bai Xiaozhi’s mind at lightning speed.

Where was the problem? This sense of discord, this strangeness…

Suddenly, her slender, pale fingers reached into the air.

With a gentle pinch, it was as if she plucked an abnormal thread from the void.

Found you!

“What is it?”

“I know now.”

She finally understood!

She understood why, even after the so-called [Final Manggu Mountains Strategy] ended, she still felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort.

As if everything was perfect, yet something was lurking in the corners of the event, never quite fitting in with the rest.

“You know… what?”

“Butler.”

The Butler’s motive.

Even after the incident ended, they knew almost nothing about that night twelve years ago.

The only information they had was that Nanalia’s parents had voluntarily set out to challenge Mirror Night, and the Butler had interfered, causing the Shaman Couple to be trapped in the Xuling Space.

But why did he do it?

What did he gain from it? Was it simply to see others in pain, to satisfy some twisted sadism?

Even if that were true.

How did he know that, on that night twelve years ago, the Shaman Couple would enter the Mirror World and use the Red Thread to mark their path?

Something was off!

Bai Xiaozhi closed her deep, dark eyes.

Her mind stormed on.

…

…

…

!

She pinched her fingers again.

“Resonator!” Bai Xiaozhi’s eyes snapped open, her expression grave. “Nanalia, the Resonator was originally in your parents’ hands, right?!”

“That’s right…”

“But before that?”

“I don’t know…”

“Before that, they never even had a Resonator! From beginning to end, the Resonator was a trap!”

A chill shot down Nanalia’s spine.

“No… it can’t be…”

The Witch’s skin broke out in goosebumps.

“Fengshou Village always kept the tradition of closing the Mirror Night gate, until twelve years ago—when someone brought your parents the Resonator.”

“You’re saying…”

“That person brought the Resonator, and along with it, hope—a hope that they would never have to hide from Mirror Night again, that no one would get hurt, that they could reunite under the moon!”

Brain overload.

Nanalia’s head started to steam.

Her pupils quaked.

“Even if the one who brought the Resonator wasn’t the Butler, he must have been involved. That’s how the Butler knew the Shaman Couple’s whereabouts!”

“Father, Mother… were set up?” Nanalia murmured.

“Exactly! All of this, from start to finish, was to trap them in the Mirror Night world. While you and Nanania were still young, before new Shamans could rise, so they could freely carry out their plan to break the seal!”

“……”

Things suddenly became a lot more serious.

So serious that the Witch’s dignity vanished, and the tip of her tail began to tremble in fear.

“On that basis, we can keep deducing.”

Bai Xiaozhi closed her eyes again.

“Wu Xiaomi said the Spirit of the Wilds committed suicide, thus creating Mirror Night. But how could a pregnant mother easily take her own life? And if she truly wanted to die, why bother protecting the child in her belly after death?!”

“Y-you’re saying… the Spirit of the Wilds…”

“She lied!”

“But in that situation, why would she lie?” Nanalia’s mind was completely scrambled.

“For…”

Bai Xiaozhi froze.

Even she was sweating from her own guess.

“For Wu Xiaomi’s protection.”

…

“Because someone was there.”

…

“Because—if she told the truth, Wu Xiaomi could never have walked out of the Xuling Space alive!”