“Long time no see, and you still remember me.”
“What are you doing here…”
Ka Fei’s sweet voice didn’t ease Hui Mei’s vigilance. She knew very well that the owner of that voice was the most dangerous one.
Hui Mei asked, her voice trembling.
Ka Fei chuckled. “Don’t worry, little Hui Mei. This time, I just want to ask you for a small favor~”
Her gentle voice drifted lightly through the air, sounding warm and harmless, as if coaxing a child.
But fear surged wildly in Hui Mei’s heart. She knew clearly that this witch before her had never been kind.
Before Hui Mei could react.
Another crisp snap of fingers sounded softly.
“Ahhh?!?!?!”
Invisible magic instantly enveloped Hui Mei’s entire body, binding all her movements.
Hui Mei felt a violent dizziness in her head, her vision going black in an instant, and all her strength was drained away.
Her consciousness blurred rapidly, and her eyes were so heavy she couldn’t even lift them.
In just one second, her petite body slumped softly, collapsing directly beside the small stream, falling into a deep coma.
The forest clearing fell silent.
***
The next second, both Hui Mei and the ninja girl who had been unconscious earlier began to dissipate at the same time.
The two players who had been locked in a long struggle, under two casual snaps of the witch Ka Fei’s fingers, both fell unconscious, directly triggering the dungeon elimination mechanism.
Two faint white lights slowly rose, enveloping their bodies, and gradually faded away within this forest dungeon.
“OKK~ That completes step one.”
On the empty riverside battlefield, only Ka Fei remained standing.
She looked toward the wooden cabin, the gentle smile in her eyes slowly fading, replaced by intense curiosity and amusement.
“The secrets hidden in you, Nuo Ai’er… your abilities are becoming more and more interesting. I’ll dig them all out sooner or later.”
The living room of the abandoned cabin was quiet, without the earlier commotion. It was still a livable place.
On the soft, worn-out sofa, the small white-haired loli lay quietly, peaceful and well-behaved.
“Nnnh…”
Nuo Ai’er’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and her tightly closed eyes slowly opened.
Her clear, watery red eyes opened, and her vision gradually focused, revealing the dim but warm wooden ceiling.
A faint coolness from the water-type healing magic still lingered around her body.
“Huh?”
Nuo Ai’er noticed that the tearing pain in her lower abdomen had completely disappeared.
Tina’s healing magic was extremely effective; in a short time, it had mostly healed the serious wound that had pierced through her body. The damaged flesh had closed up, barely affecting normal movement.
Except for a slight weakness and a mild dizziness in her head, there were no major issues.
Nuo Ai’er gently moved her fingertips and turned her head slightly to look beside her.
The blue-haired ponytailed girl sat quietly on the edge of the sofa, her back straight.
The eyes that had always been indifferent and distant now fell on Nuo Ai’er’s face, filled with complex and unspeakable emotions.
From the moment Nuo Ai’er fell unconscious, Tina had been guarding her, never leaving.
She had been staring intently at Nuo Ai’er’s breathing, repeatedly using healing magic to stabilize her injuries, afraid that this little fool who had risked her life to save her would be eliminated.
Seeing Nuo Ai’er finally open her eyes and wake up, Tina’s tightly strung heartstrings loosened for a moment.
But what followed were the questions that had been piling up in her heart.
“Why did you do that?”
Tina asked directly, without any preamble.
“Huh? Do what?”
Nuo Ai’er blinked her big red eyes, tilting her head in confusion.
“Took the blow for me.”
Tina stared into her eyes, pressing word by word.
“I’m your enemy. I tortured you earlier… Was it really necessary to risk yourself like that for an enemy?”
She had never been able to understand this question.
In the rules of the player dungeon, everyone was already accustomed to slaughter and betrayal.
Because death in the dungeon was never a true end, just elimination and waiting for the next dungeon to open.
Many people’s bottom lines had been eroded.
Even if she had been killed by the puppet just now, she would have only been eliminated early from this PVP match, not truly dead.
Nothing would have been lost, and just protecting herself would have been enough.
Yet Nuo Ai’er unhesitatingly took the fatal blow for her, sending herself into a state of serious injury and coma.
She wouldn’t die, but the pain was real.
No normal person would ever do something so foolish.
Facing Tina’s confused gaze, Nuo Ai’er didn’t answer immediately.
She just lifted her eyes slightly, a shallow, gentle, and clear smile spreading across her small face, her tone soft:
“Because I think you and I are very alike, Tina.”
“Neither of us really likes our current lives, right?”
“You…”
That simple sentence gently struck a chord in Tina’s heart that she had never shown to anyone.
Tina’s body stiffened instantly, her cold eyes suddenly freezing, her heart trembling violently.
“What makes you think that? You don’t know me at all.”
She subconsciously clenched her fists and immediately retorted stubbornly.
She had been in the Falcon Guild for so long, accustomed to pretending to be compliant.
Everyone thought she was a cold-faced loli, but that wasn’t true. She had never dared to show her true personality.
No one had ever been able to see through the pressure and boredom buried in her heart.
This little loli, whom she had only just met and who was from a hostile guild, how could she be so sure?
“I can tell. You don’t like Stella’s way of doing things, and you don’t like the oppressive and domineering atmosphere of the Falcon Guild. If you were truly willing, you wouldn’t have been curious about my teammates back then, and you wouldn’t have asked about me.”
In countless cycles, Nuo Ai’er had already seen through this cold, awkward, and powerless little girl completely.
Tina opened her mouth but ultimately said nothing, falling into silence.
She lowered her eyes slightly, her voice dropping a few tones, carrying a hint of genuine embarrassment.
Silence settled between them.
After a long while, Tina had no words to refute.
Because everything Nuo Ai’er said was true.
Finally, she spoke softly in warning.
Or rather, a warning.
“Even so, don’t do something this stupid again… If you do it too many times, one day, you’ll become completely numb.”
Numb.
That was Tina’s most genuine feeling.
Day after day of being forced into situations had worn down all her emotions, making her less and less like herself.
She didn’t want such a pure and gentle Nuo Ai’er to end up as cold and numb as she was.
Hearing the word “numb,” Nuo Ai’er’s smile slowly faded.
“That’s true…”
She also fell silent, closing her eyes gently.
Numb?
It really seemed like that.
So many time rewinds, facing death directly.
Repeating trial and error with only herself knowing, repeatedly enduring despair.
Death, which ordinary people feared, had become routine for her.
No joke—Nuo Ai’er really seemed to be less and less afraid of death.
Tearing wounds, piercing pain, the despair of nearing death…
These experiences that would break any player, she had already endured dozens of times.
And before, when she was captured, she even wanted to die.
Over time, fear was gradually disappearing, and perception was slowly dulling.
If this endless cycle continued, what would she become in the future?
That unknown answer stirred a faint sense of dread in Nuo Ai’er’s heart.
She didn’t dare think deeply about it, nor did she dare to peek at what her future self might look like.
For now, she’d sleep first.
Nuo Ai’er planned to take a nap. After all, Tina wouldn’t do anything to her.
But just then—
Creak—
The cabin door was pushed open from outside.
A arrogant and lazy female voice followed, full of impatience.
“Tch, I was only gone for a while, and the place is a mess like this?”
Stella returned slowly after patrolling the perimeter.
She casually swept her gaze across the messy hall.
Splintered wooden boards, wood chips and dust everywhere—traces of a fierce battle. The once tidy cabin had become completely dilapidated.
Stella frowned deeply, irritation filling her heart.
Her eyes casually landed on Nuo Ai’er, who was lying peacefully on the sofa.
The next second, Stella’s expression instantly turned cold, and a murderous aura spread across her face.
“Tina!”
Stella barked.
“I told you to watch the prisoner. Why did you let her out?”
As she spoke, Stella stepped forward and reached out to grab Nuo Ai’er off the sofa, intending to drag the disobedient prisoner back to the cell.
But just then—
A small blue figure suddenly stepped forward, blocking Nuo Ai’er firmly.
It was Tina!
Tina stood straight, her arms spread wide, shielding the weak Nuo Ai’er behind her, facing Stella head-on.
Stella paused, a clear look of surprise flashing in her eyes. She said coldly:
“Tina, what do you think you’re doing? Get out of my way.”
The usually obedient Tina, who never talked back, dared to stand in her way today?
Tina’s body was slightly tense, still holding a primal fear of Stella deep in her heart, her fingertips trembling faintly.
But her courage completely overwhelmed her fear.
She raised her head, looked directly at the grim-faced Stella, and spoke in a voice that was soft but exceptionally firm, each word clear:
“Sister Stella, listen to me. Just now, a third-party hunting monster invaded the forest, and its target was to kill me… Nuo Ai’er saved me. She risked her life to block the fatal attack for me.”
“I don’t think we should treat her so harshly. Don’t throw her back into the cell. I’ll watch her. She won’t run.”
In Tina’s entire life, no one had ever risked themselves for her.
When she was trapped in danger just now, Stella was nowhere to be found, never appearing at all.
However, after hearing Tina’s explanation, Stella not only showed no sign of being moved but instead let out a mocking laugh, her face full of disdain and disbelief.
She looked Nuo Ai’er up and down, her eyes full of contempt.
“Her? A useless little loli with no combat ability? Tina, are you still asleep?”
In Stella’s eyes, Nuo Ai’er was pathetically weak, unable to even protect herself, let alone save anyone. Not being a burden would be good enough.
As for the so-called third-party monster, in her view, it was all an excuse Tina had made up to show favoritism and protect the prisoner.
Though she didn’t know what sweet talk Nuo Ai’er had used, Stella was definitely going to throw her back.
Stella’s face was full of impatience.
“Stop fooling around. Move aside now, or you know what’ll happen.”
But she didn’t know that this indiscriminate denial of all truth instantly ignited the anger Tina had been suppressing for a long time.
For the first time, Tina’s cold eyes blazed with clear anger, her tone carrying an unprecedented stubbornness and fury.
“Don’t you dare touch her!”
This sudden shout stunned Stella.
“When I was in danger, you weren’t there! When I was almost killed, you weren’t there either! You never came to save me at all!”
Behind the sofa, Nuo Ai’er was completely stunned.
She stared blankly at the blue-haired back in front of her, her heart full of surprise.
In her memories from twenty cycles, Tina had never dared to defy Stella.
She had never seen Tina so angry before.
How much had this cold little loli been hiding inside her…
“Now my savior is right here. Don’t you dare lay a finger on her!”
Stella looked at Tina, who was talking back to her, and her face darkened completely, a thick murderous aura churning in her eyes.
She gritted her teeth, staring hard at Tina.
“Say that again?”
The pressure in the air instantly skyrocketed. Lightning magic faintly coiled around her body, and tiny sparks crackled, exuding a powerful deterrent.
“I…”
Tina’s legs trembled slightly, fear surging wildly in her heart, her body instinctively fearing Stella’s power.
But she still didn’t back down an inch, firmly blocking Nuo Ai’er, not moving a step.
Looking at Tina, who was neither moved by soft words nor intimidated by threats, Stella let out a deep sigh, her patience completely exhausted.
She hadn’t originally wanted to punish a member of her own guild.
But since Tina was asking for death, she couldn’t blame her for being ruthless.
The next second, Stella’s black whip moved suddenly.
Swish—
The originally short whip extended rapidly.
The long whip precisely wrapped around both Tina’s and Nuo Ai’er’s wrists, the strong force binding their hands tightly behind their backs.
Then, the whip coiled around the two lolis’ chests and legs, the tight rope locking them firmly, leaving no room to struggle.
“Ahhh… let me go…”
With a yank, the two small bodies were forcibly pulled.
With a thud, they both knelt upright on the cold wooden floor.
A white and a blue small figure knelt side by side, bound tightly by the whip, unable to move.
“Nnnh…”
Stella held the whip, looking down at the two on the ground from above, her eyes full of cold mockery and punishing amusement.
“Got your wings, huh? Dare to talk back to me, openly protect the enemy?”
“Good. Since you two are so close, let’s take your punishment together.”
With that, Stella channeled electricity into the whip.
“Oh oh oh oh oh oh~”
The two lolis let out cute cries.
“Today, I’ll teach you two rebellious little lolis what it means to be obedient.”
“Oh oh oh…”
Nuo Ai’er, who was being electrocuted, couldn’t help sticking out her little pink tongue.
She could feel that a harsh punishment was about to come.
The scene instantly switched, jumping to the stream battlefield in the forest.
The battle here had been deadlocked for a long time.
“Huff…”
The pink-haired loli Hui Mei was battling a masked ninja girl from the Falcon Guild.
The two had been locked in combat since the start, fighting back and forth, unable to determine a winner.
Hui Mei’s development of the mysterious red string was still insufficient, and she was no match for this ninja in combat.
But fortunately, the red string’s restraining ability was decent, and the ninja couldn’t take her down either.
The two couldn’t overcome each other, nor could they break through the other’s defenses, so they had been stuck in a stalemate for a long time.
The prolonged high-intensity battle had rapidly exhausted both their stamina.
Even though the winner hadn’t been decided, both were nearly out of energy. If they continued, they would only collapse from exhaustion.
Just as the stalemate dragged on and the battle stagnated at a critical moment—
“Hee hee, this is the place~”
In the center of the riverside clearing, the void suddenly rippled with a strange black wave.
Dark light spread layer by layer, the space twisted and distorted, and a pitch-black portal slowly opened from thin air.
An inexplicable pressure instantly enveloped the entire forest, and the already tense battlefield atmosphere suddenly turned eerie.
Both the fighting Hui Mei and the ninja girl paused simultaneously, instinctively stopping their attacks and turning to look at the abrupt portal.
The next second, a small green figure leisurely stepped out of the portal.
Green hair, green eyes, a petite loli figure, a delicate and pretty face with a lazy, teasing smile.
The witch Ka Fei had arrived.
The ninja girl looked completely bewildered, her tense body relaxing slightly as she stared at the unfamiliar girl who had suddenly appeared.
She had no idea who this person was or where she came from. She instinctively spoke, her voice cautious:
“Who are you?”
The moment the words left her mouth.
Ka Fei didn’t even bother to lift her eyelids. She just casually snapped her fingers in the direction of the ninja girl.
“Ahhh!?”
As the crisp snap of fingers fell, an invisible storm of magic erupted violently.
Without any time to react, the ninja girl’s body was sent flying by an immense force, crashing heavily to the ground, slamming into the soil and grass.
Her head lolled to the side, her eyes closed, and she fell into a deep coma in an instant, losing all combat ability.
Hui Mei’s pupils contracted sharply, her small body instantly tensing.
This aura—she would never forget it for the rest of her life.
It was her!
The witch who had tricked her into sacrificing her soul and trapped her in an endless painful dungeon…
“You’re… Ka Fei?”
Hui Mei instinctively tightened her grip on the red string in her hand, her eyes full of vigilance, her small body stepping back slightly, every muscle taut.
Looking at the fully alert pink-haired loli, the smile on Ka Fei’s lips deepened. She slowly turned to Hui Mei, her tone soft and sweet but laced with a chilling malice:
“Oh my, long time no see, and you still remember me. Little Hui Mei is such a good girl, she hasn’t forgotten at all.”