Chapter 78: A Huge Problem!

Wine-red nails held a pristine white teacup, its surface shimmering faintly under the moonlight.

The witch’s fingertips tapped lightly, and the tea transformed into crimson wine.

She drank it all in one gulp.

Bai Xiaozhi’s sword still rested against her own neck, quietly waiting.

“Your brother— she’s still alive.”

“Where? Where is he?” Bai Xiaozhi asked urgently.

“Not until she agrees to let me tell you.”

“How could she refuse? Doesn’t he want to find me?”

“……”

The witch’s fingertips tapped gently again.

Bai Xiaozhi felt her arm tighten; the sword lost its strength and dropped to the ground.

Vines curled around the sword, sheathing it for her.

“Go back to sleep. Unless something unexpected happens, you’ll know soon enough.”

“You…”

Flowers bloomed along the vines, releasing pink pollen.

The pollen settled on Bai Xiaozhi’s skin, tingling and numb.

Overcome by the sensation, she collapsed uncontrollably and closed her eyes.

“Rest well. You’re too loud; even the little chives woke up.”

“……”

Bai Xiaozhi was lifted by the vines and gently laid on her bed.

She fell into a deep sleep.

At the same time, Wu Xiaomi staggered out and sat before the witch.

[ I don’t want to delay any longer. Please help me return to my original form. I want to say goodbye to Xiaozhi. ]

“Impossible. You can’t change back.”

[ Illusions or disguises— surely you have a way? ]

“What will you offer in exchange?”

[ Name your price. Anything. ]

“……”

[ Miss Witch, you’re a good person. Please help me one last time. ]

A good person…

You call a soul-harvesting demon a good person?

“What if I want your soul? Or your freedom, your self-awareness, complete control over your body…”

[ Anything’s fine. Besides… I won’t live long anyway. ]

“You’d trade all that just to say goodbye?”

[ Mm~ ]

“I called you a foolish chive, and you really don’t disappoint.”

ovo

[ I also want to trade my soul for a top-tier gaming setup, with an RTX10010 and a two-meter ultrawide screen… ]

“……”

This one really doesn’t take her soul seriously at all.

“I’ll arrange this farewell. As for the price…”

The witch tapped her chin thoughtfully.

“Stretch out your tail.”

?

Woo—!

[ So the price is letting you pet my tail? ]

“No, I just suddenly wanted to fondle it. It’s soft and petting it helps me think… like spinning a pen.”

……

Damn! Got white-exploded!!

“You still owe me a pile of medicine fees. Taking your soul is too cheap for you.”

The witch pinched the tip of Wu Xiaomi’s tail, drawing circles on her own face in thought.

“If I took away your free will and made you work in the shop… wouldn’t that be like me working myself? Hmm, not for now.”

“Then what do you want…”

“Oh right, since you asked me for a deception, give me one in return.”

[ What should I do? ]

“Play along with me in a little act. The Great Sins Witches Gathering is in a few days, and I need you to play… my spoil, my toy.”

Toy??? How am I supposed to act that?

“Just behave. If you do well, I won’t restrict your feet for now. You’re in no shape to help in the shop anyway.”

Yay—!

“Now go to sleep.”

The witch said.

Wu Xiaomi felt her skin tingle as tiny particles settled on her arms, quickly soaking in.

Pollen?

It smelled sweet… Achoo—!

“This pollen will improve your sleep quality. See you tomorrow.”

……

The next morning.

In a haze, the sensation of weightlessness returned.

Ah… it must be the vines lifting me again.

The soft rustle of leaves sounded nearby; the vines were moving.

Her body was wrapped, then her legs and feet…

The vines were helping her dress!

Such a useful sequence.

When will I learn it?

Once I do, I’ll use the vines as tentacles to lift the witch, open her umbrella, and see her true face— watch her panic— pfft, just thinking about it is fun!

“What rude thoughts are you having?”

No way!

“I have Crisis Sense. Don’t think I won’t know if you think of something bad.”

Damn, how does she have so many useful sequences?

Biting her lower lip guiltily, she pretended nothing was happening.

“Open your mouth. Brush your teeth.”

Ah—

Pfft—?!

The stamens scraped roughly across her teeth and tongue, removing all residue and coating them with a layer of nectar.

Even her saliva was wiped clean; the inside of her mouth felt like it had been waxed.

What’s she up to? Why is she so eager to help with grooming?

“As my Deputy, I won’t allow you to appear before anyone looking like a beggar… There, your restrictions are temporarily lifted. Go find your friend.”

Freedom! Yay!

“When your next mission ends, if you’re still alive, come with me to the gathering.”

Okay~

At that moment, Bai Xiaozhi in the next room also woke up.

[ My imprisonment is lifted! ] Wu Xiaomi excitedly raised a note.

The air in the white space was noticeably different from Neliifa’s scent.

She hadn’t stayed long in Neliifa before, so she hadn’t felt much, but returning this time left a deep impression.

—It lacked a living aura.

This was the difference in white space.

There was no rain in white space, no scent of wet earth afterward. Few flowers grew, so it couldn’t replicate the rich fragrance of a witch’s garden.

In the morning, there were no birdsong or rumbling car engines.

Back on Earth, that noise had seemed annoying. But now, she suddenly missed it.

This world was too dead and silent, cold enough to cause anxiety.

Someone had installed a Funnel on the eaves, with an Iron Plate below, just to hear water drops fall—mimicking the patter of a rainy night.

That sound made sleep more peaceful.

……

Firewood had been exchanged for plenty of soil, covering the bodies of the fallen, and Grave Markers bearing their names had been set up to cover the stench of decay.

Early in the morning, Kang Jie and his team swept the graves. On their way back, they happened to meet Wu Xiaomi and Bai Xiaozhi.

“You’re just in time.” Kang Jie was always full of energy, and even Nurse An by his side radiated vitality every day.

“What’s going on?”

“Our Rocket is about to launch.”

“……”

Wu Xiaomi nearly choked on her saliva.

She’d only been gone a few days—not a century.

In such a short time, this guy built a rocket? Probably coal-powered?

“These past few days, several of us have been pouring over books until our heads hurt,” Kang Jie laughed. “Though the theory’s complicated with all sorts of messy formulas, I got the gist—

It’s basically a giant bottle rocket. A bottle rocket that can exceed the second cosmic velocity.”

The nuclear plant’s still boiling water.

You’re boiling water?

“At the Material Store, when exchanging materials, you can choose the shape and alloy composition ratio, which saves a lot of trouble.”

“So, we just need to know the parts’ composition and shape, then directly exchange for ready-made parts. Then assemble them, add fuel and catalysts, and it’s ready to launch!”

“You’ve assembled it?” Bai Xiaozhi asked nervously.

“Of course. We’re about to ignite it. Come on, I’ll take you to the launch pad!”

Not good. Something feels very wrong.