The night outside grew thicker, and two red moons hung high in the sky like the eyes of the Grim Reaper, staring fixedly at the earth.
There was a faint stench of rot in the air. Even through the window, it made one’s chest feel tight.
Su Shuang’er subconsciously rubbed her arms.
The unsettling feeling of being watched made her skin crawl. She withdrew her gaze and looked at the tall woman in front of her with a solemn expression.
“Tell me the information about the Apocalypse first. That was part of our bet. As for teaming up… I still need to consider it.”
Although the other woman seemed like a simple-minded female thug, Su Shuang’er understood that free things often came with the highest price. She wouldn’t easily give her back to a stranger just because of a few words.
Of course, White Night was the exception.
Mu Yingying didn’t get angry when she heard this.
A gentle smile remained on the corners of her mouth, and her big-sister-like friendliness strangely dissipated some of the terrifying atmosphere.
“No problem. A bet is a bet.”
Mu Yingying lightly rubbed the smooth gold coin in her pocket, her tone slowly becoming serious.
“Miss Su, you should have noticed by now, right? In this world, awakened abilities always come with a price.”
“A price?” Su Shuang’er’s brows furrowed slightly.
“That’s right. You could call it the law of conservation of energy for the Doomsday,” Mu Yingying said frankly.
“I’ve used my ability before, and my price… is that I’ve become a gambling addict.”
“This gambling addiction isn’t about winning money; it’s an instinctive urge carved into my very bones. Even if it’s a game I know I’ll lose, I must gamble, or else I’ll have a mental breakdown.”
Mu Yingying paused, her gaze landing on Su Shuang’er’s flushed face, and a hint of realization flashed in her eyes.
“I see your current state isn’t quite right either. Your face is so red, your breathing is rapid, and your eyes are dilated… This should be the side effect of that supernatural strength you just used, right?”
At her reminder, Su Shuang’er belatedly touched her own face. It was scorching hot. It felt like she had a high fever.
Her whole body was burning with an unbearable heat, and even her thoughts were becoming a bit sluggish.
She had originally thought it was because of the brazen words Mu Yingying had said, but now it seemed this heat was abnormal.
“Is this… the price of power?” Su Shuang’er murmured to herself.
She felt a fire burning inside her body and instinctively wanted to find a source of cold.
Her fingertips subconsciously caressed the icy handlebars of White Night’s bicycle beside her.
The cold, metallic touch instantly made her sigh in relief.
However, when her gaze slid down the handlebars toward the seat, her heart skipped a beat for some reason. For some unknown reason, looking at the bicycle now gave her an urge to press her face against it and rub against it.
‘What’s wrong with me?’
Su Shuang’er was startled by her own strange thoughts. She quickly looked away, forcibly suppressing the restlessness in her heart. She took a deep breath and tried to maintain her composure.
“Since you know so much, then you should also know where we should go next, right? If I agree to team up, what is your plan?”
Mu Yingying smiled and deliberately kept her in suspense, her tone carrying a bit of playfulness.
“That won’t do. I’ve told you enough already. I can only tell you after you’ve decided to join me. Otherwise, if I tell you everything and you just ride away on your bike, wouldn’t I be at a huge loss?”
She blinked, clearly taking advantage of Su Shuang’er’s current predicament. Su Shuang’er was a bit frustrated and was about to say something when White Night’s voice suddenly rang out in her mind.
‘Auntie Frost, agree to it. This woman might seem improper, but the information she just gave is very valuable. Also, it’s starting to feel more and more dangerous here; we need a guide.’
Su Shuang’er froze for a moment and looked at the bicycle beside her. The air around the originally quiet Vintage 28-inch Bicycle suddenly underwent a strange distortion. In the next second, a soft white light slowly rose.
Within the light, a translucent figure gradually became clear. It was White Night, wearing a Gothic Lolita dress.
Her black twin-tails floated in the air, and her face, as exquisite as a doll’s, held a trace of seriousness. Although she was only a soul body, her cold and elegant temperament could not be ignored.
“Huh?”
Mu Yingying was startled and subconsciously took half a step back, her eyes going wide.
“I… I guessed this bike had some spirituality, but I thought it was an AI or a mechanical spirit… I didn’t expect a top-tier twin-tailed beauty to be hidden inside!”
Mu Yingying’s expression instantly changed from surprise to delight as she carefully sized up White Night.
‘Those are twin-tails. She looks like the tsundere type. This fits my preferences perfectly.’
White Night floated in mid-air, ignoring Mu Yingying’s increasingly perverted gaze. Her tone was calm.
“I am currently in a soul state and cannot go too far from my physical body. As for joining the team, I agree on Auntie Frost’s behalf. I have shown my sincerity by letting you see my true form.”
She paused, her illusory eyes staring at Mu Yingying with a hint of warning.
“However, if you dare to harbor any ill intentions, I don’t mind going down with you.”
Mu Yingying quickly recovered from her shock, and the smile on her face became 100 times brighter than before. She looked at White Night, and the affection in her eyes was practically overflowing.
“Of course. Since everyone is being so honest, we’ll be sisters from different parents from now on!”
She excitedly reached out her hand, wanting to grab White Night’s small hand, but her palm passed directly through the illusory image.
“Uh…”
Mu Yingying grabbed empty air and scratched her head awkwardly.
“Sorry, I forgot you were a soul body.”
Then, as if she had discovered a new world, she leaned in close to White Night, her eyes full of curiosity.
“But then again, how did you possess a bicycle? What kind of species is this? Mechanical Ascension? Or a Necromancer? Do you usually feel anything? For example, if I touch the seat, would you—”
“Stop! No touching!”
Su Shuang’er grabbed Mu Yingying’s hand, asserting her dominance.
“Oh, don’t be so stingy. Tell me, what’s your deal?” Mu Yingying looked at White Night with curious inquiry.
White Night’s cheeks flushed slightly as she quickly interrupted the dangerous topic.
“These are secrets. We’ll talk about them later when we’re better acquainted. In short, as long as you cooperate sincerely, we won’t let you lose out. Can you accept that?”
“I can definitely accept that.”
Mu Yingying nodded repeatedly, her eyes sparkling.
“To be honest, I’m a sucker for beauty. Originally, I thought Miss Su was someone I could make do with, and if we couldn’t survive, I’d have a deep, indulgent exchange with her. But now that I’ve seen you… cough, I think surviving happily with you sounds much more interesting!”
“You…”
White Night was a bit at a loss due to her blunt words. Her cheeks grew redder, and she could only turn her head away like a tsundere.
“Stop talking nonsense.”
Although she said that, White Night didn’t actually feel repulsed.
Mu Yingying’s straightforward personality was much more reassuring in the Doomsday than those hypocrites who hid their intentions.
Just as the atmosphere between the two was becoming harmonious, a heavy cough broke the peace.
Su Shuang’er stood to the side, her arms crossed and her face somewhat dark.
She pursed her red lips, her beautiful eyes filled with grievance and displeasure. Her gaze drifted gloomily back and forth between White Night and Mu Yingying.
“White Night.”
Su Shuang’er’s voice was a bit chilly, carrying a clear hint of jealousy.
“What’s the matter with you? You decided on joining her team without even asking for my opinion? How can you throw me, your original wife, aside the moment you see another Auntie?”
Su Shuang’er was furious.
She was the one who had picked White Night up first; she was the one who had wiped down her body and applied lubricant.
Yet the moment this tall woman showed up, a few sweet words had White Night spinning in circles, even talking about living together?
The feeling of being ignored made Su Shuang’er completely forget her status as a CEO; she felt very bitter.
White Night froze, and seeing Su Shuang’er’s jealous look, she had a bad feeling.
“Are you jealous?” Mu Yingying asked Su Shuang’er.
“Who’s jealous?”
Su Shuang’er turned her head away, but the tips of her ears were flushed red.
“I’m just emphasizing team discipline.”
Mu Yingying watched this scene from the side, the smile on her face becoming even more playful.