Chapter 40 I just want to know the truth. Teng Shao was the first to frown...

Teng Shao was the first to frown, after all, this person's background was unknown, and he even seemed mysterious and untrustworthy.

Gu Xiaozhu: "Why did you go to the Demon Realm?"

Zhu Songyun shrugged: "It's not that I'm going to the Demon Realm, it's that I'm going with you guys."

"As for why..."

"That's what my divination told me."

Teng Shao's brows furrowed even more. He had just opened his mouth to say something when Zhu Songyun immediately said, "If you object, I'll reveal your true identity!"

She slammed her hand on the table and stood up, pointing arrogantly outside: "Right here, right here in the Great Yan Royal City!"

"Besides, we are both at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core stage, so you can't do anything to me."

Teng Shao's eyes were deep: "How can you be so sure I can't do anything to you?"

Zhu Songyun glanced at him, then suddenly laughed: "Hey, don't be so fierce. Besides, if I follow you, I'll definitely help you! You won't lose out!"

After saying that, she asked curiously, "Oh, by the way, what are you guys doing in the Demon Realm?"

Upon hearing this, the three people present all wore strange expressions.

Jiang Zhihe: "...You don't know?"

Gu Xiaozhu: "Didn't you figure it out?"

Teng Shao: "...Do you really know who I am?"

Zhu Songyun: "???"

She spread her hands: "Please! I'm a fortune teller, not a god. It's impossible for me to predict everything, okay?"

Teng Shao was the first to raise his hand and set up a sound shield.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Zhihe said, "We need to go to the Demon Realm to help Brother Teng reclaim the position of Demon Lord."

Zhu Songyun: "Oh! So you guys went to the Demon Realm to steal..."

"……etc."

She suddenly opened her dull eyes wide, her voice rising several octaves: "What?! You said you're going to the Demon Realm for what?!"

Looking at her, Teng Shao scoffed, "I thought you knew everything."

Zhu Songyun looked incredulous: "All I could calculate was that you were going to the Demon Realm and that you were a demon, that's all!"

Gu Xiaozhu coughed lightly: "Um... well, actually Teng Shao is the Holy Son of the Demon Realm..."

Zhu Songyun: "………………"

Fortune telling that only yields half the result can be incredibly harmful!

Jiang Zhihe suppressed a laugh and said, "Even so, you still want to go?"

Zhu Songyun pouted and then slunk back down, saying, "...Go away."

Teng Shao looked at her, somewhat puzzled: "You clearly don't want to go, so why are you going?"

Zhu Songyun slumped listlessly on the table, his expression revealing a hint of despair: "There's nothing I can do... It's fate, I have no choice but to obey."

It's destiny, it's destiny again.

Gu Xiaozhu also wondered, "What exactly is destiny?"

Zhu Songyun glanced at her: "It is a path that everyone must follow and will inevitably embark on."

She straightened up, took a sip of tea, and finally sighed deeply: "Our destinies were already set in stone, and the end of our fate is also the beginning of a new life."

Teng Shao looked impatient: "Tsk, so mystical."

Zhu Songyun shrugged: "There's nothing I can do. I figured out this sentence, but I really don't know what it means."

Jiang Zhihe raised an eyebrow: "Then why are you telling us?"

Zhu Songyun: "I can't be the only one who's anxious and worried, can I?"

The remaining three: "..."

"Well, anyway, do you agree or not?"

Jiang Zhihe looked at Teng Shao, then at Gu Xiaozhu, and finally said, "You said it's fate. Do we have any other choice but to agree?"

Zhu Songyun chuckled, stood up, and the things hanging on her body jingled: "Then I'll take my leave! I'll deal with that fox demon tonight!"

Gu Xiaozhu and the other two watched as Zhu Songyun excitedly left the inn—and then sheepishly returned.

"Um... I just did some calculations and found that the fox demon is at the late Nascent Soul stage. I... I can't beat it..."

Teng Shao sneered: "Useless."

Zhu Songyun's eyes widened immediately: "What? You think you can beat them?!"

Teng Shao: "Of course not."

"But that doesn't stop me from mocking you."

Zhusongyun: "..."

In the end, Jiang Zhihe stepped in to smooth things over: "Alright, alright, we're all comrades from now on! Let's not fight."

"Since you can't defeat Miss Zhu, surely you can at least calculate the fox demon's location?"

Zhu Songyun: "This is nature."

Jiang Zhihe nodded: "Alright! In that case, Teng Shao and I will go with you, and we'll try our best to bring that harmful fox demon to justice tonight!"

Watching the three of them refine their plan with a flurry of words, Gu Xiaozhu couldn't help but ask, "So... you're going to... break into the palace at night?"

The second prince must live in the palace, and as the prince's favorite concubine, the fox demon must also be with the second prince.

Upon hearing Gu Xiaozhu's words, the three of them turned to look at her simultaneously, their faces full of self-righteousness.

"Oh!" Zhu Songyun suddenly exclaimed, her eyes lighting up as she excitedly grabbed Gu Xiaozhu's hand. "You really reminded me, Xiaozhu!"

Gu Xiaozhu: "...?"

Zhu Songyun: "If we just sneak over there and resolve this, won't we end up with nothing?!"

Jiang Zhihe also realized: "That's right!"

Zhu Songyun said, "We've eliminated a major threat to the palace! The emperor should pay a price to repay us!"

This time, Teng Shao nodded in agreement, a rare occurrence for him.

Gu Xiaozhu watched them resume their secret plot, her expression a complex mix of emotions.

On their faces,

There was no righteous indignation in the fight against demons and monsters.

All they had was a desire for the emperor's gold and silver treasures.

In the end, the three of them made a unanimous decision—

The next morning, they went to the palace to meet the emperor and then helped him exorcise the demon.

After the discussion, there was nothing else to do, so they all went back to their rooms.

… …

"System, what is the destiny they're talking about?" Gu Xiaozhu lay on the bed, recalling the events of the day.

As the author of this book, why didn't she know that something like "destiny" existed?

[Well... to put it simply, it refers to the storylines of the characters described in a novel. Since the characters in a novel are created by the author, their life trajectories naturally follow the plot of the novel.]

This is the predetermined plot and fate of each character.

Before reaching the finish line, no one can escape "fate."

Gu Xiaozhu: "Then what is the end point?"

[I'm sorry, host, I cannot answer that.]

Gu Xiaozhu thought for a moment, then changed her question: "Then... now that I'm also in this book, am I considered a character in the story? Or... do I have any so-called 'destiny'?"

【Host, you are different!】The system’s tone suddenly became excited.

You are the author, the god who created this world; of course, you can't have something like a destiny!

You are the cornerstone of this world, and the only free person capable of changing the course of history.

Gu Xiaozhu lowered her eyes slightly: "God...? I'm not that powerful. I just happened to enter the world I created."

"Besides, apart from my special physical condition, aren't I just an ordinary person now?"

[Host, don't say that! You're very capable, and the reason you're like this right now is only because...!]

The system suddenly fell silent before it could finish speaking.

Gu Xiaozhu chuckled softly: "Because of what?"

"Because...because..." The system's voice was tinged with panic, and it began to stammer as it spoke.

Seeing this, she sighed softly: "I understand. You can't say it, or you're unable to say it, is that right?"

[Host, I...]

"I'm really curious about what kind of existence could restrict the Heavenly Dao of this world."

Um... wait a minute.

The system was silent for a moment, then exclaimed in surprise: [Host SuSu! You...you found out?!]

Hearing the system's loud and boisterous voice, Gu Xiaozhu couldn't help but laugh: "To be able to use heavenly lightning and know so much, who else but the Heavenly Dao could it be?"

"If I am the only outsider in this book, then where did the system come from? If the system is not an outsider, but exists in this world all along, then the only answer is the Way of Heaven."

"System, you're hiding a lot from me."

The air fell silent.

“Your ability can’t be used on me, not because you can’t, but because you dare not,” Gu Xiaozhu continued.

"Are there higher beings watching you? Why would they watch you? And what does that have to do with me?"

【Host……】

"I suspect that if you directly use your abilities on me, your actions will be detected, leading to even more serious consequences."

"If that is indeed the case, then it means that I must have some kind of connection with those beings, so you dare not act rashly."

[Host, stop talking...]

Gu Xiaozhu paused, but after a moment, she still spoke: "What are the serious consequences that you fear, and that Heaven will fear?"

"My death? Or..."

"The end of the world?"

【Host! ! ! 】

The system suddenly screamed, and outside the inn, thunderclaps exploded, the violent cries echoing through the heavens and earth, revealing its turbulent state of mind.

As the thunder subsided, the system's voice rang out again: [Host, you can't say anymore... you really can't say anymore...]

[Host, I beg you, you really can't be discovered by Him, at least not now...]

Gu Xiaozhu closed her eyes briefly and nodded slowly: "I understand."

"I'm sorry, I just... wanted to know the truth."

She turned over, and at that moment she could see the bright moon hanging high in the sky outside the window.

"This world has gone astray. Both you and Ahe have kept many things from me."

"But I can also sense that you have no ill intentions towards me, and are even very concerned about me. That's why I haven't brought it up."

"but……"

She pulled the blanket up, shrinking herself completely inside. Being enveloped in it gave her a sense of security.

"Can you understand? It seems like you all know the truth, but I'm the only one kept in the dark."

"This feeling... is really uncomfortable. And it really... makes me feel very insecure."

"Even though I know you mean well."

[Host, we're sorry... we didn't mean to.]

"……'us'?"

"So, you still have contact with Jiang Zhihe?"

[...]