Chapter Thirty-Six: Poisonous Sting

The fierce conflict between Xiya and Zhongsi was like a stone thrown into a stagnant pond. Although Xuyue forcibly suppressed the ripples, the heavy thud and the spreading waves deeply stung the observer lurking in the shadows—Qianxu Wuyun.

Through clandestine channels, she learned everything that had happened in the equipment room. When fragmented information such as "Xi Ya sternly questioned Zhong Si," "their relationship has cracked," and "Zhong Si is deeply affected" reached her ears, Qian Xu Wuyun felt as if an invisible hand was gripping her heart tightly and then crushing it bit by bit.

She huddled in the small, cold storage room of the "Rye Tavern," her hands tightly covering her mouth, suppressing the sobs that were about to burst out, her bright yellow eyes filled with immense pain and unbelievable panic.

He found out? Xi Ya suspects Zhong Si? Because...because of me?

This realization was like a red-hot branding iron, searing her soul. She could almost picture the wronged, fearful, and bewildered look in Zhong Si's violet eyes when he was being interrogated by Xi Ya.

She could imagine how Xiya's red eyes, burning with anger and disappointment, would pierce Zhong Si's already sensitive and fragile heart like sharp swords. All of this was because of her! Because of her, this venomous presence, someone who shouldn't have been near him!

A wave of intense guilt and heartache overwhelmed her. She recalled the complex emotions Zhong Si had shown her towards Xi Ya, a mixture of reverence, dependence, and a hint of fear; she remembered the unconscious glint in his eyes whenever he mentioned "Brother Xi Ya"; she remembered how, despite complaining about the harshness of Xi Ya's training, he always revealed his deep appreciation for that protection in the smallest details.

It was her, this jinx, who destroyed the awkward yet incredibly deep bond between them! It was she who made Zhong Si bear the suspicion and anger that shouldn't have been his!

"No...it shouldn't be like this...it shouldn't be like this..." She buried her face in her knees, her body trembling uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face, soaking the rough fabric of her trousers.

She had never hated her identity as much as she did now, hated the control of the Dream Serpent, and hated even more... that powerless version of herself who had developed genuine feelings for Zhong Si but only brought him harm.

However, the cruelty of fate never stops because of repentance. On the second night, when Qianxu Wuyun was immersed in boundless pain, that nightmarish voice rang in her mind again—not through a messenger, but through a more direct and irresistible spiritual link, carrying a cold, stinging sensation; it was the unique summons of the Dream Serpent.

Like a puppet being led, she returned to the gloomy and dilapidated St. Jude Cathedral. No rain fell that night, but a biting wind howled, making the broken windowpanes creak and wail.

The faint candlelight before the altar still flickered, illuminating the serpent's long and somber figure. This time, he didn't dabble in the dagger; he simply stood quietly, as if he had become one with the shadows, but his eerie green serpent eyes gleamed with a chilling light in the darkness.

"It seems my little bee has finally produced honey that is enough to cause suffering." Meng She's voice was calm and even, yet it chilled Qian Xu Wu Yun to the bone more than any harsh rebuke. He was clearly aware of the latest developments within the Xu Yue organization.

Qianxu Wuyun knelt on the cold ground, too weak to even lift her head, her voice trembling as she pleaded, "Lord Mengshe...please...let him go...he's already...he's already been punished...Xia suspects him, they've already..."

“Punishment?” Dream Snake chuckled, his laughter filled with sarcasm. “What kind of punishment is that little bit of insignificant suspicion? It’s just an appetizer, not even a condiment for the main course.”

He slowly walked up to Qianxu Wuyun, looking down at her with icy eyes. "What I want is not for them to have a misunderstanding. What I want is to completely destroy 'Whale Shark' Xiya's spiritual pillar, turning him into a mad dog who only knows revenge and has lost his mind. And the key is in your hands, my dear... Man-eating Bee."

Qianxu Wuyun suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with fear: "No...you can't..."

“I can. And you must carry it out.” Dream Serpent interrupted her, his tone leaving no room for argument. “The resilience of the Xuyue Organization has exceeded expectations. A single ambush and internal suspicion are not enough to cripple them. We need a heavier blow, to shatter their core directly. Zhong Si is the best breakthrough point.”

He crouched down, his cold fingers lifting Qianxu Wuyun's chin, forcing her to look into his emotionless snake eyes: "Listen, this is the final order. Eliminate 'Little Butterfly' Zhong Si. Create an accident, or... make him die in front of Xiya, the effect will be even better. I want Xiya to watch with his own eyes the little thing he so carefully protected perish because of his own negligence and suspicion. This pain will completely consume him."

"No—!" Qianxu Wuyun let out a shrill scream, breaking free from Mengshe's grasp, collapsing to the ground, tears streaming down her face. "I can't! I can't do it! Please, Lord Mengshe! Kill me! Let me die! Don't make me hurt him! I can't... I can't!" She sobbed uncontrollably, desperately banging her head against the cold ground, making a dull thud.

Meng She watched her futile struggles and self-harm with indifference, her eyes devoid of any emotion. "You cannot refuse, Qianxu Wuyun."

His voice was like a final judgment, “Don’t forget who you are, where you came from. Don’t forget who gave you your name, gave you the chance to live, and also gave you… the possibility of atonement.” He deliberately emphasized the word “atonement,” like a poisoned needle piercing Qianxu Wuyun’s deepest fears and vulnerabilities.

“If you disobey orders, or try to warn him, then…” Dream Snake’s voice grew deeper, with a cruel, playful tone, “it won’t just be Zhong Si who dies. Old John, ‘Rye,’ everyone in the tavern who’s spoken to you, even… that little lame dog who’s always wandering the docks and you’d occasionally sneak a piece of bread for… I’ll make them disappear, one by one, before your very eyes in the most agonizing way. You’ll live, consciously experiencing it all, until you go completely insane, or… complete your mission.”

He stood up and brushed off non-existent dust from his trench coat. "The choice is yours. Do you want one person to die with some value, or do you want countless people to perish for your 'kindness'? I'll give you three days. In three days, I want to see the results."

Having said that, he stopped looking at the nearly collapsed figure on the ground and, like a ghost, silently disappeared into the deeper darkness of the church. The faint candlelight went out as well, leaving Qianxu Wuyun alone to immerse herself in utter darkness and despair.

Qianxu lay sprawled on the cold ground, as if every bone in her body had been removed. Her tears had dried, leaving only a dry, stinging pain. Mengshe's words echoed in her mind like a curse, each syllable carrying the stench of blood.

On one side is Zhong Si, the only one she deeply loves and who has ever given her genuine warmth; on the other is an innocent life that may be tragically lost because of her. This is a choice she cannot make; whichever side she chooses, she will be a sinner and will fall into an abyss of eternal damnation.

She didn't know how she got back to that cramped storage room. She slumped against the wall like a lost soul, staring blankly into the void.

Memories of her time with Zhong Si flashed through her mind: his shy curiosity when they first met, his trust and reliance when sharing secrets, his vulnerability and warmth when she comforted him... The sweeter these images were, the more painful they felt like being cut by a knife.

What to do? What to do?!

Suicide? Dream Serpent won't let those innocent people go. Escape with Zhong Si? Under the dual pursuit of BXX and the Xuyue organization, where can they escape to?

Moreover, would Zhong Si go with her? Would he believe her? Tell him the truth? That would only plunge him into greater danger and suffering, and might even immediately invite the slaughter of the Dream Serpent.

It seems... there's only one path left. A path that will condemn her soul to eternal damnation.

In the midst of extreme pain and despair, a mad and cruel plan sprouted like a venomous snake from the darkest corner of her heart.

If death is unavoidable... if her hands are destined to be stained with the blood of her beloved... then perhaps... this death could be made "more valuable"? Perhaps... this could be used to completely sever Xiya's weakness, turning him into a weapon of revenge to fight against the real enemies—BXX and Dream Serpent?

The thought sent chills down her spine and made her feel nauseous. But in this desperate situation, it seemed to be the only option...

A twisted, "atonement" method? Using her and Zhong Si's destruction to bring the Xuyue Organization a completely insane "whale shark," a vengeful ghost with no weaknesses left?

For the next two days, Qianxu Wuyun was like a walking corpse. She forced herself to eat, maintaining the outward appearance of a "little bee," but the light in her eyes had been completely extinguished, leaving only a lifeless, ashen look. She began to observe secretly, looking for an opportunity.

She noticed that because of the previous conflict, Zhong Si had become more silent, often staying alone in the training field or library, seemingly trying to numb himself with busyness, and also seemingly deliberately avoiding Xi Ya.

While Xi Ya remained cold and aloof, a fleeting hint of regret and worry would occasionally flash in her eyes as she glanced at Zhong Si's retreating figure. This delicate relationship presented an opportunity to exploit.

On the evening of the second day, she finally "bumped into" Zhong Si, who looked haggard, at a deserted corner of a corridor.

“Zhong Si…” she called him softly, her voice hoarse, filled with undisguised weariness and sorrow.

When Zhong Si saw her, a complex emotion flashed in his purple eyes—a mixture of dependence, grievance, and perhaps a subtle distance caused by Xi Ya's accusations regarding her identity. But more than anything, there was the instinctive warmth of wanting to get closer to her. "Qianxu..." he whispered, like a wounded little animal.

Qianxu Wuyun looked at his pale face and the dark circles under his eyes, her heart aching.

She forced a smile that looked worse than a grimace, her voice soft as if she were talking in a dream: "Don't be sad... everything will be alright... I know a place, very quiet, where no one will bother you... tomorrow afternoon, in the old warehouse district behind our usual spot... I'll be waiting for you, there are some things... I want to tell you."

Her words were full of implications, like a promise to the future, or a desperate farewell.

She dared not look into his eyes, afraid that if she looked at him for even a second longer, she would completely break down and desperately try to pull him away from this damned fate.

Zhong Si stared at her blankly, seemingly sensing something unusual from her unusual expression and words, but the promises of "everything will be alright" and "I want to tell you" were undoubtedly a huge temptation for his fragile heart at this moment.

He desperately needed a glimmer of hope, a spark of warmth. He nodded, a faint, hopeful light rekindling in his purple eyes: "Okay... I'll wait for you."

Upon receiving his response, Qianxu Wuyun practically fled. The moment she turned away, tears streamed down her face again. She knew she had personally pushed Zhong Si into the carefully laid trap leading to her death. That sweet poisonous thorn was finally about to pierce the heart of her beloved, and the first thing to shatter would be her own already riddled soul.