Chapter 129 129 Transactions of System No. 2
As if caught red-handed while doing something wrong, the stealthy figure outside the window suddenly froze.
However, when she looked up, she saw that the person who had grabbed her was Lu Yuanyuan. The other woman seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and her hood slipped down, revealing a delicate face. It was Xiao Ruo.
Xiao Ru was also in the Demon King's entourage on this trip. But at this moment, she had changed out of the gorgeous and flamboyant robes she wore during the day and was now wearing a black robe that made it easy to hide her figure, and her face was covered with a thin veil.
Lu Yuanyuan was speechless for a moment: "Why are you dressed like this to come see me?"
Xiao Ruo pulled her slipping hood back over her head and said angrily, "Who said I came to find you? I'm going out to do a dungeon quest. The western wall has the fewest guards, so I was planning to climb over there. I just happened to pass by your window. Who knew you had such sharp ears that you could hear me like that?"
Lu Yuanyuan: "..."
She had been free from the system's clutches for over seven years and had no idea how it was functioning now. However, it seemed that although the main storyline of "Enchanted Fairy Fate" had been disrupted, the demon-slaying dungeons where you could earn gold coins and extra money still existed.
"Alright, alright, I'm not talking to you anymore. Just pretend you didn't see me. Hurry up and close the window so you don't attract the soldiers! Anyway, I'll be back tomorrow."
After hastily uttering those words, Xiao Ruo bent down, hugged the wall, and ran away in a flash.
Lu Yuanyuan watched helplessly as she scaled the towering city wall, leaped out, and disappeared into the boundless night. From behind the bushes, the footsteps of patrolling soldiers approached. Lu Yuanyuan withdrew her gaze, turned and closed the window, locking the light inside.
The night passed uneventfully. With the howling wind outside the wall, Lu Yuanyuan drifted off to sleep. In the morning, she was awakened by a commotion in the garden; it seemed many people were moving about and discussing something.
Why is it so noisy?
Lu Yuanyuan rubbed her eyes and got up to wash. She had barely put down her towel when a maid knocked on the door to bring breakfast. Taking the opportunity, she asked the maid, "What's going on outside? What happened?"
The maid looked distressed and said, "I heard that last night, the Queen had an argument with the King over some trivial matters and locked herself in her room to sulk. This morning, the King discovered she was missing and is now sending his men to search for her everywhere."
Lu Yuanyuan: "So that's how it is."
She ran away after being angered by the male lead, and then immediately went to do a dungeon quest. What a coincidence! The so-called argument was probably just something Xiaoruo did on purpose.
In this way, Xiao Ru could use the excuse of "running away in a huff" to disappear for a whole day and night with a clear conscience. Once the dungeon quest was completed, she could pretend that her anger had subsided and return to Ji Shuo's side as if nothing had happened. Everyone would only think that she had gone out for a walk last night and wouldn't pry into her whereabouts.
Xiao Ruo has run so many dungeons, this is definitely not the first time she has done this.
Lu Yuanyuan didn't pay much attention.
However, the subsequent development of the matter was beyond her expectations.
Xiao Ruo had clearly said she would be back the next day, but she still hadn't appeared by the time the sun rose on the fourth day.
It's as if they've vanished into thin air.
In the past few days, the delegation's inspection work has been proceeding in an orderly manner. However, Lu Yuanyuan could sense that as the soldiers sent out to search for Xiao Ruo returned empty-handed time and time again, Ji Shuo's expression grew increasingly grim, filled with anxiety and worry.
Lu Yuanyuan also felt very strange.
Xiao Ruo had finally won over Ji Shuo and earned 100% favorability. The cooperation between the two worlds had also made progress. She had no reason to suddenly give up everything and leave to start anew.
The only explanation is that Xiao Ruo didn't not want to come back, but she was unable to do so due to circumstances.
Logically speaking, if Xiao Ruo had a script, the female lead's halo, and system props, she wouldn't have capsized so easily in a ditch.
Did she trigger some kind of hellish difficulty dungeon quest?
In the blink of an eye, it has been four days since Xiao Ru went missing.
As night fell, Lu Yuanyuan was engrossed in her work at her desk, diligently recording her observations from the past few days. Suddenly, she heard a long-forgotten, mechanical, electronic voice in the air, as if from a malfunction, its words broken and fragmented: "...Target found...you...hello...Lu Yuanyuan..."
Lu Yuanyuan's wrist trembled, almost breaking the pen, and a bit of ink suddenly smudged on the paper.
It's the middle of the night, and I'm seeing ghosts. I'm actually hallucinating.
Lu Yuanyuan let out a breath, ruffled her hair, and continued writing without changing her expression.
However, the electronic voice wasn't going to let her go, and it grew clearer and clearer: "Hello... I am... Xiao Ruo's system..."
Persistence is key; even plugging your ears won't help.
Helpless, Lu Yuanyuan finally stopped her self-deception and lowered her hands: "What is it!"
The other party paused for a moment, then got straight to the point: "I want to make a deal with you."
"A transaction?" Lu Yuanyuan frowned slightly, thinking of its identity and Xiao Ru's recent unusual behavior, and said, "Don't tell me that Xiao Ru is in trouble and you need my help."
The electronic voice paused for a moment: "Yes."
Lu Yuanyuan: "..."
Has Xiao Ru really run into trouble?
Sure enough, you really can't make promises you can't keep. Once a cannon fodder character utters lines like "I'll retire after this job" or "I'll definitely be back," their fate is not far off. Surprisingly, the curse of such lines is so strong that even the female lead couldn't escape it.
Lu Yuanyuan composed herself slightly and asked, "What was your relationship with my previous system?"
The system seemed to have come prepared: "The system you were previously bound to was the spirit of the novel 'The Enchanting Fairy Tale,' whose duty was to maintain the development of the original work. I am an external system. Although we are both systems, for the sake of distinction, you can call it the spirit of the novel, and I am the system."
It paused for a moment, seemingly waiting for Lu Yuanyuan to process this information, before continuing to explain: "At first, the Book Spirit was unaware of my existence. But later, Xiao Ru was almost strangled to death by Duan Lansheng. To survive, she used an overpowered item, which caused the Book Spirit to detect our existence. However, it did not eliminate us, indicating that as long as Xiao Ru stopped you from destroying Duan Lansheng, it would allow us to continue to exist. Afterwards, I was recruited by the Book Spirit and became its subordinate system."
Even after all these years, Lu Yuanyuan still clearly remembers the near-death experience she had gone through back then. She couldn't help but clench her fist and said coldly, "I thought that none of you systems cared about the life or death of your hosts."
System: "You weren't wrong. Just as the Book Spirit must uphold the original work, everything else must take a backseat to its duty. If you dare to extend your hand beyond the grid, it will cut off your arm. My duty is to help Xiao Ru win over the male lead and send her home. If she dies, my contract with her will terminate, and I will find a new partner. But the situation is special now. I have been recruited by the Book Spirit as a level two system and have lost my full functionality. Only by helping Xiao Ru leave and fulfilling the contract can I escape this world. Otherwise, I will perish with her."
It sounds like this system has its own agenda. It's unwilling to be trapped in this world as a subordinate of the Book Spirit, and it doesn't want to disappear, which is why it's protecting Xiao Ru's life.
Lu Yuanyuan calmly asked, "Why did you ask me for help?"
System: "You are one of only two transmigrators in this world. Although you are currently no longer under the jurisdiction of the system and are treated the same as the original inhabitants, you can still communicate with the system. Others cannot hear my voice."
Lu Yuanyuan pondered for a moment: "Did you assign her a very difficult dungeon?"
System: "No, the instance that Xiaoru triggered was very simple. The problem was that when the mission ended, she encountered an old acquaintance from a previous mission with whom she had a grudge, and was even kidnapped."
I see.
Faced with deep-seated hatred, even the strongest charm and charisma will be ineffective.
Lu Yuanyuan nodded: "So, you want me to pass on the precise clues to the Demon King so that he can rescue her?"
System: "Not only that, but to ensure Xiao Ruo's 100% survival, I want you to participate personally. After all, only you can hear me, and this will play a crucial role at critical moments. Moreover, the vengeful ghost that kidnapped her was once your acquaintance. Do you remember Yue Qi, the deposed crown prince of Yong Kingdom?"
Lu Yuanyuan was so shocked that she couldn't speak.
So much happened after the mortal realm instance. She only knew that Yue Qi was crippled, but she didn't know his fate. He was actually... he was actually dead?
System: "After Yue Qi was deposed, he died in despair, transforming into a vengeful ghost with greatly increased magical power. Now, Xiao Ruo has fallen into his hands. According to my calculations, if she is not rescued within half a month, she will be sacrificed. Although the female lead's death will not directly affect you, she is, after all, a core character in 'The Enchanting Fairy's Fate,' a very special identity. Once she is devoured by Yue Qi, his power will expand rapidly. At that time, coupled with the fully awakened Ghost Emperor, the enemy's power will be doubled. Even if you join forces with the demon race, the cost of winning this battle will be far more severe than it is now, and those you value will all be dragged into it. If you cooperate with me, even if we fail to rescue Xiao Ruo, we haven't signed a contract, and you won't be punished like before. If we succeed, it will be a win-win situation."
Lu Yuanyuan's expression gradually became serious.
She wasn't foolish enough to repay evil with kindness. But deep down, she understood that the system was right. She knew better than anyone how strong Xiao Ruo's protagonist aura had been. If Yue Qi were to devour Xiao Ruo and gain immense power, the consequences would be unimaginable. Not doing everything in her power to stop him now would be creating a powerful enemy for her future self.
She had already made up her mind.
.
That night, in the border city palace, the Demon King's study was brightly lit.
Following the soldier's message, Lu Yuanyuan successfully arrived at the inner hall. Upon entering, she was surprised to find not only Ji Shuo but also the High Priest, whom she hadn't seen for several days.
Xi Ye still wore a mask, her black hair tied up with a ribbon, and sat to the side, truly a jade-like figure under the candlelight, dazzling and beautiful.
How did he end up here?
Did you finish dealing with your personal matters and then rush over?
On the other side, as soon as Ji Shuo saw her, he stood up from behind the table.
After Xiao Ruo disappeared, his face was obviously much more haggard, and the whites of his eyes were bloodshot. He was no longer as spirited as when they first met, but he still spoke politely: "Immortal Lord Ling Heng, is there something urgent that brings you here so late at night?"
Xi Ye's gaze also fell upon them.
Time was of the essence, and Lu Yuanyuan, disregarding the matter of chasing Xi Ye away, went straight to the point: "Your Majesty, I may have some clues about where the Queen Consort has gone!"
Ji Shuo was shocked: "What did you say?!"
In front of them, Lu Yuanyuan took out a bronze mirror and said, "This magic weapon can allow you to see some things that have happened in the past at certain times."
After saying that, Lu Yuanyuan held the mirror up and showed it to Ji Shuo. In the small mirror, water-like ripples appeared, showing the scene of her just entering the study.
Ji Shuo stared in surprise at the reflection in the mirror.
At the same time, Lu Yuanyuan felt a gaze suddenly pierce her from the side. Her palms were slightly sweaty.
After Yin Xiaozhu died, she ascended to Jin'ao Island. Upon waking, she discovered that she was still tightly clutching the Sky-Gazing Mirror in her palm.
Because of the lightning strike, the Heavenly Mirror shattered into several pieces and became useless. Undeterred, she spent several years on Golden Turtle Island repairing the cracks. After the repair, the mirror was smaller than before and looked completely different.
Even an ordinary mirror, once broken and pieced back together, will still have cracks. Let alone such a mysterious treasure. Repairing its exterior doesn't restore its original function. In recent years, at most, it can only emit light and recall scenes from a few minutes ago.
But Xi Ye couldn't possibly know what it was, nor could she know that she was making it up.
Ignoring his gaze, Lu Yuanyuan continued her fabrication: "Just now, when I was wiping it, some fragmented images suddenly appeared on it. I saw the princess being escorted by some ghost messengers and taken to an unfamiliar city where she was imprisoned. I think she must have encountered trouble."
The system had already told her the location where Xiao Ru was being held captive.
Using the demon race's current search methods, it's impossible to find Xiao Ruo within the limited time. She must forcibly lead them in the true direction.
The problem is, how should she reveal the clues in a way that convinces the Demon King that she is not lying, without questioning whether she had previously withheld information?
It was at this moment that Lu Yuanyuan thought of the Sky-Gazing Mirror.
In this world, very few people know the true use of the Sky-Gazing Mirror, let alone the fact that it has now been transformed. Even if the disciples of Mount Shu came, they wouldn't recognize it.
Ji Shuo had no connection with the snake demon who kidnapped Yin Xiaozhu's birth mother, so he naturally wouldn't know that even if the mirror wasn't broken, Xiao Ru herself had to be present for it to display memories related to Xiao Ru.
Of course, since this was a serious matter, she couldn't just spout nonsense, so she had to bring out the mirror as well and demonstrate, half-deceiving and half-exaggerating, to make Ji Shuo believe her.
It seems to have worked.
Ji Shuo hurriedly asked, "Did you see clearly where that city is?"
Lu Yuanyuan nodded: "That city is called Swampland."
Ji Shuo's expression changed.
After the Ghost Emperor was resurrected, the forces of darkness spread, recruiting countless ghost soldiers and generals.
Swamp Orchid was once a mass grave, but now it is the territory of a general under the Ghost Emperor. It is filled with eerie atmosphere and is a melting pot of all sorts of people.
It is said that some forces once sent spies to investigate the situation in the city, but none of the spies ever returned.
Now that they knew Xiao Ruo's exact location, Ji Shuo wanted to go to rescue her himself, but his men held him back. In the end, the group discussed the matter and decided that since they had no idea about the situation in the city, and were afraid that alerting the enemy would cause Xiao Ruo to lose her life even faster, they should first send a few men to infiltrate discreetly from all directions to investigate clues, and then send reinforcements to meet them outside the city.
But here's the problem.
The demons have clashed with the Ghost Emperor's subordinates many times. All powerful demons have very distinct characteristics. Someone as conspicuous as General Zuo would be practically exposing his identity if he tried to infiltrate the city. Other powerful demons like him would be eliminated.
Unfortunately, the unfamiliar faces, who were unlikely to alert the enemy, were also somewhat lacking in combat skills.
Lu Yuanyuan took the opportunity to suggest that she also wanted to participate.
Everyone was somewhat surprised. Clearly, they hadn't expected that she, an outsider, would be willing to go along. However, Ji Shuo didn't refuse; this was about rescuing the woman he loved, and having a powerful ally was something he naturally wanted.
When she offered to participate, Xi Ye seemed to look over instantly. However, when she turned her head, she only saw Xi Ye's profile.
He didn't look at her, and even turned his head slightly to the other side. During the break when everyone was discussing the candidates, he suddenly spoke up: "I will go with Immortal Lord Lingheng."
There was a moment of silence at the table. Lu Yuanyuan was also taken aback.
Seriously? I remember this high priest's last feat was to flatten an entire city with a single strike... This time, going with her as a scout, she actually feels like she's using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
Noticing everyone's astonishment, Xi Ye gently brushed her eyelashes aside and said calmly, "Immortal Lord Lingheng is generous and righteous, and we absolutely cannot allow anything to happen to him, can we?"
The high priest of the demon race is usually elusive and rarely seen. Come to think of it, very few people actually know what he looks like, so he is indeed a suitable candidate.
Ji Shuo nodded approvingly: "That's good. In that case, you and Immortal Lord Lingheng can go together. I feel more at ease with you there."
.
The journey to Swampland was quite long, so in order to save time, everyone had to set off before dawn after the meeting.
The following evening.
Lu Yuanyuan crouched under a tree, using the grass for cover, and looked at the outline of the city gate in the distant mist. She licked her dry lips and said, "The fog is so thick, I can't see what's going on under the city gate. But since Swampland is a ghost town, it would be better to go in during the day, wouldn't it?"
After saying that, she glanced at Xi Ye beside her.
This was the first time she had traveled with Xi Ye. However, they spent most of the day traveling and didn't talk much.
Xi Ye shook his head slightly: "Although it is a ghost town, it is not only filled with ghosts, but also with monsters that can travel during the day."
Lu Yuanyuan wasn't familiar with the area and couldn't think of a better solution, so she nodded. The two moved to a closer spot, and when the fog cleared, the scenery at the city gate became much clearer, and they could see tiny figures, no bigger than grains of rice.
Sure enough, checkpoints were set up at the city gate, with ghostly guards riding large demonic beasts patrolling. Very few people entered or left the city, and those that did were all strange-looking monsters and ghosts... You could see stumbling humans following behind, their wrists tightly bound with ropes, like sheep trembling in the midst of wolves, shivering under the malicious gazes of those around them.
Looking up further, Lu Yuanyuan noticed several long, rectangular objects hanging above the city gate, resembling dried sausages. She narrowed her eyes slightly, her expression changing—these objects were all dead bodies, and their clothing and appearance suggested they were cultivators.
Lu Yuanyuan took a deep breath and said, "It seems that the master of this city hates cultivators very much. Not only do they kill cultivators they capture, but they also hang them on the city wall to humiliate them. Ordinary people can be let in... but what identities do they use to get in? Are they slaves, commodities, or food captured by monsters?"
"I've heard that a human market has sprung up in Swampland City, and the goods are human beings." Xi Ye paused for a moment, then said, "We can give it a try."
Lu Yuanyuan was stunned for a moment, and then she saw Xi Ye take a cloth strip from his bosom and blindfold her.
My eyelids itch, and my vision is blocked.
"They can't find out you're a cultivator. Your eyes are too bright; they'll notice."
Lu Yuanyuan was about to tear off the strip of cloth when his words dissuaded her from doing so.
Everything was pitch black before her eyes. She felt her wrists being tightly gripped by him, and then they were wrapped with strips of cloth.
It didn't hurt her, but it also didn't leave her any room to break free.
It circled around many times, tied tightly, before finally stopping.
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