Chapter 99 Patience and Deterrence (13)
Only then did she understand why Wei Shengqianheng always wore black gloves.
The hands, which are most prone to bumps and scrapes in daily life, will show a different kind of blood color even with the slightest scratch.
Then everyone will know that he is different.
"The church doesn't know about this, right?"
Shu Ningmiao held his hand, her eyes becoming increasingly clear, completely forgetting her disgust at the moment.
She knew in her heart that even though the church had a great influence, it would not be so bold as to let a patient named Manla be the symbolic Son of God.
Charity is one thing, but behind closed doors it's another. Just like a conglomerate that sponsors the poor wouldn't let a beggar become the legal representative of its company.
She released his hand, and his hand fell limply to the ground, a few muffled groans of pain escaping his throat.
"I'm going to die soon." Wei Shengqianheng's voice was close to her ear, and even though he tried his best to control himself, his breathing was still rapid: "But I don't want to die now."
It seems unsurprising that a dying person would do anything.
Shu Ningmiao thought of Yelü Qi, but just looked at him without saying a word.
Wei Shengqianheng pressed his forehead against hers, his hands groping and tentatively exploring, before gently embracing her slender neck.
All her pretense was lost in the fight; her body leaned forward slightly, and the ends of her hair brushed against his chin, causing a slight stinging and itching sensation.
The space was so small that their breaths mingled together. His arms stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment, but his embrace tightened even more.
In the darkness, Wei Shengqianheng closed his eyes, but he could still feel Shu Ningmiao's scrutinizing gaze. Shu Ningmiao did not push him away—perhaps there was simply no space to push him away.
Her other hand was already on the back of his neck, her thumb stroking it inch by inch.
The cool fingertips slid across his warm skin, stimulating a slightly itchy and chilly sensation.
“I don’t care what you want to do, nor do I care what you do.” Wei Shengqianheng smiled slightly, his tone natural, and said to her frankly, “I don’t care much about Pines, the Church, Prometheus… or even humanity.”
How can someone who is destined to die have the energy to care about so much?
He loosened his grip, grasped her hand resting on his shoulder, and gently traced the shape of an eye in her palm with his fingertips: "But I can help you..."
This eye is the symbol of the Church of Praise.
Shu Ningmiao paused slightly.
The one who could "help" her was not Wei Shengqianheng, but the Yangsong Church he represented.
Even if Wei Shengqianheng suffers from Manla disease, as a superhuman, the course of the disease is very long, and he can live for several years without human intervention.
His praise of the church's influence was indeed an unparalleled temptation for her.
Wei Shengqianheng hooked his arm around her neck with one hand, lowered his head slightly, and his beautifully shaped but pale lips brushed against a strand of her hair.
This is an action whose hidden meaning can only be perceived by those who are actually in it.
Shu Ningmiao moved slightly, grabbing his wrist, her suspicion deepening: "Are you flirting with me?"
"..."
“If you had any suspicions, perhaps you shouldn’t have said it so directly.” Wei Shengqianheng narrowed his eyes, a faint smile playing on his pale face. “What the young master of the Shi family can give you, I can give you even more.”
Upon hearing his words, a subtle expression appeared on Shu Ningmiao's face.
"You can use me, and I don't mind what you do with me, isn't that good?"
Their black hair intertwined, wrapping around his neck, soft and damp. Wei Shengqianheng stroked her hair, letting it slip through his fingers. He looked down at her, a smile in his eyes: "As long as you are a little more tolerant of someone who won't live long, that's enough."
Shu Ningmiao remained silent, fumbled inside her coat for a moment, and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper.
There were only a few words written on the paper, and Pandora seemed to flow within them.
"Put your handprint," Shu Ningmiao said. "I'll take you away."
Actually, using [Lust] on him to put him in a [Submission] state would have solved the potential threat, but Wei Sheng Qian Heng's thought process was really strange, and Shu Ning Miao didn't really trust the effects of superpowers.
After being taken to the National Research Center by Yu Lu and the others last time, she had a new idea.
The confidentiality agreement that Yu Lu made her sign was a finished contract made by a "Oath" type ability user. After signing the agreement, she could not reveal any secrets about Yelu's artifact to unrelated personnel.
Such superhumans are not only circulating within the official ranks.
Shu Ningmiao was not short of money and easily obtained several superpower contracts through legitimate means. They were originally just for backup, but she didn't expect them to come in handy so quickly.
Contracts serve only a few purposes: confidentiality, agreement, and deception. The contract she carried with her contained only her own confidentiality clauses.
Wei Shengqianheng was very compliant, perhaps out of necessity, giving her the illusion that she would tolerate being beaten up here.
The conditions he offered were indeed very tempting, but when Shu Ningmiao carried him on her back, it was more because she remembered Yelü Qi closing his eyes in the ward that night. Because of the Manla disease in Wei Shengqianheng, she did show some leniency.
This was the second sick superhuman she had ever met, and perhaps there might be a third or a fourth. Shu Ning wondered if the world was indeed, as Achini had said, constantly sliding into a worse place, and she couldn't stay out of it.
She asked him, "You still haven't answered when I got sick."
He was in good control; apart from the exposed black veins, he didn't have any particular symptoms. Shu Ningmiao guessed that he was still in the early stages.
Wei Shengqianheng said in a low voice, "A long, long time ago, I can't remember how long ago."
Shu Ningmiao frowned: "You can forget this too?"
Wei Shengqianheng hummed in response, then gently leaned against her shoulder, his breath so weak that she could barely feel his presence.
After climbing out of the basement, she put him down from her back and found that he had closed his eyes, unsure whether he was asleep or unconscious.
Shu Ningmiao took off her coat, tore off the inner lining and shredded it into small strips, barely managing to wrap his bloodied hands. Fortunately, the dark inner lining concealed the blood, so he could only hope for the best.
Erice ran over, her face pale, probably thinking she had carried a corpse up: "Wei Sheng... how could this happen..."
"Ignore him." Shu Ningmiao stood up and threw another contract into her arms: "When the people from Pine arrive, you know what to say."
Eric gripped the crumpled piece of paper in his hand, his face contorting in a grimace: "Aren't you going to stay here with us and wait for rescue? It's new territory outside, very dangerous. How are you going to get back?"
"I have a way." Shu Ningmiao held up her index finger and made a "shh" gesture.
“You… I understand.” Eric pursed his lips: “I won’t mention your… When the time comes, I’ll just say that Wei Sheng Qianheng killed Su Ni, and then suddenly the sky will fall and the earth will collapse. I won’t know anything else.”
She nodded gently, turned around and walked away from the hole towards the church exit. After a few steps, she heard footsteps behind her, and Eric reached out and hugged her tightly from behind.
“Actually,” Eric buried his head in her back, speaking hurriedly, “I…I have something else I want to tell you.”
"What is it?" Shu Ningmiao hesitated, barely managing not to throw her over her shoulder from behind. "Does it have to be said like this?"
"I'm afraid you'll get angry if I tell you," Eric said timidly.
"I'm angry now." Shu Ningmiao brushed her hand away, turned around, and looked at her calmly: "Speak."
"You need to be careful of Shi Yu," Eric said suddenly, looking down.
She lowered her head further, not daring to look Shu Ningmiao in the eye, and her toes paced anxiously in circles.
She felt that Shu Ningmiao must have some genuine feelings for Shi Yu, otherwise they wouldn't always be together. But she had no concrete evidence, and even saying this sounded like a malicious slander.
Shu Ningmiao paused for a second or two, and then Erice nervously spilled the beans: "After Achini disappeared, my mind suddenly became much clearer. I don't know how to describe it, but I felt like I was in a daze before, with a headache and hazy memories, like I was sleepwalking. Now it's like I've been suddenly doused with a bucket of ice water. Although my heart is pounding, my feet are firmly on the ground."
“I know this sounds like an excuse, but I really didn’t lie to you.” Eric covered his face. “I’ve thought about it carefully… Ever since I heard Shi Yu’s piano playing, my memories have been blurry. I can’t be sure if it’s related to him, but… Anyway, you have to be careful.”
The beautiful piano music she remembered now only sent chills down her spine.
Every piece of piano music that once allowed her to escape reality for a moment was accompanied by unstable emotions and memories so blurred they were hard to see.
Those coincidences, those unspoken eavesdroppings—what was he thinking as he sat at the piano?
Erice didn't know if Shu Ningmiao would believe her, but Shi Yu was Shu Ningmiao's fiancé, and might even become her husband in the future, so she had to remind her.
Shu Ningmiao knew that Shi Yu used supernatural abilities during his performance.
That day in the music classroom, the passive state of [Arrogance] helped her become immune to Shi Yu's additional superpower once. She was not sure if Shi Yu did it intentionally, but he just gave her a few subtle warnings.
In other words, during this period, Erici was simultaneously subjected to Achini's mental pollution, the temptation of the Crimson Palace Stone, and the influence of Shi Yu's superpowers, yet he only lost his temper slightly. It is unknown whether this was due to limitations in strength or simply because he was too good-natured.
That doesn't mean she lacks willpower. The fact that the protagonist can still communicate normally is simply a gift.
So, can Shi Yu, Ai Ruiji, and Prometheus be connected to each other?
Shi Yu has always looked down on Prometheus, so how could he be associated with him?
Shu Ningmiao's gaze fell on Ai Ruiji, and after a long silence, she did not comment on what she had said.
She asked, "What do you plan to do next?"
"Ah, ah?" Erici stammered, like a student suddenly called on by the teacher in class. "I don't know... Regardless of whether I can make up for it, I have to atone for my previous mistakes. But I don't know what to do yet. I want to ask Sister Liang what I can do first, and then I'll apologize to Linlu."
"Also, I want to apologize to you." She looked up, her clear eyes now filled with relief: "I have always been so ignorant of this world, and I still am now."
Shu Ningmiao stared at her for a long time: "Do you want to take over Prometheus?"
Eric was stunned. After a few seconds, he fell to the ground with a thud, exclaiming, "How is this possible?"
“Achini is dead. Many of the members he took with him have probably become his nourishment.” Shu Ningmiao stood in front of her and calmly analyzed, “After this search and purge by Pigne, there won’t be many troublemakers left.”
“Liang Siyan won’t live much longer,” she said realistically. “The remaining people need a new leader.”
Eric couldn't help but say, "That's not my turn!"
She has never been more aware of her own frail soul than she is now. She is of mediocre talent and timid in nature. Perhaps it is because she has always understood these things that she is so eager to prove that her existence has value.
Eric tried nervously to dispel Shu Ningmiao's whimsical idea: "Even if everyone is unreliable, there's still Rennagi. Sister Liang will definitely make Rennagi take responsibility."
She's right, Lian Nagi is indeed a suitable candidate, but since Ai Ruiji wants to change something, Shu Ningmiao is willing to give her that opportunity.
She could give her life for the utopia Achini spoke of, and naturally she could also channel that impulse into more realistic goals.
Whether it's Erici or Rennagi, the important thing is that she can't let Liang Siyan disband Prometheus.
Prometheus cannot simply disappear; the world must have another voice.
“I can’t do it.” Eric was still making excuses: “I can’t do anything right, and I’m not good at anything. I’m completely different from Sister Liang.”
"If you don't know how, then learn." Shu Ningmiao ignored her: "She's not dead yet, she can teach you. Prometheus is in the most suitable state right now. It's a piece of white paper that's almost burned out. Whoever gets it can write down the direction they want on it. You told me that you want to change the status quo, and now you can change it."
Erice hesitated for a few seconds, her lips trembling, before she became more talkative: "What if I don't do well? What if I make another mistake? What if my decision makes things worse for everyone?"
"The world won't get any worse, and neither will you." Shu Ning's tone was surprisingly calm: "Do you think other people don't make mistakes, or do you just not care as long as it's not you who makes the mistake?"
She just stood there quietly watching her. Erice's heart, which had been beating abnormally with tension, suddenly slowed down. She lowered her eyes and said, "Even so, Sister Liang wouldn't hand over Prometheus to me so casually."
“Tell her it was me who said it.” Shu Ningmiao patted the wrinkles in her clothes and stepped forward: “This is my reward for ‘saving the world’.”
“By the way.” She stopped at the entrance of the half-destroyed church and turned her head slightly: “Do you know what your Prometheus’ ‘symbol of life’ means?”
Eric was caught off guard by the question and looked bewildered.
"Life can overcome death."
Shu Ningmiao didn't care about her answer and spoke softly, as if talking to herself.
She opened her hand, and in her palm lay a silver cross with a round handle at the top.
This cross was the only thing left in Achini's body after she personally pierced him, leaving behind only a mist of blood.
She couldn't open the terminal and didn't know how much time had passed outside. She walked out of the mostly collapsed church and was forced to close her eyes because of the dazzling light.
The sunlight pushed away the morning mist, and countless rays of brilliant light outlined everything in a golden silhouette.
The rising sun cast its most beautiful light upon her shoulders.
The damp scent of grass and trees swept by on the wind, dispelling all the blood-stained gloom.
Shu Ningmiao looked up at the red glow piercing through the clouds behind the thin mist.
She raised her hand, and golden sunlight streamed through her fingers, revealing a small patch of blue sky and rising sun between them.
After standing there for a while, she realized she should leave. Looking down, she saw a large reddish-brown cat suddenly appear at her feet and quietly squat down beside her, looking up at the sky with her, enjoying the rare good weather.
Noticing Shu Ningmiao move, the large cat nimbly jumped up. It was slender and looked like a cat but not quite. It nestled against her legs, rubbing its back against hers, and its tail swayed and hooked around her. It was fluffy and very soft.
Such a large cat is rare. Shu Ningmiao squatted down and found it strange. The cat placed its head demurely on her hand and made a purring sound.
To be honest, Shu Ningmiao wasn't usually well-liked by animals, and this was the first time she had encountered such a friendly stray cat. Shu Ningmiao pinched its ear and realized that it was a serval.
In the wild, this animal is as dangerous as a cheetah. Shu Ningmiao withdrew her hand, suspecting that it had come looking for food after smelling blood.
She ignored the serval and walked away, noticing it lick its paws and follow her closely.
Stepping out of the shielding barrier, Shu Ningmiao turned to look, and the barrier was beginning to become transparent.
She covered her face with her tattered coat, leaving only her eyes showing, and found the motorcycle parked by the roadside. The serval jumped onto the motorcycle without any hesitation.
She didn't bother with the animal; she simply started the motorcycle. The unfortunate guy she had knocked unconscious should have woken up by now, so as soon as she drove out of the edge of the church district, she randomly found a church and dumped the motorcycle in a secluded corner.
After staking out the church for a few minutes, she spotted a nun coming out to water the flowers at the back door. She knocked the nun unconscious and changed into a headscarf that completely covered her face.
Shu Ningmiao changed her appearance and slowly walked out of the flower bushes, with the serval following lightly behind her.
She walked confidently down the road, carrying a scripture she herself couldn't understand, without a hint of guilt.
The nun's white veil covered her face, and only her bright red, blood-stained lips could be vaguely seen through the swaying fabric.
A gust of wind blew past her ear, fluttering her headscarf. Shu Ningmiao glanced to the side and saw a dilapidated tricycle swaying from side to side, creaking and groaning as it gradually came to a stop beside her.
The young man on the bicycle looked to be in his early twenties, with brown hair and brown eyes, and a spirited demeanor. His bicycle was tattered from start to finish, but his dark blue uniform was brand new.
Shu Ningmiao paused for a moment.
He just lost one, and this guy already got a used tricycle?
The young man spoke up, warm and lively: "Sister, are you walking alone? It's so far, let me drive you there. Is this cat yours? It's so cute."
He bent down, wanting to tease the serval at Shu Ningmiao's feet, but was scared away by the serval's threatening baring of its teeth.
Allen smiled, withdrew his hand, and casually struck up a conversation with her: "You rarely leave the church district, right? It's quite far from here to the nearest checkpoint. It would be tiring to walk there alone."
Shu Ningmiao's lips twitched: "Who are you?"
“I’m a member of the Self-Defense Forces.” Alan didn’t suspect anything and explained, “I lost a car here yesterday, so I’ve been staying here to see if I can find it.”
In fact, he also lost a uniform and an ID card, and was severely scolded by the captain, but it was too embarrassing for him to talk about.
Thinking of this, he muttered to himself, "...that stupid superhuman."
She tilted her head slightly, her headscarf drooping gently.
Allen immediately waved his hand: "It's okay, it's okay! Come on up, I've been looking for it all day, and I was just about to leave anyway, it's on my way, no trouble at all."
Shu Ningmiao's gaze pierced through the headscarf, a slight smile playing on her lips. After a moment, she nodded beneath his smiling eyes and brows: "Thank you."
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Author's Note: Wonderful: There are still more good people in New Zealand.
Spring and Summer Rolls are finished, now it's Autumn and Winter Rolls' turn. We're about 50% complete. The later parts will focus more on romance. The male guests are mostly in place, so we can start the drama. The next segment will be the male lead's show, where many things left unresolved will be explained later, such as the issues with Achini and the previous episode. Achini isn't a boss character; his life is told in reverse chronological order. I can give you a spoiler: he really is (in a sense) Miao's eldest son, but born to his father. [Thumbs up]
Regarding the update issue, I haven't had much energy to log into Jinjiang for the past two months due to a lot of things happening, plus my writing speed is incredibly slow. Updates will gradually recover and increase. It will definitely be finished before the end of the year. I'm so sorry everyone! I'll be giving out red envelopes and holding a giveaway. I'm so sorry, sob sob sob.
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