Chapter 179 (First Release)...
She couldn't quite put her finger on what was absurd about it; some force made her feel that everything seemed perfectly reasonable, yet she always had a sense of unease deep down.
Her muttering was overheard by someone nearby.
"It's all just child's play. A play that's been hastily rehearsed is bound to be child's play. Besides, even if it's child's play, the people in the play have no right to overturn it."
Ning Wanwan turned around and saw Jeremy with a smile on his face, but his eyes were looking at the stage, as if he wasn't talking to her.
Ning Wanwan pursed her lips and looked back at the stage.
After the competition ended, the crowd gradually dispersed. Ning Wanwan was about to go back when Jeremy suddenly patted her on the shoulder.
Ning Wanwan tilted her head slightly, looking at the person she had thought wouldn't speak to her directly.
“What kind of look is that?” Jeremy raised an eyebrow. “…Never mind. I just wanted to remind you to prepare well for the fight the day after tomorrow.”
"ah?"
Ning Wanwan's eyes widened in surprise.
"What do you mean 'oh'? If you signed up, you have to go on stage." Jeremy crossed his arms and glared at her.
“But I didn’t sign up…” Ning Wanwan was shocked.
Noticing Jeremy's mischievous smile, she suddenly realized, "Did you do it?"
It was Jeremy who was in charge of this matter, so it's not surprising that he did anything.
"I didn't admit it, but your name has been submitted. Prepare well so you don't lose too badly. I'm just giving you a friendly reminder."
Jeremy finished speaking with a chuckle, then turned and ran away.
Ning Wanwan: "..."
She couldn't help but ruffle her hair.
Did she go on stage to get someone to beat her up?
He's just asking for a beating in front of everyone.
After returning home, Ansel also heard about this from Ning Wanwan.
“Jeremy did it,” Ansel squinted, seemingly somewhat surprised, but then he thought the arrangement was quite good.
"It's okay, Wanwan. It's just a stage experience. It won't have any impact. Besides, the day after tomorrow, I might be your opponent."
"Me, Ansel's opponent?" Ning Wanwan was astonished, thinking of Ansel's invincible state on stage today.
Without that box, there might have been a sliver of a chance to beat Ansel. But with the box, that chance is practically zero.
So, as expected, I only had to go on stage once.
If there were no box... Ning Wanwan glanced at Ansel, but said nothing.
...
"Your Majesty, do you think she will destroy or take the box?"
"Maybe, it's normal for human nature to have weaknesses. But none of that matters, I find her adorable no matter what she does."
"...Oh." (Speechless with love.)
"Speaking of which, when did you and Wanwan become so close that you could secretly sign her up for competitions behind her back?"
"..."
A moment of silence followed.
"What, does this problem really require you to think about it for so long?"
"...No, no, I just wanted to watch the fun, I did it on the spur of the moment. Your Majesty, your sudden question startled me."
"After all, as you know, I have the utmost contempt for humans."
"Yeah."
"...Yes, yes, besides, I wouldn't dare to have my eye on the same person as you."
"I see. Should I say that I'm relieved?"
"Your Majesty, of course you can rest assured, you can be completely at ease. Even if all of humanity in the world, no, all species in the world, were to die out, I still wouldn't be interested in her!"
"Oh—then I'm relieved."
"……Ha ha."
...
Ning Wanwan didn't know why, but recently Ansel didn't seem to be locking up the box containing the most powerful weapon as tightly as before.
Instead, it was casually placed in the living room.
Is it because we'll be using it a lot in the upcoming competitions, so we just put it here? Ning Wanwan wondered.
Honestly, it's really tempting for her.
Who wouldn't want to open a mysterious and powerful box? It's as alluring as Pandora's Box.
However, Ning Wanwan was very cautious. She remembered that Ansel had said before that it was dangerous to touch it without permission, so she had never touched it.
At most, I'll take a few more glances from a distance.
In the competition the day after tomorrow, she's destined to be a laughingstock. But what if...
Ning Wanwan thought for a moment, then took a few steps closer, stared at the Pandora's Box for a while, and slowly reached out her hand.
Just as she was about to touch the box, she paused and withdrew her hand.
...
Ning Wanwan decided to go to that weapon shop a second time.
"Although I'm bound to lose the fight, I need to have a weapon to use first, no matter what."
With this in mind, Ning Wanwan gathered all her money. Although Ansel had always taken care of her, she had also tried to find work within her capabilities to earn some money. However, ever since she was found to have no talent, the village had become increasingly hostile towards her, and even this source of income had been cut off.
Ansel never lacked food or drink for her, and even took excellent care of her. However, after that dispensable source of income was cut off, Ning Wanwan felt even worse.
It's as if she's not recognized by the world and can only breathe by relying on others.
Ning Wanwan wasn't a diligent, ambitious, or hardworking person. She preferred to lie down and relax, but she disliked the feeling of having her life and death decided by others.
Pulling her thoughts away from her memories, she looked at all the money she had found on the table, fiddling with it, then rested her chin on her arm and sighed.
There are too few, and the weapons in the store are not cheap.
Ning Wanwan thought for a long time, then suddenly remembered something and reached under her pillow to feel around.
He pulled out a crystal-clear ruby.
"Should I use this to exchange for something... but..." Ning Wanwan thought, this was a gift from that mysterious child named Xiaozhou, and she shouldn't give it away unless absolutely necessary.
However, Ning Wanwan still brought the ruby with her when she went out.
When they arrived at the shop, the weapon shop owner was at the door, forging a sword just like last time, without even changing his posture.
Ning Wanwan watched for a while, and even wondered if the angles of the sparks flying were exactly the same, as if they were copied.
"Do you want to buy something?" The shop owner greeted Ning Wanwan, who had been looking around for too long, with a tone that was neither enthusiastic nor indifferent.
Ning Wanwan hummed in agreement: "I want to buy a weapon that I can use... Do you have any recommendations, shopkeeper?"
Upon hearing this, the shop owner sized her up a few times and shook his head: "The things in my shop are all quite heavy. It's not that you can't use them, but you definitely won't be able to use them well. You might as well find an ordinary stick or knife outside."
This boss is really honest; he doesn't rip you off at all. Ning Wanwan was a little surprised and stunned for a moment.
“However…” The shop owner hesitated for a moment before leading Ning Wanwan to a familiar spot in the shop.
"This box might contain what you're looking for."
"So what exactly is inside? Didn't you say last time that you couldn't open it?" Ning Wanwan couldn't help but ask.
"I can't open it, but I can provide clues," the shop owner replied matter-of-factly.
"...What clue?"
"Red is the dagger, blue is the key. Red is destruction, blue is escape. Red is a break in battle, blue is a spot to the royal city."
Ning Wanwan's heart suddenly started pounding so hard she could hardly breathe.
"What did you say"
She asked somewhat hoarsely, almost doubting that she had misheard.
"What break with the royal city... Boss, what are you talking about? Are you joking?"
"Red is a dagger, blue is a key..." the shop owner repeated, his voice stiff and expressionless, like an NPC reciting a set line.
This is a state that no human being can fake.
A gust of wind blew by, and a chill enveloped her body. Ning Wanwan realized that cold sweat had gradually soaked through the clothes on her back.
How strange... How absurd, I feel like I've been caught up in a terrifying drama, and the whole world has become fake.
She didn't even dare to look at the shop owner anymore, afraid that she would be swallowed up by this bizarre drama.
We should run away and leave this strange shop.
She shifted her feet, but did not flee.
"If I were to buy this box... how much would it cost?"
Ning Wanwan heard herself ask this question.
The shop owner's machine-like repetition of lines finally stopped. He quoted a price higher than any other item in the shop.
“I can’t afford it…” Ning Wanwan paused, gritted her teeth, and took out the ruby in her hand.
"Can I use this as collateral first?"
"If I have the opportunity later... I will come back to redeem it."
...
When she returned, Ning Wanwan was missing a precious ruby from her pocket.
He now had a red and blue box in his hand.
Back home, Ning Wanwan walked past the box of "the strongest weapon" in the living room without looking to either side, went into her room, locked the door, and did it all in one smooth motion.
She examined the red and blue box in her hand.
Are there really any spots available for entering the royal city?
Actually, what the shop owner said was quite absurd. After all, it's common knowledge that only by winning the duel can one leave with the adults of the royal city.
No commoner can directly enter the royal city.
But Ning Wanwan inexplicably believed it.
"It's right in front of me... Maybe I should give it a try..."
Now, it's time to choose which half to choose.
Before leaving, the shop owner instructed that the red and blue boxes were each half, and each person could only open one side. Ning Wanwan jokingly asked if she could open one half and have the shop owner open the other. The shop owner refused without hesitation.
“If you do that, it’s just an ordinary box.”
"Alright, which color should we choose? Blue is definitely the way to go, since there's a chance to enter the royal city from here."
Ning Wanwan touched the blue side of the box, which had a key pattern painted on it.
"Maybe there's a key inside that can open the gates of the royal city," she thought jokingly.
If this is true, then she can smoothly enter the royal city and no longer have to worry about survival or being abandoned...
Really?
Ning Wanwan paused for a moment.
Is there really a fundamental difference between this world, between the distant royal city and the village right in front of us?
If I choose red, does it mean the matter is settled?
She thought about it for a long time.
Finally, her fingertips gently landed on the red side.
...
Ansel stood on the stage, surrounded by cheers and envious voices. Of course, there was also a lot of jealousy, but for now, they dared not confront him.
He's about to win.
"Who else hasn't come up yet?" The village chief's face was all smiles, almost like a chrysanthemum, as he looked at Ansel. But when he glanced at the list, his expression immediately turned sour.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
