Chapter 267: Bibi Dong: "Can I See Your Face Under the Mask?"
Night fell.
Inside the small cabin, a joyful atmosphere filled the room. Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Wutong were excited to hear that Dai Yao had completed his trial. Watching the two beautiful faces smiling, Dai Yao felt a deep satisfaction. Compared to these moments of happiness, completing his task seemed trivial.
In this past year, both girls had matured considerably. Dai Yao and Zhu Zhuqing were both sixteen, an age marked by youthful vigor. Spirit masters developed faster than ordinary people, and both of them now looked older, with a hint of maturity. Feng Wutong, already two years Dai Yao's senior, had blossomed even more. Dai Yao was well aware that countless young men in the Spirit Hall admired Feng Wutong from afar.
Focused as he was on his training, Dai Yao hadn't initially noticed the changes in Zhu Zhuqing and Feng Wutong. In his life, apart from the two of them, he spent time with his four maids. It was Rhododendron's occasional reminders about how other young talents kept trying to court Feng Wutong that made him aware. Although Feng Wutong had turned down all suitors, it didn't stop new admirers from flocking to her, which irritated her. Even her masters, Spirit Douluo Lingyuan and Qingluan, were eager to see her return to them rather than remain Dai Yao's personal maid.
Zhu Zhuqing, however, was spared this attention. Training under Ghost Douluo, she was well protected; anyone who dared trouble her was thrown into Death Canyon as punishment. After one suitor emerged from there battered, nobody dared bother Zhu Zhuqing again.
The year had been fulfilling, but one matter continued to weigh on Dai Yao, growing more troublesome over time—Bibi Dong.
In the divine trial, Dai Yao had played the role of the emotionless "Divine Envoy," a cold, mechanical figure who collected crystals from Bibi Dong each night. Despite using some, he still had three to four thousand of these crystals. Surprisingly, Bibi Dong didn't resent Dai Yao's demands; instead, she chose to spend more and more time in the zombie world, as though she sought to be around him.
She even stayed despite being injured, refusing to return to the real world to recover quickly. She'd rather bear the pain and spend time in the desolate world with him, which left Dai Yao feeling an increasing sense of dread.
Bibi Dong was no ordinary person; if she ever discovered his true identity, the repercussions would be fatal—not just for him but also for Zhu Zhuqing, Feng Wutong, and possibly even Ferdinand and Salas. Originally, the daily crystal collections were simply part of his plan for revenge. Now, though, he felt trapped in a cycle he couldn't escape.
"Oh well, just take it day by day," Dai Yao thought with a sigh, feeling reluctant but forced to continue his ruse to avoid raising Bibi Dong's suspicions. He closed his eyes and entered the zombie world.
As she watched the oncoming horde of zombies, Bibi Dong felt a bitter taste rise within her.
After a year of painstaking effort, she'd cleared most of the zombies in sparsely populated areas around Spirit City. Now, to complete the Divine Envoy's task, she had to venture into densely populated areas where nearly 100,000 people were crowded into only a fraction of the city's space. Today was her first day there, and despite her best efforts to avoid detection, the zombies had noticed her, creating a terrifying sea of undead.
"What a hassle," she muttered, casting a steely glance at the horde behind her. She was trapped but showed no fear, her sharp gaze searching for any possible escape route. Her tactical skills, honed over years as a spirit master, helped her stay ahead, but the injuries she'd sustained only made her situation worse.
Panting heavily, Bibi Dong forced herself to keep running toward the secret chamber under the Spirit City's main hall, her designated safe zone. Despite her dire situation, she refused to rely on the Divine Envoy.
As her injuries worsened, the zombies closed in, and she could smell the putrid stench from their gaping maws. Forced to make dangerous gambles, she fought her way out repeatedly, trading injuries for mere seconds of survival.
Atop a nearby rooftop, Dai Yao, cloaked in black, watched Bibi Dong's struggle below. He realized that if the situation continued, her life might be in serious danger. Was it empathy for her plight, or the bond formed over their shared year in this desolate world, that stirred him to act? Gritting his teeth, he leaped down, using narrow ledges along the rooftops to reach her.
Thanks to the sliver of spirit power he could use, he felt confident he could help her escape unscathed.
The sound of crumbling tiles made Bibi Dong and the zombies glance upward. The horde let out deafening roars as Bibi Dong spotted the familiar black-clad figure, a flash of relief flickering in her eyes. Changing course, she darted toward the building he was perched on.
Inexplicably, she trusted this cold, machine-like being to save her.
Dashing upstairs, she found herself next to him. Reaching out in desperation, she grabbed his hand. Without hesitation, the Divine Envoy gripped her firmly, spinning her around mid-air before placing her on the rooftop with ease.
She glanced down at the horde below, still clawing their way up, and a wave of relief washed over her.
"Come," the Divine Envoy said simply.
His single-word command only confirmed his emotionless nature, and she couldn't help but shake her head slightly. He was truly devoid of any human warmth. In danger, he didn't rush; in safety, he offered no words of comfort. But perhaps it was this detachment that drew her to him.
Her past had left her deeply scarred. The teacher she'd once revered had betrayed her in the most devastating way, while the man she'd loved had left her for another. Her heart had since grown cold, her mind consumed by ambition and revenge. Driven by bitterness, she plotted and waited, finally seizing her opportunity to destroy her former teacher and claim the mantle of the Spirit Hall's supreme leader.
She knew that the men who showed her affection did so mostly because of her power and beauty. To her, this zombie world was little different from reality.
In this bleak world, the only being that had truly treated her differently was the Divine Envoy. Cold as a machine, he carried out his tasks without emotion. But in his detached presence, she found an odd comfort, a reprieve from the madness of her own world.
It wasn't love—she knew that much. It was a strange solace, an anchor in a storm that let her rest, if only briefly.
This was why she preferred to stay in the zombie world.
Running across the rooftops, Bibi Dong grimaced from the pain of her wounds and said calmly to the cloaked figure ahead, "Carry me. I'm too slow like this, and if we continue, they'll catch us both."
Dai Yao's body tensed, but without hesitation, he wrapped his arm around Bibi Dong's slender waist, activating his spirit power as they leaped towards the Spirit Hall. The softness he felt and the faint scent that drifted towards him might have made any ordinary man falter. But Dai Yao was keenly aware of his situation—he could not let his identity slip, so he suppressed any reaction towards the stunning woman in his grasp.
With his soul power activated, the gap between them and the zombie horde steadily grew until the undead's roars faded into the distance. Upon returning to the Spirit Hall's hidden chamber, they were finally safe.
Inside the chamber, Bibi Dong quietly treated her wounds, disinfecting and bandaging them with a strip of cloth torn from her own clothing. Dai Yao, still in his guise as the cloaked Divine Envoy, watched her with an impassive gaze.
"Today's payment of fifteen crystals seems out of reach. It will roll over to tomorrow, making a total of thirty crystals. Additionally, I suggest that you return to reality—your injuries would be far easier to heal there, given your abilities." His raspy voice emerged from beneath the cloak, each word delivered in a cold, mechanical tone.
"I'll leave now." He turned to exit, but Bibi Dong's voice stopped him.
"Wait. Help me with my wounds first; there are some places I can't reach myself. Once I've rested, I'll return to hunt for your crystals."
He halted and turned back to see Bibi Dong, her face calm despite the wounds, waiting for him. Stiffly, he replied, "Based on my analysis, your injuries make it unwise for you to continue hunting. I suggest returning to the real world as soon as possible."
"What if I insist?" Her determined expression left him no choice.
"Your will is my command, Successor," he relented, taking the bandage from her and carefully tending to her injuries. Bibi Dong's gaze softened as she observed him wrapping her wounds with careful precision.
Perhaps it was the exhaustion from the zombie attack, or perhaps the weight of this world's solitude, but she suddenly leaned against him, treating him as if he were merely a resting place rather than a person. After a year of interactions, she saw him as little more than a machine.
Her unexpected action sent a jolt of panic through Dai Yao. But his experience in maintaining his disguise kicked in, and he responded without faltering, "Successor, what are you doing?"
Bibi Dong seemed not to hear him. Her eyes held a distant look, and she murmured, "Hold me."
His raised hand froze in midair.
The woman before him was no ordinary person—she was the current Pope, an illustrious figure who had captivated readers of his previous world's lore. Some admired her, empathizing with her suffering, while others saw her fate as self-inflicted. Thoughts raced through his mind as he searched for the right response, his hand still hovering. Meanwhile, she continued, seemingly unaware of his hesitation, her voice softened by an uncharacteristic vulnerability.
"Let me tell you a story, Divine Envoy," she began. "Once, there was a carefree girl adored by everyone around her. One day, she fell in love with an ordinary man, so much so that she was willing to abandon everything just to be with him."
"But this love was met with opposition from all her elders and even her teacher. Yet, the girl remained resolute, clinging to her love." Bibi Dong's voice grew darker, a shadow crossing her face. "To stop her, her teacher did something so cruel that it shattered her, making it impossible for her to ever be with him."
"The girl was no longer the naive child she had been. She became cold, calculating, and ruthless. She bided her time, and finally, she seized her chance and killed her teacher."
Her voice fell to a whisper as she asked, "Tell me, who was right and who was wrong in this story?"
As he listened, Dai Yao immediately understood that she was speaking of herself. She was cloaking her past in an impersonal narrative, keeping her heart guarded even as she spoke. Aware that any misstep could reveal too much, he replied flatly, "I don't know. I lack the understanding of human emotions to determine such matters."
Bibi Dong showed no surprise at his response. Deep down, she knew he wouldn't understand; after all, he was only a machine. If he'd given her a detailed answer, it might have only raised her suspicions. To Bibi Dong, only a soulless being could allow her the freedom to share such a story.
Her gaze drifted to his masked face, and in a low voice, she asked, "Divine Envoy, can I see your face beneath the mask?"
The impassive voice from under the mask replied, "When you ascend to godhood, Successor, you will naturally see it."
Bibi Dong smiled faintly, shaking her head. "That makes sense."
With a deep sigh, she felt a weight lift slightly. Expressing the long-suppressed thoughts in her heart had softened her hardened spirit just a bit, and, gradually, she drifted off to sleep in his arms.
As Dai Yao looked down at her now peaceful face, his own heart clenched. He had always known of her suffering, but seeing her in such a vulnerable state made her pain more tangible. Yet he reminded himself sternly: if she ever discovered his true identity, there would be no place for him to escape.
"Should I wake her? Would that make her suspicious? Or should I hold this position until she wakes on her own?" He wrestled with the question, painfully aware that even the slightest movement might alert her. And so, he kept perfectly still throughout the night, a single, excruciatingly long night.
As dawn broke, Bibi Dong's eyes snapped open, her instincts jolting her awake. Years of outmaneuvering enemies had honed her reflexes, and her mind instantly registered her lapse in judgment, recognizing the vulnerability she'd shown. If someone like Qian Daoliu had exploited her defenses, she might not have survived.
Her sharp gaze shifted to the cloaked figure who remained utterly still, like a statue. Realization dawned on her face, softening her expression, and in a quiet voice, she asked, "Did you stay like this all night, Divine Envoy?"
"You're awake. Do you need to return to the real world?" he replied in his usual monotone, though his limbs were nearly numb. He endured the discomfort, not wanting to reveal even a hint of his own vulnerability.
A light laugh escaped her. She considered the chaos that would ensue in the Spirit Hall if she didn't return soon and finally said, "Yes, take me back."
The warmth of his embrace faded, swallowed by the cold of the hidden chamber. She realized she had started to depend on the comfort of his presence.
With a single thought, Dai Yao activated the chaos lotus in his mental space, and Bibi Dong's figure vanished from the chamber. Only when he had returned to his cabin in the real world did he let out a sigh of relief, stretching his cramped arms and legs. That night had been the longest he'd ever experienced.
Reflecting on Bibi Dong's words, he found his feelings toward her more complex than ever. But he knew the gravity of his situation—seeing her vulnerable side was risky, and any further entanglement could seal his fate.
"No, I need to shut this down immediately. If I can't manage that, I'll just disappear. She doesn't know the real identity of the Divine Envoy, so at least I'd be spared from this constant pressure."
Suddenly, a knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. The voice of Partridge, the shyest of the maids, drifted in: "Master, the soul beast for your fifth ring has been brought here by the elders."
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10