World Serpent Base.
"Scoundrel! Scoundrel! Scoundrel!"
Danzhu climbed out of bed, cursing Luo Hong under her breath, even though faint pink hearts still shimmered deep within her eyes. The reason? The number remaining on her flat abdomen was exactly—1!
According to Luo Hong, as a "celebration" for her holding out until the end, he left the mark as a souvenir, though he had turned off the sensory amplification.
"That's enough," Cangxuan said, waking up beside her. She looked at Danzhu with a gentle, slightly amused smile. "You're still better off than Bronya and me. At least your number didn't hit zero."
She glanced at her own abdomen. The ornate, complex pattern looked even more mystical now, but it no longer contained a number.
"I'd rather it just hit zero..." Danzhu pouted, calming down slightly. She turned to her sister. "But Sister, do you feel... anything strange?"
"No," Cangxuan said bluntly. "Just as I told you before, with that guy's wicked personality, nothing magical was going to happen just because the number hit zero. But the truth is, through the process of that 'punishment,' we've already fallen."
Recalling the sensations from earlier, she realized that once she acknowledged her own feelings, things felt... different. Better.
"..." Danzhu fell silent. After a long pause, she muttered, "That's just our bodies chasing desire. Physical instinct, nothing more."
She was still acting tough, even now.
"Fair point," Cangxuan agreed with a dead-serious nod. "We've tasted the marrow and known the flavor; it is as simple as that."
Truthfully, she didn't feel she was "in love" with Luo Hong. But her body was a different story—it had been completely molded into Luo Hong's "shape." Otherwise, when he told them they were free to go, they wouldn't have chosen to stay in the end. It was a choice made by their bodies.
"However," Cangxuan added with a subtle expression, "that's just us. I'm not so sure about Bronya. She seems to... actually believe it."
While she was close with Bronya, she wasn't as inseparable as she was with Danzhu. More importantly, she knew that if she spoiled Luo Hong's "fun," her next punishment wouldn't be so simple. If Bronya really believed the lie, it meant the girl had truly fallen. Who was she to shatter that dream? Best to let Luo Hong handle the reveal.
"A moment of silence for Bronya!" Danzhu clasped her hands over her chest, mimicking Aponia's prayer pose. After a moment, she opened her eyes. The pink hearts had vanished, but her fair, supple thighs still instinctively pressed together.
"That doesn't look very pious..." Cangxuan teased.
"It's the thought that counts," Danzhu grinned. "At least when that scoundrel reveals the truth, I'll try my best to laugh quietly."
"You... don't let him corrupt you too much." Cangxuan shook her head at her mischievous sister.
Just as Danzhu was about to reply, a knock came at the door. "Did you two sleep well?" Raven's steady voice drifted in. "We can set out for the Elysian Realm today."
"It was alright." Cangxuan adjusted her robes and opened the door.
"Morning!" Danzhu waved from the bed, swinging her bare feet.
"Good... morning." Raven caught a faint scent in the air but wisely pretended not to notice.
"Can we leave now?" Cangxuan noticed Raven's look but, considering they might be "sisters" in the future, she ignored it too.
"Yes." Raven nodded. Faced with Cangxuan's kind gaze, she felt an inexplicable urge to flee.
As they walked out, Danzhu spoke up. "Raven, did you handle that island villa yet?" She spoke with the casual tone of an old friend.
"I haven't had time yet," Raven replied cautiously. "Besides, it's almost finished. I want to live in it for a bit at least." She had her own stubbornness.
"I see..." Danzhu looked at her with a trace of pity.
"Wait," Raven's lip twitched. Like a desperate gambler, she asked, "Is it... is it guaranteed to happen? Is there no way to stop it?" She looked at the sisters expectantly.
Danzhu: "→→!" Cangxuan: "←←!"
"There is a way," Danzhu said with an increasingly "kind" look that made Raven's skin crawl. "Once you enter a certain mysterious dream world, you might have a chance to change your fate."
At that moment, Raven only wanted to deliver these two to the Elysian Realm as fast as possible so she could rush to her island.
Luo Hong's Territory.
"Tsk!"
Luo Hong, lying alone on the beach, suddenly realized today was the day the Star Rail faction was supposed to lay siege to his city. He should have kept the three girls here. I wonder if NPCs get a 'Bond Bonus' without their consciousness present...
He didn't recall the NPC versions of Bronya and the others yet. Wearing only swim trunks, he teleported to the city wall. He needed to finish this battle to get more gacha resources.
The Star Rail offensive had begun. Let's see who the commanders are! Unlike the first three waves, hostile territories sent actual generals and soldiers, much like his Himeko and Kiana.
"Wait... Lady Fu?!"
He stared at the petite pink-haired figure at the rear. And—
"Is the soldier really Qingque?"
A delighted smirk appeared on his face. This was going to be fun. Defeated generals and soldiers in this game were taken as captives! He didn't know when their consciousness would arrive, but whoever came first was in for a massive shock.