Players: All NPCs in the Sect Are Moles

Su Ling’er tried again and again.

Over and over.

She had the little insect hide inside a tree trunk.

Or on the rafters of a building.

She even had it crawl into the mouth of a wild beast.

But every time, she failed.

Finally, she gave up the struggle. She collapsed onto the straw, staring at the hole in the roof.

The sun had set. The last rays of twilight squeezed through the cracks in the window, dyeing the dilapidated thatched hut the color of blood.

That light was just like the state of her heart—utterly still, with nothing but dying embers left.

A patch of light appeared on the ground beside her.

Within it, a few motes of dust danced and spun in silence before settling once more...

The pot of Sorrow Flowers she had brought back, however, had quietly bloomed with a tiny, ethereal blue light.

The settling dust reflected her hopes, burned to ash time and again;

The ethereal blue blossom shared in her current sorrow.

But why?

’Why do they always know the location of the insect I release?!’

’It’s like this every single time!’

’And why wasn’t I discovered immediately when I first released the Contracted Spirit Insect?’

’If they know these insects are for sending messages, why not just come and capture me, the source?’

’Besides, with Eldest Brother Lin Qingfeng’s methods and his willingness to kill at a moment’s notice, how could he possibly have let me live this long?’

’It doesn’t make sense.’

Su Ling’er lay on the straw, her arm draped limply over her forehead.

Her red sleeve covered most of her face, revealing only a small portion of it.

’Is it because I used my blood essence to activate it?’

’Or does the Insect Gu itself carry the unique Spiritual Power imprint of Qingxu Temple, allowing them to detect it?’

’Or maybe...’

’Whatever the reason, they can identify this "foreign object" that doesn’t belong to the Guixi Sect.’

’But why?’

’Why do they just keep eliminating this "foreign object" but never come after the source who released it?’

She refused to believe her hiding skills were good enough to deceive the eyes and ears of the entire sect.

The only explanation she could think of was...

Su Ling’er’s pupils constricted violently.

She thought of the most manipulative plot twists from the plays.

She thought of the smile on Lin Qingfeng’s face—that compassionate, serene, yet all-seeing smile.

’They’re definitely doing this on purpose!’

’They must have some way of knowing it’s me releasing the insects!’

’They also know I want to escape!’

’But they don’t stop me, and they don’t expose me!’

’They just wait for me to ignite a spark of hope, and then they personally snuff it out in the most spectacular way possible!’

’They don’t want to see me dead!’

’They just want to watch me struggle endlessly between hope and despair!’

’To see me try to escape, only to be beaten and broken, left to curl up in a corner, trembling!’

"So this is a cat playing with a mouse... Heh heh..."

She let out a weak, self-mocking laugh.

The depletion of her spirit and the heavy mental blow came crashing down on her.

The world spun before her eyes.

Everything she saw—the thatched hut, the straw, the hole in the roof—became blurry and distorted.

Finally, everything went black.

She... had fainted...

...

「An unknown amount of time passed.」

KNOCK.

KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.

A rhythmic knocking, almost like a beat, drilled into her ears.

’Who is it?’

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

The knocking grew more urgent, the force behind it increasing.

...

Outside the door, Lin Qingfeng frowned, his dark robes fluttering in the night wind.

’Junior Sister has been resting all afternoon, why is she still sleeping?’

’Junior Sister is being incredibly lazy today!’

"Junior Sister!"

There was no movement from inside the room.

KNOCK! KNOCK KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! KNOCK!

Lin Qingfeng started drumming on the door.

"Junior Sister, wake up! Rise and shine! A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step!"

’Junior Sister...’

’She couldn’t have been driven to hang herself by the pressure of sect missions, could she?’

’Impossible!’

’With her willpower, how could she be crushed by a mere thousand or so sect missions!’

’No way!’

And so...

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Junior Sister! If you don’t open up, I’m coming in!"

The violent shaking finally pulled Su Ling’er’s consciousness back from the abyss.

She snapped her eyes open, her head still splitting with pain.

"Junior Sister! Open the door!"

Outside, that familiar and terrifying voice continued.

It was Eldest Brother, Lin Qingfeng!

BOOM!

It was as if Su Ling’er’s mind had been struck by heavenly lightning, going completely blank.

’Have I been discovered?’

’Has the matter of the Contracted Spirit Insect been exposed?!’

’He’s here. He’s finally here!’

’He’s finally tired of his cat-and-mouse game. He’s come to clean house!’

But.

’Resist?’

’What could I possibly resist with?’

’This Wooden Sword?’

’This Wooden Sword might be strange, but what could it, along with my own peak Qi Refining Cultivation, do against an Eldest Brother whose power is so deep I can’t even fathom it?’

’It would be utterly futile, like an ant trying to shake a tree.’

Su Ling’er gave a bitter smile.

But just then!

The knocking from outside stopped!

Su Ling’er could almost picture Lin Qingfeng standing just outside the door. He’d still be wearing that compassionate smile, but his hand would surely be resting on the hilt of that ancient sword named ’Hold On’.

’Is he waiting for me?’

’Waiting for me to open the door and walk to my death?’

’Or, is he waiting until he loses patience, kicks down this broken door, and then chops me into pieces?’

’What do I do?’

’What should I do?’

’Beg for mercy? Confess? Or play dumb?’

’Would that monster even listen?’

’I’d probably just die faster!’

’Besides, how could a righteous Cultivator like me do such a thing!’

’Maybe...’

’Maybe he was just passing by, or needed me for something, and hasn’t discovered the secret of the Contracted Spirit Insect?’

A sliver of hope remained in Su Ling’er’s heart.

’Calm down, I have to calm down!’

’At a time like this, I can’t afford to panic!’

She raised her hands.

SLAP! SLAP!

She slapped her own cheeks hard.

The stinging pain where her palms met her face helped clear her thoughts a little.

’I can’t let him see my weakness!’

’Even more, I can’t let him see my fear!’

She used the wall to support herself as she shakily stood up and straightened her disheveled clothes.

Finally, she took another deep breath and forced a lazy, dazed smile onto her face.

’Yes, just like that.’

’Stay steady, Su Ling’er!’

She slowly walked to the door. When she placed her hand on the latch, she could still feel her fingertips trembling.

CREAK—!

She pulled the door open.

The wooden door’s hinges groaned softly.

Outside, the figure in dark robes stood quietly.

Su Ling’er lowered her head, avoiding his gaze.

"Eldest Brother... It’s so late. Is something the matter?"

"I... I just woke up..."

However, Lin Qingfeng didn’t follow her lead. Instead, he looked at her with confusion.

’Hm?’

’Junior Sister’s complexion...’

"Junior Sister, you’re... What’s going on?"