Unlike the usual mornings when Xiaoxi would smack her on the butt and call her out of bed, today Yeli Lan was awakened by the blaring of her alarm clock.
When the alarm rang for the third time, Yeli Lan finally reached out lazily and tossed the clock onto the floor.
The crisp sound was abruptly silenced.
Yeli Lan burrowed deeper into the blanket, turned over, and patted the other side of the bed… only to find nothing there.
It was only then that Yeli Lan opened her bleary eyes and confirmed Xiaoxi’s absence. Out again so early in the morning? That magical girl really is busy.
The weather was excellent today. Sunshine and the bustle of the morning rush seeped through the curtains into the room.
Yeli Lan lingered in bed for just over half an hour before getting up, yanking the curtains open and stretching energetically in the bright sunlight.
She slept well!
Though both of them had fought through the night, Xiaoxi always woke up sore and trembling after, whereas Yeli Lan would rise refreshed and full of spirit.
It was obvious who was being overpowered during their nightly battles.
Yeli Lan was someone who’d only get up once the sun was high, but today she woke up early because she had invited Mo Lan’er over in the morning to discuss some matters.
After her Blood Moon Witch identity had been exposed, Summersea City might no longer be safe for her.
In the worst case, she might have to leave the city.
After the lazy clack-clack of slippers, the bathroom mirror reflected a disheveled Yeli Lan with messy hair and rumpled clothes.
She was still wearing last night’s “decisive victory” outfit.
As she brushed her teeth, the shoulder strap slid off her smooth shoulder, making her look rather enticing.
Yeli Lan wasn’t in any hurry to tidy up her clothes. Instead, she admired the various marks on her upper body in the mirror—each a testament to last night’s battle.
This spot must have been pressed down last night. That red mark was left by Xiaoxi’s suction. And that bite mark… it was kind of cute, actually.
After washing up and changing clothes, Yeli Lan sat in the living room eating breakfast.
The familiar decor brought a sense of ease to her heart.
Unknowingly, she had become accustomed to this ordinary, everyday life.
For a moment, Yeli Lan felt a little dazed.
She had almost forgotten that, at first, she’d only moved here to avoid The Association’s pursuit, grudgingly renting the place and treating her housemate as little more than a live-in cook and caretaker.
Who could have guessed that the little “housekeeper” would become her little girlfriend? Thanks to Xiaoxi, this place now felt a bit like “home” to Yeli Lan.
If possible, Yeli Lan wouldn’t mind just continuing to live here with Xiaoxi like this.
This sort of daily life wasn’t bad at all, right? It was a shame she didn’t know how long it could last.
Yeli Lan had made up her mind: if Aluan wanted her to leave Summersea City, then today she would come clean and have a proper talk with Xiaoxi about it.
A polite knock sounded at the door. Speak of the devil—Yeli Lan hurried over and opened it in a few quick steps.
It seemed Aluan really took this matter to heart, coming so early today. Normally, she’d wait until nearly noon to accommodate Yeli Lan’s sleeping habits.
“Aluan, what brings you here so ea—”
She opened the door a crack, but the person outside wasn’t Mo Lan’er at all—it was a cute little girl.
Judging by her height, figure, and face, the visitor was unmistakably a legal loli.
The black robe draped over her shoulders trailed to the floor, making her look like a trick-or-treater on Halloween.
“Good thing I found the right place. So you really do live here!” The little girl beamed. “Long time no see… Saintess.”
At that moment, Yeli Lan felt as if her blood had turned to ice.
The child before her seemed harmless enough, but her own body began trembling uncontrollably.
“Third Divine Envoy… you’re actually still—”
“That’s right. Thanks to the Saintess’s protection, I managed to survive. Ah, Saintess…”
The little girl—or rather, the Third Divine Envoy—made a gesture of prayer. Her expression was devout and holy, but on such a youthful face it appeared unspeakably bizarre.
“I’m glad to see the Saintess is still alive as well.” The Third Divine Envoy walked right in and began looking around.
“So this is where you’re living now? It feels lived-in. I see you’re doing well. That puts me at ease.”
Yeli Lan didn’t try to stop her; she followed the Third Divine Envoy timidly. The dignified Blood Moon Witch was actually frightened by a child.
Her expression was caught somewhere between fear and confusion.
In that instant, it felt as if memories and the past had come knocking, messy and noisy, with the smell of blood lingering around her nose.
“Oh, oh, this must be the Saintess’s room! Living in constant vigilance, never forgetting revenge… You still care about the Divine Summon Order. I’m so touched.”
The Third Divine Envoy was referring to the Eternal Star merchandise in Yeli Lan’s room.
Unlike Xiaoxi’s first curious reaction to these things, the Third Divine Envoy’s eyes lit up with delight.
She poked around left and right, while Yeli Lan followed in silence, her fists quietly clenched.
To a stranger, this scene would look like a relative’s child rummaging about while the host blushed with helpless anger.
“This is…”
The Third Divine Envoy picked up a photo frame from the desk and squinted at it. In the photo, two girls hugged each other, flashing peace signs, their smiles bright.
“Is this the Saintess’s friend? Or… something more?”
That photo had been taken when the two of them went out to play. Yeli Lan had printed and framed it so she could see it every time she played games.
Pointing at Xiaoxi in the photo, the Third Divine Envoy said, “If the Saintess wishes, you can bring her along when you return to the Divine Summon Order. I’m sure this girl could contribute a great deal to our cause—”
“Don’t you dare!”
The Third Divine Envoy spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
She hadn’t even asked for Yeli Lan’s opinion, as though it was only right and proper for Yeli Lan to follow her.
But things didn’t go as she wished. Before she finished, a blood-red scythe roared toward her.
The moment Xiaoxi was mentioned, Yeli Lan’s patience snapped.
The Third Divine Envoy’s expression didn’t change, nor did she try to dodge.
She simply watched as the scythe stopped, trembling, just a few centimeters from her.
With a clang, the scythe dropped to the floor. Yeli Lan groaned, clutching her face in pain as she dropped to her knees.
“Seems the Association’s methods really are trash,” the little girl’s previously cheerful face darkened. “All this time, and they still haven’t broken the Divine Summon Order’s seal on you, Saintess.”
The piercing pain didn’t crush Yeli Lan’s will. She forced herself to her feet once more.
The true form of the Blood Moon Witch emerged, making her look every bit like a vengeful specter.
“Why do this, Saintess? If you just come quietly, nothing will happen.”
“If you dare lay a finger on Xiaoxi… I’ll kill you!”
“Seems the Saintess isn’t being very obedient.” The Third Divine Envoy shook her head regretfully. “Disobedient children… get no candy.”
She raised her hand.
The residential population of Southern Avenue wasn’t small, and traffic jams during the morning rush were normal.
Horns blared on the street as usual, everything progressing in its regular, orderly fashion—until a massive explosion rocked the nearby apartment buildings.
“No—!”
Yeli Lan’s body was thrown backwards. She was too late to stop it, forced to watch as the home she’d shared with Xiaoxi was reduced to rubble in an instant.
The peaceful street was thrown into chaos.
Not just because of the explosion, but even more because of the figure now standing in the middle of the road—a terrifying presence like a demon from hell.
“It’s—it’s the Blood Moon Witch! Somebody help!”
No one noticed that the Blood Moon Witch’s sudden appearance wasn’t to slaughter them.
Within moments, Yeli Lan and the Third Divine Envoy had already clashed several times.
Yeli Lan’s headache grew steadily worse.
At that moment, a figure ran against the panicked crowd toward the chaos.
“Miss! Miss—”
Mo Lan’er had also spotted the cloaked figure hovering mid-air. Her body trembled as she instantly understood what was happening.
In that moment, The Association and her hidden identity became meaningless.
Teal light engulfed her—she hadn’t revealed her Alanbel form in a very long time.
The Third Divine Envoy noticed Mo Lan’er too. Hearing her anxious shout, she instantly appeared right in front of Mo Lan’er.
So fast!
Mo Lan’er didn’t even have time to dodge. Her power wasn’t suited for combat, and she hadn’t fought in years. The Third Divine Envoy’s hand rose—
A crisp slap rang out. Mo Lan’er’s head snapped to the side, five bright red finger marks clear on her cheek.
“What did you just call the Saintess?” The Third Divine Envoy’s gaze was icy.
“If it were an outsider, fine, but you are the Saintess’s deputy, Alanbel. How dare you address her so disrespectfully? Have you forgotten the rules of the Divine Summon Order?”
Maniac!
“Aluan! Get away! You’re no match for her!”
Yeli Lan gritted her teeth and charged forward. This woman was a complete lunatic! If left unchecked, no one on Southern Avenue would survive today.
Damn it, damn it… Where is that Eternal Star bastard? With such chaos, why hasn’t she shown up to save the day?
Yeli Lan was getting anxious. Just yesterday, that woman had chased her like a rabid dog—so where was she now, when she was really needed? If she had to handle everything alone…
The streets were a mess of honking cars, as it was the peak of rush hour. There were simply too many people.
She wasn’t confident she could take down the Third Divine Envoy instantly.
In fact, the woman was much stronger now than during the great chaos.
Worse, she still had ways to control Yeli Lan… If they fought all-out here, the surrounding people would be caught up in the carnage!