Chapter 52: “Even if you all attack together, you stand no chance.”

Chapter 52: “Even if you all attack together, you stand no chance.”

Fei hadn’t expected that a Divine Master, who had experienced soul fragmentation twice after time rewinding, would still retain a sliver of consciousness in his heart.

Last time, in the demon's absolute darkness, she and the Divine Master had reached a preliminary cooperation agreement.

The Divine Master removed the outer shell of the heart, allowing Fei to break her shackles and successfully start the first step of fusion and absorption.

Now, she could drive the Wheel of Fate with her own power, albeit unstably; sometimes it worked, sometimes not, but it was certainly a good start.

Because this meant she was gradually freeing herself from the power of the small world.

Perhaps when she completely absorbs it, she might be able to open a pathway home on her own.

However, since then, the Divine Master’s consciousness had remained silent.

So, during this time, Fei acted like a mischievous spirit, always trying to prod the golden hue within her body whenever she had a chance, hoping for a response, especially regarding the Divine Punishment, she could just ask him directly.

Sadly, the Divine Master was aloof, never responding to her, completely different from the small world’s personality.

Today was no different; Fei playfully poked and prodded until it was her turn in the queue.

The heart remained still, as cold and hard as stone.

She shrugged nonchalantly and bought a ticket to enter the station.

There was still plenty of time,

What Fei didn’t notice was that when the teleportation light flashed, the thin membrane on the surface of the heart trembled ever so slightly.

This was unexpected not just for her, but even for the small world.

According to the world's original expectation, Fei was to absorb the heart — struggle to control the power — seek His help to suppress it — the small world would then split a part of its consciousness into Fei's body — propose to shape a body with the power of faith — culminating in a [Deification] ending.

In this process, the small world would become increasingly intertwined with the part of its power within the heart.

Fei’s path would become similar to the previous Divine Masters, eventually becoming part of the world and staying with the small world forever.

World laws forbid the small world from arbitrarily violating any species’ consciousness. For the small world, each person is like an ocean; It can see everything humans do but can’t manipulate the boundless waters at will.

That heart was the only “tank” It could build for itself in Fei.

Only if Fei agreed, could It enter and truly touch the tank, mold it into a shape It desired, and completely make Fei Its own.

But the small world never anticipated Fei’s strong aversion to becoming a deity.

She refused Its help and even sought to suppress the power within the heart.

Realizing it might be disliked, the small world felt an unusual sense of panic.

It couldn't understand why Fei didn't want to become a deity. Wasn't eternal life desirable? Wasn't supreme power over everything appealing? Wasn't being with It forever... good?

The world felt deeply wronged, especially when it saw Fei, with her post-maturity beauty, meeting the demon and falling into darkness together, the sense of grievance peaked.

Fei hadn’t even consulted It beforehand.

Although It knew such a reckless method wouldn't work, absolute darkness was the most dangerous place. It was an unreachable, unobservable spot, the only loophole in this space-time.

Initially, everything was under Its observation, but when It erased the first Divine Master, the once bright and holy light suddenly turned pitch black.

The god falling from the sky was buried in the earth, and resentments and discontent grew wildly like weeds, spreading a pure, extreme darkness.

The small world didn't care; Its first child was always rebellious and whimsical. If the first erasure wasn’t thorough, then there would be a second, a third.

However, the small world hadn’t anticipated that just as It was about to act, the darkness suddenly condensed and, at its extreme concentration, a baby with dark green scales was born within it.

A new species, the first and only demon in this space-time.

This new species was incorporated into the laws' jurisdiction.

From then on, the small world could no longer touch Its first child.

It didn’t take it to heart.

But when Fei was pulled into the darkness by the demon, the small world felt an indescribable irritation for the first time.

Their attempt was bound to fail. The heart was the Divine Master’s, and the deity’s power would repel any consciousness trying to absorb or merge with It.

Fei, in her current human form, simply couldn’t break the heart’s barrier.

The small world thought, once Fei’s anger subsided, she would eventually ask It for a way, so It silently watched the darkness close.

However, what It didn’t expect was to see a familiar, faint golden light surrounding the girl’s body the next time they met.

This membrane-like light, like a flowing veil, wrapped around Fei, invisible to anyone else.

The small world distinctly felt a familiar presence from it.

The heart, was it protecting her...?

Using the barrier originally meant to protect itself, to protect a witch?

The small world rarely experienced human-like emotional fluctuations, but at that moment, It almost wanted to laugh out loud.

In the countless years of the world's existence, It had created two children with Its own power.

One child, playful and rebellious, was erased by It but transformed into a dark betrayal, reshaping all Its powers into a new demon.

And now, this demon willingly offered a soul pact, binding itself to Fei.

The other child, manipulated by evildoers, impetuously delivered divine punishment and perished alongside the witch. Its body shattered, leaving only one intact heart, dormant through two cycles of life.

Now, voluntarily dissolving its power barrier, it became Fei's shield while cautiously controlling its power to ensure the girl wasn't harmed by any excess spillage.

The demon’s thoughts, simple and foolish, didn't matter. But why did the heart do this? Was it out of guilt towards the witch species, or regret for its actions at the first world's end?

Gusts of wind swept the desolate land, and the small world was struggling to control itself.

It was just like Fei, the girl It had chosen.

She was fundamentally different from others, from the soul up. All her traits and the aura from a higher dimension were like a white saprophytic flower blooming in a murky, diseased land.

Always radiating a soft glow and the utmost sweetness, attracting all beings like moths to a flame.

It seems It still couldn't let go.

A gentle breeze caressed Fei's cheek, winding around her ear and neck.

Like a slowly tightening hand, gently measuring the size and warmth necessary to keep her close.

*

Alaraf City was no different from the first time she visited. When Fei stepped out of the teleportation station, she loosened the ties of her cloak.

When had they been tied so tightly? She had even found it hard to breathe just moments ago.

Once comfortable, Fei hailed a carriage, tossing a gold coin to the driver to take her to the Mercenary Association.

Passing familiar streets and hearing the sound of the whip cutting through the air, Fei suddenly remembered the miners she had seen here before.

It dawned on her that she had unwittingly spent so much time in this other world.

She wondered what time it might be now on Earth.

Soon, the familiar building of the Mercenary Association appeared before her.

Fei stepped off the carriage and was immediately stopped by a fully-armed mercenary. He seemed to be a Hunter God, an archer like Clinfold, but of a much lower level, probably around level 50.

“Excuse me, miss,” the Hunter God politely nodded at her, “Is this your first time at the Mercenary Association?”

Fei shook her head, “Second time. I’ve completed a task here before.”

While speaking, she glanced around and noticed a magical shield enveloping the Association, leaving only a few passages for people to walk through, each guarded.

Had the previous attack made the Mercenary Association more cautious?

“I see, welcome back,” the Hunter God stepped aside, his large bow partially visible. “Still, please undergo a quick check before entering. Trust me, it won’t take long.”

“Alright,” Fei agreed straightforwardly and stood under three detection crystals in the direction he indicated.

Her expression remained unchanged, still carrying the disguise tools she had gathered last time. If they couldn’t be detected in Erbil City, surely not here.

As expected, the detection crystals remained quiet, and after a brief look, the Hunter God let her in.

Fei moved like a fish through the bustling crowd. Each of the Association's four floors was shielded and magically protected.

She found a corner and the next second, an insect took flight.

However, the search was not fruitful. The Mercenary Association wasn’t a weak organization. The shielding spells here were more potent at each level, and Fei silently made it through the first three floors but was forced to stop at the fourth.

A level 90+ shield, she couldn't bypass it silently.

Making a disturbance here would be akin to declaring war.

Should she stake out and wait?

Quickly, Fei discarded the idea. She had an appointment with Hill to attend a ceremony in Central City in two days. There was no time.

After a moment of thought, the insect flew back to the first floor and transformed back into her human form.

Fei approached an idle guide.

"Hello, sister," the girl said with a crisp smile, "I'm looking for the head of the Mercenaries' Association. Where can I find him?"

The guide looked at her kindly, “Have you made an appointment with the president in advance?”

“No,” Fei retrieved something from under her cloak and placed it in the guide’s hand, “But if you give this to him, he'll understand!”

The guide, caught off guard, lowered his head to see an eyeball in his palm.

The eyeball, attached to dark red flesh strings, had a black moon in its pupil that swayed with her movements.

This was something Fei had extracted from one of Jenny's puppets, the only one snatched away and not burnt to ashes by holy light.

The smile on the guide's face froze.

Two seconds later, a heart-wrenching scream echoed through the hall.

Guards swarmed in from all directions, surrounding Fei in a tight circle.

"Don't be like that," the girl cloaked in a black cape raised her hands high, surveying her surroundings, "I just want to meet your leader."

The guide screamed, “She gave me a human eyeball!”

“It’s just a prop, sister,” Fei shrugged, “It’s harmless.”

A guard examined the eyeball, pausing at the sight of the eerie black moon.

“Sorry,” he stiffly tossed the eyeball back to the girl, “The president is not in the Association today. I’ll notify him when he returns. You can come back in a couple of days.”

An obvious brush-off.

Fei sighed; she had wanted to avoid conflict and find the president of the Mercenary Association as quickly as possible.

But now it seemed she had to choose between the two options.

A slender, pale wrist emerged from under the black cloak. The captain of the guards, a Holy Knight, didn’t underestimate the young girl. So when the first wisp of black mist drifted out, he immediately reacted—

A holy greatsword was positioned in front of him, gathering dazzling white light into a massive shield.

The level 75 high-defense knight shielded the crowd behind him while shouting with the power of light, “Miss! Are you declaring war on the entire Mercenary Association?!”

“Of course I don’t want to fight,” Fei sighed, opening her palm as a rich and resonant magic began to spread, “If you had just passed on the item, we wouldn’t have had to fight at all, right? Besides, even if all of you attacked together, you would stand no chance.”

She blinked her dark purple pupils, and the Holy Knight, as if struck by lightning, suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.

He was closest and clearly heard the young girl say, “The troublemakers here are you, aren’t they? Looking for trouble, and even seeking death.”

“Wait!!” The knight hesitated for less than a second before suddenly withdrawing his sword, the golden shield disappearing instantly, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

“...I believe there are other solutions to this,” the knight finally decided to avoid trouble — after all, he was just a salaried mercenary — and of course, his life was more important than duty.

He calmed the agitated crowd and discreetly discussed with the other guards before turning back to her, “Miss, please give me the item. It seems the president has just returned.”

“Thank you.” Fei put her hand back under her cloak and cheerfully tossed over the eyeball.

A few minutes later, the restrictions on the fourth floor slowly opened before her, and Fei stepped onto the staircase.

A magical marker hovered above her head, guiding her through the twisted magical space to a tender green door.

The Mercenary Association seemed to particularly favor vegetation-related elements, was it because of the elves?

Before she could knock, the door automatically opened before her.

Inside sat an elderly man with a robust build and healthy bronze skin.

Fei entered, “Nice to meet you, President—”

“No,” the man waved his hand with a smile, “I’m just the branch president of Alaraf City. The one you really want to meet is this person.”

He swung a rough iron chain, magic surged, and a waterfall of water cascaded from the ceiling.

A new scene appeared in the water curtain, showing an elderly man with white hair, who was... taking care of a newborn elf?

Fei was momentarily stunned; even in the game, she had never seen a newborn elf.

The tiny green elf baby was only as big as a fingertip, with two faintly glowing translucent wings on its back.

With curly hair and a chubby, round body, it resembled a super-miniature figurine from Earth.

Fei’s heart melted at the sight.

The elf baby seemed to be in poor condition, with an abnormally red flush on its puffed cheeks and struggling to swallow the fruit juice fed by the old man.

The bronze-skinned uncle had left the room, leaving Fei alone inside.

“I remember you,” the old man suddenly said, “You once came asking about that bar with your information reward. Back then, you were as weak as an ant.”

Fei: “......”

“But now,” the old man raised his head, looking at her through the water curtain, “you have become one of the mighty at the pinnacle of the world. I've never seen such terrifying talent, thank you for showing an old man nearing his grave a new vista.”

“You’re too modest,” Fei tilted her head, “Being able to produce fruits from the Bai Zhou Flower, extending your life must be easy for you.”

The Bai Zhou Flower, that undomesticatable plant that permanently increases potion quality, blooms and bears fruit purely by chance, and its fruits are encountered once in decades.

Regular consumption of juice squeezed from such rare fruit grants a permanent boost to life vitality.

In real life, this would likely be equivalent to life extension.

She paused, then couldn’t help asking, “How is that child doing? Does he need any other potion?”

The old man's eyes widened, and the previously somber atmosphere disappeared in an instant, “The child is absolutely fine! It was just scratched by a passing bat monster because it was too playful! But how do you know about the Bai Zhou Flower?!”

Fei smiled at him, “I know more than just that. Now, President, am I qualified to have an honest conversation with you?”

The old man blew his beard fiercely, and the elf baby, carried by several older elves on a green leaf, flew out of the water curtain.

Fei observed carefully as it left; the baby's complexion had already improved significantly, suggesting it would gradually get better.

Watching her expression, the old man finally relaxed his hands, which were behind his back.

He had always tried to avoid getting involved in conflicts, and the Mercenary Association had always remained neutral.

He was responsible not only for all clients and mercenaries but also for these elves.

But lately, strange occurrences were increasing, with monsters appearing everywhere, only to be exterminated. The royal house was unstable, the North was in turmoil, and the death toll of mercenaries on missions was climbing.

Even in his sleep, he could distinctly feel the dark currents flowing incessantly at night.

— Something was about to happen.

The president was acutely aware of this, but what truly disturbed his calm was the death of Clinfold.

He had slowly unraveled the whole situation through his own intelligence network.

It was then that he realized waiting passively was not a good strategy. If he continued to hide, he might end up with regrettable consequences.

Yet, he had not found the right moment to intervene, nor someone to place his bets on.

But now, as he looked at the young girl before him, he suddenly realized that this might be an opportunity sent by the gods.

“What do you want to know?” The old man dropped his guise, shedding his aged demeanor and his eyes sharpened like a hawk’s.

Despite his white hair, he exuded a terrifying aura through the water screen, more formidable than Principal Lilith.

Fei slowly curved her lips into a smile, “You really are... full of surprises.”

“I don’t know much about that Black Moon,” the old man spoke firmly, “I only saved Feyman and that child once during Feyman’s escape.”

“At that time, I accidentally overheard the child’s conversation with his strange 'partner'."

Fei: “Strange 'partner'?”

“Yes,” the president nodded, “I never saw this 'partner's' true form, I only heard them discussing how to establish a new set of [World Laws].”