Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Bai Li was discharged from the hospital yesterday morning.

The rented apartment, still sealed off as a crime scene and with the lease about to expire, meant that even if her husband had no intention of sacrificing her, and even if Bai Li hadn't received the blessing of the Mirror Eye to kill him, they couldn't have stayed in that cheap apartment for much longer.

So after being discharged, Bai Li, holding her daughter who was sucking her fingers, didn't know where to go.

Back to her parents' house? She had severed ties with them upon marriage, and now, with a clear mind, she knew the consequences of returning would be to marry the Pomeranian canine person they favored. But Bai Li had no interest in remarrying.

But if not back to her parents, where else could she go? Penniless, even the baby bottle and synthetic milk her daughter used were gifts from sympathetic doctors and nurses. If she wandered the streets, she wouldn't even find hot water to make formula.

And finding a job while carrying a child wasn't an option either.

Sitting in the hospital lobby, Bai Li fell into deep thought.

A tall figure approached her, casting a shadow over her.

If this had happened in the past, just noticing someone like this approaching would have made Bai Li tremble and dare not look up. But today, she naturally lifted her head and greeted the person, saying, "Inquisitor Huan Banxiang."

It was indeed Huan Banxiang of Hisike, who had been responsible for protecting her last night. As a canine person different from Bai Li, her thick, short eyebrows were quite distinctive.

However, more than her eyebrows, what Bai Li remembered most vividly about this inquisitor was how her rough hands wiped away the brain matter and blood from Bai Li's face last night.

Bai Li stood up with her daughter in her arms and smiled at her, "Do you need something?"

"Uh, ah," the new inquisitor seemed a bit shy, scratching the back of her head, "Ms. Bai Li, I asked the higher-ups this morning about your situation. Have you considered filing a complaint with the Pregnancy Center?"

Almost entirely lacking social experience, Bai Li looked confused, "A complaint?"

"Yes," once she started speaking, Huan Banxiang's words flowed smoothly, "Your testimony stated that you never went to the Pregnancy Center. Tanbi Graydan forcibly took your blood after hitting you, mixed it with his own, and submitted it to the Pregnancy Center to conceive your child. He also picked up your daughter alone from the center. But as far as I know, this doesn't comply with the Pregnancy Center's regulations.

"Submitting blood and picking up the child must be done by both spouses together at the Pregnancy Center. The submission of blood requires signatures on consent forms under separate witness by staff members. Picking up the child involves taking photos with both spouses."

As she spoke, she grew increasingly indignant.

"The process of your daughter's birth is completely wrong! There must be corruption involved!"

Still somewhat bewildered but intrigued, Bai Li asked, "What good would a complaint do?"

Huan Banxiang bent down, waving her hand in front of Bai Li's daughter's eyes. The little Pomeranian canine person, whose face bore no scars from healing spells and who had suffered no side effects from the overdose of sleeping pills, followed Huan Banxiang's hand with her black pearl-like eyes and broke into a sweet smile.

The new inquisitor's eyes almost sparkled with "so cute." Considering she was a holy knight who often spouted phrases about vanquishing evil, she could indeed do so.

"Here's the thing," Huan Banxiang explained, "The Pregnancy Center has several nurseries. If your complaint is successful, you can request a free spot from the Pregnancy Center."

She straightened her back and gave Bai Li a bright smile, "That way, Ms. Bai Li, things will be much easier for you!"

Bai Li's eyes widened slightly.

With little social experience, she didn't fully grasp the significance of Huan Banxiang's "asked the higher-ups," but reflecting on her life, she had never received such pure assistance before.

Of course, the Lord didn't count.

Although the Lord had granted her a gift and then made demands, Bai Li understood that asking her to find a job was for her own good.

"Really?" Bai Li asked eagerly, "I never went to the Pregnancy Center! How do I file a complaint?"

The newly graduated single inquisitor, who had also never been to the Pregnancy Center, let out a long "uh."

She looked at Bai Li, hesitated for a moment, and said, "I'll go with you... I don't have work today."

Despite working a night shift, Huan Banxiang, as a professional, still had plenty of energy even after a sleepless night and killing a cultist. She took Bai Li's bag and led her towards the hospital exit.

Once outside the hospital gates, she paused to think.

"Which floor is the Pregnancy Center on?"

"It's on the ninth floor," Bai Li answered, holding her daughter.

"Oh!" Huan Banxiang scratched her head again, "Right."

Bai Li's husband would only go to the ninth-floor Pregnancy Center, which served ordinary citizens, not the one below it that catered to wealthy merchants and officials.

Occasionally prone to mental lapses, Huan Banxiang realized this and slapped her forehead, walking with Bai Li towards the elevator shaft next to the hospital.

They reached the ninth floor quickly, but the Pregnancy Center was near another elevator shaft. They boarded a tram and arrived at Tieliu City's First Pregnancy Center ten minutes later.

Next to the Pregnancy Center was the cathedral of Mother Blood.

As a cultist, Bai Li should have been afraid of this vast building, but seeing the crimson stream flowing through the surrounding moat, she wondered if her Lord might appear on its surface.

The cathedral's entrance featured a large Sacred Heart Cross with a quote from the Holy Scriptures.

"Flowing blood is the source of life."

Bai Li's gaze swept over these words, her thoughts wandering.

What would the Lord's scriptures say?

Whatever they contained, Bai Li knew He was entirely different from evil deities like the Silver Moon Maiden.

They entered the Pregnancy Center, where a banner hung in the hall reading—Pregnancy and childbirth are acts of desecration. Choose a safer, healthier method for your child's genes.

Many citizens moved through the hall, mostly couples, either a man and a woman or same-sex pairs.

Seeing Huan Banxiang in her inquisitor uniform, a priest of Mother Blood in red robes immediately approached.

After Huan Banxiang explained their complaint, they were escorted to the second floor within a minute.

Ten minutes later, they were invited to the third floor.

An hour later, they received the result that the corrupt employee would be fired and Bai Li's daughter could be cared for free at the day care center until she was six years old.

Bai Li, who had never before seen so many people show her such respect—of course, mainly showing respect to Huan Banxiang—was quite intrigued. She toured the day care center with the staff and then registered in the ledger.

"She doesn't have a name yet," Bai Li realized at this moment.

"What about a nickname?" asked the rabbit-person teacher from the day care center.

Bai Li recalled her own derogatory nickname but no longer felt as gloomy as she used to when remembering it.

Of course, her daughter wouldn't have a similar nickname.

Bai Li said, "Let's call her Xiao Yu for now."

The rabbit-person teacher wrote down the name, took Xiao Yu, and cheerfully said to Bai Li, "Xiao Yu just came from the hospital, right? Then there's no need for a bath, but her mother still needs to prepare two sets of clothes here. How many meals has she had today?"

After Bai Li reported everything, the teacher asked, "Do you want to go into the nursery now, or will you come back to pick up Xiao Yu in the evening?"

I certainly don't want to be separated from my child! That was Bai Li's first thought.

But her rational mind told her that it was almost noon, and she could get some free starch paste from the Church of Mother Blood, which would help her find a job in the afternoon.

Without finding a job, she wouldn't have money to buy clothes for Xiao Yu.

Bai Li felt that her past self would never have been so cold-hearted, but she thought it was fine.

Reluctantly saying goodbye to Xiao Yu, knowing that Bai Li was going to the Church of Mother Blood for starch paste, Huan Banxiang hesitated but didn't offer to treat her to a meal.

But...

Huan Banxiang asked, "Can you go to the recruitment hall alone?"

"Yes," Bai Li replied without fear, "I can."

"Great," Huan Banxiang said, touching her fingertips together and placing them on her smooth forehead—most followers of the Dragon of Light leave their foreheads uncovered. Her eyes below her hand looked happily at Bai Li and said, "Believe that if you walk towards the light, someone will reach out to help you."

This is one of the tenets followed by believers of the Dragon of Light.

Huan Banxiang helped her for this reason.

"Lady Bai Li," she put her hands down and sincerely said, "You've broken free from darkness; your future life will be full of light."

According to your definition, isn't my life falling into new darkness? Bai Li thought.

But she also felt that the future was bright and became happier, seriously saying, "Yes, thank you, Judge Huan Banxiang."

"If you can't find a place to stay tonight, you and Xiao Yu can rest at my place for the night." Huan Banxiang gave a thumbs-up. "Good luck!"

They bid farewell in front of the Church of Mother Blood. Bai Li went to the church and got a small but warm bowl of relief food, rested on a pew for a while, and then gathered her spirits to head to the recruitment hall on another level.

This time, she couldn't afford the tram fare but walking didn't feel as tiring as before.

This must also be the Lord's blessing. Thank the Lord.

Encouraged from various sources, even though she faced multiple rejections in the recruitment hall, Bai Li did not lose heart.

Finally, she found a job advertisement on the bulletin board that might have been left because the salary was too low.

On the twelfth level, 79 Guangguo Licorice Avenue, Emme Theatre, hiring three full-time cleaners, weekly wage of ten yuan.

But even Bai Li, who had only spent an afternoon in the recruitment hall, knew that the weekly wage for full-time cleaners should be twelve to thirteen yuan.

It doesn't matter, ten yuan per week is fine. Bai Li had no room to be picky.

The next morning, after shamelessly resting at Huan Banxiang's house for the night, Bai Li sent Xiao Yu to the day care center and arrived at the theatre located twelve levels below. She found the building's exterior in disarray, with half-removed posters piled on the street.

There were no new posters hanging at the theatre entrance, and even the open door lacked a guard. Even Bai Li sensed something was off.

But she still walked in with her head held high, looking around the equally messy interior when a hesitant voice called out to her.

"Bai Li?"

Bai Li turned and saw a classmate she recognized from middle school walking out from deeper inside.

She couldn't remember the name, a classmate with whom she hadn't had friendly experiences.

The well-dressed classmate looked angry, and even when greeting Bai Li, she didn't hide her displeasure. She sized Bai Li up, somewhat disbelieving that the person in front of her wasn't cowering, and asked, "Is it really you? Are you here for the selection?"

"I'm applying for a cleaning job," Bai Li said straightforwardly. "Do you know where I can find the person in charge of hiring?"

Her classmate's angry face suddenly became subtly different.

After a moment, she looked Bai Li over again, her gaze landing on Bai Li's cheap clothes and old shoes, and a more subtle smile appeared on her face.

She said to Bai Li, "Then follow me."