Chapter 60 - Role Playing the Dark Horse Character

Chapter 60: Dwelling Deep Within the Soul "Lily?!" Her roommate was so startled that he jumped up from his seat. "What happened to you?" Li Li herself was momentarily dazed as she looked at her right foot. Just as she was about to stand, her right foot had become rigid, as if it were frozen, rendering it useless. Instinctively, she grabbed the table to steady herself, letting go of the cup she was holding in her other hand. With one hand on the table and the other on the chair, she waited for her roommate to approach before saying, "It's nothing, just slipped for a moment." However, her mind was filled with thoughts about why her right foot had reacted as if it were frozen. Could it be Yue Qing had frozen her foot before he left? Was it possible that she had brought the abilities from the manga world into reality?! No, it wasn't. As soon as the thought occurred to her, Li Li dismissed it. Having abilities should feel like a surge of energy coursing through her whole body, something she had never experienced in reality. Moreover, if the manga world's effects had transferred to reality, her right foot should be injured. But in fact, her right foot's surface was intact, showing no signs of frostbite or any frost injuries. It was like a stiffness originating from the soul. As her mind raced, the frozen feeling in her right foot began to dissipate. After about half a minute, she could flex her ankle freely again. Her roommate brought a broom to help clean up the glass shards, and once they finished cleaning, Li Li returned to her seat. But instead of resuming the PPT review, she jotted a sentence down in her notebook. "Was that your doing earlier?" The System replied: [Ensuring your soul's safety during the crossover is our responsibility.] As expected. Upon receiving this information, she actually felt a surge of joy. Yue Lan's ability came with a space-freezing attribute, while she had never been clear about Yue Qing's until now, when she inadvertently stumbled upon a clue. Yue Qing's ability seems to come with a soul-freezing attribute! No wonder. She thought. No wonder that after she first provoked Yue Qing and returned to reality, she still felt a chill throughout her body. It turned out that wasn't just her imagination — the System had curbed the abilities acting on her soul. She forgave the manga artist for suddenly cutting chapters, which prevented her from resolving the situation with Yue Qing in one go. Compared to easily getting rid of Yue Qing, the current scenario was more advantageous for her. Because of Qu Yan's ability, his control over blood energy was akin to life energy or the so-called soul power. Qu Yan probably didn't even realize that Yue Qing's ability could actually counter his power. The screen of the laptop in front of her shifted from the PPT to the lock screen, yet Li Li couldn't help but smile at the screen. She had devised a better plan, a more perfect conclusion for this incident. ... After staying up all night studying, followed by an exam, Li Li continued her intense study routine. Soon, the long-awaited day of the manga update arrived. At precisely midnight, Li Li opened the manga. She had a rough idea of what the manga would contain. She skimmed through it. Naturally, the manga had not omitted the scene of the nobles attempting to lure Hei Ge. The manga artist dedicated an entire page to depict the grandeur of that scene, labeling each noble with their names and ability levels. In doing so, the manga introduced the former Ability Guild through An Huyu's words once again to the readers. The first appearance of the former Ability Guild in the manga was quite some time ago, in the brief introduction to forces before the Desolate Dragon arc, with very little information provided. However, following An Huyu's commentary, the tale of how the nobles and traitors founded the former Ability Guild and its downfall six years prior was revealed in detail to the manga audience. The readers, as yet, hadn't connected Tides with the former Ability Guild. When the manga transitioned to introducing An Heyu, the figure of Li Baige standing next to him was only partially visible in the panels, as though considering him an insignificant bodyguard, not sparking much interest among the readers. Thus, Li Li wasn't surprised at all. 【Is Hei Ge part of this former Ability Guild?】 【Seems like a key storyline.】 【Though, three S-rankers and at least two A-rankers facing off against Hei Ge, an A-ranker?】 【Judging by the setup, he wouldn't really come, would he?】 【I swear, if Hei Ge really dares to come, I'll take back everything I've said against him, and if anyone claims he's only a bully, I'll grab my keyboard and defend him!】 【If he actually shows up, he's a true warrior!】 But when Hei Ge actually made his appearance, the manga readers went wilder than the characters within the story. After seeing Hei Ge behead a high-ranking individual in front of three high-ranking opponents, the comments section exploded. 【Holy crap, this is awesome!!】 【Such bravery from Hei Ge!】 【Mom, this man is so charming! How can he be so cool?!】 【Who exactly is the villain here?!】 【Is there anything this guy wouldn't dare to do?!】 【I've got a question; is Hei Ge really an A-rank? This A-rank is exceedingly beyond standard!】 Following this, in the manga, Qu Yan's counterattack resulted only in Hei Ge bleeding slightly, and he showed no signs of fatigue, whereas Qu Yan's hair was still disheveled. The black-haired youth stood in the air, his relaxed and carefree smile unwavering, even when Qu Yan, with a triumphant stance, described the fatal attack of his ability. Then, with his usual smug and composed grin, Hei Ge walked away with the Black Crow, vanishing into an illusion. This divided the readers into two camps: those who disliked Hei Ge were overjoyed, while fans of strong characters and bystanders pondered deeper questions. 【Hmm... I'm not buying it.】 【Yay, the scourge is gone! Let's celebrate!】 【The way it plays out in the manga, Hei Ge doesn't seem genuinely affected.】 【Come on, you're an A-rank challenging an S-rank, wouldn't a defeat be expected?】 【Hey, consider that Hei Ge's role as the villain is destined to be overcome by the little corgi. Reflect on it.】 【...If Hei Ge truly isn't harmed, then is he still human? He is an A-ranker, after all!】 The conversation that Qu Yan had with An Heyu was also illustrated in the manga, though the later private dialogue between An Heyu and Li Li wasn't. This prompted the readers to start speculating about An Huyu's background. 【Is his brother getting bullied?! What's up with their family!】 【Poor Crycry Bird's brother looks really good, though.】 【Seems like Crycry Bird has a past too, breaking my heart for his brother.】 Subsequently, the storyline shifted to the main characters going to rescue Yu Xiao, including a discussion about regulations among them. An Huyu's remarks about the attitude of Li Baige and Yi Ming towards their pursuit targets came across as somewhat odd, yet because it was a solitary frame, it easily went unnoticed in the context of clues discovered by Tang. The unexpected occurred, with attacks from Rao Yue and appearances by Yue Qing and others. The manga introduced An Huyu's family situation when he stood up for his brother. From being an old noble family to the plight where only two members remained, An Huyu's family's tale unfolded before the manga's readers amid his anguished cries. Lastly, Yue Qing's anger was stoked to the point of seriously wanting to kill them. At this critical moment, Yi Ming caught a glimpse of a pair of blue pendant earrings. 【!!! Li!】 【I'm crying; he's been protecting you all along, little corgi!】 【Who's crying late at night? It's me.】 【Why was I stabbed by something from a few chapters ago, why!】 【Stay with him this time, little corgi! Don't let him fight to the end alone this time!】 The manga cut off as Yi Ming, in a daze, blended two scenes and called out "brother" at the front. To be fair, the manga artist's cliffhanger was quite effective. She refrained from checking the forums, imagining the arguments about whether Hei Ge was indeed dead and the mourning of a certain beloved character. Readers had already equated Li Baige with Li, agreeing on this unanimously. After browsing through the manga, she prepared to sleep, to face the morning class and the evening crossover with fully recharged energy. "Next time will be the conclusion of this event, regarding Li Baige's identity, and the An brothers' fate." She spoke softly, gazing at the dangling blue earrings in the black-and-white manga image on her phone screen. She was eagerly anticipating it. ... [Crossover preparation in progress.] [The passage is open. Wishing you to become a high-popularity character and bring new vitality to the manga.] It felt like a long time had passed, but for those in the manga world, it was only an instant. Is the ability attached to the body or the soul? Maybe due to the return of her abilities, the question she pondered in the real world resurfaced with a new insight. The chill crept in, and she found herself in an icy space once more. In the instant she entered the manga world, Li Li freed her leg from the newly formed layer of ice with brute force. The intense pain surged through her neural pathways — was this injury to her soul or her body? Red droplets splattered onto the crystal-clear ice. The ability, Illusory Reality. She intended to transform the illusion of her healthy and intact right leg into reality. Activating her ability, her injured leg was instantly restored as the ability swapped its status upon leaving danger; her ability could amend wounds that resided in the soul. In that moment, she pondered the essence of her ability. Was it her physical shell in the manga world, or her soul that ceaselessly traversed in and out? But amidst the darkness, as though sensing something, the owner of another ability released a trembling, "Who's there?" His ability climbed upwards, drawn by the scent of blood, as if to seize the once warm body. Yet this time, with her entire being fully engaged in combat mode, Li Li gave it no chance to harm her. Her figure vanished from the spot, as ice shards, shaped like triangular prisms, spiraled upwards, occupying the space where Li Li had just been. A great ice wall stood erected, yet it merely shrank the cramped space even more. Simultaneously, Li Li's crimson pupils shifted direction, catching Yue Qing's breathless intensity in the shadows, much like a fish floundering on dry land. "Who... who's there!" His voice had lost its calm, quivering as though overwhelmed by deep fear. Li Li slowly curled her lips into a smile. Thud. The sound of an impact echoed in the tight confines. Thud. The sound came again, rhythmic, accompanied by an underlying hum. Thud. Like footsteps above a ceiling, pounding against the board, though the sound was too close. Almost as if the ceiling above his head were pressing down towards him, getting closer. Yue Qing gasped for air, struggling to breathe as if the air itself had begun to thin. Compressed, sealed, plunged into darkness. The pounding in his ears sounded nearer, amplified, closing in—like a death knell. Even his heartbeat seemed destined to pause there. "Let me out... let me out..." His breath grew erratic. The stairs appeared to warp before his eyes, nearing him. He curled his legs, reaching out as if to grasp the tilted stairs, to clutch the box confining him. "Let me out," he broke down, "Father!" The ice grew wild once more, spreading outwards in a rush. The S-rank ability fell into chaos, emitting what seemed like its final wails but remained trapped in that narrow confines, unable to escape the clutches of darkness. The walls contracted around him, and outside, footsteps resonated like drumbeats, echoing on his heart verging on shutdown. Save me, save me! The blue-haired man opened his mouth, only to muster a wheezing gasp. In a daze, he saw a vision outside the box, the old man long dead, laughing delightedly. And there he remained, languishing in the box, unable to make a sound of despair. He was trapped inside his self-image, inside an inescapable box. And there he would decay completely... ... Yue Qing had a researcher father, under the employ of nobles, researching abilities. He was a mad scientist who would even use his own son for experiments. Ignoring cries and fears, his eyes were only for his experiments and research outcomes. Yue Qing always believed that Le Shan, the illegitimate son, was his father's true son. They shared the same fervor, the same disregard for life, the same... inhumanity. But who did their research serve? In Yue Qing's mind, it benefited only the noble gentlemen. He despised them, resented Le Shan, and sought to become powerful enough to prevent others from dictating his life—to live like a person. Still, he feared confined spaces, and deep within, he felt like a disposable life, one that could easily perish. By a twist of fate, he gained the chance to become a noble. He seized it. With family interests and personal stakes, he had found Le Shan. And thus began his transformation into a noble backing the experiments. It seemed his childhood fears had faded into the past but they hadn’t. In the end, he had returned to that cramped box, as he did when he was a child. But this time, there would be no father opening the box once the experiments ended. ... The ice melted away, and on the cramped staircase, the black-haired youth emerged with an aura of chilling cold. Li Li reached out, clutching at the last wisps of cold. Claustrophobia could induce shock, and she needed merely to send him off completely. Her original straightforward plan had hit a bit of a snag, complicating things ever so slightly. Just a tiny bit more. The blue pendant swayed, and she narrowed her red eyes slightly. She felt as though an epiphany dawned upon her. In the next instant, the ability's waves surged once more, silently and invisibly, breaking through the lingering cold. In the real world, her ability was blocked by the System, yet it wasn't truly absent. It nestled within the depths of her soul, awaiting release upon her arrival in the manga world. The ability, saturating every part of her being, was intricately etched onto her soul. Illusions, falsehoods, bringing the non-existent into being. Deception, lies. She deftly manipulated the pieces on the chessboard, pushing the story towards its climax. She danced on the edge of a knife, seeking the light in moments of desperation. Even in the direst moments, defying the gaps of two ranks, her soul would not yield. She was mad; she knew exactly what she was doing. Becoming stronger, she sought to govern her own life within the manga, to trample any barriers beneath her feet! And at this moment, Illusory Reality responded to her arrogance. Phantasmal images transformed into a multitude of black ravens, swirling through the external skies, soaring thousands of meters beyond. Her conceptual ability, Illusory Reality, had ascended to A-rank.