Chapter 93: Come Toward Me - I Forged Them in Darkness, and They Buried Me in It

### Chapter 93: Come Toward Me Ai Lin was momentarily stunned at the sight of the man who had just walked in. In the next instant, she dashed over with incredible speed. Biting her lip, the girl glared at Luo Xiu with eyes full of hatred, her voice trembling as she asked, "What have you done to Selena..." Luo Xiu was taken aback, "What Selena?" "Stop pretending, tell me where you've taken her..." Ai Lin stared intently at the man before her, who towered over her. Suddenly, her tone softened. Her eyelashes trembled as she pleaded, "Please, let her go. Selena's health is already frail; she can't endure your torture." With a thud, she knelt, her head bowed deeply. "Whatever demands you have, direct them at me. I can satisfy any of your requests." She whispered continuously, "Not Selena, she's much weaker than I am. I'm different, I'm different..." Seeing her humble and pleading demeanor, a flash of unwillingness crossed Luo Xiu's heart. He reached out, attempting to help her up. But the moment he touched her arm, the girl recoiled instinctively, retreating several steps back. Yet, Ai Lin quickly crawled back. This time, she voluntarily took Luo Xiu's hand, suppressing her inner distaste and placed his hand on her arm. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." she murmured in apology. But instead of the man’s imagined strong slap or a kick, there was only a gentle sigh. "I think there's been a misunderstanding." Perhaps worried about frightening her, the man spoke slowly and calmly. Ai Lin lifted her head in confusion. Luo Xiu said, "The girl with you, her name is Selena, right?" "Yes," Ai Lin nodded. "Rest assured," Luo Xiu continued. "I haven't harmed her, let alone tortured her. She was just more badly injured than you, and I had to administer some basic first aid." At this point, Luo Xiu paused, recalling the vicious wound he had seen on the girl while treating her. The wound seemed to have been caused by a sharp weapon, with the flesh torn apart, revealing glimpses of white bone beneath. The most alarming part was that the untreated wound was festering, giving off an unbearable stench. Located on her chest, Luo Xiu was deeply shocked when he removed the black dress to examine the severity of her injuries. Such a grievous injury would have been fatal for an ordinary person long before the second night. But seeing the girl still holding on, despite the wound clearly not being fresh, was undeniably astounding. "Really?!" Light flickered in Ai Lin's eyes as she hurriedly clutched Luo Xiu's sleeve, seeking confirmation. Thankfully, the man confirmed it with a decisive nod. "Really, she's lying in the next room, likely waking up as we speak. If you don't believe me, I can take you to see her now." Upon hearing this, Ai Lin nodded eagerly, unable to sit still. Since being abandoned by her family and left in the wild, Selena was her only remaining family. If anything happened to Selena, Ai Lin could not bear to live on her own. Luo Xiu, observing her eagerness, offered no further words. He initially intended to take her hand and help her up, but recalling her earlier fearful reaction to touch, he halted mid-air. Ai Lin noticed everything, her eyes softly observing. Cautiously, she reached out her hand, placing her small hand in his warm grasp, giving Luo Xiu a fragile smile. Without saying more, Luo Xiu led her towards the end of the corridor. Nothing unexpected occurred along their path. Earlier, Luo Xiu had instructed Anna to ensure all the manor’s servants stayed outside, forbidding entry into the main building without his permission. There were two advantages to this. First, it provided a semblance of concealment. Second, it prevented the two young 'witches' from becoming overly tense. Guided by Luo Xiu, they descended to the first floor, stopping before a room. Luo Xiu opened the door and entered. The room was small, but the decor did not lack opulence. In the center, a rectangular table served temporarily as an 'operating table', brought in by Luo Xiu himself. Of course, he was no surgeon, but basic wound treatment and bandaging were within his capability. The task of healing them required confidentiality. Inviting a professional was out of the question, so Luo Xiu had to act personally. Yet, during the healing process, Luo Xiu discovered something intriguing. When he used the unique holy light of a priest, it worked on the 'witch' just as effectively as it did on an ordinary person. According to the Church’s teachings, witches were born as calamities, enemies of the goddess, and remnants of sin. Why then, did the sacred light, symbolizing the goddess's power, still work on ‘witches’? Furthermore, it was particularly effective. This puzzling question was worth pondering for Luo Xiu. However, the immediate priority was to address the current issue. Clearing his throat, he was about to speak when Ai Lin, no longer restrained, burst forward like an arrow from a bow. To one side of the long table stood a single bed. On the bed lay a weak-breathed girl. She turned her head, eyes a misty gray, her face youthful and innocent—this was the girl Ai Lin had been so worried about, Selena. "Selena, thank goodness you're okay..." Ai Lin rushed forward, tightly embracing the girl on the bed, tears finally spilling over. Moved by her emotion, the usually quiet Selena began sniffing, softly sobbing. "I'm okay, thank you, Ai Lin." Selena gently patted her friend's back, soothing her. However, both girls soon emerged from their emotional reunion. As if waking from a dream, they turned together to face the man standing before them. The man who had once declared he would cage them and administer severe punishment. Right. They were witches. Witches, reviled by all and hunted like disease, harbingers of doom. Even ordinary people delivered blows and kicks at the sight of them, let alone clerical figures who harbored a deep-seated hatred for witches. Though Selena had been unconscious during the events at the church, she identified the man's ecclesiastical garb, a pure white robe symbolizing clerical nobility, revealing his identity. Ai Lin, on the other hand, knew fully well. Even the formidable leader of the witch-hunting squad bowed and scraped before this man. He was not merely a Church member; his rank and status were extraordinarily exceptional! So, why had he chosen to rescue them?