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墨書 Inktalez
Eva noticed the restroom light was off, tucked her number away, and stood up to walk towards Annie, who was exiting the bathroom. Leaning down, she whispered something in Annie's ear. Annie shook her head, and Eva continued walking toward the front of the carriage. Annie returned, and Cui Ming curiously asked, "Where did she go?" He was intrigued about what Eva had said.
Annie smiled broadly, "Brother, don't ask. It's a woman's matter."
"Oh..."
"Why do you believe in the Fire Cult?" Annie asked as she sat down.
"I was originally a follower of the Cult of the Gods. My parents, grandparents—they all were. But seven years ago, when my parents and I were visiting my grandmother in Nordo City from Dawn City, we encountered a maritime disaster. They all passed away."
Annie inquired, "Seven years ago? Was it the Tail Reef Disaster?"
See, that's how you lie—mixing truth with fiction. Cui Ming didn't mention the infamous Tail Reef Disaster directly; instead, he referred to it as happening seven years ago. Anyone listening would be more inclined to believe him. Cui Ming nodded, "That incident claimed over six hundred lives; it was the largest maritime disaster Dawn City had seen in centuries."
Annie remarked, "It was even made into a movie—Iron Tail Reef. Is it true? Did such romantic and pure love really happen on that ship? Were the survivors' stories real?"
Cui Ming chuckled, "How could it be? One survivor suffered trauma and ended up writing a self-indulgent biography for profit and tears. But there's no evidence to prove that the biography is false."
"Brother, what happened next?"
"Of over seven hundred people on board, only sixty-seven survived, thanks to a Fire Cult Nation cargo ship from Sharon City nearby; the crew helped them. I was one of those survivors. Afterward, my grandmother took me to thank them; they said it was God's will. I was sixteen at the time and began to wonder if all the prejudice against the Fire Cult was unfounded. So I started researching it and discovered its kindness and greatness."
"You haven't gone through baptism yet, have you?"
"No. Before my pilgrimage, I planned to walk from Twilight City to Sharon City to become a true believer."
Annie seemed quite moved and said, "I'll accompany you."
"Really?" Wow, are we that close? Offering kindness for no reason—there must be some ulterior motive.
"Yes, walking to the Holy Mountain is the best way to express our devotion," Annie replied. "My parents once took me from West Lake City to the Holy Mountain on foot. I still remember the way, and I want to walk it again."
Well... this lie isn't very convincing. After all, it's a fabricated background, and I have to consider whether Eva will slip up when she returns. This little girl is either innocent or has a dark heart. We'll see. If she's innocent, then I'm sorry; I have something to ask you. If she has a dark heart, then I'm even more sorry...
The conditions for both of them are the same; Cui Ming's identity could potentially be uncovered by Annie, and Annie's identity could be suspected by Cui Ming. However, there is one distinction: Cui Ming doesn't believe his lies can fool Annie, so he's prepared for various outcomes. On the other hand, Annie believes her identity won't be questioned by Cui Ming. Knowing oneself and knowing the enemy—that's the advantage.
However, Cui Ming feels quite perplexed about how he just happened to encounter a Fire Cult Practitioner. Previously, finding a Fire Cult Practitioner was like searching for a needle in a haystack... Could it be that his luck is so good that he stumbled right into their lair? Perhaps this seemingly innocent little girl is planning to bring a group to deal with him, and he might end up crushing all the Fire Cult Practitioners?
Do not doubt Cui Ming's strength; according to his plan, he would pull in Xiaomi, capture Jayce, and then Jayce would bring in the Ye Family... Heh, as for how this matter would develop or conclude, Cui Ming couldn't be bothered to think about the cause and effect. If things go awry, he could just slip away. In other words, Cui Ming isn't even sure what Annie's situation really is right now. He only sees an opportunity brought by Annie; since there's an opportunity, he can't let it slip away.
...
A day later, the three of them got off at a station fifty kilometers from Twilight City. Twilight City isn't by the sea; it connects to the ocean through canals, so they could choose either a boat or a car to reach Twilight City. Over three hundred kilometers west of Twilight City lies the border between Twilight City and Sharon City, which is also where the Holy Mountain is located.
Annie was very obedient along the way; she didn't oppose any of Cui Ming's arrangements. The three of them checked into a hotel in Twilight City and planned to walk to the Holy Mountain the next day. Naturally, they chose an unpopulated straight path and used their Force User abilities.
In the dead of night, Eva quietly slipped into Cui Ming's room only to find him awake, poring over several maps under a desk lamp by the window. Eva closed the door and remarked, "I now realize that behind every intelligent person lies untold hard work."
"What about Annie?"
"I've placed surveillance guards in her room; her every move won't escape my eyes. Have you checked your room? Don't get caught off guard."
Cui Ming replied, "I've confirmed that there are no surveillance guards or anything with Force fluctuations in this room. There are many points along this route where we could ambush Annie or possibly be ambushed by her instead. After all these years in the cultivation world, haven't you heard of anyone named Annie?"
Eva shook her head. "Maybe you're overthinking it; she's just an ordinary Fire Cult girl."
"I can assure you she's definitely not ordinary."
"My people sent back news that those from Blackwood City are still on their way. However, Annie purchased train tickets that were booked three days ago from West Lake City to Twilight City. She couldn't have anticipated that we would take this train. One thing seems suspicious: I believe Annie is at least not a devout Fire Cultist." Eva said, "Before bed, I chatted with her and noticed she avoided discussing some Fire Cult customs. I don't think she resembles a typical Fire Cult member."
Cui Ming pondered for a moment before asking, "Have you contacted Raefus or Jayce?"
Eva nodded. "Yellen and Jayce happened to be at the palace. They initially refused me, but I had no choice but to explain the situation, saying that Wandering had sent us to investigate. They agreed and contacted Raefus a few hours ago. As for the few others, they only managed to get in touch with Mi Xiaoji, who readily agreed and also contacted Raefus through our people."
"That's about it—Yellen, Jayce, Mi Xiaoji, along with us," Cui Ming said as he laid out the map. He looked at Eva and added, "I hope we're really that lucky to catch the Fire Cult practitioners all in one go."
Eva asked, "What do we do after we interrogate Annie and get information about the Fire Cult Practitioners? Do we kill her to silence her?"
"You'll handle that yourself, but I must remind you that Wandering is keeping an eye on this matter. If you decide to kill her, Wandering might have objections. I think it's better if you hand her over to Wandering."
Eva sighed. "Ever since teaming up with you, things have changed. You've lost that fresh feeling; it feels like I'm your subordinate now."
Cui Ming smiled. "Why bother worrying about such things?"
The next day, they set off, taking a vehicle to the outskirts of Twilight City. Following the map, they began walking along a sparsely populated path. As they entered a truly desolate area, Annie displayed signs of anxiety, frequently glancing back as if waiting for someone or sensing that someone was following her.
By three in the afternoon, the three took a temporary rest outside Cock's Comb Mountain. After crossing Cock's Comb Mountain, they would be just over a hundred kilometers from Holy Mountain. This route was not discovered by them; it was an eastern road used during the cold weapon era when Sharon City attacked Twilight City from the northeast. It was the closest straight-line distance to Twilight City and a perilous path for ambushing enemies.
They rested by a small creek at the foot of Cock's Comb Mountain, where dense trees provided shade from the sun as their leaves swayed in the breeze. Eva sat on a rock, focused on grooming her nails while Annie sat beside her, having taken off her shoes and socks. Her delicate white feet splashed in the creek water as she absentmindedly looked around.
It was time to make a move. This break was Annie's only request throughout their journey; she had been obediently trusting of both of them until they reached this area when she asked for a moment's rest. Cui Ming appeared to be checking items in his backpack but was actually adjusting his walkie-talkie to a specific channel, pressing it repeatedly to emit rhythmic static noises. Cui Ming felt confident; nearly three years of training in the desert had given him overwhelming advantages against insects.
With the Fate Card in hand, he could clearly sense any fluctuations in Force within range—an ambush? What ambush?
At that moment, Annie, who had been chatting, asked, "Brother, Sister, are you really practitioners of the Fire Cult?"
Eva nodded. "Of course we are. Why do you ask?"
"I think you are good people."
There seemed to be more behind her words. Eva inquired further, "And then?"
Annie had not yet answered, and Eva felt her feet tighten as an invisible rope shot up from the ground, quickly wrapping around her body. Turning her head, she saw Cui Ming, just like herself, bound by an unseen tether.
Cui Ming was taken aback, unable to sense any fluctuations of force. How had he fallen into this trap? What was happening?
Annie flipped backward, landing on a large rock several meters away, her body enveloped in flames as she silently observed the two. Suddenly, a figure flew out from the forest, landing on a branch at the outer edge before dropping down to a spot fifty meters away from Cui Ming. It was a man dressed in standard black ninja attire, his face concealed except for his eyes. He formed hand seals, continuously changing his gestures.
"What is this?" Cui Ming asked, realizing he was caught in some sort of ninja trap beyond his perception.
"Shadow Bind," the ninja replied.
"Who are you?" Cui Ming inquired.
"Balance Sect."
"What?" Cui Ming looked at Eva, who shook her head; she had never heard of them.
Eva glanced back at Cui Ming, who nodded. She smiled slightly and then activated Dark Frenzy, instantly breaking free from her bindings and rushing toward the ninja.
"Be careful, come back!" Cui Ming shouted. Without hesitation, Eva pivoted to the side, leaping and bounding out of the shadow's range. At the edge of the trees, a Masked Red-Haired Woman suddenly emerged from the shadows, wielding a sickle and watching Eva from thirty meters away.
Eva remained on guard but watched as the Masked Woman launched dozens of black beads into the air above her. The beads exploded, releasing a thick cloud of smoke that enveloped a large area. The Masked Woman disappeared into the mist. (To be continued.)
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