After leaving the game area of the Human Monkeys, my expression was icy, and I didn’t say a word.
I was indeed a little angry.
“Ouch…” Jiang Ruoxue gave me a bitter smile. “What’s wrong? I just wanted to take a look. There’s no danger.”
“I don’t understand,” I said coldly. “We’ve done enough for him. At the end of the day, we’re just ‘participants.’ Now you want to help him retrieve the ‘seed’—the one growing behind cold iron walls, nurtured by ‘plastic roses.’ Even if you can take it, will it ever sprout?!”
“I’ll assess the situation first, then decide what to do,” Jiang Ruoxue replied. “If I see the ’cause and effect,’ I’ll take the ‘flower’ and the ‘seed.’ If all I see is the iron walls, I’ll let both the ‘flower’ and the ‘seed’ wither.”
“But it’s dangerous,” I said urgently. “You’ve heard about the iron walls… It’s not like here. Even a stranger might face danger for no reason.”
“What can they do to me?” Jiang Ruoxue asked dismissively. “The worst that happens is I die in the iron walls. But my home is here—I’ll just come back. So there’s nothing to worry about.”
“That’s not the point…” I shook my head. “Ruoxue, even if you come back after death, what if the ‘iron walls’ assimilate you? What if your thoughts become part of them? Let me go with you. With me there, no one can touch us, no matter how many they are.”
“No need.” Jiang Ruoxue patted my shoulder. “Zhichun, no one can ever assimilate my thoughts because I do whatever I want and never listen to others. Just wait here for Bai Yang. My trip might take days—what if he shows up while I’m gone?”
“But…”
“And I don’t need some meticulous plan,” she added. “Like I said, I’ll go with the flow. If I like the flower and the seed, I’ll figure something out. If it doesn’t feel right, I’ll just leave.”
I thought about it. She wasn’t wrong. The worst-case scenario was her dying there, but we always come back. And her mind was so free-spirited… Brainwashing her would take real effort.
“Who knows? Maybe the ‘seed’ we bring back will one day become Bai Yang’s ally,” Jiang Ruoxue said with a smile. “When he returns, wouldn’t it be great if he found a few more strong fighters here to help him?”
After a long silence, I finally nodded in agreement.
Just before leaving, she suddenly turned back. “Oh, Zhichun… There’s something I need your help with.”
“Since when do we need to ask for ‘help’ between us?” I sighed. “Just say it.”
“How do I put this…” She thought for a moment. “Remember your old method of ‘probing the future’?”
Jiang Ruoxue seemed to be referring to something from long ago, but I still had a vague memory. After she cast ’cause and effect’ on me, I often used members of the ‘Extreme Path’ to ‘probe the future.’
“I remember,” I said. “But I haven’t used that method in a while.”
“I have,” Jiang Ruoxue said.
“Huh?”
“Not long ago, I followed your logic and cast that ’cause and effect’ on myself. Then I tested it on an interesting girl I met on the street and eventually invited her into the ‘Extreme Path.'” She sighed. “I’m a little worried about her. Can you help me look after her?”
“A girl…?” I nodded. “Sure, how old is she?”
“A twenty-four-year-old girl. According to her, she’s 172 cm tall, weighs 75 kg, loves fitness, and is a combat coach.” Jiang Ruoxue chuckled. “You’ll be shocked when you see her.”
I was speechless.
“You call that a ‘girl’?”
“What’s wrong with that?” Jiang Ruoxue shrugged. “No matter how strong or muscular she is, she’s still a girl—she’s not even twenty-four yet.”
She clearly didn’t see the problem.
“Ruoxue, I’m a senior in college,” I said. “Before coming here, I was looking for an internship. Guess how old I am?”
The air fell silent for three seconds.
“Oh…” Jiang Ruoxue looked slightly embarrassed. “I almost forgot… Zhichun, you’re the little girl here. It’s just that you’re always so smart—I keep thinking of you as the big sister.”
“You—” I was fuming. “Fine. Just tell me about this ‘girl.’ With her build, it looks like three or five people couldn’t even get near her. Why does she need me to take care of her?”
“It’s a long story. First, she has bipolar disorder and needs daily medication. Otherwise, she becomes extremely aggressive.” Jiang Ruoxue sighed. “When she has an episode, she turns obsessive, impulsive, and violent…”
“So what…?” I still didn’t get it. “Even if she has bipolar disorder, that’s her problem. This is actual violence—not my specialty. If she really goes all out against someone… how am I supposed to protect her?”
“It’s not about fighting for her,” Jiang Ruoxue said. “That’s the least of my worries. She has excellent combat skills and a ‘resonance’ suited for battle. Even if she snaps and tries to kill someone, hardly anyone could stop her.”
“Then what’s the point of me going to her?”
“I’m just afraid she’ll lose her memories.” Jiang Ruoxue paused. “Do you know how I ‘probed the future’?”
“How?”
“I told her a complete lie. I said, ‘One day, you’ll meet someone who can change this place—and you’ll bring them the deepest despair.'”
I swallowed hard. Though we both ‘probed the future,’ Jiang Ruoxue’s words were far bolder than mine.
“And she… believed that?” I asked skeptically.
“Absolutely,” she said. “That’s why I suspect that as long as you stay with her, you’ll eventually find Bai Yang.”
“So that’s why you want me to look after her…” I nodded. “I just need to make sure she never forgets she’s part of the ‘Extreme Path,’ right?”
“Exactly.” Jiang Ruoxue smiled. “With you handling this, I can relax. The girl’s name is Lu Xiaoxiao. Honestly, you don’t need to worry—she’s very kind and gentle when she’s not having an episode.”
“And how often is she not having an episode?”
“Not often.”
We stared at each other in silence. I really wanted to hit her.
After telling me the places Xiaoxiao frequented, she set off for ‘Jade City.’
I always thought she was immune to brainwashing. But when she returned, it was as if she had become a completely different person.
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