RoCD Chapter 72

They had gone too far.

In truth, the disappearances of the previous Saintesses had made Na Lian wary. But how could she ever have imagined that the Saintesses were actually being killed by the priests?

With a single thought, the priests in their pure white robes all collapsed to the ground in pain. Wuyou watched, relishing the sight, and pulled the oblivious Youyou into her embrace.

It’s not enough.

How could this possibly be enough?

To only endure this much pain… was letting them off far too easily.

Gently resting her head on Youyou’s shoulder, the female ghost appreciated the performance of the Temple Master and the priests with great relish. Her pitch-black pupils gradually became tinged with blood-red.

“Ahhh—”

The excruciating pain sent the Temple Master and the priests into endless wails. They pleaded mournfully with Saintess Na Lian, but just as they had once been able to execute the Saintesses with hearts as calm as still water, the female ghost would naturally not be moved to mercy.

Moreover, she endured the burning pain of the karmic fire every single moment. If not for the powerful resentment supporting her, her soul would have long since been scattered to the winds.

Clinging tightly to the young girl, the female ghost desperately craved this warmth.

She stuck out her red tongue and licked the little lady’s earlobe, her expression mournful as she murmured, “My lady, Wuyou is in so much pain.”

Once upon a time, Na Lian had also been a beautiful and kind woman.

She was an orphan, taken in and raised by the Temple from a young age. Although there were many other candidate Saintesses training alongside her, Na Lian was naturally intelligent, and it wasn’t long before the priests took her away to teach her personally. And Na Lian did not disappoint their hopes.

Her holy power was the strongest of any Saintess in history.

In the beginning, Saintess Na Lian was a true and devout believer. Every day she stayed by the god’s statue, prayed to the god, and listened to the prayers of the many faithful.

It was just that there were too many believers, and their sufferings and requests were exceedingly numerous. The memories from all that listening gradually accumulated to a horrifying extent.

Na Lian was inevitably affected.

At that time, Na Lian was terrified. She prayed for the god to help her, prayed for the god to help her cope with those negative emotions, but it was useless. The god simply ignored her.

She struggled bitterly amidst despair, pain, enmity, and hatred. The negative emotions of the faithful nearly drowned her, and she almost lost herself completely.

The moment she turned her back on the god, Na Lian felt utterly liberated.

For she was startled to realize that the god was extremely selfish and miserly.

No matter how much suffering she endured, even if she went mad or died for it, the god would remain unmoved. And this was a point that the Wuyou of today understood even more deeply.

Just as now, when she had turned the entire Holy City into a City of the Dead, the god still had not appeared. And the countless desperate prayers of the Temple Master and the priests were also ignored.

It had to be said, Wuyou was very satisfied with this outcome.

Because, at least, the god was impartial.

That kept him from disgusting her completely.

The unique, faint fragrance of the girl drifted past her nose and into her spirit sea, and the female ghost suddenly lost all interest in the gruesome scene before her.

Lifting the girl into a princess carry, she left the Holy Temple. After a moment’s thought, she arrived at a verdant mountain within the Holy City, one covered in blooming peach blossoms.

Her idea was a fine one.

She would take the young lady and tour the entire Holy City, over and over. Even though the little lady would lose her memory, she herself would always remember.

Furthermore, she would protect the little lady very, very well, and not let anything else bully her. And no matter if she was human or ghost, she would love her, always and unchangingly.

Unable to resist, she kissed the little lady’s lips. The female ghost extended her bright red tongue, probing inside while secretly releasing the control spell.

“My lady wife.”

Her sorrowful and intimate voice made Youyou’s heart clench. She stared blankly at Wuyou, who was now inches away, only to find that in her eyes, there was no reflection of herself.

Mm… Hmm?

Surprised, Youyou wanted to say something, but faced with what seemed like the little lady’s initiative, how could the female ghost possibly let the opportunity pass?

Her tongue hooked the little girl’s, playing teasingly in her mouth. The female ghost’s face was tinged with a faint red, her ink-black hair moved without a wind, and a few wisps of ghostly energy even drifted out.

“Mmph.”

Her pupils shrank in terror. Youyou stared at Wuyou, at the black smoke rising from her dark hair, and frantically called out to Xixi with her thoughts: ‘Xixi, Xixi! Wuyou isn’t human!’

Although Youyou was very foolish and naive, she had indeed noticed that something was wrong with Wuyou. Timidly allowing Wuyou to kiss her, Youyou’s entire body went rigid, and a sudden chill rose in her heart.

[Why would the host think that? Don’t you think Wuyou is very beautiful?]

In the system space, Xixi, hearing its host’s cry, was genuinely surprised. Since when did my innocent and naive little host become so perceptive? But it was not a good time to admit the truth, so Xixi could only evade the question.

‘She has no pupils. Her eyes are just black voids. It’s terrifying.’

It was like being stared at by a dead thing; Wuyou’s gaze held not a trace of warmth. Youyou felt a bone-deep cold, and she could even smell the scent of rot.

“My lady, what’s wrong?”

Sensing that something was wrong with Youyou, the female ghost gently withdrew her tongue.

She followed Youyou’s gaze to look at herself, then smiled softly. “Oh, so that’s what it is. For a moment, Wuyou was wondering what was wrong with my lady.”

The smile at the corners of her lips grew wider. The female ghost gave Youyou a troubled sidelong glance. “It’s all my lady’s fault. Wuyou could have controlled herself perfectly fine, but who could help it when my lady tastes so exquisite? Wuyou just got a little carried away and lost focus.”

This was the truth.

From the moment she met this person, Wuyou found herself caring more and more about her.

Initially, she could wantonly scare and tease her, and even watch without batting an eye as she was burned to death by the fire of heavenly punishment. But now, Wuyou’s heart ached just thinking about it.

Looking aggrieved, Wuyou bit her pale pink lip. She suppressed the ghostly energy that was overflowing from her body and asked Youyou, feigning confusion, “Is my lady very scared?”

From the memories of the past, Wuyou of course knew that Youyou was very scared. But she also knew just as clearly that Youyou was super, super easy to deceive.

Sure enough, seeing her obedient, delicate, and beautiful appearance, the little girl’s heart softened, and she even let out a small sigh of relief.

Inwardly, she found it hilarious, but on the surface, Wuyou still maintained a posture of innocent and pure kindness. She knew the little lady was very timid, although when it came to coveting beauty, her courage was exceptionally great.

A look of hurt flashed across her bewitchingly beautiful face. Wuyou looked at Youyou reproachfully and said, “Wuyou has never harmed my lady. Why would my lady be afraid of Wuyou?”

“Could it be… just because Wuyou is not a human, but a ghost?”

Youyou: …

To have her guess confirmed by the person in question… Youyou’s heart skipped half a beat.

Swallowing almost imperceptibly, Youyou should have been scared, but she found that Wuyou was just too beautiful, not at all like the vengeful ghosts from the rumors. She was more beautiful than many humans.

“Y-you’re a good ghost, right?”

She cautiously sought confirmation from Wuyou. As someone with a proper and upright upbringing[mfn]((根正苗红的五好子弟): The original text uses two idioms here. 根正苗红 (gēnzhèngmiáohóng) is a political term from Maoist China literally meaning “red roots and a proper seedling,” used to describe someone from a good (proletarian) background with the correct ideology. In modern, non-political contexts, it means someone who is wholesome and has a strong moral compass. 五好子弟 (wǔ hǎo zǐdì) means “Five-Good Youth,” another term for an exemplary young person.)[/mfn], Youyou really didn’t want Wuyou to be the kind of bad ghost who kills people.

“Of course Wuyou is a good ghost! What is my lady saying?”

Nodding without the slightest bit of shame, Wuyou gave Youyou a sweet smile, her pearly white teeth glinting with a moist luster in the sunlight, looking especially beautiful. “Wuyou has never harmed anyone. Even when I was alive, I was a rare good person, you know.”

No… I was probably just a big idiot.

Opening her arms, she pulled the little girl back into her embrace. Wuyou soothingly stroked the little girl’s back, sweet nothings flowing from her lips with practiced ease.

“So my lady doesn’t need to be afraid. Wuyou would never hurt my lady.”

“Wuyou is overflowing with love for my lady enough as it is.”

“I wish I could hold my lady in my mouth[mfn]((恨不得将娘子含在嘴里): This line comes from a longer Chinese idiom: 含在嘴里怕化了，捧在手里怕摔了 (hán zài zuǐ lǐ pà huàle, pěng zài shǒulǐ pà shuāile), meaning “afraid it will melt if held in the mouth, afraid it will break if held in the hands.” It describes cherishing someone with extreme, delicate care. However, by using only the first part, and in the context of Wuyou speaking to her “food,” the phrase takes on a deeply possessive and slightly predatory double meaning.)[/mfn].”

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