“She’s a silver-haired, busty girl, and you really like her,” Shi Qianla said calmly.
“But because Her Highness sealed your memories with magic, you can’t recall anything about her no matter how hard you try.”
Aiya furrowed her brow, falling silent.
The name felt incredibly familiar, yet she couldn’t grasp it, as if an invisible force blocked her memories.
“If you don’t believe me, try tapping into this power,” Shi Qianla suggested, extending her right hand.
An inky-green vine slithered out like a snake, exuding a Dark Fall aura that startled Aiya.
Almost instinctively, Aiya summoned a black flame in her hand.
The flame, which should have burned everything, merged seamlessly with the vine, both emanating a kindred aura, clearly from the same source.
“What is this?” Aiya said, stunned by the dark, corrupt energy.
“I… I’m a Holy Knight of the Goddess, so why do I have this dark power…?”
Shi Qianla was also taken aback.
Though she had anticipated this, witnessing a devout Holy Knight wield such dark, fallen flames sent a jolt through her.
What had Little White done to Aiya?
“Calm down. This is the ‘Dark Fall power’ Little White left in us,” Shi Qianla explained patiently.
“I don’t know how a Chosen of the Goddess like you got corrupted, but it proves you’re on Little White’s side.”
Aiya’s hand trembled violently, fragments of memories growing clearer in her mind, yet still elusive.
“Where is Little White?” she asked, her instincts telling her that seeing Little White would unravel everything.
“Little White was taken by the Grand Archbishop of Judgment,” Shi Qianla said, gazing toward the Judgment Church.
“You’re part of the Judgment Church, so you should know where she’s being held. We need to save her.”
Aiya took a deep breath, her voice heavy.
“If Taoxia herself captured her, she’s likely in the deepest level of the Underground Prison.”
“Then let’s go find her!”
“No. Besides Taoxia, no one else has the authority to access her prisoners—not even me, a Chosen,” Aiya said.
“That’s tricky. That cat-eared loli isn’t exactly lenient,” Shi Qianla muttered, racking her brain for allies.
Finally, a voluptuous, mature figure came to mind.
“Only an archbishop can deal with an archbishop,” Shi Qianla said, looking up sharply. “I’ll go to the Church of Nature and ask Sistana for help.”
“I…” Aiya sighed, shaking her head. “I won’t go. I still have too many questions. I want to visit the church and ask the Goddess.”
***
Fueled by Viki’s machinations, news of the Priest Hero’s impending trial spread like wildfire through the Royal Capital.
People were shocked that the “hero” who recently defeated the Slime Queen was now branded a sinner by the Judgment Church.
Some gloated, certain Bai Yue Ling deserved it, while others worried for her safety.
***
“Boss, great news!”
In a leveling zone outside the Royal Capital, Xuejianhua, dragging her massive scythe, ran excitedly to Xueyu.
“The Priest Hero was nabbed by the Judgment Church! Her trial’s in a few hours!”
Thud!
Xueyu, expressionless, punched a snarling demonic wolf, sending it flying.
[System: Congratulations, you’ve reached level 16.]
Wiping blood from her armored gauntlet, Xueyu asked, “Trial? You mean they’re dropping her one level?”
“One level? Ha!” Xuejianhua laughed. “They’ll strip all her levels, killing her repeatedly until she’s back to level 1!”
“Zeroed out?” Xueyu raised an eyebrow.
“Yup! And then she’s off to the Scorching Rock Mines for a year of labor. Players who spawned there say it’s a living hell!” Xuejianhua’s face was alight with schadenfreude.
“Serves her right for messing with Blood Era!”
Imagining the arrogant, busty girl suffering, Xuejianhua’s grin stretched ear to ear, barely containing her laughter.
But awkwardly, Xueyu remained stone-faced, not a hint of amusement on her face.
“Boss… why aren’t you laughing?” Xuejianhua’s smile faltered, and she coughed awkwardly.
Note to self: Check the boss’s mood before laughing next time.
Sensing the awkwardness, Xuejianhua changed the subject.
“By the way, Boss, didn’t we pass Third Princess’s test? Why aren’t we meeting her?”
Xueyu looked at her impassively. “You think we won?”
“Huh?” Xuejianhua scratched her head. “We… didn’t?”
“The Priest Hero beat the Slime Queen, while we only took down her avatar,” Xueyu said coldly.
“I’m not shameless enough to claim we beat her.”
Though the test was to clear the dungeon, Xueyu’s pride demanded more.
“If the Priest Hero’s levels are really zeroed, this game’s gonna get boring,” Xueyu said, narrowing her eyes. “I want a fair fight with her.”
***
On an unassuming street in the Royal Capital, Silver Fang emerged slowly.
Behind her, the Shopkeeper in a white lab coat nagged, “Be careful next time.
After this upgrade, your defense is about three times stronger, so you won’t break as easily.”
“Thanks,” Silver Fang said, flexing her limbs.
Now nearly 2.5 meters tall, her armor was thicker, packed with new functions and adorned with cyan paint, boosting her combat power significantly.
She was now a true pay-to-win warrior—courtesy of Princess’s gold.
“After Little White beat the Slime Queen, I got some experience and hit level 15… but what now?”
Opening her friend list, she saw Shadow Night and Princess offline, but Priest Hero was still active.
Then, she overheard passersby talking: “Heard about it? The Priest Hero got nabbed by the Judgment Church.”
“Yeah, trial’s in two hours.”
“Top player at level 19, zeroed out and sent to the mines. Brutal.”
Silver Fang frowned, intercepting the two.
“Excuse me, can you tell me more about the Priest Hero?”
Startled by the towering figure, they spilled everything they knew.
Learning the full story, Silver Fang’s frown deepened.
“Little White was caught by the Judgment Church?”
The Judgment Church was one of World of Fate’s most powerful factions, rumored to be filled with fanatics obsessed with inflicting maximum pain with minimal effort.
For a delicate, sharp-tongued, busty girl like Bai Yue Ling, who feared big-sister torment, this was her worst nightmare!
“I have to save her, but… how?”
After long thought, Silver Fang pulled a black ring from her inventory.
Her armored hand opened, slipping the Ring of the Dead onto her white finger.
[Danqing: Can anyone help? A friend of mine was taken by the Judgment Church. They say she’ll be tried tonight, have her levels zeroed, and be sent to the mines for labor.]
[Crimson: Pfft… who’s that unlucky? Spill the tea, let us laugh.]
[Danqing: Her name’s Priest Hero.]
[Mohei: ?]