Chapter 73: Everyone Who Should’ve Come Has Come—Along with Those Who Shouldn’t Have

“I’m so happy—!”

Niaoniao’s voice was muffled against Linlin’s shoulder. 

It sounded stuffy, yet it couldn’t hide the joy that was practically overflowing.

Linlin was being held so tightly she felt like she was about to be squeezed into Niaoniao’s body.

She secretly glanced to the side.

Ruan Yuan was still standing on one of the massive tentacles, holding the unconscious Xiran in her arms and looking in their direction.

Her expression was a little complicated.

Linlin quickly looked away.

Now wasn’t the time to think about that.

She lifted her head and gazed at the sky.

The several-thousand-meter-tall [Envious Witch Avatar] still stood there motionless. 

Its enormous arms were spread wide, as if embracing something or waiting for something. 

But because Xiran had lost consciousness, it had stopped moving. 

It simply stood there quietly like a massive statue.

The sea of enormous spider lilies blanketed the entire ruins. The bright red flowers glistened under the morning light.

On the horizon, the sun was rising. 

Golden-red rays spread from the sea line, illuminating the spider lilies, the gigantic witch avatar, and the devastated city ruins.

It was beautiful.

The thought popped into Linlin’s mind.

Even though everything was a mess and she was still being tightly hugged by Niaoniao, the scene really was stunning.

“Linlin.”

Niaoniao’s voice came from beside her ear.

Linlin snapped back to reality.

“Hm?”

Niaoniao loosened her hold slightly and looked at her. 

Those eyes were sparkling, filled with light.

Then she reached out her hand.

Resting in her palm was a ring.

It was small and delicate, woven from the stems of spider lilies. 

The petals were still attached, bright red and trembling slightly in the morning light.

“This is…”

Linlin was stunned.

Niaoniao didn’t speak. 

She gently lifted Linlin and placed her on a massive spider lily petal.

The petal was soft and swayed gently, like standing on water.

Linlin wobbled for a moment before steadying herself.

Then she saw—

Niaoniao knelt on one knee before her.

She knelt on the bright red petal, looking up at her.

Morning light shone from behind her, softly outlining her figure. 

Her short white hair fluttered slightly in the wind, revealing that gentle, serious face.

“Linlin.”

Niaoniao’s voice was soft but clear.

“This is my life and everything I have.”

She paused.

“Whether on this shore or the other.”

“I will always stay by your side, Linlin.”

“Protecting you.”

She raised the spider lily ring.

Holding it up in front of Linlin.

“This is my promise to you.”

Linlin stared at the ring, her mind going blank.

This…

Was this a proposal?

This had to be a proposal!

She had just been worrying about whether she was being scummy, and now she was getting proposed to?

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something.

But Niaoniao had already taken her right hand gently and slipped the ring onto her ring finger.

The movement was light and slow, as if performing a sacred ritual.

The moment the ring was placed on her finger—

It disappeared.

Linlin froze.

She raised her hand and shook it.

Her finger was empty.

“Huh?”

She shook it again.

Still nothing.

“Where did it go?”

Niaoniao stood up. Seeing Linlin’s silly reaction, she smiled.

“It’s still there,” 

she said.

“You just can’t see it anymore.”

“It will stay with you forever, Linlin.”

“Forever.”

Forever.

Linlin stared at her finger, her mind still spinning.

What kind of black technology was this?

No, black magic?

She looked up, wanting to ask more.

But before she could speak, a voice came from behind her.

“Linlin.”

Linlin turned her head.

Ruan Yuan stood at the edge of the petal, still holding the unconscious Xiran in her arms.

She had deactivated her [Full Expansion] state. 

The broken halo above her head had vanished. 

The white light in her eyes had faded back to their normal black color. 

The patterns on her chest had dimmed, and the spinning red energy blades around her were gone.

She was back to being the usual, slightly twisted Ruan Yuan.

Except she was covered in injuries. Her clothes were tattered, and there were bloodstains on her face.

She looked at Linlin.

Then at the spot behind Linlin where Niaoniao had knelt.

Her expression was complicated.

“Ruan Yuan…”

Linlin began.

But before she could finish, Niaoniao moved.

She pulled Linlin behind her protectively, shielding her.

Her eyes stared warily at Ruan Yuan and the small black figure in her arms.

“Who are you!”

Her voice turned cold.

“Why are you approaching Linlin!”

Ruan Yuan was taken aback.

She looked at Niaoniao’s protective stance, then at Linlin peeking out from behind her with half her head showing.

What was going on?

She didn’t recognize her?

Linlin was also stunned.

Right.

Niaoniao didn’t know Ruan Yuan.

They had never met before.

Niaoniao also didn’t recognize the shrunken Xiran.

In her eyes, these were two strangers who had suddenly appeared next to Linlin.

Linlin quickly slipped out from behind Niaoniao and grabbed her hand.

“Niaoniao, Niaoniao, don’t be nervous!”

she said.

“They’re not enemies!”

“They’re my friends!”

Niaoniao turned to look at her.

“Friends?”

“Mm-hmm!” Linlin nodded rapidly. “They really are friends!”

Niaoniao stared at her for a few seconds.

Then she slowly relaxed.

But she still didn’t lower her guard completely, remaining half a step in front of Linlin, shielding her.

Ruan Yuan looked at her with a slightly speechless expression.

She spoke.

“You’re Jiang Niaoniao?”

Niaoniao looked at her.

“You know me?”

“Of course I do,” Ruan Yuan said. “Aren’t you the one… who gave Linlin massages?”

Niaoniao’s expression changed.

“You’re Ruan Yuan?”

“The one who was exposed for bullying Linlin and then got expelled?”

Ruan Yuan: “…”

The way she phrased it sounded so awkward.

“Yes,” she replied.

Niaoniao’s expression became even more wary.

“What are you doing here!”

Her voice grew cold.

“Are you here to take revenge on Linlin?!”

The moment the words left her mouth, dark red magic power began surging around her. 

Shadow tendrils emerged from behind her once more.

Ruan Yuan quickly raised her hands.

“Stop, stop, stop!”

she said.

“I’m not here for revenge!”

“I’m here to help Linlin!”

Niaoniao didn’t believe her.

She continued to stand in front of Linlin, the shadow tendrils still out.

Linlin panicked.

She slipped out from behind Niaoniao again and grabbed her hand.

“Niaoniao, Niaoniao, it’s true!”

“Ruan Yuan is a good person!”

“She just saved me earlier!”

Niaoniao turned to look at her, as if verifying the claim.

Linlin nodded vigorously.

“Really!”

Niaoniao stared at her for several seconds.

Then she slowly withdrew the shadow tendrils.

But she still didn’t fully relax.

She simply stood beside Linlin, watching Ruan Yuan warily.

Ruan Yuan sighed.

She looked at Linlin with an expression that said, You handle this.

A semi-transparent blue panel appeared in front of her.

It was the friend chat.

[Linlin, you’re the only one who can explain this to her.]

[Tell her about our plan.]

[She only seems to listen to you.]

Linlin glanced at the panel.

Then at Niaoniao.

Niaoniao was staring at Ruan Yuan like she was a thief.

Linlin took a deep breath.

“Niaoniao.”

She began.

Niaoniao immediately turned to her.

“Hm?”

“Could you… help me with something?”

Niaoniao looked at her.

Her eyes instantly softened.

“Help you, Linlin?”

“Mm.”

“No matter what it is, I’ll help.”

Her voice was gentle and soft.

“As long as it’s something you need, Linlin.”

“I’ll make it happen.”

Looking at how serious she was, Linlin suddenly felt a pang in her heart.

She knew why Niaoniao had gone berserk.

Because of jealousy.

Because she wanted to take her back.

Because she liked her.

And now she needed to use that affection.

She needed her to help “deal with” Xiran’s memories.

She needed her to help put on a performance.

Was she taking advantage of Niaoniao’s feelings?

Linlin wasn’t sure.

But she knew this was the only way.

She took a deep breath.

“Niaoniao, can you help me… erase or modify Xiran’s past memories?”

Niaoniao paused.

“Xiran?”

She turned to look at the small black figure in Ruan Yuan’s arms.

The girl was unconscious, leaning against Ruan Yuan. 

Her black hair fell across half her face.

She looked small, soft, and just like an ordinary child.

“She’s Xiran?”

There was surprise in Niaoniao’s voice.

“Mm.”

Linlin nodded.

“That’s her.”

Niaoniao stared at the small figure for several seconds.

Then she spoke.

“Linlin, I can help you modify her memories.”

She paused.

“But is there something else you want me to do?”

Linlin was stunned.

“How did you know…”

“When you said ‘erase or modify,’ your expression looked hesitant.”

Niaoniao looked at her.

“There must be more.”

Linlin fell silent.

She did have more to ask.

“It’s just…”

Her voice was small.

“I also need you to… help me play house.”

Niaoniao tilted her head.

“Play house?”

“Mm.”

Linlin nodded.

“Act out… a family.”

She pointed at the unconscious Xiran.

“Her family was really bad when she was little.”

“Her dad beat her, her grandma cursed at her, and her grandpa looked at her with strange eyes.”

“Her mom died from domestic violence.”

“She never had a normal family life.”

As Niaoniao listened, her expression gradually changed.

The wariness and defensiveness slowly faded, replaced by a complicated emotion.

“So you want me to help create fake memories for her?”

“Make her think she had a gentle father and grandparents who doted on her?”

“Mm.”

Linlin nodded.

“That’s right.”

Niaoniao was quiet for a few seconds.

Then she spoke.

“Linlin, I just saw all her past memories.”

Linlin was taken aback.

“You saw them?”

“Mm.”

Niaoniao nodded.

“I saw all the scenes of her tormenting, abusing, and bullying you.”

Her voice grew a little cold.

“If you weren’t standing here safe and sound right now, I would have already killed her.”

A chill ran down Linlin’s back.

“No, no, no!”

She waved her hands frantically.

“Not those memories!”

“I mean her childhood memories!”

“Her scumbag dad, her disgusting grandma and grandpa!”

“I want you to change those!”

“Turn them into a gentle father and grandparents who love her!”

Niaoniao looked at her.

“Linlin, you want to give her a fake happy childhood?”

“…Pretty much.”

Linlin said softly.

“At least let her believe she was loved.”

Niaoniao was silent for a few seconds.

Then she nodded.

“Alright. I’ll do whatever you ask me to, Linlin.”

She paused.

“But if you want to play house…”

She looked around.

“There aren’t enough people.”

Linlin was stunned.

“Huh?”

“There’s only you, me, and Xiran. Three people.”

Niaoniao said.

“To act out a complete family, we need at least a dad, mom, grandpa, grandma, and the child.”

“I’ll be Linlin’s mom, of course.”

“For the dad, grandma, and grandpa… we’ll need at least three more people.”

She turned to look at Ruan Yuan.

“Even counting her, we’re still short two.”

Linlin followed her gaze.

Ruan Yuan stood there holding Xiran with an expression that clearly said What are you two talking about?

Then Niaoniao raised her hand.

Dark red magic power flowed from her fingertips.

The shadow tendrils spread out in all directions.

They reached toward the vast sea of spider lilies.

They reached toward the areas covered by petals.

A few seconds later.

The shadow tendrils retracted.

They brought back three people.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

Three dull thumps.

The three people were thrown onto the giant petal.

The first was Lin Zhizhi.

Her body was covered in burns. 

Her clothes were torn to shreds, revealing skin that was red turning black and split open. 

She was barely breathing, eyes half-open, her breaths extremely weak.

The second was Xiao Ye.

She lay next to Lin Zhizhi, face covered in tear streaks, eyes red and still sobbing.

When she was suddenly brought here, she let out a frightened scream.

“Ah—!”

The third was Yuan Yiyi.

She curled into a ball when thrown down, eyes tightly shut.

Then she slowly opened them.

Seeing strangers all around her in an unfamiliar environment, she began trembling all over.

Then she spotted the familiar figure.

That small pink figure standing in the middle of the group.

“Linlin!”

she cried out.

“I finally found you!”

She struggled to get up and tried to run toward Linlin.

But the moment she moved, shadow tendrils wrapped around her, pinning her in place.

“Let me go!”

she shouted.

“Linlin! Linlin!”

Linlin stared at the three of them, her mind going completely blank.

Lin Zhizhi?

Xiao Ye?

Yuan Yiyi?

Why were they here?

She turned to Niaoniao.

“Niaoniao, they…”

“We didn’t have enough people.”

Niaoniao said calmly.

“They just happened to be nearby.”

“Since you needed them, I brought them over.”

Linlin: “…”

What was this?

Collecting people like they were NPCs?

She looked down at the three.

Lin Zhizhi lay there on the verge of death, but still alive.

Beside her, Xiao Ye was sniffling and crying.

Then Xiao Ye opened her eyes. 

Seeing all the familiar faces around her, she froze.

“Bai Linlin? Jiang Niaoniao? Yuan Yiyi? Xiran? Ruan Yuan?”

She recited their names one by one.

“You’re all still alive…”

Looking at her expression, Linlin could only sigh inwardly.

She was still the same clueless girl who knew nothing.

“Alright.”

Niaoniao spoke.

She looked at Linlin, her eyes bright.

“Now we have enough people.”

“Linlin, I’m going to start.”