Chapter 225: I Don’t Want to Be the Leader

“What responsibility does a leader have?”

In the second-floor hall, Bai Yue Ling tilted her head in confusion. “What is a leader? What is responsibility?”

“A leader is the leader of our White Night Castle, and responsibility means helping our White Night Castle grow stronger. You’ve done very well during this time.”

Ming Die smiled at her. “Our White Night Castle happens to lie within the territory of Third Princess Vicky. So as long as we corrupt Vicky into falling, we can do whatever we want within her domain.”

Bai Yue Ling narrowed her eyes at her. “You already knew a thousand years ago that Vicky would be corrupted by me, didn’t you?”

“That’s right. Precisely because of that, I trust you so much.”

Ming Die leaned close to Bai Yue Ling, parting her mature, alluring pale-violet lips slightly and breathing cool air onto Bai Yue Ling’s small cherry lips, letting out a soft, low laugh. “Little Bai… all my hopes are placed on you.”

Bai Yue Ling’s breathing hitched slightly. Meeting Ming Die’s mysterious, captivating gaze and those faintly parting lips exhaling cool breath, she felt her mouth go dry from the chill air. For some reason, the urge to ‘kiss her hard’ surged up from the depths of her heart.

She took half a step back, wiped her lips hard with the back of her hand, and asked through clenched teeth, “So what exactly are you trying to do?”

“Of course… to prepare for the coming God War.”

Ming Die’s voice was soft and enchanting, filled with the magnetism of a mature woman. “Little Bai, I know what your wish is. Besides wanting to live happily, you also want world peace. You want to see those beautiful, alluring older sisters live well, not throw away their lives for something as pointless as war, right?”

“Guh…” Bai Yue Ling turned her gaze aside. “I thought with your personality, you’d mock me mercilessly.”

“Oh my, how could I? That’s a very noble wish. You can say it boldly. Everyone will support you.”

“How is that possible… If there were no ‘corruption,’ what older sister would be willing to listen to my opinion?”

Without corruption, Bai Yue Ling would just be an ordinary traveler from another world, still running around even now trying to avoid the teasing kicks of older sisters.

A small fry otherworld traveler even older sisters feared—who would be willing to listen to anything someone like that said?

“I would.”

Ming Die pointed at herself. “I haven’t been corrupted by you, but I’m listening to you quite seriously.”

“You?” Bai Yue Ling stepped back half a pace, suspicious. “You must be trying to use me to accomplish some unspeakable scheme, right?”

“Ah, saying that makes me sad.”

“Because I firmly believe that unsolicited favors always hide ulterior motives.”

“I’m not here to ‘steal.’ I only want to…”

“Alright, alright, stop talking. I get what you mean!”

Guided by Ming Die, the two walked to the iron-barred window.

Outside lay a swaying suspension bridge, a bottomless rift, and an endless forest.

The sun had already sunk behind the mountains. Darkness gradually shrouded the land, beautiful like a carefully crafted oil painting.

“Standing here, everything your eyes can see lies within Vicky’s territory.”

Ming Die stepped behind Bai Yue Ling, gently pressing her shoulders and whispering by her ear, “Little Bai, release ‘Fallen Heaven Domain’ once more.”

“Huh?” Bai Yue Ling froze slightly. “Didn’t I already release it once when we established White Night Castle?”

“This time, we’re going to expand White Night Castle’s sphere of influence even further.”

“How far?”

“As much of Vicky’s territory as possible. After all, she’s your person. She won’t have any objections.”

“Th… that…” Bai Yue Ling hesitated.

At that moment, Anlisha’s voice sounded in her mind. “Interesting. I think I know what she intends to do. Just do as she says.”

Anlisha’s affirmation gave Bai Yue Ling confidence. She nodded. “Then I’ll try.”

Bai Yue Ling took a deep breath. The jet-black wings and halo symbolizing a fallen angel gradually manifested. She rose slowly into midair, short hair scattering and flying. Her aura surged sharply, and dark mist churned endlessly within her pupils.

“Fallen Heaven Domain!”

The power of corruption, dense to the extreme, gathered into a black sphere in her palm. She clenched hard, and the sphere instantly shattered into countless streaks of pitch-black radiance. Like falling meteors, they surged toward the horizon together with the endless night.

In an instant, everything within sight was stained with the aura of corruption.

Faint corruption fell together with the moonlight. Strange plant seedlings sprouted from the soil. A wisp of black fog appeared in the eyes of bounding rabbits… everything was slowly being eroded by corruption, letting Bai Yue Ling turn them into colors she liked.

“Huff… ha… what is this?”

Bai Yue Ling collapsed to the ground, panting, only to be gently lifted into Ming Die’s arms as she admired the scenery outside to her heart’s content.

“Do you see? This is the territory of our White Night Castle.”

A faint aura of corruption drifted in the air. Even the moon had turned a strange crimson, yet the scene felt more serene and beautiful than before.

Bai Yue Ling said in shock, “What did I do?”

“Do you remember the negative emotions you’ve accumulated and absorbed recently?” Ming Die said calmly.

“I… I remember, but there shouldn’t have been that many, right?” Bai Yue Ling muttered. “I just got teased a few times.”

“Not only that.” Ming Die smiled. “You stood by the River Styx for a full thousand years. In those thousand years, how much pain and resentment from the dead did you absorb?”

“Ah… ah?” Bai Yue Ling froze. “That counts too?”

“Of course. Those negative emotions are enough for you to expand White Night Castle’s range to the entire Rose Kingdom.” Ming Die gave a low laugh. “Creatures within the area will unconsciously be eroded by corruption. Although the effect can’t compare to you corrupting them personally, it will still make their stance lean more toward you.”

“Th… that powerful?” Bai Yue Ling’s expression changed slightly. “But we made such a huge disturbance. Won’t something go wrong?”

“Don’t worry. Even residents living here will find it hard to notice the changes from corruption. People outside will know even less.” Ming Die said, “Vicky might sense something, but she’s already your person now. She won’t oppose you at all.”

“I see.”

Bai Yue Ling gazed toward the distant horizon, toward where the sun had set, toward the direction of the Royal Capital.

She spread her fingers and closed her eyes. Instantly, she felt the entire world within her grasp. As long as she wished, she could freely mobilize the corruption power hidden in the air.

Whether birds in the sky, fish in the rivers, or villagers in the settlements, she could sense them all clearly.

The territory that had originally belonged to Vicky had now entirely become the sphere of influence of White Night Castle.

“Mm… I can’t anymore.” Bai Yue Ling clutched her head, panting. “This state consumes too much mental and physical energy…”

“Our road is still long,” Ming Die whispered. “So in the future, you must shoulder the responsibility of a leader, Lord Little Bai.”