Viki knew that Bai Yue Ling, the one who defeated the Slime Queen, was an opponent requiring utmost caution.
She had meticulously crafted a series of strategies—disarming her equipment, hypnotic misdirection, coercion, and temptation—but none worked against Bai Yue Ling.
Thus, Viki decisively shifted tactics, attempting to brainwash Bai Yue Ling with her prized mental magic, aiming to turn this troublesome, busty girl into an ally.
However, Bai Yue Ling’s mental strength far exceeded Viki’s expectations.
The brainwashing failed, triggering a backlash that severely damaged Viki’s mind.
Yet, the cautious Viki had anticipated even this failure and had already contacted the Judgment Church as her final trump card—the Grand Archbishop of Judgment, Taoxia.
“Priest Hero, you’ve repeatedly harmed other Otherworld Travelers, accumulating a blood debt with a kill value of 150 points! Moreover, I personally witnessed you assaulting Third Princess Viki—utter lawlessness!” Taoxia, the cat-eared loli, declared coldly.
She pulled out her small wooden gavel, stood on her white-stockinged tiptoes, and jumped to smack Bai Yue Ling on the head!
Thud!
“Ow!”
“For your numerous crimes, I’ve decided to imprison you in the Judgment Prison.
Tonight, you will face judgment!” Taoxia glared icily. “Your levels, equipment, and items will be stripped, your title ‘Priest Hero’ changed to ‘Judged Sinner,’ and you’ll be sent to labor in the Scorching Rock Mines for a year.”
As she spoke, golden chains materialized in Taoxia’s hands, instantly wrapping around Bai Yue Ling’s body, immobilizing her except for her feet, which could only shuffle forward.
Bai Yue Ling hurriedly said, “Wait, I’m—mmph?!”
Taoxia tiptoed again, shoving a gel-like ball into Bai Yue Ling’s mouth, her gaze dripping with disdain, as if looking at trash.
“Sinners have no right to speak. Save your grievances for the Goddess of Judgment.”
With that, Taoxia tugged the chains, leading Bai Yue Ling forward.
Bai Yue Ling tried to stop, but an invisible force compelled her feet to move, driven by the Judgment Power of the Goddess of Judgment, which bound and commanded “sinners.”
Taoxia’s back exuded unquestionable authority, though her swaying cat tail under her trench coat added a touch of playful cuteness, breaking the gravitas.
After Taoxia led Bai Yue Ling away, the Shadow Rose Knights, informed of the situation, rushed into the room to tend to Viki.
“It’s just mental damage; ordinary healing won’t help,” Viki said, shaking her head. Her face was pale, her legs trembling as she stood. “Where’s Shi Qianla?”
“Miss Shi Qianla isn’t in the room. She left earlier,” a knight replied.
“Sigh… fine, let her go. I did wrong her in this matter,” Viki said, rubbing her forehead with a gentle smile.
“Sorry, could you do me a favor? Spread the word that ‘Priest Hero will face judgment in the Judgment Church tonight.’”
Blood still stained Viki’s face, her red hair matted with sweat, making her resemble a blood-dyed rose, strikingly beautiful.
Mesmerized by Viki’s stunning smile, the Shadow Rose Knights nodded dazedly. “Yes.”
Once everyone left, Viki’s smile vanished.
She gently wiped the blood from her face, gazing into the distance with worry.
“Aiya, Shi Qianla… even if my closest friends don’t understand me, I have no regrets.”
Viki furrowed her brow. In her pupils, the bustling Royal Capital reflected as a war-torn, desolate ruin—a vision identical to one Bai Yue Ling had seen in past cycles.
“I’ll do everything in my power to change that hopeless future,” Viki vowed with determination and courage. “But first, I must become queen and control everything.”
“As for the Priest Hero… if she won’t submit, she must be eliminated.”
Meanwhile, atop a large tree outside the Royal Palace, a snow-white pigeon perched.
It shook its head, its gaze piercing the outer walls, watching Bai Yue Ling being led away by Taoxia.
“I didn’t expect Her Highness to contact a Grand Archbishop of Judgment. Little White is likely doomed,” the pigeon muttered in a human voice.
“Earlier, I was hypnotized by Her Highness, and Little White saved me, but… what did she do to me? What did she mean by ‘Dark Fall’ before she left?”
The pigeon was Shi Qianla, transformed into an animal form, a skill of her Wood Elf Druid class.
Shi Qianla flapped her wings, and a vine suddenly burst from the soil, coiling tightly around the tree, climbing along its rough bark to the treetop.
“Let me test this dark, corrupt power…” Shi Qianla murmured, a glint of darkness flashing in her pearl-like eyes.
The once-vibrant green vine darkened, turning a deep, inky green, slowly siphoning nutrients from the tree’s core.
In moments, the lush tree withered to a sickly yellow, as if plunged into winter. Its leaves fell lifelessly, drained of vitality.
“What a terrifying power,” Shi Qianla whispered. “A Druid, meant to bring life to all things, now wields the ability to strip it away. Little White gave me quite a gift.”
[System: NPC “Shi Qianla”’s Dark Fall value increased by 3%. Current Dark Fall value: 13%.]
Suddenly, Shi Qianla sensed a familiar Dark Fall aura approaching.
Looking up, she saw Aiya, dragging her heavy armor, panting as she jogged around the Royal Palace, unaware of Bai Yue Ling’s capture.
“…That idiot.”
Shi Qianla flapped her wings, transforming mid-air back into her voluptuous, leggy secretary form.
Her graceful body spun lightly, and she parted her plump, white thighs, landing precisely astride Aiya’s neck.
“Little White?”
“Miss Shi Qianla?”
Aiya instinctively looked up, only to see a soft, trembling shadow bouncing with her steps.
“Stop running. Your cat-eared Grand Archbishop has taken the Priest Hero,” Shi Qianla said, squeezing her thighs to halt Aiya.
“Do you remember who the Priest Hero is?”
Aiya shook her head, her fluffy golden curls tickling Shi Qianla’s thighs.
“No memory at all? Her Highness’s mental magic is impressive…” Shi Qianla sighed. “How about ‘Little White’? Does that ring a bell?”
“Little White…”
Aiya stopped abruptly, causing Shi Qianla to lurch forward. Her soft, ample chest pressed against Aiya’s head.
Feeling the heavy, soft sensation atop her head and the warm thighs gripping her neck, Aiya fell into thought.
She vaguely recalled experiencing this soft, voluptuous touch somewhere else.
A familiar memory seemed to stir, ready to break through from the depths of her mind.
“Little White… such a familiar name…”