"The only way to respond is to make ourselves stronger." Chu Lian's gaze swept over the group of girls. Seeing their focused expressions, she knew they were waiting for what she would say next.
After a moment of silence, she continued, "Unfortunately, we have less than two days. To raise our strength enough to resist them in such a short time is nearly impossible."
"Therefore, the only choice we have is to face the coming enemy together. With our combined strength—even if we are weaker—we will defeat them. It's difficult, but it's the only path that can lead us to victory."
Of course, both Chu Lian and Inori, as well as Chu Chu and Kurosaki Satsuki, knew this wasn't the only possible solution. There were other, more direct methods—but the cost would be unimaginable.
Chu Lian's plan was merely the first one, yet it was also the safest, even if the chance of success was slim.
Although the idea of several heroines combining their powers to defeat a powerful enemy on their journey—especially one whose strength had been reduced after sustaining heavy damage—sounded like something straight out of an RPG scenario, reality sometimes mirrored fiction.
Thus, the girls gathered together, slowly discussing strategies—how to handle the powerful enemy that would soon appear, how to defend themselves against his attacks, when to counterattack, and ultimately, how to defeat him…
"A group of girls forms an adventuring party. Their leader suddenly tells them that a powerful enemy, targeting her, will soon arrive—and that because of their connection to her, they too will be hunted. So, united by purpose, the group stops to plan how to defeat the great demon lord. How… amusingly ironic."
Ayase lightly swirled the wine in her glass, the dim light shining through the red liquid casting a soft glow over her face, lending her faint smile an enigmatic charm.
"So, those few I deliberately let escape really did lead you to what you believed to be the power capable of breaking our defenses? How naive." She took a sip of wine and smiled faintly. "They were all pawns—pieces placed by both her and me. Pawns exist for the sake of the player's victory. And the best player is the one who makes their opponent move according to their will. You've lived in this modern world for so long, yet still haven't understood that—what a pity."
"Perhaps it's your inherent calmness—your cold, detached way of thinking—that prevents you from grasping the philosophies hidden beneath human nature." A strange glint flashed through Ayase's eyes as she spoke. These outsiders had lingered here far too long—so long that she could barely restrain herself from acting.
"No hurry. Once Lian'er has grown, I'll use you all as her offering. You, and everyone behind you—none of you will escape. She endured forced slumber for so long for this very day. If not for the need to lure you all into one place, do you think such 'little creatures' could have driven her to that state?"
Her voice wasn't fast, but in that dim space, every word carried a rhythmic, story-like weight. "When Lian'er realizes her true path—when those around her have all grown strong—that will be the time to strike back."
"So what if they are Celestial Demons? So what if they have powers behind the scenes? Since they dared to interfere in our domain, since they willingly became someone else's pawns—they must play by our rules, the rules we wrote."
Ayase finished the wine in one graceful motion, her gaze shifting upward toward a large screen above her—a holographic display of the entire city.
On it, countless red dots flickered across the map—some bright, some dim—disappearing whenever something occurred.
She lifted a finger, selecting a corner of the screen. The image zoomed in, revealing several towering, muscular men exuding violent intent. They all shared one thing in common: the same dragon-tiger tattoo inked on their right arms.
At that moment, they surrounded the entrance of a narrow alley. Inside, a few middle-aged men in suits knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly. When they raised their heads, bruises covered their faces—and their eyes were filled with raw, trembling fear.
The men's mouths kept moving, as though begging for mercy from the towering thugs before them.
But their pleas were useless. After a few minutes, impatience twisted across the thugs' faces. Though violence was their profession, if their victims couldn't provide what they wanted, then their work would be for nothing—and patience was a luxury they didn't possess.
Perhaps those terrified men truly had no way to satisfy them. As they bowed once more, one of the thugs—a burly white man—moved first. He grabbed one of the middle-aged men by the collar, slammed him against the wall, and pressed the blade of a knife against his neck. His face twisted into a vicious grin as he shouted something incomprehensible.
The middle-aged man trembled violently, too terrified to catch what the thug was saying.
Finally losing all patience, the white brute plunged the knife deep into the man's neck, twisted it several times, and yanked it out. Blood splattered across his white shirt and the wall behind him, yet he showed no reaction—simply turned, seized another trembling man by the tie, and repeated the same act beside the still-bleeding corpse…
Watching this scene, Ayase waved her hand, and the image vanished from the screen. She exhaled softly and murmured in a strange, almost philosophical tone, "City of Sin… is it human sin—or the city's sin? In the future, this will be a fine place indeed. If all that sin could be extracted, what a tremendous wealth it would become. But for now, it's beyond our reach. Let's leave."
She picked up the bottle of red wine from the crystal table before her, pouring herself another glass. Slowly, she savored it and said, "One day, we'll return. This place is filled with an intoxicating scent. Lian'er… I think the other you would love it too."
With a faint, mysterious smile, Ayase raised her glass, then turned toward the depths of the system space. The invisible barriers meant to contain Chu Lian didn't exist for her—she passed through them effortlessly.
"I've always wondered who decided to build such a city. Was it really just to establish an outpost? Somehow… it feels far too strange. Like a ghost city of the underworld."
After she left, the system space fell silent again. It waited for its rightful master to return—no matter how many timelines or ages passed, its purpose never changed. This had become its mission—a mission never defined, yet eternal.
"Basically, that's our strategy. Everyone clear?" After several hours of discussion, the girls finally settled on a battle plan. It might change depending on their opponent, but the core principles would remain the same.
"Big Sis, don't worry. I'll protect Xiu'er. I won't let them get near us," Chu Chu said, though her tone carried a trace of reluctance. She couldn't deny that Chu Lian's strategy—assigning her to protect Li Xiu'er away from the main battlefield—made sense.
For now, she was still far weaker than the others, and Li Xiu'er was entirely defenseless.
Against the kind of enemies they were about to face, one careless move could mean death.
Unlike Zhang Feng, none of them had the ability to resurrect after dying. If anyone were injured or killed, even victory would feel hollow—an irreparable loss.
Sitting quietly beside them, Li Xiu'er was reasonable. She knew that while she could help care for the group in daily life, during combat she was nothing but a burden—someone who would force the others to split their attention. So she didn't protest, instead offering words of encouragement to Chu Lian and the others.
"Although I can't help much in battle right now, I promise I won't be a distraction to any of you," Li Xiu'er said with a gentle smile. But in her heart, she silently added, If the enemy comes for me, even if I have to take my own life, I won't let Chu Lian and the others lose focus. She wasn't as fragile as she appeared—once she made up her mind, her resolve was far stronger than Chu Lian imagined.
"I'll stay in the shadows, ready to strike from behind or rescue Chu Chu and Xiu'er if needed." Kurosaki Satsuki's words were few, as usual. But like everything she did, once she set her mind on a task, her concentration made her strength grow exponentially. She would serve as half of their combat support—guarding against unexpected events, especially if the enemy turned their attention toward Li Xiu'er and Chu Chu.
Her assignment had been given by Chu Lian in Japanese, so that Chu Chu and Li Xiu'er wouldn't understand. Chu Lian knew that if they were aware, they might let their guard down—and that could be disastrous.
The remaining team members—Inori, Tina, Chu Lian herself, and Hare within her spiritual sea—formed the core combat unit for the coming battle.
"Lian, if it becomes necessary, you should use the Void Greatsword. Though its power isn't as overwhelming as the Seven Illusions Bow, it'll help you sustain longer fights without exhausting your energy," Inori said softly after a pause, her wine-red eyes meeting Chu Lian's with quiet sincerity.
"I haven't forgotten about the Void Greatsword—it'll be my trump card. I'm looking forward to seeing their faces when they realize what it can do." Chu Lian smiled, though she didn't reveal her true concerns. Inori's suggestion was indeed the most logical, but Chu Lian had her own reservations—ones she couldn't voice now.
Of course, Inori knew her too well. She could read the hidden meaning behind Chu Lian's words instantly. Yet she said nothing—only met her gaze in silence, her expression complex and deep.
Meanwhile, Tina stretched lazily beside Chu Lian, then leapt lightly onto the balcony railing. Perching there, the little cat looked out over the brilliant lights of the city below, lost in thought.
"This is a city of sin," Chu Lian said softly as she joined her on the balcony, feeling the chill night breeze brush against her cheeks. "But none of it has anything to do with us. To this city, we are nothing more than passing strangers."
She watched the cityscape below—the neon lights flickering like restless souls—and after a long silence, she parted her lips to recite in a faint, melodious tone:
The night deepens, the starlight fades—
Mountains and curtains, layer upon layer of haze.
Faith drifts far, love turns to void—
Across the boundless sea, mortals rush onward, lost in time.
Turning back, beneath the bright moon's glow—
Who shares this wandering path, this sorrow unknown?
You are the wind; my heart, undone—
A thousand years gone, as if but one dream long.
In that moment, her thoughts drifted, lost amidst the boundless dust of the mortal world.