After reporting the case, Bronya didn't feel relieved. Instead, her mood grew even more uneasy.
Returning home, she took off her high heels and hung her coat on the rack in the living room. Bronya sat on the sofa, the delicate soles of her feet, wrapped in sheer, high-quality black stockings, resting on the clean floor.
When she recalled Mobius's smile, a chilling sensation, as if being watched by a snake, ran down her spine.
"That green-haired officer… something about her feels strange."
Bronya looked up. "Does she know you?"
Ye Feng said, "Why does Big Duck Duck keep calling me 'you, you, you' lately? You should be calling me 'Dear'."
"Don't change the subject."
Big Duck Duck shot Ye Feng an annoyed glare.
"How is this changing the subject? This is a serious matter. Nothing is more important than this. I suddenly feel that you're being so cold, Big Duck Duck. I don't know what I did wrong, that you're not even willing to call me 'Dear' anymore."
"Ngh… Dea…"
Big Duck Duck's heart skipped a beat. Could he have found out about my amnesia?
She tried to "address him as she used to." Well, to say "as she used to" implied she had any memory of it, which she didn't.
But the word felt like a fishbone stuck in her throat.
Did she really used to call her husband by such an embarrassingly affectionate name?
Bronya lifted her head and met Ye Feng's expectant gaze.
She quickly looked down again.
Big Duck Duck stared at her own toes; the delicate gems, wrapped in black silk, wriggled uneasily.
"Dea… Dear…"
She'd said it.
Bronya felt as if she had shattered some kind of invisible wall.
Now that she had actually said it, it didn't seem like such a big deal after all.
"Dear, are you very familiar with them?"
"Hehe."
Satisfied, Ye Feng sat down next to Big Duck Duck, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders. "Of course I know them. Have you forgotten, Big Duck Duck? You all used to eat… a meal together."
Yes, back when they were NPCs.
"…Is, is that so? I have no memory of it at all…"
"You're such an important person, you forget things easily. But that's alright, we'll have more chances to eat… a meal together in the future."
Ye Feng said with a眯着眼睛笑道.
Bronya, however, was somewhat distracted.
"Even if we've filed a report, what are we going to do about Ji Lin…?"
From Bronya's understanding, police investigations had a certain "lag time."
In other words, if the other party had not yet committed a criminal act, the police had no right to interfere.
But if Ji Lin really did release the video, it would be useless even if she were arrested afterward.
Ye Feng hugged his wife's fragrant, soft body, his other hand resting on her black-stockinged thigh.
"Don't worry, we've formulated a sound and feasible plan."
"Eh? When?"
"While you were giving your statement."
"Then what's the specific plan…?"
Ye Feng smiled gently and said, "It's when I move up top, and she moves down below.
"When I move, she moves too, but complains that it hurts.
"Her pain makes me happy, but that excitement isn't the real goal. I'm only truly happy when I pull her out of the water."
"??"
Big Duck Duck looked at Ye Feng, her face flushing with a mixture of shame and anger. She pounded his chest with her small fists, her voice a petulant whine.
"What is that supposed to mean…!"
"To put it simply—fishing."
---o---
Chiyou Islet.
Waves crashed against the reefs, sending up a fine mist of water.
The golden Xuan-Yuan Sword floated above, its light flickering indeterminately.
From a distance, it gave off a sense of desolate loneliness.
Though it was just a sword, it seemed to ripple with a lilac-like sorrow.
Ji Lin felt "dirty."
Recalling her coercion of Bronya, Ji Lin wished she could draw her sword and end her own life… oh, right, she was the sword now. She'd put that on hold.
Ji Lin was the revered ancestor of Shenzhou's civilization, a hero worshipped by later generations.
She herself was gentle and elegant, dignified and virtuous, and strictly abided by the Rites of Zhou.
To have spoken such "uninhibited and dissolute" words was truly… too shameful to face anyone.
After all, this time she hadn't disguised herself. She had "coerced" Bronya face-to-face, acting like a lewd harlot who wanted to forcibly violate her husband…
Wasn't this just like what her master had once done to her?
Ji Lin had always believed that was wrong, that it was a disgrace to decency, even morally bankrupt. And yet, she herself seemed to have gotten really into it?
Even if she was just following the [Script], it was undeniable that in that moment of "coercing her master's wife," Ji Lin had indeed felt a fleeting moment of… glee.
As if she were getting revenge on her master.
Just for having that thought, even for a split second, Ji Lin could no longer face herself with a clear conscience.
Even if her body was dirtied… well, her body wasn't dirtied, her master had only done things to an NPC's body. But in any case, Ji Lin believed that her "soul" ought to uphold propriety and remain pure.
She must not sink into pleasure, must not fall to desire, and most certainly should not "do unto others what you do not wish for yourself."
"Ah Lin."
A feather floated gently toward her.
The feather was golden and radiant, emitting a holy and peaceful light, inevitably bringing to mind the feather of a sacred phoenix.
"Danzhu? Why did you come outside? Your soul is not yet stable. You need to recuperate indoors."
"Aiyah, I know, I know. Why are you nagging just like my sister, Ah Lin? I'm just taking a stroll, it's fine."
Danzhu gazed out at the sea. On the distant horizon, a silvery-white artificial island was visible. "Ah Lin, I want to go to the other side of the sea."
"…Wh-what for?"
Ji Lin grew flustered.
Right now, she truly did not dare to face Bronya.
Although her master had said that when Bronya woke up, she would only remember the events in the office as a dream.
But Ji Lin still felt too ashamed to face anyone.
Danzhu said, "It's because of Hua, of course. That idiot doesn't remember us, so we have to reawaken her memories! It's just Fenghuang Down burning some 'memories.' Watch me use the power of our bonds to bring Hua's memories back!"
The body of Ji Lin's sword hummed, as if trying to dodge something.
"What does Cangxuan say?"
"My sister? Hah, don't even mention her. Her 'tranquility' training is too incredible. Even after hearing such terrible news, she was completely unmoved and just spouted a bunch of stuff I couldn't understand."
Seeing the agitated Danzhu, Ji Lin felt slightly relieved.
It seemed Cangxuan had no intention of going to St. Freya.
"If Cangxuan said that, she must have her reasons. We should just rest here and recuperate our souls. When the time is right, naturally…"
"Time, time, all any of you ever say is 'the right time.' Hua is already becoming a total blockhead. If you ask me, we should act sooner rather than later. Forget it. In short, are you coming with me or not?"
"Ngh…"
Ji Lin fell silent for a moment.
If she went to see Chiyuan, she would definitely have to go to the Valkyrie dormitories, and the probability of running into Bronya was far too high.
"Now… is really not the right time…"
"Then I'm going alone."
Watching the feather float away, Ji Lin could only sigh faintly.
She didn't even know what to do about her own situation.
The next part of the [Script]… was she really going to have to forcibly violate her master?