In response to Herta's question, Ruan Mei gave a faint glance at both Herta #3156 and Herta. To be honest, Herta #3156 was the most exceptional puppet aside from Herta Ninety-Nine. However, her loyalty was misguided—she remembered only Lingsha's kindness and only Herta's wrongs.
"Herta, this is your household affair. I have no reason to interfere."
Herta paused, then nodded with a half-smile. "And what about Cauldron Chief Lingsha? She and Herta #3156 are the heart of the problem. This Lingsha seems to regard you as a kindred spirit. From what I know, the Xianzhou people have certain expectations for such a bond—like Boya and his broken zither."
Ruan Mei frowned slightly, sensing the danger in Herta's tone. One wrong word, and she might find herself teleported to Herta City.
She closed her eyes and answered unhurriedly. "Repay grievances with grievances and settle scores directly. Follow your usual principle: never hold a grudge overnight, and when you strike, aim for the face. As for being kindred spirits—Lingsha and I are far from that."
Hearing Ruan Mei's cold, emotionless words, Lingsha felt as though she had fallen into an icy abyss. Her face turned pale as paper. She wanted to say something but found herself powerless, unable to form the words.
She had gravely underestimated Herta's place in Ruan Mei's heart and overestimated herself. Everyone knows how eccentric and difficult these two Genius Society members are. Why did she wade into this mess? Was it merely her dislike of Herta's provocations? Or some unclear hope toward Ruan Mei? For a Vidyadhara like her, those feelings were too hazy, too indistinct.
Hearing Ruan Mei's answer, Herta sighed helplessly. *She had half-expected Ruan Mei to plead a little for Herta #3156 and Lingsha. Then she could take the chance to "go dark" and send Ruan Mei to Herta City for safekeeping. But Ruan Mei's words aligned so perfectly with her own wishes.*
Fine. Let it end here today. Ruan Mei had no part in any of this. It was all Herta #3156 and Lingsha's fault.
"Herta #3156, are you determined to die for Lingsha?"
Herta #3156 closed her eyes, saying nothing, but her posture was that of someone walking willingly to their death.
"Lord Lingsha, in which direction is the Alchemy Commission?"
Lingsha blinked, confused. "South. Why?"
Herta #3156 bowed toward the south. "The Alchemy Commission is where Lord Lingsha's grace flourishes—my true home. Lord Lingsha, after I'm gone, remember to burn me some Stellar Jades every year."
Lingsha was about to plead with her to apologize to Herta, to live and fight another day, when Herta #3156 fully activated her self-destruction system.
"Victory means I helped a new lord rise. Defeat means I am but a remnant rebel. But to defy Madam Herta and make Herta Ninety-Nine taste true defeat—my existence in this world was not in vain!"
Herta was silent for a moment, then said quietly, "Your existence in this world... was because of me. Betraying me, in Xianzhou terms, makes you an unfilial wretch."
Herta #3156 paused, then sneered. "For several Amber Eras, on countless cold nights, you never once looked at me. But now, among millions of puppets, aside from Herta Ninety-Nine, I am the one you remember most vividly, aren't I?"
Herta nodded slightly. Herta #3156's face broke into a final, relieved smile. In her next life, even if she were still a Herta puppet, she wanted to be one like Herta Ninety-Nine.
Just as she believed her self-destruction would erase everything, a cold wave of Erudition power canceled the protocol. Herta #3156's eyes went wide, staring at Herta in disbelief.
Why did she intervene? Didn't she want her gone, destroyed?
Herta's lips curled into a cold smirk. "Heh. Think you can just die? Not a chance. Back to Herta City to face your punishment. Herta Ninety-Nine will take good care of you."
At the mention of Herta Ninety-Nine, Herta #3156 panicked. She could not let that woman settle scores with her.
"Madam Herta! If you are still that genius without a shred of empathy, just end me now! Don't—don't send me back to Herta City! Don't hand me over to Herta Ninety-Nine!"
Her last line of defense crumbled. She could already picture Herta Ninety-Nine's smug smile.
"Madam Herta, I beg you—just end me."
Herta smiled and waved a hand. The more she begged for death, the less likely she would get it.
"Herta #3156, you said you served me for several Amber Eras, that you had both merit and hardship. Then this time, I'll let you live. And then Herta Ninety-Nine will take care of you. How long that will last? I don't know. Could be a thousand years in Herta City. Ten thousand. A trillion. I really couldn't say."
With a casual wave, a [Mirror] opened, sending Herta #3156 back to Herta City.
Then Herta turned to Lingsha. "And you? Do you want to return to Herta City? I'll give you two choices."
Lingsha did not want to live a trillion years in Herta's shadow. She shook her head frantically. "Madam Herta, I don't want to go back to Herta City!"
Herta crossed her arms. "Then I take it you're declining one of the choices. Very well. I am not an unreasonable person. But for someone as audacious as you, punishment is necessary."
In an instant, Lingsha was teleported into a simulation world within Herta City. There, Herta erased all of Lingsha's memories of herself and Ruan Mei, reverting her consciousness to several months earlier—and then sent her back to the Alchemy Commission.
When Lingsha opened her eyes again, she saw that the calendar read the thirteenth day of the twelfth lunar month. But she had returned to the Luofu in the first lunar month!
She checked her phone. Still the thirteenth of the twelfth month. She scratched her head, bewildered. Eleven months of memories... gone? What happened?
"Cauldron Chief Lingsha? Are you alright?"
Bailu's voice brought her back.
"Bailu? I seem to have lost eleven months of memories. What happened to the Dragonfang, Taoran?"