Chapter 95-The Manga Pariah's Guide to Self-Salvation

The moment she saw Lucy on the screen, Ye Zheng's heart skipped a beat—why did Lucy look like that?

She had seen Demonic Domains that could infect people and turn them into monsters. Could it be that Lucy would be infected and turned into a monster in the next Demonic Domain?

Ye Zheng rubbed the screen with her finger, the misty image preventing her from analyzing any more details.

Looking at the unfamiliar yet familiar Lucy on the screen, Ye Zheng suddenly remembered a party after she had joined the protagonist team as Zhao Mei. Lucy had happily said that after the competition ended, she would take everyone from the Cloud-Soaring Squad back to her hometown to have fun.

Lucy's hometown was in the Western District.

She remembered promising Lucy at the time. In that case, even if she could no longer keep the appointment as Zhao Mei, she had to at least ensure Lucy returned to her hometown safely.

"System, Lucy is an important member of the protagonist team. Nothing bad will happen to her, right?"

The System hesitated for a moment.

[It depends on how you define 'something bad.' In the original plot, after you joined the Cloud-Soaring Squad as Saintess Ye Zheng, your role somewhat conflicted with Lucy's. In the eyes of the creator and the readers, you were both support-type beauties, making the team seem redundant.]

[Although Lucy doesn't have many die-hard fans, she's quite popular with casual readers. Inflicting a little bit of tragedy on her could still stir up the readers' emotions, create a somber atmosphere, and give the protagonist team greater motivation.]

From the System's tactful words, Ye Zheng understood. Lucy wouldn't die, but something bad would happen to her, like a serious injury, causing her to leave the team.

For Lucy, leaving the protagonist team wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but Ye Zheng didn't want her to exit the stage in such a way.

She carefully examined the screen again, especially the horns on Lucy's head and the faint black wings behind her. A flash of inspiration struck Ye Zheng, and the scattered clues connected at that moment.

Lucy from the Western District, Wen Jian's Dragon Bone experiments in the Western District, and the spoiler showing Lucy with draconic features...

Ye Zheng thought that it probably wouldn't be long before news from the Western District arrived.

"Is Lucy stupid? What's the use of her going back alone!"

Roy slammed the letter Lucy left on the table after reading it, so angry that even his golden hair seemed to stand on end.

"I should have kept a better eye on Lucy. She wasn't herself yesterday after hearing the news from the Western District… How could she be so impulsive?"

Caleb picked up Lucy's letter from the table and read it again. Lucy had written in neat handwriting that she was worried about her family and had to go back. She knew this would drag down the team's progress in the competition and promised she would be back soon, telling them not to worry about her and to focus on the competition.

Caleb sighed again. He was a boy, so it was impossible for him to be by Lucy's side constantly, and he was clumsy with words, not good at offering guidance or persuasion. If only Zhao Mei were still here...

Percy pressed his temples, his voice weary. "It's no one's fault. No one expected this to happen. It's normal for Lucy to be worried about her family. It's my fault as the captain for not noticing her distress in time."

Seeing their captain blaming himself, Roy and Caleb began to comfort Percy. After a few words of consolation, Roy fell silent, then suddenly spoke up: "So what should we do now?"

What to do?

The question was like a magic spell. In the past, Percy had taken his duties as captain seriously and with pride. Leading everyone forward was a fulfilling task. But someone had disrupted his pace, first freeing him from his heavy responsibilities and teaching him to trust and rely on her, then crushing it all.

Percy clenched his fists, veins bulging on his arms. A bitter smile flashed across his face. Lucy had truly given him a difficult problem.

The Eastern District where they were located was the most prosperous area in the lower district, with a high population flow. A few days ago, rumors began to spread among the populace that the Western District had become a land of demons, and anyone who entered lost contact. Lucy had become anxious since then, and the others had comforted her, saying they were just rumors.

Until yesterday, the train to the Western District was completely suspended. Even the City Lord of the lower district came out to urge everyone to suspend activities in the Western District, without stating the reason, causing widespread panic. Rumors of a world-ending Demonic Domain spread like wildfire again, and market prices rose rapidly.

This time, the entire Western District had lost contact. Percy couldn't console himself that this was just a small problem and that Lucy would surely return safely.

The competition rules stipulated that they must stay within the Eastern District, and the competition was nearing its end. Their current points only ranked them third. If they went to the Western District to find Lucy, it would be almost equivalent to the Cloud-Soaring Squad losing its competitiveness. The championship and the Dragon Bone prize that came with it would be completely out of their reach.

But were they supposed to just leave Lucy alone?

The three of them fell silent. For a moment, Percy couldn't help but blame Lucy. She couldn't change anything by herself, so why did she have to go back alone, leaving them in such a difficult dilemma?

On one side was a precious friend, and on the other was the championship that could bring a new dawn to the lower district...

Percy walked alone on the street. Many passersby were discussing the situation in the Western District, and their various panicked, exaggerated guesses made him even more upset.

Lucy was impulsive, and her abilities were neither good for offense nor defense. How could they rest assured letting her go to a dangerous area alone?

No, he still had to bring Lucy back. When he had just entered Cloud-Soaring Academy and was being mocked and pushed around because of his E-rank talent, Lucy was the first to stand up for him, ramming into those who tried to bully him like a small calf.

Even though those people were no match for him, Percy was grateful for Lucy's precious kindness.

Percy finally let out a sigh of relief. Having made a decision, he felt much lighter. He ran to a pastry shop he often visited. It was Lucy's favorite, and the owner, a cheerful old grandma, would always give them extra pastries.

"Why don't I see Lucy? This is her favorite. I'll pack some extra for her."

Percy hesitated for a moment, then said, "There's no need, Grandma. Lucy... she went home. She won't be able to eat it for a while."

The old woman's fine lines crinkled together as she worried, "Oh my, why is she running around in such a chaotic time? I heard the monsters from the Western District are about to attack, and even our Eastern District is about to fall..."

Percy chuckled. The rumors were getting more and more ridiculous. He was about to say something to comfort the old woman when she handed him the packed pastries, her wrinkled face smoothing out with a smile.

"Don't you worry, I won't be like those muddle-headed folks, shouting about the end of the world. I don't believe those absurd rumors."

"The Saintess is right here in our Eastern District for the competition. I heard she can slay a demon dragon with a single slash and bring the dead back to life with a single touch. Even the second coming of the God of Hope wouldn't be more impressive than that. It's not our place as common people to worry."

Percy glanced at the tabloid by the old woman's hand and saw the name Ye Zheng at a glance, surrounded by words of praise.

A while ago, Ye Zheng's name had disappeared from the newspapers for several days, and even the promotional pictures spontaneously put up by citizens on the streets were erased by the Knights. For some reason, in the past few days, titles like "Saintess," "Agent of the God of Hope," and "The Godsent" had reappeared in everyone's sight.

The grandma patted his hand, comforting the stiff-faced young man before her. "Percy, don't put too much pressure on yourself. You're all still just children. Have faith in the Saintess, have faith in the Empire. The lower district will be safe and sound."

Percy forced a smile, his dull blue eyes blinking. "...Is that so? Have faith in her."

When Percy turned around with the bag, he stared blankly at the bustling crowd on the street. He suddenly realized that no one paid him any attention anymore, no one cared about his past promise to bring the championship, glory, and peace to the lower district.

The center of people's conversations was no longer the Cloud-Soaring Squad's performance in the competition. A while ago it was the Pope's evil deeds, then it was the successor of the God of Hope, Saintess Ye Zheng, and recently, discussions about the Western District were added to the mix.

In that instant, all the surrounding noise faded away, and Percy could only hear his own rapidly beating heart.

He couldn't entrust the safety and hope of the lower district to the enigmatic Ye Zheng.

Under the pretext of the sudden appearance of the Agent of the God of Hope, the Sei Curia had reduced taxes and proclaimed the greatness of the deity. People were immersed in the Saintess's grace, even forgetting the past sins of the Sei Curia and the Pope.

How could entrusting the future to a Saintess who was as unfathomable as an abyss be a reassuring choice?

Most importantly, he couldn't abandon the promise he had made to the lower district and to himself.

Night fell.

"Percy! You're finally back. Roy and I were so worried we almost went looking for you."

"Didn't you say you were going to buy food? Why are you so late?"

Caleb saw Percy return empty-handed and scratched his head in confusion. In any case, it was good that Percy was back.

"Yeah, I just wandered around the streets."

Percy didn't explain further. He poured himself a glass of water to wet his throat and then spoke calmly.

"Let's continue with the Annihilation Demonic Domain tomorrow. We're not far from the second-place score."

Roy and Caleb shot up from their chairs in shock, looking at the black-haired, blue-eyed young man in disbelief.

"Wait, what about Lu—"

Roy said urgently.

"Lucy wouldn't want us to give up on the competition either. Bringing glory and a new dawn to the lower district is our shared wish, isn't it?"

Percy's eyes shifted, looking at his two teammates. "Besides, we have no definite news about the Western District or Lucy. Even if we impulsively rush over, it would be hard to find her."

Roy and Caleb looked at each other, shock visible in their eyes.

What Percy said made sense, but subconsciously, they had always thought Percy would make the other choice...

Ye Zheng had sent people to secretly search for information about the Western District. As soon as the rumors about the Western District started spreading in the lower district, Ye Zheng had received definitive news—the Western District was trapped in a huge fog.

After the fog enveloped the entire Western District, no one came out, and those who went in were never heard from again.

The strangest part of this was—it had nothing to do with a Demonic Domain!

At first, some speculated that the fog was a giant Demonic Domain covering the entire Western District. However, when government personnel from the neighboring area used detection instruments, they found that it wasn't a Demonic Domain at all; the instruments showed no reaction.

Either a new type of Demonic Domain had appeared that was beyond current technology, or monsters other than those from Demonic Domains had appeared. Either possibility was enough to cause intense panic.

The Empire initially wanted to continue concealing it for a while, but Chen Xue, the City Lord of the lower district, went against her superiors' will and warned everyone not to go near it.

Ye Zheng had already guessed why the scene from the spoiler had occurred.

Knowing that an unknown crisis had befallen her hometown, with Lucy's personality, she would definitely go back.

Ye Zheng closed her eyes. Even without the factor of Lucy, she had to go for the secrets the Pope had hidden in the Western District.

[But if you go to the Western District now, Wen Jian will definitely suspect you. You've just managed to stabilize him, getting the Sei Curia to oppose the Royal Family and fully support you in securing your status as The Godsent.]

The System analyzed.

[You're the center of everyone's attention right now. It's impossible to go to the Western District in person without Wen Jian and the others knowing, and you have no reason to go.]

"No reason?"

"People are suffering. As the Saintess, I should be there."

[That's a good reason, but will the Royal Family still allow you to gain prestige so openly...]

The System thought, the Royal Family had come up with such a vicious method to try and usurp Ye Zheng's identity; they wouldn't just sit by and let her continue to win the hearts of the people.

It was also unlikely they would let her enter a dangerous situation. If the person chosen by the God of Hope died, the Empire would only become more precarious.

"Think of a way to not arouse Wen Jian's suspicion and, at the same time, make it impossible for the Royal Family to stop me."

Ye Zheng tapped the table with her finger. She was in her own study, a room that Ye Fanjing had only recently approved for her. A pile of documents lay beside her hand.

Her dark eyes suddenly scanned the documents on the table, and her gaze paused.

Ye Zheng pulled out a file. The last time she went to the training grounds to formally meet the Holy Journey Knights Order, she had asked Wen De to investigate any suspicious individuals there, and to do so discreetly.

The training ground was a venue Sykes had given her. At the time, she had thought that a more intelligent Sykes might have planted spies to monitor her actions.

Initially, Wen De hadn't found any clues. However, ever since she transformed before Sykes's eyes and drew the Divine Sword, Sykes had clearly started investigating her. Even the spies he had planted became restless and were discovered by Wen De.

She had told Wen De not to alert them, thinking she might be able to use the spies to her advantage, to pass on information she wanted Sykes to know.

Holding the file, Ye Zheng's brow smoothed, and a meaningful smile appeared on her face.

Very good. As a member of the Royal Squad and the emperor's secretly designated future member of the royal family, if Sykes insisted on going to the Western District and insisted on taking her with him, it wouldn't be strange for her to accompany him.

Ye Zheng picked up her pen, deliberated for a moment, and wrote a few words on the document.

She was betting that the partial memories Sykes had suddenly recovered due to her treatment were related to his monstrous origins.

She wondered how much he knew about his own background. About the deal between the Sei Curia and the Royal Family back then, the death of the empress, the creation of a person from Dragon Bone, the secret experiments in the Western District...

[Are you going to tell him this information? I think it might be a bit dangerous for you to see Sykes right now.]

The System thought of Sykes's tyrannical personality. The moment Ye Zheng took the sword, she had kicked him down. How could Sykes possibly receive this girl who had trampled him so calmly?

The moment he saw Ye Zheng again, he would probably unleash [Destruction]!

"Tell him directly to his face? He would only think I'm toying with him again."

The current Sykes wouldn't believe her as naively as before. She had to use more indirect methods.

She would use the spies Sykes had planted to monitor her to "unintentionally" reveal some clues to him, especially about the Pope's secrets in the Western District.

Guide him to believe that the secrets of his origins are all hidden in the Western District. Ye Zheng believed he would definitely be interested; otherwise, he wouldn't have asked her for regular treatments to help him recover his memory.

"Don't disappoint me, Sykes."

Ye Zheng bent over and wrote a passage. She looked with satisfaction at the half-true, half-false clues she had just fabricated, feeling they were enough to handle the current Sykes.

Until his coming-of-age ceremony, Sykes would be a useful tool.

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