Chapter 247

  Legends and Myths (V)

  Huh.

  We're really screwed, aren't we?

  A positive spin on this is that she's just the nicest person ever and decided to save us out of the goodness of her heart. And, as much as that hopeful romantic in me wants to believe this to be true, somehow... I have a sneaking suspicion she ain't that nice.

  So, why exactly did she help us?

  Hell if I know.

  "Well, now that the nuisances are finally quiet," she said, turning toward us and smiling. "Normal people can talk for a little while."

  Yeah.

  You're not normal, Sir Lady. You're the opposite of normal.

  "Why do you seem so doubtful?" she asked. "Do you think I will make the same demands as them?"

  "I hope."

  "Ha ha ha, funny," she laughed. "You're rather quick with the wit, aren't you?"

  "..."

  "Ah, don't be so scared. I promise you, at least, that my demands won't be nearly as demented as theirs." Oh, so there are demands. "For starters, I don't want any of your kids. Granted, they are incredibly talented, but they are also incredibly attached; I have a sneaking suspicion I'd have to keep my eyes open at all times, lest one of them drive a dagger through my heart." she added with a nonchalant shrug. If she doesn't want the kids, then what does she want? I mean, even if nobody ever discovers that she killed those guys, their Sects will know that they died here.

  So, they will give her grief for it. And no small amount, either.

  "How much do you know about the world beyond this little hectic corner?" She asked, though it sounded quite rhetorical, so I just stayed silent. "It really is just a corner, if that. That doesn't mean it is entirely irrelevant, however. For instance, that voice that came forth... his calling is one that would probably interest even the Emperors and Empresses."

  Alright. I think I picked up on the quest she wants of us, though... it's kind of incongruous with what we want to do.

  "You want us to inform them in your stead?"

  "Hm? Inform them? Ha ha ha, oh wow. That'd be even funnier if you were joking," she said, grinning. "No, little one. Even if I did task you with doing so, it would probably take you a few thousand years until you could just vaguely make out the world in which the Emperors occasionally appear. No. I am merely asking to borrow your body... for a little while." Eh?

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  "Eh?"

  "It's nothing particularly untoward," she said. "I will simply use your body to go over and destroy their plans before they bear fruit."

  Wow.

  We really are so screwed.

  "You make it sound so innocent."

  "... I do, don't I?" She cracked a smile, her eyes squinting slightly. "There will be some effects on it, of course. Though... it should be of no concern to you. For as loved as you are, your natural talents hardly measure up to your Disciples'. Those suffering a bit wouldn't really make much of a difference for you, don't you think?"

  It stung, sure, but not that much. What stung far more was the realization that... I see no way out of this.

  "Haah. Fine. Forget I asked," she shrugged yet again. "Your Disciples look just about ready to explode, and I'm not in the business of murdering children. You're really not making it easy for me, you know? My coffers will have to bleed quite a bit because of what I did."

  "I never asked you to interfere."

  "Oh? You would have been able to handle them? Or do you think that worm over there trying to make himself invisible would have stepped in to help you?"

  "..." Oops. My loose lips really only ever get me in trouble...

  "Interesting. More and more, I find myself drawn to you, little one. It's been a long time since much of this world has caught my interest; it is all dull affairs, you see. Men seeking pleasure, children seeking guidance, world-weary people seeking sanctuary... all manner of hearts come and go across the eons, and once you've seen them all, faces begin to fade." Spoken like someone who's lived for a while. "Tell me, honestly--do you think you can protect them? Hide them forever? Kids like them either are sheltered by gods, or they die on their way there. There will be no soul out there who will tolerate their existence--unless it's with them. They, and by extension you, will be endlessly hunted until there are armies made up of Emperors doing their best to exterminate you all."

  "Sounds like we would have made it pretty far if there were armies of Emperors chasing us." She cracked a smile yet again, her eyes glistening in a strange array of colors. I couldn't really make out what she was thinking, and even less what exactly she wanted.

  I don't believe for a second that she's told me her desires--whatever she's doing now... it's either because she's not certain yet, or she's just having fun.

  "Ha ha, you really are quite fu--hmm? Weren't there seven of you?"

  "What do you--"

  It happened in a flash--she stood there rather nonchalantly in one moment, and in the next, there was a bored hole between her eyeballs bleeding profusely as her expression distorted wildly, screaming blowing out into a torrential outburst of Qi.

  Almost instinctively, I put up whatever pathetic defense I could, though it got shattered immediately; just as I thought I'd die, another sheen appeared in front of me, thick and solid, and though it concaved inwardly toward me, it didn't shatter.

  Glancing back, I saw that the kids were okay, though what happened to her, I couldn't quite make out just yet.

  "HOW DARE YOU?!!! YOU FILTHY MONGREL!!" She screamed as she likely tried to heal the wound, but it only kept growing larger and larger until I could see her brain. "NO, NO, NO!! THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

  Somewhat poetically--if morbidly--her head exploded similarly to how the heads of those Elders did. Before I could make heads or tails of it, I immediately turned toward Lao Shun as I anticipated what was about to happen next.

  "WAIT, HE'S SWORN AN OATH!!" I shouted just in time, as the sword was literally an inch away from piercing the skull of the man who'd saved our lives. He seemed to realize it just then, too, though he froze in place, his expression turning into one of horror.

  Long Tao stared at me for a moment before shrugging and pulling the sword back, putting it away. Immediately after, Lao Shun toppled on the ground, shaking, while quite a few status windows besieged my peripheral vision. Did I have time for them?

  Hell no.

  Yo.

  Long Tao.

  What the fuck, man?!!