NABC Chapter 3 The Long-Awaited Sweetness, Death Takes Over
Chapter 3 The Long-Awaited Sweetness, Death Takes Over
When Cai'er opened her eyes again, the pungent smell of blood had disappeared, replaced by a faint, calming fragrance.
She lay on her cold wooden bed in the Assassin's Temple. A crowd surrounded her.
Her great-grandfather, Sheng Yue; her father, Sheng Lingxin; and her mother, Lan Yanyu—these should have been her closest blood relatives in the world—were now looking down at her from above. Behind the crowd stood several high-ranking members of the Assassin's Temple, as well as the ever-present, shadowy figure, Xia Ying No. 1.
When everyone saw Cai'er wake up, they all had happy expressions on their faces.
"Well done, Cai'er." A smile even appeared on Great-Grandfather Shengyue's usually stern and imposing face. "Shadow Knight Number One has already reported on the trial. To unleash such perfect killing potential in such dire circumstances, annihilating over a dozen wolf demons—you truly deserve to be the Holy Maiden of our Assassin's Temple, our hope for the future!"
Parents and high-ranking officials nodded in agreement, their eyes filled with amazement and fervor.
Cai'er lay there quietly, her cold eyes sweeping over the "gratified" faces, but she felt only utter desolation in her heart.
There wasn't a shred of pity in their eyes for her narrow escape from death. No one cared how desperate she was after being chased for three days and three nights, nor how much pain her wounds caused her.
All they saw was "talent," and a perfect weapon that was about to be completed.
What's even more ridiculous is, what talent was actually unleashed?
Cai'er sneered inwardly. She knew very well that she was merely a seven-year-old second-tier assassin. Even with her powerful Reincarnation Physique, she couldn't possibly cross such a vast chasm to slaughter a pack of wolves. That wasn't her power at all, but rather…
Thinking of this, Cai'er's heart skipped a beat.
That boy who calls himself the Grim Reaper!
A strong sense of panic washed over her; she feared that everything that had happened in the Sea of Mind was just a hallucination caused by the excruciating pain.
Although she was still wary of the guy named Bai Ye, he was, after all, a "god," a god who had promised to give her strength and help her get rid of her pain!
Cai'er quickly closed her eyes, calmed her mind, and anxiously called out in her spiritual sea:
"Hey! Are you there? Bai Ye! Say something!"
After a brief silence, a faint but familiar voice echoed in her mind:
Stop shouting, it's giving me a headache... I'm here.
The moment she heard that voice, Cai'er's heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, fell back into her stomach with a "thud," and an unprecedented sense of security washed over her.
But she keenly sensed the extreme weakness in Bai Ye's voice, and even the aura of divine power that once emanated from him had dimmed considerably.
"What's wrong with you? Why is your voice so soft?" Cai'er couldn't help but ask, without even realizing it herself, her tone held a hint of nervousness she had never shown even to her parents.
"It's nothing," Bai Ye chuckled lightly. "I just used the last of my power to prepare a small gift for you."
"A gift for meeting? What gift for meeting?" Cai'er was stunned.
"You'll find out soon enough." Bai Ye kept everyone in suspense, his voice gradually fading as if he were closing his eyes to rest.
Outside, Sheng Yue looked at Cai'er, who was silent with her eyes closed, and assumed she was still savoring the afterglow of the trial. She smiled and patted her shoulder, saying, "Alright, you've been unconscious for three whole days. Although the priest has healed you, you must be hungry. Go eat."
Cai'er then felt a burning spasm in her stomach.
The family was gathered together at the dining table, a rare occasion. The table was laden with a sumptuous and nutritious meal, but the atmosphere was unusually somber.
Cai'er sat in the chair, her eyes lowered, her heart utterly unmoved. If all they wanted was a weapon devoid of emotion, what was the point of this pretense of familial affection?
She picked up the spoon expressionlessly, scooped up a mouthful of warm meat porridge, and mechanically put it into her mouth.
Since starting the Six Paths of Reincarnation trial and losing her sense of taste and ability to speak, eating anything feels like chewing wax; she eats only to maintain her vital signs.
However, the moment that mouthful of meat porridge touched the tip of my tongue—
boom!
The savory flavor of the meat gravy and the sweet taste of the rice, combined with the warmth, exploded on her taste buds like a thunderclap!
Cai'er's little hand holding the spoon suddenly trembled, and with a "clang," the spoon fell into the porcelain bowl.
She stared wide-eyed in disbelief, the saliva welling up in her mouth and the long-lost taste flooding her brain.
The taste... I can taste it!
A wave of indescribable bittersweet emotion surged through her, and Cai'er bit her lower lip hard, barely managing to hold back her tears. She lowered her head, stuffing large mouthfuls of food into her mouth, desperately trying to hide her trembling shoulders.
She finally understood what Bai Ye meant by "meeting gift." He had actually used his divine sense to suppress the Samsara Spirit Furnace's deprivation of her sense of taste!
Eat slowly, don't choke.
Bai Ye's gentle voice echoed in his mind again, tinged with a hint of apology: "This is compensation for you. The Reincarnation Constitution was supposed to be the most perfect inheritance for a Grim Reaper. If I hadn't been robbed of my power in an accident, you would never have endured this inhuman torment."
Hearing Bai Ye's words, Cai'er paused slightly in swallowing.
She swallowed the sweet food in her mouth, her feelings becoming incredibly complicated.
Her great-grandfather would only tell her, "You must endure for the sake of humanity," but the deity living in her mind was apologizing for her suffering and using its remaining strength to return the taste to her.
At this moment, the seed called "trust" finally took root and sprouted in Cai'er's frozen heart.
……
However, the warmth of the Assassin's Temple is always fleeting.
They had barely finished eating, and before they even had a moment to catch their breath, Sheng Yue took Cai'er directly to the underground combat training ground.
"Your injuries have healed, and now that your potential has been unleashed, you must consolidate it immediately." Saint Moon stood coldly on the high platform, pointing to the ten men in black below. "Today's opponents are them."
Cai'er's pupils contracted.
Ten Tier 2 Assassins!
Her current spiritual power is only at the second level, and she hasn't even started learning any offensive skills; she only knows the most basic assassin's movements. In previous combat training, her opponents were at most three people, but today the number has more than tripled!
But without saying a word, she silently pulled out two wooden training daggers and walked into the arena.
"start!"
At Sheng Yue's command, ten dark figures pounced on Cai'er from all directions like ghosts.
The sudden increase in difficulty instantly plunged Cai'er into a desperate situation.
She desperately tried to dodge with basic footwork, but two fists can't fight four hands. In just a few breaths, with a few "swoosh" sounds, her arms and shoulders were slashed with blood by her opponent's wooden dagger.
Saint Moon on the high platform frowned deeply.
It's too chaotic; the steps are unsteady; and the judgment is slow.
This is nothing like the peerless genius described in the report of Heroic Shadow One, who was like a killing machine! If she was only this good, how did she manage to wipe out all those werewolf demons?
Cai'er keenly noticed the disappointment and dissatisfaction in her great-grandfather's eyes.
She knew all too well what that meant—if her performance didn't meet expectations, she would face even harsher punishment, perhaps even being locked in that dark, gloomy room.
Panic spread through her heart. The more anxious Cai'er became, the more chaotic her movements became, leaving her with many flaws. It looked as if she was about to be struck in vital areas by three daggers at the same time.
At this critical moment.
Don't be afraid. Relax your body and leave it to me.
Bai Ye's calm voice was like a shot of adrenaline, instantly calming Cai'er's panic.
She gave up resisting without hesitation and completely relinquished control of her body.