Novel Lived
Chapter 354 - Come on, I have been telling you from the start.
354 Chapter 354 - Come on, I have been telling you from the start.
She brushed off the twins' comments, resolving to deal with them later.
But as she watched Ryuk presenting the ring—one that contained resources for cultivation—to Yao Lian as a favor, she couldn't help but find it acceptable since she herself wanted Yao Lian to grow stronger.
Yet, something was amiss.
It was as though Yao Lian's behavior was too suspicious, too off.
Esme's gaze turned toward Yao Lian, who wore an expression reminiscent of an innocent maiden.
With an unbecoming blush lighting up her cheeks, she timidly looked down at the ring, an unsettling thread of annoyance tugging at Esme's mind.
Esme sensed that something was definitely wrong with this woman.
Until this point, Yao Lian had shown open disdain toward Ryuk, yet here she was acting like a lovesick maiden.
The pressing question was: why?
"I have given you what you wanted; now let go of my granddaughter," Yu Shao Yan said, her tone demanding, as she pressed Ryuk to forgive her granddaughter and grant her the freedom she desperately needed—liberation from that tormented nightmare illusion.
Having herself been ensnared in that illusion, Yu Shao Yan understood all too well how real the experience felt.
Every sense screamed with pain, and each moment was intensified to the point where the normal world blurred, rendering one unable to distinguish between reality and fantasy.
She simply could not allow her granddaughter to endure that kind of suffering.
"What?" Ryuk raised an eyebrow, as if she were speaking nonsense, while he made his way toward Regina.
"Y-you! You told me that if I gave—" Yu Shao Yan started, initially expecting him to deny her claim, but was visibly caught off guard by his composure.
This was her only argument in such a desperate situation.
However, before she could finish her sentence, he interrupted her.
"I said I'd think about it, and I did. After deliberation, my answer is... NO," Ryuk replied, dismissing her frantic words.
[ Kekeke, you did her dirty ♪～(´ε｀ )]
As he approached Regina, he began laying out instructions regarding their plan to move forward to the main city.
'Eh? HEHHH!?' Yao Lian's face flushed, her pupils visibly trembling as she stared at the ring in her hand.
Her mind was already overwhelmed from the events of last night, and now this new development only added to her confusion.
thump thump
Her heartbeat quickened, the rhythm intensifying as her thoughts seemed frozen in that moment.
A mix of warmth and tension flooded her senses, especially as she recalled how passionately he had expressed his feelings towards her—last night and even now, right in front of everyone.
"I see you've got quite a ring there," Esme said as she swaggered forward, her demeanor reminiscent of a brazen hooligan. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
She flicked her gaze between Yao Lian's finger and her face, while behind her loomed the ever-present twins, who appeared to be her loyal henchmen.
Typically, Sam seemed like the type of gang member destined only to be beaten—serving as a source of fear for their enemies—while Mae came off as the one to extort money.
"Huh?" Yao Lian murmured, still distracted by the mesmerizing ring on her finger. She felt a tug on her hand, only to turn and see Esme pulling at her finger as if it were some trivial piece of garbage.
"How much?" Mae stepped forward, her tone blunt and businesslike, clearly the one apparently taking charge of negotiations.
"What?" Yao Lian's expression went blank. The sudden arrival of these three and their apparent interest in her ring left her utterly baffled as she tried to grasp their intentions.
"I said, how much money will you take to hand over that ring to Big Sis?" Mae added, waving her fingers, each adorned with shiny coins—though they were definitely not silver.
Thud!
"Ow! Big Sis, I'm just trying to help!" Mae rubbed her forehead after Esme flicked her finger, irritated.
'Hm?' It dawned on Yao Lian that they were interested in her ring.
As she glanced back at it, she finally noticed the shiny coins in Mae's grasp. Suddenly, a string snapped in her mind. "Wh-where did you get those coins?!"
Her shaking voice revealed her shock as she recognized those were platinum coins, treasures only available in high-tier continents.
While it was possible to create counterfeits, the intricate inscriptions on these coins were undoubtedly authentic.
With her heightened senses, she even noted a fine lining along the curve of the symbol, reinforcing her realization that they were the real deal.
"Huh? I got these from my—Ahem, mother," Mae clarified, coughing slightly while feeling a sense of pride swell within her.
It seemed this woman was clever enough to recognize the coins' true worth, earning Mae's silent approval as she gave Yao Lian a thumbs-up, effectively adopting her as a big sister.
"What? When did Lady Drishti become your mother?" Esme raised an eyebrow incredulously, having just caught on to Mae's nonsensical statement.
"She's rich! I adopted myself to her!" Mae confidently declared, her logic clear—those who were wealthy naturally deserved a place in her makeshift family.
'...What are they talking about?' Yao Lian pondered as she observed these kids for the first time, chatting casually with Esme.
The scene evoked a familiar environment that reminded her of her own home, a nostalgic feeling that was surprisingly pleasant.
Her eyes wandered to her ring before she lifted her hand towards Esme to inquire, "If you'd like, you can have it."
"No, I was just curious about your reaction. But if you really want to give me something, let me knock you unconscious pretty quickly." Esme's priorities were clear.
Her reason for approaching Yao Lian was to verify her suspicions regarding the connection between her and Ryuk.
She wanted to delve into Yao Lian's memories, but the toll of keeping Jenny under an illusion was weighing heavily on her.
Thus, she needed to strike Yao Lian on the head to render her unconscious to weaken her mind.
Esme, to ensure she got the best results, had already taken out the green jade pendant and was gripping it tightly as it shone.
"...First of all, I don't want to get hit, and second, why are you holding that thing?" Yao Lian squinted, clearly not in the mood to lose consciousness at that moment.
But as she observed the object that Esme intended to use on her, an unusual memory flashed through her mind.
"This? It's sturdy and has a good grip," Esme replied, glancing at the jade pendant she had retrieved from that old woman. She lifted it, demonstrating how well it fit between her knuckles.
"...You... Aren't you going to tell her?" Yao Lian, well aware of her aunt's tendencies—her unusual kinks—tilted her head as she looked toward where Young Master Rui Ke was engaged in conversation with a sword-wielding woman.
She peeked in that direction and called out.
'Don't tell me...' Ryuk narrowed his eyes, quickly grasping the implication behind Yao Lian's words.
He glanced at the stone in Esme's hand and then averted his gaze, focusing intently on Regina.
He understood what Yao Lian meant, and it was now too late to clarify this to Esme.
[Tch, I've been yelling from the start that it's a damn BUTT PLUG! ಥ╭╮ಥ]