Chapter 1106: The Moon is Beautiful

Qing Ling sensed a gaze fixed on her—a heated gaze. She turned around to find War Tiger sitting on a coach’s seat outside the court, legs crossed and hands fidgeting with a gas lighter. He smiled at the four of them, his eyes glinting with desire.

Liao Liao followed her line of sight and hissed when she saw War Tiger. “Is Uncle Tiger looking at us? Like a pervert?”

“Huh?” Hong Xiaoxiao looked up belatedly to see War Tiger's unsettling smile. She shuddered. “He looks...”

Nainai said the words Hong Xiaoxiao wasn’t able to voice: “Disgusting!”

“Keep it down.” Liao Liao quickly looked down at her noodles and continued to eat. “I mean, he is looking at us like a piece of meat. Is he having untoward thoughts about us?”

Hong Xiaoxiao’s eyes widened. “That can’t be. Uncle Tiger’s not that kind of person!”

“Ha, he wasn’t, but he may be now.” Liao Liao joked. “Perhaps Zero Probability has put him in such despair that he gives up on himself and decides to surrender to carnal desires.”

Hong Xiaoxiao imagined a lecherous War Tiger. “Ugh, no. I can’t accept that. It’s so out of character.”

Nainai huffed. “He’s eyeing this Empress’ divine power!”

Qing Ling didn’t chime in. She continued to eat her noodles. Whether War Tiger was after her body or power, she would just cut him with her blades.

Meanwhile, War Tiger didn't have the slightest idea how the four young women were talking about him. Playing with his lighter, he mumbled, “Ah, Qing Ling’s Talent will be the best. Once I get it, I’ll just duel the death monsters.”

“Hong Xiaoxiao’s nice as well. It’s such a cheat. It’ll be uniquely effective if well utilized.”

“In the long term, though, Liao Liao’s the investment with the highest potential return. She’s got Aptitude.”

“As for Nainai, her Talents leave something to be desired. It’s all relative...”

He shifted his gaze elsewhere, shopping for the Talents of his other companions.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, Sunny cried out, her face draining of color.

...

Three minutes ago.

The back of the town bordered a mountain, at the top of which was a ski resort.

A gondola lift connected the resort and the bottom of the mountain. One car hung suspended halfway up the slope due to malfunction—in reality, the car had frozen there because half of the snowy mountain had been devoured by the Mist, and the cable car could not reach the top.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Inside hid two people, Nine Frost and Chen Ying.

With his tactical binoculars, Nine Frost methodically scanned the town below, ensuring he maintained a comprehensive view with the help of his several thousand patrolling birds.

Chen Ying, meanwhile, swept the area with Sensory to detect potential threats, taking brief rests intermittently.

If they found anything suspicious approaching, Nine Frost would notify those in the basketball court with Telepathy.

He lowered the binoculars and took a bite of the chocolate stick in his hand, making an audible crunch.

Chen Ying slowly opened her eyes and deactivated Sensory, taking a short break.

“Do you like chocolate?”

“Not really,” Nine Frost said seriously. “This is just easy to carry with high calories, perfect as an energy supplement on missions.”

“Ah.” Chen Ying took a can of coffee out of her pocket. “Coffee? It’ll wake you up.”

“No thanks.”

“Do you not like coffee?”

“That’s not the case,” Nine Frost said with the same seriousness. “Having too much liquid risks toilet breaks. Should be avoided on missions.”

“Right.” Chen Ying smiled and put the can away.

She wasn’t sure what more to say. She combed her hair with her fingers and turned to look out at the cable car. The moon was large and round tonight. The whole world seemed softer under the bright moonlight.

She wanted to enjoy this short moment of serenity.

“Chen Ying,” Nine Frost broke the silence.

Chen Ying looked up. “Yeah?”

“What do you think about Captain’s theory?”

Chen Ying could see that Nine Frost was still dwelling on it. She said honestly, “Objectively speaking, I think the probability is high. Captain’s deduction makes sense. Greed took Madam...Surnamed Li as host, and its other identity is the Heavenly Godbearer.”

Nine Frost waited.

“Personally, I want it to be true as well. Then Surnamed Li’s sins can be partly or even mostly attributed to Greed. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive her, but at least...I won’t hate her anymore.”

Nine Frost opened his mouth and then closed it.

Chen Ying's gaze seemed heated enough to burn through the night. “In my mind, Madam Li died after what happened at the Starcatching Pavilion. The woman after that is merely Greed’s puppet.”

Nine Frost stayed quiet.

“Nine Frost.” Chen Ying took his hand. “Let’s kill her together. Avenge our companions and also liberate Madam Li.”

A few seconds later, Nine Frost's fingers closed around hers. “Okay.”

His palm was covered in callouses. It felt strong and warm, safe.

“The moon is beautiful,” Chen Ying said, turning to look outside at the moon.

Nine Frost followed her gaze and nodded. “Yeah.”

They felt more relaxed than they had been for a long time, and they found themselves getting lost in the moment. They stared at the moon. The silver light was growing more intense, almost drowning out their features. Their gazes lost focus.

The moon had been growing bigger, yet they hadn’t been able to notice as they kept watch.

It was now so incredibly massive that it hung above the gondola like it was within reach. The silent, eerie, soft, and intangible light covered everything, filling every nook and cranny.

From somewhere, a woman’s lazy chuckle could be heard.

It sounded distant like it was from the moon itself, yet close like it was hidden in the very moonlight surrounding them.