Chapter 45: I'll Take Care of It
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"That one?"
Lyle raised an eyebrow as the pearl he had stolen from the Mechanist Association flashed between his fingers.
"That's right. I'll tell you the specific method to use it later,"
"Ferran, do you still have the file I asked you to steal before?"
Jiang Cheng glanced at Ferran on the other side and asked.
"I still have it,"
Ferran nodded and handed the file over.
'Good',
Jiang Cheng nodded and smiled, "With this, the puzzle is complete."
"It contains some special usage methods for this relic,"
Jiang Cheng explained, seeing Lyle's curious look.
These special usage methods weren't detailed in the original work; it had only mentioned that such a book recorded them.
Therefore, if Jiang Cheng hadn't acquired this file, she wouldn't have known the specific usage methods.
But now, after skimming through the book's contents, Jiang Cheng had already memorized it all.
Sure enough, it recorded the method for multiple people to use the relic to enter the spirit realm,
As well as something even more important: how to allow a part of the spirit realm to descend temporarily into reality.
In her previous life, this pearl had always been called the most useless relic by readers, and the author had explained its other uses in a forum reply.
Though it never escaped its title as the most useless relic, it had definitely added conveniences to Jiang Cheng's plan.
"In any case,"
Jiang Cheng beamed at the two of them, "once you're inside, you'll encounter many monsters."
"But, you don't need to worry about them~ Someone will handle it for us. I need these special methods just for this."
Lyle nodded. "Alright, so when the time comes, I just need to face the king of the corrupted monsters?"
"No, no, no,"
Jiang Cheng grinned, waving her index finger lightly in front of her lips, "To be precise, you only need to face It."
?
Lyle felt a little numb. Although he wanted to avenge his teacher, facing a god—even a false god—felt impossibly arrogant.
"Otherwise?"
Jiang Cheng squinted at him, "If it was just to complete your trial, why would I go to all this trouble?"
"My goal, from the very beginning, was to avenge my dear Hero~"
"Don't worry, you don't have to do much, Lyle, my hero. You only need to bring that little mouse from the other side before It, and then—"
Jiang Cheng smiled as she mimed letting go and dropping something to the ground.
"Just like this—throw the relic on the ground and smash it. That's enough. I'll handle the rest. The only other thing you need to do is stay alive."
Lyle was a bit moved. Jiang Cheng had arranged so many things just to help him get revenge.
Although Lyle was somewhat bothered by Jiang Cheng not sharing her full plan, he reminded himself that she was doing all this for him.
"Jiang Cheng,"
Lyle opened his mouth.
"Hmm?"
Jiang Cheng, who was still reviewing her plan for loopholes, clearly hadn't realized it.
"Thank you, Jiang Cheng. I'm really glad I have you,"
Lyle said seriously.
"Huh?"
Jiang Cheng tilted her head in confusion, not understanding what he was on about.
"Whatever, suit yourself," she shrugged. "Just don't die while you're at it."
Ferran watched from across the table, a bit speechless. Are they seriously flirting now? Seriously!
Can the two of you focus on business for once without the romance, please!
Jiang Cheng glanced at Ferran's odd expression and frowned.
"Is something wrong?"
"No,"
Ferran lowered his head and replied respectfully.
"Okay, then act normal, you're making me anxious,"
Jiang Cheng snapped her fingers and looked at Lyle.
At that moment, Lyle was still caught up in his emotions.
Many times, Lyle wondered if it was fate—whenever his life reached rock bottom, he always encountered a girl who did everything for his sake.
Though their personalities differed, each of them earnestly tried to help him.
Sadly... in the end, they would all die to some enemy, as people from the Eastern Continent always said, victims of heaven's jealousy.
But... at least this time, he wouldn't let Jiang Cheng die again. He was determined to protect her.
Thinking this, Lyle reached back and touched the Sword in the Stone strapped across his back—a weapon he had always carried but never used. He gripped its hilt as a new idea formed in his mind.
"Hey,"
Jiang Cheng called out with annoyance, "Is the Hero really spacing out? Aren't you afraid some villain will kill you while you're distracted?"
"Ah, ha ha,"
Lyle snapped out of it and gave an embarrassed laugh.
"No worries. You're right by my side, aren't you? I trust my Saintess."
"I'm a villain too, idiot,"
Jiang Cheng rolled her eyes and raised her hand.
In the next second, a thin line of blood appeared on Lyle's arm, a tiny cut from who-knows-what.
"You see?"
Jiang Cheng said with a bright smile, "I've already prepared measures for you in advance."
"When you stop listening to me and do things I hate—"
Jiang Cheng narrowed her eyes, a dangerous glint in them.
"Then I'll just do this—little by little, cut open your body."
She was intentionally scaring Lyle; she felt as if his feelings for her were starting to change again.
She just wanted to be good friends with Lyle, so that after she died, he would be sad enough.
But as for those distorted feelings... forget it. Jiang Cheng absolutely detested such things—or really, she hated most things that were too beautiful or moving.
So, since Lyle dared let his feelings change, she had to give him a good scare.
Lyle only rolled his eyes. "I'm not stupid. This divine art of yours barely has any killing power, does it?"
As he spoke, Lyle snapped his fingers right above the spot on his arm where he'd just been cut.
With a faint sound, something unnoticed broke in the air.
Lyle's small wound had already healed without a trace.
"Any attack this weak would be shattered by the magic in my body if it dug any deeper, right?"
Oh, looks like she hadn't scared Lyle after all. Jiang Cheng shrugged.
Whatever, it didn't matter—after all, it wouldn't affect her anyway.
After all, she didn't like men—in fact, she didn't even like humans, herself included.
So she had never really responded to Lyle's feelings.
At least as she saw it, her destiny was to make sure her favorite character from her past life survived.
And then, after becoming friends with Lyle, she would die one day, and reveal her secret at his funeral.
Jiang Cheng would secretly watch from afar; at that moment, Lyle's expression would certainly be fascinating.
Suddenly, she felt a subtle fluctuation and frowned.
It felt so familiar, but she couldn't quite remember what it was.
When she tried to sense again, the familiar feeling had already vanished.
Jiang Cheng would never spout nonsense like "maybe it was just my imagination," but there was no use dwelling on it now, so she put it out of her mind.
"Alright, Ferran, you can go back now. There's nothing left. Lyle and I will handle the rest."
After Ferran left, Jiang Cheng shrugged and looked at Lyle with a smile.
Just as Lyle thought she was about to say something more, Jiang Cheng said,
"I'll take care of the rest. Now that things have come to this, let's eat first."