“Shall we go together?”
Bai Ran had intended to refuse.
“Your elders at home won’t agree,” Bai Ran said.
Unexpectedly, Fang Tianhui lowered her head, her face pale.
“My mother is gone, and I only have my father, but he doesn’t like me.”
Bai Ran looked at Fang Tianhui, whose face was ashen. She sighed.
“Let’s go together.”
“Really! Sister Bai, you’re not lying to me, are you!” In an instant, she recovered and bounced around happily.
Bai Ran smiled, “Yes.”
Xiao Zi, inside the space, watched this scene and a smile curved her lips.
She hadn't expected this little brat to have any humanity left. After spending so much time together, she had thought this little brat was heartless.
Fang Tianhui joyfully followed Bai Ran to the mission board.
“Sister Bai, what do you think of this one?” Fang Tianhui pointed at a mission to pick spirit herbs.
Bai Ran glanced at it and then looked away, scanning the missions next to it. She then tore off one.
“This one.”
Fang Tianhui looked at the mission on the paper and was so scared she hiccuped a few times.
“Sis, Sister Bai…” This was an SSS-class mission!
Protect the townsfolk and ensure they safely survive the Night of a Hundred Ghosts.
The moment she saw the mission name, she shivered. Sister Bai… was she that fierce?
“You’ve only been in the academy for a few days, and you already think you’re invincible and dare to take on missions?”
At the sound, the two turned around.
They really were like persistent shadows, Shangguan Xi.
Fang Tianhui was furious. “None of your business! Who do you think you are!”
Bai Ran held back Fang Tianhui and looked at Shangguan Xi.
“Just because I can complete this mission, and you cannot.”
Shangguan Xi’s ears almost exploded with anger at Bai Ran’s words, her eyes filled with hatred.
“Who says I can’t? I’m telling you! Taking this mission is looking for death! You might as well give it to me!”
Fang Tianhui looked at Shangguan Xi as if she were an idiot, unsure where her confidence came from.
“Give it to me? Who do you think you are?” Bai Ran eyed Shangguan Xi with amusement.
Seeing Bai Ran about to leave, Shangguan Xi’s anger had nowhere to vent and surged in her heart.
“Bitch! Do you dare to compete with me!”
Bai Ran stopped and looked at her. “Compete in what?”
“Let’s see who completes this mission first.”
Shangguan Xi crossed her arms, looking at Bai Ran with contempt and provocation.
Bai Ran raised an eyebrow and walked away.
“Don’t cry to your parents if you lose.”
Fang Tianhui stuck out her tongue at Shangguan Xi and followed Bai Ran.
“You!”
Her fierce and venomous gaze locked onto their retreating backs. Shangguan Xi clenched her fists tightly, her dark energy growing stronger.
Bai Ran! You damn bitch!
May you die a terrible death!
Unbeknownst to her, Shangguan Xi, her heart consumed by hatred, had unknowingly fallen into Bai Ran’s trap.
Bai Ran’s goal was not to provoke Shangguan Xi into taking the mission. All she wanted was Shangguan Xi’s agreement to compete.
After all, there were many disciples around the mission board who had heard this exchange.
If Shangguan Xi took the mission, Bai Ran could use the Ghost Town to get rid of her.
If she didn’t take it, Bai Ran could still secretly eliminate Shangguan Xi within the academy, dispose of the body, and fabricate a false report stating that Shangguan Xi had willingly challenged Bai Ran, overestimated her abilities, took on an SSS-class mission, and died as a result.
This game was a dead end for Shangguan Xi, no matter how she played.
The two returned to their courtyard to organize their belongings, then went back to look at the mission board.
As expected, the number of missions hadn’t changed. Shangguan Xi hadn’t taken the mission; she was too confident, believing Bai Ran would die in the Ghost Town.
Her only objective was for Bai Ran to die. As for keeping her word, that was unimportant.
Bai Ran smiled. Shangguan Xi, Shangguan Xi, do you really think your plan is flawless?
“Wait for me here for a bit. I’m going to report to the Dean.”
Hearing this, Fang Tianhui obediently stayed put.
“Sister Bai, you go ahead. I’ll be good!”
After leaving, Bai Ran swiftly infiltrated Shangguan Xi’s courtyard and silently dealt with her. She threw the body into her space and made the room look as if Shangguan Xi had gone out.
Then she went to the Dean’s office and mentioned that Fang Tianhui would be accompanying her.
Unexpectedly, Bai Ran had thought Xuan Yuan would stop Fang Tianhui from going. To her surprise, he readily agreed with a smile.
After Bai Ran left, Dean Xuan Yuan sat in his rocking chair, a smile on his lips, rocking back and forth.
This would surely make Xiao Mo anxious.
Returning to the mission board, and unnoticed by others, Bai Ran tore off another mission for Ghost Town.
“Sister Bai, let’s go!” Fang Tianhui’s heart was pounding. This was her first mission!
“Yes, let’s go.”
The mission location was a small town named Ghost Town on the outskirts of the Vermillion Bird Kingdom. Legend had it that every month, on the fourth day, precisely at midnight, people would mysteriously die, and large numbers of black specters would appear on the streets, creating a chilling atmosphere.
The reason specters were difficult to eliminate was not only because they were immortal.
The most crucial reason was their ability to invade people’s minds, dredging up their deepest pain and forcing them to relive that vulnerability again and again, making it almost impossible for anyone to escape.
If the specters attacked during this interval, the casualties would be unimaginable.
Their mission was to protect the townsfolk and ensure they safely passed this day.
With three days left until the fourth, the two traveled by carriage and arrived at Ghost Town two days later.
The sky was gloomy, and the streets of Ghost Town were deserted. All the houses and shops had their windows and doors tightly shut, giving it a desolate appearance.
“Let’s find an inn first,” Bai Ran said after alighting from the carriage.
After searching for a long time, they discovered that the town had only one inn.
Fang Tianhui clutched Bai Ran’s sleeve tightly, nervously glancing around.
She was as scared now as she had been excited before coming.
Bai Ran knocked on the inn’s door. After a long pause, the door creaked open a sliver.
“Who are you?”
A pale-faced, emaciated old man spoke through the gap, his voice trembling.
“We’re here for a room,” Bai Ran said, looking at the old man in the gap.
The door then slowly opened, and the old man welcomed the two inside. He poured them a cup of tea and then stared at them, speaking in a low voice.
“You two are young, but very bold. Have you not heard the legends of Ghost Town?”
Fang Tianhui felt goosebumps prickle her skin at the old man’s gaze, a chill running down her spine. She pressed herself against Bai Ran.
“Senior, we are students from Star Picking Academy. We’ve taken on a mission and have come to protect the townsfolk,” Bai Ran explained.
Upon hearing this, the old man gazed at Bai Ran for a long time, his eyes full of sorrow.
“It’s useless, utterly useless.”
“Oh? Why do you say that, Senior?” Bai Ran raised her teacup, sniffed it, and took a sip.
The old man lowered his head and said, “For more than ten years, how many students from academies and disciples from sects have come with high spirits, only to meet their end here? Not a single one has survived.”
“We townsfolk no longer hold any hope. We only wish to live one more day, and that is enough.”
A tear traced a path down the old man’s wrinkled face. He looked up at something, yet nothing was there.
Fang Tianhui looked at the old man’s demeanor, feeling pained, yet terrified that she too might become one of the deceased.
Bai Ran put down her teacup and looked at the old man.
“Senior, after enduring the lowest point, comes the peak.”