Crimson_Lore
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Chapter 82: Mechanism
🕑 Added 2025-05-13 03:51:51 +0000 UTCTo be fair, Ji Rong was utterly incapable of offering heartfelt praise.
But in this moment, as she looked into Gu Baiyi’s eyes, clear and bright like gemstones, she couldn’t shake the feeling that if she didn’t say something nice, she might go down in history as a terrible person.
After much internal struggle, Ji Rong finally forced the words out, enduring every bit of discomfort as she muttered, “Not bad work… breaking the formation.”
Just five simple words, spoken haltingly and with all the stiffness of rusted gears.
After all, Ji Rong had never praised anyone in her life. She was more comfortable behind a keyboard, spewing sarcasm and snide remarks.
Who would’ve guessed that even such a half-hearted compliment would be so well received by Gu Baiyi?
How did Ji Rong know that? Well, it wasn’t from reading the expression of the notoriously unstable heroine, it was all thanks to the system.
It was just a perfunctory remark, yet the system exploded like a firecracker, ringing the news in Ji Rong’s ear.
[Ding! Congratulations, Player. Gu Baiyi’s affection +200.]
This time, the robotic voice dragged out the "200" with deliberate glee, echoing in Ji Rong’s mind for a full ten seconds.
Ji Rong: “……”
Tormented by this obnoxious announcement, she couldn’t help but feel like it was New Year’s all over again.
And before the sound faded, another notification dropped like a bombshell:
[Due to the system being blocked in the earlier area, previously uncalculated affection points are now updated. Gu Baiyi’s current affection: 999.]
[Congratulations, Player. In just one day, you have surpassed the maximum affection threshold and unlocked the title: “A Single Blast to Bury the Hatchet.”]
A single blast to bury the hatchet???
Go to hell, you stupid system.
After cursing the system thoroughly, Ji Rong followed Gu Baiyi over the wall and into the courtyard.
The two of them successfully located an unoccupied room and were just about to search for the Mountains and Rivers Chessboard when Jiang Fei suddenly appeared.
Gu Baiyi wasn’t particularly pleased to see her.
After all, back at the sacrificial ritual last winter, this woman had worn a mask and stood across the bridge, staring at Ji Rong from afar.
Though a year had passed, that scene still remained vivid in her mind.
Thinking of this, Gu Baiyi gave a faint smile and said, “There are many ways to break a formation, but if you want speed, the only method is to shatter it with killing intent.”
Jiang Fei shook her head. “Haste makes waste. You may have broken the formation, but the aftermath remains outside. Who’s going to clean it up?”
Gu Baiyi smiled mysteriously. “Isn’t that why you’re here, Miss Jiang?”
Jiang Fei froze.
So did Ji Rong, who had been quietly enjoying the drama from the sidelines.
From Gu Baiyi’s tone, it seemed she had known Jiang Fei was tailing them all along, and had deliberately kept quiet, hoping Jiang Fei would help clean up the mess?
Ji Rong was genuinely stunned by Gu Baiyi’s twisted logic.
Never mind why Jiang Fei would help them in the first place. Just take Gu Baiyi’s reaction earlier…
Did the heroine know it was Jiang Fei the whole time, and still tried to put a sword to her neck just for fun?
Ji Rong glanced at Gu Baiyi, who now wore a sly, almost childish grin.
...She hadn’t noticed it before, but the heroine apparently had quite the mischievous streak.
On the other side, Jiang Fei quickly pieced it all together. Somehow, she had been played by Gu Baiyi without even realizing it.
Jiang Fei didn’t have many strong likes or dislikes, but she did despise being manipulated.
Frowning, she said, “You and I are strangers. There’s no reason I should help you clean up your mess.”
Gu Baiyi smiled again. “Oh, but I’m certain you will, Miss Jiang.”
Jiang Fei narrowed her eyes. “And why’s that?”
“Because you want to know what lies beyond that barrier,” Gu Baiyi replied calmly. “And if you’re interested in what’s hidden there, you must believe in the legend of the five swords. Which means… you’ll help us.”
Jiang Fei stared at Gu Baiyi in silence.
Ji Rong, caught in the middle, had been watching with amusement, until she heard Gu Baiyi’s analysis. She couldn’t help but be impressed by the heroine’s insight. Just a few short sentences, and she’d laid Jiang Fei’s thoughts bare.
Then Ji Rong remembered how, back at Yanhui Pavilion, Gu Baiyi had picked up and put down that wine cup, her face unable to mask her disappointment.
It clicked. So the heroine’s passive-aggressive behavior… was just reserved for her?
Meanwhile, Gu Baiyi’s tone was light as she continued, “Let me guess, Miss Jiang… Decades ago, when you diverted the Yangtze River and fought Master Kongji, was it also because of that sword—”
“That’s enough.”
Before she could finish, Jiang Fei cut her off coldly.
Gu Baiyi said nothing more, merely raised an eyebrow and smiled at her.
Jiang Fei remained still, locking eyes with her.
After a long pause, she nodded and said, “I’ll help you restore the formation outside. But in return, I expect answers.”
Gu Baiyi gave a small bow. “Thank you, Miss Jiang.”
“No need,” Jiang Fei replied coolly.
With that, she slung her peachwood sword over her back and strode out of the room.
Once again, only Ji Rong and Gu Baiyi were left inside.
Ji Rong released her divine sense, using her soul to search for the Mountains and Rivers Chessboard.
As she searched, she couldn’t help but marvel at the heroine’s deep and unreadable mind.
Gu Baiyi stood to the side, watching her with a smile. Out of the blue, she asked, “Senior Sister, why are you helping me find the Chixiao Sword?”
Ji Rong was too busy scanning for the chessboard to pay her much attention.
She thought silently, Never mind the mission, just the fact that you poisoned me with “Doubtless” means if I don’t stick with you, I’ll be dead meat.
Thinking this, Ji Rong turned her head slightly and gave Gu Baiyi a look, clearly a “figure it out yourself” kind of glance.
Gu Baiyi seemed to have expected it. She chuckled and said, “If you’re only doing this because of the 'Doubtless' poison, then there’s no need to go this far.”
Ji Rong paused, unsure what Gu Baiyi meant by that.
Before she could speak, the person behind her had already rested their chin on her shoulder. The pressure was light, composed and restrained.
Cool, slender fingers encircled Ji Rong’s waist, and Gu Baiyi lowered her lashes, hiding the glint of depth in her eyes.
She leaned in close, lips brushing Ji Rong’s ear as she whispered, “After all, the so-called 'Doubtless' if two people poisoned by the same Gu show Doubtless of each other, then the poison loses its effect.”
Her tone was soft, but her breath was hot, searing the curve of Ji Rong’s ear.
Feeling the pressure at her waist and Gu Baiyi’s rather unrestrained hand, Ji Rong took a deep breath.
Damn it, what’s with the habit of always getting handsy?
Forcing herself to calm down, Ji Rong said coldly, “Whether it works or not, let go of me first.”
Gu Baiyi chuckled, but instead of withdrawing, she pushed even further.
Burying her face in the crook of Ji Rong’s neck, she breathed in the faint cool scent of her hair and murmured, voice muffled, “If I let go, will Senior Sister leave?”
A vein pulsed visibly at Ji Rong’s temple. She was about to explode.
Are you fucking kidding me? I’ve got two working legs. The moment you let go, of course I’m walking away. What, you think I’ll just stand here like a decoration?
Though her mind was full of curses, she maintained her aloof image and replied coolly, “I have legs. Why wouldn’t I walk away?”
To her surprise, Gu Baiyi only smiled again. That same sickly, eerie expression from days before surfaced once more as she softly said, “Senior Sister, when the time comes, I’m afraid you won’t be able to leave even if you want to.”
Heh. If I want to leave, I’ll leave, even if the poison acts up. What can you do about it?
Ji Rong didn’t bother responding directly. Instead, she asked, “And how do you know I won’t be able to?”
Gu Baiyi released her, offering only a silent smile.
The crimson feather at her earlobe grew even more vivid. Her lips parted slightly as she lifted a finger to gently hook a lock of Ji Rong’s hair. Her voice was tender: “You’ll understand someday.”
There was something mysterious in her tone, but Ji Rong had no interest in chasing after it right now.
Her spiritual sense had landed on a painting.
The same painting she’d already seen twice.
A midwinter scene, with people gathered around an Eight Immortals table.
Ji Rong stood quietly before it, her face calm, though her thoughts were anything but.
Through the bead curtain that the red-robed youth had lifted, she could just make out a face that bore a striking resemblance to her own.
After a moment, she snapped out of her daze and said to Gu Baiyi, “The game board, it’s behind this painting.”
Behind the scroll hung a plain white wall.
Gu Baiyi stepped closer and lifted her hand.
Then, drawing her sword, she gently peeled back the thin scroll.
To her surprise, there was nothing behind the wall.
She frowned. Maybe there was a hidden compartment behind it that held the Mountains and Rivers Chessboard.
But in her past life, the board hadn’t been hidden inside a wall. It had been...
As that thought crossed her mind, Gu Baiyi turned to the bookshelf beside them, opening a secret compartment to inspect it.
Empty.
Even the painting she’d seen in her past life was gone.
Clearly, something had changed. And the variable didn’t seem to be her, it was Ji Rong.
Gu Baiyi returned to Ji Rong’s side, both of them staring at the wall once more.
They didn’t speak. From time to time, one of them would reach out to touch the surface, searching for any clue.
Ji Rong had already used her spiritual sense to scan the room, nothing seemed out of place. It was unlikely any of the objects could trigger a mechanism.
Staring at the silent wall, she thought, the most likely explanation is that the wall is the formation. And when they lifted the painting, they had already entered it.
Just as both of them sank into contemplation, dusk crept in and the birds began to return to roost.
They had searched for a long time, but still found no trace of the board.
Gu Baiyi frowned. If it had been an outdoor formation, she could have simply slashed through it with her sword.
But they were indoors now. If she damaged the wall, there would be no Jiang Fei to come and repair it.
Thinking of this, she exchanged a look with Ji Rong. They both understood each other.
Something was definitely wrong with this meditation chamber. If they couldn’t find it soon, their only option was to retreat.
After all, if they lingered too long, Kongji would return.
Finally, Gu Baiyi withdrew her hand and said, “Senior Sister, something’s off about this room. How about we come back another day?”
Ji Rong nodded. That made sense.
The plot had shifted, and who knew what kind of restriction Kongji might have placed in this room? Staying any longer was pointless.
Just as the two of them were turning to leave, a gust of wind blew through, flinging open the slightly ajar window.
Ji Rong frowned and instinctively shut her eyes against the wind.
When she opened them again, a flash of red appeared before her.
That scandalous splash of red stood out starkly in the quiet hall; bold, sudden, and utterly out of place.
Of course, there was only one person who would dare wear red from head to toe here.
Xie Bai had taken advantage of Gu Baiyi’s absence to put on his own clothes again. But the reason he managed to dance right up to her now was because…
He lifted his uninjured hand and shook a folded fan, grinning cheerfully. “My dear Demon Lord, surely you haven’t forgotten? Today marks the third day.”
“And so?”
Gu Baiyi frowned. She really had no desire to see this jinx when she was spending time alone with her senior sister.
At those words, Xie Bai’s carefree attitude vanished instantly.
He gave her a pitiful look and said, “If you won’t give me the antidote you promised every three days, I’m afraid I’ll be kicking the bucket right here.”
Gu Baiyi smiled sweetly. “Try it, then.”
“With your permission, how could I dare disobey?”
Xie Bai grinned, swaggering forward with a casual step.
But as soon as he took that one step, both Ji Rong and Gu Baiyi’s expressions changed. In unison, they cried out, “Don’t move!”
Xie Bai looked baffled, but his long legs couldn’t stop in time. His foot landed easily on the floor.
He turned to them and said with mock surprise, “Why are you both so alarmed? I’m perfectly fine.”
Then he noticed their eyes were locked on his shoes.
Following their gaze, he froze.
Staring down at his feet, his voice trembled: “Why… why are my shoes glowing?”
