Chapter 151: Such a Vast Lake: The Tragedy of Chelsea

Najenda, Akame, Leone, Mine raising her gun to shoot, and also... Sheele, who was reported dead in the report.

"What a terrible situation," Run said through clenched teeth.

...

"I've had enough." Qi could no longer tolerate this meaningless chaotic battle. Spreading his wings, he shot straight into the sky, withdrawing from the fray.

"Ah, it's only been a short while. Let's go again, shall we?" Hong Meiling said with some dissatisfaction.

"Go again with your Young Mistress! Behave yourself, or I'll go complain about you to Sakuya and Remilia," Qi said viciously. Being pestered by this girl, he was left with no choice but to use this ultimate tactic.

Hong Meiling was indeed startled, quickly stopping her battle against Esdeath and flying over to Qi's side. "You know Miss Sakuya and the Young Mistress too? But you're not from Gensokyo!"

"Did that little emperor threaten you the same way?" Qi didn't answer immediately, instead wearing an inscrutable expression.

"That little boy said he'd treat me to all the food and drink I want every day, and that until I go back, he could find a martial arts expert for me to spar with, as long as I happen to knock out some enemies and bring them back to him. Plus, he promised to put in a good word for me with the Young Mistress and Miss Sakuya so I wouldn't get punished for neglecting the gate."

Hong Meiling broke into a happy smile, brilliant and radiant.

"So dazzling. You've lived for hundreds of years, how can you still trust people so easily? Since that's the case, follow me from now on. I'll also provide you with food and drink, and I can spar with you in martial arts every day. Isn't that an even better choice? Besides, the food will definitely taste better than anything you've ever eaten before."

Qi tempted her. Naturally, such a super powerhouse had to be recruited.

"Alright, alright! Sparring with you really gave me some insights; some of the fine details of your movements are even more perfect than mine. But what if I get punished with a salary deduction and forbidden from eating when I go back?" Hong Meiling agreed very quickly, then looked somewhat fearful, showing that the two individuals had indeed left a deep and lasting intimidation upon her.

"Leave that matter to me, you can rest easy." Qi, who had just told others not to trust people so casually, was now taking full responsibility to reassure Hong Meiling.

Yet...

"Oh, you're truly a good person, then I can rest assured." The girls of Gensokyo were just that pure—so pure that Qi wanted to bite down on that trusting, relieved, and happily joyful smile of hers.

Heavenly Venerable, I've been finding it harder and harder to resist lately. Center yourself, center yourself.

"Hehehehe, are you bullying me because I can't fly? What are the two of you whispering about up in the sky? Can't you let me hear it too?" Esdeath narrowed her eyes, pressing her right hand against the ground, and in the blink of an eye, a pillar of ice soared straight into the heavens.

Esdeath's emotions seemed a bit unstable right now. It was probably related to being easily defeated by Hong Meiling time and time again. Qi looked at Esdeath, whose expression was somewhat flat yet her gaze was burning fixedly upon him.

She even said she had a girlfriend and wouldn't like anyone else, yet what kind of relationship does he have with this red-haired girl? Esdeath pressed with her gaze.

"Wow, what a huge lake, and the water is blue." Having finally noticed her specific environment, Hong Meiling let out an exclamation, though her perception was utterly appalling.

"This is the ocean. Have you really never seen the ocean before?" Esdeath asked with some surprise.

"The ocean? I did see it a few times five hundred years ago while traveling and studying martial arts, but unfortunately, I was solely focused on my martial arts at the time and didn't pay attention. After arriving in Gensokyo, I never had the chance to go out again, and Gensokyo doesn't have an ocean either. Hey, hey, let's go play in the sea! It looks so comfortable."

Hong Meiling looked at Qi excitedly, as if seeking his consent. It seemed that having always been the submissive one at the Scarlet Devil Mansion, she had already treated Qi, who provided her with food and drink, as her superior.

"You guys go ahead; I still need to go back and check. I have to snatch that spatial Teigu, otherwise flying back will be too troublesome." With that, Qi descended to the ground.

"Kaiten, did you get something wrong? We... are enemies, after all. Being so relaxed like this is going to get you hurt." Esdeath leaped down from the ice pillar, kicking up a wave of spray on the sandy beach.

"Roar!" Without waiting for Qi's response, a hundred-meter-tall giant that had been hiding somewhere nearby ran over. One look made it obvious that it wasn't coming over to exchange friendly greetings.

This appearance was very similar to the Dangerous Beast transformed by Stylish back then. It seemed this island was one of Stylish's secret experimental bases, which meant it shouldn't be too far from the Empire. Qi thought to himself, "I'll go take care of them and be right back."

...

"Are you alright, Kurome-chan?" Walking along the path of the assembly point town, Kurome suddenly collapsed to the ground, weak all over, while Bols by her side asked with concern.

Damn it, because I didn't get to eat any candy along the way, my body...

Kurome clutched her head, her teeth clenched in endurance.

Bols reached out a hand to Kurome's back, then patted it as he asked, "Does something hurt?"

Kurome barely managed to twitch the corners of her mouth. "I'm fine... if I can just eat some candy." Saying this, Kurome reached her right hand toward the pouch containing the candy.

"You look like you're in so much pain, you poor thing. Right, let me teach you a spell that will make you feel better!" Bols raised his left hand with the look of someone who had just thought of a brilliant idea.

Kurome looked over in confusion. The next moment, her dark, fatigued pupils instantly contracted, then gradually expanded. Her expression froze in slight surprise. The right hand she had raised dropped down, and the candy she had clutched rolled off to the side.

"See, this way you won't hurt anymore." Having reverted to Chelsea, she stood up, looked at the motionless Kurome, and said with somewhat downcast emotions, "Goodbye."

Kurome fell straight to the ground. "Sis...ter."

Target number two, assassination fully completed. ...This child, calling out for her sister at the very end! How pitiful, though this is probably the karmic retribution of an assassin.

She recalled the various dark corruptions she had witnessed in the prefect's residence in her hometown, and the scene of people being liberated and cheering happily after she finally used her Teigu to kill the prefect.

"We'll be able to restore peace to the world soon. You can be reincarnated and reborn then." With that, Chelsea picked up the Yatsufusa katana from the ground and turned to leave.

"I said."

Chelsea was startled, ran forward a few steps, and then spun around. "When?" The Yatsufusa katana in her hand had already been snatched back by Kurome, who had stood up once again.

"The spell just now was useless. I'm still hurting, so painful." Kurome's eyes were bloodshot as she stared fixedly at the other person.

"I clearly stabbed you in the vital spot."

"Shortly after my sister left, she developed a new medicine—a drug that can further strengthen the flesh. It seems I won't die unless my head and heart are destroyed, though the burden on my body has increased as well." Kurome drew Yatsufusa, black lightning flashing.

Panicking, Chelsea dropped a smoke bomb and turned to flee.

My body won't move. Damn it, she just said target number two, assassination fully completed; Bols has already been killed by her. I must kill her before losing consciousness. "Chop her to pieces, Natala, Doya."

In her panic, Chelsea pulled out the Gaea Foundation and tried to transform and escape, but after a gunshot, her five fingers and the makeup case of the Gaea Foundation were blasted away simultaneously. "Crap."

By now, Chelsea had run into a patch of violet flowers. The enemy had already caught up, and Kurome's bodyguard had just leaped forward to block Chelsea's path, swinging a long-handled greatsword.

Chelsea, whose close-combat ability was weak, instantly had her right arm severed from her body.

"Bang!" The female gunman in the rear took aim at her back, and her heart was pierced instantly. A mouthful of blood spewed from her mouth. The crimson blood stained the brilliantly toxic violets, making them appear exceptionally enchanting and beautiful.

"Whoosh!" The long-handled greatsword swung again, and Chelsea's body began to tilt as her head soared high into the air.

Ah, so that's how it is. The one receiving retribution turns out to be me after all. Tch, I originally wanted to go back and hear little Qi praise and compliment me. I'm sorry for letting your vow fall through. In the next life, I hope I can hear you say it again... I will definitely protect you, forever.

(Four hundred more words begging for recommendation votes. I'll be updating the Book of Life and Death tonight. Vote for whichever side you like best. If you're out of votes, you can leave a tip to express your feelings; I am endlessly grateful.)