Chapter 51
“I was lying here in front of you before, holding a gun and pulling the trigger,” the girl said with a smile. “But back then, it was me who died.”
“Now it’s your turn.”
With a sharp crack—
The crimson bullet shot out of the gun as the girl pulled the trigger, embedding itself directly into Xie Lun’s forehead.
His brain matter mixed with dark red blood flowed down his brow to his cheek, then dripped onto the ground. Xie Lun’s eyes widened in terror and confusion, slowly ceasing to breathe.
A scarlet rose emerged from his forehead, stretching slowly upward...
**Chapter 55: Aivina’s Promotion and the Dedun Manor (Part Five)**
Xia Er let go, placing the gun back into her satchel. With this motion, she discreetly stowed the bloodied rose and other items into the warehouse.
She had to kill Xie Lun decisively. To ensure a clean kill, Xia Er chose to use the sealing item for a one-shot finish, not allowing the potion within him to start rebounding.
The dizziness from blood loss, combined with all her previous mental fatigue, made Xia Er’s steps feel unsteady.
It wasn’t until she saw the two distinct potion materials fully extracted from Xie Lun’s body that she finally felt at ease.
It’s over...
Xia Er took two steps back, stumbling toward a pile of rubble behind her.
“Xia Er!”
A voice she couldn’t quite place called out, pulling Xia Er from her daze. She felt herself cradled in a soft embrace but couldn’t remember who it was.
“It’s okay now... Xia Er...” Aivina gently stroked Xia Er’s hair as she spoke.
Seeing the pale face of the girl in her arms made Aivina’s heart ache. She hadn’t even noticed that she had dropped the “Miss” prefix when addressing Xia Er.
“Nia, I’ll leave the rest to you,” Aivina said, turning to the knight.
“Yes, Miss,” came the aged voice from within the armor, tinged with a metallic hum.
Aivina lifted Xia Er in her arms and carried her over the rubble, heading toward her room.
As she looked down at the small girl curled up in her embrace, Aivina couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh.
So light...
So soft...
...
So comfortable...
The next day, Xia Er slowly opened her somewhat hazy eyes and stretched lazily.
How long had it been since she had slept so well?
It felt like lying on a soft bed after several sleepless nights, and Xia Er felt her mind still a bit foggy.
Where am I... Am I home?
As her brain gradually started to function again, memories of the previous night flashed rapidly through her mind.
“The Source of Cholera”!
Xia Er suddenly sat up, scanning her surroundings.
A spacious, bright room—one that was ten times the size of her family’s living room. A soft mattress covered in silky fabric, and a faint, gentle floral scent wafted through the air, reminiscent of a girl’s delicate fragrance.
She had fainted from exhaustion last night... Is this Aivina’s home?
Xia Er looked down at herself. Her once pale linen dress had been changed; now she wore a fluffy, soft silk nightgown.
Huh?
Who changed my clothes?
Xia Er glanced around but couldn’t find her original dress. Instead, she spotted a brand-new outfit hanging by the bed.
A simple, clean white shirt with lace on the shoulders, a pristine white blouse and trousers, along with a black and red striped long skirt styled in the Ansu North fashion, complete with a slender belt.
Is this for me?
With no other clothes available, Xia Er took the outfit and changed into it.
It fit comfortably, just a tad oversized.
There were also some hair accessories and decorative ribbons hanging nearby, but Xia Er ignored them. After putting on the clean socks and black leather boots, she got up and pushed open the door.
Hmm...
Xia Er looked around.
Which way should I go?
After wandering around for a bit, nearly dizzy, she finally found the staircase leading down. As she descended, the rich aroma of coffee wafted up to her.
It was coming from the parlor.
Xia Er walked toward the parlor and peered through a large hole in the wall, revealing the scene inside.
The entire parlor looked as if it had been run over by a steamroller; everything in its path was smashed to bits.
Fortunately, the central table was still intact. Even if the middle part was crushed, the side tables could still be used.
The other wall had a gaping hole that led directly to the garden, sunlight streaming through and casting a warm glow on a dark-haired girl sitting at the battered table, where two breakfasts and two cups of hot coffee awaited.
“Why are you eating here?” Despite the scene’s broken beauty, Xia Er couldn’t help but tease, “Did your house lose its dining room?”
“It’s closer to the stairs,” Aivina replied expressionlessly, taking a sip from her coffee cup. “I was afraid you wouldn’t find me.”
Xia Er plopped down directly across from her. The extreme fatigue and long sleep had left her ravenous. She speared a sausage and took a big bite, then gulped down a large mouthful of coffee.
As the food entered her mouth, the gnawing hunger finally subsided. She looked at Aivina and asked, “Where’s my canvas bag?”
“I’ve put it away; I didn’t look through it,” Aivina said elegantly, cutting a small piece of sausage and chewing slowly.
“What about Xie Lun?” Xia Er inquired.
“The body and notes have been handed over to the Redemption Society. I kept the spiritual materials,” Aivina replied. “His potion hasn’t started digesting yet. The third-tier ‘Source of Cholera’ potion was extracted completely, without any contamination. Perhaps we can discuss the distribution.”
“Did you change my clothes?”
“Cough, cough...” Aivina nearly choked on the sausage she had just swallowed. She could no longer maintain her calm and elegant demeanor, hastily wiping her mouth with a napkin to cover her embarrassment.
“Your clothes were too dirty. If I didn’t change them, they would have stained my bed,” Aivina replied flatly after putting down the napkin.
“Then why didn’t you just let me sleep on the guest bed?” Xia Er asked, puzzled. “Doesn’t your house have a guest bed?”
Aivina shot Xia Er a blank look, and after a long silence, she lowered her head, mimicking Xia Er by spearing a piece of sausage and taking a bite, mumbling, “I’m planning to resign from the police station.”
What a sudden change of topic!
Xia Er was about to press for more details when she noticed the dark purple bite marks on Aivina’s fair neck and let out a slow breath.
Forget it, she’s already left bruises; I guess we’re even.
“Why are you resigning?” Xia Er asked casually while filling her stomach.
At this, Aivina paused for a moment before responding, “My ‘Listener’ potion has finished digesting.”
To be fair, Xia Er had helped her complete the final digestion—she had heard quite a few shocking revelations in just one day, all coming from Xia Er’s mouth.
And fortunately, she hadn’t had to intervene much; the potion had digested very smoothly.
“‘Listener’?” Xia Er looked up at Aivina, puzzled. “Is that the potion for the investigation team? Or is it just your family’s method?”
“No, my family and the investigation team both use ‘Detective’,” Aivina said casually. “That’s why I’m here instead of in Ansu.”
Perhaps because her potion had finished digesting, Aivina seemed to be in a good mood, answering nearly all of Xia Er’s questions.
“Where’s my sister?” Xia Er asked as her final question.
“She’s working at my jewelry store, which usually doesn’t have many customers,” Aivina replied. “You still carry the bacteria for dehydration disease, so it’s best to avoid contact with her for now.”
“Hmm...” Xia Er fell silent. She hadn’t been apart from her sister for more than a day in years, and waking up without seeing her sister or the familiar house felt a bit unsettling.
“I told her I’m a psychologist and you’re my assistant,” Aivina said calmly. “She didn’t seem to believe it, but with your letter, she didn’t say much. It’s best if you send a letter every day; I can help you with disinfection.”
“Thank you.” Xia Er said, suddenly realizing something, and asked, “Psychologist?”
Aivina nodded. “Yes, the next tier after ‘Listener’ is ‘Psychologist’.”
Is Aivina going to be promoted too?
Xia Er took a sip of her coffee.
She also realized that her own power was quite limited, and she was gradually figuring out some patterns in how the system allocated points.
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