Chapter 161
The girl was engulfed in an invisible flame, her clothes dissolving into the dark vestments of the church's high priest. Half of her hair was singed away, curling slightly as it did.
The sound of police sirens shattered the night's tranquility, more officers rushing toward her location.
...
"Heh... heh..."
At this moment, Sha'er had returned to her "Judicator" form, sprinting through the alleyway.
Though thick clouds of blood mist obscured her vision, she could still discern her position by running close to the walls, using the exterior surfaces and the ground to guide her.
Sha'er was beginning to sense that something was amiss.
The layout and streets were eerily similar to those of Zhongta Alley, the flesh-and-blood monstrosities offered no resistance, and the desperate wails that had echoed in her mind earlier lingered still.
All of this led to a terrifying thought taking root in Sha'er's mind.
She was no longer in the Otherworld... she was in reality.
This was not some horrific barrier conjured by extraordinary powers; everything around her had not changed at all. The only thing that had shifted was her own twisted mental state after entering the Otherworld.
In other words, the creature Sha'er had just killed was likely not a monstrosity at all... but just an ordinary person.
Fortunately, this was merely a simulation; no matter how many she killed, it wouldn't affect reality.
Yet her current mental state filled Sha'er with deep concern.
Initially, she had only wanted to escape from Xu's grasp, but unexpectedly, Xiao Zuo had dragged her into the Otherworld.
Though Xiao Zuo had consciously shielded her vision and blocked her hearing, Sha'er's mind had still suffered severe contamination.
Unlucky, unlucky, unlucky.
The misfortune was not over!
But why? Her mental state had already affected her perceptions, yet she could still think clearly?
Was it the function of "Calm Reflection"?
No... if "Calm Reflection" were effective, she wouldn't have gone mad during the first deep simulation.
Sha'er could only rely on her hazy memories, following the path marked by shattered bones, running toward the direction away from Zhongta Alley.
The road beneath her feet had not changed, but the streetlights had noticeably multiplied. Sha'er tried to read the signs to determine her location, only to find that she could no longer comprehend the words.
To her eyes, the text on the signs appeared as if it had been run through an AI, completely distorted into shapes she could not understand.
Fortunately, the glass storefronts that began to appear allowed Sha'er to deduce that she had reached the junction between the Gem District and Zhongta Alley, the site of numerous jewelry processing factories.
If she just kept running straight, she could pass through the Gem District and reach Ai...
Sha'er's thoughts momentarily stalled.
No...
Without the "Gambler" save file's cultist mindset, Sha'er would no longer confine her potential allies to divine servants.
Seeking help from a divine servant might not cure her current state; the most likely outcome would be that it would help her eliminate anyone daring to pursue her.
To completely rid herself of her current condition, Sha'er could only think of one person.
Ai Wei Na.
Ai Wei Na was skilled in healing both the mind and spirit, and she possessed numerous special items imbued with extraordinary properties. Perhaps one of them could assist her.
Inevitably, seeking Ai Wei Na might expose her to misfortune as well.
But Sha'er was determined to find Ai Wei Na.
Because she was unwilling to accept defeat.
Having spent 100 fate points, she could have conducted ten simulations under normal circumstances.
With so many points exchanged for a chance to investigate, she had only scratched the surface of the events behind it all, along with that massive beast hovering in the air, likely connected to her misfortune.
At this moment, Sha'er had likely killed several patrol detectives that resembled flesh-and-blood monsters, their rodent-like skulls capable of emitting shrill cries, which might have just been police whistles.
Creating such a commotion near Zhongta Alley would surely prompt the Goddess of Salvation Church to investigate the blossoming wounds.
Given her current situation, it would be difficult to continue her investigation. She needed Ai Wei Na to help her heal, ideally to mitigate the effects Sha'er had caused.
If this led to Ai Wei Na suffering any harm in future simulations, she could always find a way to alleviate her guilt upon returning to reality...
Quickly, Sha'er set her target, running along the now cobblestone path toward the Jazz Bridge District.
As she ran, she occasionally glanced up, noticing the long-haired crow still circling above her head. The blood mist could not obscure its presence, yet Sha'er had no means to deal with it.
The deadly Blood Roland's attacks could not reach it, and the shadow's range fell short. It hovered above her, seemingly waiting for the next opportunity to strike.
At least from Sha'er's observations, she felt no intelligence emanating from the giant crow, nor did it seem to care that she could see it; it appeared to be merely a projection of something else.
Soon, Sha'er reached the Jazz Bridge District, arriving at the outskirts of Ai Wei Na's estate. She leaped over the fence and dashed toward the interior of the building.
Her successful arrival here was only possible due to the underdeveloped communication of this era, which delayed the spread of information.
Perhaps at this very moment, the personnel at Zhongta Church were just learning about the bizarre shooting incident in Zhongta Alley, and they might not even have begun their investigation yet.
Buzz—
A faint blue, honeycomb-like barrier unfolded not far in front of Sha'er, causing her to slow her pace.
This was Nia's barrier.
Seeing it, Sha'er's anxious heart eased a little.
With Nia around, if any danger arose, she could likely help Ai Wei Na escape, ensuring her safety.
In Sha'er's view, a silver-armored figure leaped down from the window, landing gracefully at the entrance without making much noise, as if the heavy armor were made of paper.
Upon seeing the silver armor, Sha'er let out a sigh of relief.
This meant she hadn't gone to the wrong place.
It was hard to imagine that this suit of armor was the most normal thing Sha'er had encountered since entering the city.
The metallic grinding and vibrating hum emanating from the gaps in Nia's armor only produced a jarring sound, completely devoid of any discernible words.
"Nia?"
Sha'er tentatively called out, only to find Nia reaching for the sword and shield strapped to her back.
It seemed that not only could Sha'er not understand what Nia said, but even her own words failed to be accurately conveyed, not even a simple name.
Sha'er didn't even need to attempt writing; she could bet that whatever she wrote would appear to others as a chaotic jumble, potentially affecting Nia's fragile mind.
After much contemplation, Sha'er couldn't think of any effective means of communication and had to revert to the basics.
She raised her hand, pointed to her head, and shook it.
Then, she lifted her right hand at a forty-five-degree angle, pointing toward Ai Wei Na's room, and tapped her temple with her index finger.
My mind is in trouble; I need Ai Wei Na's help to heal—this was the message Sha'er wanted to convey.
Nia clearly understood this obvious gesture, but seemingly for safety's sake, her right hand began to glow red, the silver armor melting and reshaping.
Soon, two pairs of silver bracelets with chains appeared in Nia's hands.
Nia tossed the crafted silver bracelets to Sha'er, who caught them with ease.
Sha'er understood Nia's intention; Nia had sensed something was off and decided to impose some restrictions on her, preventing Sha'er from harming anyone in a fit of rage.
Without hesitation, Sha'er placed the handcuffs on her wrists, and after a moment's thought, she bent down and locked her feet as well.
These silver bracelets were exceptionally sturdy; breaking free by force would not be easy, but they did not suppress her extraordinary abilities. As long as Sha'er wished, the shadow could still emerge from her reflection.
It was a defense, but not a complete one.
Nia waved at Sha'er, leading her directly into the house.
At this point, the servants had all fallen asleep, and only a few gas lamps remained lit within the estate.
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