Chapter 115: Du Fang, the Soul Painter

The night was deep and dense. After a night of relentless rain, the sky seemed thick and heavy with moisture.

Du Fang left the Dream Crossing Tower and returned to the residential complex, holding Luoluo’s hand with one hand. When he turned his head to the other side, he realized that his sister-in-law, who had been following behind, had vanished.

Yet, Du Fang could feel her presence nearby.

He could constantly hear the faint “la la la” sounds whispering in his ear.

As for this troubled sister-in-law, Du Fang was utterly helpless—there was no way to treat her condition.

He could only let her be, as long as she was happy.

Du Fang held Luoluo’s hand and walked towards their apartment building, planning to take a hot shower and then enjoy a good night's sleep.

Meanwhile, Luoluo was hopping along joyfully, full of delight.

Once Du Fang entered the complex, outside the gates, the soft sound of footsteps rustled.

Behind a wall, a figure slowly emerged.

Wearing a rabbit mask and denim shorts that revealed long, slender, pale legs, which even in the darkness stood out vividly.

“Hmm... the target has returned,” said Blood Rabbit with a sly grin.

“Quite brave, killing the Azure Dragon... and not worrying at all about retaliation? Maybe he thinks the Dream Crossing Masters Association in Jiangling City will protect him?”

“But that actually makes things easier for me—I don’t have to waste time hunting down the target.”

Blood Rabbit stretched lazily, her graceful figure fully revealed in the shadows.

She tapped her earpiece. “Man Niu, Man Niu, how’s your situation? Have you found the Vermilion Bird?”

After a long silence, a muffled voice came through.

“Found it.”

A gleam of joy flickered in Blood Rabbit’s eyes beneath her mask.

The Vermilion Bird was located?

It seemed the Vermilion Bird was doomed.

The Seventh Priestess had declared Vermilion Bird a traitor to the organization, so death was certain—traitors never met a good end.

And if Lin Liuli died, the small divine core that Vermilion Bird belonged to would choose a new candidate.

Blood Rabbit might very well be the next chosen one.

How could she not be happy?

Her mood lifted so much that she began humming a cheerful tune.

Blood Rabbit watched Du Fang’s figure as he disappeared deeper into the complex, a strange glint flickering in her eyes.

“This young man carries a great secret... if only I could dig it out, how wonderful that would be...”

But she dared not.

After all, the Azure Dragon was already dead.

Because of this young man.

It was best to wait calmly for the Seventh Priestess to come and deal with him.

Things she shouldn’t meddle in, she would not let herself be tempted.

Turning away, Blood Rabbit slowly walked toward the distant park.

Suddenly, while walking...

She sensed something amiss.

Footsteps echoed behind her, as if someone was stealthily following.

Blood Rabbit narrowed her eyes.

A faint smile curved beneath her mask.

Quickening her pace, she dashed toward the park.

A park at night was hardly a safe place for a lone woman.

But this was exactly the chance Blood Rabbit intended to give her pursuer.

Following her... bold indeed.

As she entered the park, her legs suddenly propelled her forward with powerful spring-like strength, her movements swift and nimble like a rabbit, instantly becoming a blur.

She concealed herself behind the trees.

Hidden behind the foliage, Blood Rabbit’s eyes fixed on the empty clearing in the park.

Sure enough,

There stood a solitary figure, quietly still.

“Following me?”

“Not a good target…”

“This park is a perfect place to bury you.”

A flicker of crimson flashed in Blood Rabbit’s eyes beneath the mask, a hidden murderous intent briefly surfacing.

In the next instant,

She dashed out from the dense trees,

Appearing behind the figure.

The figure stood motionless, unaware of Blood Rabbit’s presence behind them.

A sneer curled Blood Rabbit’s lips beneath her mask.

Is this all?

Daring to follow her?

She moved slowly around the figure to the front.

Suddenly,

The sneer froze on her face.

Because in the pitch-black night...

This petite figure’s face was completely hidden by long, straight black hair.

A full 360 degrees of black strands, no face visible.

As if sensing Blood Rabbit’s presence,

The figure slowly raised their head, reaching out to brush away the hair from their face, revealing...

A face like shattered porcelain, cracked all over.

A grin stretched back behind the teeth, exaggerated and terrifying.

“La la la la~”

“What are you spying on my brother-in-law for?”

“Are you trying to harm him?”

The soft voice carried a hint of madness, a touch of sickness...

Blood Rabbit’s body hairs stood on end; goosebumps covered her pale legs.

An overwhelming terror spread instantly from the depths of her heart, like ink spilling, engulfing her entire being.

“I…”

Blood Rabbit opened her mouth wide but could not utter a sound.

Her pupils dilated, reflecting a blood-stained pencil.

The sickly girl held the bloodied pencil against Blood Rabbit’s mask...

Puncture!

The mask was pierced, and with it, her brow beneath.

“Ugh ugh ugh ugh…”

Blood Rabbit convulsed violently, her long legs kicking wildly, but it was all in vain.

Puncture, pull out, puncture, pull out—

In the darkness,

The bloodied pencil repeatedly stabbed,

Staining the once-white rabbit mask

With true blood-red.

...

“Ding! Thirteenth floor reached.”

The familiar electronic announcement eased Du Fang’s tension.

Hearing that sound, he felt like he was finally home.

He opened the door and stepped inside.

As he closed it, Du Fang hesitated, glancing around, but found no sign of his sister-in-law.

He hesitated, but in the end, shut the door firmly.

She had disappeared again, but it was no big deal—Du Fang sensed she was still nearby.

Indeed, she gave him an inexplicable sense of security, as if silently guarding him.

Back inside,

Du Fang prepared a late-night snack for Luoluo.

Afterward, he took a shower and sat on the sofa.

He studied the sister-in-law’s status panel that popped up on his retinal display.

He was researching her wishes.

Planning and considering how to fulfill them, hoping to strengthen their familial bond and perhaps even heal her.

After all, Du Fang had learned from experience that the stronger the familial bond, the more abilities could be drawn out.

For example, his wife’s red-clad form, and Luoluo’s air-control powers.

What could he draw out from his sister-in-law?

Du Fang was genuinely curious.

“One wish is to have a candlelight dinner at the tallest building in the world... so romantic, but quite difficult. Can’t do that just yet.”

He rubbed his head.

The tallest building in the world... was likely the Federation’s Dream Crossing Tower.

In other words, to fulfill his sister-in-law’s wish, he’d have to sneak up to the top floor of the Federation’s Dream Crossing Tower for a candlelight dinner...

Du Fang thought he might get beaten to death by the Federation’s Dream Crossers.

“The third wish, to pick stars on the moon together with my sister-in-law... that’s just impossible.”

“But the second wish, to paint a picture for Susu, I can give that a try. That should be doable.”

Du Fang pondered.

Painting, after all, was something anyone could do.

He began looking for paper, found an A4 sheet and a pencil.

Although it was late at night, long past midnight,

Du Fang didn’t mind—if he could complete one of his sister-in-law’s wishes early,

Staying up late was worth it.

He closed his eyes to gather inspiration, recalling the image of his sister-in-law.

Pure, delicate, with jet-black hair...

Opening his eyes, a confident light shone within them as he began to draw.

The scratch of pencil on paper echoed softly in the living room.

After a while,

Satisfied, Du Fang held up the paper and looked toward Luoluo, who was laughing gleefully in front of the TV, clutching her little piglet plush while watching a horror movie.

“Luoluo, come see daddy’s painting!” Du Fang called with a smile.

Luoluo quickly hopped over, clutching her piglet tightly.

“Look, does this look like your sister-in-law?”

Du Fang asked confidently.

Luoluo stared blankly at the drawing—a spiky-haired stick figure—and opened her mouth.

“Sister-in-law?”

“Yes.”

“Where does it look like her?”

“The eyes, the mouth, the nose, the hairstyle... what doesn’t? Most importantly, the soul is just like her!”

“Daddy, please give sister-in-law a break!”

“...”

“Luoluo, stand still. Daddy is going to take a portrait of you.”

“Daddy, please give Luoluo a break too!”

“No way! Tonight, Daddy is going to show you his true skills!”

“Daddy, why don’t you draw ChiChi first to practice?”

“Moo-oh, moo-moo-oh-oh! (Master, please spare ChiChi!)”

The hopelessly unskilled artist, Du Fang, was at a loss for words.