Mu Anxiao couldn't quite figure out Ouyang Ye's intentions. However, from his statement of 'I don't care,' she realized that the grubby-faced man's life was, at this moment, secured. Next, she wanted to… deal with the girl's issue.
Thus, she ignored Ouyang Ye and once again looked at the girl, "As for that guy's life, don't even think about it."
"You…"
"The threads of fate in your hands, how many are there, you believe," Mu Anxiao adopted a 'settling accounts after the autumn harvest' demeanor and took a step forward. "You know far better than I do."
"How many threads of fate I have in my hands, it shouldn't concern you, should it?" The girl could see that Mu Anxiao and Ouyang Ye were not on the same level. Therefore, Mu Anxiao's words held no deterrence for her.
Mu Anxiao looked at the girl's opportunistic side, let out a cold laugh, and said, "It doesn't concern me, but those people, they are all innocent."
"They aren't innocent at all," the girl growled, her eyes filled only with anger.
"Not innocent," Mu Anxiao said, deliberately pushing the girl's buttons. It seemed she was successful. "Then tell me, what kind of people are considered innocent?"
"They all hurt me, they all deceived me, they…" As Mu Anxiao's reminder stirred her, the girl recalled those 'unforgettable' past events. Her gaze flickered, and her mental state began to 'collapse' at this moment. "If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have ended up like this. They all deserve to die, all deserve to die." As she spoke, tears trickled down her cheeks.
Mu Anxiao looked at the girl's 'sorrowful' expression and continued, "They deserve to die, but he didn't hurt you, did he?" She was referring to the grubby-faced man.
"He…" The girl uttered a single word, wiped the tears from her eyes, and then looked at the grubby-faced man, who was trying to hide. Narrowing her eyes, she said, "That guy is no good either. He deserves to die." With that, she clenched her fists and lunged forward.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao quickly called out, "Stop."
At her words, the girl halted.
Mu Anxiao breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Acting like this will only harm yourself. You…"
"One wrong step, and every step is wrong. From the moment I took that first wrong step, my path was already set with no turning back. What do you understand?" the girl said with loathing.
One wrong step, and every step is wrong!
The girl's words, to Mu Anxiao, seemed… reasonable. She thought, if not for her past wrongdoings, she wouldn't be 'paying debts' now. If she hadn't taken a wrong turn in the past, would she have met this great demon Ouyang Ye? Would she have encountered those vengeful spirits who saw her as an enemy? Pondering these matters, she felt an inexplicable sadness.
"You're right," she replied softly.
The girl sneered, "You say I'm right, as if you understand me so well."
"Although I haven't experienced everything you have, I can understand your words," Mu Anxiao said calmly.
Upon hearing this, the girl's face was filled with disdain, and she continued to sneer.
Mu Anxiao had nothing more to say and fell silent.
Meanwhile, Ouyang Ye glanced at both Mu Anxiao and the girl and seized the opportunity to say, "You two seem to get along well. You…"
"Who gets along with her?" they both interrupted in unison.
Ouyang Ye: "…" He was instantly speechless.
Following Ouyang Ye's remark, Mu Anxiao withdrew her stray thoughts, shifted her mindset, and said coldly, "I don't understand your experiences, but I understand that what is owed must be repaid." After speaking, she remained ready to confront the girl.
The girl had thought that after her words, Mu Anxiao would be moved by her story, like the underworld envoys who had come to capture her before, and would no longer pursue the matter, letting her go.
Who knew she was wrong; Mu Anxiao… was completely different from them.
Thinking about it, she decided to stop pretending to be pitiful. "Who are you?" she asked directly. She felt that Mu Anxiao was part of the underworld envoys' group, but… looking at Mu Anxiao's relationship with Ouyang Ye, she dared not think in that direction. With no other option, she had to ask for clarification herself.
"Who I am, you should be able to see," Mu Anxiao said calmly. She could tell that this girl was by no means an inexperienced monster, otherwise… the girl wouldn't be so arrogant.
"You…" The girl hesitated, then glanced at Ouyang Ye's face.
Seeing this, Mu Anxiao also cast a glance at Ouyang Ye and said, "Don't mind him. Just say what you want to say."
Ouyang Ye remained silent, his arms crossed in front of him.
"Alright, I'll listen to you," the girl said. She believed that as long as Mu Anxiao gave her word, her life would not be threatened. "If I'm not mistaken, you are an underworld envoy." She spoke frankly.
Mu Anxiao smiled.
The girl was bewildered, "Why are you smiling? Am I wrong?"
Mu Anxiao shook her head, "No, you're right. It's just… aren't you curious why I'm with this guy?" To completely steady the girl's nerves, she let down her guard and began to chat with her.
At this moment, the girl simply wanted to take the opportunity to clarify Mu Anxiao's identity, because only then could she make her next decision. Clearly, she narcissistically believed she had succeeded. However, to avoid arousing Mu Anxiao's suspicion, she continued to feign cooperation, "Curious? Will you tell me?" she asked, pretending to be expectant.
Over the decades, Mu Anxiao had encountered all sorts of monsters and vengeful spirits. She could discern the hidden meanings in their every word, gaze, and expression. She admitted that in the very early days, she had indeed been tricked by vengeful spirits, and not just one, but dozens.
These very experiences had led to her growth.
Naturally, she understood what this girl was thinking at a glance. Therefore, she deliberately piqued the girl's curiosity, "I won't tell you," she raised an eyebrow.
"Why?" the girl asked, disappointed.
Mu Anxiao: "Because it's my privacy. Just like you, would you be willing to tell me your privacy?" She deliberately retorted.
The girl's eyes darkened, and she said, "No."
"Since you won't, neither will I," Mu Anxiao said pointedly.
"You…"
"Alright, now I'll give you two choices," Mu Anxiao, tired of idle chatter with the girl, moved on to the second topic.
The girl was taken aback, "What choices?" Suddenly, she couldn't understand Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao's lips curved, "A choice between life and death."
"Life…" The girl hesitated, her heart beginning to resist Mu Anxiao.
At this moment, Mu Anxiao clearly saw the girl's 'resistance' but, in order to make the girl give up 'hunting' the grubby-faced man, she had to persist. "Why aren't you speaking?" she asked intentionally.