Chapter 147 Let's Make a Deal

Bai Cha didn't understand. She didn't comprehend why everyone was desperately trying to save her.

If she had wanted to live, and regretted it, it would have been understandable. But she had mentally prepared herself for death and sorted out her affairs. Yet these people desperately pulled her back from the brink.

Their sacrifices and deaths were the most disarming and painful to her. Their actions only made her question the meaning of existence.

"What is your value? Cha Cha, you don't like it at all."

Bai Shu's words still left Bai Cha unable to refute. Or rather, Bai Cha desperately wanted to retort, but a strange feeling in her heart prevented her from saying anything.

"You don't like guarding, you don't like being tired, you don't like being treated as a weapon, you don't like fighting day and night, and you don't like those hideous monsters."

"You've been a weapon since you were young, merely mechanically carrying out your mother's duty. When you go to the forest, you take deep breaths and feel the plants; by the river, you feel the kiss of the water. Your eyes linger in the glow of flames. Perhaps you should have been a poet, Bai Cha."

"No, I don't resent my work. My willingness to stand in this position isn't mechanical or emotionless inheritance!" Bai Cha shouted, her chest heaving.

She felt a hint of guilt.

"Because we need your protection, you are willing to do it," Bai Shu gently finished Bai Cha's sentence. "Have you ever done anything for yourself?"

Bai Cha: "..."

"Because of the lack of emotion since childhood, it's easy to develop a giving personality. Even if you make excuses and try to rationalize, you can't deny that while becoming everyone's reliance, you have also come to rely on everyone," Bai Shu said softly. "Life is a bridge; its greatness lies not in its destination."

"You haven't grown up yet. Although I don't know why your emotions are slower and more indifferent than normal people, you haven't truly grown up by just carrying an unknown responsibility forward. All of us just want to buy time."

"At least sacrifice yourself after becoming an adult. How can you involve a naive child in this? Right?"

"Your father said the most terrifying thing in life is to sacrifice yourself without even knowing what you want, just swept away by the torrent of time. At least none of us have regrets, but if you were to truly die now, would you truly have no regrets?"

Bai Cha: "..."

The wind was strong, passing through the broken window and softly embracing the thin curtains, scattering them into the air. The dawn finally climbed onto the windowsill, casting light into the cold room.

When Lucifer arrived, Bai Shu was pinned to the wall, his limbs transformed into glittering, fine dust that continued to spread. As for Bai Cha, she lay on a bed of shattered glass, sleeping peacefully.

Her long, satin-like hair spread across the floor, mixed with glass shards and the wind-eroded bodies of fallen esper users, creating a shimmering layer, like a night sky.

Hearing the sound, Bai Cha slowly awoke, propping herself up with her hands on the ground, letting the glass fragments pierce her palms.

"Master!" Lucifer hurried forward, waved his hand to dispel the glass shards, and cradled Bai Cha in his arms, carefully removing the glass fragments stuck in Bai Cha's palms to tend to her wounds.

Bai Cha felt a bit dazed. She seemed to see anxiety and concern on Lucifer's face, a feeling both strange and familiar. Bai Cha suddenly recalled that Lucifer always had this expression when she was injured. Bai Cha seemed to vaguely sense Lucifer's heartache and anxious feelings, along with a hint of self-reproach.

The hazy emotions became a little clearer. Familiar yet strange, Bai Cha swallowed and placed a hand on the near-fatal wound on her chest. Her weak heart began to pound uncontrollably.

"Lucifer, you're anxious, aren't you?" Bai Cha suddenly grabbed Lucifer's hand as he treated her wound, her face flushed with excitement. "Are you worried? Are you caring about me?"

Lucifer froze, not understanding why Bai Cha would suddenly say such a thing. He was momentarily unsure how to react. He felt Bai Cha's excitement, which confused and perplexed him.

Seeing Lucifer's expression, Bai Cha knew she was right. This time, she wasn't judging based on others' microexpressions; she was feeling it directly.

"Master, you're injured. Let's go back first." Lucifer helped Bai Cha up, his worry intensifying as he felt Bai Cha's depleted vital energy. "So, should we announce..."

At this point, Lucifer hesitated and looked at the wall behind him, where only a spear remained. He then noticed that the spear was also starting to fade and disappear.

"Announce it, he's dead," Bai Cha said, clutching her chest, where a wound ran from her left chest through her heart to her right lower back, injuring her heart and nearly slicing her in half, costing her life.

"He pursued strength his entire life, and he achieved it," Bai Cha hummed softly, then suddenly laughed. "I only ascended to the divine throne with everyone's strength. He almost killed a god without even burning himself. In the final moment, he surpassed everyone as he wished, including me and my father."

Although this god had only just reached the threshold of demigod status, he had reached this height solely through his own efforts.

He had almost killed her directly.

He had not held back, just as Bai Cha had said initially, the pride ingrained in the bloodline of the Bai family.

The world was shaken.

The news of Miss Bai family killing the world's number one, Asteria, instantly surged across major networks. The second most trending news was that out of Z Country's eleven shadowy participants, all except the two from the neutral and light factions entered the top twenty. Z Country alone occupied three spots in the top ten.

As everyone collected rare ores according to their rankings, the amount Z Country received was more than double that of the second-place nation. Z Country had to send people to transport it multiple times.

In a dark corner, a group of people were as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

"Didn't you say you could target Bai Cha? How did she become first!" someone roared, venting their fury in the cramped space. "Is this what you call targeting?"

"How was I supposed to know this woman was so heartless? The person she loved most is dead, and she still has the mood to compete," another person said lazily.

"Nonsense, this is revenge! What do we do now? She's taken revenge on those people, will we be next?"

"...I, I didn't make a move," a shorter person mumbled.

"Give it up. We're in the same boat; you can't escape," the languid person sneered, showing contempt for the cowardly. "At worst, we can lie low for a while. We control several important technologies in Z Country. If she dares to turn against us..."

"Knock, knock."

A gentle knock at the door brought the discussion inside to an abrupt halt. The leader of the lazy group sat up abruptly, disbelief etched on his face. The air in the room solidified; everyone remained still as if petrified.

"Could it be, she's here?"

"No way, this place is truly hidden. How could she..."

A rustling sound came from within as everyone tried to rationalize their fear, like dark mold suddenly exposed to the scorching sun, filling them with dread.

"Knock, knock."

The knocking was soft yet clear. The people inside exchanged glances and quickly hid, leaving only the languid leader to regain his usual stern composure and open the door.

As the door opened, the leader's fingers trembled. He did his utmost to control himself, striving for naturalness and calm, but his entire body stiffened uncontrollably.

They didn't dare to confront Bai Cha directly; otherwise, they wouldn't have resorted to underhanded tactics behind her back. They had employed numerous stratagems, only to be utterly surprised when the very person they had schemed against suddenly appeared before them.

"Aren't you going to invite me in for a cup of tea, General?" the beautiful girl stood alone at the door of the suburban cottage, arms crossed, a mocking smile in her eyes. "Ah, or should I call you Uncle?"

"Don't be so nervous, Gong Tingjian. Since I've appeared here, you should know that I've already figured out your background. And the fact that I'm here alone means I have no ill intentions."

Bai Cha's tone was arrogant, her steps light. Less than a week had passed since the World Championship, yet Gong Tingjian felt a strange sensation. He felt that Bai Cha was somehow different.

Before, she was indifferently proud yet gentle and very patient in her languid demeanor. But now, there was added coldness, arrogance, and disdain, as if she were looking down on a clown, making Gong Tingjian feel like a puppet controlled by strings, held in Bai Cha's hand.

Gong Tingjian smiled. Although he was Ye Feng's cousin, he was still somewhat inferior to Ye Feng. Despite this, he pretended to be calm and made a cup of tea. Glancing sideways, he saw Bai Cha sit on the sofa without moving, and only then did Gong Tingjian relax slightly.

"Chevrolet, as a green tea, is very rich. My father and I have light palates; we usually use three leaves per cup of tea," Bai Cha said, picking up the strong tea before her, sniffing it lightly, and then placing it back down with a smile. "But Xue Di, as a white tea, is perfectly light, with a lasting fragrance that lingers in the mouth and even a sweet aftertaste. How about we switch?"

Gong Tingjian remained silent. Or rather, he was unable to resist as Bai Cha took his teacup and replaced it with her cup of green tea. He stiffened, unsure how to react.

"Hmph, the General who has climbed through mountains of knives and seas of fire fears me? Did I scare you when I publicly executed Mo Han, a traitorous General like myself?" Bai Cha chuckled softly. "Don't be nervous, General. At least your son is unaware of this."

Gong Tingjian wanted to retort, but he didn't know how much Bai Cha knew.

In every meeting, no matter how many people prepared evidence unfavorable to Bai Cha, she would deftly refute it with a few words. Bai Cha always prepared all the evidence beforehand, waiting for the opportune moment to present it to all those who dared to offend her. Over time, no one dared to openly challenge Bai Cha.

Gong Tingjian didn't know how much Bai Cha had uncovered. Just as Bai Cha had said at the beginning, her ability to find him so suddenly meant she had indeed uncovered his background.

"What do you want to say," Gong Tingjian gritted his teeth, finally breaking the silence. He didn't intend to continue beating around the bush; being circuitous in front of intelligent people would only be self-defeating.

"A wise choice. You are my father's relative, which is why I've kept you here. Now, I'll give you two opportunities, how about it?" Bai Cha curled her lips, disdainful and proud. "And you will make two deals with me."

"Why should I make a deal with you?" Gong Tingjian instinctively wanted to refuse. No one could get the better of Bai Cha. He didn't know how much she knew, and every piece of leverage was precious now.

"Because all the rare ores are in my hands," Bai Cha said, lifting her water glass somewhat nonchalantly. "These rare ores were previously managed and distributed by the neutral faction for your experiments, and you urgently need them... Hey, don't get agitated, my General. You should know that nothing can stop me from doing what I want."

Gong Tingjian's expression immediately turned grim, and he began to hesitate. The people hiding around them also felt a chill in their hearts upon hearing Bai Cha's words.

"You should know, if I wanted to, I could control all of Z Country's defense and resources within three days. None of you can stop me now, but I can cede these to you. So now."

"Let's make a deal."