NOVEL NEXT Chapter 222: Burning Winter
"Hey, don't you think something's off between Sakuragi Hitomi and An Le?"
A bit earlier, when Yan Huan was talking to the Sakuragi couple.
Bai Yi and Ye Shiyu were walking together down a corridor inside the shrine, heading in a certain direction.
As it happened, their rooms were not far apart.
Upon hearing this, Ye Shiyu finally stopped, glanced at her lightly,
"Just realized?"
"...Huh? Could it be that Sakuragi Hitomi really betrayed us?! Is she crazy? An Le aims to eradicate all our superpowers!"
"..."
Listening to this, Ye Shiyu remained silent, just glanced at her phone, her eyes growing a bit dim.
"So, if Sakuragi Hitomi really switches sides, and Spencer is unclear with An Le, it's just the two of us... what should we do?"
Ye Shiyu took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
Even someone as composed as Ye Shiyu found it hard to keep a straight face listening to Bai Yi's words.
The main thing was, from start to finish, Bai Yi seemed like an outsider, of no help whatsoever.
Initially, when forming the alliance, she was all about teamwork and unity.
But what happened? She was entirely useless in the battle against An Le, leaving just herself and Sakuragi Hitomi to bear all the pressure upfront...
Oh no, can't say useless, she did destroy Sakuragi Hitomi's barrier, almost getting them both killed falling into some unknown place.
Absolutely ridiculous!
Now with a looming rebellion from Sakuragi Hitomi, the situation's about to turn into a three-on-two, and Bai Yi still asks what to do...
What to do? Surrender and join them!
Already annoyed by Sakuragi Hitomi and Xiao Huan's seemingly "perfect harmony," and now even more frustrated.
"I don't know, don't ask me."
Thinking of this, Ye Shiyu's typically icy expression looked pressed by Bai Yi, and she coldly said this, quickening her pace forward.
"Hey, Ye Shiyu!"
But even as Bai Yi called out to her, Ye Shiyu didn't turn back, soon disappearing, off to places unknown.
Left behind, Bai Yi smirked, muttering quietly,
"Still throwing a tantrum at a time like this, really... wonder where she's off to..."
No choice now, just seek a solution on her own.
Everyone says Bai Yi's naive, but only Bai Yi knows she's nothing of the sort...
This is called playing dumb.
"Ka-ka..."
The next second, Bai Yi took out a pocket watch, glancing down the other corridor.
Over there was where Spencer, An Le, and Spencer resided.
What on earth are An Le and Sakuragi Hitomi up to? She's going to find out!
"Initiate - Detached Heart!"
After some time, Bai Yi finally remembered to use her superpower.
It wasn't that she didn't want to use it, but during rehearsal, the thought of "side effects" took root in her heart like a seed.
But after hearing Sakuragi Hitomi and Ye Shiyu say there were no side effects, she finally felt relieved and could use it freely now.
"Tick-tock... Tick-tock..."
With sounds like drops of water, Bai Yi was instantly detached from this world's timelines, undetectable to anyone.
Glancing at her semi-transparent hand, she took a deep breath,
"As long as I avoid Spencer the cheater, neither An Le nor Sakuragi Hitomi can discover me... Whew..."
With that thought, she began to jog, making her way towards the other side.
"..."
In the courtyard, Spencer was crouching by the pond, feeding goldfish with fish food given by the piglet priest.
Hearing footsteps on the wooden floor behind her, she instinctively turned her head.
However, she saw nothing.
"Huh?"
Spencer blinked, thinking it was her imagination, then turned back to continue playing with the goldfish.
Meanwhile, in the corridor, Bai Yi hid behind the sliding door, concealing herself.
She cautiously peeked out, ensuring Spencer hadn't noticed her, then leisurely proceeded down the corridor.
Great, as long as Spencer's here, everything's fine!
"Vice President Sakuragi, have you thought over what I asked previously?"
"..."
Ah, that's An Le's voice!
From a distance, Bai Yi slowed her pace, looking towards where the voice came from.
She saw An Le and Sakuragi Hitomi standing in the corridor, conversing.
With another invitation from An Le, Sakuragi Hitomi hesitated a bit.
And seeing Sakuragi Hitomi hesitate, An Le didn't push, just looked at her quietly, waiting for an answer.
But Sakuragi Hitomi knew that earlier An Le promised her not to act against them at Sakuragi Mansion.
Now, since she's leaving Linmen herself, coming out of the mansion...
"Time's almost up~"
For some reason, Sakuragi Hitomi felt she heard An Le say this as if it were an auditory hallucination.
"...One last question, An Le."
Thinking this, Sakuragi Hitomi sighed, raising her eyes to look at An Le.
"?"
An Le tilted her head slightly, waiting for her question.
"Previously you mentioned, 'Only on the last day of the retreat,' what does that mean?"
"..."
"If you tell me what it means, I can immediately agree to help you against Bai Yi and Ye Shiyu."
Upon hearing this, invisible in the corridor, Bai Yi's eyes narrowed, her expression at Sakuragi Hitomi's back turning quite interesting.
Oh, you're something, Sakuragi Hitomi!
Never thought you'd really turn traitor with those honest eyebrows and big eyes!!
"...Sorry, I can't tell you, Vice President Sakuragi."
But after a long pause, An Le still didn't reveal the matter.