Role Playing the Dark Horse Character

Chapter 110: About to Be Tricked, Little Corgi (Two-in-One)

The dust had not yet fully settled, and both sides stood at a distance, facing each other.

In the middle, Li Li, wearing a smile, unhurriedly took a step forward.

Her long boots tapped the ground, but at that moment, the air was utterly silent.

It was as if everyone was watching the black-haired youth who, since appearing, had resolved the crisis with effortless grace.

"You’re the illusionist?" After a moment of stunned silence, Qu Ting’s cheerful grin softened slightly.

"Mm-hmm." Li Li tilted her head. "Got business with me?"

Behind the SS-rank ability user, blood threads fanned out like a skeletal frame or the peacock tail of the purple-haired youth.

The dull red spread outward, yet Qu Ting did not act immediately.

His gaze moved past the smiling Li Li to Dan, who stood behind her, fully restored and unscathed.

The white-haired youth looked as if he wanted to clutch Li Li’s sleeve, but he restrained himself.

He touched the new strawberry hairpin, and though his lips didn’t curve, his eyes sparkled with delight.

To Qu Ting, the strawberry hairpin on that white bobbed hair now carried a mocking edge.

The countdown had ended, and Dan was indeed unharmed.

It was truly a rewind, not an illusion.

"I was still wondering how to request the princess’s permission to come find you." Qu Ting faltered for a moment before resuming his kindly demeanor. "But you showed up on your own. Looks like this trip wasn’t in vain."

"An SS-rank ability user taking orders from someone without abilities—are you proud of that?" Li Li said lightly.

Princess Wuyu’s expression remained unchanged, but Qu Ting’s feigned smile stiffened for a moment.

It seemed he wasn’t entirely convinced by the imperial family.

"Quite sharp-tongued." Qu Ting remarked.

Clearly, he was provoked.

The SS-rank ability user’s usual air of superiority, already strained after a previous failure, now felt forced.

Qu Ting, who valued appearances and liked to project magnanimous authority, found himself caught in an awkward position.

Having lived in Floating City for years, it had been a long, long time since he’d encountered something that displeased him so.

Yet Qu Ting didn’t make a move himself.

He considered it beneath him, believing that an SS-rank noble clan leader attacking a group of juniors—especially in front of the princess—would degrade his status.

So he stepped forward, speaking in a grave, earnest tone: "Youngster, don’t overestimate yourself."

He preferred to let these people be killed by his counter-damage without even needing to lift a hand.

"I know you have many abilities, but thinking you can defeat me with them is delusional." Qu Ting pointed to the blood threads behind him, chuckling. "No matter how many abilities you use, they’ll only rebound onto you."

"Don’t think having multiple abilities means you can act invincible. Face reality, youngster. Surrender now, and there’s still time." Qu Ting said.

The blood threads swayed with his words, the earlier scene already proving his claims true.

Sang Feiling, who had arrived and was floating in the air with her ability, shook her head at Yiming.

Indeed, through life-and-death struggles, the members of Tide had grown stronger recently, but she didn’t believe they could defeat Qu Ting.

An SS-rank’s counter-damage rendered any attack ineffective against Qu Ting, while he could freely wield his blood threads beyond that ability.

It was an overwhelmingly unfavorable situation.

Unless someone of a higher rank was present—but an SSS-rank, a legendary tier, how could such a person appear here?

"This is why the princess permitted me to come. No matter how much power you gather, in my presence, it’s like blowing away a single leaf. I’ll overturn all your strength." Qu Ting spread his arms, as if addressing all of Tide, but his eyes were fixed solely on Li Li.

Looking into Li Li’s crimson, teasing eyes, he spoke in the tone of an elder: "If you surrender and agree to serve under the Qu clan, I can overlook the fact that you killed Little Yan."

This was both an attempt to recruit and a veiled insult.

"We all speak with strength, don’t we? You’re worthy of the Qu clan extending an olive branch."

His kindly smile masked the calculations within.

Qu Ting would not let someone who displeased him go, despite his cheerful, benevolent facade.

In his gaze, the black-haired youth ahead slightly raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" Those crimson eyes narrowed slightly, and Li Li felt like laughing.

Tide wanted her as their leader, Lin Ran wanted her as city lord, and Ranmu City was ready to hold a succession ceremony at her nod.

Did he not check her worth before making such a joke?

Though she wouldn’t agree to any of them.

The battlefield seemed to shrink, the voices of others fading away, leaving only the clash between these two on this patch of ground.

Everyone awaited the outcome of this confrontation.

Princess Wuyu silently watched the two ahead, while Sang Feiyuan stood by her side, ready to protect her.

Sang Feiling glanced at the back of the black-haired youth facing off against the SS-rank ability user, her expression grave.

Knowing Qu Ting’s power, she was the first to consider how to lead everyone to retreat.

In a normal ability user battle, rank was the most critical factor, as many abilities simply didn’t work against higher ranks.

The second most important was the ability itself—a tricky ability could sometimes cross ranks to inflict damage.

They lost in terms of rank, and their abilities had no way to counter Qu Ting’s.

Any attack would harm themselves, but how could they defeat Qu Ting without attacking?

They couldn’t win.

Tang was lost in thought, somewhat distracted.

Yu Xiao stepped forward from behind, stopping beside Yiming, then turned his head, looking at Yiming as he lowered his head and said softly: “He won’t agree.”

Under Yu Xiao’s probing gaze, Yiming added: “I feel like he won’t agree.”

“Are you very familiar with him?” Yu Xiao asked.

Yiming shook his head, slightly lowering his eyes, and said: “I feel he’s a very stubborn person.”

“Stubborn?” Yu Xiao’s round, red eyes reflected Yiming’s figure.

Under his gaze, Yiming said: “He won’t change his decisions because of others, no matter who they are.”

At that moment, at the center of everyone’s attention, Li Li spoke.

“What makes you think I’d use other abilities against you?” She flashed an innocent smile. “Just you? Are you worthy?”

The heavy atmosphere was instantly shattered.

Qu Ting finally dropped his elder-like demeanor and burst into laughter: “Hahaha, good! Very good!”

“You mean you can defeat me with just one ability? Turn the situation around?” Qu Ting was both amused and angered. “I thought you had potential because of your variety of abilities, but it seems I misjudged you!”

“Just one ability?” Qu Ting felt belittled and mocked. “With what? That rewind of yours? What can it do besides saving people?”

Yet, in front of him, Li Li remained calm and composed.

Red threads swung wildly around, like spikes about to fall from above.

The gap between S-rank and SS-rank was vast, and all of Li Li’s attack methods, whether physical or magical, were rendered ineffective.

But she never relied on those.

Facing Qu Ting’s ferocious expression, she took a step forward and said unhurriedly: “You seem to have forgotten something. This isn’t your body.”

She raised her eyes, her scarlet pupils carrying a hint of amusement.

“…So that’s it.” Qu Ting understood the implication of her words, but he still didn’t believe it could defeat him. “You want to rewind my state to before I possessed Xiao Tao? Wishful thinking!”

However, apart from him, Sang Feiling and Yu Xiao showed expressions of sudden realization.

Princess Wuyu took a step back, giving a retreat signal under Sang Feiyuan’s puzzled gaze.

Qu Ting said confidently: “I’ve figured out the activation condition of your ability. You only use it after speaking. As long as I don’t listen to what you say…”

Some abilities could affect higher or equal ranks, but they usually had specific activation conditions.

Like Lin Ruye needing his uncle to injure Dan and send gu insects into Dan’s wound to control him.

Or like Dan’s Error Correction requiring the target to feel remorse to activate.

Or like Li Li needing the other party to believe for it to succeed.

Qu Ting believed he had deduced the activation condition of her ‘Rewind’ from her earlier actions.

But seeing Li Li’s unchanged, almost mocking smile, he began to hesitate.

He read a denial of his deduction in that smile.

Qu Ting realized.

He had been misled!

“Wait! You said it for us to hear, but the ability’s activation condition isn’t your voice!” He recalled what Li Li had done since appearing: speaking, then looking at Dan…

“Qu Tao, rewind your state to ten minutes ago,” Li Li said unhurriedly.

As her words fell, the lie was woven.

She didn’t need to look back; everyone’s trust levels were rising in her gaze.

Li Li wasn’t just speaking for Qu Ting but for everyone present.

Everyone was caught in her lie.

Dan, An Heyu, Sang Feiling, Sang Feiyuan…

Each high-rank ability user contributed a progress bar higher than the sum of all mid-ranks.

And then,

Yu Xiao.

The SS-rank contributed a progress bar far exceeding the others.

The smile on Li Li’s face grew more genuine.

From start to finish, she only needed one person to believe her.

Qu Ting: “You were looking into that junior’s eyes.”

In his eyes, those scarlet pupils suddenly enlarged.

The silver-white half-mask reflected his somewhat panicked expression.

“You’re looking into my eyes,” she said with a slight smile.

Qu Ting stared into those red pupils, dotted with the abyss, and his trust level instantly maxed out.

“How is this possible!” He couldn’t accept that he was truly defeated by a single ability!

The progress bar was complete.

Under Qu Ting’s resistant and furious gaze, Li Li raised her hand and snapped her fingers.

“Get back to your Floating City,” she said with a polite smile.

The moment her voice rang out, the illusion became reality!

A fierce wind rose, and the purple-haired youth’s panicked expression froze, turning into a slightly dazed look.

Qu Ting left the body, and Qu Tao was momentarily confused about what had happened.

He didn’t see the princess, only the black-haired youth ahead, leisurely adjusting his gloves, ignoring him, and turning away calmly.

And the name the youth seemed to casually utter: “Dan.”

Black crow wings obscured his vision, and the black-haired youth’s figure vanished amid a flock of black crows.

The Tide members in front of him also looked stunned, but Qu Tao noticed one distinct figure—a white-haired boy glaring at him viciously.

The white-haired boy’s lips moved, and the next moment, a suffocating sensation enveloped him.

Until his death, he never figured out why the family head didn’t appear or why the princess wasn’t by his side.

…

“We won…?” Sang Feiling said, her voice somewhat dazed.

Except for Dan and An Heyu, the others were also somewhat disoriented.

They looked at Qu Tao’s corpse and the empty ruins across from them.

“He just said a few words? And it was over?” An Huyu said in disbelief.

For the first time, he so vividly realized the power of ‘Heige.’

He couldn’t help but recall his reckless days, constantly clamoring to capture Heige.

Thinking about it, he shuddered, grateful he hadn’t actually crossed paths with him.

Yiming, however, wasn’t as shocked: “Heige… he’s very strong.”

Though their beliefs differed, Yiming admitted he was no match for him.

“Having him as an ally is truly great. If he were an enemy…”

That would be too terrifying.

Sang Feiling hadn’t expected such a turn of events.

Not only had they survived Qu Ting’s hands, but they had also defeated the princess’s final trump card.

“Right, Princess Wuyu!” Sang Feiling suddenly reacted. “Go after her!”

“Capture the princess, and we’ll have leverage to negotiate with Floating City!”

…

Sang Feiyuan, alone, was no match for the group.

Less than half a day after Qu Tao’s death, Tide captured the princess, declaring a resounding victory in this battle.

Tide won their first battle, a brilliant comeback.

Overnight, Tide’s reputation soared, and stories from years ago about the Former Ability Guild were dug up, with tales of heroic pioneers widely circulated.

Though defeated, they remained glorious, their spark still burning.

And the prophecy of the Prophet was rediscovered by Tide’s people.

When Rao Yue came to find her, Li Li was still on that small balcony, lying on the lounge chair.

She was waiting for the right moment to complete the long-prepared task.

“We sincerely hope you’ll become our leader,” Rao Yue said, half-kneeling, her words utterly earnest.

She genuinely admired Li Li. “Since our goals align, why not act together?”

Li Li rubbed her temples: “I refuse.”

No matter how many times they asked, she wouldn’t do it.

She genuinely felt she’d lead these people into a ditch.

She preferred working alone.

Though leading a group to make a grand entrance or visit was impressive, most of the time, she couldn’t look after others.

Her earlier success against an SS-rank was mainly because Qu Ting and Yu Xiao had fallen for her deception.

But the gap between S-rank and SS-rank was vast.

Even as an S-rank now, she didn’t think she could defeat an SS-rank, especially one restrained by Lin Ruye.

Li Li felt she was very calculated, with a clear sense of what she could and couldn’t do.

After speaking, she turned her face: “Anything else?”

“Princess Wuyu wants to see you,” Rao Yue said.

She probably thought the request was somewhat absurd, quickly adding: “She’s offering knowledge of noble abilities as an exchange, but if you don’t want to go, we’ll decline.”

“Lead the way.”

Li Li also wanted to know what Princess Wuyu had to say to her.

Tide had confined the princess in a room next to Sang Feiling’s bedroom.

The princess was a non-ability user, so they weren’t worried about her escaping.

What they guarded against was someone rescuing her or the guards being swayed by her words.

Sang Feiling was the perfect choice for a guard.

“Rejected again?” The door was pushed open, and Sang Feiling asked Rao Yue outside, while Li Li entered the bedroom alone.

“Yes.” Rao Yue’s voice was cut off as the door closed. Li Li glanced at the room’s layout.

It was a very ordinary bedroom.

Princess Wuyu sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her.

Tide’s people hadn’t mistreated the princess, only binding her hands with chains.

Even so, the princess’s wrists were red from the restraints.

“Speak. What’s your business?” Li Li casually pulled up a stool and sat down, looking at Princess Wuyu with mild interest.

The captive Princess Wuyu maintained her calm demeanor and said: “We shouldn’t be enemies.”

The pink-haired girl’s words were a stark contrast to those from a few days ago.

A few days ago, she had seen Li Li as an enemy.

Now, she said they weren’t enemies.

Li Li was indeed momentarily stunned.

After a brief silence, she said: “Reason?”

She realized Princess Wuyu was trying to sway her.

And indeed, if anyone could rescue Princess Wuyu from Tide right now, it was Li Li.

Unless the imperial family sent another SS-rank from Floating City, it was perfectly normal and reasonable for Princess Wuyu, cut off from the imperial family, to choose self-rescue.

Li Li was genuinely curious about what conditions Princess Wuyu could offer to persuade her.

The princess looked directly into her eyes and said: “I know I represent the imperial family, and my status shapes my perspective, which may seem less sincere.” Then, her tone shifted. “But everything I do is for this empire.”

Li Li smiled at her, silent, but her expression showed disbelief.

As if anticipating Li Li’s reaction, the princess continued: “As a high-rank ability user, you should know how powerful their strength is. A battle between S-rank ability users can destroy a city, and higher SS-ranks could even directly destroy the empire.”

“They don’t even need to do much. Just a casual clash with someone of the same rank is enough to cause turmoil that could destroy the empire and if the empire falls, the people within it can hardly escape death.”

This was information given at the start of the manga, and Li Li naturally knew it.

But when Princess Wuyu brought it up now, it seemed to carry a different implication.

Li Li crossed her arms, the smile on her lips fading slightly.

Her index finger unconsciously tapped on her arm.

She was thinking.

“You’re saying the empire gathers SS-ranks in Floating City to protect the empire?” Li Li said.

“Yes,” Princess Wuyu calmly dropped a bombshell. “It’s to restrict their freedom.”

Currently, of the nine SS-ranks, six are in Floating City and cannot leave, one—the Jiao Huang city lord—is gravely injured, one is Yu Xiao, and the last one’s life or death is unknown.

Even if Lin Ran is still alive, she clearly shares the same mindset as the imperial family.

She consciously limited her range of activities to Ranmu City, even though her abilities far exceeded the city’s spatial constraints.

“Under a fallen nest, no eggs remain intact. How could the civilians killed by nobles compare to the number of deaths from the empire’s destruction? When two evils meet, choose the lesser. The empire grants them lofty status to ensure they obediently stay in Floating City, the cage built for them,” Princess Wuyu said.

Li Li didn’t doubt her sincerity at that moment; she genuinely believed this. “The imperial family has not failed the empire’s people, nor have I.”

This princess of the imperial family held her own sense of righteousness, believing her actions were just.

After hearing this, Li Li fell silent, which was rare for her.

She had always felt a layer of fog obscuring her vision, but at that moment, the fog dissipated slightly.

If that’s the case, it makes sense, she thought.

“The empire cannot withstand upheaval. I’m telling the truth,” Princess Wuyu continued, expressing her beliefs, looking into Li Li’s eyes with utmost sincerity. “We are not enemies. You should be the guide for our empire.”

“Is this something you heard from the prophecy?” Li Li suddenly asked.

Princess Wuyu’s expression froze.

She didn’t answer immediately, but that was answer enough.

Li Li found it amusing but tried to keep her lips from curling, asking: “If I still insist on helping Tide storm Floating City?”

The princess said: “Perhaps you could overthrow the empire, but in the process of war, everything would be destroyed.” She spoke earnestly. “The people outside that door, the people of this city, all of them, entirely.”

“Do you think I’d believe you?” Li Li said.

“I believe you will,” Princess Wuyu replied. “You’re a smart person.”

For the first time, Li Li felt she wasn’t being flattered.

“Truly interesting,” she said, a genuine smile spreading across her face. She really found it intriguing.

Princess Wuyu’s meaning was clear: though the imperial family was the highest class in the empire, the ability-user society differed from the real world.

Ability users here wielded immense power, and the imperial family granted nobles privileges for the sake of the empire’s stability.

Because they had to sacrifice those casually killed by nobles in exchange for restricting the freedom of the top-tier SS-ranks.

And the reason for this was that SS-ranks could destroy the world.

The empire could no longer bear upheaval.

That’s what the princess said.

Li Li had heard a theory that two-dimensional worlds were divided into high-martial, high-magic and low-martial, low-magic.

The world of Extreme Black and White was clearly a high-magic world and there was another saying: high-magic worlds were inherently unstable.

A world that could be easily destroyed by powerful abilities was naturally unstable.

And the world of Extreme Black and White was precisely such an unstable high-magic world.

No wonder SS-ranks were gathered in Floating City.

No wonder Lin Ran and Jue Hui Shen, even when not in Floating City, stayed in their own cities.

They seemed utterly detached from worldly conflicts, despite possessing immense power.

No wonder the non-ability imperial family could control the nobles.

The missing piece of the puzzle was finally placed, and the fog before her eyes was completely swept away. Li Li understood everything.

She stood up, not voicing her thoughts, not saying whether she would help, nor decisively stating, as she had to Lin Ran, ‘We will never be friends.’ She gave the princess no response, only turning to push open the door.

Some of the princess’s words were correct, like the fragility of this world, or how SS-ranks could easily destroy it.

She also concealed things, downplaying the imperial family’s own power and pausing unexpectedly when Li Li mentioned the prophecy.

But for Li Li, she had already learned what she wanted to know.

As she pushed the door, she caught a glimpse of her face in the nearby mirror.

Just a casual glance, recalling the cold indifference radiating from the red pupils in the mirror, she suddenly realized something.

The intent to kill couldn’t be hidden.

But after closing the door, she shut her eyes briefly, quickly suppressing her killing intent.

Now wasn’t the time.

After that, she turned around, putting on her habitual smile again.

Rao Yue had already left, but Sang Feiling was still there, sitting in her wheelchair, waiting for her to come out.

Seeing Li Li look over, Sang Feiling greeted her.

“This is our first proper meeting, right?” Sang Feiling said. “Hello, I’m Sang Feiling.”

Li Li looked at Sang Feiling’s ruined face, the empty skirt over her wheelchair where her legs should have been, and the gentle yet vibrant smile she gave.

She never thought she could lead an organization because she didn’t believe her convictions could surpass those of someone like Sang Feiling.

She had always respected people like her, but now, she had to deceive her.

Perhaps she had always wrapped herself in lies to forge all the bonds she had up to this point.

“I’ve read your travelogue,” Li Li said. “Lin Ran recommended it.”

Sang Feiling seemed surprised.

Before she could respond, Li Li continued: “Do you regret it?”

“Regret?” Sang Feiling didn’t immediately follow the sudden shift in topic.

“Listening to the Prophet and walking this path,” Li Li added.

She then shook her head, muttering to herself: “No, you wouldn’t regret it.”

“None of you are wrong,” she murmured, ignoring Sang Feiling’s expression, and turned to leave.

After performing the reaction she was supposed to show, Li Li thought the timing she’d been waiting for was approaching.

Dragging it out any longer would be disrespectful to her performance.

…

On a summer night, after achieving their first complete victory, Yiming still didn’t slacken his demands on himself.

He ran long distances along the border of Ranmu City, training himself while also keeping watch.

Trees flashed by in his vision as he panted, running step by step toward the horizon.

But as he reached the outskirts of the former Dawn City, a figure seemed to appear among the trees.

Before Yiming could see clearly, a familiar female voice sounded in his ear.

“Want to chat?”

He turned his head, and a black long dress bloomed before his eyes like a flower.

Li Li stopped in front of him, her face, which usually smiled before striking him, now bore a faint smile with an indescribable undertone.

A hint of sadness.

It was the beautiful girl who looked so much like Li.

Yiming recognized her instantly.

At the same time, he heard himself say: “Sure.”

He couldn’t refuse the request.