Chapter 38: Can I Ask You to Roll Out of My Butterfly House?

"I had that dream again."

"In the darkness, an image slowly emerged: a young girl bathed in the glow of the Star Core, her white silhouette like a stone monument in a snowstorm."

"\"They will suffer, they will sacrifice, they will die because of my command. \""

"\"What greets them is not death… they will be wrapped in the cradle of a new world. \""

"\"What about the people of the lower level? They will lose the protection of the City Builder. They will see me as… a tyrant, \" the girl's voice trembled slightly."

"\"You have already seen… the world we promised, \" the Star Core's voice said with certainty, \"A brief misunderstanding will bring about eternal prosperity. \""

"\"It is up to you… we respect that. \""

"\"……\" As if having made up her mind, Kekoria said word for word, \"I understand. \""

"Ah, it seems this lady has been deceived since childhood."

"Inside the Jade Pavilion, Ningguang sighed deeply as she watched the Star Core's costless grandiose promises."

"Madam Ningguang, why are you so certain she's been fooled?" Secretary Baishi asked in confusion, "Didn't the Star Core say it would respect any decision of Ms. Kekoria?"

"\"…Just because we are in these mountains. \""

"Ningguang exhaled a thin wisp of white smoke, "If Kekoria were sitting in my position now, with her knowledge and insight, she would not miss the Star Core's conspiracy. Yet with the life and death of a nation weighing on her shoulders, it's easy to misjudge.""

"\"The Star Core's approach is to play hard to get; to fully earn a person's trust, you cannot outright deny them… you must first respect and affirm them. \""

"\"As for the Star Core's promise… hehe. \""

"Ningguang was hardly surprised by such empty promises."

"From the little girl who once hawked Mora meat on the street to now the wealthiest merchant in Liyue, having successfully inherited one of the the Liyue the Liyue the Liyue the Liyue the Liyue Qixing, the 'Heavenly Authority Star', Ningguang has witnessed countless schemes and conspiracies… She herself has not shied away from such common grandstanding.""

"…"

"The dream ended. Xing rubbed his drowsy head, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Sangbo talking with a blue‑haired big sister dressed as a doctor. Sangbo's slightly awkward expression suggested he was a bit wary of her."

"Tell me honestly, Sangbo, how do you plan to deal with that little girl from the upper district?"

"How to deal with her? I'll handle her together with the others, find a chance to send her back… Hey, wait, why—" Sangbo began to speak but stopped, his eyes widening in shock."

"Do you think you can hide it from me, Sangbo Koski?""

"The blue‑haired woman's expression remained calm; although her words carried a hint of reproach, her tone did not waver. She seemed very familiar with Sangbo, unsurprised at all.""

"Sangbo instantly deflated like a punctured balloon, his eyebrows drooping, "…I didn't intend to take her. The smoke was too thick, I was dazed, and I don't know how she ended up with me.""

"I really have no idea what you're up to, Sangbo," the woman sighed, "What do the affairs of the upper district have to do with you? Why stir up this mess? Are you still not conspicuous enough, only satisfied when Earth Fire targets you?""

"Don't say that! I, Sangbo, have always looked out for my friends. These people helped me, so I have to repay the favor.""

"\"Is that why you let them run wild underground? \" the blue‑haired woman's gaze hardened."

"Sangbo chuckled, rubbing his hands as if admitting fault, "Oh, an accident! Purely an accident! I'll fetch them all right away.""

"With that, Sangbo vanished in a puff of smoke inside the clinic. It was surprising that after so long, his escape technique still felt so reassuring."

"Seeing Xing already open her eyes and sit up from the bed, the blue‑haired woman gently reached out to help her up and asked considerately, \"How do you feel? Any discomfort? \""

"Ah~ I feel uncomfortable everywhere, \" Shan Yi answered instinctively."

"Na Ta Sha's greeting seemed to hit Shan Yi's heart perfectly; after rolling around on the sickbed, he stared at the big sister on the screen with a lovesick expression."

"So beautiful, so gentle…"

"\"Yizhizhu, would you prefer Miss Butterfly Ninja to look after you, or the blue‑haired big sister on the screen? \" Taking advantage of Kui's distance after changing the bandage, Shan Yi leaned toward the bed next to his and asked Yizhizhu."

"\"Hmm…\""

"The massive boar head, after a brief silence, twitched the mane on its lower jaw, \"It has to be Butterfly Ninja; she clearly looks stronger—once I become the king of the forest, if I want to conquer an even larger forest, having stronger subordinates is obviously better! \""

"\"You hopeless pig head, \" Shan Yi turned to the other bedside, \"Tanjiro, what do you think? \""

"\"Well…\" Tanjiro seemed to sense something, forcing a faint smile, \"Uh… I think Kui is fine. \""

"\"What are you two…? I clearly think this blue‑haired sister is gentler than Miss Ninja, \" Shan Yi said with a lovestruck expression, \"Hehe, she's so pretty~\""

"But just as the words left his mouth, suddenly—"

"A murderous aura!"

"Shan Yi instantly felt cold sweat pour down his back as a chilling breeze swept over him… like a thousand needles piercing his spine at once!"

"Shan Yi slowly turned his head, meeting the forced, almost feral grin of Butterfly Ninja."

"The woman's smile blossomed like a flower, but if not for the bulging veins on her forehead, such a smile would surely be very healing."

"—but Shan Yi only felt a sense of impending doom."

"\"Hehe, Shan Yi, right… May I now ask you to roll out of my Butterfly House? \""

"Xing rubbed her waist, \"…My whole body aches. \""

"The woman let out a \"pfft\" laugh, \"The metaphor's spot‑on, but normal people don't speak that way. \""

"The woman briefly introduced herself: she is Na Ta Sha, also a doctor at the underground clinic. Xing learned from her that the underground she now resides in is a world entirely different from the upper district; its people have been sealed underground for over a decade, surviving solely by tunneling and mining."

"Xing: \"Where are my companions? \""

"Na Ta Sha pointed toward the direction where Sangbo had left, \"They woke up before you; the black‑haired youth was the first, Sangbo took him away. There's also a somewhat rowdy girl who fled shortly after waking, probably wandering nearby. \""

"\"The last one, a little girl dressed as an Iron Guard, vanished in the blink of an eye when Sangbo went out. \""

"\"I heard you mention Earth Fire… what is that? \""

"\"It's a grassroots organization underground; think of it as the underground Silver‑Mane Iron Guard—just a bit more personable than them. \""