Chapter 136

Then it vanished into the deep purple mist.

Gone without a trace.

And Stelle could only stare at the puddle on the ground, frozen in despair.

【Stelle, are you... alright?】

Stelle's face looked deathly pale,

causing Huang Quan to worry.

【Is this... a dream...?】

Stelle spoke hollowly,

unable to accept what had just happened.

【Stelle, look at me... calm down, take a deep breath, okay?】

Huang Quan stepped forward,

trying to soothe Stelle's emotions.

【... Let me handle this.】

【Relax—you'll be fine.】

Black Swan also arrived beside Stelle,

and began using the Memory-Weaver's ability,

helping Stelle stabilize her emotions.

【This... was too sudden...】

After a long pause,

Stelle's emotions had calmed somewhat under Black Swan's efforts,

but she could not forget what she had just witnessed.

【I'm truly sorry, but I must leave for a short while...】

【Death still wanders; I must personally confirm the safety of Young Lady Himeko and March 7th, and issue a warning...】

【I'm leaving Stelle in your care... Huang Quan.】

Black Swan's expression held a hint of concern,

she gave Stelle and Huang Quan a final warning,

then hurried away.

【I'm deeply sorry this happened...】

【I was too focused on that girl, and neglected...】

【It was my hesitation that cost her life... I'm sorry, Stelle.】

After Black Swan left,

Huang Quan looked at Stelle,

and began to apologize, her expression filled with guilt.

【It's not your fault.】

Stelle shook her head,

believing Huang Quan bore no blame.

The monster appeared too suddenly—

no one could have predicted it.

【But if I had drawn my blade at that moment...】

【...】

【... I'm sorry, I... had no other choice.】

In the instant when Liu Ying was in danger, Huang Quan had considered acting,

but ultimately chose not to.

This filled her with guilt.

【The priority now is to understand what happened.】

Seeing Huang Quan's gloom,

Stelle shifted the topic.

【We will... we will.】

【But the time is not yet right.】

【Before the Hunt, we must sharpen our eyes, ponder where the true enemy hides, and how to resist them...】

【Don't let grief dictate your thoughts, Stelle.】

【Hold onto yourself, and only then can you walk the right path.】

【Once, someone gave me this same warning...】

【Show no mercy to your enemies—that's cruelty to yourself.】

【But you must recognize who the true enemy is...】

【... and you must understand the meaning and cost of that blade's swing.】

【This is the only advice a person burdened with countless blood debts can give you.】

March 7th: "Thank goodness Black Swan was here."

March 7th: "Otherwise, Stelle would never have recovered from such a blow so quickly..."

Black Swan: "I merely used my abilities to temporarily suppress that nightmare-like scene in her mind."

Black Swan: "But that lingering shadow will accompany her for a very long time."

Boothill: "Actually, none of that is the point!"

Boothill: "The point is, Huang Quan, you little darling, why didn't you make a move to save this young lady?"

Boothill: "Don't tell me you didn't have the ability."

Boothill: "From everything you've said throughout, it's clear you simply didn't want to save her!"

Boothill: "And you freaking dragged the Hunt into it too!"

Boothill: "You've got some nerve — a fake like you doesn't deserve to mention the Hunt!"

Stelle: "Um... maybe Miss Huang Quan didn't have time to save her?"

Stelle: "After all, that monster appeared so suddenly?"

Hu Tao: "Yeah, that monster killed Miss Firefly in just a few short seconds!"

Hu Tao: "Even we watching the video almost couldn't react in time, so those few who experienced it firsthand would have even less chance to react, right?"

Boothill: "Couldn't react?"

Boothill: "Heh, what a freaking hilarious joke!"

Boothill: "Do you all know... what identity she actually has?"

Boothill: "You really think she'd have no power to fight back against this monster?"

Huang Quan: "I'm sorry... just as I said in the video...."

Huang Quan: "I... had no choice."

Huang Quan: "The meaning and the cost of that strike... made me unwilling to take the risk."

Boothill: "Pah!"

Boothill: "A fake is a fake!"

Boothill: "If it were me standing there, I'd absolutely never just stand by and watch that young lady get killed by an ugly monster!"

Boothill: "No choice, my ass! Can you freaking stop being so hypocritical?!"

Firefly: "Um.. you two, please stop arguing."

Firefly: "I think Miss Huang Quan truly has her own difficulties."

Firefly: "Although she's somewhat mysterious, her words and attitude have always given people a sincere feeling!"

Firefly: "I can sense that this isn't an act."

Huang Quan: "... I didn't expect Miss Firefly would still be willing to speak up for someone like me, who stood by and did nothing......"

Furina: "Sigh, the plot is getting more and more tangled."

Furina: "Every one of you seems to have your own little schemes, and your own difficulties..."

Furina: "Looking at it all, it seems like only Miss Stelle is relatively innocent."