Chapter 14: Two People Communicating

The Black Tower (the familiar little Black Tower image) was impatiently tapping the control panel with its fingertips.

"It's taking forever, that Star Core Essence..." she muttered, debugging the complex data stream of the simulated universe before her.

When the Star Soul came in without permission, the Black Tower didn't even turn its head: "You're here? Since you're here, hurry up, don't waste my time."

She completely failed to notice the strange expression on Star's face.

"Um, Black, Black Tower Lady..."

Star approached cautiously, "May I ask… is our Space Station… clean lately? Like, haunted or something?"

The Black Tower Doll finally turned its head, scanning Star up and down with the look of someone viewing non-recyclable trash: "Did your brain get slammed by a dimensional burst? What nonsense are you spouting."

"No!"

Star got a bit agitated, waving his arms, "I really saw it just now! In that storage room over there! A woman wearing a big hat waved her hand—whoosh! Hey! Guess what, one of your precious dolls just vanished! Then she glanced at me and—whoosh—she was gone too!"

She imitated the way that purplish-red data stream dissipated.

Upon hearing that, the Black Tower couldn't even be bothered to roll its eyes, turning back to stare at the screen: "You're hallucinating. And what's with your accent? I suggest you go to the medical bay to check your brain. Stop the chatter and come over for testing."

Star was left speechless, seeing the Black Tower's impatient "If you keep talking I'll dismantle you for research" expression, he could only swallow his questions and mutter softly: "But… there really was a living person… oh no, a living doll went missing…"

Though her voice was low, the Black Tower Doll's motion of tapping the control panel halted.

"What did you say?" the Little Black Tower's voice suddenly turned serious, "Which doll went missing?"

"It… it's the one in that storage room…" Star hadn't finished speaking.

Only then did the Black Tower Doll's eyes lose focus instantly, as if its inner "soul" had been jerked away, still holding the pose of tapping the control panel, it froze in place like a real doll.

"Black Tower Lady?"

Star curiously stepped closer; it was still the first time she had seen the Black Tower "go offline" so suddenly.

She couldn't resist reaching out with a "salty pig hand" and poked the Little Black Tower's smooth cheek—it felt really nice.

"Slap!"

Her hand was slapped away forcefully.

The Little Black Tower, now back "online," had no trace of its former nonchalance; its artificial eyes flashed with intense seriousness as they locked onto Star.

"Hey,"

Her tone was unprecedentedly grave: "Tell me everything you just saw, every detail, exactly as it happened, word for word!"

Just moments ago, she had instantaneously checked the status and connections of all the dolls in the Space Station—there really was a backup unit whose signal had completely vanished without her knowledge.

The perspective shifted.

In the pure white System Space, Bai Hang moved like a thieving little fox, tip-toeing and glancing back every three steps until she reached the black door emanating an ominous aura.

She glanced back in the direction the Heimu Lady had left, confirming that the mighty "master" was indeed absent, then cautiously reached out and pushed open the heavy door.

A chilling gust swept over her, starkly contrasting with the purity of the System Space.

Bai Hang shrank her neck, her snowy fox ears prickling with alertness as she stepped down the winding stone staircase, one step at a time.

The sound of her high-heeled boots on the stone steps was amplified in the silence, making her heart pound.

Finally reaching the platform, she hid behind a massive black energy barrier, cautiously peeking out half her head to look downward—

Sure enough, the pink-haired girl was still entangled by numerous thick dark chains, suspended in midair.

Up close, one could feel even more strongly her helplessness and sorrow.

The dried blood on the girl's face and the wounds faintly visible beneath her torn dress made Bai Hang feel a heavy ache in her chest.

"So pitiful…"

Bai Hang murmured to herself, her blue eyes filled with sympathy.

Combining the plot about Weng Fa Luo Si and the Golden Descendant that had just been forcibly implanted into her mind, she became even more convinced that the girl named Xi Lian was certainly no villain, but like herself, swept up in a great tragedy.

"That Laigu Shi… is truly terrible!"

She couldn't help but whisper a condemnation.

Suddenly she noticed a downward staircase at the edge of the platform, apparently leading down to the round "arena" below.

After hesitating a moment, her sympathy ultimately overcame her fear.

She proceeded down the stairs even more carefully.

The closer she got, the clearer the sorrow and despair clinging to Xi Lian became.

Bai Hang could even make out the slight tremble of her eyelashes and the tiny cracks on her pale lips.

Just then, Xi Lian, who had kept her head lowered, seemed to sense a foreign presence and slowly lifted her eyelids.

Those blue eyes, as clear as a sky washed by rain (though now much dimmer), held a hint of bewilderment and wariness as they turned toward this uninvited guest.

"Who is she?"

A flicker of doubt passed through Xi Lian's mind.

Before her stood a girl with a rare head of snow-white hair, a pair of fluffy white fox ears on her head, and behind her a similarly white tail that nervously twitched.

Her gaze was clear, bearing undisguised concern and a hint of shy curiosity, in stark contrast to the previous presence that exuded icy menace and even a trace of something that made her heart race—the "malice" (the Heimu amplified by the Aha Filter).

Xi Lian's judgment of people was sharp; she could sense that this fox‑person girl's nature was pure and kind, like… like an unpolluted spring.

Bai Hang felt a little embarrassed under Xi Lian's gaze, noticing that the other's eyes lingered on her ears and tail for a moment; her cheeks flushed slightly, but she gathered courage and spoke as softly as she could:

"Are… you okay?" Her voice carried the fox‑person's characteristic softness, sounding especially warm in this gloomy setting.

Xi Lian blinked, her long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings.

She didn't speak, merely tilting her head slightly, as if scrutinizing Bai Hang more closely; the wariness in her eyes faded, replaced by stronger curiosity.

Seeing no rejection, Bai Hang grew a bit bolder.

She took a small step forward, tilting her head up to gaze at the suspended Xi Lian, brows knitting tightly: "These chains… must hurt a lot, right?"

She imagined what it would feel like to be bound and hung like that, and couldn't help but shiver.

Xi Lian remained silent, but her eyes flickered slightly.

Pain? Perhaps.

But compared to the bodily restraints, the inner shattering of hope and helpless Despair is a deeper pain.

「I am Bai Hang, 」

Bai Hang saw she didn't answer, so she proactively introduced herself, trying to close the distance: "Is... uh, considered being brought here by 'that person'."

She wasn't too embarrassed to directly say the two words 'master': "You? You are Xi Lian, right? I... I know a little about you."

Hearing the name 'Xi Lian' spoken from the other's mouth, the pink-haired girl's body imperceptibly tensed for a moment, her gaze again carrying a hint of scrutiny.

Bai Hang quickly waved her hands: "Don't misunderstand! I'm not a bad person! I, I just..."

She racked her brains thinking how to explain: "I just feel you shouldn't be treated like that. That Iron Tomb... uh, is 'that person'... she..."

Just about to say 'She might be a bad person', but thinking that Heimu Lady after all saved me, she swallowed the words back, expression very torn.

Xi Lian looked at her anxious-to-explain appearance, face all reddened, a hint of softness seemed to pass in the depths of her eyes.

She could feel that Bai Hang's kindness was sincere.

「You... 」

Xi Lian finally spoke, her voice somewhat hoarse, carrying the dryness from not speaking for a long time, yet one could still hear its original clarity: "You aren't afraid of her?"