[6!]
[Huh???]
[What the heck?]
[Tail?]
[Ah! Huh?]
[I love this generation of netizens' catchphrase: Huh?]
[Ha?]
[Huohuo: 6!]
"What… what?" Guinaifen stumbled back several steps upon hearing the news!
The next moment, a green flame floated out from the gourd.
"Little girl, don't act so shocked!"
Uncle Tail made his grand reappearance!
[Uncle Tail!!! I knew you were fine, you're fine!]
[Huohuo, don't sleep anymore, your Tail is back.]
[Good grief, good grief! I'm calling it—well hidden!]
[This is the best plot twist in this exclusive movie.]
[Aaaaa, Uncle Tail!]
[He's back, everything's back!]
[Finally back, scared me to death. I glanced at the progress bar and thought Tail was done for.]
[Please display the scriptwriter's survival instinct on the public screen.]
[I knew Tail would come back, but I didn't expect he was right here all along? In Xueyi's hands.]
Sushang pointed at Huohuo in Stelle's arms. "Shocked?! Huohuo was so worried about you she couldn't eat or sleep, and now she's been taken over by another vile thing!"
Guinaifen: "You fiery puffball! What's going on? Miss Xueyi, did you know all along?"
Xueyi explained, "In principle, free-roaming heliobi must be sealed. I was just following protocol. Besides, it was Tail who asked me to do this…"
Tail's tone was unusually calm as he slowly spoke.
"It's a long story…
All I remember is that moment when my consciousness was about to shatter into pieces, time seemed to stop.
Then I saw myself split off from Ignamar, wandering aimlessly… saw myself picked up by this little girl, and then, in the blink of an eye, I was sealed onto a tail by a Ten-Lords Commission judge…
You humans call this 'life flashing before your eyes,' right? Why would a heliobi experience that? Damn strange…
I figured, since I'd escaped, I might as well find a new body and live freely. But…"
Xueyi interjected expressionlessly, "It was lucky enough to meet me."
"More like my cursed luck running into this ghost…" Tail locked eyes with Xueyi and quickly corrected himself. "I mean, judge."
[Such strong survival instincts.]
[Lucky!]
[Hahaha.]
After a brief interlude, Tail continued explaining.
"When I was around, Huohuo always complained about me, constantly nagging about how much trouble I caused her, how much she hated her life.
Heh, not appreciating a powerful superior like me? She'd cry her eyes out once she lost me. I just wanted to hear her cry. So, in a fit of anger, I asked this ghost… judge to seal me in the gourd."
[I think Tail's decision makes sense.]
[Playing hard to get, huh?]
[When she actually cried, you'd feel bad for her.]
[Ghost Girl. If a ghost looked like Xueyi, as long as you're brave enough, she'd be on maternity leave!]
Xueyi looked at Tail earnestly.
"You got what you wanted. Now, I'm giving you a chance to regain your freedom. Not to let you run off, but to restore everything to how it was. Deal?"
Tail closed his eyes. "…"
"Tail, can I trust you?"
Tail glanced at Huohuo in Stelle's arms, her chest still faintly rising and falling.
"Look, we're old colleagues, right? Leave it to me!
So, all I need to do is possess Huohuo, eat that other meddlesome thing, and it's all good, yeah?
Gotta teach that blind fool a lesson, make it realize it's brought trouble on itself!"
Stelle nodded at Uncle Tail. "We're counting on you, Tail!"
"Let me handle this demon-slaying, ghost-catching business myself."
The next moment, Tail dove into Huohuo's body.
Huohuo, who should've been in a deep slumber, suddenly opened her lifeless eyes, her body uncontrollably floating into the air.
The group watched, hearts in their throats.
"Huohuo! Tail!"
The next moment, the scene shifted.
Huohuo was sprawled on the ground, slowly opening her eyes. She glanced around in panic.
Her hands instinctively clutched her chest, giving herself some courage.
"Where am I… Tail, Tail, are you here? Did… did someone possess me? Is it Tail?"
She shook her head. "Definitely not Tail. That guy's too proud. By his own words, hardly anyone's worthy of hosting him. Stop overthinking, what do I do now?"
With no other choice, Huohuo pressed forward along the only path available.
Suddenly, a figure appeared out of thin air.
Huohuo looked at the familiar figure, tears unconsciously sliding down her cheeks.
A green-clad foxian woman stood with her back to her.
Huohuo's voice trembled with a sob. "Mom? Is this an illusion? Mom, why are you here? I miss you so much."
But the foxian woman's body shuddered. She turned abruptly, saw Huohuo, and recoiled as if seeing a ferocious monster, trembling as she backed away.
"Don't… don't come closer! You're not Huohuo, you're not my daughter… You're carrying that filthy thing, stay away!"
Huohuo retracted her outstretched hand, consciously stepping back. "Is little sister doing okay?"
"If you don't go near her, she'll be better off."
"But I'm still me!" Huohuo took a step forward, tears streaming uncontrollably. "I'm not controlled by that thing!"
"No, you're not. Sooner or later, it'll take over your body…"
The foxian woman, seeing Huohuo not approaching, sobbed twice.
"I'm sorry, Huohuo. Your father and I had no choice but to send you to the Ten-Lords Commission. Just pretend you never had parents like us…"
[Damn!!!]
[miHoYo, can't you make a proper show?]
[Goddamn, I'm actually hurting here. Huohuo's expression, my heart's breaking.]
[She was sent there? Oh, Amunios. Really, miHoYo!]
[This is so oppressive!]
Even knowing it was just a heliobi's illusion, after her mother left, Huohuo felt her breathing grow heavier.
Huohuo cried and laughed, laughed and cried again.
She wiped her tears and continued down the only path ahead.
[Huohuo, don't cry, okay? QAQ!]
[Huohuo's just too pitiful.]
[The fear of death and the unknown can outweigh familial bonds!]
[Those pretty-boy actors, take notes. This is acting. Seeing Huohuo cry makes me want to tear up!]
Huohuo wiped her tears as two figures appeared out of nowhere.
She froze for a few seconds, recognizing their faces. "You… I remember you…"
A childlike foxian began circling Huohuo's body.
"Huohuo's big tail, burned away! Huohuo's big tail, like fireworks!"
But another foxian child glared at her with disgust. "Monster, stay away from us!"
Huohuo's barely calmed emotions were once again overwhelmed with sadness, tears falling like pearls.
"Huh? Playing pitiful? I hate people who play pitiful!"
"…I… I'm not playing pitiful…"
The childlike foxian continued, unrepentant.
"You're not playing pitiful? I heard your parents don't want you either. Truly pitiful!"
"You guys… that's too much…"
"Blame that weird tail of yours! None of us have a burning tail. Get lost!" The foxian child grabbed his companion and quickly left.
"Let's not talk to the monster, hurry, let's go."
[School bullying?]
[Thanks, highest blood pressure episode yet!!!]
[miHoYo, I'm gonna explode!]
[Don't bully Huohuo!!!]
Huohuo watched their retreating figures, slowly squeezing out a few words.
"Huohuo … isn't a monster."