"Pun-punishment...?"
Looking into Mebius's vertical, snake-like pupils, Elysia instinctively wanted to retreat.
But with her shoulders held fast by Mebius, Elysia could only stare blankly at the young girl before her.
The flawless Miss Pink Elf had a strange feeling; from Mebius's body, she seemed to... catch a whiff of Mr. Ye Feng's "scent."
"Mebius, you can't be serious, can you...?"
Elysia sensed a crisis.
Her nose for danger had always been sharp.
While this might not qualify as true danger, it was certainly something ominous.
"Hehe, it doesn't matter if you want to back out, Elysia."
Mebius stuck out her delicate pink tongue. Unlike others, Mebius's tongue gave off a slender and elongated impression.
She grabbed Elysia's wrist, provocatively licked a circle around her cherry lips, and cooed with a charming smile, "In any case, the little darling flitting amongst the flowers can never escape the serpent's shadow."
"E-eh?"
Mebius had never been this physically affectionate with Elysia on her own initiative.
If this had been the past, Elysia would surely have been delighted.
Miss Pink Elf was very confident in her own strength and beauty, but right now, she felt as if she had become a lab mouse, with a giant serpent behind her, its bloody maw wide open...
"Mebius, what is your... relationship with Mr. Ye Feng?"
"Isn't that obvious? It's a master-servant relationship, of course."
Elysia's pupils widened in disbelief.
Someone as proud as Mebius would willingly become another's servant, a slave?
Seeing the look in Elysia's eyes, Mebius's brows furrowed instantly. "What nonsense are you thinking?! It's Ye Feng! He has become my captive!"
"..."
Elysia could only respond with silence.
Although she didn't know the specifics, Elysia knew that was impossible.
"Tsk."
Mebius clicked her tongue. "What kind of reaction is that? Do you think I'm lying?"
"...No."
Elysia averted her gaze. She remembered Mei once saying that a person's self-perception could sometimes deviate significantly from objective reality. Therefore, even if the person was describing things truthfully from their perspective, their account would drift further and further from the actual facts...
However, Mebius was one of the most brilliant scientists. Could her perception of things truly be that skewed?
"It doesn't matter."
Mebius released Elysia's wrist. "You'll be going back in there anyway. When the time comes, let's play a game together."
"A game?"
Mebius's vertical pupils stared intently at Elysia. "That's right, a game. That will be the punishment for losing the bet."
...
"This scent is of fragrant bath flowers, accompanied by the sweet delicacy of a young maiden... Cangxuan, it's a pleasure to see you again."
Ye Feng lowered Cangxuan's perfect arm, a slight sheen of moisture gleaming at the edge of the crease of her closed armpit.
Cangxuan fought back her discomfort, a flash of shame and anger in her ice-blue eyes as she spoke calmly:
"I can't say I'm pleased. To think that I've... returned to this place..."
After Cangxuan's resurrection, her soul had been recuperating within Fenghuang Down, with little contact with the outside world.
She had once thought that her experiences in Ye Feng's world might have been a dream, or perhaps the "world after death."
But no matter what, she had never imagined that after just a short rest, she would be back here again.
What a disaster.
"Don't say that. For me, it's a case of 'Always Loves Cangxuan,' you know."
Cangxuan's three thousand blue strands of hair cascaded down to her calves like a waterfall. She wore a white feathered garment, resembling a dudou, that barely covered her front, revealing her fair, slender legs and smooth, jade-like shoulders. Long, wide sleeves draped over her arms, trailing to the ground, giving her an ethereal and graceful air.
Like before, she was barefoot, but unlike when she first arrived, a delicate white snake was coiled around her right leg. The snake wound its way up like a vine, its head peeking out from behind Cangxuan's neck, a pair of jade-like eyes staring warily at Ye Feng.
"You know, the moment something good happens, I think of you two," Ye Feng said.
"Something good?"
"Mhm, that's right. I just ran into a vampire. More accurately, a product created by the side effects of a human fused with bacteria-type Honkai Beast factors."
"So?"
"You and Danzhu were assistants in Mebius's lab, yet you never underwent the super-evolution surgery. That must be because you 'left too early.' So, while Seele went back to prepare, I was thinking whether I should help you install a patch. And then, you 'woke up.' I just wanted to say that, aside from personal factors, there were other reasons for me licking your armpit."
"..."
A muscle in Cangxuan's brow twitched.
She hadn't expected Ye Feng to give her such a deadpan explanation for "why she woke up to being licked."
Cangxuan said, "The reason Danzhu and I didn't undergo the super-evolution surgery was simply because we were 'unsuitable.' The chance of survival was less than one percent."
"The reason isn't important."
Ye Feng clapped his hands. "I just captured a rather interesting piece of 'information.' Do you want me to add vampire attributes to you two? It might even 'carry over' into reality."
Cangxuan didn't answer that question. Instead, she asked, "Seele? Went back to prepare? Vampire?"
"Ah, yes."
Ye Feng briefly explained the situation regarding Yuexia.
"I see. Trapped by hemophilic bacteria-type Honkai cells. She is indeed a pitiful child. However, what I find strange is that a guy like you would actually help someone?"
"?"
Ye Feng wore a serious expression. "You still don't understand me, Cangxuan. I, too, am a warrior fighting for a beautiful world. Though, by 'beautiful,' I mean beautiful girls. So, is it really that surprising that I would help a beautiful girl in distress? The same goes for you, Cangxuan. If you ever run into any problems, feel free to tell me."
Cangxuan looked at Ye Feng with hesitation before saying, "My biggest problem right now is having met you."
"You want to avoid me? Ah, that won't do. Like I said, we have to 'fight.'"
"..."
Cangxuan's ice-blue eyes stared at Ye Feng, and she remained silent for a long moment.
Finally, she asked, "Was it you who saved me and Danzhu?"
"You could put it that way."
Ye Feng chuckled. "According to tradition, isn't this the part where you offer yourself to me in gratitude?"
"Mmm... for that, I am grateful. But one thing at a time... besides, you—"
Cangxuan was once again reminded of eating abalone in the kitchen.
Forget it.
Don't think about those things. Since I'm here again, I have no choice but to face this reality.
First, I should try to get some useful information.
Just then, she heard the man opposite her sigh. "You don't have to beat around the bush. Keep it simple. The way you speak, keep it simple. If there's something you want to know, Cangxuan, just ask me directly."