In the world beyond, some players' views on Tao Yao are quietly changing.
However, Tao Yao, who knows nothing about this, is leisurely sitting on the balcony of her new home, enjoying the afternoon sun and the afternoon tea freshly prepared by Shiro.
Since leaving Qingyang City, Tao Yao has moved to Starlight Moon, one of the two main cities in the Dawn Land.
This place consists of two closely interconnected human cities.
Starlight City and Moon Invitation City.
These twin cities are famous for their unique landscape and complex relationships.
Starlight City is located in a low-lying area, which used to be the site of a giant meteor's fall.
The city is built around a meteorite crater, forming a unique circular layout.
The buildings here are mostly gray and brown, presenting a sense of ancient beauty.
However, due to the geographical disadvantages, Starlight City is constantly threatened by floods and earthquakes, with slow economic development, and most residents live in poverty.
In stark contrast is Moon Invitation City.
This city is built on adjacent hills, enjoying an advantageous geographical location.
It is filled with white marble buildings that shimmer softly under the moonlight.
Moon Invitation City serves as the economic and cultural center of the region, gathering a wealth of resources and talents.
However, the relationship between these two cities is anything but harmonious. Moon Invitation City often looks down on Starlight City due to its superior geographical position and economic strength.
They control most of the water resources and trade routes, forcing Starlight City to rely on their aid.
This unequal relationship has deepened the conflicts between the two cities.
Residents of Starlight City frequently complain about the exploitation by Moon Invitation City, while people from Moon Invitation City view those from Starlight City as lazy and incompetent.
Conflicts between the two cities often flare up into small-scale skirmishes, sometimes even escalating into violent incidents.
The branch of the Apostle Sect in the Dawn Land is mainly concentrated in Moon Invitation City.
This is also the reason why Tao Yao chose to move here.
Her new residence is situated on a high ground in Moon Invitation City.
From there, she can overlook half of the Starlight Moon.
Just as Tao Yao is savoring her fragrant black tea, a little girl who is a follower of the Apostle Sect suddenly barges in, panting, and says:
"Miss Tao Yao, Miss Black Rose has arrived!"
Tao Yao raised an eyebrow slightly but did not show a significant reaction.
However, the maid Shiro standing beside her clearly showed signs of dissatisfaction.
She frowned and muttered softly, "It's her again? What a hassle!"
At that moment, accompanied by graceful footsteps, Black Rose's voice came:
"My dear maid, please don't be so hostile towards me. Like Tao Yao, I am also an Apostle, and I've known Tao Yao for a long time as an old friend. As a follower, you should show me some respect."
In the Apostle Sect, Apostles are the leaders, while followers are ordinary members.
As a follower, Shiro is indeed expected to respect all Apostles.
However, she scoffed and emphasized:
"Apart from being a follower, I am also Miss Tao Yao's personal maid!"
She particularly stressed the words "personal maid."
Tao Yao gently waved her hand, interrupting the undercurrents between the two.
"Alright, Shiro. Rose probably has matters to discuss with me, you can step out for now."
Shiro hesitated for a moment but ultimately complied with Tao Yao's instruction.
Before leaving, she shot a fierce glare at Black Rose.
Only then did she reluctantly exit the room.
"Please, have a seat."
Tao Yao gestured for Black Rose to sit in the chair opposite her.
Once Black Rose was seated, she pointed to the snacks on the table and said:
"These pastries are made by Shiro herself; would you like to try some?"
Black Rose's eyes lit up, and a joyful smile appeared on her face.
"Oh? Then I must savor them."
As she spoke, she elegantly picked up a piece of cake and took a light bite.
"Hmm... indeed delicious."
Just as Black Rose was enjoying the dessert, Tao Yao suddenly spoke, her voice carrying a hint of coldness: "The Abyss Dragon from Qingyang City was released by you, right?"
Black Rose's movements paused for a moment, but she quickly resumed her relaxed expression.
She chuckled lightly, "Oh, why are you suddenly bringing this up?"
Saying this, she reached for another piece of pastry.
However, Tao Yao swiftly pulled the plate in front of her, denying Black Rose the chance to touch it.
Seeing Tao Yao's movement, Black Rose could only shrug.
She slowly replied, "It came up suddenly, and there wasn't enough time to notify you."
This statement undoubtedly admits that the incident in Qingyang City was indeed orchestrated by her.
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Tao Yao's gaze sharpened, her voice filled with anger: "Do you know that by opening a rift in that place, if it can't be sealed off in the end, all the people in Qingyang City will die because of you!"
Facing Tao Yao's accusations, Black Rose appeared indifferent.
She lightly shrugged and countered, "So what? Tao Yao, you are also an Apostle; have you forgotten our mission? Why we should establish the sect together?"
Seeing Tao Yao remain silent, Black Rose continued:
"If you've forgotten, I'll happily remind you."
Her tone became serious, "We are the Apostles of the fairies; we have obtained knowledge from the treasures left by the fairies that can change this world."
"What we need to do is to awaken the great fairies that are sleeping and then, with the fairies' guidance, rejuvenate this world!"
Tao Yao listened quietly and then gently asked, "At any cost?"
"Of course, at any cost!"
Black Rose answered decisively, a faint smile on her lips, "Even if it means sacrificing thousands of lives, we must let the legendary fairies reappear in this world. Only then do we have a chance to change this decayed world!"
Tao Yao fell silent for a moment and then slowly spoke:
"What if the fairies we awaken only want to destroy this world?"
However, Black Rose calmly responded, "Don't worry; I am confident I can manage it all!"
Tao Yao shook her head, "We don't know the reasons for the fairies' slumber, and have you considered that forcibly awakening them like this will only bring disaster?"
But Black Rose's expression underwent a subtle change, becoming extremely serious:
"Tao Yao, are you wavering? Don't forget, we are all Apostles chosen by the fairies. Our mission is to awaken them and bring vitality back to this world."
"But not at the expense of innocent lives, and we shouldn't use so many lives to nourish the fairies' birth." Tao Yao shook her head, firmly holding her thoughts, "We should find a gentler way."
Black Rose snorted contemptuously, "Gentle? Do you think in this world of the survival of the fittest, there exists any gentle way? Tao Yao, don't be too naive; only with true power can we have a chance to change this world."
At this point.
Black Rose paused slightly before continuing:
"Tao Yao, Hiyakura is a wonderful vessel; she has the potential to become a fairy and should join the Apostle Sect. If you can't seize that opportunity, let me take care of it!"
Upon hearing Black Rose mention Hiyakura, a complex emotion flashed in Tao Yao's eyes.
She took a deep breath and slowly began, "Miss Black Rose, Hiyakura is a pure and innocent girl. She should have her own ideals and her own story and adventures to strive for. She has her own path to walk, instead of following the road we've already taken."
Tao Yao's tone carried firmness and gentleness, as if she were expressing a beautiful vision.
She continued:
"We shouldn't force her to become something or use her to achieve our aims. Everyone has their own destiny, and Hiyakura is no exception. Letting her choose her own path freely is what we should do."
Listening to Tao Yao's words, Black Rose's expression gradually turned complex.
A glimmer of surprise flashed in her eyes, followed by a slightly thoughtful expression.
After a moment of silence, Black Rose slowly stood up, adjusting her skirt.
"Tao Yao, you always find a way to refute me."
Black Rose's voice conveyed a sense of helplessness, but more so an indescribable sentiment, "However, I feel you've changed a lot. Especially since meeting Hiyakura, you have become increasingly kind..."
Her words carried a hint of nostalgia, as if recalling some past moments.
Black Rose turned and walked toward the door, her high heels making slight sounds on the floor.
Just as Tao Yao thought she was about to leave, Black Rose suddenly paused.
She turned slightly, her gaze landing on Tao Yao, a meaningful smile gracing her lips.
"By the way, according to the latest news I received, the S-rank extraordinary person from Manju Academy, Laurel, has already arrived and is currently in Qingyang City."
Tao Yao's brows furrowed slightly, obviously not having anticipated this news.
Black Rose continued:
"From her demeanor, she seems intent on completely uprooting our sect's influence in the Dawn Land."
Her tone became serious, carrying a warning: "If she makes a move, I will respond in kind. When that happens, how you handle it is up to you."
After saying this, Black Rose said no more and turned to leave the room.
As the door gently closed, silence returned to the room.
Tao Yao sat in her place, her gaze distant as she seemed to contemplate the important information Black Rose had left behind.
At this moment, a familiar voice echoed in her mind.
[Master, this woman is really annoying!]
The system's little voice was filled with dissatisfaction and disgust.
Upon hearing this, Tao Yao couldn't help but smile wryly.
She gently shook her head and responded in a gentle tone:
"Don't say that; Little Rose is also working hard, okay? Without her, how could I naturally die later on?"
Once this sentence was spoken, the entire room fell into a strange silence.
Tao Yao's gaze remained fixed on the distance, as if she were observing something only she could see.
The system seemed to be stunned by Tao Yao's words and didn't respond for a moment.
After a while, it cautiously inquired:
[Master, do we really have to use this method to harvest popularity?]
A glimmer of cunning flashed in Tao Yao's eyes as she smiled and replied:
"Of course! If we don't die, how else can we make those players cry?"