After Transmigrating into a Book as a Cannon Fodder Character, The System Turned out to be Completely Unreliable! - Chapter 71

Chapter 71: “I Said You Could Come Up Now.”

Ye Lingxi had no idea how long she’d been locked up before she was finally allowed out. The once-familiar sunlight now stung her eyes. She took a deep breath, earnestly savoring the fresh air of the outside world.

She was finally free.

Ji Fuyu stood beside her and asked, “You’re this happy just to be outside?”

Ye Lingxi replied, “Not just that—going out with you makes me especially happy.” She looped her arm through Ji Fuyu’s.

Ji Fuyu smiled faintly. “While we’re out, don’t leave my sight. Understood?”

Ye Lingxi nodded obediently. “Mhm, okay.”

She said one thing, but in her heart she was plotting how to shake Ji Fuyu off.

When she went toward the water’s edge, Ji Fuyu grabbed her and wouldn’t let her get too close. When she wandered deeper into the forest and approached the magic forest’s edge, Ji Fuyu yanked her back with a scowl. “Didn’t I tell you not to leave my sight? Why won’t you listen?”

Ye Lingxi replied, “That place looks different from here.”

“What’s different?”

“Well, over there looks dark and spooky, but that direction looks bright and warm.”

Ji Fuyu: “…”

Letting go of her, Ji Fuyu warned, “You must not go there. It’s dangerous.”

“Why? It looks so warm and inviting over there.”

“I said no means no! Why so much nonsense?!”

Ye Lingxi lowered her head, picking at her fingers. “So stingy, husband.”

Ji Fuyu grabbed her collar. “How am I stingy?”

“You just are.”

“How so?”

Ye Lingxi pouted. “If you’re not stingy, then take me over there.”

“No.” Ji Fuyu firmly rejected her request.

“I don’t care, I’m going!” Ye Lingxi began throwing a tantrum, rolling on the ground.

Ji Fuyu: “…”

Here we go again.

“Get up,” Ji Fuyu ordered, but her grip on Ye Lingxi’s collar was already shaken off during the rolling. Looking down at her, she said, “If you don’t get up, we’re going back.”

Ye Lingxi sat cross-legged on the ground, hands on her hips. “I just want to go!” She looked ready to dig her heels in for a fight until she got her way.

Ji Fuyu sighed and closed her eyes. “Fine. I’ll take you.” After holding out for so long, she finally gave in.

“But listen—don’t run off once we’re there,” Ji Fuyu instructed.

Ye Lingxi nodded eagerly. “OK!” She even made an “OK” gesture with her hand, baffling Ji Fuyu.

“What does that mean?”

“It means ‘yes’ or ‘okay.’” Ye Lingxi stood up to explain.

Ji Fuyu stared into her eyes. “You really are different from the people here.”

Ye Lingxi only smiled in reply.

“Let’s not talk about that now. Come on, let’s hurry or it’ll be dark soon.” She grabbed Ji Fuyu’s hand and pulled her along.

Before Ji Fuyu could react, Ye Lingxi had dragged her to the edge of the magic forest, passing through a veil-like barrier.

“What is this thing?” Ye Lingxi asked, reaching out to touch it. Ji Fuyu quickly stopped her.

“It’s a barrier,” Ji Fuyu said, gripping her fingers tightly to stop her from touching it.

“What’s it for?”

Ji Fuyu hesitated, unsure how to explain it to a supposedly “amnesiac” woman. “It’s… a protective barrier.”

“To protect us?” Ye Lingxi’s clear eyes sparkled as she smiled. “Then I’ll protect you too, Husband.” She threw her arms around Ji Fuyu’s waist.

Startled, Ji Fuyu quickly pushed her away.

“You don’t want me to protect you?” Ye Lingxi looked heartbroken as Ji Fuyu pushed her aside.

Ji Fuyu stammered, “It’s not that… It’s just that when you touched me just now, you almost disrupted the barrier.”

“Oh.” Ye Lingxi pouted, “I’m sorry…”

Hearing her apology, Ji Fuyu was confused—why was she apologizing? Before she could think too much, Ye Lingxi added:

“I didn’t mean to.” Her innocent golden eyes looked up at Ji Fuyu, pleading for forgiveness.

Ji Fuyu’s gaze faltered under her stare. “Fine, fine, I forgive you.”

She didn’t even know what she’d supposedly done, but given the situation, it was better to just go along with it rather than hear her go on and on.

Ye Lingxi instantly shifted back to her usual energy. “Yay! Time to go out and play!”

Ji Fuyu: “…”

Ye Lingxi charged forward like a runaway wild horse. Ji Fuyu struggled to keep up as she flitted from one curiosity to another.

“Husband, look! There are so many fish here! They’re huge—way bigger than the ones from before!” Ye Lingxi gestured widely. “I’m going to catch one!”

Ji Fuyu approached her. “You think you can catch one?”

Ye Lingxi rolled up her sleeves and got into a battle-ready stance, took off her shoes, and waded into the water. “Watch me!”

Ji Fuyu expected a bold dive, but Ye Lingxi lunged and face-planted into the water with a splash.

Ji Fuyu couldn’t help but laugh at the sight.

Soaked and humiliated, Ye Lingxi stood back up. “Don’t laugh at me! I’ll prove it to you—I will catch one!”

Ji Fuyu said nothing, simply held out her hands in a “go ahead” gesture.

As Ye Lingxi splashed about trying to catch fish, she scanned her surroundings. When she had crossed the barrier earlier, she had released the spiritual energy her system had given her. Why hadn’t anyone responded yet?

Ji Fuyu was standing nearby, making it impossible for her to slip away. If no one came, she really might die trapped in the demon palace.

She closed her eyes and silently prayed that someone would sense the energy and come.

At Baicao Sect, the system had just awakened and reported everything that had happened to Lan Mushu.

Lan Mushu immediately wanted to head for the demon palace, but Fu Guang stopped her. He said that since Ye Lingxi was still alive, the Demon King likely wasn’t ready to kill her yet—this could be part of a deeper plot.

Lan Mushu had been waiting at Baicao Sect, and now that she felt the presence of the spiritual cat’s aura, she turned to the cat and asked, “Why is your aura coming from the direction of the demon forest?”

The system-spirit cat replied: “My aura?” It thought for a moment, then realized: “The host must’ve escaped the demon palace.”

That one sentence was enough. Lan Mushu immediately set out.

The cat added: “The host said she would try to find a way out and release the aura I gave her so we could find her.”

“Then that aura we just sensed means she’s made it out,” Lan Mushu declared and took off.

Ting’er reported this to Fu Guang. Startled, he asked, “When did she leave?”

“Just now.”

“Bring her back.”

“Yes, sir.”

Lan Mushu had already passed through Baicao Sect’s gates, the spirit cat by her side.

“Let’s go.”

“Right.”

By the time Ting’er came out, Lan Mushu had vanished from sight.

Fu Guang said, “It seems fate is at work. Let’s go support her.”

“Yes, sir.”

Lan Mushu had arrived near where Ye Lingxi was. In the distance, she could hear Ye Lingxi’s cheerful voice. Just as she was about to move closer, she saw the shadow of a demon beast. She immediately stopped and hid behind a tree.

Ji Fuyu seemed to sense something and looked in her direction, but saw no one, so she turned back to Ye Lingxi. “Let’s go back.”

“I haven’t caught one yet!” Ye Lingxi pouted.

“You’ve been trying forever and still haven’t caught one. Seems like it’s not meant to be today.” Ji Fuyu reached out and pulled her closer.

Ye Lingxi resisted. “No! I’m not going back until I catch one.” With her back to Ji Fuyu, she anxiously prayed for someone to show up.

For heaven’s sake—when are you guys getting here? I don’t want to go back!

Losing patience, Ji Fuyu lifted her hand and summoned magic. A moment later, all the fish swimming near Ye Lingxi were lifted out of the water by a magical force.

Ye Lingxi stared in shock as fish literally flew into the air. This was bad.

“Now you’ve got your fish. Let’s go.” Ji Fuyu placed them on the grass.

Ye Lingxi stared blankly at the flopping fish, her face turning pale. She stood frozen for a moment.

Ji Fuyu thought Ye Lingxi was stunned by her brilliance, but then Ye Lingxi muttered, “You caught them, not me. It doesn’t count.”

Ji Fuyu: “…”

“I said you could come up now.”

Ye Lingxi noticed something was off about Ji Fuyu’s tone. Glancing around, she spotted Lan Mushu and the system cat’s faces in the distance. She froze, then quickly looked away.

“Oh, okay. I’m coming.” Ye Lingxi bent down to put on her shoes, taking her time, all while stealing glances at Ji Fuyu’s movements. She turned and said, “There’s too many fish. I can’t carry them all.”

Ji Fuyu: “…”

“That’s easy.” Ji Fuyu used her magic again, leaving only two fish on the grass and returning the rest to the stream.

Ye Lingxi: “…”

WTF.

“Now it’s manageable, right?” Ji Fuyu’s voice sounded slightly rushed.

After putting her shoes on, Ye Lingxi picked up the two hefty fish and grunted, “Husband, I can’t carry them.”

Watching her struggle, Ji Fuyu walked over, took one of the fish from her, and said, “Let’s go.”

Ye Lingxi deliberately lagged behind, waiting until Ji Fuyu had gone ahead. Once there was some distance between them, Lan Mushu finally stepped out.