Desert Island Girl (Pure Lily) - Chapter 29

Mu Xiaoyang had a dream.

It was a strange, even absurd dream, lacking any logic.

The world was bl00d-red.

If not for the large crimson clouds floating in the sky, Mu Xiaoyang could hardly distinguish the blurry horizon.

Aside from the glaring red, there was nothing else here.

This was…

Where?

Looking around blankly, Mu Xiaoyang had no sense of direction or purpose.

She just walked aimlessly forward.

The sky and earth were the same color.

Though Mu Xiaoyang kept moving, the scenery never changed, as if she were stepping in place.

After walking an unknown time, Mu Xiaoyang saw a luxurious, ornate mahogany chair ahead.

The chair was sturdy, made of solid material, looking very stable.

Its back was engraved with gold and gemstone patterns, and its armrests were designed as dragon heads, their lifelike bodies winding along the armrests and up to the back…

But this grand mahogany chair wasn’t the focus.

The focus was the person sitting in it—a woman.

Probably a woman?

Long hair, a black fluffy dress, an elegant posture, a curved chest, a slender figure—the reason for doubt was that Mu Xiaoyang couldn’t see her face, as if shrouded in dark mist.

But instinctively, she felt the woman was likely beautiful.

In the dream, Mu Xiaoyang felt no fear.

She walked straight up, looking at the woman blankly.

“Who are you?” Mu Xiaoyang asked.

Hands folded on her lap, the mysterious woman slowly raised her blurred face.

Though unclear, Mu Xiaoyang felt she gave a sinister smile.

“Oh… look, look, isn’t this our hypocritical, selfish Mu Xiaoyang…”

The mysterious woman slowly stood from the chair. Mu Xiaoyang then realized the woman was tall! Likely around two meters.

“You… know me?” Mu Xiaoyang looked up curiously, “Why call me hypocritical and selfish?”

She wasn’t angry, just puzzled by being labeled this way by someone she’d never met.

“Hmph, hmph, hmph…”

The mysterious woman chuckled coldly, her shoulders shaking.

She casually flicked her bright red nails, “That little rabbit who runs so fast is about to die of illness, right?”

Runs so fast… rabbit?

“You mean Ning?”

At the mention of “die of illness,” Mu Xiaoyang naturally thought of Jiang Ning.

The mysterious woman burst into laughter, “Hahaha! Ning, Ning, yes… it’s Ning!”

She suddenly bent down, her blurred face inches from Mu Xiaoyang’s, “Tell me, why go to such lengths for that troublemaker? Why risk danger to gather herbs for her?”

Perhaps because it was a dream, Mu Xiaoyang didn’t find it odd that the woman knew about the five of them.

She answered truthfully, “Ning is my friend. I can’t watch her die…”

“Hahahahaha!”

The mysterious woman threw her head back and laughed, “I knew it! I knew you’d say such grandiose words!”

She circled Mu Xiaoyang slowly, eyeing her up and down, “Oh… poor Xiaoyang, pitiful Xiaoyang… no father, no mother… most afraid of loss and separation—do you really save Jiang Ning for her sake?”

“…” Not answering, Mu Xiaoyang stood silently, wondering how the woman knew her parents were gone…

Sitting back gracefully in the mahogany chair, the mysterious woman looked relaxed, as if she saw through Mu Xiaoyang, “This is why I call you hypocritical and selfish—whether Jiang Ning lives or dies doesn’t matter to you. What matters is that she stays by your side…”

Her eyes behind the blurred face seemed deep. She rested her hands on the dragon armrests, leaning forward slightly, “You can’t accept Jiang Ning leaving you. You can’t lose her. You feel her illness is partly your fault—to ease your hypocritical guilt, you chose to find herbs to save her.”

“Haha! How noble, how grand! In the pouring rain, alone in the forest, facing countless dangers, you finally brought back the lifesaving herbs! But you and I both know a few measly plants can’t save a dying Jiang Ning…”

Leaning back in the chair, the mysterious woman looked at Mu Xiaoyang mockingly, “Yet you went anyway. Why? Why do something meaningless? That’s not your style—I’ll answer for you… Mu Xiaoyang, I know you too well. At this point, Jiang Ning is almost certainly doomed. You didn’t seek herbs to save her but to ease your guilt. Just as you told that fiery red one: you save her because you fear nightmares for the rest of your life…”

“…”

Mu Xiaoyang didn’t answer, feeling puzzled: Fiery red? That must mean Sister Yun. She only said that to Sister Yun. This woman seemed to know them…

In the chair, the mysterious woman kept talking confidently, “This way, when you’re on your last breath, you can weakly tell everyone: I tried, I did my best, it’s not my fault she didn’t survive—what a clever move. Just a trip in the rain, and you wash away your guilt. Well done, Mu Xiaoyang…”

“…”

Lowering her head, Mu Xiaoyang felt the woman’s half-smiling gaze.

For the first time, she responded, “As you say… I might indeed be hypocritical and selfish…”

The mysterious woman crossed her arms, slightly raising her chin—Mu Xiaoyang’s lack of denial surprised her, given what she knew of her.

“But…”

Slowly raising her head, Mu Xiaoyang looked directly at the woman’s blurred face, “You got one thing wrong… If Ning dies, I’ll never escape that guilt. I sought herbs not to wash away guilt—true, the herbs’ chance of curing Ning is slim, but it’s not zero! As long as there’s a shred of hope, I’ll try to save her!”

“Hmph… you’re becoming idealistic,” the mysterious woman scoffed, looking at Mu Xiaoyang’s burning eyes.

Mu Xiaoyang smiled, “Maybe… Mu Mu said the same.”

“Hm…”

The mysterious woman lazily fiddled with her nails, “Her judgment is always sharp…”

Blowing off nail debris, she glanced at Mu Xiaoyang, “By the way, bad news: Tomorrow morning, Jiang Ning will die—your hard-won herbs are useless.”

As expected…

Mu Xiaoyang lowered her head: Couldn’t the houttuynia cordata save Ning? Was she doomed to die from the infection?

In dreams, everything feels reasonable and real, so when the mysterious woman said Jiang Ning would die, Mu Xiaoyang accepted it without finding anything odd.

Seeing her reaction, the mysterious woman gave a faint smile, “Your earlier words changed my view of you, Mu Xiaoyang. I’ll give you a way to save Jiang Ning, but it’ll cost you…”

Pausing, she tilted her head mockingly, “You’re not the type who talks big but shrinks when it’s time to act, are you?”

“…”

Staring at the mysterious woman, Mu Xiaoyang said quietly, “What’s the cost?”

Seeming to grin smugly, the mysterious woman pulled a strange, eerie dagger from her pocket, “Hehe, don’t be like that, Xiaoyang… Think of movies—when people beg demons, what deals do demons offer?”

“Are you a demon?” Mu Xiaoyang asked, eyeing the dagger.

Her smile growing, the mysterious woman looked deeply at Mu Xiaoyang, “Aren’t I? My dear Xiaoyang… Come, my request is simple—your soul. I want your soul, Xiaoyang. If you willingly offer it, I promise! Tomorrow morning, you’ll see that little troublemaker bouncing around again…”

“…People who deal with demons usually don’t end well…”

“Maybe, but whatever your fate, at least Jiang Ning will live healthily—didn’t you boldly say you’d try anything for a shred of hope? What, just empty words?”

“…”

Not answering, Mu Xiaoyang seemed lost in thought.

The mysterious woman wasn’t impatient, quietly waiting for her response.

After long contemplation, Mu Xiaoyang finally looked up, her eyes calm, “I agree—I’ll trade my soul for Ning’s health…”

Honestly, Mu Xiaoyang didn’t care about the afterlife—she could barely manage her decades of life, so why worry about what came after?

If her soul could save Ning, she was willing…

“Hmph, hmph, hmph…”

The mysterious woman laughed smugly, “I take back calling you hypocritical and selfish—you’ve got guts, Mu Xiaoyang. Don’t worry, I’m generous. I won’t touch you until your time comes, but when you die, I’ll personally take your soul… And when I say I want your soul, it’s just to ensure you won’t betray me. You’ll do things you’re good at—we’ll still be partners. Once my goal is achieved, I’ll free you. As a reward, you’ll gain near-immortal life…”

“Heh, thanks for that…” Mu Xiaoyang shrugged nonchalantly, “So… do we sign a contract or something?”

“Oh, yes, yes… Come, place your hand on the armrest.”

The mysterious woman stood, smiling, pointing to the dragon armrest.

“…”

Palm up, Mu Xiaoyang gently placed her hand on the armrest, eyeing the eerie, sharp dagger with a hint of unease.

“Hmph, hmph, hmph…”

The mysterious woman chuckled coldly, spinning the dagger skillfully in her hand, her blurred face seeming to lick her lips, “Brace yourself, Xiaoyang—this might hurt a bit…”

Before her words finished, the mysterious woman raised the dagger high and stabbed down Mu Xiaoyang’s palm!

“!”

Mu Xiaoyang instinctively tried to dodge, but it was too late.

In the bl00d-red world,

Her piercing scream soon echoed…