Journey Through Realms: Fulfilling Last Wishes

Chapter 22: The Naive Saintess of the Demonic Sect

In the early morning, the bustling atmosphere of the Yue Lai Inn filled the air. Wang Hua was directing the workers to load various supplies onto the carriage.

Earlier that morning, Wang Hua had received instructions from Shen Yu, stating that he was leaving that very day and needed things prepared for the journey. Shen Yu had then left without much explanation.

Wang Hua, however, understood. Most of the supplies were likely meant for An Ran. Shen Yu, when traveling alone, would only require clothes and some dry food. However, An Ran needed more thoughtful preparation. To keep her entertained and comfortable, Wang Hua included items like small toys, dried fruits, snacks, and jerky. He also ensured that the carriage interior was soft and cozy, aiming to make her journey as comfortable as possible.

This is so sudden—leaving just like that. I haven’t even properly explored Yongcheng. Also, he’s in such a hurry, he hasn’t even checked in with Gu Lao about the progress. He must visit him before departing, An Ran thought as she packed up her belongings.

She was organizing her room while recalling Shen Yu’s abrupt announcement that morning, he had to return to the Demonic Sect urgently due to an emergency summons.

An Ran didn’t have many belongings, as she hadn’t spent much time sightseeing since her arrival. Now, she stared at the large vase they had won the previous day, feeling conflicted. She didn’t want to leave it behind, yet she worried it might get damaged during the journey, which would upset her even more.

“It’s all Shen Yu’s fault for insisting on choosing such a big thing. It’s so hard to decide whether to bring it or leave it behind,” she muttered to herself.

While thinking about this dilemma, she absentmindedly glanced at the silver bracelet on her wrist.

“Now, this is perfect—delicate, beautiful, and easy to carry. My taste is undoubtedly better,” she thought smugly.

“225225, come out! I need to ask you something,” An Ran suddenly called out, remembering something she wanted to clarify. She felt exasperated with the system, which had barely appeared since her arrival.

“All the novels I’ve read—none of them had systems as lazy as you. Useless thing,” she muttered.

“What is it? Have you completed your task yet?” came the system’s familiar, impatient voice.

“You could at least show up occasionally, like a proper system! Keep me updated on my task progress instead of waiting for me to chase after you. Anyway, the storyline has veered way off track. What should I do now?” An Ran snapped, clearly frustrated.

“I told you before—your presence will inevitably cause the storyline to unravel. What’s there to be surprised about? Stay calm,” 225 replied nonchalantly.

“But things are getting really bizarre now. For example, Shen Yu turns out to have a massive family backing him, with the Demonic Sect being just one of their enterprises. On top of that, Jianhai Manor isn’t the main culprit behind the Demonic Sect’s downfall anymore. Qin Yuan isn’t as cunning as he was in the story, and there’s more…”

An Ran began listing the peculiarities she’d noticed recently.

“Well, that’s to be expected. Your appearance has altered the trajectory of this world’s events. As a result, overlooked details from the original narrative are now manifesting. For instance, Shen Yu’s family always existed, but their involvement was irrelevant in the original plot. Similarly, certain hidden figures only emerged now because circumstances aligned differently,” 225 explained with rare seriousness.

“So, you’re saying these elements always existed but were never brought into focus? Now that they’re relevant, they’ve surfaced. Does that mean the storyline hasn’t gone off course? How will I know when my task is complete?” An Ran asked, half understanding.

“Based on current data, your progress is around 60%. To complete your task, you’ll likely need to uncover the mastermind,” 225 replied hesitantly. It wasn’t entirely certain, as this scenario didn’t follow a prewritten script.

“What do you mean ‘likely’? Don’t you have a clear answer? You’re practically useless!” An Ran exclaimed, utterly exasperated.

“Well, since you’ve realized this, I might as well be honest. You’re part of an experimental version. No one has done these tasks before, so everything is trial and error. I can only provide encouragement and answer the questions I know. The rest is up to you,” 225 admitted, dropping all pretenses.

“An experimental version? Doesn’t that mean it’s unstable? What if completing the task is pointless?”

An Ran was stunned.

“Don’t worry. Although it’s experimental, your efforts contribute valuable data. We’ll protect you as much as possible,” 225 said and assured her, fearing she might abandon the task.

“So, if I fail the task, I won’t die?” An Ran realized there was a loophole in its response.

“Technically, yes. But if you slack off intentionally, we won’t protect you. You’re valuable only if you generate useful data,” 225 clarified, continuing its half-truths.

“Figures. Fine, I’ve asked everything I wanted. You can leave now,” An Ran said, feeling deflated.

“Don’t lose heart! Completing the task promises great rewards. Keep at it!” 225 chirped with a rare, cheerful tone before vanishing.

Just as An Ran sighed at her unfortunate situation, Shen Yu’s voice came from outside. “Ran Ran, are you ready? We need to leave.”

“Yes, Brother Shen Yu. I’m ready, but how should we transport this large vase safely?”

An Ran opened the door to let him in and pointed to the vase.

“That’s easy. I’ll have it packed securely and sent to the Demonic Sect. But weren’t you dismissive of it before? Why bring it now?” Shen Yu asked, surprised.

“I wasn’t dismissive! This was a gift from you, Brother Shen Yu. How could I leave it behind?” An Ran said, her tone haughty.

Shen Yu chuckled.

“I know you cherish everything I give you. Don’t worry, I’ll ensure it’s delivered safely. If there’s nothing else, let’s get going.”

After some back-and-forth about their plans and final arrangements, the group set off, with Shen Yu accompanying An Ran in the carriage. Despite their late departure, the journey began on an optimistic note, albeit with many uncertainties ahead.