Chapter 503: I Want to Go Back
The moment the bone knife was about to stab Qiao Xixi, she quickly sidestepped, turned, and grabbed Huang Ying’s hand, knocking the weapon away.
Huang Ying froze, staring at Qiao Xixi in disbelief. ’She hadn’t expected her to react so quickly.’
Qiao Xixi’s grip on Huang Ying’s hand was so tight it felt like it would shatter her bones.
Panic seized Huang Ying. Her eyes widened, and after a sharp gasp, she stammered, "C-Clan Leader, I... I just saw a huge bug on your back! I wanted to help you kill it."
A faint smile touched Qiao Xixi’s lips. "Is that so? What kind of bug requires a bone knife to kill, Huang Ying?"
The color instantly drained from Huang Ying’s face. She struggled, trying to break free from Qiao Xixi’s grasp.
But Qiao Xixi’s hand was like an iron vise, clamped down so tightly she couldn’t escape.
In a panic, Huang Ying opened her mouth to bite Qiao Xixi’s hand.
But before her teeth could even make contact, a resounding slap struck her across the face.
Huang Ying was in the body of a young cub; there was no way she could withstand such a powerful blow from Qiao Xixi.
The single slap made her see stars.
’System, System, save me! Quickly, find a way to save me! Qiao Xixi knows who I am! She’s going to kill me!’
Huang Ying’s system went silent for a moment before speaking. ’You’ve already used up all the special permissions I gave you. I can’t grant you any more privileges. If you don’t want to experience the pain of being killed by Qiao Xixi, you can ask me to transport you back to your original world right now.’
’Go back...’
Huang Ying rejected the idea without a second thought. ’No! Even if I go back, it won’t be now! After what Qiao Xixi did to me, I can’t just let it go!’
’Suit yourself, then. I can’t help you anyway.’
Meanwhile, the voice of Xiao Yao echoed in Qiao Xixi’s mind.
’Host, Huang Ying’s system has appeared, but its connection is unstable. I’m guessing Huang Ying still isn’t willing to leave voluntarily.’
Qiao Xixi’s eyes darkened at those words.
She grabbed Huang Ying by the head and viciously shoved her face into the water.
"MMF!"
In an instant, icy river water flooded Huang Ying’s mouth and nose. The agonizing sensation of choking pushed her fear to its absolute limit.
Just as she was about to suffocate, Qiao Xixi yanked her back out.
"Huang Ying, you tampered with my memories and went after me and my cubs again and again. Today, I’m going to make you pay for every wicked thing you did to us!"
Huang Ying had barely gasped for air before Qiao Xixi forced her back under the water.
"No... GLUG GLUG... MMF!"
Overcome with hatred, the moment Qiao Xixi pulled her from the water again, Huang Ying dug her sharp nails viciously into Qiao Xixi’s skin.
Qiao Xixi grunted in pain. Her arm was torn open by the nails, and bright red blood dripped into the river. The fish-beasts in the water caught the scent of blood and began swimming toward them.
"Qiao Xixi, if I’m going to die, I’m taking you with me!"
Huang Ying suddenly broke free from Qiao Xixi’s grasp, lunged at her, and sank her teeth into her neck.
"Ah!"
Qiao Xixi cried out and dodged quickly, but Huang Ying still managed to sink her teeth into her shoulder.
Hearing her cry of pain, Huang Ying let out a savage sneer and lunged, aiming her sharp nails at Qiao Xixi’s neck.
Qiao Xixi spun around and grabbed Huang Ying’s hand. In that instant, Huang Ying saw raw killing intent flare in Qiao Xixi’s eyes.
Huang Ying’s heart leaped in terror. Only one thought remained in her mind.
’Qiao Xixi was really going to kill her here!’
’She wanted to run, but there was no escape.’
With another surge of strength, Qiao Xixi forced her back under the water.
This time, Qiao Xixi gave her no chance to catch her breath.
Huang Ying’s eyes were wide with terror underwater. The previous times Qiao Xixi had killed her, it had happened so fast she barely had time to register it. But this time, she felt the raw terror of death in its entirety.
The fear was like the icy water itself, engulfing her, making her tremble uncontrollably.
’Only one thought remained in her mind: she had to escape this terror! She didn’t want anything else.’
’System, I want to go! Get me out of here! I don’t want to be here anymore! I don’t want to do this mission! I want to leave this godforsaken place right now!’
’Have you decided? Once you make this choice, there’s no turning back.’
’I’ve decided! I want to go, now!’
’Very well.’
’BEEP. Activating transporter. Transporting Host back to original world now.’
"BEEP BEEP BEEP"
The beeps of the transport process echoed in her mind.
Huang Ying felt her body suddenly become weightless, as if something was being rapidly stripped away from it.
Soon, the agony of drowning faded.
Her eyes were wide as she stared resentfully at the ice-cold expression on Qiao Xixi’s face, her heart seething with absolute hatred.
Suddenly, Qiao Xixi looked up in her direction and gave a chilling smirk.
’Huang Ying was startled. What was that look for? Was she gloating because she was about to kill her?!’
’Idiot!’
’She had her system’s protection. Even if the mission failed, she would be safely transported back to her own world. Qiao Xixi couldn’t do a thing to her!’
But just then, as if struck by something, Huang Ying’s ethereal form suddenly froze in mid-air.
’System, what’s happening? Why did you stop?’
’Damn it! I’m under attack by Qiao Xixi’s system! BEEP, KZZZT...’
’What? Can you handle it or not? Hurry up and get me out of here!’
’No, no... BEEP BEEP BEEP!! Its virus is aggressively invading my core... KZZT... BZZT...’
’...under attack...’
"AARGH!"
The system let out a sudden, bloodcurdling scream, followed by the faint sound of an explosion.
The next instant, Huang Ying felt herself being violently sucked back into the body.
"AARGH! GLUG GLUG..."
The intense feeling of suffocation returned, and terror once again surged through Huang Ying.
’System! System, what happened?! Weren’t you taking me back? Why am I back in this body?!’
But no matter how frantically Huang Ying screamed, her system gave no response.
Huang Ying’s vision suddenly went black, and she felt something pulling hard on her feet.
’Am I really going to die like this?’
’No! I refuse to accept this!’
’I’ve been here for so many years, all for the reward.’
’I was so, so close to succeeding.’
’It was Qiao Xixi. It was all that bitch’s fault!’
’If it weren’t for her, I’d be back in my own world by now, living a life above everyone else!’
’Qiao Xixi, you’re the one who should be dead! You!’
With a sudden burst of strength from God-knows-where, Huang Ying grabbed Qiao Xixi’s beast-hide skirt and yanked her down into the water.
Qiao Xixi had been communicating with Xiao Yao in her mind and was caught off guard by the sudden pull. Losing her balance, she plunged into the water.