54: Sister, I'm not mean!

"Sister, don't leave me behind! I'm weak, pitiful, and helpless."

"Sister... Sister... Sis..."

Seeing that the fairy sister was ignoring her, Tang Tang stopped her act of acting cute. She glanced in the direction where Shang Wan Ning had disappeared and then broke into a wild chase.

"Sister, wait for me!"

...In the tunnel, one after another, raw souls drifted by. These figures could be seen overhead, inside the walls, and even on the uneven, pitted ground beneath their feet.

"Thirty-eight... forty-one... forty-three... forty-nine." As she walked, Shang Wan Ning counted them; there were exactly forty-nine, the number of victims in the tunnel.

Shang Wan Ning squatted down and touched the carvings on the ground. It was obvious that someone had intentionally trapped the raw souls here to generate resentment and create a land of yin energy to breed a Hairy Zombie!

However, Shang Wan Ning couldn't quite figure out how those Walking Corpses had ended up here.

"Sister, sister, don't abandon me!"

Tang Tang strained her legs, desperately chasing after Shang Wan Ning's figure. After running wildly for a full half-hour, she finally managed to catch up.

By now, she was panting like an ox from exhaustion, but she still strained her voice to shout, "Sister, please, wait for me!"

Hearing this, Shang Wan Ning stopped and glanced coldly at Tang Tang. "What exactly do you want by following me so closely?" she asked in a frigid tone.

Tang Tang blinked her large, watery eyes, her expression full of grievance. "Sister, I'm really scared! I truly don't have the courage to go back alone."

"Oh? Really?" The corners of Shang Wan Ning's mouth curled up slightly, revealing a half-smile.

"Afraid to go back alone? Little Daoist, lying isn't a good habit."

Hearing this, Tang Tang's eyes instantly welled up, and tears began to pool in them.

She stepped forward and grabbed Shang Wan Ning's arm, saying coquettishly, "I'm just a girl, after all!" She then added, "And the tunnel is full of Walking Corpses. Even as a Daoist, it's still spine-chilling and terrifying!"

"Heh! It seems the Walking Corpses have all been burned to ash by me. Little Daoist!" Shang Wan Ning replied testily, sensing the "green tea" aroma of manipulative behavior drifting from her.

"Sister... I'm still scared!" Tang Tang pulled out all the stops to act cute, gradually leaning toward Shang Wan Ning's chest.

However, before she could get fully close, Shang Wan Ning quickly extended a finger and pressed it against Tang Tang's chest, shouting sharply, "Tell me the truth! Don't move! Stand still!"

Tang Tang bit her lower lip in annoyance and puffed out her cheeks. "Hehehe..."

"Sister, you're so amazing. Can you help me find the source of the corpse poison?"

"Heh! Such excessive kindness must hide a hidden motive."

"Sister, the corpse poison is really powerful; it's almost seeped into the surrounding water sources."

Tang Tang's nose felt warm as she hugged Shang Wan Ning's slender waist, resting her chin on her shoulder and sniffing gently. "So soft! So fragrant!"

A flick to the forehead came her way. Tang Tang clutched her head, her eyes teary. "Sister, you hit me!"

"A girl should have a sense of boundaries. Don't get so close." Shang Wan Ning's heart tightened, and her gaze involuntarily turned cold, like a chilly moon in a winter night, radiating a trace of frost.

"I'm screwed! I hope Qi Qi doesn't smell a strange scent on me when I get home!" Shang Wan Ning thought to herself.

"She better not smell it. I don't want to have to support my waist while working..."

Just then, Tang Tang noticed Shang Wan Ning's expression becoming increasingly unpleasant, and she felt a surge of panic.

She hurriedly squatted down, grabbed the hem of Shang Wan Ning's skirt with both hands, and slightly pouted her pink lips.

"Sister~ please help me! If the corpse poison continues to spread, even more innocent residents will be threatened!"

"And now there isn't even a single Ghost Messenger left in the northern region. The entire situation is being held together by the combined efforts of the Xuan Sect, the Buddhist Sect, and the Special Affairs Bureau." Tang Tang grew more agitated as she spoke, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I beg of you, Sister Lay Buddhist. As long as this crisis can be resolved, I'll do anything you ask!" After speaking, she looked up at Shang Wan Ning with anticipation.

A faint smile appeared on Shang Wan Ning's lips. "Very well, I see your sincerity. I will investigate the truth behind the corpse poison. But before that, please keep a proper distance from me and do not overstep." As soon as she finished, Tang Tang breathed a sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly in agreement.

"Yay! Thank you, Sister Lay Buddhist."

Tang Tang then stood up and let go of the skirt.

Shang Wan Ning gave her a side-eye and continued walking forward.

Tang Tang followed closely behind Shang Wan Ning. Suddenly, she seemed to think of something, and her expression became solemn.

"What's wrong?" Shang Wan Ning noticed the change.

"Sister, I forgot to mention earlier. The mastermind behind this corpse poison might be the White Lotus Sect," Tang Tang said in a low voice.

Shang Wan Ning stopped and turned to look at Tang Tang. "How do you know?"

"I'm guessing! Currently, only the White Lotus Sect is causing trouble so frantically, though I don't have any concrete evidence yet." Tang Tang puffed out her chest and held her head high, looking thoughtful.

"A guess? Interesting." Shang Wan Ning's beautiful eyes flickered, and she said with a touch of vengeful mischief, "You should drink more milk to supplement yourself."

"Huh? Milk?" Tang Tang pretended not to understand what she meant.

The corners of Shang Wan Ning's mouth curved into a perfect arc. "Your chest!"

"Fierce?"

"Sister, I'm not fierce; I'm gentle and considerate. I'm 157cm tall and weigh 41kg. My hobby is being a sister-obsessed girl for my sister." Tang Tang's gaze drifted downward, watching a pair of fair, long legs partially visible beneath the skirt, and she subconsciously swallowed.

Shang Wan Ning's eyes widened. Wearing her sneakers, she ran as fast as the wind.

She had finally experienced the younger girl's bluntness; she was finding every way possible to climb her way up.

"Hey! Sister, don't walk so fast."

"Let's add each other on Feixin. Little puppy, sickly-sweet, green tea... whatever persona sister likes, I can play it perfectly."

"Age difference isn't an issue... your little sister's index finger is 8.75cm long..." (,,ಡωಡ,,) Thank you.

Shang Wan Ning couldn't help herself; she turned back and pinched Tang Tang's earlobe. "Even a Little Daoist knows how to flirt now. Have you memorized the Heart-Clearing Mantra yet?"

"Zhengyi followers can get married, Sister."

Shang Wan Ning applied a little more pressure with her right hand on the earlobe. "Still flirting?"

"Sister, my ear hurts!" Tang Tang blinked her big eyes and said pitifully.

Shang Wan Ning laughed out of exasperation. "I didn't even use my full strength!"

"Wasn't I just cooperating with you, Sister?" Tang Tang raised an eyebrow and gave a sweet smile.

Shang Wan Ning raised a long, pale index finger to Tang Tang's lips and whispered, "Shh!"

(Click to urge for updates, Gou Ze will add more!)