Evening, West Suburb Church.
As Li Andy returned to the courtyard, he heard a muffled groan.
Following the sound, he saw Sister Amy in the training lawn at the center of the courtyard, lifting Sophia and slamming her onto the ground.
"That's enough for today. Go back and tend to your injuries."
Sister Amy clapped her hands. She was dressed in a short top and shorts, her figure not tall but agile, her wheat-colored skin illuminated by the setting sun, casting a faint afterglow.
"Again!" Sophia gritted her teeth and got up, her expression unwilling.
She was also dressed in a short top and shorts, her golden hair tied high into a ponytail, her fair skin gleaming under the setting sun, with several bruises on her hands, feet, and arms.
Sister Amy frowned deeply:
"Stop, rookie. In real life-and-death combat, just being fierce is useless."
"Again!" Sophia lunged at Sister Amy.
Sister Amy sighed, raised her hand to grab Sophia's swinging arm, then spun and swept her leg, causing Sophia to lose balance and become airborne, before being heavily slammed onto the ground.
The hair tie on Sophia's head broke, and her golden hair cascaded like a waterfall onto the grass.
She struggled to get up again but found her arms sore and weak, unable to push herself up. She could only stare blankly at the sky, her confidence seemingly very shaken.
Before, at the orphanage, she was the children's leader, but now, facing Sister Emi, she couldn't even touch her clothes.
"Oh, the Oriental kid is back?"
Sister Emi raised an eyebrow, looking at Li Andy,
"Then I'll leave her to you. The medicinal oil is in the usual spot, go get it yourself."
With that, she tossed the towel from her neck and bounced away.
Li Andy looked at her retreating back, squeezing the towel in his hand.
It was very dry, without a single drop of sweat.
Then, he walked over to Sophia, sat down cross-legged, and gently poked her cheek:
"Does it hurt?"
Sophia turned her head away, looking very unhappy.
Li Andy smiled and comforted her:
"It's normal that you can't beat her. Night Crow Sister isn't a normal person."
Sophia pursed her lips, turned her head to look at him, a small dimple pressed into her beautiful face by his finger:
"Then can I be like them?"
Li Andy paused, then replied:
"Yes, but do you know what price they paid?"
"What price?" Sophia frowned.
Li Andy didn't answer directly. Instead, he lay down on his side, leaned close to her ear, and whispered:
"Did you notice that Sister Emi's body temperature is especially cold?"
Sophia was slightly stunned. Recalling the physical contact during their combat training, she suddenly realized that Sister Emi's body temperature was indeed very cold, like… a cold corpse, just like her dead father.
Li Andy continued:
"Actually, Sister Emi is no longer a normal living person. Many of the internal organs in her body are actually long gone. Her daily food is a can of live, moving black worms."
Sophia's face turned a little pale:
"You… you're not making things up, are you?"
Li Andy narrowed his eyes and chuckled softly:
"If you don't believe me, you can sneak to the third floor of the bell tower at noon. From there, you can see Sister Emi's room. But I warn you, don't throw up when you see it."
Sophia bit her lower lip, her expression conflicted.
"Borrowed power always comes with a price. You don't actually need to rush to pursue those things."
Li Andy curled his lips and asked,
"Do you want to go to school? Scientific knowledge is also a form of power, and it's a relatively safe one."
"School?" Sophia frowned, "I don't have money."
Li Andy smiled and explained:
"You don't need your money. This is an investigation commission. It requires you to go to a girls' aristocratic academy to help investigate some things, and the reward is 100 pence a day."
"100 pence a day?!"
Sophia's eyes widened, "Then... can Youxi come too?"
Two people, wouldn't that mean an extra hundred!
However, Li Andy poured cold water on her enthusiasm:
"Adding another person won't mean more money. Besides, isn't she learning with Sister Anna? Let's not disturb her for now."
Sophia was immediately disappointed, she pursed her slightly dry lips and asked:
"What exactly needs to be investigated?"
"Let's talk while I apply the medicine."
Li Andy stood up, brushed the grass off his clothes, and looked at Sophia again.
At this moment, sweat had soaked her short top; the thin fabric clung to her body, slightly transparent, three parts disheveled, seven parts alluring, like a defeated CG.
Sophia froze for a few seconds, then, realizing his mischievous intentions, her face immediately flushed:
"That's not proper treatment! I asked Youxi!"
"So?"
Li Andy's lips curled into a smile, not caring at all about being exposed.
He bent down, put his arms around her bent knees, and lifted Sophia. Because of the sweat, her skin felt a little slippery.
"You're really dirty. I'll take you for a bath."
Sophia's eyes widened, and she began to struggle, but her tired limbs were sore and weak.
Li Andy's lips curved even higher, his smile becoming more arrogant.
Heh!
Playing the game of regretful youth with you in this bizarre world where you don't know whether accident or tomorrow comes first?
What a joke!
Adults only go for the direct approach!
Sophia felt a little helpless, suddenly regretting why she had tried so hard just now.
Now, she could only watch herself being carried by this bad guy into the dim building...
On the other side.
Church, confessional.
Youxi slowly opened her eyes, the candlelight and the blindfolded Sister Anna reflected in her dark pupils.
Suddenly, the candlelight flickered, and two tall, thin Faceless Nuns appeared behind Anna.
"Can you see them?" Sister Anna asked softly.
"Mhm." Youxi nodded.
"How many?"
"Two."
Sister Anna revealed a slight smile, gently removed her blindfold, revealing a pair of all-white, unsettling eyes:
"You are indeed a favorite of spirituality; 'Spiritual Vision' doesn't require you to pay a price like mine. However, you are also a delicacy for evil thoughts, always bringing disaster to those around you."
Youxi's body trembled slightly, then she slowly lowered her head, her long eyelashes obscuring her eyes.
Sister Anna smiled gently, pulled her into her embrace, and whispered:
"Don't be afraid, child. The Lord says, a curse is also a blessing..."
"Mhm."
Youxi nodded gently, her body gradually calming down.
But Sister Anna's smile, under the flickering candlelight, seemed a little eerie.
...