Chapter 101 - 2.62

"Bullshit world? If it's a bullshit world, then why are you trying to reclaim it? Being this desperate, playing dirty tricks?" Since Xu Jiaqi knew that her missions would already be considered complete, she didn't fear the repercussions she would get. She jeered at the shameless deity.

The one who was most hurt by all of this would definitely be Ezra himself. Unlike the Goddess, his feelings were genuine. During the time that they were acquainted, there were more than ten instances in which Ezra pulled her aside to discuss about the Goddess since he regarded her as technically the closest person to the Goddess.

In those sessions, he confided in her, and his trust began to develop. The distance between them lessened, much to Zenith's dislike. Ezra was truly a pure soul who was blind. Blind to the Goddess. Even when the deity was hurting him like this, she was sure that the man didn't believe the situation. That he assumed this was a dream or a joke. She could see it in his eyes.

"So- all of it.." Xu Jiaqi trembled as she sucked in a sharp breath. "To Ezra, you lied from the start?"

"It was indeed... a lie. Don't worry, I will not kill these two children.. Since they will still be of use to me. As much as I want to be the direct controller, it would be much more efficient to leave it to these two. But you.. you are someone who trespasses the realms of a world, a transmigrator that.. I have to dispose of." The Goddess dropped Ezra's body down to the floor. The man limped down, his last expression being a devastated one.

The Goddess then walked over to Xu Jiaqi. Zenith immediately reacted. With all of his power, he tried to break free from the Goddess' restraints, but who could beat the deity in the very world she governed? Zenith was just a human even if he was an anomaly.

"...You know, perhaps I would kill both of you at the same time. This man.. is he your companion? He carries the same scent as you. A disgusting scent that repulses me. It irks me that my powers can't work on him fully.. It would be better if I killed him as well, right? Even better, I shall.. tear your soul apart so that you won't be able to travel anymore." The Goddess felt Zenith's struggles and cast a spell on him that tugged on his body, bringing him forcefully to where Xu Jiaqi was laid down at.

'Same scent?' This comment fortified Xu Jiaqi's assumption that Zenith was related to her. Although she didn't know the full story yet right now, she was able to confirm that both her and Zenith are beings who the deity couldn't bypass.

Xu Jiaqi gritted her teeth. She was truly powerless. Even if the Goddess couldn't read them, she was able to suppress their bodies using her pure power. If only she was able to pull out the fan that the System gave her, perhaps she would be able to make a change. The fan was something made to defy nature. But that wasn't possible right now.

If only there was a gap that she could take advantage of!

As she racked her brains up to think of solutions, Zenith eyed her with a gaze full of sadness. In his eyes, the most painful thing that he could behold was seeing his lady suffering in front of him. While he was not able to do anything.

Xu Jiaqi noticed the man's expression and softened her own. She took a small sigh and assured him. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine. Even if we get killed, won't we die together? I said that I would spend the rest of my lifetime with you when you proposed to me. Even if.. even if I still can't give you my love, if this is our ending.. wouldn't it still be satisfactory?" Xu Jiaqi laughed as she spoke.

Zenith widened his eyes. He wanted to shake his head. Say that she couldn't die like this at all costs. But he couldn't do even that.

"...Since you are so confident, why don't you let my Emperor talk?" Xu Jiaqi cynically said.

The Goddess looked at her with cold eyes, pursing her lips before huffing. "Well, since I am a merciful deity, I suppose I will let you foolish beings talk for the last time." Goddess Eula replied, snapping her fingers to take off the spell that disabled Zenith from speaking a word.

Zenith felt like the pressure placed on him lessened. The lump forming a blockage in his throat disappeared. He immediately breathed out loudly, glaring at the Goddess for her actions.

However, the most important thing wasn't that. It was the woman beside him. The one he fell in love with since who knows when. He didn't even realize how deep his feelings were at first. Now, he knew that he would be able to sacrifice everything if it meant that Xu Jiaqi would live on.

His Qiqi.

"My love- No, Qiqi, do you still remember the day you asked me to be the Emperor?" Zenith hurriedly exclaimed with an exasperated face. Over the years, he had slowly changed his address to Xu Jiaqi to endearing terms that would be used by couples. Although Xu Jiaqi straightforwardly told him that true love was impossible for her, she allowed it.

"..Of course I remember. I promised that I will grant whatever you desired as long as I could fulfill it. Was this what you meant by implying that time?" Xu Jiaqi chuckled. "Do you still want me to fulfill your wish? I don't think I could do much in my state right now. We don't have much time."

"..No. I will buy.. give you time. Escape. I will let you live, and I want you to live on. You can't fall down here. We will definitely reunite, so go on first. That's my wish, Qiqi." Zenith whispered with a thin voice. Speaking hurt him quite badly. Although the Goddess lessened the pressure, it was still taxing for him to even open his mouth. Xu Jiaqi was able to resist better in this. 

Xu Jiaqi knew that something within Zenith had changed. His tone of speaking, his references. 

"You two are seriously discussing about trying to trick me right in front of said person? How laughable! I knew that mortals were stupid, but I didn't think that you would be this dumb. Well, this is where all of your cries end. This is where we will part. Sleep tight, you two. Tomorrow, the memories of Varadan will be changed. Ezra Lancaster will be my puppet, and.. there will no longer be an Emperor Zenith or a Saintess Ariel." The Goddess raised her hand to the air.

However, as she did that, a light suddenly shone from within Zenith's body. Xu Jiaqi couldn't quite figure out what it was, but it made her feel very soothed. Just like every other time she touched skin to skin with Zenith. The familiar cool energy that she had been treating herself with all these years. Just much more potent. It made her feel serene.

The Goddess was shocked by the display. A terrified expression flashed through for an instant before disappearing.

"Ahah.. Hahah! I've finally figured it out... I see, so that is who you are. No wonder I wasn't able to figure it out! Tch. Well, I'm still a bad match for you in this realm. Have you really taken the form of a mortal just for this woman? I heard about you story! But here, I am a deity, while you two are just a struggling mortal travelers. No matter what your identity is, you can't just surpass that law." The Goddess looked quite disturbed, but she hurriedly regained her calm and snickered, laughing at Zenith for having done a dumb thing.

"It is futile! I have already told you. I will suppress you no matter what!" The Goddess looked agitated. She raised her volume and shouted into the air. It was as if a legendary fight was happening right in front of Xu Jiaqi's eyes.

"It's my fault that I realized the truth too late... If I knew earlier, I would've been able to save you in this world. Goodbye for now, Qiqi." Zenith broke the two of them free from the Goddess' restraints and embraced her, enveloping her with the strange power that he had.

Despite all this, the last thing that she was able to capture was the sight of Zenith smiling at her with a complicated expression. Although he didn't say anything, she was able to tell that this was their goodbye. Tears unintentionally streamed down her face, and she blacked out without seeing the end of things.

When she woke up, she was back in the System space. A light ball appeared in the air. It was the System.

Her head was ringing extremely bad. It was painful, to say the least.. Clutching her head, she let out a large sigh.