Chapter 29: Uesugi Eri

"Erii, is there something special about this gun?"

Inside the black Hummer, Overlord (Yuan Zhishui) asked in a low voice. The girl sitting beside him held a wooden box in her arms; inside lay the peculiar auction item.

Overlord had only brought Erii out for a change of pace. Seeing that she rarely took an interest in anything, he had snatched it up without hesitation as a gift for his younger sister. But to his surprise, Erii—who rarely displayed any strong emotions—clutched the artistic trinket as if she couldn't bear to part with it.

Overlord had examined it carefully and found it to be nothing more than a common piece of art. It was made entirely of twigs, crafted with exquisite detail but colored in dark, dull tones. It didn't look like anything a young girl would typically fancy. He found it strange. Though he was one of the few people in the world who got along well with Erii, he didn't truly understand her—or perhaps, no one in the world truly did.

The girl was always silent and quiet, sometimes appearing almost wooden. No one knew what she was thinking; she seemed interested in everything, yet at the same time, indifferent to it all. This was the first time Overlord had ever seen her show such genuine interest in an object.

Erii held the box and showed Overlord a small notebook where she had written something.

"This thing can talk."

Overlord: "?"

He found it utterly baffling. He thought to himself, *It's just an art piece, what the hell does she mean it can talk?* But because it was Erii who said it, he simply nodded. Without overthinking it, he said, "As long as you like it, Erii."

Erii nodded and went back to looking at the box. What Overlord didn't know was that a voice had been echoing in Erii’s mind for quite some time.

Tang Xi didn't know what kind of rotten luck she had. Gungnir had been swept away by the sea currents, God knows where. Because it was made of wood, it had floated on the surface for ages, drifting until it was salvaged by a fishing boat, passed through several hands, and finally ended up at the auction.

When Tang Xi had used her wave explosion to stall the whale, it had consumed quite a bit of her durability. She currently had 16 points left—not much, but enough to hoodwink a new host. However, she hadn't encountered any hybrids despite the item changing hands multiple times.

The moment Erii and Overlord entered the hall, Tang Xi had sensed their bloodlines. At the time, she didn't know who they were, only feeling astonished. The man's bloodline was on par with Chu Zihang, who had been improving for three years, perhaps even slightly superior. And the girl...

The girl was the highest-ranking hybrid Tang Xi had ever seen, bordering on that of a pure-blooded dragon.

Without hesitation, Tang Xi initiated a remote connection—or rather, a telepathic conversation. Erii was startled when she heard the voice but immediately had Overlord purchase her. It was only then that Tang Xi realized the man who had bought her was Overlord... and the girl's identity became immediately obvious.

She had actually drifted all the way to Japan and ended up in Erii’s hands!

The good news was that the Japan Branch was independent of Cassell College, so she didn't have to worry about them tracking her down for the time being. The bad news was that the eight families of the Yamata no Orochi—the components of the Japan Branch—were not simple. The entire country was currently trapped in a massive chess game, one far more dangerous than anything at Cassell College, because behind the Japanese chessboard stood her treacherous former master: Odin.

Clearly, Odin was not a charitable soul. Gungnir had betrayed him; it was impossible for him not to come looking for revenge. The only reason he hadn't in the last three years was perhaps because Jörmungandr had always been by her side. After they arrived at Cassell College, they had been ambushed shortly after enrollment. The giant whale that had appeared out of nowhere likely bore the marks of Odin’s influence.

Tang Xi knew full well that Odin would not let her go. He hadn't acted directly yet likely out of caution, waiting to probe her, fearing that any direct intervention might affect the seals on his own manifestation.

Now that she was stranded in Japan, she didn't know how many eyes Odin had here. Once he discovered her presence, he would surely strike; after all, this was an important part of his grand design.

Since that was the case, Tang Xi decided to strike first. She would seize the initiative before he discovered her. And to seize the initiative, the first step was to find a new host.

Between Overlord and Erii, Tang Xi chose Erii without a second thought. It wasn't just because Erii’s higher bloodline promised greater experience rewards, but because Erii was simple and easier to communicate with. Unlike Overlord, who was a stubborn and foolish "Elephant Turtle"—one could only imagine how difficult it would be to convince him to cooperate—the pure-hearted girl was a much better option.

With this goal in mind, Tang Xi continued to lobby Erii.

"Actually, I am a spirit sealed within this weapon. Thank you for saving me. I can grant you three wishes."

"Any wish at all, little girl. Is there nothing you want to realize? Like going out to play? Or a pretty dress? Or beautiful jewelry?"

Tang Xi’s voice was full of temptation; she felt like a creepy uncle trying to lure a child. But no matter how she tried to persuade her, the girl wouldn't answer.

*Did she not hear me? That shouldn't be right; her reactions clearly show she can hear.*

Tang Xi felt a bit strange. It wasn't until Erii returned to her room that she took out paper and pen and wrote seriously:

—Hello.

Looking at the words on the paper, Tang Xi, though puzzled, replied, "Hello."

Erii bit her lip and continued to write:

—Sorry, I cannot speak.

Looking at the elegant handwriting, Tang Xi suddenly recalled the events from the original story. It wasn't that Erii couldn't speak; it was that if she spoke, someone would die, because her bloodline was too high and her Spirit of Words was "Judgment." That was why she had gradually stopped speaking, leading everyone to believe she was mute.

Thinking of this, Tang Xi’s voice softened: "It's alright. You can talk to me; I won't die."

Erii’s eyes brightened. She seemed very happy, but she still hesitated before writing: *Really? Will I not harm you?*

"No," Tang Xi said. "It's fine. You can talk to me. I won't die."

Perhaps it was the certainty in her words that made Erii’s eyes shine even brighter. She struggled with herself for a brief moment before speaking in a very, very small voice:

"Hello?"

The voice was light, like a cautious cat tentatively extending its paw, or a snail carefully poking its head out of its shell.

"Hello," Tang Xi also said in a very soft voice. "You have a beautiful voice."

Erii’s eyes widened in surprise, her beautiful pupils filled with joy, like a young child who had suddenly discovered a novel and interesting toy.