Chapter 40

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Chapter 40: What You Also Desire

“So, you’ve never done anything like this before.” Chaoyang felt both a sense of expected confirmation as expected and a hint of disappointment. In this world, there were no counterparts to his profession; he remained solitary in his uniqueness. “All your knowledge stems from the Demon’s awakening, yet you’ve never had the chance to verify its accuracy.”

“I’m not a Demon—” Luo Di began to protest but immediately changed her words upon seeing Chaoyang reach into the flour sack. “Indeed, I lack experience, but that doesn’t mean other… companions don’t.”

Chaoyang’s heart stirred slightly.

Other companions? This individual wasn’t alone?

What truly remarkable news!

His thoughts rapidly shifted. Initially, controlling Luo Di was merely an option, but now it had become a necessity. After all, he couldn’t stay indefinitely in this otherworld; eventually, he would need to return to Earth. If, at that moment, some Nemesis targeted him, his situation would become exceedingly perilous.

Having an angel willing to cooperate could potentially dissuade hostility from the other companions.

After a brief silence, Chaoyang turned to look at Dunn and Zhu Di. “We are about to enter the final phase of the ceremony. As it requires invoking my Lord’s power, I kindly request that both of you temporarily withdraw.”

“Um, can’t I pay respects to your divine being…?” Zhu Di appeared somewhat reluctant.

Dunn, however, was adept at reading situations. “This is part of the Divine messenger’s duties. No church would casually allow outsiders to approach their deity. Let’s not burden our benefactor with unnecessary trouble.”

Once Dunn and Zhu Di left the room, Luo Di couldn’t help but display a scornful expression. “A divine being? Who do you think you are? Only those harboring ulterior motives portray themselves as supremely exalted! You truly are…”

“What exactly am I?”

Luo Di glanced at the flour sack beside him but ultimately couldn’t voice her accusation.

“If I were you, upon entering a completely new world, I’d be much more cautious with my words.” Chaoyang retrieved a dagger from his pocket and slowly approached the girl. “In this world, there exist beings virtually indistinguishable from gods. You know nothing about them, whereas I have briefly encountered such entities firsthand.”

Her expression shifted, but she quickly bit her lip and forcefully closed her eyes.

Despite the threat posed by the flour sack, she did not utter a single plea for mercy at that moment.

“Have you ever considered this question: Why are you still alive? When you activated your ability, you were already at your limit, and exhausting all your strength typically leads to death… In this regard, there’s no difference between us.”

Luo Di flinched involuntarily.

Just then, Chaoyang dropped his dagger, severing the rope binding her right hand.

Realizing she had regained her freedom, she couldn’t help but ask, “…Why?”

“Because I saved you,” Chaoyang said calmly. “I fed you a drop of wishful blood.”

Luo Di’s expression froze.

“I wasn’t sure if it would work, but apparently it did—so now I understand why angels relentlessly pursue demons to strike them down. It allows them to bathe in the most demon blood possible. In a sense, there’s little distinction between you and a group of vampires; both succumb to your desires!”

“That’s not true… Eliminating demons is about combating evil…”

“Even to harm one’s own savior?” Chaoyang sneered.

Luo Di was left speechless.

He pressed his advantage further, “Let me reveal a not-so-secret secret to you: In the past, demons indeed aimed for consuming souls through contracts, but that approach clearly lacked long-term benefits and carried significant risks. Consequently, later awakened beings optimized the contract process, shifting to collecting Wish Power—the equivalent of installment payments from souls. While immediate gains decreased, the associated costs and risks were significantly reduced as well. Did your companions never inform you of these changes?”

“Ins..Installment payments?”

“To survive, one must adapt to the times.” With a swift motion, Chaoyang transformed the dagger in his hand into a sheet of A4 paper. “Now let’s discuss repayment. According to your angelic values, wouldn’t someone saved from death owe some form of gratitude, as a matter of fairness?”

“I’ve never sought reward for saving lives,” the girl responded, her courage seemingly rekindling during this exchange. She looked directly at Chaoyang and enunciated each word, “Don’t even think about bewitching me with words.”

“Why not take a look first before deciding?”

“No need! The code of our predecessors warns that any pact with a demon is always a trap. You can kill me, but don’t even dream of enslaving my soul!” She paused before adding, “And no, not even in installment payments!”

“No, I’m not bothered to kill you. Unlike some, I won’t arbitrarily take lives without reason. At most, I might just banish you from this world.” Chaoyang feigned withdrawing the contract offer. “Of course, for the first time, I’ll consider it an error stemming from your ignorance. But there won’t be such leniency next time.”

“You’re truly…going to let me go?” Luo Di still seemed incredulous.

“Why not? After all, you couldn’t accomplish anything anyway. Even if you encountered someone genuinely in need, all you could do is watch helplessly from afar, ultimately tasting nothing but the bitterness of failure.”

“What are you talking about?” She furrowed her brow.

“You know exactly what I mean.” Chaoyang smiled. “Without a demon’s Wish Power, you’ll inevitably achieve nothing—because kindness devoid of strength remains merely words, isn’t that right?”

Luo Di’s eyes instantly hardened like sharp thorns.

Chaoyang knew she had guessed correctly.

This was the root cause of the dark emotions within Luo Di’s heart.

In truth, this flaw was not hard to discern. For someone at her age of sixteen, she had participated in too many organizations and activities, which could only suggest one thing: she hadn’t stayed long in any of them. Her constant attempts were met with repeated failures, solely because she lacked “power.”

In an era where demons are nearly extinct, how much better off could angels be? Without their source of Wish Power, individuals like Luo Di were merely ordinary humans. As an ordinary person, helping a grandmother cross the street might still be feasible, but upon encountering slightly more challenging situations, they would realize their capabilities are significantly limited.

As age increases, such frustrations become increasingly common.

“Now you’ve finally gotten a chance for change, yet unfortunately, due to your short-sightedness, you’re about to give it up.” Chaoyang stood up, speaking with a tone of regret. “What difference does it make if we let go of someone with no merits?”

“…Wait,” Luo Di couldn’t help but interject as he moved to leave. “Are you suggesting you’ll continue providing me with Wish Power?”

Chaoyang remained silent, simply tapping on the contract in his hand.

“Fine, show it to me then…”

“Do you usually speak to your saviors like this? I think you should be more courteous,” Chaoyang replied.

After a moment of hesitation, Luo Di ultimately repeated, “Please let me see it.”

Knowing when to stop pushing, Chaoyang presented the contract once more. “I believe the most crucial aspect of any contract is fairness—considering your concerns, I won’t demand payment like souls or Wish Power. Instead, I will provide you with wishful blood for use in another world. You, better than anyone, should understand what the power bestowed by talent awakening signifies.”

This time, Luo Di carefully read through the entire contract. “And my role…is to ensure your safety? Additionally, I must act according to the identity you grant me and assist you when necessary? It’s utterly absurd…”

“But its essence lies in the termination clause, isn’t it?” Chaoyang responded nonchalantly. “Your worry stems from not being able to prevent me from committing evil deeds or inadvertently becoming complicit. Hence, I specifically outlined the conditions for termination. If my actions veer towards evil and no longer serve good purposes, the contract automatically ends.”

“…Who determines that?”

“Of course, the contracting party,” Chaoyang chuckled lightly. “That would be you, Miss Luo Di. However, there’s one point you need to consider: the contract’s validity is not determined by mere words. Once signed, it becomes the most steadfast assurance in existence. Even if you immediately regretted and verbally labeled me as evil, the contract wouldn’t terminate—it would measures your inner conviction.”

“If what I intend to do is unrelated to acts of kindness, can I simply disregard it?”

“Correct.”

Luo Di fell silent for a moment before asking, “What if I attack you without first breaking the contract?”

“You would instantly disintegrate,” Chaoyang replied, spreading his hands. “Believe me, the binding force is unparalleled. In fact, not only can you not directly harm me, but you also cannot conspire with others to plot against me. Similarly, I am prohibited from causing any harm to you; the constraints apply equally to both parties.”

Noticing her flickering gaze, Chaoyang knew he was just one step away from success. “I don’t need you to trust me, just as I don’t fully trust angels either. The contract serves as our sole reliable guarantee. Consider it from another perspective: even if I hadn’t saved you and you didn’t come here, could we still not establish such a mutually beneficial relationship? Precisely because there’s potential gain for both of us, cooperation transcends our differing identities.”

Lowering his voice, Chaoyang gently enticed her, “You require power, right? On Earth, despite sustaining your life through various good deeds, that’s all it amounted to. The scarcity of Wish Power has significantly limited your capabilities. Faced with true evil, without being able to utilize your innate abilities, you stand no chance.”

This time, Luo Di remained silent for a long time.

Through subtle changes in her facial expressions, Chaoyang could sense her inner struggle, as if the shade beneath the sunlight became more pronounced.

After a while, she slowly asked, “Wish Power… how much can I expect?”

“Of course, it will be based on the amount of Wish Power I acquire. The more people I help, the greater the Wish Power I receive.”

“I cannot stay here indefinitely.”

Hearing this, Chaoyang knew the deal was struck. “You needn’t worry about the duration. Even if you remain in the otherworld for three or four days, only a few minutes would pass over there… Wait, this situation might be somewhat exceptional.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s nothing significant; this is just an unforeseen circumstance. In the future, I’ll make every effort to minimize the impact of any time discrepancies.” He swiftly changed the subject, “Moreover… unless you accompany me, how can you determine whether my actions truly cross into evil? Don’t forget, this point is crucial for the contract’s validity.”

Luo Di stared at him intently for a long moment before finally taking a deep breath. “If you ever step beyond the boundary, I will not let you off easily.”

“Hmm,” Chaoyang handed her the pen, “I eagerly anticipate that day.”