Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 197 - 174: The Spy Witch

Chapter 197: Chapter 174: The Spy Witch

Anxiety enveloped Du Qianqian like a sprawling net, smothering her soul.

Five minutes ago, she was a murderer. Ten minutes ago, she was a Dancing Girl. Seven months ago, she was a trainee commercial spy. Ten years ago, she was a little girl from the southwest border of Xia District.

So remote was her home that none sought it out. Her parents were poor and unhealthy. Qianqian had always wanted to support her family, to become the pillar that would ease her parents’ distress. She pledged to work hard to buy a big house for her family, and back then, their relationships were heartwarming. When she revealed her potential as a Witch, her parents didn’t hesitate to deal with a middleman and sold her to Heavenly Cardinal Manufacturing for 300,000—how overjoyed they were.

Forced to live in a glass cage-like laboratory, she was then traded to Kyoto Infinity. She heard she was worth a lot of money, yet Qianqian felt nothing. If she truly were of immense value, then why was she penniless?

She had to prove her worth; only then could she justify the Funds the company spent purchasing her—this was the company’s admonition. But Qianqian never asked for any of it. Now, she was like a spinning top, lashed from one owner to the next, from one spinning plate down to another.

Du Qianqian lay prone in the darkness, crawling on her elbows.

The act of murder was driving her to collapse. The foreman’s wound on his waist, those two thugs’ gunshot wounds at their backs, the sensation when her knife pierced into the Dancing Girl’s throat, spattering blood on her hands—all were vividly present in her memory.

During the transformation, Qianqian only had a blurred awareness of her surroundings. Only after reverting to her original form did the feelings during the transformation become clear. She couldn’t help recalling those terrifying details, continually reminding herself of the reality of her murders—as if millions of needles were attacking her in turn.

Did they deserve to die... did they... did they really deserve to die? Qianqian was fraught with insecurity, unable to answer this question.

She didn’t know whether she should have killed those people. Indeed, she hated them, but they also had taken care of Qianqian. Having made a grave mistake, she was expelled from the company. She should have died a violent death or become a plaything for the Gangs, but the people at the "Sunrise" bar took her in and gave her a job.

She should have been grateful...

Yet she had acted, killing those who had once humiliated her. What they had done certainly didn’t warrant death; they shouldn’t have—

"Guns, quite useful, aren’t they?" Farosa murmured softly.

Farosa’s voice, in the darkness, was like a grotesque whisper from a monster that didn’t belong to this world, chilling Qianqian to the bone and rapidly raising goosebumps all over her body.

Qianqian’s breath came in rapid pants; everything had happened too fast for her to think. It was like a dream, as if she had fallen asleep in a toilet stall, dreaming of so many "wonderful" things.

"I’m asking you a question," said Farosa softly.

"Gun..." Qianqian opened her mouth, but couldn’t speak, as if her tongue had been cut out.

She wanted to say something, to express her opinion, but her brain chose precisely this moment to freeze, unable to function normally.

"Small caliber, high kinetic energy, easily penetrates the human body, sometimes more useful than Magic Power," Farosa remarked as she picked up a handgun and fired it into the darkness.

Bang!

The sound of the gunshot made Qianqian’s heart race. Now, all her senses were restored, and she faced this life-and-death situation with her whole being. To Qianqian, the woman in the darkness undoubtedly held the power over her life.

"Gun—gun!" stuttered Qianqian, but she managed to speak, "Guns... useful... for killing..."

"Killing must feel good, doesn’t it?"

"Good? No—I—" struggled Qianqian, searching desperately for the right words, "I..."

"Just tell the truth," said the woman.

"Good—" overwhelmed by an unprecedented pressure, the woman’s voice before her seemed like a curse, piercing the depths of Qianqian’s soul, establishing a certain level of control.

"Naïve and innocent, you know nothing about how this world operates," said Farosa. "The only fate awaiting you is devastation and death; your pathetic form doesn’t deserve any valuable reward."

Qianqian sniffled, tears streaming uncontrollably.

Farosa crossed her fingers, listening contentedly to Qianqian’s sobs.

This was the treatment she had once received at the Church of the Witch Goddess. The Old Witch and the Elders had treated Farosa in the same way. The young Farosa stayed quiet and studied, restrained herself and understood, wept more than the others, and was the best-behaved, most compliant among her peers, which led to her eventual rise.

She could discern false tears for Farosa herself was a master of lying; at least eighty percent of Qianqian’s crying seemed to be pure pain, with the remaining twenty percent a subconscious disguise from her spy training.

Farosa knew how to destroy a person, and the first step was to erode her self-esteem and honor, to trample her into the dust. Then give her a glimmer of hope.

Witches always carry a sense of arrogance about them, stemming from the clear understanding that "I am different from humans." This is a fact, for they are born with supernatural abilities, beauty, longevity. It is utterly impossible for them to have the same thoughts as humans, the same loyalty, and subservience; these are the innate characteristics of a non-human race.

Therefore, more measures are necessary. Unlike the other Little Witches, Du Qianqian is an adult Witch who has undergone special training.

"Du Qianqian, race: Witch," Farosa reiterated the report Xu Yang had initially investigated, "born on August 29th, 126. Father: Du Tianfeng, works at a waste recycling station; mother: Zhou Kui, farmer. Height: 1.57 meters, weight: 44 kilograms. Attended Gaotang Prefecture’s 93rd Kindergarten and was acquired by Heavenly Cardinal Manufacturing at the age of 7. Psychological assessment results: unstable. Education level: low. Best subject: mathematics. Hobbies: hiking. Likes: anime. Dislikes: pigs."

Du Qianqian shivered, feeling exposed by this intelligence, and the most terrifying thing was that someone knew her better than she knew herself.

Reduced to an infinitesimal sense of self-worth, she was immobilized, her hairs standing on end.

"I hear you have a bit of talent," Farosa said, "You have something that can be called potential, you can shapeshift."

"Yes," Qianqian quickly grasped at this lifeline, "I can shapeshift! I can become incredibly powerful, turn into anything, it’s just... I’m... I’m too tired right now, I can’t do it."

"Magic power is only part of it, what’s important is your personal character," Farosa tempted her gently, "You have a good personality."

"Personality..." Qianqian shuddered, unsure what was good about her own character after countless instances of oppression, torment, and abuse, Qianqian couldn’t trust any of her traits.

Farosa’s mouth slowly curled into a smile.

The more life goes against you, the more you doubt yourself, feeling flawed.

"You’ve walked out of the mire," Farosa leaned in, bending down to caress Qianqian, "Others wouldn’t dare to take such actions, but you did it. You fought your way out, that’s what makes you unique."

Farosa’s voice was low and profound, like a revelation.

"Right..." Qianqian swallowed hard, gradually accepting everything Farosa said, "I am unique, I... I bravely acted against them."

"Well said, Qianqian, don’t fear killing, as long as you embrace your own thoughts, follow your primal instincts, that’s enough," Farosa said, "We are Witches, we are born with immense power."

"Okay... okay," Qianqian’s heart raced.

"I am the herald awakening your great potential and excellent qualities, I am the deity." Farosa extended her finger towards Qianqian’s lips, "Say: ’I obey Farosa, the Witch Goddess’."

Like a trapped beast breaking free, a surge of unprecedented power erupted in Qianqian’s heart.

"I obey Farosa, the Witch Goddess!" Du Qianqian raised her voice, her entire demeanor becoming more composed.

This was Farosa’s favorite moment; she relished the comfort, a joyful feeling swelling up from the soles of her feet.

Then the lights came on.

Qianqian squinted, adjusting to the change in light, and through the blurriness she felt as if she was standing before a true deity, with stunning beauty and a seductive figure, clad in a dark gold dress with embellishments at the chest and an array of necklaces, exuding a classical charm. Farosa always preferred to meet with the Little Witches dressed in traditional ceremonial garments reminiscent of those she was buried in, always enveloping herself in the attire of ancient times.

"Welcome to the Witch Council, let us forge a new order together. Unlike the past companies, we will join hands to change the fate of Witches." Farosa embraced Qianqian, "You are no longer alone, we will buy you new clothes, take you to a safe place, would you like some coffee?"

"Yes..."

Qianqian buried her head into Farosa’s chest, weeping incessantly.

She once felt like life was walking on clouds, with no foothold, on the brink of a crushing fall. Now it was completely different; she had someone to rely on, someone to tell her what to do next, someone who respected her opinion, someone to improve her life, someone willing to give her happiness.

Farosa cradled Qianqian in her arms, utterly satisfied.

Other Witches had moral boundaries, but Du Qianqian was different, Farosa believed she was a true evil wolf, just suppressed under long-endured pain. Fortunately, she had now been called back to her nature by Farosa. Soon she would be groomed into the perfect spy by Farosa. Shapeshifting magic could be exceptionally useful for anything, capable of making a fool of the enemy.

With this, the number of usable Witches came to five. Just two more and they could perform the ritual, affirm Farosa’s divine might, enabling her to move as a lesser deity with power surpassing that of regular Witches.

In fact, Pan Ruiyi also counted. If there was a way to rescue Pan Ruiyi from the company and return to Farosa’s fold, then they were just one person short.

...Hmm, the New Witch Council’s inaugural seven messengers, there’s just one spot left. The final choice should be more carefully considered.