Looking at the punchably smug little brat lying there as though she were completely at someone else's mercy, it was probably only Acheron who could remain so calm and composed in front of her.
Acheron didn't take the bait and simply continued.
"You're right, but the problem is that nearly half of them are Ability Users."
Given Acheron's appearance, combined with her mother's careful upbringing, running into a couple of people hitting on her whenever she went out was practically part of her daily routine.
But the problem wasn't that.
It was the NPCs she had encountered over the past month. A large portion of them weren't ordinary people.
Most people would dismiss it as coincidence.
But Acheron's intuition told her something was wrong.
It was like doing the same daily quests for several years, only to suddenly discover that the core content had quietly changed overnight.
"The number of Ability Users isn't right."
"Ah? Now that's something Sparkle didn't expect."
She blinked in surprise.
"So?"
The speculation sounded rather far-fetched. Even Sparkle couldn't help but be momentarily stunned.
But that alone still proved nothing.
She continued swinging her little legs while twirling a strand of purple hair around her fingertip. Beneath her carefree demeanor, a trace of anticipation quietly lingered.
Acheron blinked once before continuing.
"Not only that. Most of it comes from my intuition."
Sparkle's eyes immediately lit up. She even stopped playing with her hair.
"Oh? Hurry up, tell me!"
"A few months ago, the 'atmosphere' of Muyun City gradually underwent a subtle change. A certain warmth slowly spread throughout the city.
During this period, that aura has continued to exist.
But... it now seems to be faintly mixed with another presence... one that gives me a slight sense of foreboding."
As she spoke, her gaze remained fixed on the "lamb" before her, her violet eyes growing increasingly profound.
Yet Sparkle seemed completely unfazed.
Her adorable little face still wore that carefree smile, even carrying the excitement of someone happily watching chaos unfold.
"You don't actually think all of this has something to do with Sparkle, do you?"
Acheron lowered her eyes and didn't answer immediately.
Yet those habitually tranquil eyes had already spoken for her.
There are no coincidences without reason.
And Acheron's intuition had always been exceptionally sharp.
Sparkle's little face immediately slumped as she reluctantly sat upright. She rested her chin in both hands, her cheeks puffing out slightly, looking exactly like a little girl whose secret had just been exposed.
"Aieee..."
She dragged out the sound pitifully.
"I originally wanted to prepare a super huge surprise for you! Who knew you'd be like a radar, not leaving me the slightest opening to exploit."
Sparkle neither admitted nor denied it.
However, that alone meant she was at least involved somehow.
She blinked before suddenly cupping her cheeks with both hands, putting on the most innocent expression imaginable.
Even so, the corners of her lips couldn't resist curling into a sly smile.
"Heehee... If I told you that even Sparkle doesn't actually know the full story... would you believe me?"
Her voice rose playfully at the end, her eyes curving mischievously.
Looking at Sparkle's meaningful smile, Acheron's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Joy.
Cunning.
Madness.
Excitement.
Yet...
There was no trace of deception.
Acheron quietly looked away before slowly nodding.
"I see."
"Hehe."
The smile on Sparkle's face instantly blossomed.
At the same time, the surrounding Dreamscape seemed to come alive.
Floating motes of light began circling around her.
Tiny specks of light danced among her hair.
Even the oppressive atmosphere filling the room gradually lightened.
Acheron ignored the changes and returned to her original question.
"Why did you come to see me?"
"Aieee, if I'm being honest..."
Sparkle pressed a fingertip against the corner of her lips, tilted her head for a couple of seconds, then burst into laughter.
"I just happened to see you getting 'arrested,' so I came over specifically to laugh at you a little!"
"I see."
"Yep, but now..."
The atmosphere shifted.
Sparkle's figure blurred.
With a nimble flip, she traced a graceful arc through the air before landing lightly on the ground, the hem of her clothes still fluttering gently.
She stretched lazily, raising both hands high above her head, her usual carefree smile still hanging on her face.
"This table is so cold and hard. If I'd known, I would've taken the opportunity to try a lap pillow."
Sparkle rubbed her sore backside while muttering to herself.
Before long, her eyes drifted uncontrollably toward Acheron.
Her gaze settled squarely upon those smooth, fair, slender legs.
Sparkle (✪ω✪): "Slurp... Hehehe..."
Acheron (๑•.•๑): "..."
Seeing that Acheron remained completely expressionless, Sparkle instantly deflated like a punctured balloon.
Her attention shifted toward several little goldfish that had somehow appeared in the interrogation room.
She cheerfully skipped after them like a carefree child, wandering around the room.
"But now..."
Sparkle's voice suddenly became lively again.
"As an exclusive reward for one of the contestants, I can graciously answer a few of your questions! Though I'll only answer the ones I feel like answering!"
As she happily skipped around the room, she unknowingly violated Newton's laws.
With light, effortless steps, she casually began walking vertically along the wall beside the wandering little goldfish.
Acheron ignored the spectacle.
Her violet eyes remained fixed ahead.
She asked her first question.
"What is the ending, or the purpose, of this 'script'?"
Sparkle continued strolling upside down across the ceiling, her skirt remaining perfectly in place.
"Have you ever heard of the Holy God Church?"
Acheron shook her head.
"No."
"Figures."
Another Sparkle suddenly appeared behind Acheron.
"[Gods]... you and I both know they truly exist. But for the people of this world, despite the existence of Ability Users...The word [God] remains nothing more than an elusive concept."
Another Sparkle slowly floated down from the air while riding atop a giant goldfish.
"But... human madness and obsession often surpass imagination. Whether the [God] worshipped by the Holy God Church truly exists...Or whether it's merely a carefully fabricated lie...No one has been able to determine that to this day."
Yet another Sparkle suddenly raised both hands toward the ceiling, her fingertips nearly touching it.
Like a mischievous little devil, her laughter echoed throughout the enclosed interrogation room.
"So..."
"This boring world is missing a super, super grand welcome party..."
"...one grand enough to drive everyone completely insane!"
Acheron suddenly turned her head.
Her violet eyes locked onto the Sparkle standing beside her.
Sparkle was half-turned toward her, flashing a playful peace sign with an incomparably radiant smile.
"And Muyun City..."
Sparkle gave a playful wink.
"...just so happens to be the perfect stage for this grand farce."
...
"YuTong, are you sure this Ms. Acheron is just an ordinary person?"
Chen Yuxuan rubbed his throbbing temples, his tone filled with doubt.
Hearing that, Qing Yutong's expression became somewhat uncertain, but she still nodded firmly.
It wasn't that she was intentionally concealing anything.
It was simply because that was exactly what her Spirit Eye had shown her.
"Captain, what do you mean by that?"
Mo Xin suddenly pushed open the interrogation room door, her voice filled with suppressed anger.
She looked directly at Chen Yuxuan, her brows tightly knitted together.
"Wasn't this supposed to be just a routine inquiry? Then why are you treating Sister Acheron like a criminal?"
"Little Mo, calm down first..."
Chen Yuxuan raised a hand and rubbed his temple helplessly.
His gaze passed over Mo Xin and settled upon Acheron inside the interrogation room.
She sat upright on the cold metal chair, her back perfectly straight.
There wasn't the slightest trace of panic on her face.
Even her gaze remained as tranquil as a still lake, as though the person currently being questioned wasn't herself, but some completely unrelated stranger.
This level of composure... is far too abnormal.
For some inexplicable reason, a heavy sense of suspicion quietly rose within his heart.
(Fumina: I had these chapters sitting as drafts, completely forgetting to upload them.)