novelraw Chapter 220: Who is he?
Chapter 220: Who is he?
Zena looked at Nina. "I’m sorry, Nina. I did lie just now. I was never searching for any males, and I’ve never been to Sin Beast City."
"Can you tell me why you lied?" Nina asked gently.
She had a feeling Zena must have her reasons.
"I..." Zena hesitated, unsure whether she should speak.
"Zena, just say it. Maybe we can help you," Taru added.
"You can’t help me." Zena’s voice was bleak. "No one can help me."
Except the Beast God.
"I can’t promise we can solve everything, but we can think of a way together. There might be a chance," Nina said.
Zena bit her lip, still wavering.
After a long silence, she finally gathered her courage. She wanted to try. She didn’t want to go on like this anymore.
She looked at Nina. "Nina, can you tell me why your ability is so powerful?"
"I was born with it. The level comes from later training," Nina replied.
Though, in truth, the spirit pearl had helped her progress much faster.
A trace of envy surfaced in Zena’s eyes. "Then you really are favored by the Beast God."
Her expression dimmed. "I have an ability too. But I paid a terrible price for it. From that moment on, I’ve been controlled by others."
She released a faint trace of her power. "My ability can bewitch males. Yosan ordered me to seduce the males around you and make them betray you. I’m bound by him and have no choice but to obey. But I didn’t want to harm you, so I never used my ability on your mates."
Nina’s brows knit together. "How does he control you? Is there no way to break it?"
She herself still carried an unresolved curse.
"The one who truly controls me isn’t him," Zena said quietly. "It’s the one beneath the City Lord’s residence. He is unimaginably powerful. I don’t think anyone in this world can oppose him. Yosan merely serves him."
"Who is that person?" Nina asked.
"I don’t know," Zena replied. "When I first arrived in Barbarian City, I was constantly bullied. At my lowest, darkest moment, I heard his voice."
She lowered her gaze, hiding the heaviness in her eyes. "Back then, I was filled with hatred. I only wanted revenge. So I made a deal with him. I traded my freedom for power."
Now, she could not leave Barbarian City, nor could she even choose death.
If she disobeyed, she would be punished mercilessly. She no longer wanted to suffer, so she endured, barely surviving day by day.
Nina fell into thought.
So Yosano’s attempt to capture her was also for that mysterious being?
But who was he?
She needed to find out as soon as possible.
"Zena, do you know where he is? Can you mark it for me?" Nina asked.
"I do. You want me to go into the City Lord’s residence and mark it for you?" Zena hesitated. "But that would easily alert Yosan."
"No." Nina shook her head and took out paper and a pen. "Use this to draw a map of the residence. Just sketch the layout, buildings, or anything important with simple shapes."
She demonstrated by sketching Zena’s home. "Like this."
If she wanted answers, she would have to enter the tiger’s den.
Zena and the others who had never seen paper or pen stared in amazement.
Such things could capture shapes so easily.
They were used to carving drawings into wood or stone. Compared to that, this was unbelievably convenient.
Zena studied it carefully, then nodded. "I can do it. I’ll think it through tonight and draw it for you."
She would make it as detailed as possible.
"Thank you," Nina said.
She handed Zena extra paper and pens.
Zena accepted them with fascination. "Nina, you’re incredible. Not only do you have such remarkable things, you even thought of this method."
"It’s nothing," Nina said with a small smile.
Zena glanced at the sky. "It’s getting late. You should find somewhere to rest. I’ll have this ready for you tomorrow."
"Alright. I’ll come back tomorrow," Nina said.
With that, Nina left with Odian and the others.
Zena carefully put away the paper and pens, preparing to work through the night.
Yanai deliberately lagged behind again. He walked up to her and said, "Give me back the compensation."
A trace of irritation lingered in his voice. He couldn’t believe he had been so easily deceived.
Now that he thought about it, her story had not been without flaws. But at the time, his mind had been in turmoil, and he had failed to notice.
Zena let out a soft laugh and lifted her chin. "There. It’s all over there."
Earlier, she really had intended to keep it as compensation for failing her mission. After all, she had already realized how difficult it would be to win him over.
Setan stepped forward as well. "Since you’re not her, there’s no reason for me to stay."
Zena nodded. "I’m sorry for deceiving you."
"It’s fine. I won’t take it to heart," Setan replied.
Though he had been tricked, it had also forced him to face his own feelings.
And now that he knew Zena would ultimately help Nina, he had no intention of holding it against her.
Setan turned and left.
When he returned to his lodging, he discovered that Nina was staying nearby, directly across from him.
A quiet flicker of joy stirred in his chest.
Back in his room, however, he found his gaze drifting again and again toward Nina’s door.
He tried to restrain himself, but the pull in his heart was stronger. In the end, he gave in.
It would only be for a few days. He allowed himself this small indulgence.
After settling in, Nina gathered everyone together to discuss what Zena had revealed.
"Father, can we trust Zena? Do you think she was telling the truth?" Finch asked.
"Zena may have committed a grave mistake, but I don’t believe she is inherently bad," Taru said.
"What did she do to be exiled?" Kith asked.
Taru sighed. "She... carved away the mate marks of all her mates, even though they had committed no serious wrongdoing."
A sharp intake of breath spread among the males.
That was ruthless.
"There must have been another reason. She wouldn’t do something like that without cause," Nina said.
"It was because her mates tried to stop her from leaving the city," Taru replied.
"Just because of that?"
Nina frowned. That didn’t sound like Zena.
"That’s what she said at the time," Taru answered.
Nina lowered her gaze, thoughtful. There had to be more. Zena simply hadn’t told them.
A heavy silence fell.
To be honest, that reason alone was difficult to accept.
"I think there’s more to it. I’m willing to trust her this once," Nina said.
Of course, she would still be prepared in case of betrayal.
"If you trust her, then so do I," Odian said.
"Same here."
...
One after another, the males voiced their agreement.
Warmth spread through Nina’s chest.
"Then here’s my plan," she continued. "Once Zena finishes marking the location, I’ll go to the City Lord’s residence myself and take a look."
"What?" Odian’s expression changed. "Nina, that’s too dangerous. Let us go instead."
Nina shook her head. "I want to go myself. Don’t worry. I can protect myself."
A quiet intuition told her she would gain more by going personally.
The males exchanged uneasy looks. None of them wanted her to go, yet none could bring themselves to refuse her outright.
"Little female, take me with you."
Idir’s voice suddenly came from her pocket.
"I know that place somewhat. I can help."
All the mates immediately turned toward him, their gazes sharpening.
"Nina, who is he?"
How had she gone to rescue someone and come back with another male?