Calamity Messenger

Chapter 226 - 179: Each Their Own Obsession

The Rabbit Heroine looked up at Pharmacist’s Wish, her face showing just the right amount of confusion.

"If someone else said this, I would usually think they were cursing my family to death." She held her chin, her thick eyebrows furrowed, looking quite troubled: "But if it’s you, big sister, saying it... it doesn’t seem like there’s any explanation other than a curse, right? Or maybe you didn’t make yourself clear? Or did you say something wrong?"

"No," Pharmacist’s Wish shook her head: "That’s exactly what I meant, I believe you don’t have any family."

She paused: "Moreover, sister, you’ve never tried to hide this."

The Rabbit Heroine blinked her eyes without saying a word.

"You’ve never mentioned your parents or any other relatives; the only person you talk about is your elder brother."

"Do you think my brother doesn’t exist?"

"No, your brother does truly exist, and he might indeed treat you well, give you precious tokens, supply you with food every day, even entrust you with the Return Order for emergencies... but he is not your brother."

Upon hearing this, the Rabbit Heroine nodded seriously: "Indeed, I’ve always thought that I’m so cute, destined to grow into a great beauty in the future, while my brother is so unfortunate, only going to get uglier over time. Claiming we’re related by blood is indeed a stretch. But it doesn’t matter, even if not by blood, my brother is still my brother—"

"I’m not talking about blood ties," Pharmacist’s Wish interrupted her: "I’m talking about what truly holds a family together—kinship."

"I always thought the name Rabbit Heroine was a pseudonym, as normally no one would choose such a name, but what if Rabbit Heroine is indeed your real name? What kind of person would use such a name?"

"I always considered your brother unreliable, letting a little girl like you wander Jianghu, but felt a bit reassured after discovering you had the Return Order. Yet, after thinking carefully, it felt very off—even if my child had the Return Order, I wouldn’t allow her to venture into the Demon Path Evil Land alone. Not to mention the possibility of not activating the Return Order in time, the deaths and bloodshed along the way are something no elder would want a child to encounter."

"But if your brother is not truly your brother, and there’s no kinship between you, then it all makes sense."

The Rabbit Heroine listened to her analysis quietly, her face void of any emotion, neither offended nor surprised, chewing one candied hawthorn skewer after another.

"So what conclusion did you come to, big sister?"

"You are a tool your brother sent to seize the Si Wuxie legacy," Pharmacist’s Wish stated calmly: "You don’t even have a name, just a codename—Rabbit Heroine. Your brother is willing to give you so many precious tokens because you can bring him greater returns. That’s why you didn’t hesitate to offend Zhong Ji just to bid for the Sword and Saber Secret Manual for your brother... because your brother’s interests far outweigh your own safety."

"You have no family, only a leader called brother. You cannot defy any order from him; without his instructions, you’d prefer to meditate day and night rather than step out of your room on your own accord."

"You’re your brother’s puppet, having not a shred of freedom."

The moment Pharmacist’s Wish guessed that Yellow Dog was the Rabbit Heroine’s brother, a chill swept down her spine as if a snake were gently licking her back.

Though her impression of Yellow Dog improved after the Jiangnan City incident, that was based on them being teammates.

As a teammate, Yellow Dog possesses outstanding pre-arrangement abilities; he has many loyal subordinates he can dispatch to the vicinity of a mission’s target, like last time at An Guo Temple, this time with Shang Xuanwen. If not for some accidents, Yellow Dog could have acquired the Heaven-Swaying Sword without lifting a finger.

But the issue is, what if you are one of Yellow Dog’s subordinates?

In the An Guo Temple incident, what left the deepest impression on Pharmacist’s Wish wasn’t the Bingzi Pepper Forest, but An Wu. He stood in the inner hall, holding a knife in one hand, one hand already burnt down to blackened bones, half of his skin gnarled like wood grain, yet his ghastly face showed no pain or fear, calmly awaiting Yellow Dog’s orders.

This scene prompted Pharmacist’s Wish to elevate her alertness towards Yellow Dog to the highest level; she couldn’t fathom how Yellow Dog could control his men, making them gladly endure such hardships, even leaving them to die at An Guo Temple as if they were nothing more than firewood.

Evil Cult Leader? Mysterious organizational leader? Power can never achieve such a level; only faith can make people willingly submit.

Recalling every interaction with the Rabbit Heroine with the answer in mind, everything became crystal clear. If Yellow Dog could have An Wu turn into firewood to set An Guo Temple alight, why couldn’t he send the Rabbit Heroine alone into Shu Dao Mountain to seize the legacy worth it? If his purpose can be served, even a broken tool is worthwhile.

Perhaps in Yellow Dog’s eyes, dying for him is the greatest honor a tool can receive?

"Hmm."

After a brief silence, the Rabbit Heroine gently said "hmm," like a thunderclap arising from flat ground, without the slightest concealment, confirming Pharmacist’s Wish’s judgment.

Pharmacist’s Wish suddenly felt a sourness in her heart, took a large gulp from a jar of wine from Qi Kingdom, and asked: "If I gave you a Body-Stabilizing Stone, would you use it for yourself or give it to your brother?"

"Might use it myself, or give it to someone else. My brother wouldn’t want it anyway," the Rabbit Heroine said: "He only pursues the Perfect Dao Foundation, not interested in top-tier Dao Foundations."

"That’s quite arrogant, but if I had a sister like you, perhaps I’d be greedy too," Pharmacist’s Wish gazed at the sun setting gradually in the west: "If I asked you for the Whip Mountain and Move Stone Seal, would you give it to me?"

"Yes."

"You wouldn’t give it to your brother?"

"Although most of what you said is correct, there’s one thing you didn’t guess." The Rabbit Heroine turned to look at her: "Just like I’m willing to help my brother, I’m also willing to help you. As long as it doesn’t harm his interests, I can do anything."

"What if I asked you to harm his interests?" Pharmacist’s Wish asked: "Like leaving the Demon Path Evil Land with me now."

The Rabbit Heroine shook her head, said nothing, but her silence said it all.

Pharmacist’s Wish fell silent for a moment, a heaviness growing in her chest, finally asking: "Have you never thought—"

"Big sister, have you never thought of giving up reviving the Ba River Pharmacist?" the Rabbit Heroine preemptively asked.

Pharmacist’s Wish was left speechless.

Indeed, there are thousands of obsessions in this world, some seek wealth, some seek power, some seek immortality; she did not understand why the Rabbit Heroine was loyal to Yellow Dog, just as Wuqiu and Shidong did not understand why she wouldn’t give up reviving the Ba River Pharmacist at this point. Is the family name more important than one’s own life? Yet they never voiced it, determined to follow the young mistress to the end.

The wise and the foolish, each considering themselves wise and the other foolish.