Chapter 60: God-Making

Bai Yanci had carried her phone all along—surprising.
Screen lit—signal at last.
As she thought—construction barrier followed the caster’s mind. If Bai Yanci allowed—phone worked inside.
Since Bai Yanci guarded her tight—wouldn’t let her out—second best was contact outside—better than isolated in Qixie.
Since no free movement—she’d find her own way—couldn’t bet everything on one person—at the critical moment only herself.
Bai Yanci left on business—great immortal pride—she gambled on character alone—guessed no surveillance in the barrier.
If there was surveillance and small moves were seen—break the jar then.
Connected network—messages flooded—Jiang Ran several in a row—latest this morning.
[Jiang Ran: Tomorrow SI and bureau joint rescue. Hand over the team leader or else.]
Not to her—to Bai Yanci.
[Yi Ke: Jiang-jie, don’t come. You together still aren’t her match.]
[Jiang Ran: Team leader? You okay? Safe? Anyone watching you?]
[Yi Ke: Not sure about watching. Pretty safe for now.]
Safe—and three meals prepared—staff waiting outside.
Besides imprisonment—almost emperor life in Qixie.
[Jiang Ran: Who is Qixie’s leader? Even you can’t beat her?]
[Yi Ke: Complicated. Don’t come. I’ll handle it.]
[Jiang Ran: Staying in Qixie isn’t safe. One day she doesn’t strike doesn’t mean never—what if she decides to kill you?]
[Yi Ke: She’s my girlfriend. She won’t kill me.]
[Jiang Ran: ???]
SI leader kidnapped by Qixie—acting leader sends three question marks—darkly funny.
[Yi Ke: I misjudged people. But relax—I’m not in danger for now.]
Jiang Ran—old hand at work—strong nerves—adjusted fast.
Jiang Ran had met Bai Yanci—knew her power—wouldn’t rush rescue and get buried.
[Jiang Ran: If needed SI and bureau will help you escape.]
[Yi Ke: OK—but only SI if help. Bureau would worry me more.]
[Jiang Ran: OK got it.]
She set the phone down—remembered police rumor: SI leaders never ended well.
When Mu sent her to SI she’d been proud—rejected superstition—believed will beats fate.
But you needed power to beat fate—not imprisonment—breath at another’s mercy.
Compared to past leaders dead violently—she’d only trusted wrong—lost love—fate had been gentler.
Power suppressed—still could sense where it pooled. Against her construction—the eye was Spirit Tide jade pendant—the true body.
Where the body was—divine force thickest.
Bai Yanci kept her in a small room—another barrier walled a pocket of space. She was fallen god—too many variables—Bai Yanci wouldn’t put her with the array—too risky.
She judged direction—roughly deepest corner of the phantom corridor.
Break that barrier first—reach near the eye—maybe Spirit Tide Pearl could tear a gap again—break construction.
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That pearl—thanks to Bai Yanci’s play—taken from Milt’s statue.
Right—artifacts.
Artifacts stored divine power. If the instrument only suppressed fallen gods—not artifact power?
Mu’s invention targeted her alone—useless on human ability users or Bai Yanci—or Bai Yanci couldn’t snatch her in plain sight.
Bai Yanci used same principle—trigger still her heart-flame—effect should match.
She tried draw out Spirit Tide Pearl—warmth in chest—broke restraint—thought—and it sat in her palm.
Correct—the suppressor only worked on her—not other things.
Maybe as pearl’s master—some bleed-through. To leave without alerting Bai Yanci—pry the barrier bit by bit—silent exit.
A week—enough to crack construction’s ward.
She messaged Jiang Ran at once.
[Yi Ke: One week from now I need artillery—level Qixie flat.]
[Jiang Ran: Broke up? This bad—you want the whole place blown up.]
…She reasonably suspected Jiang Ran thought her kidnapping was part of some kink.
[Yi Ke: Break up none of your business. Just make sure Qixie is ash.]
Suppressor had physical form—too big to carry everywhere.
Stuck here—no one left with power to match Bai Yanci—she’d relax—maybe a few Qixie guards on the machine—keep people away.
[Jiang Ran: Need pickup nearby?]
[Yi Ke: How many to fire the cannon?]
[Jiang Ran: At least four.]
[Yi Ke: Fewer the better—I can’t protect you all.]
[Jiang Ran: Received.]
Next day Bai Yanci didn’t come—Yang Yufei did.
She could tell at once—Bai Yanci’s cooking—not random Qixie staff.
“She has time for my breakfast—no time to see me?”
“You some palace consort pining for visits?” Yang Yufei rolled eyes—actually sat down. “Team Leader Yi—I’ve always wondered. What trick got the Lord’s favor?”
Rare mood from Yang Yufei—like a long chat—she poured two teas calm, pushed one over: “Simple really.”
Yang Yufei’s eyes lit: “How simple?”
Pause—light laugh: “Why tell you? If I tell—will you let me out?”
“Dream on.”
Yang Yufei looked like a toxic solo stan.
Probably didn’t know she and Bai Yanci were lovers—thought Bai Yanci only admired her—wanted the same look.
Yang Yufei dared come openly—talk about pleasing the boss—no surveillance in this room then.
Piecing Yang Yufei and bureau talk—Yang Yufei’s angle was clear.
Bai Yanci gave her power and status. Yang Yufei betrayed bureau—became devoted blade—loyal to Bai Yanci—never entered her eyes.
Yang Yufei did nothing wrong by her own measure—excellent subordinate from outside.
Only Bai Yanci looked down on everyone equally—nothing to do with Yang Yufei’s effort.
The better the knife—the sharper you were held.
“Dreaming’s rest—no sitting sore.” She spread hands. “If that’s your sincerity—we’ve nothing to discuss.”
She watched Yang Yufei—Yang Yufei didn’t disappoint: “As long as it doesn’t betray Lord Jade Dust—name what you want—if I can do it.”
“I want to know—you and Mu Wenxin.” She said. “Don’t lie. I’m not clueless—lie and I won’t say a word.”
“What’s there to hide?” Yang Yufei sniffed. “That bitch Mu—just the bureau’s dog—thinks she’s somebody!”
From Yang Yufei’s mouth—truth of Wangshu Orphanage at last.
Wangshu’s head director colluded with Mu long ago—only took young ability users—ordinary children worthless.
When Yang Yufei first came she didn’t know—thought it ordinary work.
After a while she saw wrong—atmosphere vile—bullies beat and isolate—stranger still—the director watched and never helped.
Every report to the office—the director brushed her off—had her reasons—light words.
She couldn’t bear it—did what little she could—taught painting—so those children had one patch of light in the dark.
Orphans already—lost parents—bullied on top—too pitiful.
Half a year later—sudden flood of orphans—many times normal—needed reliable hands.
She did well—promoted vice-director—finally met the legendary lord of the Ability Bureau.
“Vice-Director Yang—a pleasure. I’ve heard you’re learned and clever.” Mu extended hand—gentle, polite. “Welcome to the God-Making Plan.”