Chapter 148: Stalker Xeila

“I should leave now.”

One day, Xeila found Wu Qingsong and told him this, her gaze intensely fixed on him as if attempting to discern his true feelings.

“So soon?” Wu Qingsong instinctively asked, then shook his head. “Where will you go?”

He was well aware that Xeila had broken away from the sand thieves. Indeed, she had never truly been one of them, merely aligning with them temporarily due to her connection with Sacker. The sand thieves neither acknowledged nor accepted the leadership of a young woman like her, and she had never sought such authority.

She had always been a lone cat.

She had simply returned with a few of Sackel’s closest allies, carrying the treasures back, taking only her rightful share and that of the Batiz clan. She didn’t concern herself with how the sand thieves would divide the rest, who would succeed Sackel, or whether it would lead to infighting or even internecine warfare.

Ram once worried that those few who knew Wu Qingsong’s and Nina’s identities might betray them, but Xeila addressed this fear with a single sentence.

“They wouldn’t dare,” she had said. “They’re well aware of my capabilities. When I left, I made it clear to them. I’m indifferent to their power struggles, but should they dare betray the Batiz people’s secrets, my secrets, or yours, no matter where they hide, I’ll find them and wipe them out using the most ruthless methods.”

Wu Qingsong’s question left Xeila slightly disappointed, but she swiftly banished such vulnerability from herself, adopting an indifferent tone. 

“It’s hard to say. Maybe I’ll visit the Imperial City, or possibly some of the larger cities in the south. This place isn’t right for me. It’s too peaceful, too quiet. It lacks what I crave and there’s nothing for me to do here.”

Wu Qingsong sighed lightly, offering no attempts to persuade her to stay, understanding her reasons.

Xeila thrived in areas of intense strife, capable of significantly impacting whether through assassinating key adversaries or gathering intelligence, thereby proving and fulfilling her worth and satisfying her innate desire for violence.

Yet, in Orgrimmar, within the Esola Hills, she found herself living a mundane existence alongside Liuli and the others. This lifestyle, while fulfilling for Ling, Liuli, Feya, and even Ram, represented a form of torment for Xeila.

“What can I do for you?” he asked. “I’ll do my best, as long as it’s within my capabilities.”

His offer wasn’t just a courtesy. Despite their ideological differences, the bond formed during their shared adventures in the Batiz desert had formed a deep mutual trust. Xeila had unreservedly shared with him all her knowledge on Batiz script and necromancy, a debt he knew he couldn’t easily repay.

Xeila stared at him for a long while without speaking.

“Xeila?”

“Can you make me as powerful as Nina?” she finally asked.

Wu Qingsong paused, then responded, “You should know that it doesn’t last forever.”

“I just want to know how far I can reach.”

Wu Qingsong was silent. He wasn’t sure if he could awaken Xeila. In a way, he was even apprehensive about the possibility, considering that success thus far implied a kind of emotional bond, which for him represented a responsibility.

It was this sense of responsibility and concern that had prevented him from attempting this with Xeila and Feya.

“Is it not possible?” Xeila asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

“I don’t know if it’ll be successful,” Wu Qingsong admitted. “Not everyone achieves it.”

“Is that really so?” Xeila probed. “Are Ram, Ling, Liuli, and Nina all exceptions?”

Wu Qingsong found himself at a loss for words.

“Does every successful attempt lead to them liking you?” Xeila asked. “Is that what you’re afraid of?”

Though the sequence might be questioned, perhaps it wasn’t incorrect to suggest such an outcome.

“I’m not afraid of that,” Xeila declared. “If Nina can accept those consequences, so can I.”

Nina…

Wu Qingsong suddenly found himself puzzled. During their journey in the desert, Nina hadn’t shown any feelings for him beyond friendship. Could it be that the factors for awakening their inner abilities weren’t entirely as he had imagined?

“Alright,” he responded. “When would you like to try?”

“Is now okay?”

“Of course.”

“So, what should I do?”

Wu Qingsong hesitated briefly, “Lie down flat, relax, and calm your mind.”

Xeila was puzzled since the method Wu Qingsong used to awaken others was not like this, but before Wu Qingsong could offer an explanation, she lay down on the couch and closed her eyes. Yet, her body stayed tense, like a crossbow fully wound, ready to spring into action.

“Are you afraid I might hurt you?” Wu Qingsong asked with a hint of resignation.

Xeila opened her eyes and gave him a slightly annoyed glance. Despite her efforts, being constantly on alert and tense had become an instinctive state for her body, utterly preventing her from relaxing.

“Is this necessary?” she asked.

“Every successful instance before was like this.”

“Then cast a Weakness Curse on me,” Xeila suggested.

“Using it in that way…” Wu Qingsong had never considered his learned curses could be applied like this.

“You can lift the curse at any time, right?”

Wu Qingsong hesitated briefly: “Alright then.”

Using a piece of paper with Xeila’s sweat as the medium, Wu Qingsong carefully moderated the curse’s intensity. As it took effect, Xeila’s previously taut body finally relaxed. This wasn’t exactly relaxation, but the effect seemed similar. Her body didn’t truly weaken, instead, Wu Qingsong’s curse interfered with her brain’s judgment, making her muscles slacken and her body feel weak and powerless.

This was the first time Xeila was so vulnerable before Wu Qingsong. He realized that, purely in terms of appearance, she could be seen as a delicate and harmless girl.

“Isn’t it working?” Xeila asked softly.

Wu Qingsong then apologized and approached her.

“Now, I’m going to place my palm on your chest to feel your heartbeat and synchronize our heart rates to ultimately create a resonance,” Wu Qingsong explained. “This is the most challenging part. If successful, it will later be much easier and quicker to awaken your latent abilities.”

Xeila nodded.

Wu Qingsong then gently placed his hand.

Her heartbeat initially sped up, but as she realized Wu Qingsong made no inappropriate moves, it slowly returned to normal.

Despite being under the influence of the Weakness Curse, her heartbeat remained powerful, beating slowly yet steadfastly.

Wu Qingsong’s heartbeat was quicker than hers. Drawing on his experiences from previous successes, he focused and adjusted his own heartbeat rate. Since delving into necromancy, he realized he had gained a stronger control over such processes. Their heartbeats gradually aligned, and suddenly, that familiar electric sensation sparked from the point of contact between his palm and Xeila’s body, quickly spreading through both of them.

This experience was unique, unlike any before.

Xeila realized her body had undergone a change without any need for Wu Qingsong’s explanation. She struggled to sit up, and at that moment, Wu Qingsong withdrew his hand and lifted the Weakness Curse from her.

Suddenly, Xeila’s figure vanished right before his eyes. He cautiously extended his hand forward, only to find she had disappeared without a trace.