The Apocalyptic Queen Back From Hell-Chapter 87: Sponsor

Nie Ziyu retaliated with a blushing face, though no one really pitied him after being teased by Ling Yu.

Ye Qingxue sighed. "Nie, lower your voice. Do you want the whole camp to hear?"

The boy flushed red, sinking back a little, though his eyes still burned with unease. "Still, even if you are pretending, what if he tries to do something? What if he really believes you’re one of his, his girls?" He spat the last word like it was poison.

Ling Yu’s fingers paused in Fluffy’s fur. She lifted her gaze, steady and firm, until Nie Ziyu shifted under the weight of it. "Then he will find his illusions shattered," she said simply.

Silence settled for a beat, broken only by Fluffy’s soft huffing noise as it nestled against her chest. Then, with a small shake of her head, Ling Yu redirected the conversation.

"Do you think I don’t know that?" Her tone was light, calm, almost amused. "Sometimes, Ziyu, it’s better to step into a wolf’s den willingly... when you’ve already decided how you’ll tame it."

"Enough about him. I asked for privacy because there are more important matters to discuss."

At once, the air shifted. The others glanced at each other, even Song, who had been quiet all this time, finally spoke. His tone was calm, but his eyes were sharp as blades. "You mean the sponsors."

Ling Yu nodded. "Yes. None of you have chosen one yet, correct?"

"It’s not because I haven’t been courted." Her lips pressed into a thin line. "If anything, I can’t get rid of them. It’s like I’m being followed by a group of old perrverted men." Ye Qingxue was the first to speak, brushing her long hair over her shoulder, her brows drawing together delicately.

Her voice was soft, but the subtle tension in it betrayed the ease. Ling Yu raised a brow, and Ye Qingxue explained:

"The moment my system window stabilized, I started seeing lines of text, like... like gods or outworldly beings trying to speak to me. Some of them promised things like power and gold in return for my performance. As for others—" she hesitated, cheeks coloring faintly, "—others demanded things I don’t want to give."

The system, as if summoned by her words, stirred in Ling Yu’s mind.

At her words, a flicker of light shimmered around her for a moment, like translucent projections. More than a dozen of transculent screens hovered behind her. They seemed like they were waiting for her response.

Ling Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly. "How many of them approach you till now?"

Ye Qingxue exhaled. "The last time I counted, it was about six. But two of them seem more insistent. One keeps offering me weapons and artifacts in my interface. The other one..." She trailed off, her face tightening with unease. "The other whispers some undescribable things."

Nie Ziyu shuddered. "Eww, that’s creepy."

Ye Qingxue gave him a sharp look. "It’s more than creepy. It feels dangerous. I’m not stupid enough to say yes just because they’re offering up a bunch of shiny things."

Ling Yu inclined her head approvingly. "Good thinking. Sponsors aren’t meant to be your saviors. They’re just a kind of investors. They give, but they demand returns. Sometimes the cost is heavier than you think."

"However, don’t forget that you already have a sponsor, don’t you?"

"!"

Ye Qingxue seemed to be startled as she heared Ling Yu’s words, understanding the meaning behind her words right away as she smiled faintly.

’Of course, I remember.’

"Even so, since it’s mandatory to take at least one, can you help me pick one?" Ye Qingxue said as she stared at Ling Yu.

"We’ll see."

[System Notification: Hunter Ye Qingxue has attracted multiple divine sponsors.]

[Messages Received:]

[The Dancer of Crimson Chains laughs.]

[Show me your suffering, and I shall reward you.]

[The Oracle of Starlight hums softly.]

[Walk the path of light, and I will grant you miracles.]

[The Sovereign of the Fallen laughs cruelly.]

[Bleed. Crawl. Break. Entertain me.]

Ling Yu’s eyes flickered with recognition. In her past life, she had seen many fall into ruin because of the temptations of these sponsors. They granted strength, but their conditions often devoured the player in return.

Her gaze shifted to Nie Ziyu. "And you?"

The boy slumped. "Nothing at all. No glowing screens, no creepy whispers. My skill window is still grey. It’s like the system doesn’t even see me." He made a helpless gesture. "Maybe I’m defective."

"You’re not defective," Ling Yu said firmly. Her eyes softened slightly, though her voice remained steady. "Your potential just hasn’t revealed itself yet. The system isn’t omniscient. It can be fooled, delayed, even broken. Don’t rush things, instead, increase your skills."

Nie Ziyu stared at her, surprised by the reassurance, then looked away quickly, cheeks coloring. "Tch. Easy for you to say."

Ling Yu didn’t press further. Instead, her gaze shifted to Song.

His eyes met hers without flinching. But unlike the others, no projection appeared behind him. His window remained locked, opaque.

"You haven’t unlocked anything," Ling Yu murmured.

Song inclined his head. "Correct."

"And yet..." Her eyes narrowed, thoughtful. "Have you been managing the coins properly?"

Nie Ziyu groaned. "Don’t even start. He’s stingier than my uncle at New Year’s. We could have bought weapons from the shop. A bow, a decent dagger, anything. But no, he said no. He said we’d be wasting our gold."

Ling Yu didn’t miss the way his hand brushed his hair nervously, he carried the coins they earned from the first wave, as well as they money she gave him to turn them into gold. His lips tightened faintly. "I didn’t allow them to spend recklessly. These coins and the gold belongs to Master. It’s not for waste on useless trinkets."

Ye Qingxue crossed her arms again, though her expression was less annoyed than Nie’s. "He’s not wrong. The shop is full of overpriced trash right now. Everything affordable is barely better than scavenged scraps. And the good items..."