Chapter 197: True Protagonist’s Power, Bai Fu Alone Repels Cersia

The Dark Burn Bai Fu unleashed dealt an absolutely outrageous amount of damage.

“-17432”

A massive red damage number floated above Cersia’s head.

Even someone like Herbert would have lost half his life from such an impact, but Cersia was no ordinary person. Her single-target output wasn’t particularly strong among the S+ rank Psionicists, but her survivability was enough to make even newly ascended Disaster-class Psionicists envious.

17432?

This number might seem high to others, but to Cersia, it wasn’t particularly impressive.

When she climbed back to her feet, Bai Fu noticed that her HP bar had only dropped by about 15%. Accounting for damage taken earlier in the battle, her HP remained over 80%.

At 80%, for a BOSS, that was as healthy as could be.

And Cersia’s appearance looked just as intact.

The violent blast hadn’t left any visible wounds—only shredded her clothing around the abdomen, revealing a belly button wrapped in the Full-body Fishnet, with faint burn marks surrounding it. Those marks somehow made the navel even more provocative.

Oh, and one of the spider legs behind her had broken, but by the time she stood, a new one had already grown back.

“Did she grow up eating steel plates or what?”

Bai Fu was speechless.

She had always considered herself pretty tanky, but compared to Cersia, the gap was like comparing Hiye’s A-cup to her own D-cup—laughable.

If anyone’s a punching bag, it’s you, not me!

While Cersia was still fuming from the beating, Bai Fu cast Psionic Vision on her.

Boosted by 1677 Inspiration, this time she finally saw more than a string of question marks on Cersia’s panel.

【Name】: Cersia (Shadowed)

【Template】: Demon Symbiosis (Unstable State)

【Main Class】: ?

【Sub Class】: Gardener Lv3

【HP】: 94321/116424

【Qi】:

【Stats】: Strength 1207, Agility 571, Constitution 1764, Intelligence 229, Mental 378, Inspiration 158 (affected by [Shadowed] status, base stats -3%, duration: 15 minutes)

【Skills】: Life Drain Lv10, Life Wither Lv10, Demon’s Bite Lv10, Body Vaporization, Demon Worship Lv10, ???

【Talents】: Webweaver, Lucky Star, ???

【Favorability】: Twisted Jealousy (27)

【Threat Level】: Red

“Her HP really is over 100k—this is ridiculous. And both Constitution and Strength are over 1000? Damn, now that’s a monster!”

Psionicists usually specialized in one stat during cultivation. Human stamina had its limits, and just focusing on one stat already consumed plenty of time. Sharpening two stats equally slowed down progression even further. For someone like Cersia to have 1764 Constitution and 1207 Strength—higher than the primary stat of most level 100 NPCs—was extremely rare.

“No wonder Hiye could only fight her evenly after using Void power—and the longer the fight dragged, the more she got overwhelmed by the Void’s backlash.”

Bai Fu glanced at her own stats after going full-power hidden mode.

Inspiration 1677—this was already a high value, surpassing many S+ rank Psionicists.

However, that state only lasted 3 minutes, and she hadn’t unlocked higher-level skills yet. So her current combat strength couldn’t be directly compared to S+ rank Psionicists with a stable 1677 Inspiration.

She could take on regular S+ rank Psionicists using debuffs from the Shadowed psionic attribute and the % burn from Extra-dimensional Erosion, but against a monster like Cersia? If she managed to trip her up with skill tricks in 3 minutes, that’d be something. After that…

Bai Fu figured she’d probably end up pinned to the ground or plastered against the inner wall of the Black Cocoon, stomped and humiliated by Cersia.

Terrifying!

Fortunately, she was no longer the former Ah Fu. Now, she was Shadow Wraith Ah Fu. As a Shadow Wraith race, her Wraith form was a natural counter to Cersia.

After turning into a Wraith, Bai Fu became immune to most of Cersia’s damage.

But of course, immunity alone wasn’t enough.

Once her stamina ran out and she could no longer maintain Wraith form, she’d still be captured. The real advantage was that in this form, she could phase through walls and gain a major speed boost.

With the bonus from her Psionic Combat Suit, her agility already exceeded 500. Once transformed, she would easily outrun Cersia, whose Agility was only 571.

“Outspeed her completely, no contest!”

Bai Fu was bursting with confidence.

Next, she’d enjoy a good two-minute bout with Cersia, testing her depths.

If things went south after 2 minutes, she’d drop a sharp line, turn into a Wraith, and flee with Hiye and the others. But if things were still looking good, she’d keep toying with Cersia. She still had her eye on that juicy Blessed Congregation commission reward.

Just as Bai Fu was about to close Cersia’s status panel, something caught her eye.

Wait—Cersia’s Favorability toward her… was positive?

At first glance, Bai Fu thought it said -27, but it was actually 27!

“Did the game bug out?”

Bai Fu was baffled.

If it was a positive 27, why did Cersia keep targeting her?

Looking again, she saw the descriptor was 【Twisted Jealousy】.

“What the hell?”

Cersia was jealous of her? Twisted jealousy at that? The question was—what did Bai Fu even have that was worth being jealous of?

Her looks?

At their level, it was hard to say who was better—both had their charms.

Her figure?

Honestly, Bai Fu felt she might fall short there. Cersia truly lived up to her “Seductress” title.

Her strength?

Even less likely. Bai Fu was confident she could catch up after her class transfer, but she hadn’t even transferred yet.

Forget it, forget it—there was no point obsessing over it now. Bai Fu wasn’t going to spare Cersia just because her Favorability was positive, and Cersia clearly didn’t plan on showing mercy either.

“I can tell you’re furious, but being mad won’t help you lay a finger on me!”

Bai Fu flipped on taunt mode.

Heh.

Cersia sneered coldly, ignoring Bai Fu’s provocation entirely. Today, even if it meant shattering her balance with the spider symbiosis, she was determined to capture Bai Fu alive.

Shhhk...

Within the narrow space of the Black Cocoon, a rustling sound like crawling ants and insects suddenly echoed out.

Bai Fu quickly activated Mind’s Eye, discovering that the spider silk on the interior walls of the Black Cocoon had seemingly come alive. Strands gathered together, forming spider legs that lunged toward her with deadly force.

Whoosh—

Shadow Doppelgänger activated. She dodged swiftly to Hiye’s side, and in the moment she stabilized, the spider legs slammed through her afterimage, smashing through the bottom of the Black Cocoon and leaving a massive pit tens of meters deep. Dust surged, clouding vision.

“Haaaah—”

Cersia suddenly flung her arms open and let out a piercing shriek.

In an instant, the entire Black Cocoon trembled. Countless dark mists surged out from the inner walls, and with the sinister fog came more spider legs.

Some grew out of Cersia’s back, others from the cocoon walls. One, two, three... in total, over a hundred spider legs emerged, swaying as if pulling everything into a terrifying black hell. Supported by these spider legs, Cersia floated into mid-air, regal like a queen and eerie like a banshee.

Bai Fu, of course, didn’t stand around to watch Cersia transform. The moment she sensed something was off, she cut the sticky spider silk attached to Hiye, then—along with Hei Fu—blasted a gap in the Black Cocoon from inside and out.

Boom!

As a dozen spider legs came slashing toward her, she entered Wraith form, scooped up Hiye, and dashed out through the opening.

The spider legs gave relentless chase, firing spider silk like javelins at Bai Fu. Though none struck her directly, the ground behind her was torn to rubble.

“Bai Fu, I will not let you escape today!”

The violent explosions sent chills through everyone watching from outside the Black Cocoon.

“Boss Fu-fu isn’t in trouble, right?”

Anya was visibly anxious, and the surviving Players all had wide, tense eyes.

They’d been worrying about Bai Fu ever since she entered the Black Cocoon. When the smoke cleared and they saw both Bai Fu and Hiye unharmed, they let out a collective sigh.

“Thank goodness, thank goodness, thank—”

Then their gaze landed on Cersia, now encircled by a jungle of spider legs and a field of webbing. And just like that, they couldn’t breathe easy anymore.

Whoa, whoa—what was that level of pressure?

【Damn, I’m too weak. I have no power. I can’t help Fu-fu at all】

【This isn’t a BOSS we can handle at our level. If this were Version 2.0, maybe with numbers we could buy Fu-fu some time】

【Please don’t let anything happen to her, Fu-fu!】

The Players weren’t the only ones shaken. The Secret Tower agents also reacted strongly upon seeing Cersia step out of the Black Cocoon.

“Cersia got pushed to this point?”

The Secret Tower agent was stunned.

As members of the Secret Tower, they knew exactly how powerful Cersia was. This was her final form—the one she hated most but also her strongest. She would never take on this form unless absolutely necessary.

Partly because she thought it looked “ugly,” but more importantly because this state risked backlash from the spider—just like Hiye suffered from severe Void backlash when overusing Void power.

Even without backlash, this form subjected Cersia’s body to intense, abnormal pain. But her endurance was extraordinary—she could forcibly suppress it.

“How did Bai Fu manage this?”

The Secret Tower agents were dumbfounded, their eyes darting back and forth between Bai Fu and Cersia.

Just a few months ago, Bai Fu had been running for her life from Cersia. Now... damn, she looked even more monstrous than Cersia!

After pulling Hiye from the Black Cocoon, Bai Fu immediately ordered Hei Fu to escort Hiye away. Only once Hiye and Anya were safe could she fight Cersia with no reservations.

Cersia didn’t want to let Hiye escape, but the moment she moved, Bai Fu’s Psionic Legion sprang out to block the way. More importantly, Bai Fu made a feint as if she were fleeing in the opposite direction.

After a split-second of calculation, Cersia gave up chasing Hiye and focused entirely on Bai Fu.

Hiye couldn’t beat her in normal form. But if she pushed Hiye too hard and forced her to unleash Void power, the consequences were unpredictable. Should Hiye transform into a Twisted Void Creature, Cersia might find herself cornered—swallowed by the spider.

“You won’t escape!”

Cersia charged after Bai Fu in fury.

As she moved, the massive Black Cocoon unraveled into countless webs, dragging with it the spider legs, which surged from every direction toward Bai Fu.

Thanks to her Wraith traits, Bai Fu easily evaded every attack. She didn’t just flee—once she lured Cersia far enough from Hiye and the others, she suddenly appeared and unleashed a flurry of cards.

Light scattered. In the sky, dark clouds abruptly formed. Black Psionic Gravel rained down like a storm. On the ground, a massive Psionic Storm howled, shredding every nearby structure into pieces.

This display—it was nothing short of earth-shattering!

Elron, Herbert, and Tonglu, who had been evenly matched in battle nearby, all paused at the commotion.

“That’s... Bai Fu?”

Herbert was dumbfounded. Upon learning Cersia was blocking the other side, he thought Bai Fu and Hiye were doomed. But now—Bai Fu was trading blows with Cersia.

Yes—trading blows!

He saw Bai Fu, instead of retreating, rushing right up to Cersia for close-quarters combat.

Two figures clashed in mid-air, and even within a dozen seconds of skirmish, it was clear—Bai Fu had the upper hand.

Why? Because Bai Fu was faster, and she had a multitude of confusing tricks.

The longer Cersia fought, the more frustrated she became.

Bai Fu’s attacks didn’t deal significant damage, but she kept tricking Cersia with illusions, then suddenly appearing to land a punch or a kick. Cersia, never known for patience, was on the verge of exploding.

“Is that all you’ve got?” Cersia shouted in rage.

Bai Fu curled her lip dismissively. “Stop spouting nonsense. If you really could catch me, I’d kiss your feet willingly and even lick them clean. The problem is—do you actually have that ability?”

“I...”

Black smoke began to rise from Cersia’s head, like an overloaded steam locomotive.

Seeing this, Bai Fu’s eyes turned slightly, and a new idea formed.

There was no way she could beat Cersia in a physical fight right now—but what if she tried a different approach?

She could clearly sense that Cersia was completely fixated, unable to see anything but her. At this point, maybe a psychological tactic would work even better than fists.

If Cersia’s obsession wasn’t just an act, and if the Favorability she had detected wasn’t a bug, then a well-aimed psychological strike might have unexpected effects.

As the thought flashed through her mind, Bai Fu suddenly said, “Cersia, the reason you’re so relentless with me—isn’t it because you’re jealous?”

Cersia had planned to keep attacking Bai Fu, but upon hearing that, her body jolted uncontrollably.

“Looks like I was right. You are jealous,” Bai Fu sighed.

No.

You’re talking nonsense. I’m not!

Just as Cersia argued in her heart, Bai Fu continued, “Though calling it jealousy might not be entirely accurate. If it were pure jealousy, you’d feel nothing but the urge to kill me—not Favorability.”

Cersia jerked her head back and stared at Bai Fu.

“I do want to kill you right now!”

“Really? I don’t believe that.” Bai Fu shook her head. “Face your true feelings, Cersia. Your jealousy stems from envy. What are you envious of? It must be something you deeply crave but can’t attain. To you, that thing is beautiful—so beautiful that even when it makes you jealous and furious, you still never truly hate me. Instead, there’s a sliver of Favorability.”

You, you, you...

Cersia’s eyes turned from pink to crimson. She had never imagined that Bai Fu could see through her so completely. Every word struck deep into her bones.

That shameful rage from being seen through birthed a sudden surge of killing intent in her heart.

But it quickly faded—because Bai Fu spoke again.

“Would killing me really bring you joy? Or is it that you think tying me up, making me your pet, would truly satisfy you?”

“Of! Course! It! Would!” Cersia enunciated each word.

Bai Fu was unfazed. “But if I were really lying before you, holding your feet and calling you ‘Master’ as you imagine—would I still be the same me that you envy or admire?”

Cersia froze.

“Probably not, right? I believe you’d feel satisfied when you first saw me on my knees. But later? When you recalled that moment, you’d just feel that your envy or admiration had been misplaced. The more you thought that, the more empty your earlier satisfaction would feel—like a castle in the sky. You wouldn’t feel fulfilled. You’d feel even more hollow, and realize these past months were spent soaked in hollow emotions. Before, when you felt that void, you could at least fantasize about torturing me to quench your thirst. But then? What would you use to ease that emptiness?”

As Bai Fu spoke, she stepped forward. By the time she said “ease that emptiness,” she was already standing just two meters in front of Cersia.

Cersia couldn’t reach her with her hands—but the Spider Legs behind her only needed a small motion to touch Bai Fu.

Yet she didn’t move.

She had no answer to Bai Fu’s question.

How to ease the emptiness?

For a moment, she couldn’t think of anything.

The more she thought, the more agitated she felt. The more she thought, the more suffocated she became. The more she thought, the more she wanted to catch Bai Fu and stomp her down with her feet—and the more she thought, the more she returned to Bai Fu’s question: after the humiliation, then what?

And so began the loop.

Agitation, suffocation, humiliation, agitation...

Cersia stood frozen like a crashed machine. Time passed minute by minute—even when the effect of Blessing of the Mind on Bai Fu expired, Cersia remained motionless.

Everyone around was dumbfounded. They hadn’t heard what Bai Fu and Cersia were saying and had no idea what led to this.

Wait, weren’t they fighting? How did it turn into a conversation? And why stop in the middle?

The Secret Tower agents were panicking.

Just earlier, Sui Xi had suddenly broken into the laboratory. They couldn’t hold her back. At the same time, they received word that a unit from the Tide Civilization, upon hearing the battle here, had accelerated their march.

The situation was dire. If it dragged on, they’d be surrounded.

“Night Mother, what are you doing?”

Someone called Cersia urgently through the communicator, explaining the situation.

Cersia didn’t know what she was doing—or rather, she didn’t know what she wanted.

Should she obediently follow the Secret Tower’s orders, capture Bai Fu, and extract the location of the Original Sample?

Or should she go with her initial thought—capture Bai Fu, humiliate her brutally, and stash her away for slow torment?

Or...

No, she couldn’t think anymore.

She was a walking contradiction, caught in paradoxes since birth. She hated the Secret Tower, yet relied on it. She hated spiders, yet depended on their power. She...

Just as her mind felt like it was going to explode, Bai Fu suddenly waved her right hand.

Boom!

A surge of Psionic Torrent streaked through the sky, blasting several Secret Tower agents to pieces. Before the others could dodge, Hei Fu charged out with the Psionic Legion and began hunting them down.

Bai Fu smiled and said, “Anyone who might’ve overheard our conversation—I helped you clean them up. Now you don’t need to worry about the Secret Tower blaming you for slacking off during my pursuit.”

Hearing that, Cersia’s overheated brain strangely cooled.

After a few seconds, she said, “The Tide Civilization’s reinforcements are almost here. I probably won’t be able to catch you today. And I haven’t figured out what to do with you yet. Next time—next time we meet, I’ll definitely kill you! Don’t worry, that next time won’t be far off. The Secret Tower intercepted a signal—they’re already preparing to move on Jingu Star!”

With that, she gave Bai Fu a deep look and quickly flew toward Tonglu.

“So the Secret Tower really intercepted that signal?”

Bai Fu frowned slightly.

It looked like she had to get to Jingu Star quickly. If she was late, the players there might be snatched away by the Secret Tower—and her whole plan would fall apart.

She gave Cersia, who had just provided her with this intel, a deep look.

Once again, Cersia’s panel surfaced before her eyes. The Favorability data had changed—from 27 to 36, an increase of 9 points.

“Don’t tell me she’s a masochist. I scold her once, and her Favorability jumps?”

If that’s the case, what would happen if she flipped the script and stomped on Cersia herself—would her Favorability skyrocket?

As Bai Fu murmured, the Players on the ground began to cheer.

【Holy crap, Fu-fu scared Cersia off!】

【Fu-fu is amazing!】

【I say Fu-fu is the true protagonist of the Star Sea—who agrees and who objects?】