Anyone could tell that all this trouble was set up by that old schemer, Elder Ling of the Feather Clan. The fact that he arrived so fast and well-prepared made it obvious—he had planned this all along. So why should my boy be the one to suffer?

In this scripted plot, it was the first time Qiao Zhihui felt an impulsive urge to rush in and save the day. But for such an important ongoing plot point, the game developers at Endless Sea wouldn’t just let players interfere willy-nilly. The gathered Feather Clan adults had created a tight circle around the scene. Players were forced to stand on the outer edge, unable to get closer. With the Feather Clan setting up a barrier to keep their interrogation hidden, no sound could escape, leaving players like Qiao Zhihui watching helplessly from the sidelines.

In the midst of it all, Chun Yao stood at the center, surprised to see Xie Shuangxue.

Chun Yao had heard about the situation from Luo Yin, and his first reaction was one of anger. It didn’t take long for him to realize this was definitely Elder Ling’s doing. Almost the entire Penglai City had been wiped out in a brutal massacre, and yet the first thing the elder did was seize this as a chance to advance his own political gain within the clan. It was foolishly selfish. Elder Ling was in desperate need of a wake-up call.

So Chun Yao chose to approach things subtly, lying in wait rather than alerting the old man. He wanted this to blow up big, catching Elder Ling red-handed and unable to talk his way out of it. But who would’ve thought Elder Ling would be so sly? He hadn’t lifted a finger himself, nor had he instructed his subordinates directly. Somehow, he’d tricked Xie Shuangxue into showing up here.

The setup was complete. With all eyes on the stage and the evidence irrefutable, Chun Yao couldn’t easily find a way to excuse Xie Shuangxue. He reined in his anger and asked, “Shuangxue, did someone put you up to this? If you’re being coerced, speak up—I will make sure justice is done for you.”

Xie Shuangxue merely glanced up at him, his gaze wavering, then shook his head.

“Are you sure no one is directing you? Think carefully.”

As Chun Yao questioned him, the audience held their breath. Beyond the circle, Qiao Zhihui was frustrated, watching helplessly, while inside, Ling Xuan was equally tense. Elder Ling hadn’t told him the full story, but Ling Xuan knew his master had spoken to Xie Shuangxue and that there was a use for him. Seeing his master’s quick reactions, Ling Xuan instantly understood. This had to be his master’s plan, and he himself was the alibi.

Ling Xuan took a shaky breath, clenching his fists, but even as he opened his mouth, he found himself unable to speak up. Recently, he’d come to realize that the Xie family had a peculiar practice of administering certain drugs since childhood, making Xie Shuangxue immune to most poisons while making his blood a rare medicinal component—a powerful supplement. This was a Xie family secret, known only to a select few in the Feather Clan, and it had been exploited.

No wonder that time, when he’d taken the medicine, it had a faint metallic aftertaste—an iron tang. It had been blood all along.

“Master, Xie Shuangxue, he… he…” Ling Xuan couldn’t hold back, muttering quietly to Elder Ling, “He’s not…”

Elder Ling, assuming Ling Xuan was afraid of being implicated, replied calmly, “He won’t.”

Sure enough, a moment later, after a long, silent pause, Xie Shuangxue gritted his teeth and replied.

“No one directed me. I acted alone.”

His voice trembled, but his words were firm.

“You’re sure?”

“I… am sure.”

Chun Yao gave him a few more chances, but Xie Shuangxue refused to say anything. Though he didn’t want to punish someone who was clearly a scapegoat, Elder Ling took charge of the situation, seizing the moment.

“Your Highness, there’s no need for leniency,” Elder Ling declared, stepping forward with a righteous look on his face. “If you don’t want to be the bad guy, I’ll take on that role.”

Turning to face Xie Shuangxue, he spoke with stern righteousness.

“Since the Feather Clan accepted you as one of our own, you are bound by our laws. I am the Chief Enforcer Elder; punishment is my duty. Our clan laws forbid deceit. Wrongdoing must be punished. The hardship of losing your family is one matter, but it doesn’t cancel out your wrongdoing.”

Elder Ling decreed, “According to the clan’s rules, Xie Shuangxue, you are sentenced to fifty lashes with the discipline whip, followed by confinement for reflection.”

Xie Shuangxue’s face went paler, his lips nearly breaking from how hard he bit down, but he said nothing.

“No,” Chun Yao immediately objected. “Fifty lashes? You’re trying to kill him! He was merely used—he isn’t…”

“Then he must at least endure twenty lashes,” Elder Ling replied. “Your Highness, you are still young. How can you know he isn’t harboring resentment? Besides, if he was manipulated, where’s the evidence?”

With a gesture, Elder Ling summoned the Enforcers, who appeared with whips in hand.

“No need to argue,” Xie Shuangxue spoke up at last. “Your Highness, I’ve done wrong. I accept my punishment.”

Despite his firm stance, Chun Yao gritted his teeth and replied, “There’s something strange about all of this—Penglai City’s tragedy, even stranger. This is merely a facade; some are playing games in front of me. One day, their true faces will be revealed.”

Unable to capture solid evidence against Elder Ling today, Chun Yao vowed to settle accounts later.

But Xie Shuangxue had already accepted his fate.

The punishment was to be carried out in another area. Soon, the Feather Clan crowd dispersed, but Ling Xuan remained, staring at Xie Shuangxue as he moved.

Elder Ling was unconcerned with Xie Shuangxue, his gaze turning to his disciple. “Come on now, didn’t you despise him? This was all for you, to pay him back for the lash you received. How could you not be satisfied?”

“I… I am satisfied,” Ling Xuan replied quickly, “I just don’t understand… why he wouldn’t defend himself. Why not just speak up?”

If he’d just said something, he wouldn’t have to suffer. Xie Shuangxue could easily prove it wasn’t his doing. He had nothing left after the Xie family’s fall; the materials required were too intricate to obtain on his own. His only possession was himself. Just one word, and the Princess would’ve taken his side.

“My foolish child,” Elder Ling chuckled. “Do you really think he has a choice?”

Xie Shuangxue was all alone, with no options but submission.

As the punishment began, Enforcers delivered the twenty lashes under a confinement barrier. Xie Shuangxue’s life wouldn’t be in danger, but each lash was excruciating. Ling Xuan had experienced it once himself and had nearly passed out. By clan law, Xie Shuangxue should’ve received at least fifty, but Chun Yao had shown mercy. Even so, it would take him months to heal.

Watching from the sidelines, Qiao Zhihui felt his hands shake as the lashes fell.

He tried to remind himself it was all just data, but he couldn’t ignore the pain NPCs must feel too. Wasn’t everything fine yesterday?

The twenty lashes seemed endless, and Xie Shuangxue, though barely conscious, attempted to rise before his legs gave out and he collapsed.

Chen Xin moved to support him, but someone else got there faster.

Ling Xuan dashed forward, catching Xie Shuangxue as he fell into his arms. Ling Xuan’s hands trembled, a mixture of anger and sorrow in his gaze.

When an Enforcer barred his way, Ling Xuan glared, “I’ll guard him myself. Anyone have an issue, come punish me!”

With no other options, Ling Xuan hurried away with Xie Shuangxue in his arms.

As for Xie Shuangxue, he had “fainted” according to the game’s requirements, but his consciousness was clear. Pain was certainly real for him, unlike players who could adjust it. He’d gone through countless brutal tests; compared to those, this was minor.

But now, he realized someone was genuinely worried for him. For Xie Shuangxue, this was a rare, unfamiliar feeling. In the original plot, nobody had ever cared like this.