"I’m so thirsty..." Qin Shi miraculously woke up from her coma. Her mind didn’t seem damaged, but she looked very weak, her complexion pale without a trace of blood, resembling Lin Daiyu during a serious illness, quite different from her usual self.
A few people hurried to pour water for Qin Shi and brought her so thin porridge. After drinking so water and eating a bit of porridge, Qin Shi’s spirits lifted significantly, at least enough to sit up by herself.
"Li Xiu, why are you back?" Qin Shi was a bit surprised to see Li Xiu.
"If Li Xiu hadn’t returned, you wouldn’t have survived." Kun Sha explained the course of events.
Qin Shi was initially fine, but when she heard that Li Xiu had taken out her Golden Bride Mask, her expression changed drastically.
"You all go out; I have sothing to say to Li Xiu." Qin Shi said, biting her lip.
"What can Li Xiu hear that we can’t?" Shale teased.
"I’ll chat with Qin Shi briefly, and we can catch up afterward." Li Xiu, knowing what Qin Shi wanted to say, spoke to Shale.
"Alright, I’ll go get soone to prepare food and wine." Shale obeyed Li Xiu without hesitation and turned to leave.
Kun Sha was last to leave but thoughtfully closed the door.
Once they left, Qin Shi imdiately grabbed the box, opened it, and although the Golden Mask was still inside, the Ruby on it was gone, making her face turn even paler.
"What did you do with that Ruby?" Qin Shi asked Li Xiu, biting her pale lip.
"If I hadn’t dealt with it, would you be well?" Li Xiu was a bit surprised. Apparently, Qin Shi knew her illness was related to the Demon Spirit Gemstone, but how much she knew remained unclear.
"It’s over, it’s all over." Qin Shi murmured, looking ashen-faced.
"What exactly happened? If you trust , you can tell , maybe I can help." Li Xiu said.
"You can’t help ." Qin Shi’s face was full of bitterness, but she continued, "Do you know why I’ve been collecting rubies all these years?"
"Is it related to that Ruby?" Li Xiu followed her lead.
Qin Shi nodded, "Sort of. I’ve been collecting those rubies to feed the Princess Bride’s Golden Mask."
"Feed?" Li Xiu was confused by the term.
That Ruby hadn’t yet turned into a Demon Spirit; how could she feed it?
Qin Shi sighed and explained the whole story.
Qin Shi’s father was also a Magic Armor Master but not an outstanding one, just an ordinary E-rank, practically cannon fodder.
During a battle with a Demon Spirit, Qin Shi’s father unfortunately died.
Originally, a Magic Armor Master dying at the hands of a Demon Spirit is not uncommon.
But later, Qin Shi learned that her father died because the commander deliberately abandoned him. Her father had offended the commander, so when battling the Demon Spirit, the commander should have given a retreat order but didn’t, leading to her father’s death.
Knowing the truth, Qin Shi couldn’t seek justice for her father and had to flee to avoid further persecution from the commander.
Although Qin Shi had the talent of a Magic Armor Master, lack of financial ans, powerful support, and systematic training left her struggling with the spare E-rank armor her father left behind, just managing odd jobs to get by.
She couldn’t obtain a set of advanced Magic Armor, let alone seek justice for her father.
Until one day, Qin Shi took a job, joining a Gem Hunter team exploring the ruins of an ancient city.
Within those ruins, they found an ancient palace site. The Princess Bride’s Golden Mask was discovered there.
Upon finding the Princess Bride’s Golden Mask, the Gem Hunter team was attacked by Demon Spirits, resulting in their annihilation.
The armor Qin Shi’s father left was also destroyed in that battle, and she thought she was dood.
Strangely, the Demon Spirit glanced at Qin Shi lying on the ground but didn’t deliver the final blow, and simply left.
When Qin Shi ca to, she crawled out from the wrecked armor to find the Golden Mask beneath her, soaked with her blood, its Ruby glowing with a fla-like, bloody light.
Since obtaining the Golden Mask, Qin Shi’s life started turning lucky; every job she took turned out favorably, earning a lot quickly.
But soon she discovered a grave problem with the Ruby on the Golden Mask; it would periodically beco extrely hot, sotis enough to burn her hand.
Only when the Ruby was placed with the Golden Mask did its temperature gradually decrease, and over ti, the Ruby would vanish without a trace.
Since then, Qin Shi began using rubies to feed the Golden Mask. She tried selling or even burying the mask.
But whenever she left the Golden Mask, misfortune would befall her until she retrieved it, then her luck would return, and she would once again prosper.
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