Chapter 88: Accidents Happen

Chapter 88: Accidents Happen After a few minutes of patting, Henrietta finally calmed down. "Then, I’ll get going," Xu Tao announced, turning around, about to depart in an instant when— "Master, let us see you off!" —Henrietta shouted, clearly unwilling to take no for an answer. Xu Tao glanced at her, then to Uriel behind her, and finally at Yifa standing beside him—all three wearing expressions that mirrored Henrietta’s intent. He sighed. "All right, I guess," he relented, resigned to his fate. As they started walking back up toward the mansion, Henrietta kept her eyes fixed on Xu Tao’s broad back. ’My feelings... didn’t reach Master, huh...’ she thought, despondent. Despite all their time together, Henrietta couldn’t shake the feeling that Xu Tao still treated her like a child. His gaze was always either that of a teacher or someone fondly watching over a cute disciple. Never once did she feel the hint of romantic affection. Yet, instead of discouraging her, it only made her determination burn brighter. ’If he doesn’t see me as a woman now... then I’ll make sure he does once he returns!’ Thoughts of her birthday or whether Xu Tao could return at all were momentarily pushed aside. Her focus turned to the future—to surprising him the next time they met. Uriel, walking a step behind, could tell what was going through Henrietta’s mind just from the change in her expression. Like a loving mother, she chuckled inwardly at her lady’s transformation. But in the same breath, she also feared that this could be their "last" moment together. ’No...’ She glanced at the artifact on her wrists—the Bracelets of Yin-Yang Unity—and her resolve solidified. ’I’ll protect Ritta from all threats, even if I must give up my own life to do it!’ While the two were steeling their resolve, the third member of their group was lost in other thoughts entirely. Yifa’s eyes were glued to Xu Tao’s figure, following his every movement, every step. Her gaze wandered from the back of his head to his nape, only half-covered by his long ponytail. Then to his broad, muscular back that, from her angle, looked like an impenetrable wall. And finally, further down—toward his behind. ’Damn, that phat ass~!’ she thought, licking her lips. "..." A sudden chill ran down Xu Tao’s spine. He glanced back, uneasy—but the three behind him looked completely normal. ’Was it my imagination?’ he wondered before shrugging and continuing up the stairs. With Xu Tao in the lead, the group arrived at the ground floor and proceeded toward the mansion’s entrance— "Huh...?" —only for Xu Tao to take a turn at the stairway leading to the next floor. The three girls exchanged confused glances and followed after him. They had assumed he was heading out the door, but the direction he took was clearly toward his personal room. ’T-This... Is Master going to...!’ Henrietta’s thoughts immediately derailed, her face reddening with a wild imagination. Uriel remained more practical. ’Did Master forget something in his room?’ she guessed calmly. Yifa, meanwhile, wasn’t thinking anything useful—just keeping her eyes locked on the plump curves ahead of her. As they continued, it became clear: Xu Tao was indeed heading for his room. Without hesitation, he opened the door and stepped inside. The maids inside, who were tidying up, turned around in sync and bowed respectfully, halting their work. "Henrietta..." Xu Tao said softly without looking back. As if receiving a signal, Henrietta stepped forward with a stern expression and barked out a command. "Everyone, step out for now!" "Yes, Milady." Without question, the maids filed out of the room, closing the door behind them. In seconds, only the four of them remained. Once the room was cleared, Xu Tao moved. He walked casually toward the VR Pod and opened its lid. "Uhm... Master?" Henrietta tilted her head, puzzled. "Didn’t you say you had important business to attend to?" Xu Tao gave her a calm smile and nodded. "Yes, I did. That’s why I’m here." "..." At that moment, all three girls had the exact same thought: "His important business... was playing games in a VR Pod?!" Henrietta didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Remembering how she clung to him earlier, wailing like a landmine girlfriend, she suddenly turned crimson with embarrassment. She crouched on the ground, hands over her face, overwhelmed by the "misunderstanding." "Oh, right," Xu Tao said, already lying down on the soft cushion inside the pod. "Once I’m gone, please make sure this capsule always stays powered on." His reasoning was simple. He’s not sure if he could "return" if the pod was turned off. And unlike in a café where the pod is kept turned on 24/7 on standby, that might not be the case here. "Y-Yes, of course..." Uriel replied automatically, helping her lady by covering for her. But after a moment, she furrowed her brows. "Wait, Master... what do you mean by ’after I’m gone’...?" But her question fell on deaf ears. Xu Tao had already closed the pod’s lid, "Dived," and entered its internal dashboard. He could no longer hear anything from the outside. Uriel scratched her cheek awkwardly. "Well... having a vice or two isn’t bad, I guess. But to think Master’s into games..." she muttered, trying to rationalize his actions. About thirty seconds later, the machine’s fans began to roar louder—the familiar hum that signaled a game had started. And at that moment, taking advantage of Xu Tao’s inattention... a little gremlin stirred. In a flash, Yifa’s body warped like a shadow being yanked out of reality. Her form blended into the shadows beneath her and reappeared inside the VR Pod, right beside Xu Tao. "Ehehe~!" She giggled as she nestled against his chiseled chest and abs. "AHHH! YIFA!!!" Feeling the disturbance in the air, and hearing the light chuckle, Henrietta jolted upright, her Qi flaring like an explosion of flames. "GET OFF MY MASTER RIGHT NOW!" she shouted, a mix of fury and jealousy flaring in her voice. "Heh, why should I?" Yifa cackled, grinning smugly. "No wa—" But just as she was about to tease Henrietta again, without a hint of foreboding or warning, she vanished. No, not just her. Xu Tao also disappeared—completely, without a trace. Right after, as if overloaded, the entire VR Pod started to release sparks. It wasn’t only electric sparks, but also traces of spatial cracks that formed from overloading. Uriel gasped, instinctively rubbing her eyes, unsure if it was a visual glitch. But no matter how many times she blinked or scrubbed at her vision, the scene remained the same. The VR Pod—supposedly containing both Xu Tao and Yifa—was now completely empty. "Mas...ter..." Henrietta stood still, staring at the now-vacant pod in utter disbelief.