Chapter 67: The Barrier

As night fell, I shooed Snowy out of my room and sat down inside, closing my eyes to focus my mind. For the Nth time, I attempted to separate Selene from my body.

Still, there was no way.

I let out a sigh and opened my eyes, only to freeze and take a step back. "How did you get in here?"

It was Michael.

He was looking at me, his gaze tinged with a slight blur of confusion, but it lasted only an instant before he returned to normal.

"What are you doing here?" Looking at that face that belonged to Cass, I frowned slightly.

He watched me and slowly reached out, that warm and slender hand extending toward me as if I could reach it with a single touch. Suddenly, he pulled his hand back.

"Do you know of Noah's Ark?" he spoke softly, his expression serene.

Of course I knew. Because humanity bore the brand of original sin, God cursed the earth. People had to toil with grueling labor just to feed themselves, and thus resentment and malice grew day by day. People endlessly slaughtered, fought, and plundered one another. When God saw the wickedness of the human realm, He regretted creating mankind and decided to wipe out the earth with a flood. The rain fell for forty days, drowning the birds, the livestock, the wild beasts, the insects, and humanity alike... Only the righteous Noah received God's guidance, building an ark of gopher wood to escape the punishment of extinction and rebuild the human world.

...

Silence.

"What are you trying to tell me?" Looking at that face that should have belonged to Cass, I slightly clenched my fists. A realization began to dawn on me, but I hoped it wasn't true.

"The ancient seals have been broken. The demons, influenced by your magic, are disturbing the human realm. On the Day of Judgment, God will destroy the world."

My eyes widened in disbelief. So... was it really because of my magic?!

"If..." I glanced at him and lowered my eyes. "If... I willingly accept the judgment, can all of this be avoided?"

To erase all original sin, for everything to return before the throne of God...

That day, when I was ensnared by Selene's Colorless Bind and on the verge of being swallowed, I heard such a voice.

If I willingly accept the judgment.

Then could everything... go back to the way it was before?

A holy radiance gently brushed against my cheek. Michael said nothing.

I looked up and slightly closed my eyes. "Take my spirit away."

I never had a physical body to begin with. Letting Michael take my spirit and returning the body to Selene—that was the best solution.

With a loud thud, the door was smashed open, and a sinister, cold aura enveloped me.

"Don't you dare." Through gritted teeth, the terrifying version of Samael gripped my neck fiercely. "You dare betray me."

Michael glanced at me and vanished into the air.

"If you ever dare harbor this thought again," Samael slightly narrowed his cold, dark eyes, "I would rather eat you and swallow you whole."

I was locked away.

In the end, the one who provoked Yang Weisheng and drew out the Big Boss Samael was actually me.

Sitting cross-legged in the room where a barrier had been set, I listened to CDs out of boredom. The outside world was completely cut off.

I didn't know what Yang Weisheng had done, but even Alastor didn't come to see me, and even the most honest Little Mountain ignored me...

Sighing for the hundred and first time, I stretched my arms, took a deep breath, and shouted at the top of my lungs, "Alastor... Alastor..."

No one answered. Only silence.

"Little Mountain... Little Mountain..."

No one replied. Still silence.

They’re all revolting!

The barrier in the room was personally set by Samael. I tried many times to break out, but it was all in vain.

Locked in this room, I was truly isolated from the world. I didn't know what was happening outside, nor did I know how long it was until the Day of Final Judgment. I couldn't eat or sleep, tossing and turning in restlessness, yet Samael was determined not to see me.

With a long sigh, I lay on the floor spread-eagled, staring at the ceiling in a daze.

A furry tail inadvertently brushed against my face. I blinked, rolled over to sit up, and suddenly had a flash of inspiration. A sudden realization hit me. I turned to look at my pet Snowy, grinning with a row of white teeth. Samael had calculated everything, but he forgot that my pet Snowy was actually...

Snowy looked at me warily and took a small step back.

Before it could move out of my reach, I chuckled and grabbed its ears, pulling it into my arms.

"Snowy..." I smiled with utmost kindness.

"What do you want?" A cold tone that didn't match its cute appearance.

"You're quite powerful, aren't you?" I blinked and asked with a grin.

"What do you want?" Not fooled by my fawning act at all, Snowy stared at me with its beady eyes, extremely vigilant.

"I want to get out." I blinked, smiling very amiably. "You have a way, right?"

Snowy gave a soft huff and ignored me.

"If I don't face it, God will destroy the world on the Day of Judgment," I pleaded earnestly. "Besides, Michael promised me he would only take my spirit and grant Selene her freedom. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"

And... Cass would be at peace because of it, too.

To him, his feelings for me were a sin. He offered his body to Michael to help Michael destroy me. If this was his last and only wish, if this was the last thing I could do for him, then I would help him achieve it.

If I accept the judgment, Cass... he would be relieved, too.

The current me can only use everything I have to repay the warmth he once gave me.

Snowy didn't look at me and didn't answer.

I smiled. He would be moved, wouldn't he? To be able to stay with the person he loves most forever, no longer fearing the threat of sunlight, growing old together... what could be more tempting than that?

"As long as you find a way to break this barrier, as long as I can see Michael, everything will be solved. There will be no apocalypse, no pain of longing. From now on, until the end of time, you can stay with Selene for eternity. Isn't that good?"

Snowy remained silent.

I didn't know what he was hesitating for, and I couldn't help but grow restless. "Or is your love for Selene not as deep as I imagined? This is the only chance to give her back her freedom. And I... I'm just a spirit; I'm the one occupying her body. I'm the one causing you two to see each other every day but never be together. This is the only chance. Are you going to give it up?!"

"I cannot break Samael's barrier," Snowy turned his head and spoke flatly.

I dropped him and went back to being dejected and listless.

"...But you can," Snowy added slowly.

At that, I turned to look at him. "What do you mean?"

"I can see the nodes of the barrier, but my power isn't enough to break one set by Samael. You can, however, because you possess the power of both White and Lilith."

"The nodes? Where?"

Snowy looked at me, hesitated for a moment, then extended a short little paw and pointed at a certain spot in the void.

Without hesitation, I raised my hand and struck that spot with all my might.

The barrier vanished.

Fearing Samael would find out, I took out the silver ring I had removed before and slipped it onto my right index finger to suppress my power.

"You kept it all this time?" Snowy suddenly asked.

"Yes." I nodded. This silver ring is so useful; to Samael, it's a perfect anti-surveillance device.

To save time, I teleported directly to a place far away from the candy house.

"What do you plan to do?" Snowy's voice was calm.

I looked back at him in surprise. "Why did you follow me? I'm going to find Michael; it's very dangerous."

"Michael? Where do you plan to look for him?" Snowy ignored me and asked directly.

"Heaven," I bit my lip and answered.

Snowy froze slightly.

"Do you know the way to Heaven?" After a while, Snowy asked again.

I was speechless. "No..."

"Tsk!" Snowy scoffed in disdain.

I wished I could dig a hole and bury myself; how embarrassing.

"There's a space-time gate to the Demon Realm, so there should be one to Heaven too." I looked at the sky, taking it for granted.

Snowy hopped into my arms on his own, closed his eyes to rest, and couldn't even be bothered to acknowledge me anymore.