Chapter 220 ·Playing Dirty, Huh!

“Gurgle—”

Lilia’s ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍scalp practically exploded.

Almost ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍purely by instinct, the two black daggers in her hands slashed out two chilling arcs in the air. Using the torque of her waist, her body spun violently like a top.

“Die ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍for me!”

She ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍put everything she had into that strike.

However—

The blades cut through empty air.

There was no resistance of slicing into flesh, no crisp clash of metal.

The momentum from her overexertion made her stumble, nearly sending her crashing face-first onto the ground.

When she steadied herself and looked up again to locate her target—

She froze.

The dark, damp, moss-covered white jade corridor was gone.

In its place—

Was white.

Like being thrown into an unrendered 3D model space, or falling into a giant vat of pure milk.

No sky. No ground. No direction.

What she stood on wasn’t solid earth, but a soft, elastic void. Each step sent faint ripples of white spreading outward.

“……”

Lilia held her defensive stance, gripping her blades.

Where was this?

Heaven?

Don’t joke. A villain maid working under the Demon Queen ending up in heaven? God would have to be blind.

Hell?

Hell should be fire and brimstone—or at least something like Hera’s gloomy aesthetic. What was this minimalist nonsense? Had the King of Hell suddenly developed a taste for clean design?

“System?”

She called tentatively.

【Zzz… zzz…】

Only static responded.

Of course.

This broken system always played dead at critical moments.

Lilia lowered her guard slightly and scratched her silver hair irritably.

She rubbed her arms.

Cold.

Something was wrong.

There was no wind, no sense of temperature—but the chill seeped out from her bones.

She began walking.

Or at least, she thought she was.

In this white world with no reference points, direction had lost all meaning.

A hundred steps? Ten thousand?

Time stretched like an endless rubber band.

Her steps grew heavier.

Her eyelids felt like they had weights attached. An overwhelming fatigue surged in waves.

So tired.

Really tired.

Ever since transmigrating into this cursed world, she hadn’t had a single peaceful day.

Either being frightened by the Demon Queen, or on the way to being frightened by the Demon Queen.

She had to learn magic, cook, take care of a child (Dora), and fight all kinds of bizarre monsters.

Even a workhorse wouldn’t be used like this.

This place was nice.

No KPIs. No ticking life countdown. No terrible boss.

Just lie down.

Just close your eyes.

All worries would disappear.

That disgusting “gurgle” sound now felt strangely soothing, like white noise urging her to rest.

Her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the soft ground.

Yes… just lie down.

Wasn’t this the peaceful life she always dreamed of?

As her body touched the surface, a comforting sensation enveloped her.

So comfortable.

Like being back in her college dorm, lying on a hard bed on a weekend morning, sunlight streaming in, roommates snoring, and she could sleep until she woke naturally…

Wait.

No.

Lilia’s nearly closed eyes snapped open slightly.

If this was a dream, where was the fried chicken and cola?

If this was heaven, where were the maid-dressed angel beauties feeding her grapes?

A place with nothing but white—this was a low-budget version even for lying flat!

And more importantly—

If she fell asleep here and Hera found her slacking off, she’d definitely be hung from the tallest tower of the Palace of Eternal Night and dried into jerky!

The thought of Hera’s cold golden eyes made Lilia’s heart jolt violently.

Her survival instinct surged, crushing the fatigue.

Smack!

A crisp slap echoed through the void.

Lilia slapped herself hard.

The burning pain snapped her mind back into clarity.

She sprang up like a carp, gasping for air, cold sweat streaming down her face.

That was close.

She almost became fertilizer for this cursed place.

“Playing dirty, huh?”

Lilia gritted her teeth and flipped the middle finger at the empty white space.

“Using mental attacks—who do you think you’re dealing with?”

“I’m a top-tier corporate slave who survived five years of exams and still lives under the Demon Queen!”

“This level of hypnosis is nothing compared to Hera’s death glare!”

She cursed, but she knew she had to act.

Calming down, her mind raced.

This wasn’t simple disorientation.

The “gurgle,” Dora and Bulara disappearing, the nature of this space—

This was clearly some kind of illusion… or a domain.

In those web novels, this scenario was cliché.

The protagonist gets trapped in an enemy’s mental world, loses themselves, and ends up a vegetable.

There were usually two ways out.

First: overpower the caster mentally and break the space.

Lilia had enough self-awareness to know she’d be crushed trying that against an ancient deep-sea monster.

So that left the second option.

Find the flaw—or forcibly interrupt the spell.

But there was nothing here. No clues. No enemy.

How could she interrupt something she couldn’t even locate?

Her grip on her daggers tightened.

If this was an illusion, it required energy. Rules. Continuity.

Like a program—it needed time and logic to run.

If—

If she could make everything “stop”…

Lilia’s eyes lit up.

Even illusions needed continuity.

If time stopped, the caster’s control would break.

Like a film reel getting stuck mid-play.

Lilia was never one to sit and wait for death.

“Come on, let me see what you really are.”

She took a deep breath, steadying herself.

“The World!”

She shouted dramatically.

Buzz—

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