Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 697 Project Z
"What did you say?"

Miranda, who had just finished her shift and was resting, leaned on her sword, knelt on one knee, and asked Koumto, who had come to deliver the order, incredulously:
"Retreat? Now?"

She tried to catch her breath and looked around: the royal guards were conveying orders through gestures or whispers, and many of them showed the same surprise on their faces, but most of them had a fleeting expression and retreated in an orderly manner upon receiving the order.

"What about the enemy?"

Miranda looked toward the center of the field: at Toledo's command, the four players who were besieging Lausanne retreated simultaneously.

Lausanne II had a brief respite, but Toledo gave another order, and Nate Nehi, furious (having been ordered to wait for too long), roared and leaped into the arena, his sword flashing like a rainbow!
"clang!"

Losang narrowly parried the sword, but Neshi's second sword followed immediately without stopping!

“Interesting, young man,” Losang’s eyes lit up, but he didn’t hesitate. “You’re even better than that girl with the whimsical music.”

But as soon as he finished speaking, Neshi's expression changed drastically, filled with shame and indignation. He roared and his attack became even more intense!
Although he was alone, Neshi's sword flashed swiftly, his momentum was astonishing, and the sword light enveloped his opponent from every angle, no less than the previous four-person attack. For a time, he suppressed Losang II to the point that he could only defend and could not attack, and could not move an inch.

Miranda frowned repeatedly as she watched.

strangeness.

This hothead wasn't this strong when we faced each other in a two-on-one situation before.

“Oh dear, the mad dog has been released… cough cough, sorry, madam, I meant,” Komuto quickly corrected himself, returning to his conversation with Miranda, his face troubled, “this is the prince’s order: cast a long line to catch a big fish.”

"Isn't this fish big enough?"

Miranda couldn't believe it: "This guy's strength is close to the pinnacle, and we were just a hair's breadth away from it..."

"He is at the extreme realm, or even stronger." A familiar voice came from behind them, unhurried and confident.

The two turned around, and Marius stood behind them, intently watching the one-on-one duel in the arena.

Komuto immediately straightened up and greeted him. The Watchman nodded to him, signaling him to continue relaying the order.

"Stronger?"

Miranda stood up, brandishing her longsword: "But he—"

Just then, Marius moved his arm and snatched the Eagle Soar from the female swordsman's hand!
Miranda turned around in surprise: "You—"

Damn it, she was caught off guard just now, and that's how he...

"Shh!"

In the arena, Neshi seized the opportunity and launched a dangerous and deadly attack with a swift and sharp sword strike, but it was dodged by King Losang II at the last second.

Marius frowned almost imperceptibly, then flicked his longsword and plunged it into the ground.

“In order to be flexible and versatile, the mainstream swordsmanship of the Pegasus school uses one hand to wield the sword more often than two,” Marius said, looking at Miranda. “But you have been using both hands to wield the sword for more than five minutes now.”

"What does this have to do with what we're talking about—"

But the next second, the Watcher grabbed Miranda's right wrist!

Miranda was both shocked and furious: "What are you doing—"

“Because I can’t hold on with one hand anymore,” Marius said calmly.

Miranda paused upon hearing this.

Marius, his expression unchanged, gently pulled open the female swordsman's black gloves:

The female swordsman's right hand, covered in thick calluses and even somewhat deformed, was trembling uncontrollably.

Her fingers were severely congested with blood, red and swollen, with bloody marks on the joints such as the base of her thumb and forefinger, and a scratch on the back of her hand that was constantly oozing blood.

Miranda's breathing quickened, and her eyes focused.

Looking at the injuries, which far exceeded expectations, Marius frowned and said:
"I know his sword is hard to parry, and I know you have a strong will, but don't you feel any pain?"

Miranda's expression changed, and she yanked her hand back!
"It's just a minor injury."

She gritted her teeth, her face contorted with resentment as she put her black gloves back on, her fingers trembling uncontrollably: "The key now is that we have the upper hand. No matter how skilled his swordsmanship is, he can't hold out against a numerically superior enemy for long. It's time to retreat..."

“No offense intended,” Marius interrupted her, his voice icy, “but everyone in Starlake Castle, and everyone around the prince, must obey my orders.”

Miranda was stunned.

Marius narrowed his eyes: "Of course, according to tradition, the prince's mistress is an exception."

Miranda's jaw clenched.

Marius's expression remained unchanged as he calmly stared at her.

“Yes, Lord Marius,” a few seconds later, the female swordsman took a deep breath, regained her composure, stepped back and bowed, “As you command, sir.”

Yes, she knew that although the prince himself was gentle and gave his approval, her joining the Star Lake Guard halfway through still made many people uncomfortable.

Some things are deeply rooted and cannot be resolved simply by a leader's word or an order from above.

Just like when I first arrived at Dragonbreaker Fortress—those soldiers not only respected Commander Sonia, but also supported her and regarded her as one of their own. They would make lewd jokes with the fortress flower that made everyone laugh.

But they would never make jokes like that with her. Even if they did, it would be behind her back, and it would still make her feel very uncomfortable.

but……

Miranda looked around at the Star Lake Guards who were retreating one after another and slowly disappearing from sight.

However, Paul joined later, along with Wyman and the mute, but they all integrated very well.

why?
Miranda took a deep breath and turned around.

Well, compared to Ashe, she was far more fortunate.

Just now.

"I have a plan."

Marius's voice rang out, explaining:

"Code name Z, can take down this guy with minimal cost."

Project Z?

Miranda raised an eyebrow and turned around, saying:
"Really? How?"

As they spoke, Neshi's offensive reached its second climax. His attacks were faster and faster, each move linked to the next, gradually forcing Losang II into a corner.

But Marius's brow furrowed even more deeply.

“Go and meet up with the others, Hugo. I mean, the Forbes standard-bearer will explain it to you.”

Miranda wanted to ask more, but stopped herself at the last moment, biting her lower lip:
"I understand."

The situation on the field changed dramatically in the next second. Just a second before Neshi launched his killing blow, Losang delivered a sword from the most unlikely angle, striking Neshi's wrist!

Neshi let out a painful groan, and everyone tensed up.

But the messenger Toledo timely entered the battle from the side, and with three unremarkable strikes, he barely managed to parry Lausanne's counterattack, giving the wounded Nehi a chance to be replaced and withdraw from the battle.

It's faster than I expected.

Marius pondered.

“Do me a favor, madam, go and persuade the young master of the Bozdorf family. I can tell he also disagrees with the orders,” Marius snorted. “Besides these guards, the noble and unruly young masters and ladies are a real headache.”

“I’m not—I understand,” Miranda said, initially annoyed but quickly regaining her composure. “Yes, I will make sure Paul obeys orders.”

Or obey her sword.

Marius watched her reaction with a subtle look in his eyes.

Miranda reached for her weapon, but Marius reached out first and drew his Eagle.

"Ancient Empire Sword?"

“It’s been reforged, but the original was destroyed, and it’s lost much of its supposed magical power,” Miranda shook her head. “It can’t compare to His Highness’s ‘Warning’ heirloom from the Falkenhausen family, or any other family’s…”

Marius shook his head in denial:

"Wrong, it's definitely better than the prince's, much better."

Miranda was taken aback.

With a flick of his wrist, Marius extended the hilt of his sword forward:

"Because he never uses it."

Miranda paused for a moment.

A few seconds later, she nodded and took Yingxiang with trembling hands.

“Remember how you felt today,” Marius said meaningfully.

"what?"

Marius gave a soft snort and looked at the two dueling figures in the arena:
"Such an opportunity doesn't come often, with a dozen top-tier experts guaranteeing your absolute safety, and a master swordsman who is uncompromising in his skills to provide you with free sparring, allowing you to unleash your full potential and hone your extraordinary abilities in the face of life and death."

Free sparring, exceptional performance?
“It’s not just me,” Miranda said uncomfortably, glancing at her colleagues around her. “They are too.”

“No, they’re no good, most of them are no good, they just get beaten up,” Marius shook his head and turned to leave. “Like when His Highness the Prince was having his ancient imperial literature lessons, Doyle stood at the door listening, but all he heard was a bunch of gibberish, of no benefit whatsoever, at best it helped him sleep.”

Marius turned his head, showing her his profile:
"Only when you reach a certain level can you benefit from it."

Miranda looked at her trembling hands, lost in thought.

A few minutes later, Toledo's steady sword light faltered, caught off guard by three sword strikes from Lausanne II, and he staggered back several steps!
“Very good defense,” Losang sneered, thrusting his longsword forward, “but not enough.”

The next moment, Toledo roared and rolled away in a sorry state.

But Lausanne II did not pursue. He sensed something and turned around, only to find Marius standing behind him, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Meanwhile, most of the guards around them had disappeared without anyone noticing, and the remaining few figures gradually vanished into the distance.

King Lausanne II frowned.

strangeness.

Why did they give up so quickly?

With superior numbers, shouldn't they be very confident, feel they have a good chance, and want to capture me alive through a protracted war, and then...

"why?"

King Lausanne II's voice was hoarse:

"You've already caught me."

Marius smiled, glancing around to make sure the guards had evacuated in an orderly fashion.

"You mean, you caught us?"

King Lausanne II's eyes flickered.

boom!
Another firework exploded in the air, illuminating the two men facing off clearly.

“You’ve stayed behind alone,” Lausanne II said, facing Marius directly, his gaze fixed on the man’s sword. “Why?”

"That way you won't have to chase after the others."

Losang's expression changed.

Marius then countered with a question:

"His Highness said your name is Losang, and 'Second Prince.' Why? Why is it a nickname given by a gangster? There are so many skilled and famous folk thieves, why this infamous and despised villain? Just to scare people?"

King Lausanne II was silent for a moment.

“Like a name, a person cannot choose their own nickname,” he said, his face hidden behind a mask, only his eyes shining brightly, “just like fate.”

Marius's brow furrowed:
"Hmm, it's a bit profound."

Lausanne II snorted and was about to draw his sword, but Marius quickly raised his hand in front of him, signaling the other to wait.

"Alright, alright, I admit it: I must say, your swordsmanship is superb, ranking among the top two warriors I've ever seen."

Marius's eyes flickered:
“Even comparable to Master Shao Yu of the Tower of Ending.”

King Lausanne II remained silent.

"As for your physical fitness..."

Marius pondered for a moment.

"Despite being surrounded and fighting fiercely for a long time, you showed no signs of being out of breath, your movements remained unchanged, your attacks were as steady as ever, your center of gravity was perfectly balanced, and your steps were not disordered at all," the Watcher said with increasing solemnity. "What's even more terrifying is that the intensity of each strike was maintained at an extremely high level without ever diminishing."

The way Lobsang II looked at him slowly changed.

"And your injuries, although I don't know how many injuries you sustained before we arrived, you can't possibly feel no pain, can you?"

Marius sighed:
"In short, I've only ever seen such abundant stamina and such terrifying qualities in Kingdom Fury."

This is completely inconsistent with the previous intelligence.

Thinking of this, Marius changed his tone:
"Is all of this related to the strange descent just now? Did you use some... superhuman power?"

King Lausanne II remained silent for a moment.

"Your insight and judgment are quite good," he said quietly. "I wonder about your strength?"

Marius laughed and shook his head:

"Uh, my strength isn't fighting—"

The next second, with a loud bang, another firework exploded in the sky, and Lausanne's sword blade instantly pierced Marius's eyes!
Damn!

Marius gritted his teeth, drew his sword, and barely managed to parry the sudden attack!
It seems we have no choice but to fight.

Lausanne II's sword trembled in the air and attacked again as the light and shadow of the fireworks flickered. Marius had no choice but to swing his sword with all his might to block two attacks in a row!
"You just said you're a Watchman?"

Losang strolled leisurely, yet moved forward step by step, his longsword moving at varying speeds, his attacks flowing freely and perfectly in sync with his steps.

"clang!"

Conversely, Marius's desperate attempts to block appeared ineffective, and he kept retreating:

"Yes?"

"Outrageous."

Losang snorted coldly:
“I remember that the previous Watchman of the Royal Guard was incredibly strong—Joaquin praised him highly, and even someone as proud as Bruno was humbled by him.”

Losang II's longsword changed direction and attacked:
"How come the information about you is so ridiculously weak, even worse than your subordinates?"

Marius retreated another step, falling into a completely passive position and struggling to defend: "The most important thing for a Watchman is not, and not, martial arts..."

But before he could finish speaking, Losang II’s longsword struck like thunder and descended from the sky!

Oops!

"Shh!"

Amidst the howling wind, Marius staggered back three steps, narrowly avoiding the deadly attack!
Silence returned to the arena until Lausanne coldly pulled his longsword from the spot where Marius had just stood.

“I see. Your skills aren’t that great,” the assassin in black said, his tone softening slightly. “But your intuition and judgment, including your dodging techniques, are quite good. You’d be well-suited to be a commander.”

The next second, Losang's tone changed, and the wind from his sword howled!

"Sit back in the rear, ensure your own safety, and then let others go to their deaths!"

Seeing that there was no way to avoid it, Marius had no choice but to confront it head-on!

"clang!"

With a sharp sound, the Watcher knelt on one knee, his longsword held above his head, desperately blocking Losang's vertical slash.

Lausanne took the upper hand, his broken blade pressing down on Marius's weapon, and the weight of the sword made Marius tremble and unable to move.

“You know, sending others to their deaths,” Marius said with difficulty, trying to stay calm, “is much harder than sending yourself to your death.”

“That’s right,” Losang sneered sarcastically, “that’s what people who want others to die think.”

During the struggle, the two swords deformed slightly and groaned.

Marius gritted his teeth, watching the sword slowly approach, but suddenly laughed.

“You’re right. My predecessor, the Watcher, was a master of martial arts, unmatched in the world.”

He was panting heavily:
"But even the most superb martial arts skills couldn't save him."

Marius's gaze sharpened:
"Or you."

The next second, the power of termination that had been building up within him collapsed with a bang.

Marius released his grip on the hilt of his sword, spun around, and dodged Lausanne's deadly strike from above!
"laugh!"

With a muffled thud, Losang's sword blade pierced the ground.

But the assassin in black's eyes narrowed: Marius flashed to the side, his hands flashing silver as he slashed towards Lausanne II's throat.

Lausanne II's heart sank. He tilted his head back and barely avoided Marius's hands, which were flashing with silver light!
Swish!
With a muffled thud, Marius wiped his hands across the surface, leaving a trail of blood.

King Lausanne II grunted and quickly retreated.

But Marius pursued him relentlessly, following him like a shadow, sticking close to Lausanne, refusing to let him distance himself, the two so close that there was no way to avoid each other!
Swish!Swish!Swish!
After three muffled thuds of clothes and even flesh being torn apart, King Losang II roared and with a swift movement of his long arm, the two figures finally separated!

Marius was "ripped" off his body like a sticker and fell to the ground with a thud.

The round ended, and the arena fell silent again.

"Close-quarters grappling techniques from the steppes," Marius coughed painfully as he rose from the ground. "It seems you're skilled in more than just swordsmanship."

Opposite him, King Losang II looked disheveled—he had his sword in his left hand, raised his blood-soaked right hand, and stared in disbelief at the numerous wounds running from his shoulder to his forearm, one of which had nearly reached his chest.

The assassin in black lowered his arm and looked at Marius:
The watchman held two strange daggers in his hands. One had an odd curve and a hooked blade, while the other had smooth lines but a serrated blade.

At this moment, both ominous-looking daggers were dripping with blood.

"So that's how it is. All your nonsense just now, including your clumsy swordsmanship, was just a facade. What you're truly good at is this pair of short weapons," King Losang II realized. "You taught the prince his daggers, including his throwing knife tricks?"

Marius sighed, feeling the weakness within him.

pity.

It's so close.

“I don’t have the qualifications or the honor,” the Watcher said, flipping his hands over. Two daggers flicked in the air, shook off blood, and magically disappeared. “As a Star of Brilliance, he should stop playing tricks and learn the Emperor Wind Sword Technique properly.”

Lausanne II remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on Marius's hands, his eyes flickering slightly.

“These two daggers… one hooks, one slashes; one upright, one reversed; the two blades meet, and blood splatters instantly,” King Lausanne II hummed a proverb, his tone changing, “Are you from the Marius family?”

Marius frowned.

"Old Joaquin has an old acquaintance."

Losang gave a soft hum, answering the question in his heart:
"In the imperial era, many knights carried daggers as secondary weapons, but only the Mariodio family, who were hereditary royal interrogators—or rather, the Marios family today—took close combat with daggers as their primary skill, even more so than swordsmanship and archery, making them a heretic of imperial martial arts."

Marius's expression changed.

As expected, this assassin in black was well-informed and a master of martial arts.

Losang clicked his tongue and said:
“But I heard from Turnbull that this family colluded with the rebels and were all wiped out in the Bloody Year—what, are you one of the survivors?”

At that moment, Marius remained completely still.

Lausanne II did not urge him, and he did not even care about the terrible wound on his hand, but focused his attention on Marius.

"I lied."

After a long pause, Marius spoke softly.

"The Flag Wing didn't find much about your background," the Watcher slowly raised his head, his emotions unreadable, "but more than the Watchers themselves."

King Lausanne II's gaze shifted slightly.

“That’s right. Master Joaquin took in nine servants in total—but on the eighth time, he took in two servants at once, including João Aknet,” Marius said calmly, seemingly unconcerned. “But the other servant, who came from humble origins, had his name and deeds already taboo for some reason.”

Losang II gripped his sword tightly; his blood flowed down the hilt and onto the blade.

"Joe Boyer".

Marius spoke softly:
"Or should I say, Squire Boyer?"

Snapped!
Another firework exploded.

Joe Boyer.

Lausanne II stood frozen in place.

That name has been forgotten for a long time.

“My name is Losang,” he said instinctively.

Marius laughed.

"More than thirty years ago, at the 'Election of the Emperor' during the Emerald Festival, you stole the armor of Aknet's servant and made it to the finals, only to be narrowly defeated by the 'Sword of Light' that returned from the Tower of Ending—Prince Horace, who swept through all the strong and finally won the championship."

The election will take place.

The Sword of Light.

King Lausanne II trembled slightly.

“Although it was an impersonation, your first appearance was remarkable, and you were a top student of Master Joaquin. You should have become famous at a young age,” Marius continued, his voice steady. “However, not long after, you committed a terrible mistake, causing the eldest son of the king, Midil, to fall from his horse and be seriously injured.”

Wang Changzi.

King Lausanne II was momentarily dazed.

But just a few seconds later, he gave a faint, cold laugh.

"Fell from horseback, seriously injured?"

The assassin in black's face was hidden behind a mask:
"What else do you know?"

Marius squinted.

"The eldest son of the king is in a deep coma, bedridden and on the verge of death," the watchman said somberly. "Queen Natalie, who was pregnant, was worried about her son and unfortunately gave birth prematurely, which led to her death."

“The late king lost his wife and children, and was filled with grief and anger,” Marius observed Lausanne’s reaction. “So all of them were severely punished, and you, you had your sword destroyed, your armor taken away, your hands branded, your name removed, all honors stripped you, and you were imprisoned in the Bone Prison. Even your name as runner-up in the election was erased, and no one has dared to mention it for many years.”

Destroy the sword, seize the armor, brand the hands, remove the name...

Losang slowly lowered his head, looking at his sword-wielding hand.

Marius sighed.

"It wasn't until the Kingdom of the Sacred Tree sent the elixir that the eldest son of the king woke up and recovered. He then pardoned all those involved in the incident—even though he was bedridden for years as a result, unable to see his mother one last time, and afterwards became weak and sickly, unable to walk."

King Lausanne II gave a cold laugh.

“Have mercy, forgiveness, ha, Midil, how noble!” he said through gritted teeth, each word filled with hatred. Marius took a deep breath and stretched his arms:
"The rest of the story is probably that you met the Blood Bottle Gang in prison, had nowhere to go after you got out, so you went astray and took up the dirty work of killing to cover up your crimes."

"Then, one night many years later, you met a fellow disciple—Lord Aknet, who was far inferior to you back then but has now risen to prominence and serves as a royal guard in the royal court."

"Ha ha!"

Without warning, King Lobsang II suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly: "Nowhere to go, hahaha, self-degradation, hahahaha!"

Marius frowned slightly.

Lausanne laughed for a good ten seconds before gradually stopping, and then looked at Marius again.

Marius exhaled.

“Perhaps you don’t know, Master Joaquin was implicated by you in the end, and resigned with guilt, returning to his hometown to live in seclusion,” the Watchman shook his head. “He barely made ends meet by teaching children basic swordsmanship, and spent his days drinking. His later years were miserable, and he died in depression.”

"He deserves it."

Without hesitation, Lobsang II interrupted him, his words filled with complex hatred: "He deserves to suffer a fate worse than death, drowning in the illusion he wove for himself."

Marius frowned deeply.

A few seconds later, he raised his eyebrows and sighed.

"Do you know why someone who has been branded with the Sinful Brand can still wield a sword normally?"

Losang's eyes flickered.

“Back then, my great-uncle was in the Guard’s Punishment Wing. He was in charge of executions and tortures, including branding,” Marius said, looking up at the Emerald City’s night sky, which was illuminated by fireworks. “As you said, he was an old acquaintance of Master Joaquin.”

King Lausanne II gripped his sword tightly.

But Marius's words turned cold.

“But my great-uncle is not a lawless person, and the guards are not above the law. Do you really think he would dare to, and could, let you off the hook under the noses of so many colleagues?”

The room fell silent for a few seconds.

"The truth is, on the night you were branded, Master Joaquin, a man of noble character and exemplary chivalry, a master swordsman and a true martial arts expert, defied the ban and broke into the palace..."

Marius recounted the story in a calm and measured tone:

"In front of the late king and the entire court, Master Joaquin removed his helmet—the helmet bestowed upon him by the late king..."

He said softly:

"He smashed his own swordsmanship."

----

Was it not the Black Sword that defeated King Lausanne II, but someone else?
Thales walked along the road, pondering those words.

Just now.

【West Karana——】

Ok?
what sound?
Thales turned his head with a flicker of his eye:

Hilly still looked disheveled and preoccupied, Slimani seemed absent-minded and kept tripping over his own feet, while Golov looked dejected as he helped Rolf and Catherine up...

everything is normal.

strangeness.

Did he mishear?

Thales shook his head and turned back to continue walking.

Next, we need to go to Kongming Palace, which is in this direction...

Ok?
Thales was startled again.

Kongming Palace... Kongming Palace is there, but in which direction is it located?
In that instant, he stared blankly at the soles of his feet, and felt it again:

The promise of "never getting lost" has failed.

He lost his way again.

Thales subconsciously looked around:
Left, right, front, back, all around... a faint, ominous white smoke rose again from all around.

[Mi Tara Naka...]

Again.

Strange and awkward syllables murmured from afar, indistinct, illogical, and meaningless.

In his haste, Thales turned and called to the others:
Did you all see that? This strange white smoke, like in the tunnel, and... what's going on?

Ok?
Thales was taken aback.

It feels so strange.

But he didn't have time to think further; he just continued to anxiously call out to everyone:

I'm asking you a question! Speak up! Did you see this white smoke? Why—

The next second, Thales paused in surprise.

The boy took a deep breath and instantly realized: No, he wasn't speaking.

He didn't even open his mouth.

He didn't even move his tongue or teeth.

He didn't even see everyone behind him.

All he could see was the slowly rising, mysterious white smoke.

He just felt that he had said those things.

Like when you're half-asleep, you always want to do something, and you always think you've done something: bought the thing you wanted most, achieved your greatest dream, or done the hardest homework...

But in reality, you didn't do anything in your dream.

Nothing can be done.

Thinking of this, Thales panicked and suddenly turned around, shouting:

Did you see that? Hilla! Golov! Rolf! What's going on?! What happened to us? Answer me!

The white smoke around them grew thicker and higher.

Thales roared with all his might.

But then he realized again: he had done nothing, he hadn't turned back, he hadn't shouted, he hadn't roared.

He just walked forward step by step, in a daze.

Half asleep, half awake.

Wait, this feeling… Thales was incredibly nervous: Was it King Lausanne II who had caught up with them? Was it his supernatural ability?
When did he contract the virus?

How do I wake up?

but.

No.

Thales shook his head—or rather, he felt he shook his head.

But he instinctively sensed that this time was different.

It was different from the tangible dreamlike illusion that Lausanne gave them.

Just like...

It's like sleep paralysis; you're fully conscious but powerless to do anything about it.

It was as if he had become a walking corpse, with only his soul trapped in his body, crying out to heaven and earth in vain.

He couldn't blink, couldn't speak, and couldn't even move a finger.

They could only maintain their previous posture, silently moving forward, at the mercy of others...

How to do?
[West, Gu, Karana, Mosa, Formia...]

Strange syllables pierced through the white smoke again, coming from afar, still incomprehensible.

Thales was taken aback.

Wait, he's heard these syllables before, he just heard them, this isn't sleep talking!

But...

The next second, Thales jumped!
beep—

A ringing sensation came, but this time, Thales could do nothing but endure the pain.

Beep--

But the tinnitus disappeared quickly.

Guh-long—he felt a sudden blockage in his ears, followed by a clear sensation, as if his ears were rising from the surface of water.

At the same time, those strange syllables seemed to leap into the ears and automatically transform into recognizable language:

Please, not now.

It was a familiar voice, speaking in a language he could understand.

It came from...someone close to you?
Thales was startled and tried to turn around, but no matter how he turned his head, he couldn't see the person next to him. Only then did the boy realize that he couldn't move.

When else could it be? Cecilia, my beloved girl...

A chilling, hoarse voice came from behind him—when it rang out, Thales felt his whole body tremble and goosebumps rise.

Cecilia?

The name is...

[Okay, who are you this time?] A familiar voice.

Thales frowned—or rather, he thought he frowned.

[Ha, how would I know? A cruel and ruthless prince who would kill his own brothers? There are plenty of them in history... Your family is quite experienced too...] That was the voice that sent chills down your spine.

Thales slowly realized: these were two people having a conversation.

Although he began to understand these words, they were as if they were behind a curtain of water... He had to strain, strain, strain to hear them clearly.

As for him, Thales's thinking seemed to slow down at this moment, and it took him a few seconds to barely understand what was being said.

[Alright, what did you do to King Lausanne II, to that assassin in black?] It was that familiar voice, filled with disgust and impatience.

And... the fear that you're trying to suppress?

Wait, King Lausanne II, the assassin in black...

He seems to remember me?

"So, he's an assassin. Interesting." That chilling voice came again.

It seems... to be right next to my ear.

Thales swallowed hard—if he actually did make that movement.

Don't give me that!

"I didn't do anything, I just helped him out." That chilling voice was dismissive and indifferent.

"Help?" A familiar voice suppressed anger.

What are they talking about?
It seems familiar, yet also... strange?
Thales frowned.

No.

No, we can't go on like this.

He needs to understand, he needs to comprehend, he needs to react!
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah--

Thales exerted all his strength—though he didn't know how much effort he should put in—but the next second…

Boom!

A loud bang rang in his ears, and Thales' whole body trembled.

It is the crime of the River of Prisons.

The familiar power of termination both surprised and delighted Thales.

It's an old friend!
Come on!

help me!

Thales roared.

[A little psychological guidance and a heart-to-heart talk made him stop hating himself and hiding himself, and instead become more...open and authentic?] Outside, the unsettling voice sounded quite relaxed.

He's gone mad! You almost killed us!

But you're perfectly fine, aren't you?

The sins of the River of Hell are expanding slowly and laboriously, like lava that has been instantly cooled and is now reigniting its temperature from within, struggling to roll forward and try to overflow the high walls.

Inch by inch, little by little.

at last.

Wow!

The River of Sin overflowed the walls with a deafening roar!
It began to flow again, to rise again, to burn again.
It was like an animal that had been missing for a long time and had finally returned to its territory, violently ramming back and forth inside Thales' body.

boom!
Thales' eardrums felt as if they had been ruptured by the sins of the River of Hell; they were in pain, numb, and had an indescribable burning sensation.

but……

“Yes, I’m perfectly fine! Perfectly fine my ass! Perfectly fine to the point of being ‘dead’!” The familiar voice was much clearer, filled with a sarcastic tone that he was not unfamiliar with.

It's a girl.

Girl?
Thales, whose thinking was gradually returning to normal, suddenly realized something.

It's Hilaire!
It was her, it was her talking to... and other people?

"But according to this deal, you've come out of the sewers."

That chilling voice came through, clear and precise, long and passionate, but for some reason, Thales couldn't help but shudder the moment he heard it.

Who... is this?
At this moment, who is walking behind him and talking to Hilly?

He still couldn't turn his head, but the return of his hellish senses allowed him to perceive the situation behind him with crystal clarity:
Golov walked steadily, but remained silent, oblivious to everything around him, as if the most important thing in his life was simply walking with his head down.

No, it wasn't just him; Rolf, Catherine, Slimani... they all moved forward like zombies, completely oblivious to their surroundings.

Even though the white smoke in front of us had turned into a thick fog, obscuring the sky and making it impossible to see where it was going.

“Yes,” Hilla said coldly, “the deal is done now, you can get out of here.”

"Hey, don't try to pull that temple act," the voice said lazily yet shrewdly. "It's not easy to meet, why not catch up and have a chat?"

"I have nothing to talk to you about."

"that's it?"

“That’s it!” Hilly refused outright, her attitude resolute.

"Really?" The voice suddenly dropped in pitch, sending a chill down Thales' spine. "My lovely six-fingered girl, won't you reconsider?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"Stop pretending, darling," the terrifying voice drawled, "According to the deal, you walked out of the sewers safely, body intact, soul unharmed... But me, where is my reward?"

Hillay was silent for a moment.

“That Lausanne II just now, he is your reward,” Hilay’s voice trembled slightly, “His soul, life, flesh, senses, wisdom, beliefs, memories, experiences, knowledge, personality, or whatever other hard currency you like, take it all, don’t be shy.”

Thales had a sudden thought.

He instantly realized that Hilla was not speaking the Common Language.

It was not any other language, at least not one that Thales could recognize.

But...

“Look, darling, you’ve made the same mistake of taking things for granted again. The fairness of a contract isn’t just something written on paper, or something that only stays in your mouth…”

The voice was friendly and authentic, like a lawyer warmly receiving a client's inquiry.
"It resides even more in the heart."

The next second, it spoke patiently and calmly, word by word, but this only made Thales more and more uneasy:
“My dearest Cecilia Regina Bella Kevindir, do you really think that inviting or rather urging me to come to the mortal realm, making me endure the pain of crossing boundaries, the murky air, and the risk of being discovered, expending my energy and strength to shield you from harm, and then you conveniently give me that enemy from the extreme realm as payment, letting me return to where I came from? Do you really think this is a fair and just deal?”

“Well…” Hillay paused, then said matter-of-factly, “Yes!”

In that instant, even though there was no turning back, Thales could almost see the same indifferent, domineering "what can you do about me" expression on Hilly's face that he often saw.

Even that terrifying sound stopped for a second.

"Hahahahaha!"

It burst into a deafening laugh, sometimes loud, sometimes soft, causing the surrounding thick fog to ripple:
"I love your shameless act! Every time, you manage to kill even more people!"

Hilly paused in his speech.

“Shut your filthy mouth,” Thales heard the fury in her voice when she spoke again, “Go back to where you came from!”

“Ah, heartless partner,” it said without anger, seemingly used to it. “It’s alright, debt collection has to be done personally.”

“I have no reward for you, and I don’t owe you anything! Because you’ve made things worse!” Hilly gasped, her reply somewhat out of control.

“But that’s not a reward, it’s my due payment.” It said slowly and deliberately, without any hurry.

Thales listened for a while, then his heart skipped a beat: it was the sin of the Hell River rumbling.

He suddenly realized: What's going on?

Hila, what did Hila do?
That voice...

what happened?

what happened?

what happened?

"what happened!"

Thales couldn't help but say:
"what is this?"

He turned around abruptly and shouted:
"What...what is it?"

But the moment the words left his mouth, Thales was startled and immediately realized: he had succeeded.

He successfully got moving.

Did he turn around?
The air became quiet.

The surrounding area was shrouded in white fog, and everything just a few feet away was indistinct, with extremely low visibility.

Behind Thales, Hilly stared in shock at Thales as he turned around, her face turning deathly pale.

"You...you're alright? You're awake?" Hillary asked blankly.

It was as if she was discovering for the first time that there was someone else here named Thales.

but.

Only her.

Thales stared blankly at Hilly: behind him, there was only her.

There was no one else—everyone else was focused on walking, like zombies.

That was just now...

"Oh my, this is going to be interesting."

In that instant, Thales got goosebumps all over his body!

Because the sound came from behind.

Behind his ear?

Thales instinctively tried to turn around, but Hilly cupped his face in her hands!

"No, don't look at it!"

Hilly, his face filled with fear, shouted anxiously:

"Stay awake, don't look at it, don't think about it, treat it as a dream, and it won't—"

But her voice vanished instantly, leaving only the movement of her lips.

It was as if the sound had been suddenly muted.

Hilly realized this too; she stared wide-eyed and gaped in horror at what was behind Thales.

“Look, dear Cecilia, you should have said so sooner…” the voice rang out softly, filled with surprise and joy.

At that moment, Thales's nerves tightened and his whole body went limp!

He felt it.

He felt a cold touch on his neck.

is it.

Something gently hooked around Thales' neck, like a mother caressing her son—it touched, rubbed, and stroked him.

Hilly's eyes were filled with fear and her expression was anxious; she instinctively shook her head.

No, no, no!
Her eyes were glistening, and tears even welled up in the corners of her eyes.

But all that could be heard was a low, ominous laugh.

"Hehehehe..."

The being spoke again, but this time, Thales could sense unimaginable malice in its words:

"Don't you have the money to pay the bill?"

(End of this chapter)