Night World Players

Chapter 185 I am looking forward to the day when I can completely tame you, Senior Sister (6k)

The surging light gradually dissipated, and Hiltina's figure rushed to the edge of the nuclear power plant ruins.

However, below the steel cliff, the only thing that responded to her was the steel torrent flowing slowly like lava in the red furnace.

The steel buildings that made up this nuclear power plant ruin were slowly crumbling, breaking into thousands of fragments, falling into the red torrent, and then further melting into liquid iron... There was a faint heavy rumbling sound in the wind.

But Ingrid's figure had disappeared in the roaring furnace and no longer existed.

"Senior Ingrid..."

Shiltina gritted her teeth and stared at the red steel lava.

In her hand, the spare ceremonial rapier also shattered into pieces, cracking into crystal-clear metal fragments that scattered all over the ground, never to be repaired.

This was the price Hiltina had to pay for using "Infinite Blade: Fantasy Collapse," completely destroying the activated weapon, leaving even the slightest possibility of repair unavailable.

This is the most intense combat method. No matter how much damage it can cause to the enemy, the moment you decide to use it, the fate of the rapier is determined.

This kind of determination to be torn to pieces is somewhat similar to Ingrid who stood opposite Hiltina not long ago.

She did not choose to evacuate from the border after the situation was settled, but stayed alone in the nuclear power plant... From the very beginning, Ingrid had determined to die and had imagined an ending where she would die.

Otherwise, she would not have resolutely swung the sword when Hiltina tried to rescue her, thus destroying her last chance of survival.

"So, Senior Ingrid..."

"In fact, from the beginning to the end, even when you were in the deepest hell, you never stopped looking up at the stars, right?"

Standing at the edge of a cliff filled with molten steel, Hiltina gazed at the crystal in her hand, which contained all the intelligence on the Gravekeepers and was left behind by Ingrid. She murmured softly to herself.

"You compare yourself to a moth that will be burned to charcoal by the light..."

"But, if it weren't for the desire for glory and honor in my heart—"

"How could a moth, already accustomed to the darkness, foolishly and blindly chase after the fleeting light..."

"Like a moth to a flame, destroying itself?"

Her soft whisper was drowned out by the roar of molten steel and was never heard by anyone.

……

Consciousness gradually revived in the darkness, and there was a damp feeling in the air.

When Ingrid opened her eyes again, she felt the moist and warm sea breeze blowing on her face.

The sky was clear blue, and she seemed to be on some unknown coast... But when Ingrid tried to stand up, she found that her body seemed to be imprisoned by some shackles, and she could not move at all.

Have I... arrived in the world after death, the legendary underworld?
As soon as this thought arose, Ingrid herself rejected it.

The memories in her mind gradually revived, allowing her to recall everything that had happened before.

From Hiltina's perspective, she was directly swept up by the light cannon created by "Illusion Collapse" and fell into the molten steel furnace behind the nuclear power plant. She was swallowed by the boiling molten steel at thousands of degrees, and no trace of her body was left.

But, from Ingrid's own perspective——

At the moment she fell off the cliff and was about to fall into the steel furnace, something happened that made her wonder if it was an illusion.

If the world is compared to a film reel played at normal speed, then at this moment, the whole world seems to have been paused.

Everything, whether it was the surging iron magma, the howling storm, the rushing light... even Ingrid's own body falling according to the law of gravity, was frozen at this moment, like a still photo.

Then, Ingrid saw a crack suddenly appear in the still air.

A big furry snow-white tail stretched out from the dark crack, wrapped around his waist, and he was pulled straight into the dark crack by the big tail.

and many more……

That fluffy white tail——

Although it was just a fleeting glimpse, Ingrid always felt quite familiar when she recalled the big tail that pulled her into the space rift.

I seemed to have seen the owner of that big furry tail somewhere before.

"We meet again, Senior."

The clear voice, mixed in with the sea breeze, rang distinctly in Ingrid's ears, interrupting her recollection of this inexplicably familiar feeling.

She looked up subconsciously.

Then, he saw the black-haired boy sitting on the rocks by the coast not far away, swinging his legs out of boredom.

Rast.

Ingrid recognized the face of the person before her.

She and the other person had met once before in the Mystery Tower a few months ago...

At that time, the noble alliance and the royal family had not yet torn their faces apart. It seemed that Last was looking for secret files in a secret tower. At the request of Hiltina, Ingrid used her authority as the Minister of Supervision in the military and the secret tower to help Last.

But other than that, there was no more interaction between the two.

The reason why Ingrid chose to do this small favor was because she had looked through Last's freshman file and knew his background, which seemed to be from a rather remote border village.

The vast majority of students at Star University come from aristocratic families, and those like Ingrid and Rust who come from poor areas are a minority among the minority.

Ingrid's similar background and circumstances made her feel more sympathetic towards Rust, and she took good care of him to the best of her ability.

However, this is just the most ordinary care that the senior sister gives to her juniors, nothing more.

No matter how Ingrid tried to recall, she could never connect the freshman who had just been enrolled in Star University for half a year with the world that seemed stagnant as if it were an illusion, and the big tail that tore through space.

"I know you must have a lot of questions in your mind right now, but it's not too late to explain those things later."

"So, I'll make it short."

"Senior sister, you are the one I saved."

"If it weren't for my 'Stand Still World', Senior would have been submerged in the molten steel by now, leaving no trace of her body..."

"Immersed in boiling molten steel, feeling the scorching heat gradually consume my body, I'm quite experienced in this kind of thing... Believe me, even if it's suicide, this is definitely one of the most painful ways to die."

Rast sat on the huge reef, looking at Ingrid not far away, his voice calm without a trace of emotion.

However, the information that came out of his mouth made Ingrid secretly shocked.

Ingrid looked directly into the boy's dark eyes, hoping to use her experience in the military to detect some clues from his eyes.

As the saying goes, "the eyes are the windows to the soul." When interrogating a criminal, many times, the answer can be obtained by simply observing the details of the other party's expression without the need for an answer... As the Minister of Supervision, Ingrid is very experienced in this regard.

But Ingrid soon discovered that this was in vain.

At first glance, those dark eyes looked clear and bright, like the bright stars at the bottom of a lake, but upon closer inspection, they seemed like a dark pond, swallowing up everything like a black hole, leaving only pure nothingness, from which not even light could escape.

This was a monster that he had never heard of or seen before... His past experience in interrogation and torture had no effect on Last.

"Why... do you want to save me?"

After a long silence, Ingrid spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Although I'd like to say it's because you helped me back in the Arcana Tower... but unfortunately, as you said yourself, the sins you committed with your own hands cannot be atonement for by any heroic deeds, let alone the small favor you did me back then."

"So, let's talk about some more realistic reasons."

Last smiled and said, "Actually, I'm secretly planning to establish a secret organization, and I'm in urgent need of manpower."

"And you, Senior Sister, are the first candidate I've selected. After all, whether in terms of strength or character, as a subordinate, you can only be described as impeccable..."

"Cold and apathetic, no nonsense, giving your all and acting without hesitation, without any scruples about government departments. If not for this, you wouldn't have become the most useful and efficient black glove, your hands stained with blood."

"And most importantly, Senior Sister, your identity is very clean and innocent..."

Last's clean face wore a gentle smile: "The Noble Alliance and other secret organizations and cults abandoned you long ago when they decided to withdraw from the Empire." "And in the eyes of the military and the Imperial Family, you have already perished at the Gustav Nuclear Power Plant, burned to ashes by molten steel, leaving no trace of your remains."

"Senior, you have been erased from the archives of all major intelligence organizations and have become a completely dead person."

He paused for a moment, "And a dead person, whose remains are gone in the eyes of the world, is naturally more convenient and useful as a tool and chess piece."

"After all—the dead can do many things that living people cannot."

The boy's profile was bathed in the sea breeze, with soft lines and clear contours... just like Rast's clear voice, which made those who heard it feel like they were bathed in spring breeze.

However, if you carefully understand what the other person says, you will be able to feel the indifference and cruelty hidden beneath that gentle voice.

As the Chief of Inspectorate of the military, he was also secretly stained with countless bloody black gloves... Ingrid naturally understood very clearly the true meaning of what Last said.

It was not until this moment that she suddenly woke up -

When the two first met, the man who came from a humble background but still worked hard to become a successful person and was admitted to the Star University...The gentle, humble and polite Last was just an insignificant aspect and disguise of the other party.

The real Rast might be even colder and more indifferent than he thought. He would do anything to achieve his goal, making it impossible to see through his true heart.

"The organization you mentioned is..."

After a moment's silence, Ingrid spoke again hoarsely, "Does Star University, and does Hiltina herself, know about it?"

"Of course they don't know. They will never know."

Luster's answer was still accompanied by a gentle smile.

"What I want to establish is a secret organization that is completely loyal to me, hiding in the shadows of history, and secretly interfering with the entire world..."

"If Star University or idealists like Hiltina find out and expose it to the public, then what's the point of it existing?"

"so……"

Ingrid looked into Luster's eyes. "I can interpret this as—"

"A secret organization similar to the Bronze Rose or those evil cults that roam the continent, staging blood sacrifices, right?"

"Yes."

Last nodded with a smile. "This force will not be constrained by any country or law on the Western Continent, but will be completely loyal to me."

"As for the members of the organization, they don't need to have any will of their own. They only need to carry out my will."

"Establishing secret cults, infiltrating nations, manipulating wars...without the need for laws and without any scruples, to achieve their goals they can wield their knives against innocents, even children, or launch blood sacrifices against cities..."

"Senior Ingrid, isn't this exactly what you were best at, and what you've even become accustomed to?"

He paused for a moment and said, "Believe me, if you choose to join, one day you will gain power and strength far greater than ever before. You will hold a position above all people and all living beings."

"Then you'll be able to turn those who bullied you in the past, those who acted arrogantly and conceitedly in front of you... into your own playthings."

"You can make them fall to the dust, and they hate you so much but can do nothing but kneel down like a pug - just like they did when they were looking down at you from the clouds."

"After all, this world is a giant jungle where the strong prey on the weak. And in this law of the jungle, the strong have the right to toy with the weak, and the weak should obediently become the playthings of the strong, right?"

"Over the years, we have risen from humble beginnings, desperately trying to climb up, using any means necessary to improve our status, wanting to gain power, wanting to stand at the pinnacle of this world..."

"Isn't it to control your own destiny and free yourself from the status of a weak person, but to bully and toy with others as a stronger person, turning them into your toys?"

Luster's smile was like warm sunshine: "You should know, senior sister..."

"What I just said was not just empty boasting."

"If I didn't have a trump card that no one else in the world could possibly possess, how could I have rescued you without anyone noticing, right under Hiltina's nose..."

"So, let us reign supreme over millions of people..."

He extended his hand to Ingrid in front of him:
"How about turning the whole world into our plaything?"

However, looking at the hand extended to her, Ingrid simply closed her eyes slowly.

"It seems that my past self, Dean Gin, and Hiltina—never truly understood your heart, Last."

"You may come from humble beginnings, but within you lies an ambition powerful enough to consume the entire world."

"I understand. The ability to rescue me from the cliff and even freeze the entire world is definitely not ordinary. Even legends have never had such a record."

"Perhaps one day, your ambition will truly overturn the entire world. In this world where the strong prey on the weak, you will climb to the highest point and become the most powerful being, ruling over millions of people. Everything in the world will crawl at your feet, becoming your playthings."

"And by then, those who choose to follow you will be considered the most powerful followers of the dragon, second only to the emperor and above all others... As for the filth and blood along the way, they are merely necessary sacrifices on the road to becoming king, the so-called food."

"only--"

She gently opened her eyes and looked into Rast's eyes, which were like black holes swallowing up all the light, without flinching.

"After witnessing the sun's radiance with my own eyes—I can't return to the gloomy, oppressive darkness and join the scourge of corruption."

"I refuse your invitation, kill me."

……

Listening to Ingrid's answer, Rust sighed softly.

"Just as I expected, you rejected me, Senior."

He looked down at Ingrid who was kneeling on the ground: "It's just that I just happened to be attracted by your ability--"

"I must make you completely loyal to me and tame you into my most loyal subordinate."

He snapped his fingers: "I can't bear to kill you directly, senior sister. That would be too wasteful-"

"In that case, let's use some punishment—isn't that how it's played out in anime?"

"No matter how noble and unyielding a female knight may be, if she is tortured enough times, she will eventually break down and become evil—"

"Then, they were tamed into obedient slaves and lackeys."

As he snapped his fingers, Ingrid felt that the metal mechanism that had previously imprisoned her was suddenly triggered, with the sound of gears turning and metal stretching.

It was not until this moment that she understood her situation. She seemed to be bound in an iron coffin by shackles made of deep-sea silver.

The shackles and chains made of deep-sea mithril restricted all her movements and blocked the magic power in her body, making all the extraordinary abilities that Ingrid could use ineffective - now Ingrid, imprisoned in the shackles, was no different from an ordinary person.

The steel coffin slowly closed, and then, driven by mechanisms and chains, the coffin imprisoning Ingrid slowly moved towards the sea.

"Do you think I'll give in like this, Luster?"

Ingrid looked at the boy outside through the holes in the steel coffin, her voice still calm.

"Of course I know you're the military's inspector general. Common torture methods, such as forced confessions, won't work on you at all."

"So, I've carefully prepared something for you this time. After all, given the crimes you've committed before, including human trafficking, blood sacrifices, and the slaughter of countless innocent people, civilians, and even children... no matter how cruel the punishment, it's not excessive, right?"

Rast spoke from outside the steel coffin:
"The shackles of deep-sea mithril can render all supernatural abilities ineffective, and I happen to have mastered a certain ability to rewind time and space. I can allow you, senior sister, to rewind your physical state to the second before death at the moment of your death."

"So, Senior Sister, you will be imprisoned in a coffin and submerged in the deep sea. You will suffocate to death from lack of oxygen, but after suffocating to death, you will be reborn before your death... and this cycle will repeat itself."

"You will be trapped in a coffin submerged in the deep sea, suffocating to death and resurrecting in an endless cycle of reincarnation, looping back and forth between life and death, dying and being reborn, living and dying again, until you completely surrender and submit to me."

"Well, goodbye, Senior."

"I'm looking forward to seeing you with your pride and self-esteem completely shattered when we meet again."

"And - the day when I completely tame you, Senior Sister, and make you docile and obedient, and give you a new life."

Last's words were followed by the sound of the chains being dragged.

Before she could even open her mouth, Ingrid and the steel coffin fell into the boundless deep sea.

(End of this chapter)