Secret World: I Became a God Through Lies

Chapter 255 The Gate of War: Purgatory Opens

When fate throws down a rusty axe
Some people knelt down to repent.

Some people, laughing, shouldered the butcher's knife.

Night had fallen, and the ruins lay silent like tombs under the starless sky.

The dilapidated station skeleton stands silently, like the skeletal remains of a colossal beast stripped of time.

The campfire was weak, emitting a pale flame, as if it were the last breath of human civilization.

The survivors huddled together among broken steel and rubble, clinging to each other, trying to maintain their remaining warmth on the verge of sanity collapsing.

Si Ming leaned against the crumbling wall, his eyes half-closed, his breathing shallow and slow. Lynn, clutching the Gray Tower Star Mark copybook, fell into a deep sleep, his brow furrowed, as if still whispering in his dreams.

Duan Xingzhou and Lin Wanqing slept back to back, their postures stiff, like soldiers who might be awakened at any moment.

Vera, Zhuang Yege, Mu Sisi, and Xin Nai were positioned at their respective guard posts. The mysterious ritual light flickered slowly, and the lines of reason trembled in the night wind like threads on the verge of breaking.

The wind stopped.

The whole world seemed to be holding its breath in anticipation.

Then—the sky tore apart.

There was no warning.

It was just a crack, as if it were an opening from the very core of the universe, that suddenly ripped through the night.

The light surged like a tide, pale and devoid of any life, like cracks left after a spell went berserk, cold and deadly.

And then came that smiling face.

Crazy Thirteen's face—no, it was a smile made up of countless superimposed error codes, like garbled fragments left on a screen during a system malfunction, yet pieced together into an exaggerated "smile" that could hardly fit on his cheeks.

It has no warmth, no humanity.

That wasn't an expression; it was a warning.

Whispers erupted.

It didn't originate from the top of their heads, but rather exploded simultaneously from the depths of everyone's eardrums, the structure of their life lines, and even from places where memories had been altered:
[Ding—The City of Mysteries: Night Four has officially begun!]

Welcome, new little test subjects.

Tonight—let's have a... real one—

Madman Thirteen paused for a moment, then the sound suddenly distorted, like the scraping of metal wire coming from a twisted pipe:

[—A city-wide carnival!!]

Siming suddenly opened his eyes, his brow twitched, and half a playing card instantly slipped from his sleeve.

He squinted and looked up at the night sky. The smiling face was slowly rotating, covering the entire sky, as if "God" had descended in person, only to watch the next grand feast.

By the campfire, Lynn was the first to wake up, clutching the manuscript tightly.

Duan Xingzhou suddenly stood up, clutching his chest with one hand, his body covered in cold sweat.

Lin Wanqing gripped the notebook tightly, her fingers stiff.

Vera reacted the fastest and is already setting up the Hymn Angel's Mysterious Barrier.

Zhuang Yege drew his deck and chanted a summoning spell.

Shinobu drew his sword, his eyes flashing with a cold light, and the entire squad instantly rallied into a defensive posture.

They all understand.

This was no ordinary "night battle".

This is the true, all-encompassing "hunting game" of the City of Bones.

The hunters finally stopped hiding, and the signal for slaughter was officially sounded.

—The laughter of Madman Thirteen still echoed in my ears.

In the very center of the ruins, a curtain of light cracked open from the ground, like a ritual mirror embedded with blood vessels and nerves, slowly rising up.

It wasn't a map, but rather a "survival monitoring map".

As everyone stared, not only their own images appeared.

And then there are the other teams.

The figures of countless survivors appeared one by one:

There were old-world mercenaries wearing dirty tactical uniforms, their guns half-destroyed, their eyes resolute;
There was a group of mystics dressed in black robes and surrounded by magical chains, their bodies wrapped in unknown runes;

There are also temporary survivor teams formed by ordinary people, whose equipment is broken, but who protect each other with all their might.

Each team was projected onto the center of the ruins in a different area.

Each area is marked with a different "game" under the light screen.

Each group of people was forced to become a game player—or a sacrifice.

The wind stirred once more.

Crazy Thirteen's last words, a low chuckle, seemed to echo in everyone's ears:
"The little test subjects—"

"Tonight, which of you will survive to make it to the next round?"

Madman Thirteen's voice drifted out, like a viper flicking its tongue, leaving a damp, chilly echo across the night sky:

Today—it's not just you.

The entire city, all those still breathing, are pawns in tonight's game.

Every piece of wreckage, every ruin, becomes a stage.

Every survivor has their own unique way of dying.

And you—

His eerie smile slowly spread across the night sky, like a bandage about to burst, stretched to its limit, almost tearing apart the logic of the entire sky:

[I will be attending Mr. von Blanc's meticulously prepared event—]

[Iron-Blooded Purgatory - Gate of War.]

-

The moment Crazy Thirteen finished speaking, the ground of the ruins trembled almost imperceptibly, as if the entire city was responding to some deep-seated call.

Si Ming felt a burning sensation in his wrist, as if his blood was boiling under his skin.

He suddenly looked down—and saw a dark red number slowly appearing on the inside of his wrist, like a symbol branded into his skin:

【7】

Military license plate number.

“…!” Si Ming paused slightly, then looked up and looked around.

At almost the same moment, others also gasped in surprise.

Lin En, Duan Xingzhou, Lin Wanqing, and even Zhuang Yege and Mu Sisi—several people had different numbers appearing on their wrists, their red light flickering under their skin like veins, resembling a countdown clock that could explode at any moment.

—

Madman Thirteen chuckled softly, each laugh softer than the last, yet like a sharp blade repeatedly scraping against the eardrum:
Do you want to survive?

Do you want to leave this city of corpses?

【Then use your lives—】

Let's gamble on a war.

-

Si Ming slowly stood up, his fists clenched, his knuckles turning white. He felt it; that familiar sense of crisis deep within his body began to roar.

He didn't speak.

But at that moment, he understood: this time, the madman no longer hid his knife beneath his jokes.

This night marked the true beginning of blood and fire.

—

"Ding--"

A system notification suddenly sounded, and an invisible force fell from the sky, like a light nail piercing the air, instantly tearing apart the structure above the ruins.

Si Ming felt an immense gravitational force pouring into his spinal cord from the top of his head, pulling his soul downwards!
The world turned upside down!

—

When their vision returned, they found themselves on a completely unfamiliar battlefield.

This is a military testing ground ruin so desolate it's disgusting.

The wrecked tank lay crookedly half-buried in the scorched mud, its tracks broken and its gun barrel twisted, frozen like the roar of a wild beast before its death.

The scorched earth was littered with rusted landmine casings, charred footprints, and broken barbed wire.
The air was thick with the pungent smell of burning and blood, as if a battle that had never truly ended still lingered there.

In the distance, an ammunition depot, blasted apart by artillery fire, stands like a broken monument, lonely and austere, like a graveyard reserved specifically for the defeated.

The sky was extremely low, so low that it seemed as if looking up would lead to a curtain of grayish-yellow, pus-like clouds, a sky that looked like the corrupt eye of a god about to drip down at any moment.

—

The high-altitude light screen suddenly lit up, revealing scarlet system commands that unfolded one by one like steel inscriptions:

[Iron-Blooded Purgatory - Gate of War]

The game rules are as follows:

—

【I】Each player has a fixed 【Military ID Number】 (1-9).

【II】The venue has nine 【Gates of War】, each marked with a target number.

【Three】Conditions for teams to pass through the gate:

A group of 2-4 people must be formed.

The sum of the team members' military ID numbers, taken as the "root number," must match the target gate number.

（例：6+5=11，1+1=2，数字根=2）

【IV】Once a team is formed, it cannot be changed during the journey, and everyone must challenge the trial behind the gate together.

[Five] Challenges behind the door include, but are not limited to:
[Explosive testing]: Mine arrays, ammunition detonation, trench sniping, etc.

【Furnace Battlefield】: Engage in life-or-death battles with mechanical puppets and armed skeletons.

[VI] Penalties for Failure:
The military license plate exploded, forcing the execution of a death procedure.

Those who successfully complete the level will receive [Survival Points], which can be used to exchange for resources such as medical supplies, sanity restoration, and mystery cooldown.

[VII] Permissions are permitted en route:

Betrayal

[Temporary alliance]

Assassinate others to steal numbers

—

The system's last line of voice, like the whisper of the deceased, was cold, heartless, and irrefutable:
There is only one rule in war.

Live.

In the campfire group, Lin Wanqing's face was pale and her lips were almost transparent, while Lin En tightly gripped the manuscript in his arms, his knuckles turning white;
Duan Xingzhou gritted his teeth, his gaze shifting uncertainly;

Mu Sisi murmured something softly, as if praying for the unknown that was about to come, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

Even Zhuang Yege, Xin Nai, and Vera, three high-level mystery masters, showed an unusual solemnity in their expressions at this moment.

It wasn't fear, but a calm vigilance pushed to its limit.

-

Si Ming lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the numbers that appeared on his wrist.

【7】

The bright red marks, like branding irons embedded in the skin, still bear faint burn marks.

He quickly looked around.

In this round, only some people had their dog tags displayed:

Lynn: [4]

Lin Wanqing: [5]

Duan Xingzhou: [2]

Mu Sisi: [6]

Vera: [9]

Nobuna:【3】

Zhuang Yege: [8]

The numbers are scattered like sharp blades on the chessboard, their precise spacing sending chills down your spine.

This was a silent verdict.

If the combination is correct, there is still a way out.

A flawed combination leads to the annihilation of the entire group.

-

In the distance, nine colossal steel gates slowly rose, massive metal chains pulling the heavy gates like the throat of a giant beast spewing out foul-smelling flesh.

Each door is preceded by a towering numbered sign, its red light flickering eerily, like open mechanical pupils watching the death of every entrant.

Behind each door, one could almost hear the licking of flames and the rumbling of steel, mixed with the stench of death and the burning smell of grease.

-

At this moment, in the very center of the ruins, a huge iron tower slowly rose up as the earth trembled.

At the top of the tower stood a colossal war machine that did not resemble a human.

Clad in steel armor, its limbs are replaced by missile pods, chainsaws, cannons, and flamethrowers. Its chest and abdomen shimmer like a furnace, and its back is covered with rusted chimneys, from which billowing black smoke resembles the escaping of a wronged spirit.

—Von Blanc, the embodiment of the War Factory.

He slowly raised his head, and a dark crack appeared in his mechanical face, emanating a low, hoarse sound like a ripped audio signal, as if thousands of broken horns were sounding simultaneously:
"—Welcome to...the Gate of War."

There is no winner here.

"Only...the loudest explosion... deserves to be called...victory."

The moment the sound fell, the ground trembled, smoke billowed, and the wind blew in from behind the door, carrying heat waves, shell casings, and the sweet, metallic scent of blood.

Before the sound had faded, a series of broken laughs came from deep within his throat, like the shrill scream of breaking steel rails:

"The explosion... is the drumbeat of victory."

-

Si Ming squinted and scanned the area.

Those doors are like a deck of cards laid out by Death, waiting for them to reveal their own cards.

The system coldly emitted a notification tone:

Please complete the initial team formation within 5 minutes.

Those who do not form a team will be automatically eliminated.

The countdown began, and the red numbers on the screen looked like drops of blood.
【04: 59】

【04: 58】

-

Si Ming quickly calculated in his mind.

Team formation mechanism:

Each team consists of 2-4 people. The numbers of the military license plates are added together and the "root number" is taken to determine the door number.

例：7+8=15，1+5=6，可进6号门。

The nine gates of war in front of me are arranged in a fan shape, like the keyholes of nine hells.

门1
门2
门3
……

门9
Behind each door lies a real trial, a "game" that can kill.

-

Zhuang Yege was the first to speak in a deep voice:

"Prioritize groups with the fewest members."

"Save resources and reduce consumption."

Nobuna nodded in agreement, her tone icy:
"To prevent internal conflicts and interference during trials."

-

Duan Xingzhou squatted down and drew a sketch on the ground with a pencil. His fingers flew across the numbers as he calculated the roots. His lips trembled, and he made several mistakes, crossed them out, and started calculating again.

Lin Wanqing gripped Si Ming's sleeve tightly, remaining silent but staring intently into his eyes.

Lynn lowered his head and hugged the copy tightly, his eyes as still as water, calm and unwavering.

Mu Sisi touched the number on her wrist while looking up at the nine gates of war, her face filled with tension and hesitation.

-

Just now.

"I'll make the arrangements," Si Ming's voice broke the silence.

He slowly stood up, his tone as steady and resolute as a hammer striking the ground.

Everyone involuntarily turned to look at him.

He stretched out his hand, pointing to Lin En, Duan Xingzhou, and Mu Sisi:
“你们三个，4+2+6=12，1+2=3。”

"Go to Gate 3."

Then, pointing to Zhuang Yege and Vera:
“8+9=17，1+7=8。”

"You two, go to Gate 8."

Finally, turning to look at Lin Wanqing and Xin Nai, a meaningful smile appeared on his lips:
"Me, 5, 3."

“7+5+3=15，1+5=6。”

"The three of us—Gate 6."

-

Grouping complete.

No one voiced any objection.

They knew that on this night of rules, on this blood-red stage set up by a madman, every second of hesitation was giving death another chance to strike.

At that moment, Si Ming used his judgment to plug the leak.

The wind came howling.

Behind the nine iron gates, the world awaits.

The light screen emitted a dull notification sound, the sound like a rusty nail driven into everyone's eardrums:

[3 minutes remaining until the countdown to the explosion begins.]

[Please reach the corresponding War Gate as soon as possible.]

In the ruins, the air seemed to suddenly tighten, as if an unseen hand was slowly choking everyone by the throat.

-

Si Ming, along with Lin Wanqing and Xin Nai, broke through the wind and rushed towards Gate 6.

The howling wind whipped up debris and dust, distorting the entire vista into a chaotic expanse of scorched earth. In the distance, von Blanc's hoarse, twisted laughter pierced the air, like a mournful wail from the edge of a battlefield.
"War Apocalypse - Deployment in progress."

"Welcome to... the real purgatory."

-

On the battlefield, the air temperature is rising rapidly.

A nauseatingly hot odor surged from the ground, a mixture of engine oil, blood, gunpowder, and sweat.
It was like a hellish battlefield opening its invisible throat, waiting for the first intruders to walk right into its trap.

The ground trembled slightly, and the sand and gravel beneath our feet shook uneasily, as if thousands of not-quite-dead metal crawlers were buried beneath our feet—dormant landmines waiting for the signal to activate.

Every step you take is a gamble on your destiny.

-

Si Ming gripped the playing cards tightly, his fingers slightly sweaty, his peripheral vision quickly scanning every suspicious spot in the terrain.

Lin Wanqing bit her lip, her expression tense, her eyes fixed on the red digital beam of light in front of her.

Nobuna ran silently, her back view crisp and clean, like a sword yet to be drawn, ready to cut through the death trap ahead at any moment.

-

They are not running.

They are racing against death.

-

"boom!!"

A deafening explosion came from their left, the ground bulged violently, and the air seemed to be torn apart by flames!

Si Ming suddenly turned his head and saw a black and red mushroom-shaped column of smoke rising into the air from the direction of Gate 3 in the distance, accompanied by a rolling shock wave that swept through the ruins!
He was startled, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Lynn and his group, who flashed past behind the firelight.

He didn't fall. He's still alive.

Si Ming gritted his teeth, suppressing all his emotions.

He knew that at this moment, even taking one more step to look at them could lead to the complete annihilation of the group in front of him.

Now, everyone can only place bets on their own betting pool.

-

Gate 6 is right in front of us.

It was a heavy steel door, over five meters tall, its surface covered with scorch marks and bullet holes from the scorching heat of artillery fire.

The red light of number [6] pulsed like blood, and from deep within its door cracks came the faint sounds of chains rubbing and gears meshing, as if some kind of "killing machine yet to be started" was slowly awakening.

The air in front of the door seemed to freeze; every step felt like stepping into glue, and every breath felt like being inhaled with burning gasoline.

-

At this moment, the light screen lit up, and the system at the door began its verification process. The voice was emotionless, like a mechanical deity taking inventory.
[Number confirmed: 7-5-3]

[Analyzing the root of a number... 1 + 5 = 6]

[Permissions matched successfully - Gate 6 will open soon]

A red light emerged from the ground, the door trembled, rust crumbled, and a series of low, clicking sounds came from inside.

It was like the first breath of warm air exhaled by some enormous being before it awakens.

The three stood still, sweat dripping from their hair, but none of them retreated.

They knew—

The real test is yet to come.

The real game has only just begun.

drip-drip-drip-

The door lock clicked and rattled, a deep, resonant sound like an iron coffin being opened.

The heavy steel door slowly cracked open, and a strong, hot smell of explosives rushed out like tongues of fire!

What comes into view is a long, narrow, and cramped metal tunnel.

The tunnel's sides were littered with unexploded ordnance, rusted ammunition boxes, dense mine craters, exposed wires, and countless red bomb symbols—as if this were not a passage at all.

Rather, it is a battlefield heart loaded to its limit, ready to self-destruct at any moment.

Nobuna's eyes narrowed abruptly as she drew her sword, its blade trembling slightly, like the silent sharpness of someone facing an enemy's lair.

Lin Wanqing suppressed her trembling, bit her lip, and pressed herself tightly against Si Ming's back, protecting the small notebook in her arms with all her might, her knuckles turning white.

Si Ming exhaled a breath of stale air, a familiar smile curving his lips, as if trying to persuade fate itself:
"Let's take a big gamble."

He whispered, the playing cards in his hand spinning like the wind, their patterns shimmering, waiting for his attack.

-

In the distance, von Blank's war machine slowly turned.

His humanoid robot, like a pieced together from a city factory, had tracks that crushed scorched earth and gears that hummed like the breath of a dormant volcano before it awakens.

Flames surged within him, and the chimney spewed forth a roar of malice and rust.

He looked down over the entire testing ground, his fiery red gaze coldly sweeping over all the survivors on the ruins, and slowly and mechanically grinned.

"Welcome to... my battlefield."

"Those who are alive... are all by chance."

"The truth lies in the explosion."

-

【War Apocalypse】—Start.

The heavy door number 6 slammed shut behind them, echoing with a metallic clang.

In an instant, the world seemed to fall from the scorched earth of ruins into a sealed hell of war.

The tunnel was narrow and dark, its walls mottled like severed limbs, with unexploded warheads embedded in the walls like nailed eyes, silently watching them.

Electrical wires hung from the ceiling, and broken wire mesh was woven into a shape resembling a skinning instrument.

The bloodstains had long since dried, and the smell of rust and tar permeated every inch of the air.

The three moved forward silently, each step taken with extreme caution, as if treading on the edge of time and fate.

-

Sudden.

Deep in the sky, Madman Thirteen's familiar laughter echoed within the gates of hell.

Like a knife tip piercing taut nerves, like a broken cassette tape hissing deep within the soul.

[Ding—Correction Notice!]

Crazy Thirteen's voice was light and manic, as if he had just stolen the script from the back door of the theater:

The original rules were rather dull, so a new rule has been added.

-

Phase 1: [Explosion Challenge] - Must be completed.

Phase Two: [Mechanical Legion Creations] - A Battle Must Be Won.

Each door will randomly trigger one of the following two dangerous events:
[Other teams suddenly appear]

[Von Blanc himself - field intervention]

-

The final decision will be made behind the door:
【Return?】—Recognize the gate you came from; if you make a mistake, you will die.

[Continue?] — Generate a new gate, reorganize the military license plate, failure means death.

The madman's shrill laughter was like a steel wire piercing a person's ear:

The only constant rule in war—

Even the rules can be changed at any time.

-

The warning lights at the end of the tunnel suddenly turned on.

The dappled red light cast a cold hue of iron and fire on the faces of the three people.

Si Ming muttered a curse under his breath, then let out a bitter laugh:

"This madman... is a truly qualified casino operator."

Nobuna silently drew his sword, its sharp edge piercing the light.

Lin Wanqing's voice was so low it was almost inaudible:
"……How to do?"

Si Ming turned his head to look at the winding minefield corridor ahead, his smile as always:

"What else can be done?"

"Let's gamble."

-

The tunnel suddenly opened up, revealing a wide passageway riddled with landmines.

A full hundred meters, a breeding ground for all kinds of death.

Conventional military landmines, mutant mines, booby traps flashing with star-marked runes, mechanically detected detonating grenades...

As dense as a spider web, as poisonous as a lesion.

One wrong step could trigger a chain reaction of explosions across the entire battlefield.

-

The system's cold and merciless words arrived:

[Gate 6 - Phase One Demolition Challenge Begins.]

Objective: Pass through the minefield within five minutes.

[Failure: If any member detonates a landmine, the entire team is executed in an explosion.]

-

"...Is this purgatory?" Lin Wanqing murmured, her face pale.

Nobuna did not answer.

She pulled a talisman from her bosom and folded it rapidly between her fingers.

The white paper, as white as snow, transforms into a tiny, exquisite paper crane.

-

Si Ming's eyes lit up.

"Paper Crane Shikigami?"

Shina responded softly:

"Low-level life form mystery".

"Can be remotely detonated for mine testing."

-

Her fingertips swiftly formed hand seals, and the white talisman in her palm glowed. Paper cranes fluttered like silent snowflakes, landing lightly in front of her.

The first paper crane landed on a hidden lightning bolt.

--boom! ! !

A deafening explosion erupted, flames surged, fragments flew everywhere, and a wave of deathly heat swept through the air!
The second, the third, and more paper cranes, like white ghosts, teeter on the edge of death, luring out a series of the deepest traps!

boom! boom! boom!
The steel screamed, the ground trembled, and flames bloomed like wildflowers!
The tunnel became the forecourt of purgatory.

Siming covered his mouth and nose with one hand and pulled out a deck of cards with the other:

"Come on!"

He gave a low shout.

They had no way out.

The only way forward is through the breath of death.

Taking advantage of the paper crane clearing away the blast that created a narrow escape route, the three of them leaped into the last remaining gap without hesitation and sprinted forward!
As Si Ming ran, he calmly calculated the coverage area of ​​each shock wave and judged the angle of the shrapnel and the radius of the explosion wave.

His footwork was so precise that he was practically dancing on the line between life and death.

Nobuna's movements were swift and shadowy, her movements clean and imposing, like a dagger hidden in the mist, silently weaving between blood and fire.

Although Lin Wanqing's face was pale, she gritted her teeth and kept up with Si Ming's pace, not missing a single step.

There was fear in her eyes, but even more so, there was stubbornness and struggle—a kind of obstinacy that didn't want to hold anyone back.

-

One-third of the journey is complete!

Just as they were about to reach the exit of the minefield, a deep, rumbling vibration, like the heartbeat of a demon, came from deep underground.

Boom——Boom——Boom——

The metal roared, the earth groaned. The tremors were not the convulsions of the earth's crust, but rather like some enormous beast turning over underground.

Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, a massive steel silhouette, like a mountain range, slowly emerged from behind the gray fog.

Its outline is broken and twisted, like a huge metal fortress inlaid with warhammers, cannons and furnaces, or a war beast crawling out of the ruins of the old world.

Lin Wanqing exclaimed in surprise, her voice trembling:

"That is……!"

Nobuna, however, remained calm as ice, standing with her sword drawn.

“An ominous creation.”

"Mechanical Fortress Giant".

-

Si Ming gritted his teeth, grabbed Lin Wanqing, and rushed towards the final sprint section.

The residual heat from the explosion was burning in my throat.

Only one voice was roaring madly in his mind:
"quick."

"faster."

"otherwise--"

"This is the graveyard."

On the shattered plaza, the paving stones cracked and splintered from the shockwaves of landmines, and the smoke was like the poisonous breath spewed from the lungs of hell.

Si Ming, Xin Nai, and Lin Wanqing staggered out of the minefield. As soon as they stepped onto solid ground, another dramatic change occurred before them!
Right at the edge of this scorching, furnace-like ruin, two figures seemed to be walking on fire!

A silver-white battle dress, like moonlight walking through the dust, elegant yet carrying the sharp edge of iron and blood.

Another person wore a dark trench coat, was slender, and had eyes as sharp as blades.

Behind them, a short but unmistakable figure in red carried a huge blood-red coffin on his back, like a death porter.

—Natasha and Herman!

They practically tore through the air amidst the flames and explosions!
"Oh!"

A mortar exploded five meters to the left of Siming, the scorching shockwave overturning rocks and the hot air blast tearing at the corners of his clothes.

At the critical moment, Natasha arrived on the wind, a flash of silver light, and swept away the fragments with her weapon!

She landed steadily, her skirt perfectly in place, a familiar, alluring charm on her lips that made one want to roll their eyes:

"Hey, Si Ming."

"I heard you've fallen into someone else's gambling trap again?"

"I came all this way just to play a game with you—aren't you a little touched?"

Si Ming coughed twice, his clothes torn at the corner. He narrowed his eyes, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

"Touched? Touched that you dropped this bomb right on time?"

Herman then landed, his voice as deep and calm as ever: "Since we parted ways, you seem to have gotten yourself into a lot of trouble."

The crimson figure that emerged from the shadows moved faster than words.

Selene glanced at Natasha, her crimson eyes trembling. Without saying a word, she rushed forward and hugged her.

Just one second.

Selene held the madwoman tightly with all her might, as if it were the only sense of security that still existed in purgatory.

Natasha chuckled, gave her a hug, and patted her on the back:

"Little wildcat, still the same shrewish girl."

"But this time, don't run around on your own."

Selene gave a low hum, her words expressing disdain, but her eyes betrayed an undeniable dependence.

-

The tenderness lasted only a second.

The next moment, the ground seemed to shatter like an eardrum!

"boom--"

A black gash was torn open deep within the earth!
That enormous figure finally emerged from the fog!
Mechanical Fortress Giant, descend!
Its shoulders are topped with twin turrets, and its chest features a red-hot furnace and a rotating chainsaw.

Its abdomen was covered with steelmaking pipelines, and its body moved like a fortress, with its tracks grinding black flames into the ground!
It is the embodiment of destruction, the form of war, and the declaration of doomsday.

From atop a distant tower, von Blanc surveyed the entire scene.

He opened his mouth, and from the mechanical vocal cords came a series of trembling whispers that were not of life:

"Toy assembly complete—"

"Now, it's time for... the crushing test."

-

Si Ming drew three playing cards, his eyes sharp as blades.

Natasha stopped laughing, her eyes flashing with a sharp, piercing light.

Herman hugged the blood coffin tightly and whispered slowly, "Princess, are your claws still sharp?"

Selene licked her fingertips, her blood-red eyes burning with fighting spirit:
Whom are you questioning?

“I am Selene, the Wild Hunt.”

"Tearing apart steel is my warm-up before my morning exercise."

As Xin Nai drew his sword, Lin Wanqing's hands trembled slightly, but she gripped the notebook tightly.

They are facing more than one enemy.

Rather, it was the result of the entire war creating gods, a "doomsday performance" personally designed by Madman Thirteen.

And they must give it their all.

-

Because if we lose this battle...

No one ever walked out of that door again.

Not all gamblers
They can all leave the casino.

some people,
Only in the smoke of gunpowder

I heard the sound of my bones cracking.

(End of this chapter)