Elegy from Another World

Several days passed quietly in the eternal twilight of the City of Pleasure. For Zoymem and Yisen, immersed in the ultimate enjoyment of the Eternal Paradise Sanctuary, it was just a blink of an eye. But for Kawei, who was holding fast to the "comma," every day was an ordeal of willpower.

That inexplicable urge to step into the sanctuary and experience it didn't fade with time; instead, it grew clearer and clearer within the cold core of his logic, like a whisper. In a moment of absentmindedness, he even inexplicably tried to absorb a trace of pure, unadulterated "ecstasy" drifting in the air—the emotional currency that Yisen had previously boasted about. Although it was only a negligible 0.1 gram, the pure and intense pleasure that instantly surged into the depths of his consciousness made his entire sword tremble, followed by a surge of immense alertness and self-loathing.

"Something's not right... This is definitely not right!" Kawi forcibly dispelled the lingering afterglow of pleasure and restarted the highest-level self-check program. The light swept across every inch of the sword's data structure, and the feedback result remained coldly displayed: [No external abnormal tissue intrusion, core operation normal].

No abnormalities? Then where did this yearning, gradually eroding his steely will, come from? Kawi's mind raced, arriving at a disturbing conclusion: it was the environment. It was the rules of this world itself, the laws that permeated every inch of air, materializing desire, subtly assimilating him. Just as a piece of iron placed in humid air will slowly rust, his holy sword, in this world that so vehemently emphasized sensual pleasure, was being slowly eroded by "desire," something he had always rejected.

"I have to leave here!" Kavey made the decision. He needed to return to the relatively "clean" environment of the Drei to calm himself down, clear his abnormal mental state, and then come back to deal with the affairs here.

He immediately headed to the "Comma" hangar, preparing to launch a small escape pod to leave. However, as he attempted to start the pod, a piercing alarm sounded from the control panel: [Engine core overload and burnout, navigation system offline, life support system malfunction...]

Kavey's sword froze abruptly, its cold metallic luster seemingly dimming for a moment. Damaged? Not just one… all the escape ships… damaged?! When did this happen? He had been monitoring them for the past few days, so why hadn't he noticed any signs of sabotage? A chill, sharper than any weapon's edge, instantly gripped his core. This wasn't an accident; this was premeditated sabotage! He was trapped here!

Just as Kavey was reeling from this sudden discovery, the airtight door of the hangar slid open. Walking in was Zoemem, whom he hadn't seen for several days.

Her appearance had subtly changed. The majesty of the dragon remained, but her once clear and curious dragon eyes were now veiled with a languid and contented glow, as if she had just emerged from a beautiful dream she didn't want to wake from. Her aura also carried a trace of the sweet, lingering energy unique to the Sanctuary.

"Kawei?" Zoimem asked, a hint of confusion in his voice, as he saw Kawei standing in front of the damaged lifeboat. "What are you doing here?"

Kawi, as if grasping at a straw, immediately relayed the dire situation: "Zoimem! You've come at the right time! The escape ships have all been destroyed; we might have fallen into a trap! Quickly, your dragon powers might be able to temporarily repair one. We must leave here immediately!"

However, Zoemem's reaction surprised Kavi. She showed no panic, but instead tilted her head, asking with even greater confusion, "Leave? Why leave? Wasn't the 'Comma' already promised as repair costs to Ms. Sakozun?"

Kawi's mental fluctuations suddenly sharpened: "It's not 'commas'! It's these escape ships! They're our means of leaving here and returning to the Dree! Zoemm, wake up! There's something wrong with the laws of this world; it's assimilating us! If I stay any longer, I'm afraid even my own will will be eroded!"

Zoimem blinked, a naive smile even appearing on his face: "Assimilation? What's wrong with that? I'm very happy here."

"No! Of course not!" Kavey's sword hummed with excitement. "To indulge in desires, to lose oneself—what difference is there between that and a demon king like Noriljohn?! Is our existence merely about chasing fleeting pleasures?!"

"But what's wrong with that?" Zoemem repeated the question, her tone calm, yet carrying a chilling sense of entitlement in her voice. "Noriljoon... isn't he quite at ease doing whatever he wants? Isn't living all about fulfilling your desires? Whether it's the desire to become stronger, the desire to explore, or... the desire for happiness."

These words were like ice water poured over his head, instantly sobering Kawi up and making him realize the gravity of the situation. This wasn't just simple manipulation; it was a fundamental subversion of his values! The Zoimem before him had been completely warped in his thinking!

Just then, a lazy, amused voice came from the hangar door: "Well said, my dear Zoimem. The true meaning of life lies in the pursuit of ultimate pleasure."

Sakozun leaned against the doorframe, his black eyes with purple pupils looking at Zoemem with satisfaction, then turned his gaze to Kave, who looked as if facing a formidable enemy, and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.

Kavey's sword tip suddenly pointed at Sakozun, a chilling killing intent spreading out as if it were tangible. He was finally certain—

"Zoimem..." Kavey's thoughts were filled with heartache and disbelief, "You... betrayed us!"