Herrscher of Reason's Arknights

The timing was so perfect, as if it had been arranged.

Ghost Shark, like a ferryman to the other shore, stood before Wenlan, bowing down. At this moment, she seemed like the Virgin Mary, redeeming all broken souls.

"You haven't forgotten, have you? I'm a demon, a merchant who sells fate and lives."

Despite claiming to be a businessman, he gently squeezed Wenlan's hand, and then, like a lover, pressed his fingers to his lips.

At this moment, the ghost shark didn't seem like an illusion at all; Wenlan could even feel the softness and warmth coming from her fingertips.

Her pink, tender lips were incredibly alluring.

"The devil can grant other people's wishes. Something that many people can only dream of is right in front of you. Why don't you want to pick it up?"

As it spoke, the crouching ghost shark gently bit Wenlan's finger.

"This is the first time you've been in this position, isn't it, hmm?"

Teasing the fool in front of him, Ghost Shark had a charming blush on his face, and his smile seemed to be able to captivate people and make them feel extremely at ease.

Their bloodshot eyes met, and one instinctively tried to look away, but was completely captured by the other's gaze.

There is no escape.

"No, then remember this well, this is the temperature of your lips."

Ghost Shark grinned, parted its pearly teeth slightly, and slowly inserted its finger, finally taking the entire index finger into its mouth.

"Why...?"

"uh-huh?"

"Why...it's me?"

Wenlan's voice trembled.

Because she could feel something attacking her.

Despite the incredibly tempting scene, Wenlan felt... that she was gradually sliding into an abyss.

It was as if by agreeing to the devil's demands, she would lose something forever.

To lose everything you have now.

Losing everything familiar around them.

"Because... I am you."

We are so alike.

We are such a perfect match.

You just lack sufficient guidance.

"You are... me?"

"Yeah, besides us, is there anyone else on this damn stage?"

there is none left."

"Everyone else is a puppet behind the curtain; only we are the main characters."

Do you think that mountains are mountains and water is water?

Actually, the correct interpretation is that mountains are not mountains and water is not water.

"You're in such a crisis, and only I can save you. Don't you believe me?"

Indeed, we are in such a desperate situation.

They were chased into a dead end by an unknown monster.

There's no escaping it now; that's the current situation.

This is the most critical situation for humankind.

It's a desperate situation.

"..."

Wenlan fell silent.

She hadn't felt this way in a long time.

A trembling heart, a trembling voice, fingers being gently bitten, and the surrounding red flowers slowly blooming.

It is the red spider lily.

Is this hell?

Wenlan didn't even know what kind of expression she had right now.

Yes, over the years, has anyone truly cared about her?

No.

Who betrayed me and caused me to lose my former home?

It's that damn older sister.

Who is responsible for always being discriminated against?

Those damn students.

Now, Wenlan truly felt that strange sense of weightlessness.

Even though I'm sitting here, it feels like I'm falling.

But at this moment, she seemed to be learning to enjoy herself, like a passenger on a roller coaster, experiencing this strange feeling of weightlessness.

Enjoying the feeling of falling.

Gradually sliding into the abyss.

Invincible.

Was it attraction? Or something else? Wenlan herself couldn't figure it out.

He saw that Wenlan's face gradually revealed the same expression as his own, and the smile gradually turned wicked.

The ghost shark laughed too.

Human beings ultimately have their limits, and as long as there are limits, tragedies will continue to occur.

All tragedies are caused by the inadequacy of the parties involved.

However, this is a false proposition, because humans ultimately have their limits.

unless····

—Abandoning one's human identity.

You have to give up something to gain something; if you want to gain something, you have to lose something else.

They stopped being human and became like monsters.

They became less docile and less compassionate.

"Everyone must give up a part in order to protect what is left."

They should have the instinct of the weak, the strength to cut off their own arm to protect themselves, but lack the necessary awareness.

"...Then, accept me."

As he spoke, the ghost shark gently bit down, the blood from its finger staining the girl's lips, turning her originally bright red lips crimson.

Her white teeth were slightly visible, and her pink tongue traced the wound on her finger, the sweet blood filling every taste bud.

Bloody and terrifying.

Gently smearing blood on his lips, Ghost Shark suddenly cupped Vinland's cheeks in his hands.

He stroked it gently, as if he were caressing his beloved.

His bloodshot eyes had curved into crescent moons, as if he were admiring the work of art he had created.

"Then, give me everything, become me, and then laugh at this damn, ridiculous, utterly boring world."

A theater that belongs to only one person.

Even if it means resorting to any means, even if it hurts others, even if it takes a life.

It doesn't matter at all.

Because in this world, everyone is a puppet behind a curtain.

This world is being raised in captivity, a world that is called a breeding machine without even realizing it.

This stupid world is full of animals.

In this dream world, which is already beyond redemption.

Just remember one thing.

—Fear blood.

My dear, God's greatest failure.

A greeting from the deep sea [13]

This place feels like the end of the world.

The light was blocked by the water, and the shimmering ripples fell on her.

Wenlan felt as if she was slowly sinking.

Instead of collapsing on the street or getting soaked by the rain, it was completely submerged in the abyss.

The sound of the waves kept echoing in my ears.

Suddenly, a voice that sounded very similar to his own rang in his ears.

In this world, everyone is a puppet behind a curtain...

This world is being raised in captivity, a world that is unknowingly called a breeding machine.

The sounds were so faint that I couldn't even hear where I was.

All that can be seen is darkness, and the silence within that darkness.

The girl tried to move, but found that her body was completely out of her control. Everything in sight was moving away from her, and the sea, shimmering with light, was slowly receding from her.

Why not wake up? In this foolish world full of beasts...

This is a dream world that's long since beyond redemption.

Am I... dead?

In the dark and vast silence, Wenlan felt herself slowly sinking.

The feeling of suffocation caused the brain, which had just awakened, to fall back into a state of dormancy.

In the bottomless abyss, it felt as if countless pale hands were pulling at my body, dragging me deeper and deeper, while ancient, faint songs sang in my ears, like lullabies from my hometown.

What happened just now?

Ah, yes.

It seemed that his mind had regained some consciousness, and he had paid the price called blood.

And the ghost shark's devilish smile.

I must be crazy to agree to something like this.

No, I had no choice at all, hadn't I?

It started from the day the illusion called Ghost Shark appeared.

Just remember one thing.

"—Fear the blood."

The Creator's greatest failure trembled slowly, its pale lips whispering these words.

"Fear the blood."

Suddenly, she heard a soft laugh.

That was laughter from the heart.