A Villain's Journey Begins in the Type-Moon World

Chapter Three: Teasing Talulah

"Crackling and popping—"

The sound of fire burning wood reached Talulah's ears as she drifted into a hazy state of consciousness. How long had it been since she had truly rested like this? So tired... she felt like nothing mattered anymore.

Talulah thought to herself, she had never felt so tired and powerless. She wanted to go back to sleep, but the noisy sparks around her made her more and more awake.

Finally, she opened her eyes. What greeted her was a burning flame, accompanied by a throbbing pain in the back of her head, and memories of what had happened began to flood back. She finally realized what she had done, and a mix of negative emotions—self-blame, guilt, regret, hatred—stung in her chest, making her feel suffocated.

"you're awake."

Suddenly, a strange man's voice rang out beside Talulah. Years of wartime experience had honed Talulah's skills; she instantly rolled away to create distance and warily looked towards the source of the voice.

A man dressed in a style completely different from the inhabitants of the snowfield was sitting on a fallen log, holding a notebook in one hand and writing something with a pen in the other. His gaze was fixed on his notebook, completely ignoring Talulah, as if she were just a passerby, someone he had only met briefly and didn't need to pay much attention to.

However, Talulah remembered, remembered who this man before her was… someone who could withstand her sword strike without the slightest injury, and who could defeat her with a single blow. Of course, none of that was the most important thing. The most important thing was—he ended her curse, and before she could completely step into the abyss, he had just managed to strangle the snake.

At least now, Talulah can no longer hear the black serpent's whispers. Although some hatred still lingers in her heart, ultimately everything belongs to her.

So now there's only one problem—

"Who...who are you? What do you want?" Talulah asked.

“You’re just like your adoptive father. Instead of worrying about who I am or what I want to do, you should worry about yourself.” The man—Wang Chong—stopped writing, closed his notebook, and finally met Talulah’s gaze.

"I know my own affairs... I know them myself." Facing such a threatening and unpredictable man, Talulah had no time to worry about her own problems. After all, her life was still in his hands.

"Understand? That's for the best, so you don't go crazy and draw your sword to slash at some complete stranger again," Wang Chong said with a slightly teasing tone.

"you……"

"What? Am I wrong?"

"..."

Talulah remained silent, a silence that also signified her agreement with Wang Chong's sharp words. She had ultimately made a mistake, betrayed her original intentions, and forgotten the words of a close friend who, in his final moments, had reminded her of his errors.

If things had gone according to the original script of the Black Serpent, Talulah would undoubtedly have been driven to one extreme by this event, skipping the intermediate steps and directly leading to the predetermined outcome set by the Black Serpent. However, now that Wang Chong has abruptly interrupted the spell, she is caught in a state of confusion between these two extremes.

She already knew she had taken the wrong path in the past. But she could no longer wholeheartedly accept the path the Black Serpent had given her.

"So you still can't figure it out? That's understandable, after all, she's just a young girl with little experience." Wang Chong stood up and started walking towards the village, saying this.

"You—!" Talulah suppressed her anger. She could see the other party's contempt for her, so she wouldn't explain too much. After all, she would prove herself with her actions...

Having thought this through, Talulah stopped pondering. Could she truly prove herself through her actions? And what did her current behavior amount to then?

Wang Chong ignored how emo Talulah was. He then waved his hand, and a huge black mist spread out, instantly extinguishing all the flames in the entire village.

"This is... a kingdom?! No... he's not wearing that kind of combat suit. Could he really be..." Talulah recalled the last words the black snake whispered in her mind, and couldn't help but equate the other's identity with a demon. But that shouldn't be the case. In the history of Ursus's struggle against demons, and even in folk songs, the images of demons are mostly uniform: monsters, twisted and deformed, with foul-smelling long limbs, a hundred eyes, a thousand fingers, and so on.

"That's why I said you're not very knowledgeable. Don't mistake black mist for a kingdom. As for demons, don't even mention them. It's one thing for your foster father to be mistaken, but you've been fooled by them so many times, and you still believe their nonsense?"

Wang Chong slowly walked over, holding an iron sword, and tossed it to Talulah. Talulah caught it and realized it was the very weapon she had just dropped. Talulah looked at Wang Chong, wondering what his intentions were.

"Let's go, there's nothing left here. It's time to go back," Wang Chong said, walking towards the village entrance.

“Go back? Go back where?” Talulah asked, a chill running through her.

“Of course you should go back to your comrades. Am I right, Talulah, the leader of the Infected organization—the Reunion Movement?” Wang Chong said.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about…” Talulah said, her heart sinking.

“I ate your adoptive father, and all his memories of you are in my mind. Even if you don’t want to lead the way, I can still get there.” Wang Chong pointed to his head and continued walking forward.

"Wow—"

A warm current blew across his back, and scorching flames ignited from behind him once more. Wang Chong smiled, stopped, and turned around, saying, "You tried to attack me three times just now. The first time was when you woke up and heard my voice, the second time was when I deliberately teased and provoked you, and the third time was when I threw the weapon at you. But all three times you ultimately held back and didn't make a move."

"Because you know you can't beat me... Fighting me would just be a waste of your life. But now, you're prepared to fight me for the sake of your comrades? What, are you so afraid of me? Afraid that I'll do something to harm your comrades?"

As Wang Chong spoke, he unleashed his aura, hands on his hips, and strode towards Talulah, who was wielding a flaming sword.

"Scared? I've just been annoyed with you for a long time. I'll draw my sword whenever I want." The current situation is beyond Talulah's control. She was already in a state of turmoil because of the black snake, and she still couldn't calm down and think things through.

“I should have endured it, or even led the way. Since he already knew where his companions’ camp was, I should have rushed back to the main camp to inform them, so that at least we could be prepared. Instead of dying here like this.”

Talulah has finally come to her senses, but it's too late. Once the sword is drawn, there's no reason to sheath it before one side suffers casualties.

"Haha, really? Little girl, if you sheath your sword now and admit you're afraid, I can forgive you for drawing it. We can still continue as if nothing happened. After all, there are too many liars and too few truth-tellers in this world. So I always like to give those who tell the truth a chance, while making those who like to lie pay a price." Wang Chong said, spreading his hands.

"Heh, I'm not that naive. Don't try to trick me into saying those things and then humiliate me. If you want to fight, then fight. What's the point of all this talk?" Talulah held her sword with both hands, continuously gathering her Originium Arts, making the flames grow hotter and larger.

“Since you’re not afraid, then come forward. What? Do you expect me to make the first move?” Wang Chong said with a smile.

"—Drink!" Without hesitation, Talulah finally made her move. She rushed in front of Wang Chong, trying to unleash the largest flames she could. She not only hoped to repel him, but also wanted to use her Originium Arts to create a huge commotion so that the scouts in the camp would be alerted.

"Om-"

"You say one thing and do another, Talulah. Hahaha, why did you put your sword away? So you're still afraid of me after all, and you want me to give you a chance to forgive you."

However, Wang Chong's voice reached Talulah's ears. Only then did Talulah realize that something was wrong; the enormous flames she had imagined had not appeared. Glancing down, she discovered that her weapon had indeed been sheathed at some point.

"How is this possible—!"

Talulah clearly couldn't understand what was happening before her eyes.

Chapter Four: I Want Them All

"How is this possible—!"

Talulah imagined many possible endings: being defeated, having her flames affect the enemy, or her most trusted patriot arriving to rescue her. She considered many possibilities, even imagining herself being cut in half at the waist the next second, dying in this village, paying the price for her evil thoughts and actions.

But the result is this ridiculous yet chilling scene: the sword that was originally in his hand has been taken back without anyone noticing.

"Clap--"

At that moment, Talulah's hands were also firmly grasped. Realizing what was happening, Talulah tried to create distance and draw her sword again, but it was too late.

"What—what do you want to do!"

Talulah realized that Wang Chong had completely pulled her hands apart, and when she saw his eyes getting closer and closer, she felt a little panicked for some reason.

“What am I doing? I just said it, didn’t I… I like to give those who tell the truth a chance, while making those who like to lie pay a price. I’ve given you the chance, so it’s time for you to pay the price for lying,” Wang Chong said.

"Price? What price—!!!"

Before she could finish speaking, Talulah's pupils dilated instantly. Wang Chong grabbed Talulah, pressed her head down, and forcefully kissed her.

The shocking reality was so overwhelming that Talulah momentarily forgot to resist. It wasn't until something soft pushed open her teeth that she snapped out of her daze and tried to break free from the other person's embrace.

Talulah couldn't break free from the other's bear hug; his arms were like steel, impossible to budge. In desperation, Talulah had no choice but to steel herself and bite hard at the one who was teasing her tongue.

"Um--!"

Talulah's face turned bright red. How could someone's tongue be so hard to bite with their teeth? Was this even human?

It can only be said that Talulah's first kiss was destined to be unforgettable.

……

"what……"

The kiss ended, and Talulah groaned. She felt as if she were suffocating; the minute that had lasted felt longer than an hour. Looking down, she saw a thin strand of moisture clinging to their lips, which filled Talulah with unbearable shame and indignation.

"Hmm, it smells very good. If we're talking about species, this should be considered 'ambergris' incense, right?" Wang Chong seemed to be savoring the aroma for a moment before speaking to the person in question.

"You—shameless!" Talulah really wanted to risk her life and die together with the guy who had taken liberties with her, but she was still being held firmly and couldn't move at all.

"I'm not being shameless, I'm just demanding my dues and interest. Now you should know what the consequences will be for lying to me, right?" After saying that, Wang Chong released Talulah without any concern that she would retaliate. Instead, he looked expectant, hoping she would make another move so he could take advantage of her legitimately (despicably).

"..." Talulah's anger subsided immediately upon realizing this; she had never seen such a shameless person.

"What a pity..." Seeing that Talulah was unmoved, Wang Chong looked disappointed and said, "I thought that even if you didn't make a move, you would at least pick up the slush on the ground and wash your mouth to defend your dignity."

Who would use that stuff to wash their mouth to defend their dignity? Talulah thought to herself, but she didn't dare to make a scene, lest the other party find another excuse to harass her.

“Now that you’ve made enough of a scene, it’s time to go. Little leader of the Reunion Movement,” Wang Chong said.

"What exactly are you planning? What is your purpose?!" Talulah finally asked directly. She couldn't win a fight, and going around in circles wouldn't work, so she might as well be direct. Even if she died, she wanted to die knowing why.

"So you've been agonizing over this for so long, and it's just this one question?" Wang Chong said with a helpless expression. "Didn't I already state my purpose?"

"You said that?" Talulah was taken aback, as she didn't remember the other person saying that at all.

“Yes, it happened during my conversation with you… no, to be precise, during my conversation with your adoptive father. How about it? You forgetful little girl, do you remember now?” Wang Chong said with a smile.

"..." Talulah frowned deeply, recalling the scene at that time. In an instant, a sentence exploded in her mind like a thunderbolt—"I want your body."

Combining the Black Serpent's earlier thoughts with what this man had just done to her, Talulah felt a chill run down her spine, making her tremble even more than the snow falling outside. For a moment, Talulah adopted a girlish demeanor, covering her chest with her hands and saying, "You—! You won't get away with this!"

"Hahaha, to be honest, you two are quite alike sometimes. I have to admire your imaginations when it comes to having wildly different ideas." Seeing Talulah's expression, Wang Chong laughed again.

"What... am I wrong? You did that to me!" Talulah said angrily.

“Talulah, Talulah, if I really only wanted your body, I had plenty of opportunities. Like just now, did you manage to break free? Don’t talk about biting your tongue to commit suicide; you bit me quite a bit with your teeth when I had your mouth covered.” Wang Chong said with a smile.

"You!" Talulah felt as if the other party was her nemesis, easily stirring her emotions and making her unable to calm down. "So what exactly do you want from me! My identity, or my bloodline?"

"Well, that's pretty close to the answer, at least if you had just woken up, that would certainly be the answer. It's just that my thoughts have changed slightly now," Wang Chong said with a smile.

"Besides these, what else do you want from me?" Talulah took a deep breath and asked patiently.

"All."

"Huh?" Talulah was taken aback and made a puzzled sound.

“I said, I want it all. Identity, bloodline, body… even your heart, I want it all.” Wang Chong raised his hand, making a grasping motion, and said.

"!" Talulah was so shocked by Wang Chong's words that she was speechless.

"Were you scared? Actually, you can indirectly interpret this as... a courtship. That's right, this is it, I'm courting you." Wang Chong's serious, thoughtful expression made his words seem particularly comical.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Talulah couldn't hold back any longer and started yelling.

"I thought you already knew." Wang Chong said, feigning surprise, "Look, you're mentally unstable and go crazy, attacking people, while I'm mentally challenged and forcefully kissing and proposing to you. Don't you think we're a perfect match?"

"Heh...heh..." Talulah could only gasp for breath, completely at a loss for words, and was almost bursting with anger at Wang Chong's manipulation.

"Alright, now that you understand my purpose, can you leave with peace of mind? You're the only one in my eyes; I have no interest in your compatriots," Wang Chong said.

"..." What was there to say at this point? Talulah didn't believe a word the other party said, but one thing she was very clear about was that if Wang Chong really wanted to do something, she couldn't stop him. Since she couldn't stop him, she might as well just take him there as she had originally planned. At least there would be a bunch of companions there, giving her some confidence.

"Looks like you've thought it through. So, don't overthink things, don't complicate them, and don't always try to carry the burden alone. Without the support of your companions, you're just an ordinary little girl." Seeing Talulah start walking and silently leading the way, Wang Chong leisurely followed and said this intentionally or unintentionally.

Talulah clenched her fist, but for some reason relaxed it again.

“Just an ordinary little girl…” Talulah murmured.

"The air has dissipated, the wind has stopped. Let the bloodstains and filth be covered up under that expanse of white."

Wang Chong's words suddenly came from behind her again, causing Talulah to pause slightly. Talulah suddenly realized that because she had been fooling around with Wang Chong for so long, her mind was no longer on the sins she had committed.

"Could it be that he did it on purpose? Is he concerned about me?" For some reason, this thought suddenly popped into Talulah's mind, and she couldn't help but turn around to look behind her.

"Oh? Why did you suddenly turn your head? Did you reminisce about that wonderful kiss and want to try it again?" Wang Chong's sly grin made Talulah feel goosebumps and nausea.

"An illusion! It must be an illusion!" Talulah thought angrily, kicking a pebble in a fit of rage to vent her renewed displeasure. Wang Chong, following behind, simply smiled and silently kept up.

Chapter 5 Entering the Camp

"Talulah! It really is you, thank goodness. You've been gone for a full three hours. Everyone was worried about you. Faust was already preparing to take a few of his brothers to look for you."

As Wang Chong followed Talulah closer to the camp, an infected person with bear ears, covered up completely, ran up to Talulah with a relieved look on his face.

"Talulah...you don't look too good...could it be?" The infected noticed that no one was following Talulah, and for a moment, he began to speculate about the outcome of Talulah's search for the missing infected.

“They’re all dead…with the people in that village.” Talulah felt a pang of pain in her heart upon hearing her infected brother’s question. She shook her head and said.

“Those damned imperial hyenas! (Ursus profanity)... It’s the same again. It’s not enough that they killed our brothers, they even killed the people who took them in! (Ursus profanity)... Upon hearing the news, the infected was filled with grief and indignation, cursing the infected picket team.

Talulah opened her mouth, wanting to say that wasn't the case, but when she was about to speak, she fell silent. She hesitated, she was afraid, and in the end, it all turned into a silent lament.

"Talulah, have you spotted those scouts? Could they be affecting our route?" The infected seemed to have vented his anger, or perhaps realized this wasn't the time to unleash it, and quickly asked.

“No, all the evil was burned away in that village. Talulah did it herself.” Talulah was about to say something when the man behind her spoke first. Talulah couldn’t help but glance at Wang Chong; she didn’t understand why this man would help her hide those things.

"Haha... That's satisfying, burning is satisfying. Those guys should be burned alive by Talulah's sword... Wait, who are you?" Because the infected person's attention was focused on Talulah, he didn't notice that there was a man behind Talulah until Wang Chong spoke.

"My name is Wang Chong, a traveler from the Yan Kingdom. I was unfortunately caught up in this conflict, and it was your leader, Talulah, who saved my life. Unfortunately, I am penniless because of this ordeal, and I am afraid I will not be able to return to my homeland on my own. I heard that you are heading south, and since we are going the same way, I plan to join your group."

"Huh? Oh...oh."