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

Talulah stumbled and almost fell out of the tent, furious.

“Speak your mind and keep your word. If even you are going to deceive those infected people and those who trust you so much, then who can these infected people trust in the world? If it comes to that, I advise you, young lady, to find someone to marry as soon as possible and live an honest life. Stop messing around with this nonsense about saving the infected people.”

When those words were spoken, Talulah, who had just stepped out of the tent, stopped in her tracks. She took a deep breath, turned her head, and looked at Wang Chong with a complicated expression.

“If I continue to deceive them with lies, then how am I any different from those villagers… Is he reminding me? But why is he doing this?” Talulah’s heart stirred with emotion, and she suddenly had the idea of ​​wanting to understand the man behind her.

"Hmm? Why haven't you left yet? If you're reluctant to leave, why don't you warm my bed for me?" Wang Chong said with a smile.

"..." For some reason, Talulah wasn't angry this time. After hearing this, she silently turned her head and walked out of the tent.

Chapter Eight: Talulah's Confession

"...They're out."

"Ah."

Patriot looked at the preoccupied Talulah, and after a brief conversation, he signaled some shield guards to surround the area. Then, he led Talulah, the other shield guards, and the White Rabbit who had come to check on the situation but was forcibly taken away, to a suitable place to begin their next conversation.

"What exactly is going on now? Who is that person? Tell me, Talulah." It wasn't Patriot who asked the question, but Frostnova. After all, Patriot's voice wasn't very good right now, so he tried to avoid speaking as much as possible.

"Everyone... before I explain his situation, there is something I must reveal to you all." Talulah took a deep breath, as if she had prepared herself for something, and then said, "Everyone, whether you are angry or disappointed when you hear this... I hope you can patiently listen to me finish telling you all this. This is... my original sin, and my past. Now, I no longer want to hold anything back or hide anything from you."

Hearing Talulah speak so earnestly, Frostnova's rabbit ears twitched slightly, and her expression turned serious as she looked at Patriot. Patriot exhaled a puff of white mist and said, "...Speak."

"Alright, let's start the story from Lungmen..."

Then, Talulah began to recount her past: how she was abducted, how she was gradually groomed by the Black Serpent into his so-called successor, how she became an Infected, how she denied the Black Serpent's words, how she ultimately killed him with a single sword strike, and most importantly—"the Black Serpent's curse."

"That kind of curse... doesn't that mean that in this process, Talulah, you can't make any mistakes on the path you're on, you can't have any complaints, and you have to be as steadfast as a saint, without any confusion? How is that possible!" Frostnova, being an outsider, saw things more clearly and immediately realized the most vicious part of the curse after hearing it.

"This is simply... once its conditions are met, it will push Talulah completely into that abyss! But how can a person move forward without any confusion or mistakes... Talulah, you wouldn't be saying this, would you?" Frostnova seemed to notice something, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense for some reason.

Frostnova wasn't the only one who noticed this; even the Shieldbearers present seemed to sense it. However, they didn't act rashly, instead waiting for Patriot's decision.

"Talulah... have you committed a sin?" Patriot finally spoke, his heavy voice like a mountain pressing down on Talulah's heart.

“Yes…” Talulah admitted, “Just two hours ago, I went to search for the whereabouts of the villagers on the outskirts of the village… and there I saw true darkness and evil. I couldn’t bear it anymore; I hated them, and once that feeling was ignited, it was completely uncontrollable. In the end, I burned them all, all of them…”

After saying all this, Talulah felt as if all her strength had been drained away. Although her body was weak, her heart felt as if it had been released, and the gloom and chaos within her had become clear.

"Old stubborn man... don't do anything, let Talulah explain herself." After listening to Talulah's confession of her crimes, Frostnova was also very annoyed, but when she met Talulah's eyes, which relaxed after she finished speaking, she decided to trust Talulah one more time.

Patriot nodded, and seeing that her father had no objection, Froststar asked directly, "What exactly did you see in that village?"

Talulah didn't hide anything and recounted everything that had happened in the village. After listening, Frostnova clenched her fists tightly. The horrific state of the infected, even just from Talulah's description, already filled her with immense anger. How could Talulah, who had witnessed it all firsthand, possibly restrain herself?

“Hey, you old fogey, this isn’t Talulah’s fault,” Frostnova said, looking at Patriot.

“No…” Patriot said in a heavy voice.

“Why is that wrong? Those guys deserve to die for what they did... As for the women and children... Talulah was indeed wrong, but wasn’t she completely affected by that curse?” Frostnova said.

“No!” Patriot paused after speaking, then continued, “Firstly, Talulah, this one thing alone shouldn’t be enough to defeat you… What else could have driven you to this point… Is it the Infected’s distrust and betrayal?”

“So that’s what you meant, you old stubborn man…” Frostnova breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Talulah and asked, “Talulah, are you under some kind of pressure that we don’t know about? Since you’re being so honest today, why don’t you just tell us everything?”

“Hmm…that’s what I was thinking too. However, this story might have to start with my first close friend…Alina.”

Talulah nodded, and then began to tell the story of her first true friend, a period of happy and peaceful times. Later, she recounted how she joined the Reunion Movement and became a leader among the Infected…

The conversation was long, even with some slightly tedious parts. Yet everyone present listened with exceptional focus. When Frostnova heard Talulah turn to a girl named Alina whenever she was troubled, she had a vague premonition... no, she already knew the outcome, because she remembered who that girl named Alina was.

"You all know what happened next... I carried her back, my dearest friend who always listened to my complaints and tried her best to comfort me... She died, at the hands of those treacherous infected... She never told me who killed her, but I know, I know very well... But she knew the curse of the Black Serpent, so she refused to tell me until her death, and told me not to hate. I... I'm sorry to her, in the end I couldn't hold on."

After saying this, Talulah closed her eyes; her tears had already been completely shed in that village.

“Talulah…” Frostnova wanted to say something, but she didn’t know how to comfort people. Her heart was also heavy, and she was increasingly angry—angry at this vile land. In the end, Frostnova could only look at her father, Patriot, to see how he would handle the situation.

"The seed... was it planted back then? This is the true secret of the 'immortal black serpent' they speak of." Patriot's tone was unreadable, but he raised his right hand and began to reach for Talulah's head.

"You old stubborn fool! What are you doing...?" Frostnova was about to stop her, but after taking only one step, she saw Patriot simply stroking Talulah's head, showing no intention of harming her, and said, "Talulah... you should have told us sooner. We could have faced this together."

"Yes, Talulah, if you ever have anything bothering you in the future, just tell us. We all trust you completely."

"We were indeed too harsh on you in the past, please forgive us. After all, we have seen too much deceit and treachery, and we had no choice but to be this way."

"I used to think you were too dazzling, Talulah. But now I realize that you are just like us, with your own worries and troubles. We have overlooked your feelings."

After the Patriots took action, the surrounding Shield Guards also spoke up to offer words of comfort.

“I…everyone…” Talulah felt a lump in her throat and was speechless for a moment.

“…Phew. That was terrifying.” Frostnova finally calmed down, but Patriot’s attitude and words reminded her of something, so she quickly said, “Wait, Talulah, you don’t look like you’re trapped in a curse and completely corrupted as you said.”

“Actually…” Talulah was about to explain when Patriot interrupted her, “It’s that man named Wang Chong, isn’t it?”

"Wang Chong?" Froststar suddenly remembered that their initial purpose was to inquire about Wang Chong. Now, they had come full circle back to this.

"Yes, at that time I was being constantly devoured by the will of the black serpent..." Talulah quickly recounted her encounter with Wang Chong in detail. She explained how he instantly killed her, how he devoured the black serpent and separated from her, and how he inexplicably followed her to the camp.

"Wow? You can even freeze your flames instantly? Is that the same ability as mine? I'd like to see it sometime," Frostnova said.

“Yelena!” Patriot said emphatically, as if issuing a warning.

"I know, you old stubborn man. I won't go looking for him," Froststar said somewhat reluctantly.

“This is roughly what I know about him. I really can’t figure out his behavior, plus I’m wary of him… and, before coming out of the tent, I wasn’t prepared to be honest with everyone, so I lied to you all,” Talulah said apologetically.

Chapter Nine: The Inner Guards Attack

“It’s alright, Talulah. You have your own concerns, and you haven’t recovered yet. But seeing the old stubborn man pondering for so long, surely he didn’t expect there to be such a person in the world?” Frostnova looked at Patriot and asked doubtfully.

“A powerful physique and freezing ability… able to use Originium Arts without a casting unit, yet completely free from Oripathy and unafraid of contact with infected individuals… a black mist similar to the Inner Guard… very clear about the ancient Black Serpent Curse… Yan Kingdom…” Patriot gasped, silently reciting these clues, and finally had some ideas.

“If his identity as a Yan Kingdom citizen is genuine, and he possesses such strength, knowledge, and a constitution immune to Oripathy, then I can only think of one identity—a god or a behemoth from the Yan Kingdom,” Patriot said.

"A behemoth? A god? You old codger, isn't that what you told me when you were trying to lull me to sleep? Do those things really exist?" Froststar said, frowning.

"Existence... Before I was taken away by Kosiché, I had heard ancient legends about giant beasts in the Yan Kingdom. In fact, according to the information I know, there are indeed several giant beasts in the Yan Kingdom that walk among humans. Although they are giant beasts, they can also transform into human form just like us and interact with us."

Talulah recalled the solemn way her uncle, Wei Yanwu, had talked to her and her sister, Chen Huijie, about the giant beast of Yan Kingdom. Information and characteristics about the giant beast of Yan Kingdom then came to mind.

"Yes... that should be it. Based on what I know, those giant beasts of Yan Kingdom have long lifespans, and because of this, their personalities are mostly different from ordinary people, and their behavior logic is completely unpredictable. They basically act impulsively and treat the people or things they encounter with a playful attitude."

As she spoke, Talulah recounted some of Wang Chong's peculiar behaviors, including how she herself had come to the realization that her decision to reveal her true feelings was due to his unintentional guidance. Now, looking back on Wang Chong's strange words and actions, many of them seemed quite absurd, yet they cleverly helped her resolve her inner conflicts step by step.

"So you're saying this guy came along just because he thinks it's fun?" Frostnova frowned as she spoke.

“The minds of behemoths cannot be fathomed by ordinary eyes… but surveillance is necessary… Talulah, do you have any more questions?” Patriot said, looking at Talulah, who was frowning slightly.

“Although this is speculation, there are still many things that don’t make sense. It is said that the giant beasts of Yan Kingdom are tightly controlled by the Yan Kingdom’s government. How could they possibly allow a giant beast to leave their territory? Also… when he was eliminating the Black Serpent, he said that he had his eye on my identity and bloodline… Could it be that I have some secret that I myself do not know?” Talulah said.

“It doesn’t matter. Whatever he’s after, he’ll have to get over us first.” Patriot said this sentence in its entirety this time to show his determination.

"A rustling--"

"Talulah—! Brothers of the Shield Guard—!"

Just then, a cry of alarm came from afar, and everyone looked in that direction. There, they saw the same infected man from before carrying an unconscious person on his back as he ran towards them.

"It's them—those masked men spewing black mist are back! Our scouts were attacked and drove them back! Faust… that boy Faust got hit by that damned guy's spear." The infected bear put the person on its back down. Faust's eyes were tightly closed, he was in great pain, and the black spear was stuck in his back. His blood had already turned black, and the black spear was still polluting and plundering Faust's last bit of life.

"Sasha!" Talulah was shocked and furious. She immediately bent down to try to save Faust, but Patriot stopped her and said, "It's a fatal wound... and the power of the Kingdom is above him. There's no way to save him now."

"No...this shouldn't be happening. Captain, please save this child! He just joined the team, he has so much future ahead of him, he shouldn't die here..." The infected man's eyes were red. Although they had been experiencing this kind of death all along...how could they accept it if even the child who symbolized their future died so tragically in front of them?

"Those damned bastards! I'm going to kill them!" Frostnova was also furious when she saw this, and she immediately prepared to lead the Shield Guards and Yeti squad to meet the enemy.

"Line up! This is the Emperor's inner guards' specialty, and it's also a declaration of war! Everyone, take your positions and prepare for battle!"

"Yes!"

Patriot, without hesitation, knew he had to prepare for a powerful enemy's attack and couldn't afford to worry about such things. He then turned to Talulah, who was still kneeling on the ground embracing Faust, and said, "Talulah! For the sake of those who are still alive..."

Talulah clenched her fists. Tragedy after tragedy unfolded before her eyes, and she was powerless to stop it. Was this land destined to devour the weak and the good, leaving no way out?

"Talulah!" Patriot called out Talulah's name in a deep voice. Talulah, suppressing her grief, said to the raging infected, "Sasha... accompany him on his final journey, and then take good care of his body."

Then, Talulah stood up, ready to unleash her fury on the executioners who wanted to take the lives of the infected.

The guerrillas launched their attacks, leaving only the infected Xiong Xiong wiping away tears and apologizing.

"rustle--"

"Hand him over to me."

Just then, the sound of snow-treading accompanied by a man's voice rang out. Upon hearing this, the Xiongxiong Infected couldn't help but raise his head, only to see that the strange man he had seen earlier that day—Wang Chong—had once again appeared in front of him and extended his hand to him.

"How is it?" Wang Chong said with a smile.

……

Outside the camp, only white and black intertwined. In the wind and snow, a group of black-clad guards, exuding an eerie black mist and wearing special tactical uniforms and masks, appeared on the opposite side, pressing towards the camp with an extremely oppressive aura.

Meanwhile, at the camp, the Shield Guards had already formed ranks, along with other members of the guerrilla force and skilled infected warriors, confronting the advancing Inner Guards.

Patriot, Talulah, and Frostnova were all at the forefront, ready to launch an attack at any moment. However, they were all waiting, waiting for the other side to give the order.

Sure enough, an inner guard stepped out of the ranks and stopped 50 meters away from the Patriot.

“Nice to meet you again, Wendigo.” The center-back was clearly the same one he had dealt with before.

"Ten people...that's quite a show of force. So you've finally made up your minds to completely eradicate the infected." Patriot looked directly at the guard and said.

"We were not enemies, nor should we have become enemies. In the original blueprint of the Empire, you all had your own place. From this day forward, you should have been in your rightful places, and the history of Ursus will remember your contributions. Unfortunately, like a child suddenly jumping out and overturning the chessboard during a game of chess, the pieces that should have been in their proper places have been thrown off the board due to an accident," the guard said in a deep voice.

"So, you planned everything from the very beginning. Targeting Talulah, is that it? This is the true secret of the immortal black serpent." Patriot's gaze sharpened, like a sword piercing through the body of the inner guard.

Chapter Ten: Instant Refinement

"Do you already know...? No, we haven't planned anything. We just know very well that on this land of only sin and corruption, it will surely blossom and bear fruit. It's just a pity that it was abruptly stopped, and we must deal with these follow-up and destabilizing factors." The guard said.

"shut up!"

A furious shout cut off the guard's mutterings. The air began to scorch. Talulah's longsword was now engulfed in flames. With the black serpent's curse spell completed and her emotions amplified, Talulah was now more fiery and violent than when she last met the guard, bearing the faint scent of a tyrant.

"There are no pawns for you here, nor will you be allowed to manipulate them at will. I will not become what you want me to be, and from today onwards, you will never see that again!" Talulah roared.

“Anger, hatred… your emotions are even darker than before, but because the transformation is incomplete, it makes you seem even more mediocre.” The guard shook his head and said, “One wrong step leads to another. You should return to your original position, Talulah.”

"Ha, shall we continue with these pointless words? Your conspiracy has failed, even the immortal black serpent is dead. Even if you sensed something was wrong, it's too late. And since you think I'm mediocre, then use your neck to test whether my sword and fire are truly mediocre!"

Talulah had deduced that the ten guards who had appeared were all there to break the curse and restore order. If she couldn't secure victory today, she would rather lead them away alone than let them harm her comrades again. Therefore, she prepared to step out of the shield guards' protective line, but before she had taken more than a few steps, Patriot grabbed her shoulder.

“I’ve already said I will follow your cause and go with you. Stop having these unnecessary thoughts, Talulah,” Patriot said.

“…Hmm.” Talulah nodded, though she stopped in her tracks, her anger forcibly suppressed. However, Patriot’s words only fueled her fighting spirit.

"You want to take Talulah away?" Patriot asked, looking at the guard.

"Not only her, but also that unexpected event—that's our mission this time," the guard said slowly.

“I see… If I remember correctly, you’ve already declared war on us in your own way,” Patriot said in a deep voice. “Then you shouldn’t have gotten so close to a Wendigo.”

"!!" Instantly, the inner guard felt a sense of foreboding. Just as he was about to draw his sword, a dark shadow magnified infinitely in his field of vision.

"boom!!"

A violent crash suddenly erupted, and the guard was sent flying like a kite with a broken string. Where the guard had just stood, Patriot remained unmoved, like a mountain, standing firm on the snow-covered plain.

"Pay attention to the contamination after their deaths, evacuate in time... And now, advance the entire army!" The voice rang out like a bell, and the guerrillas and the infected began to move.

The remaining nine guards, faced with this overwhelming onslaught, transformed into a thick black mist—the "Kingdom" began to corrupt the land, and then they marched forward to engage the infected warriors in battle.

Frostnova and her Yeti squad held off two full-fledged guards, while Talulah wielded her fire sword and engaged one of the guards in a one-on-one duel. Patriot was even more engrossed in fighting three guards.

But three Inner Guards remained, like cold killing machines, assaulting the Infected and Shield Guards' defenses and reaping the lives of the Infected. Keep in mind, even with Talulah's leadership, holding off two Inner Guards was already a challenge; now, without Talulah's flames, trying to hold off three was a pipe dream.

Hearing the cries of the infected being slaughtered, Talulah's grief and anger intensified, and the sword in her hand grew heavier accordingly. The inner guard facing Talulah felt increasingly unable to cope with Talulah's swift sword and flames, which made even it waver slightly.

"It's time to end this." Just then, a familiar voice suddenly rang out from behind Talulah. Talulah was startled, and it was too late to draw her sword to defend herself.

"Well--!"

Talulah felt as if she had been struck in the side and back, and she fell to the ground in the snow, rolling around several times.

"Talulah!" Frostnova wanted to go and help, but with two inner guards attacking in turn, she couldn't get away at all.

"!" Patriot also noticed the situation and swung his giant halberd down heavily, but it was blocked by the three guards who struggled together.

As for the others, needless to say, the battle lines formed by the infected and the shield guards are already in a state of collapse, and they are simply too busy to take care of themselves.