Chapter 268: The Distant Girl
The words that Bai Yan suddenly spoke made everyone present silent for a while. Each person felt that something was wrong.
Maryse looked at Bai Yan, her eyes filled with astonishment, and then glanced at Kessel. She could sense a peculiar atmosphere brewing.
Bai Yan took a deep breath, slowly turned around, and gazed at the "Emperor".
Is it over?
No, it isn't.
How could it possibly end here?
After gathering four clues, Bai Yan was now fully aware. There was still a hidden presence to deal with in order to truly resolve everything.
That was the source of all the strangeness.
If "she" cannot be completely eliminated, all the strangeness will come back again, perhaps even giving rise to new strangeness.
This was not just to successfully complete the activity.
It was also to protect the city that now belonged to the Babel Tower.
This time, they were able to address the issue without any casualties, but they knew they might not be so lucky next time.
Bai Yan thought about the information he had seen before.
[If the 'Deadly Mail' activity is successfully completed, the difficulty of the First Doomsday Crisis will slightly decrease, or...]
Bai Yan didn't know what would come next, but he knew it would be best if he could complete the task perfectly.
He had a growing sense of anticipation.
The main storyline mission, the Doomsday Crisis, will be much more challenging than the first playthrough, even beyond his imagination...
"The problem was over."
The young boy, Kessel, with his pure white appearance, spoke in a stern tone, emphasizing once again.
"There won't be any more danger. All the strange creatures have been defeated. What else do you want...? You promised me before that you wouldn't investigate the origin anymore."
His eyes were like white mist, and his silver scattered hair highlighted his flawless purity. However, no one could ignore the rising, intense murderous intent emanating from him.
Bai Yan did promise, indeed.
But he wasn't someone who easily kept his promises... unless the other person was very important to him.
Maryse was a little confused and asked, "Moriarty... what's going on?"
She could sense that Kessel's emotions were becoming increasingly unstable.
If they kept going like this, there might be a fight, and the "Emperor" would attack "Profligate".
I'm still too weak... I couldn't kill the 'Emperor' right away, what should I do... Profligate, you better know what to do...
As she thought about this, suddenly she realized something.
Oh, right! Mr. Profligate is only a projection here, so even if he is killed, it's okay.
Just now, I worried about this jerk...
"Just like I said, the problem isn't resolved, and the root cause still remains."
Bai Yan still held on to his own stubborn views.
"And, the strange source is none other than your wife, the Demon of Justice who founded the Demon Hunt Agency over two hundred years ago... You know all of this, yet you want to hide the truth, don't you?"
Scarlet Moon and Maryse were both a bit surprised when they heard these words.
"You!"
After listening to these words, Kessel almost instantly became furious.
Deep Blue World!
In that moment, Bai Yan acted without hesitation, summoning the power of Nightsaber. Everything around him came to a sudden halt.
He slowly walked through the deep blue frozen world.
"My greatest advantage lies within this."
"At the moment of Power Possession, I can also utilize my own innate abilities."
He placed his hand on Kessel once again, but this time, it was blocked by the Distance of the Hearts.
Bai Yan was not surprised by this at all.
"Still can't see through, huh? Just as expected from the 'Distance of the Hearts', one of the thirty-six forbidden spells of the higher-ranked beings. It even has the power to stop my extraordinary abilities as a Crown level."
If I switch my Power Possession to someone else, I won't be able to maintain the power to freeze time... But right here, let's gather information directly about the 'Distance of the Hearts'.
Before the frozen time came to an end, Bai Yan had already activated his extraordinary ability of "information gathering," and began collecting various pieces of information about the Distance of the Hearts itself.
Those past, long ago, messages from two hundred years ago...
Until this day, Bai Yan's goal of "information gathering" has evolved from being just a physical ability to becoming a unique concept.
Even the spell "Distance of the Hearts" itself can be the target of power activation.
Although only a very small part, it was still enough. Bai Yan saw the face of the girl from among the many scattered pieces of information.
So that's how it was...
You, have always been here.
Time returned to normal.
Kessel was taken aback, as he saw the man known as the "Profligate" suddenly standing in front of him. He instinctively became alert.
"You!"
But as he was about to make a move, he suddenly stopped.
Kessel also noticed that the young half-elf girl was staring at him intently. He realized that any sudden movement from him would surely provoke a powerful attack from her.
The Queen of the Scarlet Moon appeared lazy, as if she had no intention of taking action. However, since all of them were members of the Babel Tower, they couldn't just let their comrades be attacked.
Even though he wasn't afraid of the Psychic Dancer, he knew that the Queen of the Scarlet Moon on the other side was a presence that needed to be wary of.
Finally, Profligate himself possessed exceptional strength that was beyond ordinary.
Through their recent encounter, Kessel came to understand something.
"Profligate"...
He was possibly facing someone even more powerful than himself.
Um, so you won't attack?
A very good choice.
Bai Yan smiled gently and slowly stretched out a finger, pointing to the ground. He calmly said, "I already know, is she here? Perhaps, this is why you often come to Tatsumi City. You're not just mourning the past, but also hoping to meet her here."
Kessel remained silent, but his emotions underwent a very intense change.
Um, he guessed it right.
Bai Yan had already seen it in the past, the many connections about "The Distance of the Hearts".
In a story from over two hundred years ago, the place where "The Distance of the Hearts" happened the most was right here... The very last time a girl's face was seen was also here.
The area around the Demon Hunt Agency building in Tatsumi City.
This was one of the clues he found.
Actually, based on this, he couldn't be completely sure if the Demon of Justice was really nearby this building at the moment.
However, Bai Yan had the power of "Connection" which allowed him to feel the emotions of everyone around him.
Kessel had unusual emotional changes when it came to this area.
From the moment they arrived here, Kessel's body had glowing pink threads, shimmering and pulsating... It was incredibly bright, sparkling, and Bai Yan couldn't ignore it.
This place must be a special land, otherwise why would he feel so excited and thrilled?
Kessel's emotions became very unstable.
Bai Yan could see that within the threads appearing on Kessel, emotions like pain, anger, and self-blame started to glow, shimmer, and pulsate...
He clearly found himself dancing in the other person's forbidden territory.
But this is exactly what he wanted now!
Anyway, the "Emperor" couldn't possibly kill him! What could anger do to him anyway?
He was getting anxious, oh so anxious!
Bai Yan's face lit up with an even brighter smile than before. He continued speaking slowly and gently, "Taking care of her until now must have been your decision alone, right?"
"Ailsa probably wouldn't have such a stain that brings harm to everyone, just for her own selfish desires."
"I think she must really want to see you, to ask you why you did this... If anyone died because of her... maybe she will never forgive you for the rest of her life."
Through various forms of understanding, even without having personally met the Demon of Justice, Bai Yan had already come to understand what kind of person she was.
Even though she was cruel to her enemies, for the ordinary people living in the Air Alliance, Ailsa was actually a real-life saint.
If causing the deaths of innocent people in large numbers truly happened because of selfish desires, it would definitely go against her beliefs.
As the founder of the Demon Hunt Agency, she definitely had this kind of determination.
Yes, what Bai Yan said was mostly right.
Kessel's anger slowly faded away, gradually becoming calm. His eyes showed a struggle, weakness, and his thoughts started to drift away.
Why did it have to turn out like this...
You have once given so much to this country, to this world.
Not only did you save me, but you also saved everyone.
In the end, why couldn't you have a happy ending?
I don't have any other options left, Ailsa. Maybe, just like he said, you would think the same, right?
After all, this was the reason why you established the Demon Hunt Agency in the first place.
Silently in the shadows, sacrificing themselves for those who walk in the light.
But... but... I didn't have the same determination as you!
Kessel took a deep breath, his eyes filled with pain. He struggled to speak, "No, there's another way. We just need to regularly clean up the strange creatures. There's no need to address the root cause!"
"I will find solutions for all of this."
Scarlet Moon sneered and, now having a general understanding of the situation, began to express her own thoughts, "So, the 'Emperor' is just a mere figurehead. Whether it's sheltering one's lover or trying to save the innocent... if you remain indecisive, you won't be able to accomplish anything."
"If I were you, I would choose to protect the ones I love and eliminate anyone who dares to stand in my way. Alternatively, if you were to make a completely opposite decision, it would impress me. Unfortunately, your mind always seems to have other thoughts, preventing you from choosing what truly matters to you."
If Mu Ling, Ganis, and Amy were here, they would probably have different opinions.
Bai Yan knew that Maryse, who was behind him, would most likely agree with the Scarlet Moon. After all, in the first playthrough, she had done something similar before.
This kind of person can only be tied with emotions; reasoning with them won't work.
As for Alan... Bai Yan didn't know how he would make his decision.
Alan listened in silence, not uttering a word for a long time.
He seemed to be pondering, contemplating what he would do if he were in the same situation.
"You don't understand anything. Everything here is her hard work. How could I possibly destroy it?" Kessel's tone grew increasingly excited, his body trembling, as if he was about to burst out yelling!
Finally, he couldn't take it anymore!
"I don't know what to do! Everything was fine before! Suddenly, everything has changed in the past few months!"
Kessel's eyes were filled with a strong sense of regret.
The young girl.
It was more than just love for him.
It was not only love, but also faith, reliance, and the entirety of hope and salvation!
Oh no, I should have thought about potential problems sooner during all these years. I should have prepared myself earlier!
The Scarlet Moon fell silent.
Yes, in just three short months, everything had changed.
All the people present had a deep understanding. In these past few months, there were many changes that perhaps were more than they had experienced in their entire lives.
Alan spoke up.
His voice was heavy, yet filled with determination, carrying a unique sense of understanding. "Mr. Kessel, I understand that saying 'I understand you' can sound arrogant, but if I had to choose between the most important person in my life and the world, it would undoubtedly cause me great distress and unbearable pain."
"But, I was very lucky."
He suddenly showed a special smile that only a few people could understand.
"My dear loved ones, they always make decisions before I am in pain, because they are stronger and more determined than me!"
"I think that person in your heart has already made a decision a long time ago, but you are just not brave enough to face it."
Kessel remained silent.
A long time passed.
Another person arrived at this place, she was still like a goddess in the dark night, with a graceful and majestic presence.
"I'm here."
The arrival of that woman made Maryse smile because they were rare good friends to each other.
"You being here is good, the current situation..."
Mu Ling wasn't entirely sure about the current situation, but she could sense that something was amiss at the scene.
"What's wrong?" she calmly asked.
The Scarlet Moon replied to her, with a hint of mockery in her tone.
"Not much, it's just that our final enemy is his wife, so this 'Emperor' hesitates and wants to stop us from saving this city... but he can't let go of his sense of justice."
Mu Ling remained silent for a moment and said, "This hesitation is a heavy burden and a common feeling. I can understand."
"Not everyone will be as decisive as you."
After a few meetings, she came to understand who the Scarlet Moon really was.
She is a woman who, once she makes a decision, never hesitates.
But ordinary people, even those as powerful as the "Emperor," cannot distinguish with such clarity what they value most.
Even if they can understand it clearly, what difference would it make?
No one could easily give up the other side.
The Scarlet Moon fell into deep thought, feeling that this woman would challenge and contradict her in various ways.
It made her feel annoyed.
"But..." Mu Ling calmly continued, speaking up, "We must make a choice, and my choice is to believe in the Savior."
She slowly pulled out a knife and without any hesitation pointed it towards the "Emperor," coldly saying, "If you try to stop the actions of Babel Tower, then you will be my enemy."
Yes.
No matter if it was the "Emperor" or anyone else, even if they were good people, they were no exception. As long as they hindered Babel Tower, as long as they opposed the will of the Savior, they would surely be Mu Ling's enemies!
"The Hound of Babel Tower, truly living up to your reputation of loyalty..."
Kessel took a deep breath, realizing that things had come to this point, and he could no longer stop anything.
If he continued to not cooperate, after being surrounded and killed, these people should be able to find clues about her from his own body and soul.
Just like these people said, he had to make a decision.
Perhaps, this was the decision she had been hoping for.
Finally, Kessel nodded his head.
At that moment, he understood many things.
"Follow me, everyone."
"She has always been here."
In the next moment, "Emperor" Kessel performed a mysterious spell.
A silver halo gradually appeared in front of him, as if it was a gateway to a completely different world.
"More than two hundred years ago..."
As Kessel performed his magic, he spoke slowly, saying, "She is a genius among geniuses, a monster among monsters, and she has become incredibly powerful solely through her remarkable talent."
"She once believed she had time to gradually advance towards becoming the strongest, but she learned that the wicked kingdom was about to sacrifice all its citizens, as well as many ordinary people and sinners, in an attempt to bring forth the Outer God they believed in."
"And in order to possess the power to stop all of this, Ailsa made a deal... Her deal was with another Outer God!"
Outer God?
The founder of the legendary Demon Hunt Agency, the pinnacle of that era, the guardian deity of Air Alliance's history, actually made a deal with an Outer God?
Bai Yan and the others were truly hearing this shocking news for the first time.
It was really difficult to believe.
But now it seems to be true.
Bai Yan could completely understand the occurrence of this situation. Outer Gods rarely had alliances with each other, they were either neutral or hostile towards one another.
Kessel continued, "She made a deal with the 'Pupil of Chaos,' an Outer God who can disrupt destiny. It is one of the few active Outer Gods and has always been interested in the beings of different worlds."
Pupil of Chaos?
Upon hearing this term, Bai Yan was momentarily taken aback.
Pupil of Chaos...
He gradually started to remember, the enormous golden pupils in those black eyes. It seemed like he had encountered It quite frequently... The influence of this Outer God, perhaps it was happening without him even realizing it...
"Before the trade, she became my wife and we had children. Afterwards, she obtained the unstoppable power of the 'Pupil of Chaos'... After completely destroying that evil kingdom, the Air Alliance was established and the Demon Hunt Agency was also established... Once everything was done, she accompanied me and finally, one day, she bid me farewell."
Kessel's face showed an unmistakable sadness and pain that he couldn't hide.
That scene, he didn't want to remember it at all, but he would always recall it time and time again.
"At that time, she said, even though there was no proof to show that she had been taken advantage of, she still made the decision to end her life, asking me, the person she trusted the most, to oversee this death..."
Speaking of this, Kessel fell silent and didn't continue speaking.
Everyone could imagine that scene, watching their beloved one self-destruct in front of their eyes...
Maryse let out a sigh and deep inside, she couldn't help but feel a hint of envy towards the other person.
Wow, that's really wonderful!
Their love was so perfect, and there was no trace of betrayal between them.
Bai Yan's tone was very calm, and it could also convey a sense of tranquility and harshness.
"Unfortunately, you loved her too much, even more than she could have imagined... You didn't let her completely leave, did you?"
"You're right," Kessel replied.
Kessel nodded gently, the remaining spirit had been preserved here for over two hundred years without any issues. However, everything had changed in the past few months.
"Perhaps, the day of true farewell has finally arrived."
A few people entered the silvery light one by one.
Behind the light circle, there stood a brand new Demon Hunt Agency building, free from any signs of age.
The building seemed to exist in a world of its own, like a magical little space.
Bai Yan looked out of the window and realized that there was nothing outside. Everything seemed to be non-existent.
This place is like a separate world, like the opposite side of the real Demon Hunt Agency building. They complement each other perfectly.
Finally, they came face to face with the young girl in the hall.
"The Demon of Justice"
The highest point of that era!
She was a mighty individual, an unforgettable page in history, the founder of the Demon Hunt Agency, and the long-revered guardian of the Air Alliance!
At that moment, she stood with her back to everyone. Her long, pink hair floated in the air without any wind, gleaming with faint sparkles. Though she was not tall, her presence was impossible to ignore.
As soon as they laid eyes on her, the crowd felt their bodies suffocating, instinctively longing to escape. Their inspiration was going wild, sounding the alarm of their instincts.
Too incredibly powerful!
"Why does such a powerful being exist in the world?" That was the first thought that came to Maryse and Alan's minds.
The person's power was incredibly strong, astonishing everyone present except for Kessel.
Just standing behind her, Bai Yan would feel a sense of powerlessness like an ant facing a fierce storm. Not only was he unable to resist, but he also had no hope of escaping. The only thing he could hope for was a miracle.
Bai Yan also fell silent.
Luckily, the one who came here was only a "temporary form" rather than the real one.
So even if the "temporary form" and all the operators here were to die, his real self in the real world could bring back everyone except for Kessel through the "Babel Tower" game.
Of course, there was another possibility, the worst scenario.
That is when the other person has incredibly special abilities, allowing her to eliminate both his own real self and the "temporary form" at the same time.
Speaking of which, she was much shorter than expected... Bai Yan noticed that the Demon of Justice was actually half a head shorter than Maryse, truly petite and lovely in every sense of the word.
Wait a moment, when she died in history, she was already over thirty years old... Could this person have some dwarf or gnome ancestry?
"Ha! You've finally arrived, Kessel. Have you made up your mind?"
A strong voice, or perhaps a slightly bold-spirited young girl's voice.
When the young girl turned around, the gleam in her eyes was like a storm of flames, sweeping over everyone present. Each person's body felt a wave of intense heat.
Even though her appearance could only be considered modest, nowhere near as beautiful as the other women present, the young girl possessed an aura that surpassed everyone else. She emanated a fiery red energy that seemed almost tangible, as if she could set the world ablaze.
The Scarlet Moon also deeply felt that, in fact, there were others besides herself who possessed this kind of royal aura called the "Overlord".
At that moment, they all understood.
Unmatched... The difference was simply too vast, much greater than they could have ever imagined.
With just the power of everyone present, there was no way they could defeat this young girl!
Kessel gazed at his beloved with a blank expression, unable to utter a single word. Tears streamed down his face as he remained speechless.
"It seems like you still haven't made up your mind, silly child."
Ailsa shook her head, her tone resembling that of a lecturing elder teaching a younger one, even though the "Emperor" was her actual husband and they had many descendants to this day.
"Um, how could I possibly make such a firm decision?" Kessel shook his head gently.
Ailsa let out a breath and said in a very spirited way, "Ha! I suddenly became aware recently! It feels amazing! But you never came over, and it made me feel lonely!"
"So, Kessel, how are our children doing?"
Kessel remained silent for a moment before saying, "It has been over two hundred years, and our descendants are all living happily."
"Descendants, huh... I see..."
Ailsa's expression dimmed slightly as Kessel only mentioned descendants, without referring to the child she had given birth to.
She certainly understood what was going on, after all, over two hundred years had passed.
"I'm truly sorry that I couldn't witness it with my own eyes..." Ailsa sighed, her face expressing a mixture of motherly love and sadness.
But soon, she regained her vigor and sparkle!
"So, are all of you here to kill me?"
In her eyes, there seemed to be a bright fire as she smiled and said, "Babel Tower... are you all from Babel Tower?"
Everyone was taken aback, surprised that she actually knew about Babel Tower.
Bai Yan furrowed his brow, remaining silent for a while before slowly speaking, "Do you know about the Babel Tower?"
Ailsa gently shook her head and smiled.
"I'm not sure, but I heard some bits and pieces about the Babel Tower from someone in the 'Rainbows'... Maybe the 'Rainbows' know more about the Babel Tower."
"I know about a famous organization in the multiverse called 'Tower'. They worship the deities of 'games and contests' and they plunder everything through games..."
Her eyes suddenly sparkled with light, her voice filled with a menacing tone, as if she could incinerate everything in sight in an instant.
"If any dangerous members of the 'Tower' appear, then I will definitely eliminate them!"
Bai Yan remained silent. He vaguely recalled that in a past life, the Moon Witch was one of the members of the Tower.
"The Babel Tower has nothing to do with the Tower,"
Mu Ling shook her head and said, "Our 'Savior' is a great being. His intention is to save all the worlds and he will never change. And we believe in him too."
"Um."
At this moment, Kessel made the choice to help the people of the Babel Tower.
He nodded lightly, his voice sounding heavy and filled with bitterness. He said, "She's right. At least for now, the Babel Tower is on our side. These people might not be good, but they are not our enemies."
"Oh."
The young girl nodded gently.
"If that's the case, I choose to believe this silly person. You guys must be the kind ones... maybe, all of you are good people."
Maryse let out a sigh of relief. She had felt like she was almost scared to death just now.
This little girl is so strong!
Are there really such scary things in this world?
Just standing in front of her, Maryse felt as if she had fallen into lava and was about to die!
"But I still have to kill you all..."
Everyone was stunned, suddenly noticing a completely disharmonious, extremely distorted dark golden color amidst the pure, bright red light.
A twisted, terrifying, suffocating aura emanated from her.
A bone-chilling cold, originating from the depths of the marrow and soul, made everyone feel immense malice, instinctively becoming alert.
Ailsa's half of the face became twisted and scary, producing a lot of constantly wriggling black mud. The flesh in her body also began to twist and decay.
Her voice became deep and low.
"Because, I am not a good person now."
