Chapter Twenty-Nine: She Must Live
“Hmm… it should be around here, almost at the core. The extraction point should be nearby.”
Frick, clad in his knight’s armor, strolled through the increasingly grotesque ruins. Ordinary pustule monsters were no longer visible here.
Driven by Purgatory’s influence, they had flocked to the core area, embraced by the grotesque phenomenon, their flesh and blood dissolving into the nightmare.
Only the Awakened Ones, transformed into Distorted Beasts, could maintain a semblance of existence within Purgatory.
But… if killed in their Distorted Beast form, they would also be dissolved by Purgatory.
Both the outer Incubation Barrier and the core area were being nourished by Purgatory, growing stronger until it finally… reached its complete form.
As Frick walked past a pile of rubble, a shadow lunged at him.
“Yo, Old Victor, still not quite dead, are you?”
Frick raised an eyebrow, adjusted his stance, and sliced the shadow in half with his sword.
The scattered shadow coalesced, forming a withered, grotesque face, filled with resentment and pain, yet unable to resist Purgatory’s influence.
Old Victor had been a Oneiric path Awakened One, capable of abandoning his physical body and surviving as a spirit, the most difficult to kill among them.
Frick hadn’t personally killed the other team members, merely nudging them along. Only with Old Victor had he directly intervened, incurring his wrath.
…Indeed, Old Victor was already dead, the first to die, killed by Frick himself. His earlier words to Linna had been a lie.
Frick knew his captain well, knowing how to manipulate her into returning to the core area, completing the sacrifice.
Without enough Distorted Beasts, how could Purgatory grow strong enough to trigger a Boundary collapse?
“Working two jobs is tiring.”
Frick sighed. It was mainly because Captain Linna was directionally challenged. After he deliberately separated the team, she had gotten lost in the outer area, making him waste several days searching for her.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have waited until now, almost at the mission’s deadline.
Frick looked up at the glaring spectral figure with a pitying gaze.
“Old Victor, just give up and join the others.”
Frick struck again, after a brief exchange, completely shattering the specter.
Frick was powerful, and with his Purgatory-resistant armor, dealing with Old Victor was easy.
The most troublesome aspect of Distorted Beasts born from Purgatory was their corrupting power. Without it, they were merely mindless monsters.
The spectral figure roared in frustration, but Purgatory was impatient, greedily absorbing everything, nearing its breaking point.
“Huh, I didn’t expect the Captain to last this long…”
Frick observed the changes in the Incubation Barrier, muttering to himself.
Even overexerting herself with her secret technique twice shouldn’t have been fatal. The true cause was Purgatory’s environment. Linna, lacking Frick’s armor, couldn’t withstand its influence.
Furthermore, before entering the Incubation Barrier, all members of the “Hunt” team had been subtly sabotaged, their minds weakened.
The Company and the Torchbearers had spent considerable time preparing for this operation, ensuring its success.
According to their calculations, this downgraded Purgatory phenomenon required at least five eighth-order Awakened Ones to reach its complete form.
The ordinary people and lower-ranked Awakened Ones were merely supplements, unable to fully replace an eighth-order Awakened One.
Eighth-order Awakened Ones were rare. The Company didn’t want to weaken humanity’s forces too much, disrupting the balance.
Five was just right, one less was too few, one more was too many.
And now, they only needed one more.
Frick sat down, calmly waiting for the Incubation Barrier to expand, for Purgatory to reach its complete form.
However, what he encountered first wasn’t a change in Purgatory, but a small, silver-haired figure emerging from the darkness.
A half-cloak concealed her form, only half of her delicate face visible, yet striking even in the darkness.
“Miss Bai, not staying with the Captain in her final moments, but coming to seek revenge on me instead? I even gave you some space, not wanting to interrupt your… activities.”
Frick looked at the indifferent Luo Ling, a hint of regret in his eyes.
He knew she would come, but he had expected her to wait until Linna died and was absorbed by Purgatory.
By then, the mission would be complete, and he could leave this place. He wouldn’t mind playing with this cute little girl.
He wasn’t worried about any unexpected outcomes. How strong could a Myriad path Awakened One be?
Furthermore, he had observed Luo Ling’s earlier battle, assessing her strength.
Despite her powerful healing ability and handy weapon, her combat skills were clumsy and immature. She could handle low-ranked Distorted Beasts and pustule monsters, but defeating him with that level of skill…
Frick found the notion laughable.
He had been chosen for this mission not only because of his clean record, having operated in another Boundary, but also because of his strength.
He could defeat any other member of the “Hunt” team in a one-on-two situation, including Captain Linna. He was one of the Torchbearers’ top combatants.
And with his specially prepared armor, completely immune to Purgatory’s influence, he could even utilize its power. He was confident in “playing” with a Myriad path Awakened One.
However, contrary to his expectations, Luo Ling didn’t attack him, not even showing any anger. She simply walked over and sat down opposite him.
“Hmm?”
Frick raised an eyebrow.
What was this little girl planning?
“Before we fight, I have a few questions.” Luo Ling said softly.
“Oh? Ask away.”
Frick shrugged, a playful smile on his lips.
“I want to know your code name and real name within the Torchbearers,” Luo Ling said seriously. “I want to fight the real you, not a fake Fate Society persona.”
“Tsk, I thought you’d ask, ‘Don’t you regret doing this?’ or ‘Why did you betray your teammates?’” Frick chuckled, his interest in this little girl growing.
He knew that neither the Fate Society nor the Company had such a person. Which side did she belong to?
“We both know those questions are meaningless.” Luo Ling said calmly.
“Indeed, they are.”
Frick nodded in agreement.
Whether he regretted it or not, his views on this operation wouldn’t change the outcome.
The “Hunt” team had been annihilated because of him, his teammates dying because of their trust in him.
This was a Company operation, a Torchbearers’ conspiracy against the Fate Society, unrelated to the “Hunt” team.
They were merely casualties.
Merely… casualties.
Luo Ling, from the future timeline, knew this all too well.
A cold wind blew, the dim starlight after the moonset making the surroundings even more eerie, enveloped by the grotesque phenomenon, Purgatory.
“It seems it can’t wait any longer.” Frick looked up and smiled. “I might as well tell you. Frick is my real name, code name ‘Hanged Man’.”
The Torchbearers’ code names were derived from tarot cards, passed down through generations. After a member’s death, their code name would be inherited by the next.
“Alright.” Luo Ling nodded, drawing her Sacred Tool dagger, “Severance.” “Hanged Man of the Torchbearers, your opponent is… the White Witch of Silent Demise.”
Her cloak fell away, revealing long, flowing silver-white hair, her grey-white eyes shining brightly within her inhumanly beautiful face.
She stared calmly at Frick, watching his expression change.
“Silent Demise…”
That was a Grotesquery path. No human had ever walked that path.
Not even the Harbingers of Calamity.
Unless, they willingly degraded themselves, becoming a Grotesquery’s lackey…
“Are you a Grotesquery Apostle?”
Frick’s gaze turned dangerous.
If she were an Awakened One, he would have held back, treating it as a game.
Even now, he was still faithfully executing his mission for the sake of humanity’s future.
Triggering a Boundary collapse required sacrifices. This operation simply chose the organization’s enemies as the victims.
It was a necessary sacrifice.
That was why Frick hadn’t initially intended to kill Luo Ling. Her appearance wasn’t part of the plan. She wasn’t a necessary sacrifice. There was no need for unnecessary killing.
But a Grotesquery Apostle was different.
If she truly was a Grotesquery Apostle…
Frick raised his longsword.
For the sake of humanity, all Grotesquery Apostles must be eradicated.
Both Grotesquery Apostles and the Harbingers sought to destroy humanity’s future.
“No, I’m not a Grotesquery Apostle.” Luo Ling shook her head and whispered. “I am a Grotesquery. I… am the White Witch of Silent Demise.”
She finally acknowledged her true identity as a Grotesquery. She wasn’t human.
She had always been a Grotesquery.
But… sometimes, humans were more terrifying than Grotesqueries.
Luo Ling could no longer distinguish whether it was humans or Grotesqueries who truly caused disasters…
Frick remained silent for a moment, noticing something amiss.
The silver-haired girl stood within Purgatory’s influence, yet remained unaffected.
Even the powerful “Hunt” team couldn’t achieve that.
Including Frick himself. He knew that without his armor, he would be just as vulnerable.
No, it was more than that…
Purgatory seemed to be avoiding her.
Could she truly be a Grotesquery?
Frick recalled a widely circulated saying: when encountering a Grotesquery resembling a human, one must flee without hesitation, even abandoning their teammates.
…Cough, was this little girl worth that?
The thought lasted only a moment. Frick charged forward, his gaze sharp.
“Miss Bai, whether you’re truly a Grotesquery or not, since you’ve said those words, I can’t let you leave this place alive.”
Frick’s sword was fast. He was a Judgment path Awakened One, and although he hadn’t revealed his ability in the earlier battle, as an experienced knight, his combat skills were clearly superior to Luo Ling’s.
But unfortunately…
“Authority, ‘Kingdom’.”
Luo Ling whispered.
As her voice faded, the Purgatory phenomenon recoiled, as if afraid of being consumed and becoming a part of “Kingdom.”
If this were the true Purgatory, it could have resisted Luo Ling’s “Kingdom.”
But this was merely a downgraded version created by the Company using Purgatory’s Sacred Relic, its sole purpose to trigger a Boundary collapse.
Its rank was far below a true High-Risk Grotesquery. Facing an Authority, its instinct was to flee.
“Kingdom” unfolded silently, enveloping Frick. As a seasoned warrior, he immediately sensed the change.
“This is…”
What had she just said?
Authority?
She could use an Authority?
No, not just use… she possessed an Authority?
Frick’s expression turned to shock. He noticed something strange appearing on his armor.
“Is this… fungus?”
Not just fungus, but also rotting flesh, slowly spreading and corroding his armor.
His armor was indeed a top-tier Sacred Tool, crafted from a High-Risk Grotesquery Sacred Relic. Even Luo Ling couldn’t directly dominate him through it.
But this was within the “Kingdom” domain. Everything was under Luo Ling’s control, including Purgatory.
“Even so, it’s not enough.”
Frick quickly regained his composure. Even an Authority couldn’t penetrate his armor, not yet.
He just needed to kill her before his armor completely succumbed.
Her abilities clearly weren’t combat-oriented. As long as he could get close, he had a chance.
Frick’s assessment was correct. Luo Ling wasn’t skilled in direct combat.
…But someone was.
Just as Frick, straining against “Kingdom”‘s influence, approached Luo Ling, an unexpected gunshot echoed, and his armor cracked.
“What…”
Frick stared in disbelief, slowly turning around to see an impossible figure.
“This is…”
Linna, the captain of the “Hunt” team.
She stood there, her Sacred Tool firearm aimed at him.
“How is this possible?”
Frick exclaimed.
Shouldn’t Linna be dead?
Even if she wasn’t dead, she should be on the verge of collapse, how could she still use her abilities?
How could she…
Damage his armor?
Frick noticed a thin layer of white substance covering Linna’s body, similar to the fungus on his armor.
The fungus, through the crack in his armor, invaded his body.
Only now did Frick understand Luo Ling’s true ability.
Half of his body went numb, the numbness spreading rapidly. Even severing the infected limb wouldn’t stop it.
“Your ability… is to control others’ bodies with this fungus?”
Frick felt his body stiffening, moving against his will, experiencing Luo Ling’s power firsthand.
He finally understood how Linna could stand and use her abilities again.
“You’re controlling Linna’s corpse with a Grotesquery’s power…”
“White Witch of Silent Demise? No, there’s no Grotesquery named ‘White Witch’ in the Sequence…”
Frick searched his memories, finding no information on the “White Witch.”
He stared at Luo Ling, finally convinced that this seemingly human girl was indeed a Grotesquery.
So, was this the true meaning of a “human-like Grotesquery”?
Not just in appearance, but also… in behavior.
“There will be soon.” Luo Ling said calmly. “And… you said something wrong, Hanged Man.”
She continued, “I’m not controlling Linna’s corpse.”
“In the end, you lost, Frick.”
A cold voice echoed, from Linna, whom Frick had assumed to be dead.
She slowly raised her head, her once valiant face now covered in white fungal growths, only her clear eyes remaining unchanged.
Regarding Linna’s final request…
Luo Ling hadn’t granted it.
She hadn’t used “Complete Domination” on Linna.
Even though Linna was dying, her consciousness fading, even though the Puppet Ballad was helpless.
Because she wanted Linna to live.
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