The Yellow-Haired Villain in Soaring Phoenix’s Novels Also Desires Happiness - Chapter 220
145, The Weeping Snake (Twelve)
The moonlight dissipated.
In the swirling, tearing black mist, countless scarlet pupils of the Silent Moon roared fiercely, engulfed in towering rage, staring at the old man who was drawing the crossbow and shooting.
Insect.
Another insect.
How dare you?
You insects, how dare you?
That round, azure moon began to tremble madly, the rippling aftershocks twisting the space layer by layer, a color as red as blood spreading forth, the entire bright moon transforming into a crimson hue in an instant.
But it was not anger that turned the tranquil moon into scarlet, but… poison.
The death poison meticulously crafted by an origin-level archmage was rapidly spreading across the lunar surface, continuously eroding that exquisite moonlight.
This was a “certain death” power that could even affect the essence of an evil god; how could a mere projection withstand the corrosion of this deadly toxin?
Boom—
The countless withered hands of the King of Withering extended once more, this time without any hindrance, quickly clinging to that bright moon, flames scorching, one by one, the hideous pupils dissolving in the fire.
The moon twisted, and anyone could see the anger and madness of this lofty deity at this moment.
They could also see His powerlessness.
Under the erosion of the death poison, under the suppression and dragging of the King of Withering, this projection of an evil god capable of turning a nation into a wasteland overnight was slowly being forced into the depths of nothingness.
Only infinite hatred remained.
What awaited Him next would be the terrifying devouring of another evil god.
……
Evil god, the Silent Moon.
To avoid the divine battle with the King of Withering, to reverse the outcome of being consumed, calculating everything, even at the cost of intending to abandon His divine body and position, descending with the will and authority of an evil god, taking the perfect serpent body of Anna Carberlin as a vessel.
But in the end, the plan shattered under the backlash of these lowly insects in His eyes.
Two projections were extinguished, all followers turned to ash.
And from this point, the balance between the King of Withering and the Silent Moon, these two equally ranked evil gods, would be completely overturned.
The so-called conclusion may have been determined long ago.
……
“I didn’t expect that even that one would show up.”
Outside the dark mist, Jin Ze, who had his bow and crossbow snatched away by the old man, could only shrink aside to watch the spectacle, his face filled with shock.
Although he already knew this matter would escalate greatly, he never expected it to reach such heights.
Two evil gods rolling up their sleeves to brawl was truly a rare event in a century.
“That one showing up is only natural; after all, this whole affair has been between those two. Strictly speaking, everything that happened in Beirlande was merely collateral damage.”
The old man casually discarded the bow and crossbow, taking a deep breath, and for a moment, he looked a decade older.
To ensure that the Stone of Origin could hit its mark, he had used all his strength for the first time in ages, but this body, already half-decayed, clearly could no longer hold up.
Yet he felt a sense of satisfaction.
To be able to personally shoot an arrow at the face of that moon was something exhilarating for anyone, especially for someone like him who harbored considerable resentment and hatred towards the moon.
Over the past decade, watching that girl silently confront despair alone, even if he once had a heart of steel, he would inadvertently forge that steel into the sharpest blade.
“Eh? This dark mist?”
Jin Ze suddenly exclaimed.
Because clearly the projection of the Silent Moon had already vanished, yet the mist of the Dark Moon still lingered, and the rift torn open by the Withered King was gradually healing, once again isolating this place.
“It seems that things are not completely over yet.”
The old man sat down on the ground and sighed, “However, there’s nothing more we can do now. The cleanup of the heretical followers is almost complete. Let’s just wait here. As long as I’m here, even if there are any unexpected events, they won’t stir up much trouble.”
“Yes!”
Jin Ze acknowledged the order.
But then, he seemed to think of something, and his serious expression shifted as he frowned in confusion and asked:
“By the way, that one seems to have been drawn here by that Mu En·Campbell, right? Just now, the powers of the two evil gods were too chaotic, and I didn’t see clearly how he used them. Did you catch a glimpse?”
“…I didn’t either. The pressure from the two evil gods was too overwhelming; who would pay attention to that kid?”
“…True.”
Jin Ze sighed regretfully. Although he had been vigilant, he didn’t dwell on it.
There are certainly more ways in this world to draw the attention of evil gods than just heretical followers and prayers. As the son of a duke, it wouldn’t be strange for Mu En·Campbell to produce such peculiar items.
“But hoarding items related to evil gods is also a serious crime. Can I capture him later?” Jin Ze asked earnestly.
“…”
The old man glanced at Jin Ze with a blank expression and said:
“Why don’t you ask the Princess Inspector over there? If she’s willing to turn back and not report you to His Majesty for abuse of power, I have no objections.”
“Oh.” Jin Ze replied, no longer speaking.
Who would go?
Even if he was obsessed with the work of the Silent One, he had heard that Mu En·Campbell was the fiancé of that princess. Wouldn’t doing so just invite trouble upon himself?
Even if he usually acted rigidly, he wouldn’t do something so foolish.
However…
Jin Ze looked at the dark mist, and his expression suddenly turned strange.
Princess, your fiancé is currently in the most secluded place in this world with other girls, alone together. What are they doing inside that the outside world will never know?
Don’t you care?
……
……
“What does it have to do with me?”
Selicia, in a striking white dress under the night sky, stood out even more as the heavy rain poured down, yet not a single droplet touched her. She looked like a night-blooming cereus, breathtakingly beautiful.
However, at this moment, she seemed even colder than usual, staring at the middle-aged balding man wiping sweat in front of her, her eyes seemingly frozen with ice.
“Lord Gu En, your work is difficult to carry out. What does it have to do with me?”
“Your Highness, I hope you can be more understanding of my situation.”
The governor of the lower district, Lord Gu En, seemed to lack the demeanor of someone in charge of the entire area. Instead, he resembled a middle-aged office worker who had been overworked, the recent stress elevating both his receding hairline and dark circles under his eyes to a new level.
The heavy rain had soaked him to the bone, yet he continued to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
“It’s not that I’m not doing my utmost; you are well aware of the chaotic situation in the lower district. Even if it’s according to your orders to investigate, it’s not impossible, but it does require some time.”
Lord Gu En appeared quite aggrieved. “Moreover, Your Highness, you hadn’t urged me before. Why this sudden…”
“I certainly understand your predicament.”
Selisia suddenly spoke with a meaningful tone:
“Otherwise, I wouldn’t have bypassed you to use my own methods to investigate these matters.”
“What?”
Lord Gu En’s face turned pale instantly.
“According to my investigation, the number of missing persons in the lower district has reached a terrifying figure, far exceeding the number I previously showed you.
Among the gangs in the lower district, only the Crimson Fire Gang is foolish enough to collude with cultists, secretly engaging in human trafficking to offer sacrifices to the dark gods.
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But how could just the Crimson Fire Gang make so many people disappear into thin air?
So, the question arises.”
Selisia looked at Lord Gu En, a cold curve forming at the corner of her mouth,
“In the lower district, besides those gangs, who else would find it convenient to do such things?”
The answer was, of course, singular.
The guard force, completely under Lord Gu En’s control.
What could be easier for an official organization whose purpose is to maintain peace and order in the lower district than to make some people “disappear” from this world in a seemingly reasonable manner?
“…”
As the chilling words fell, the street was silent except for the sound of rain, with only the two of them present.
Lord Gu En suddenly fell silent.
But in that silence, his figure began to rise, his robust body twisting and contorting like a giant python, and in an instant, he burst through his clothing, transforming into a… complete monster.
“I see.”
Watching Lord Gu En’s transformation, Selisia nodded in understanding, “You are the Sleepless One from the urban legends.”
“I didn’t expect you to discover it, Your Highness.”
Lord Gu En—no, the Sleepless One—looked at the girl before him, his expression instantly turning ferocious as he roared in anger:
“I didn’t want to do this, but at this point, to conceal this secret, I can only ask you to die, Your Highness!”
He charged at Selisia like a raging bull, the ground cracking beneath his feet with every step!
“Is that so?”
But Celicia showed no sign of panic; instead, a hint of mockery flickered in her eyes.
With a wave of her slender fingers, she summoned forth the falling rain, which, unbeknownst to her, had been mingled with snowflakes.
“Who gave you the courage to speak such words to me on a rainy day?”
In an instant.
A chilling sense enveloped everything.
Freezing all.
……
……
Celicia stood amidst a pallor, allowing the gentle breeze to sway her skirt.
The rain had, at some point, ceased.
The dark clouds that had covered the entire city gradually dispersed, and the vastness and grandeur unique to this city returned to the streets.
Yet, occasionally, snowflakes continued to fall, clinging to the tips of Celicia’s hair and between her brows, like the silver frost flowers of a winter morning.
“Your Highness.”
The knight in golden armor knelt partially behind her.
“Take it back and investigate thoroughly; there should be some nobles connected to these matters. Draft a list and submit it to me as soon as possible… Never mind, let whoever is responsible handle it. I am just a student now and do not wish to deal with such troublesome matters anymore.”
Celicia glanced at the ice sculpture beside her.
“Understood.”
The knight accepted the order, instructing his subordinates to quickly take the ice sculpture away.
Only Celicia remained, savoring the approaching dawn’s scenery.
The sky was nearly bright.
The city returned to its quietude, and the silent mechanisms for suppressing the wicked cultists had largely completed their work.
Everything that had transpired that night, as expected, came to a close.
Only…
Celicia lifted her gaze towards the half-circular veil of shadowed moonlight not far away.
“You really do appear in the most conspicuous places every time…”
Celicia whispered softly, her silver lashes fluttering, her gaze lowered.
At this moment, the thoughts of the young girl were as elusive and unpredictable as the snowflakes drifting chaotically in the wind.