Lucian: "So that's how it is. What is the Fractsidus' goal?"
Yangyang sighed: "I don't know their true objective. Some members claim they want to destroy the world, while others say they seek eternal power."
Lucian noticed Yangyang clutching several red cards in her hand and pointed at them:
"You said the Fractsidus was responsible because you saw these?"
Yangyang nodded: "Exactly. Among the Fractsidus, there's an especially insane Overseer—one who stands out even among a crowd of madmen."
"He disregards all order, revels in destruction and evil, and is the embodiment of chaotic revelry… These cards—I've seen them in Fractsidus-related records."
"They belong to one of the Fractsidus Overseers—Scar."
"If it's him… then whatever cruel, twisted things he did to the villagers…"
Lucian pondered for a moment: "Could the leaf Magistrate Jinhsi gave us be pointing to the Fractsidus? Or perhaps this village…"
"...What was that sound?" Yangyang suddenly spoke up.
"Huh? What sound?" Lucian looked at her in confusion.
"My Resonance ability allows me to sense even the slightest disturbances in the wind."
Yangyang walked toward a patch of grass, glanced around, and then picked up an orange cat from the bushes.
Lucian and Rover breathed a sigh of relief, thinking it might have been a Tacet Discord…
Yangyang smiled warmly as she cradled the cat—a serene scene.
But the next second, a dark-red door abruptly materialized behind her.
All three were stunned by the sudden apparition.
The cat in Yangyang's arms instantly bristled and leaped away in fright.
Rover reacted swiftly, lunging forward to grab Yangyang.
But the red door contracted even faster. In the blink of an eye, both Yangyang and the door vanished.
"Seems… my carefully prepared introduction won't be of any use now."
A man's voice rang out from behind them. They whirled around to see a red-clad figure seated atop a roof.
A sinister grin played on his lips as he toyed with a set of dark-red cards.
In the next moment, he clenched the cards in his palm before spreading them out again.
Each card was now wreathed in flames, dancing through the air as if celebrating his arrival.
The man leaped down from the roof, and only then did Lucian notice the scars marring his face.
His hair was white, streaked with red highlights.
Lucian also noted that his eyes were two different colors—one crimson, the other a dull, lifeless gray.
"If you need me to introduce myself again… Yes, I am Scar."
"That 'cruel, twisted madman.'"
Lucian drew his Sword and leveled it at him: "Where's Yangyang?"
Scar smirked coldly at Lucian: "What a shame. I couldn't send both of you away together."
Lucian narrowed his eyes. Send away?
If he used that phrasing, Yangyang likely wasn't in immediate danger.
And… Scar wanted to meet Rover alone?
Scar spread his arms: "A rare meeting shouldn't have unnecessary distractions, don't you think?" Thɪs chapter is updated by n̷o̷v̷e̷l̷f̷i̷r̷e̷.net
"That girl…" He pointed at the tense Lucian. "And you—you'd interfere with Rover's judgment."
Rover stepped forward, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Lucian: "What do you want?"
Lucian: "Give Yangyang back!"
Scar addressed Rover: "Relax. I have no intention of making you hate me just yet… So, she's perfectly safe for now."
"Let's enjoy this moment alone together, free from irrelevant distractions. After all… we have so much to talk about."
Seeing Scar ignore him outright, Lucian tightened his grip on his sword, ready to strike.
He wasn't sure if he could defeat a Fractsidus Overseer, but Yangyang's fate was unknown—and who knew if this man was even telling the truth?
Yangyang had called him a madman, after all.
But just as Lucian moved to attack, Rover reached out and stopped him.
Lucian glanced at her in confusion. She didn't speak, only shaking her head slightly.
Witnessing this, Scar burst into deranged laughter:
When his laughter subsided, he turned to Lucian: "Seems you truly care about her."
"Though failing to remove you as well was a miscalculation on my part, it's no major loss. After all, you—a man who appeared out of nowhere—weren't part of our plans."
Lucian forced himself to calm down. How did Scar know he wasn't from this world?
Only a few of the girls around him knew about his origins, and he doubted any of them would have informed the Fractsidus.
He remembered when he first arrived in this world—he had woken up on a cliffside near Stone Pile Plain.
At the time, aside from Baizhi, there had been no one else around.
Lucian frowned, then looked at Rover. Maybe it was because of her…
After all, he truly had no ties to this world, while Rover was an amnesiac with deep connections to Jinzhou—as evidenced by recent events.
Perhaps the Fractsidus had been surveilling Rover all along, and by extension, him—someone close to her.
And Scar had said he wasn't part of their plans. Typically, such a statement implied he might be marked for elimination.
In that brief moment, Lucian considered many possibilities before reaching a conclusion: The Fractsidus must be destroyed.
He took a deep breath and met Rover's gaze again.
She was still watching him, her expression eerily composed. Lucian understood the message in her eyes:
"Let's see what he wants first."
Lucian gave a slight nod, reversing his grip on the Sword of Whispering Rain and tucking it behind his elbow.
He still had Comrade's Hammer and Chixiao: Shadowless at his disposal.
Not to mention his "Wander with Rover" trait, which boosted all his skill levels by one.
Running through his arsenal in his mind, Lucian steadied himself.
Scar clapped his hands, drawing their attention back to him.
His gaze settled on Rover: "I hear you've lost your memories?"
Rover's voice was icy: "You've been following me?"
Scar chuckled: "You noticed? That's more like it."
Lucian thought, Just as I suspected. Rover's identity was far more complex than they'd uncovered so far.
"Don't be so hostile. If you sensed it, you should know I'm merely one of many spectators."
One of many spectators?
Just what kind of status attracted so many factions' attention?
Scar took a step forward: "But of them all, I'm the only one who's come to you openly."