Scar: "Back when you still knew nothing of this world, you were already a bargaining chip in the game of contention."
"A chaotic, unpredictable variable—the moment you appeared, you triggered a frenzy of competition."
"From the second you opened your eyes, every person you've met has understood your purpose—including that girl you care about."
Lucian retorted, "Who says so? I didn't know!"
Scar, slightly irritated by the interruption, snapped, "I already said, you were never part of our plans."
Then he sneered, "But then again, speak all you want now… while you still can."
Lucian could sense his barely restrained aggression. If not for Rover's constant intervention, he would have already clashed with Scar.
Scar continued, "This world is greedy like that—ruthlessly turning a living person into a functional pawn."
Lucian cut in again, "Who says so? Rover is my future wife!"
Scar took a deep breath, his expression darkening. "If you interrupt me one more time, I won't be responsible for what happens."
Lucian rolled his eyes. "Who do you think you are? You think I'm scared of you? Come on, then! Let's settle this one-on-one!"
He knew Scar wouldn't attack him—at least not now, not while Rover was still shielding him.
Since they valued Rover so much, they wouldn't dare harm someone she cared about.
For now, it was clear Scar wanted to recruit Rover, so he wouldn't let the situation escalate further.
Maybe this was what they called "a fox borrowing the tiger's might."
Scar also knew that ignoring Lucian was the best course of action. He went on:
"That's why I'm standing before you now, telling you the truth. Because I genuinely consider you a friend, and I'm sorry for what you're about to face."
Lucian scoffed. "A friend who's been tailing her the whole way? Your joke-telling skills are top-notch."
Scar ignored him again. "This is my sincerity toward you."
Rover wasn't fooled either. "Isn't this just another way to get me to join you?"
Scar smiled. "Rather, I'm looking forward to your choice."
"My goal is simple—I just want us to understand each other better."
He spread his arms, gesturing at their surroundings.
"Look at this village, and tell me the truth of what you see."
"The more you learn about this world, the clearer your inclinations will become… and our game will grow ever more… interesting."
"In the meantime—" Scar paused, his sharp gaze locking onto Lucian,
"I simply don't want our rare moment of interaction to be disturbed by outsiders… That's all."
Lucian smirked. "Oh? The thief crying 'stop thief' now?"
Rover shared the same thought—after all, the clues they'd found all pointed, directly or indirectly, to the Fractsidus.
"What did the Fractsidus do to this village?"
Scar sighed in exasperation. "Don't just assume we're the villains here…"
"What you should be asking is—what happened in this village in the first place?"
His tone turned playful. "But telling you outright would be boring. Didn't I say? You should be the one to tell me what you've discovered."
"So, go on. What have you seen?"
Rover recounted the clues they had gathered.
And strange Tacet Discords…
"Heh, you've already noticed that much?"
"What do those clues make you think happened here?"
Rover stated firmly, "The Fractsidus deceived and harmed the villagers." Latest content published on n0velfire.net
Scar burst into laughter. "A classic tale. Innocent lambs, vicious wolves, clear-cut lines between good and evil—feeding people's unchanging imagination while secretly shaping the world's order."
His words carried an obscure meaning.
"But do you really believe the real world's stories are like that?"
"Let me provide you with some indispensable key information."
"This village's story is far more complicated."
"First—who does the story revolve around?"
"An innocent girl. A respected village elder. A group of simple, honest villagers."
"And what is the most crucial plot?"
"Blind worship. Wavering kindness. A lie everyone knew. Lives taken at will. And… that small, special existence… pushed to its death by the crowd."
"Rover, from here on out… the pen is in your hands."
"I look forward to seeing how the story will change in your words… once you've truly understood this village."
With Lucian no longer interrupting, Scar spoke at length, his words cryptic yet compelling.
The gist was clear—he wanted them to uncover the truth of Qichi Village themselves.
Lucian shot him a cold glance before Rover pulled him aside.
"What do you think?" she asked, her gaze searching.
Lucian pondered briefly. "Since he's so insistent on us finding the clues ourselves, this village probably wasn't victimized by the Fractsidus like we assumed."
Rover: "I thought the same. But why can't he just tell us the truth directly?"
Lucian exhaled. "Only by experiencing it firsthand can you truly understand. Maybe then you'd sympathize with them… and join their side."
Rover nodded, deep in thought. "You're saying the Fractsidus wants to paint themselves as the victims?"
"Pretty much. Different perspectives lead to different interpretations."
Rover: "So the clues we found might be from the Fractsidus's perspective, and in the end, we'd realize they were the ones suffering?"
"Exactly." Lucian looked at her curiously. "Even I'm starting to wonder about your identity."
"Think about it—in just two days, Jinzhou… the Fractsidus… and even Aalto's group from the Black Shores have all been inquiring about you."
Rover met his gaze steadily. "Right now, the only one I can trust is you."
"After all, you're not from this world, right? You wouldn't know my identity and treat me like a pawn or something… like he said."
Lucian was moved by the sincerity in her eyes. In this strange, dangerous world… who else could he trust?
He took Rover's hand, feeling the warmth between their palms.
"Rover… I will always stand by your side."
[Ding! Rover's Affinity has reached 80!]
[Skill Unlocked: Echoing Orchestra]
[Echoing Orchestra: Gathers Spectro energy to strike a target area. After a brief delay, the area erupts, dealing Spectro damage.]