Chapter 1183

"Don't even think about it, Locke." Charlotte lightly shook the wine glass in her hand, "This kid has nothing in common with you. You've always wanted to stand atop the world, haven't you? This kid is willing to give up the chance to stand on the mountain peak, a man who fights for the mortals at the mountain's base…… No matter what, he could never become your companion; he will only become your mortal enemy."

"Mortal enemy… hahaha! That's not bad either!"

Locke threw his head back and laughed loudly, then narrowed his eyes, "However, if he truly could come to this sea, even if there's a chance he becomes my mortal enemy, I won't give up letting him join me… just as he would never give up resisting death."

——

"Wandi… there's still one matter, perhaps you should know." Xiedie spoke solemnly.

"Perhaps Professor Kexa has deduced the principle of 'Recreation of the World'. You and I… maybe in the next life we will become 'Strife' and 'Death', becoming calamities sent upon the world."

"Sifeier leaned against a distant pillar, silently listening to Xiedie recount the truth about 'Recreation of the World'."

"Wandi fell silent for a moment, then slowly said, '…I know.'"

"Seeing Wandi's expression unchanged, Xiedie felt a bit surprised: '…Is that all? Are you willing to calmly accept… such a fate?'"

""You… do you have any strategy that could let us shatter the bonds of fate?""

"Xiedie shook her head dejectedly: 'I… haven't found a method yet. Perhaps it's impossible to find…'"

"Then… stop thinking about useless things. Grasp… what you can grasp. When that inescapable fate descends……" Wandi looked earnestly at Xiedie, "…use your strong will to resist its meddling."

"It was as if, after a long rainy season, a ray of sunlight parted the heavy clouds. When Xiedie lifted her eyes again, her violet pupils had gained a layer of warm light."

""Thank you, Lord Wandi. That correct choice… I will find it.""

""Hmm." Wandi nodded, seeing that firmness in the girl's eyes, he also didn't linger here. But before turning to leave, he still gave Xiedie his final words:"

""In the name of Strife, may you die a fitting death.""

""Heh, it seems our cute little-house princess has made up her mind…… Since that's the case, I won't specially deliver a message for you, seamstress—my time is very precious, you know." Sifeier behind her gave a light smile and turned to walk toward the door."

"Aglaea's undelivered admonition is simple:"

""Whether or not you wish to escape death, please follow your true heart. Taking your past oath as proof, I ask you one last time to fulfill your mission—Xiedie, please live as a human does… die as a human does.""

——

"Wandi really lives by the principle of never indulging in internal drain…… When he meets a mountain, he opens a path; when he meets a river, he builds a bridge; he never wastes mental energy on things he cannot control…… sigh… truly enviable."

"Xiaolin let out a soft sigh, her hand unconsciously moving to the pull-tab of the fifth can of beer. Since seeing Xiedie converse with those past souls, she has felt the atmosphere unusually heavy…… Although Xiedie learned much about the past from the spirits, these truths always give her a sense of pushing Xiedie further and further away."

""Envious?" Tol lowered his voice to ask, "Hmm… Xiaolin, do you guys often worry about things you can't control?""

""Yeah, that's right." With a "click", Xiaolin tossed the opened pull-tab onto the table, "Even though I know worrying is useless, even though I know thinking about it is pointless, my mind just won't stop. Like tomorrow's work report, whether to work overtime tomorrow, whether the leader will hold a meeting tonight, whether I can catch the last tram…… Well, in short, these are things that seem boring to others, but to us they are incredibly important little things."

"She lifted her head and managed to squeeze out a smile for Tol."

""So I think being not prone to internal drain is also a rare advantage; such people probably live more freely and spontaneously, right?""

"Tol rested his chin, thought seriously: "Hmm… Xiaolin, if that's the case, then I actually have a solution to all internal drain, huh?""

"Tol excitedly moved close to Xiaolin, propping his hands on the sofa, his tail wagging happily left and right behind him."

""How about that? I think most of Xiaolin's internal drain is work-related; if we solve work, doesn't that equal solving internal drain? Perfect logic!""

"Xiaolin looked at her in silence. After the living room fell quiet for a few seconds…… Xiaolin smiled helplessly and reached out to stroke Tol's soft hair."

""Huh? But my suggestion is obviously awesome——"

——

"Xiedie walked to the alchemist's leftover magic circle, bent down, and carefully examined the somewhat blurred patterns on the circle."

""This is the alchemy circle the spirits spoke of——it seems we need to respectively place 'Aegle's Sky', 'Georia's Earth', 'KefaLe's Flame', 'Fajina's Ocean'…… and also, 'Moneita's Love'."

""According to that alchemist's words, the final material should be me…… but he never peered into the past like this, so he doesn't know the full picture."

"Mimimy tilted her head: '…The past?'"

""In KefaLe's memories, I have seen the twins of 'Death'. Now I can be certain that I was once one of them. The trial of the 'Ashen Hand' is 'to take the life of a close relative'. At that time I had already died, collapsed before the gate of the new world…… and my sister, whom I had never met, became the Titan Senatos of this world."

"Xiedie explained the preceding events in detail: 'Regarding my death, she regretted it deeply. Afterwards, she used the authority of a Titan to reshape my soul, yet also made it so she never appeared before people, unable to be found……'"

""Because… it began by dying for me, and now it lies quietly sleeping in the River of the Dead."

""You mean… Bolukesi?""

""Correct, the River of the Underworld is not a mundane thing; it will not be easily severed. Those who refuse the dead to be reborn have only a divine remnant. Therefore, to extract the 'fire seed' of death, we have no choice but to revive Bolukesi from death...... using the power of the Alchemical Method, so that its remnant returns to a whole.""