Chapter 458: 2.2 Main – Pinokangni (129)

But unfortunately, after all this time he hasn't acted; his only means of attack seems to be a strangely shaped handheld weapon…

"Kesaites, does his body also wear armor like yours? It even reflects light under the lamps!"

Yau La examined Botiou's torso; his body seemed made of steel yet perfectly fashioned to look muscular—perhaps some mithril‑forging technique? How amazing…

"No, that's not armor. I previously consulted Lord Anzi about its origin… but Anzi told me it's something called 'technology' and warned me not to probe further."

"Technology?" Yau La had never heard that term before.

"Hmm… Anzi said Botiou directly remodeled his own body, stripping away flesh and replacing it with metal, preserving agility while greatly boosting defense… My 'Zhan Shen Dao Huang' might not even wound him."

"Is… is that exaggerated?"

The Zhan Shen Dao Huang is Kesaites's most prized artifact, also the weapon left by the departed Supreme Sovereign, its sharpness unrivaled. Yau La felt Botiou was a lunatic, "After removing his flesh, can he still be called a human?"

"I don't know. Whether he's 'alive' is debatable; if he's a monster like Screw Gumm, he can ignore many life‑targeting spells."

But what truly unsettled Kesaites wasn't Botiou himself, but the nature of the 【Hunting】 itself.

Earlier, Dimigesi had voiced his view in the throne hall: he believed that once a Sea‑Roving Ranger locks onto a target, rangers will continuously pursue and kill the target until death—both Xianzhou and the Hunting Star God exhibit this trait.

It can no longer be judged as 'persistence', so when Botiou said others would "rather offend the Oblivion Gang than anger a Ranger", he finally understood why Anzi ordered the release of those humans.

In any case, stay away from Rangers—erase even the slightest chance of any connection… In that light, the Supreme Sovereign's choice was indeed wise.

——

"But that Huangquan… at least from what she does, she doesn't seem mad. On the contrary, she's logical and orderly, holding back when needed, and never soft when decisive killing is required."

"You think someone borrowing the Sea‑Roving Ranger's title has ulterior motives."

Botiou shook his head: "I don't conclude that, just find it odd. Maybe she really knows the Rangers, maybe she wants us to appear for some reason… I don't know."

"I'm still more concerned about the family's oddity. Because this grand event summoned dozens of fate‑walkers to Pinokangni. No matter how tolerant the family is, it wouldn't act so aberrantly. Unless the invitation wasn't sent by them, and the family still insists on holding the Harmonic Festival under these circumstances… that would be even more intriguing."

"Perhaps all this is the directive of 【Tongxie】 Xipe? If you find this unreasonable, it's because humans can't do it. Humans act foolishly on irrational impulses, abandon principles when personal interests are at stake, and believe things they know they shouldn't—people even break rules they've just set!"

Botiou chuckled: "But the Star God doesn't. The Star God only walks a single dark road, never turning back even when hitting a southern wall—if it hits, it still doesn't turn back!"

"Do you think this incident is driven by Xipe's will?" Dan Heng asked.

Botiou shrugged: "Maybe not Him, but certainly some metaphysical consciousness is at work. Not to sound pessimistic, but if human free will is trustworthy, then why need the Sea‑Roving Rangers? Reducing everything to the Star God and fate makes things less complicated."

——

The Battle of Twin Cities.

【5】 "Metaphysical consciousness… if it's not Xipe, then only the betrayer Dreammaster's, whose Star God behind him is meddling."

「Metaphysical consciousness……If it's not Xipe's, then it's only the dream master who is a traitor, the star god behind him is causing trouble. 」

"Weiketuo, you mean… the Dreammaster is also just a pawn being manipulated?" Jiesi looked up from a cluster of precise instruments, glancing at his partner calculating experimental data on the blackboard not far away.

"Jiesi, in the universe, which fate‑walker isn't a pawn of the Star God? Even we crave the Intellect Star God's insight, to advance Hextech further. Jiesi, what's the energy loss rate this time?"

"8%." Jiesi rolled his shirt cuff to his elbow, exposing a solid arm, carefully adjusting the energy conduit parameters; they've been working for half a month to keep loss under 5%.

"One more time? Weiketuo."

Weiketuo nodded, but before the experiment began he suddenly stopped his chalk: "Jiesi, do you think the geniuses of the Genius Club ever encounter situations like ours? Tweaking a few percent for so long yet still failing…"

"Probably, but not often… sigh, the world of geniuses is beyond our comprehension," Jiesi shrugged, "You hope the Star God's insight will push science forward, but in reality, without a universe‑shaking breakthrough, the Learned Sovereign won't even glance at you, which is a contradictory premise."

"Then does this experiment imply the Learned Sovereign's will is behind it?"

"Good question." Jiesi gave a thumbs‑up, "Once this experiment ends, we can chat over dinner."

——

"But I think Archimedes' fall is also a precious legacy the Star God left for the Nameless Guest."

Botiou: "Oh, I guess because after losing an absolutely correct leader, the Nameless Guest must take responsibility for their choices?"

"Yes." Dan Heng nodded, "I believe the meaning of the journey isn't to walk an absolutely correct path… but to, among countless roads, use our limited insight and judgment to choose the one that fits us best."

"I don't know what you've been through, but I agree that people must be responsible for themselves; no one can do it for them. Precisely because of that, the Sea‑Roving Rangers must personally find that impostor… and figure out what she's really after."

Speaking, Botiou began scanning the surroundings, his gaze sweeping over the well‑dressed travelers: "Just in case, if that Rememberer never appears, I have a backup plan… this is the last one."