Chapter 345

【APPEARANCE: INTANGIBLE, EXISTS ONLY ON THE HUMAN FEMALE NAMED EMA ALMAN】

【ABILITY: FLESH STASIS (LIMITED), REBIRTH FROM DEATH (LIMITED)】

【COST: NONE】

【FILE: AFTER THE EXECUTION OF THE TREASURE FLOWER FAMILY, THE DECEASED EMA ALMAN, WHILE TAKING THE PATH OF NO RETURN, SAW HER DAUGHTER ALI ALMAN—WHOM SHE HAD entrusted TO HER HUSBAND LEINADE—BEFORE THE EXECUTION BEGAN.】

DISCOVERING THAT THE DAUGHTER SHE HAD VIEWED AS HER HOPE HAD BEEN KILLED BEFORE HER OWN DEATH, EMA ALMAN, AMIDST THE CURSES AND SPITTLE OF NEARLY A THOUSAND DEAD FROM THE TREASURE FLOWER FAMILY, CLUTCHED HER DAUGHTER'S SOUL AND TURNED BACK ON THE PATH OF NO RETURN, DRAGGING HERSELF INTO THE CONFUSED SOULS OF THE UNDERWORLD.】

AS THE RULES OF THE UNDERWORLD WERE BRIEFLY DISTURBED, THE UNWILLINGNESS AND RAGE OF NUMEROUS DEAD WHO BORE THE SAME BLOODLINE AS EMA ALMAN AND DIED WITH HER WERE ABSORBED IN MASS BY HER RAGING SOUL.】

WHEN THE SOUL CLUTCHING HER DAUGHTER ESCAPED THE UNDERWORLD AND AWOKE FROM HER OWN CORPSE, EMA ALMAN—FLESH DRENCHED IN TREASURE FLOWER BLOOD, SOUL BEARING THE CURSES OF HER CLAN—BECAME ONE OF ONLY TWO INHERITORS OF NEARLY A THOUSAND LIVES…】

【EVALUATION: AN EXTREMELY POWERFUL ANOMALY, AN EXTRA LIFE WITH ALMOST NO COST, AND A SLOW REGENERATION AFTER CONSUMPTION—MEANING THAT IF HER FLESH IS NOT KILLED CONTINUOUSLY SIX HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SIX TIMES, SHE IS IMMORTAL.】

【ADDITIONALLY, WHEN HOLDING "SORROW OF THE TREASURE FLOWER"—ALI ALMAN—THE EFFECT OF "SIN OF THE TREASURE FLOWER" IS STRENGTHENED, GRANTING AN EXTRA THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-THREE REBIRTHS AFTER SOUL DESTRUCTION.】

【CONTAMINATION VALUE: 0. 】

……

【SIN OF THE TREASURE FLOWER】 AND 【SORROW OF THE TREASURE FLOWER】…

AFTER READING THE EXTENSIVE FILE ON THE "SIN OF THE TREASURE FLOWER" AND CROSS-REFERENCING IT WITH THE ARCHIVES HE REQUESTED ISHA TO FETCH, LI ANG STARED AT THE LITTLE GIRL BEYOND, HOLDING WILLIAM AND MELANIE'S HANDS AND EAGERLY TRYING TO LEAD THEM TO SEE A BIRD'S NEST, AND FELL INTO DEEP SILENCE.】

HE FOUND NO RECORD OF A SIX-YEAR-OLD GIRL NAMED ALI ALMAN IN THE KINGDOM'S REGISTRY; HER NAME EXISTED ONLY IN THE TREASURE FLOWER FAMILY'S REBELLION RECORDS, WITH CAUSE OF DEATH LISTED AS AN ACCIDENTAL DROWNING.】

THIS SHY, TIMID CHILD, THOUGH APPEARING NO DIFFERENT FROM A LIVING PERSON, HAD IN FACT DIED SIX YEARS AGO.】

EXCEPT FOR THAT FAKE "ACCIDENTAL DEATH" RECORD, ALI HAD NO MEDICAL RECORDS, NO SCHOOL RECORDS, NO TRAVEL OR WITNESS RECORDS WHATSOEVER.】

EXCEPT FOR THE CHILD'S CLOTHING EMA FREQUENTLY BOUGHT, SHE WAS A PERSON WHO "DID NOT EXIST"—EVEN, WITHOUT AN ORIGINAL BODY, SHE BECAME TRANSPARENT UNDER SUNLIGHT.】

SO IF HIS GUESS WAS CORRECT, THE TRUE NATURE OF LITTLE ALI WAS AN ANOMALY BORN FROM THE COMBINATION OF THE ORIGINAL "ALI ALMAN'S" SOUL AND EMA'S UNWILLINGNESS—AND IF HE REACHED OUT TO TOUCH HER, THE ANOMALY PROFILE "SORROW OF THE TREASURE FLOWER" WOULD POP UP.】

"ALI CAN GROW SLOWLY LIKE A NORMAL CHILD, BUT I KNOW CLEARLY IN MY HEART SHE IS NOT THE REAL ALI."】

WATCHING HER DAUGHTER, AFRAID YET EXCITED, ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB A TREE UNDER WILLIAM AND MELANIE'S ENCOURAGEMENT, EMA WHISPERED WITH TEARS IN HER EYES:】

"SHE HAS NO TRUE BODY, DOESN'T NEED TO EAT TO GROW, DOESN'T NEED TO SLEEP TO REST, AND DOESN'T NEED TO STUDY—AS SHE GROWS OLDER, SHE AUTOMATICALLY ACQUIRES WHAT CHILDREN HER AGE SHOULD KNOW.】

ALTHOUGH ALI CAN FOLLOW MY REQUESTS AND EAT AND SLEEP NORMALLY, I UNDERSTOOD COMPLETELY THE MOMENT SHE SUDDENLY LEARNED TO DRAW—SHE HAD NEVER LEFT THE HOUSE.】

SHE POSSESSES ALI'S SOUL, BUT EVERYTHING SHE SHOWS IS MERELY A PROJECTION OF MY EXPECTATIONS FOR MY DAUGHTER. THE REAL ALI IS GONE; SHE IS NOW AN ANOMALY BORN FROM MY WISHES."】

AFTER UNVEILING THE TRUTH SHE MOST DID NOT WANT TO ACCEPT, EMA, HER PALMS BLEEDING AND HER HEART FEELING AS IF IT TOO WAS BLEEDING, TREMULATED:】

"LI ANG, I ONCE WANTED YOU TO HELP ME WITH SOMETHING, BUT I GAVE UP IN THE END—DO YOU REMEMBER?"】

"I REMEMBER…"】

LI ANG NODDED, HIS EXPRESSION COMPLEX:】

"YOU WANTED ME TO USE THE BLACK GOAT'S SOUL SIGHT TO LOCATE SOMEONE… WAS IT LEINADE?"】

"YES!"】

HEARING THE NAME THAT HAD TORTURED HER FOR SIX YEARS, EMA CLAMPED HER FIST TIGHTLY, HER TEETH GRINDING:】

"LI ANG, I ASK YOU—HOW DID THE ARCHIVES DESCRIBE THE ALMAN FAMILY'S REBELLION?"】

"THE ARCHIVES…"】

LI ANG THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT, THEN ANSWERED SOFTLY:】

"THE TREASURE FLOWER FAMILY WAS CLOSELY ALLIED WITH THE ICE PLAINS KINGDOM OF AISHITO, SEEKING TO OVERTHROW THE ROYAL FAMILY USING THE WAR, AND, THROUGH THEIR CONTROL OF THE MAIN TRADE ROUTE TO THE NORTH, LEAKED BORDER INTELLIGENCE ON THE THREE COUNTIES OF LEYAN, MEILINOR, AND WALES—CAUSING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE WAR SIX YEARS AGO.】

THE MAN THEY SUPPORTED—THEN A MARQUIS, LEINADE OF THE GOLDEN CUCKOO—WAS WELL-AWARE… UH… DISCOVERED THE TREASURE FLOWER FAMILY'S MOVEMENTS, AND VOLUNTARILY REPORTED THEM TO THE ROYAL FAMILY, FORCING THE TREASURE FLOWER FAMILY TO LAUNCH A HASTY COUP—AND FINALLY… UH…"】

"LIES!"】

AFTER ANNA AND THE THREE CHILDREN ENTERED THE GARDEN, EMA'S PALE FACE SUDDENLY FLUSHED RED, HER GENTLE EYES AS IF IGNITING, HER VOICE CHOKED WITH UNNAMABLE HATRED:】

"EVERYTHING IS A LIE! WE WERE DISSATISFIED WITH THE ROYAL FAMILY'S BEHAVIOR, BUT FAR FROM REACHING THE POINT OF REBELLION! EVEN IF WE DID HAVE CLOSE TIES WITH AISHITO, THEY WERE ALMOST ENTIRELY COMMERCIAL.】

AND THE MAN IN CHARGE OF THE MAIN NORTHERN TRADE ROUTE WAS LEINADE! WHEN HE DISCOVERED AISHITO'S SUSPICIOUS MOVEMENTS AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF AN INVASION SOUTHWARD, HE CONCEALED IT FROM HIS FAMILY AND REPORTED IT DIRECTLY TO THE ROYAL FAMILY!】

IF THAT WAS ALL, IT WOULD BE ONE THING—BUT HE THEN USED THE ALMAN FAMILY'S FREQUENT CONTACTS WITH AISHITO AS AN EXCUSE TO ADVISE THE ROYAL FAMILY TO STATION TROOPS AGAINST THE ALMANS AND TO ACT FIRST TO CONTAIN THEM!"】

HERE, EMA TOOK A SHALLOW BREATH, THEN GRITTED HER TEETH:】

"AT THE TIME, OUR ALMAN FAMILY WAS ALREADY IN A SEVERE STANDOFF WITH THE ROYAL FAMILY OVER THE BLACK FOREST TRADE EMBARGO—SO MUCH SO THAT WE HAD EVEN YELLED AT THE KING IN COURT. WHEN WE NOTICED THE UNUSUAL TROOP MOVEMENTS, WE COULD NOT HELP BUT REACT.】

MY FATHER BELIEVED THE ROYAL FAMILY WOULDN'T RESPOND WITH EXTREME MEASURES OVER SUCH DISPUTES, SO HE SENT SOMEONE TO INVESTIGATE THEIR MOVEMENTS—AND SINCE MY COUSIN WAS FROM THE ROYAL FAMILY AND WAS ALSO MY HUSBAND LEINADE, HE WAS THE OBVIOUS CHOICE!"】

"…】

"AFTER THAT, THINGS WENT AS THE ARCHIVES DESCRIBED."】

EMA'S FACE WAS STILL FLUSHED, HER FIST CLUTCHED TIGHT AS SHE SPAT OUT:】

"AFTER HEARING THE 'INFORMATION' LEINADE BROUGHT BACK, MY FATHER COULD NO LONGER CONTAIN THE FEAR AND CHAOS AMONG OUR CLAN—HE WAS FORCED INTO A HASTY ACTION.】

AND LEINADE, BEFORE THE COUP EVEN BEGAN, DIRECTLY BETRAYED US TO THE ROYAL FAMILY, LED TROOPS TO CAPTURE MY FATHER AND OTHER KEY MEMBERS OF OUR FAMILY, AND THEN… THEN…"】

HER EYES ONCE AGAIN REFLECTED THE BLOOD OF THAT DAY; UNABLE TO SPEAK, EMA BIT HER LIPS HARD, THEN LOOKED AT LI ANG'S SILENT FACE, HER EYES RED:】

"LI ANG, IF I WERE YOU—WHAT WOULD YOU DO?"