Chapter 748: THE SECRET OF THE TREASURE FLOWER (PART 2)

【NAME: SIN OF THE TREASURE FLOWER (FLESH, LIFE AND DEATH)】

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

【ABILITY: FLESH STABILITY (LIMITED), RESURRECTION FROM DEATH (LIMITED)】

【COST: NONE】

【FILE: AFTER THE EXECUTION OF THE TREASURE FLOWER FAMILY, THE DECEASED EMA ALMAN, WHILE WALKING THE PATH OF NO RETURN, SAW BEFORE HER ELLI ALMAN, HER DAUGHTER, 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 SPIT OF NEARLY A THOUSAND DEAD FROM THE TREASURE FLOWER FAMILY, CLUTCHED HER DAUGHTER'S SOUL AND TURNED BACK ON THE PATH OF NO RETURN, FALLING 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, HER FLESH DRENCHED IN TREASURE FLOWER BLOOD AND HER SOUL BURDENED WITH 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 SLOWLY RECOVERS AFTER BEING CONSUMED—MEANING THAT IF HER FLESH IS NOT KILLED SIX HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SIX TIMES IN A ROW, SHE IS IMMORTAL.】

ADDITIONALLY, WHEN HOLDING "SORROW OF THE TREASURE FLOWER" ELLI 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 "SIN OF THE TREASURE FLOWER" AND CROSS-REFERENCING IT WITH THE ARCHIVES ISHAA HAD FETCHED FOR HIM, LI ANG STARED IN SILENCE AT THE LITTLE GIRL BEYOND, HOLDING WILLIAM AND MELANIE'S HANDS, EAGERLY TRYING TO TAKE THEM TO SEE A BIRD'S NEST.】

HE FOUND NO RECORD OF A SIX-YEAR-OLD GIRL NAMED ELLI 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, ELLI HAD NO MEDICAL RECORDS, NO SCHOOL RECORDS, NO TRAVEL OR WITNESS RECORDS.】

EXCEPT FOR THE CHILD'S CLOTHING EMA FREQUENTLY BOUGHT, SHE WAS A PERSON WHO "DID NOT EXIST"—EVEN, BECAUSE SHE LACKED AN ORIGINAL BODY, SHE BECAME TRANSLUCENT UNDER SUNLIGHT.】

THEREFORE, IF HIS ASSUMPTION WAS CORRECT, THE TRUE NATURE OF LITTLE ELLI WAS AN ANOMALY BORN FROM THE COMBINATION OF THE ORIGINAL "ELLI 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.】

"Elli can grow slowly like a normal child, but I know deep down she is not the real Elli."】

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, grows without eating, rests without sleeping, and learns without studying—she gradually acquires what children her age should know simply by aging.】

ALTHOUGH ELLI CAN FOLLOW MY REQUESTS TO EAT AND SLEEP NORMALLY, I UNDERSTOOD COMPLETELY THE MOMENT SHE SUDDENLY LEARNED TO DRAW, DESPITE NEVER LEAVING THE HOUSE.】

SHE HAS ELLI'S SOUL, BUT EVERYTHING SHE SHOWS IS MERELY MY PROJECTION OF EXPECTATIONS FOR MY DAUGHTER—THE REAL ELLI IS GONE; SHE IS NOW AN ANOMALY BORN FROM MY WISHES." AFTER UNVEILING THE TRUTH SHE MOST DID NOT WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, EMA, HER PALMS BLEEDING AND HER HEART FEELING AS IF IT TOO WAS BLEEDING, TREMORED:】

"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 Vision to find someone's location… 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 RECALLED, THEN ANSWERED SOFTLY:】

"The Treasure Flower Family maintained close ties with the Ice Plain Kingdom of Aixito, seeking to overthrow the royal house by exploiting their control over the main northern trade route to betray the border intelligence of Lain County, Meilinuo County, and Wales County, triggering the National Defense War six years ago.】

THE TREASURE FLOWER FAMILY'S PROTEGE, THEN COUNT LEINADE OF THE GOLDEN CUCKOO, WAS WELL-AWARE—uh…—HE DISCOVERED THE TREASURE FLOWER FAMILY'S MOVEMENTS AND VOLUNTARILY REPORTED THEM TO THE ROYAL HOUSE, FORCING THE TREASURE FLOWER FAMILY INTO 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:】

"ALL OF IT IS LIES! WE WERE DISSATISFIED WITH THE ROYAL HOUSE, BUT WE WERE FAR FROM REACHING THE POINT OF REBELLION! EVEN IF WE DID MAINTAIN CLOSE TIES WITH AIXITO, THEY WERE ALMOST ENTIRELY COMMERCIAL.】

AND THE MAN IN CHARGE OF THE MAIN NORTHERN TRADE ROUTE AT THE TIME WAS LEINADE! WHEN HE DISCOVERED AIXITO'S SUSPICIOUS MOVEMENTS AND POSSIBLE SOUTHERN INVASION, HE CONCEALED IT FROM HIS FAMILY AND REPORTED IT DIRECTLY TO THE ROYAL HOUSE!】

IF THAT WAS ALL, IT WOULD BE ONE THING—BUT HE THEN USED THE ALMAN FAMILY'S FREQUENT CONTACTS WITH AIXITO AS AN EXCUSE TO ADVISE THE ROYAL HOUSE TO STATION TROOPS AGAINST THE ALMAN FAMILY 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 HOUSE OVER THE BLACK FOREST TRADE EMBARGO—SO MUCH SO THAT WE HAD EVEN SHOUTED AT THE KING IN COURT. WHEN WE NOTICED THE UNUSUAL TROOP MOVEMENTS, WE COULD NOT HELP BUT REACT.】

MY FATHER BELIEVED THE ROYAL HOUSE WOULD NOT RESPOND EXTREMELY TO SUCH DISPUTES, SO HE SENT SOMEONE TO INVESTIGATE THE ROYAL HOUSE'S MOVEMENTS—AND SINCE MY COUSIN WAS FROM THE ROYAL HOUSE AND WAS ALSO MY HUSBAND LEINADE, HE WAS THE OBVIOUS CHOICE!"】

"…"】

"WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT WAS ALMOST THE SAME AS THE ARCHIVES."】

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

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

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

HER EYES AGAIN REFLECTED THE BLOOD OF THAT DAY; UNABLE TO CONTINUE, 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?"】

(END OF CHAPTER)===