Chapter 134: Wholesale Dissociative Identity (Third Chapter, Over 10,000 Words, Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Li En stood in the corridor and turned back; no one else remained—at least Kuku guaranteed no one could hear.

"Sorry, I got a little carried away."

Li En was trying to knock on Saliman's door, offering a voluntary apology.

He had been wrong—he made an excessive judgment without understanding Saliman's situation and scolded the girl until she cried; since he was wrong, he should apologize.

But after he knocked for a long time, the door finally opened.

A small snake slid out from behind the door, glanced at Li En, then flicked its tongue and bared its teeth at him—clearly still angry.

Can snake hair really do this? Can she handle so many perspectives at once?

Li En smiled, showing his goodwill, then continued.

"Sorry, Saliman. I seem to have misunderstood. I wrongly accused you, yelled at you—can you forgive me? I'm truly sorry."

After apologizing, Li En waited a long while before the door slowly opened halfway.

Saliman peeked out from behind the door, tear tracks still on her cheeks.

Her face flushed, she hesitated before speaking.

"You… won't yell at me again, will you?" As she spoke, she shrank back slightly, as if afraid.

Perhaps, to her, Li En had unknowingly become part of her life—a person of extraordinary significance to her heart.

And this scene made Li En feel even more peculiar—he had always thought this adorable "little thing" differed too greatly from the heartless venomous serpent Purple Rose described, who despised human nature.

"I won't. I promise—I won't yell at you now. Nor will I block you from inheriting the Hero Soul's power."

Only then did Saliman open the door fully and let Li En in.

As soon as he stepped inside, Li En saw the messy bed and the damp pillow—even the snake hair bore traces of tears. Could it really do this too?

Slightly embarrassed, the snake slithered back onto the bed.

Watching the snake curl around the pillow, shyly hiding behind it, instinctively adopting a defensive posture, Li En felt even stranger.

This was nothing like the schemer Purple Rose described—the one who manipulated alliances, overcame the weak, and slaughtered mercilessly.

"Let me answer your earlier question: if you inherit the Hero Soul's power, you may very well realize your goal and awaken a dominant personality."

This was Purple Rose's judgment; Li En had specifically asked Kuku, who confirmed it.

"You can indeed delegate your duties to her—she should be capable of completing them."

Instantly, the girl's tears turned to laughter, her smile blooming like a flower.

Though she possessed a mature, stunning appearance and figure, at this moment she behaved like a child praised by her teacher.

"But…" Li En had more to say.

"…you must make a promise with me: no matter what happens later, never voluntarily give up your life." His calm words carried a heartfelt vow and resolve.

If Saliman refused, Li En would change his mind and sever the inheritance outright.

This was a vow—he hadn't expected his first "promise-keeping" vow would be made here.

"Mm, I agree."

The girl nodded quickly, smiling sweetly—she realized Li En cared for her.

She didn't notice the weight of this contract.

Watching Saliman agree, Li En sighed—this girl was probably the kindest person to him; it seemed he couldn't just abandon her.

Have I, too, unknowingly acquired chains?

"I still need to apologize—I asked Purple Rose, and learned about your parents without permission. I'm truly sorry."

Though sudden, even possibly reopening wounds, Li En chose to tell her.

Li En was never an honest man, but if there was no need, he didn't need to deceive those who trusted him.

"Ah, my parents are fine, fine—it's all in the past," Saliman waved her hand, completely unconcerned.

"Sorry," Li En thought—he'd probably said more apologies today than in his entire life.

"Really, it's nothing. They passed peacefully. Though it was sudden illness, they suffered little at the end, and left me trustworthy helpers to help me take over the family."

Hearing this, Li En froze.

This was completely different from what he'd heard—could Purple Rose have been wrong? No, such a major thing couldn't be mistaken.

Then who was lying?

Li En looked at Saliman, still secretly wiping her tear-stained eyes, and decided it wasn't her—she couldn't speak so lightly about something so deeply personal, tied to her parents and her entire past.

Was Purple Rose lying? No need, and unlikely—Li En instinctively felt she wouldn't deceive him over something so trivial.

"Then there's only one possibility—her memory is flawed."

Who did it? Who could alter a soul mage's memory to this extent without disrupting her life—even subtly guiding it toward positive development?

"Did she do it herself?"

At that moment, Li En hesitated.

He wasn't certain what kind of being would emerge if this split-soul ability truly activated.

"I'm no longer alone—myself won't betray myself," the faint hissing of her snake hair inadvertently revealed her inner thoughts.

Li En sighed—Purple Rose had seen clearly after all. What Saliman truly craved was still a family she could trust.

But since they had reconciled, there was no time to waste—someone had waited long enough.

"A noblewoman from a local family has come to visit. No need to tidy up too much—she's a candidate, codename Sage's Hand. Yes, the one who shut down Dainya at the very beginning." Li En had come for serious business.

Now it was Saliman's turn to feel uneasy.

"Relax, she seems easy to get along with. Besides, Kuku is here—what are you afraid of?"

Before Li En's "settlement," Kuku still had a few days of freedom; once settlement occurred, Li En's condition would decline again.

Now on the battlefield's edge, Li En wouldn't gamble recklessly.

Considering his Hero Soul inheritance and synchronization rate both seemed mediocre, he had no confidence he could reward another card—and even less that it would be usable.

The events that followed confirmed Li En's speculation.

The dark elf alchemist who entered was remarkably easygoing; even Victoria openly expressed her desire to leave with the embassy.

And she brought good news.

"Poison Blade… she's now my ally. She seems to want to leave this city too—perhaps we can gain an opening from her."

Then she immediately sold out her teammate.

"She's Alekne Tarabal, the city lord's elder sister." As she spoke, the dark elf sounded proud—proving her own value.

Hearing this, Saliman's face lit up with delight, while Li En smiled—he'd already noticed their resemblance, but he hadn't expected the two dark elves to form a runaway alliance.

"Perhaps we should visit the city lord?"

"No, she'll come herself tonight. Victoria's arrival has surely alerted other watchers to our return."

Negotiations, of course, worked better when the other side came rushing to you—better terms awaited.

Unlike their first meeting in the Hall of Heroes, Victoria was now friendly and talkative—indeed, many didn't lack manners, they simply chose not to use them.

Her request wasn't hard to fulfill—she merely wanted to open a small shop on the surface and hoped for official security guarantees.

These matters didn't require Dainya—even Li En could handle them.

"Victoria… partner, perhaps we can collaborate. I also plan to open a shop." At this moment, Gugu stepped forward.

"Perhaps we could try cooperating?"

A dark elf alchemist and a mushroom-person alchemist were rare enough underground; on the surface, they could turn this into a selling point.

The candidates had gathered—plus Saliman, four were here, possibly all of underground society.

They already seemed to be dreaming of the future.

Especially when Li En hinted to Victoria that she could seek refuge here during crises—implying teleportation existed—the dark elf visibly relaxed.

Perhaps she and her runaway alliance had always feared most how to escape this dark underground world.

"Boom!"

As dusk approached, sudden explosions and pillars of fire outside drew the attention of those who cared.

The daytime battles had been full of explosions and projectiles—perhaps it was just close by, nothing too serious.

"Look, what's that in the sky?" Kuku suddenly put down his notebook and pointed out the window.

Li En stared—and saw a superhero… wait, a dark elf sister being carried through the air?

He activated Dragon Eyes to see the increasingly familiar face clearly.

Hadn't he seen that face just last night? But something was odd—weren't the sisters having problems? The elder had said she was leaving.

"Alekne? How is City Lord Verna flying with her? Hey, they're so close—her relationship with the rumors isn't right at all; they seem quite close."

"No—it's Alekne and Alekne."

Kuku's voice brimmed with pride.

With divine blood as the foundation, the first seed has begun to sprout!

(End of Chapter)