Chapter 922: Is It Worth It?

Is It Worth It?

Of course, Chun wasn't a child.

She was just slightly straightforward in all occasions other than dealing with Lin Xi. Perhaps because chasing Lin Xi had exhausted her mind, she never wasted too much energy on other aspects.

But some things still had to be done, for example, at this moment:

Finding allies, and by the way, slandering Lin Xi.

When matched with Lin Xi, she united all forces that could be united to make a move on him; and when not matched with Lin Xi, she impersonated Lin Xi to make enemies everywhere. This was what Chun had been doing.

Cheng Shi clearly guessed the other party's thoughts. Recalling the past events between the two that Sun Miao had mentioned, he sighed with a complex face:

"So this is your probe?"

"First impersonating Lin Xi to attack others. If the other party fights back in anger, then they can become your ally. But if the other party is eager to explain, then they are counted as your enemy."

"The method is a bit stupid, but it's effective."

"However, Crown of Thorns, this probe of yours is fine if you run into someone who is reasonable. But once you encounter someone who is unreasonable and insists on an explanation, what will you do?"

"Bias will push them toward Lin Xi's side. By then, the enemies you've made will become your own bitter fruit."

"Have you ever thought that if you swallow too many bitter fruits, it will cost you your life."

Chun paused for a moment, a flash of gratitude passing through her eyes. She knew this was the player she was probing kindly reminding her to pay attention to the method. Sure enough, Honglin was right, he was a good person.

But since she dared to do this, naturally she had a way to resolve the bitter fruit.

Thus, Cheng Shi, who was frowning, and Sun Miao, who had hurried over, saw a scene that made them dumbfounded in the next second. Only to see Chun directly pull open her hem, revealing her waist and abdomen that were covered with daggers.

The smooth abdominal muscles were riddled with holes. On every scar, there was a dagger with a broken handle. Dozens of broken blades almost tore her waist and abdomen apart. Outsiders would feel pain just looking at it, but this woman didn't even frown, and was even walking in the trial with this painful posture, just to kill that former lover.

Hiss—

She was truly ruthless to herself.

Cheng Shi's pupils constricted, and he drew a sharp breath, feeling a dull ache in his own abdomen.

Sun Miao was stunned for a moment, then picked up the electronic beeper and typed: "Are you still making offerings to 【Decay】?"

Chun shook her head:

"No, I have long since had no relationship with 【Decay】.

This is not an offering to Him, nor is it atonement for Him, but compensation for the provocation.

My life is still useful; as long as that stinking rat is not dead, I cannot die.

So I cannot pay you with my life, but I can let you vent the anger caused by the provocation."

As she spoke, Chun took out a dagger, held it by the blade, and walked toward Cheng Shi with a resolute expression. The meaning was clear: if Cheng Shi was angry, he should plunge this dagger into her body, letting the bone-gnawing pain replace death as her punishment.

"..."

Sure enough, the peak is full of madness. Among those who can become God-Chosen, or rather, those who have reached the top of the rankings, is there anyone normal?

"Doesn't it hurt?" Cheng Shi's eyelids twitched slightly.

Chun pulled a cold, hate-filled sneer onto her livid face:

"How can the pain of flesh and blood compare to a heart turned to ash?

Cheng Shi, I want to ask you to help me."

Cheng Shi fell silent. He knew what this favor was, but he didn't rush to agree. Instead, he frowned and fell into deep thought, nodding only after a long while.

"Fine, but one dagger..." He glanced at the dagger in Chun's hand and shook his head, "It's not enough."

Chun smiled. This was her first heartfelt smile in this trial. She wasn't offended that Cheng Shi demanded more chips; she just felt once again that Xiang Honglin was right—the other party was indeed a good person.

She was never afraid of paying a price, only of getting no return.

So, she took out another dagger.

Bearing two portions of pain represented her double the sincerity.

"..."

"..."

The scene fell directly into silence.

Even Sun Miao, a believer of 【Silence】, couldn't keep her composure anymore.

If you say she's like a child, this tenacity and perseverance would make even the toughest warrior feel inferior. But if you say she's an adult... is this a transaction a mentally normal adult could come up with?

Look, sister, am I short of that one dagger, or am I short of the opportunity to stab you a second time?

I want a win-win, but you...

You haven't embraced some kind of Desire for Pain, have you?

For a moment, Cheng Shi's gaze toward Chun became more scrutinizing.

【Filth】 is not a good thing; even if one wants to observe it, this isn't the way to do it at such close range.

Fortunately, Cheng Shi confirmed that the other party had no intention of approaching 【Filth】, but her persistent murderous intent toward Lin Xi was indeed already walking down the path of embracing her own desires.

Seeing Chun still hesitating whether to take out a third dagger, Cheng Shi couldn't take it anymore. He felt he should be direct and stop wasting time.

"I'm curious about your means of disguising Annihilation. That is pure 【Annihilation】 breath.

You... like Lin Xi, have you fused with 【Annihilation】?"

Chun was startled, seemingly finally understanding Cheng Shi's meaning. She shook her head, weighed the pros and cons, and pulled a palm-sized small flag from her bosom.

"It's this, an SS-class 【Annihilation】 artifact, the Annihilator's Command Flag.

Ever since that stinking rat fused with 【Annihilation】, I also developed the desire to fuse, because I know that only by knowing oneself and the enemy can one kill him. But...

【Annihilation】 rejected me. No matter how I prayed to Him, no matter how I made offerings to Him, He never gave me any chance."

Hearing this, Cheng Shi raised an eyebrow.

【Annihilation】 doesn't want to fuse with 【Prosperity】?

Although he didn't know what 【Annihilation】 was thinking, he felt that it was probably the fact that 【Prosperity】 "annihilated" Himself that caused the other party to develop "resistance."

And who knows what authority 【Prosperity】 left for 【Annihilation】? It probably disgusted the other party, didn't it?

"So, in order to understand 【Annihilation】, I targeted His followers."

Cheng Shi's gaze sharpened. Just as he was about to speak, he heard the electronic beeper next to him speak first: "Herobos!"

Chun's expression changed slightly, as if recalling some painful experience she couldn't forget.

"Yes, I found Herobos and obtained this command flag from the Annihilator's hands."

"?"

6.

The strength of the wood-carving Chun is beyond doubt, but Cheng Shi still didn't believe she could contend with the Annihilator alone, let alone snatch an artifact from a Messenger.

This was somewhat unbelievable.

"So, what was the price?"

Chun said nothing. After a moment of silence, she tore apart the top she had pulled up, revealing her chest, which no longer had flesh, and a heart wrapped in grayish-white 【Annihilation】 breath.

That heart, with only a little pale red left, was still beating, but every beat pumped a small amount of 【Annihilation】 breath into her limbs and bones.

"!!??"

"I am dying. As the price for wielding the power of 【Annihilation】, I bear another curse that did not belong to my own faith.

So I can no longer let these daggers be inserted into my right chest. You have seen it, the rib gap cannot hold a dagger...

I can give up anything, but I have only one request:

I want to personally deliver that unfinished stab!"

"You..." Sun Miao's usually expressionless face finally showed a trace of movement. Her fingers typed stiffly, "Is it worth it?"

"It's not worth it."

A trace of dimness flashed in Chun's eyes, but then it became incomparably firm again.

"But I hate."

Hearing this, Cheng Shi nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

"I have learned about your encounter, but that is not the reason for me to cooperate with you.

Everyone has their own misfortunes, and these misfortunes cannot be quantified by the degree of tragedy. After all, in the eyes of outsiders, no matter how empathetic one is, it is not a personal experience. Those who have not experienced it have no right to comment.

At most, I can give you my sympathy, but Crown of Thorns, you should be glad that 【Fate】 stood on your side this time. No, it should be that 【Annihilation】 pushed the opportunity toward you.

I am indeed not on good terms with Him.

Well, I agree. Whether it is out of support for the 【Prosperity】 camp or disgust for the 【Annihilation】 camp, I seem to have no reason to refuse.

But I declare in advance: I will not cooperate with any of your arrangements. I will only act when I should act. However, rest assured, regarding threats, I have always been more 'fearful' than anyone else.

If he is truly a threat, I will try my best to 'annihilate' the threat in this trial. But if he has some method of rebirth..."

"He doesn't have one anymore, I'm sure." Chun's tone was firm, her hatred surging.

So you two have cut off each other's respective retreats, right?

"Very well. Then next, let us temporarily return to the trial. I don't think you will follow us to explore the so-called 【Order】 story.

Since that's the case, then you go busy yourself with your own affairs.

Relax, the timing will come soon. Every trace of hatred will eventually dissipate. I have... great confidence in this."