Chapter 2: The Finale (8)
Li Hanbo, having miraculously survived, hid far away, practically salivating at the thought of seeing his boss rip that damned Cold Moon Witch into shreds.
But to his surprise, after saving his life, the boss didn’t jump into action right away. No, he decided to play word games with the witch instead. How typical!
This only made Li Hanbo more anxious.
His boss was clearly a powerhouse; surely he had another motive, right?
Absolutely! This stone-cold man who had no qualms about turning the entire Sky Sword City population into Fallen Species wouldn’t be swayed by mere beauty—there had to be a grander scheme at play.
Heck, Li Hanbo was already plotting to ask for a taste of the witch’s bl**d and flesh before she suffered a slow, painful demise.
Regardless of how much Li Hanbo loathed Lin Nan,
it didn’t affect the betting showdown between Good Shiyuan and Lin Nan at all.
“I’ll give you three minutes to think it over. You have only one chance to speak. Right is right, and wrong is wrong—no takebacks,” Good Shiyuan said with a sly grin.
Lin Nan nodded in silence.
Luckily for her, the Male Character had briefly summarized her and Luo Ying’s mishaps in the Animal World through private messages, achieving some kind of information exchange.
Thanks to that, she had a rough understanding of the dark secrets lurking behind the Small Thousand World.
Moreover, she’d chosen to gamble with him because she was concerned about the safety of those she cared about.
In fact, the amalgamation of Shiyuan and Evil Shiyuan she had seen in her dreams—what a mystery about their current situation!
After all, she had opted to exit the dream realm via the Game Pod, and right before losing consciousness, she distinctly saw that amalgam still in a life-or-d*ath battle with the Nightmares.
If they had entered the Small Thousand World alongside her, drawn in by Good Shiyuan’s inherent connection, and engaged in a brawl,
with the states of Shiyuan and Evil Shiyuan compromised from their dreams, there was no way they’d stand a chance.
Hence, she’d agreed to the bet—first ensuring the safety of those she cared about, and then discussing the other matters.
“Time’s up,” Good Shiyuan declared, his eyes glowing with an unusual excitement, like a child hiding a treasure yet desperately wanting someone to find it.
It seemed this was the only way he could find meaning in his existence,
to make others gasp and scream in surprise, providing him an immediate sense of validation and the potential to realize his self-worth.
Of course, if this soul from another world wasn’t clever enough to unravel his secrets,
he’d have no qualms about erasing her—he just needed an obedient body.
Because she no longer deserved to be his wife.
Lin Nan stood about three meters away from Good Shiyuan.
After Black Snow vanished, the warm sunlight poured down again, gentle breezes kissed her cheeks, and warmth enveloped her.
Yet, Good Shiyuan still felt the icy chill emanating from Lin Nan not far in front of him.
Her eyes, meeting his, were like an unfathomable abyss—no hint could he glean, only sinking deeper.
Paired with her stunning beauty and her hair and dress swaying with the wind,
the vibe of her cold, aloofness was like walking out of the blazing summer sun into an air-conditioned room, leaving Good Shiyuan in disbelief.
Wait a minute, she was clearly a usurper!
How could she fit so perfectly into Frost North Snow’s form, as if she were born to be the Demon Queen?
No, ultimately, a fake remained a fake, no matter how convincing—what was the use?
How ludicrous it was that he had revealed the truth to those other two blockheads, and they had the audacity to question him! How could he stand for it?
Perhaps the momentarily clever insight was just a flash in the pan; if she wanted to reach the heights of the real Frost North Snow, even an extra hundred years of training wouldn’t cut it.
And sure enough, just as he expected, when he announced that time was up and allowed the impersonating Frost North Snow to speak, she was as silent as a rock, evidently stalling for time.
Good Shiyuan patiently waited for a moment, then shook his head, saying,
“Well, since you have nothing to say, I’ll just take it as you lost this round.”
Lin Nan raised a hand. “Wait a minute.”
“What? Better to be silent than to spout nonsense. When I make my move, I might go easier on you—so you won’t feel any pain.”
Lin Nan snorted. “Can you stop talking to yourself?”
“I’m all ears.”
Lin Nan slightly bowed her head, looking down upon the battered Small Thousand World beneath her.
After the onslaught of Self-Exploding Beasts, what used to be a garden-like paradise filled with flowers and greenery was now riddled with scars and wounds.
She sighed, “If the spirit of the Small Thousand World could see this, they’d surely regret birthing a wretch like you.”
The moment Lin Nan said this,
Good Shiyuan instantly shook as if struck by lightning, his eyes wide with disbelief, muttering again and again,
“How is that… how is it even possible…”
Lin Nan sneered. “The facts are right in front of you—a little analysis shows the conclusion, doesn’t it?”
Good Shiyuan put away the smile that had been hanging on his lips and replaced it with a rather serious expression,
“I’d like to hear more.”
Lin Nan replied, “Looks like I was right. Shouldn’t you keep your promise first?”
“No, this might be just a random guess from your clever mind; you don’t have strict logical reasoning.”
Lin Nan felt her temper rise. “But you didn’t say I needed to provide proof before!”
Good Shiyuan shrugged. “I changed my mind. Besides, the initiative is in my hands. If you can’t play the game, don’t play; it’s simple.”
Lin Nan took a deep breath. The thought that the three most important men in her life might be under his control since entering the game world made her simmering anger boil down for the time being.
“I still don’t get it. You are the Good Incarnation of the Monster King.
That blundering Evil Shiyuan has a straightforwardness that’s a hundred times better than yours!”
Good Shiyuan sighed. “Most people in this world don’t understand what is good and what is evil.
Neither do you. So let me enlighten you.
Good is what benefits others; evil is what benefits oneself. If it benefits others, beating and cursing are good. If it benefits oneself, treating and respecting others is evil.
Ignorance is evil, stupidity is evil, harm is evil! That’s where the Evil Incarnation’s evil lies.
But my goodness is great goodness! You think I designed all of Sky Sword City for evil? No, you’re mistaken!
One day, the entire continent will be grateful for my existence!”
“To save a hundred people by sacrificing ninety-nine?” Lin Nan retorted coldly. “What right do you have to decide others’ lives and deaths, just for your own ideology?”
Good Shiyuan shook his head. “No, that’s not my ideology.
This was the goal Frost North Snow wanted to achieve; I’m merely inheriting her will.”
