Himeko?
Ye Cang’s mind went blank.
Everything happened too fast.
In the flash of a spark, before the blood splattering in the air even hit the ground, everything had already entered an irreversible dead end.
His body stiffened, his hair standing on end.
His eyes briefly met the red-haired woman’s amber eyes.
The expression of shock was still frozen on that head, which still had life in it.
Even Himeko herself had no awareness of it.
Her head had been casually plucked off.
“Hime…”
Ye Cang opened his mouth.
Fear, regret, and sorrow surged into his mind together, finally transforming into boundless rage that erupted outward.
Bang
Only then did the headless body slowly collapse.
A column of blood over a meter high sprayed from the smooth, mirror-like stump of her neck.
The warm blood stained the ceiling red and splattered across the faces and clothes of the companions around her.
March’s face went pale in an instant, both hands covering her mouth.
Mr.
Yang immediately reversed his grip on his cane, making no attempt to hide his killing intent.
The cane, wreathed in Imaginary energy, pointed directly at the white-coated woman’s face like a sword.
However, before his attack could land, another, more violent attack had already arrived first.
The youth’s five fingers formed a claw, Imaginary energy surging from his fingertips.
He directly tore through space, aiming straight for the woman’s neck.
Pseudo Void Breaker!
“Interesting.
But that is all.”
The tall woman with the blurred face stepped sideways, casually strolling past the combined attack of Welt Yang and Ye Cang.
Her full chest brushed through the gap between the two void rifts.
She turned gracefully, dropping the red-haired head that was worthless to her, and reached for the collar of her white coat.
Then she pulled hard.
When the candy-colored evening gown beneath the white coat appeared before everyone, the same four words surfaced in everyone’s minds except Ye Cang and March.
[Lord of Silence]
Genius Society #4, Polka Kakamond, known as the “Lord of Silence.” A killer lady in a candy-red evening gown holding a scalpel.
She had killed numerous members of the Genius Society.
Legend said she commanded the abilities to “manipulate probability” and “appear freely along the chain of causality.” She had once destroyed all her own portraits and sculptures across the entire universe.
According to the Astral Express’s archives, the geniuses confirmed to have died by this killer’s hand included #7 Bohdan and #27 “Emperor” Rubert I.
Her assassination of the latter ended the First Mechanical Emperor’s War that swept the universe.
She was also suspected of killing #8 Lambda and #9 Klein, and later killed Rubert II.
This person’s reputation, even within the star-studded Genius Society, was quite explosive.
“You are…
Polka Kaka…”
Mr.
Yang did not hesitate for even a moment, nor did he have time to wonder why Ye Cang also knew his signature move, Void Breaker.
The instant he understood who stood before him, he knew that all resistance from those present was futile.
Facing the Lord of Silence, unless an Aeon came in person, or an existence beyond Emanator level…
everyone’s life and death were within her single thought.
“Why?” Welt Yang gazed at the Lord of Silence’s blurred face and spoke in a hoarse voice, “The Astral Express has never interfered in the Genius Society’s internal conflicts.
We Nameless have no grudge against you either.
Why kill the Express’s Navigator?”
“Why?” Polka Kakamond smiled slightly, casually wiping the bloodstained scalpel on her sleeve.
“Because…”
“[Nous’s calculations cannot be defied.]”
“The contamination of the eldritch calamity is already irreversible.
And I will grant you all either [End] or [Rebirth].”
Mr.
Yang raised a hand and pushed up his glasses.
The killing intent in his eyes gradually receded.
“And now?
Our question and answer has already deepened the meme contamination repeatedly.
Since [Nous’s calculations cannot be defied], will you also take your own life here?”
Polka Kakamond seemed to have long anticipated Mr.
Yang’s intent.
She chuckled, “I will send myself on my final journey.
But that will be after I grant you all eternal silence.”
She stepped forward, her aura rising steadily, like a towering mountain shooting up from the ground.
“I came for #83, Herta.
Since you insist on wading into these troubled waters, then all of you can stay.”
“You lunatic!” Mr.
Yang suddenly reached out.
But it was not to attack the Lord of Silence.
Instead, he grabbed Ye Cang’s collar and hurled him backward.
At the same time, he roared over his shoulder: “Run!
I’ll hold her off!”
“But…” March was still hesitating.
Dan Heng had already shoved Himeko’s head into her arms.
He hoisted the headless body onto his shoulder and growled through gritted teeth: “Run!
Himeko can still be saved!”
“You two go.” Ye Cang landed steadily on both feet, his back to March and Dan Heng.
Imaginary energy from his fingertips carved a rift through the cabin wall, severing the path between the two and himself.
He turned his head and glanced at March.
The killing intent in his eyes hid for a moment, then he revealed a bright, sunny smile: “Mr.
Yang can’t hold her off alone.
I need to stay with him.”
“As for Himeko…
Dan Heng is right.
She can still be saved.”
“As long as I’m here, I won’t let the tragedy repeat itself.”
March’s eyes widened in alarm.
“You two…”
She had no chance to complain, because Dan Heng had already grabbed her arm and pulled her running back the way they came.
“Go.
Trust Ye Cang and Mr.
Yang!”
Dan Heng’s words were concise and forceful.
But his current state was clearly not good either.
Cold sweat kept seeping from his forehead, his expression grim.
“I don’t know why, but ever since a moment ago, images keep flashing through my mind.
I have a way to save Himeko.
That method seems to be called…”
“Transmutation Arcanum?”
March bit her lip and quickened her pace as well.
“Fine.
For Himeko’s sake, I’ll trust you this once!”
On the other side, Mr.
Yang looked at the black-haired youth who had returned to face the enemy.
His brows furrowed.
“Why didn’t you leave?”
Ye Cang shook his head.
“You can’t hold her off alone.
I need to stay with you.”
He took out Elation’s Final Mask and covered his face with it.
Once the mask had completely merged with his skin, he opened his eyes again.
His gaze assessed the [Lord of Silence] step by step approaching him.
Along with it, all of Polka Kakamond’s data and information appeared before him.
“You know, Mr.
Yang.”
“I’ve never liked wearing this mask.
Because it reminds me that…”
“This world is nothing more than a game to me.”
(T/N: Translations will have to go on hold for a few days because I got unfairly suspended from my LLM and I have to appeal.)