https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-774-Sybillian-Returns-to-Where-It-All-Began/12585317/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-776-The-Dark-Day-in-Lanchi-s-Eyes/12585319/
Chapter 775: Lanchi's Unfathomable Smile
Chapter 775: Lanchi's Unfathomable Smile
"Smile~"
"Even though your heart is aching~"
"Smile, even if it's breaking~"
The lyrics of this upbeat classical song encouraged one to keep smiling even in the face of adversity. Various arrangements of this song could be heard in several cities of the Eternal Night Lands.
Here, in the oldest hotel of Xiaoye City, not only were wealthy merchants attracted to stay, but it was also the first choice for the Grand Lord to entertain his esteemed guests.
Deep within the heart of the Eternal Night Lands lies the city-state of Hector, also known as Xiaoye City. On the fringe of the snowy wilderness, this city stands quietly, as if situated at the end of the world, shrouded in eternal twilight.
The noontime daylight is but a brief interlude to the ever-present night, fleeting like a momentary pause in the eternal symphony of darkness.
The mountain spines are cloaked in thick snow, forming a group of silent gray giants, mute witnesses to the passage of time.
The city-state itself is perpetually blanketed in snowfall, a winter wonderland embraced tightly by the arms of the Goddess of Winter.
At the heart of the plaza lies the core of the city-state, with a towering building reaching towards the clouds. This structure is crafted from intricately carved dark stone bricks.
The conical roof is draped in snow, resembling a flowing silver-white cape. Hanging from the eaves, crystal wind chimes sway gently in the breeze, chiming a delightful melody.
On the top floor, within a spacious and luxurious executive suite, the room is always bathed in soft lighting, unaffected by the raging blizzard outside.
Occasionally, the sound of gently turning pages emanates from beside the coffee table, as a magic audio player broadcasts the song.
"Today is your seventh day in the Northern Eternal Night Lands..."
Suddenly, Cat Boss spoke up.
"Just smile~"
"Meow meow meow!"
It found that Lanchi was ignoring it, turning up the knob on the audio player to drown out Cat Boss's voice.
This left Cat Boss feeling rather displeased.
"Lanchi! Your attitude is terrible, meow! I need to teach you a lesson, meow!"
Cat Boss rolled around on the sofa in frustration.
When Lanchi continued to ignore it, Cat Boss felt its presence fading into oblivion.
"Cat Boss, you can't bully me. Is it really okay for an eighth-rank beast to bully a sixth-rank one like me?"
Lanchi rubbed Cat Boss's head, feigning weakness.
"Lanchi, control your appetite, meow," Cat Boss retorted.
Lanchi fell silent.
This won't do.
It also wanted to write a book, one where a green tea young lady named Lanchi meets a cold and useless prince Talia, a kind half-demon duke's young master, Hugh, and the domineering northern continent bishop, Xigrei, all vying for her affection.
Just thinking about the green tea young lady fearlessly flirting with these men, only to be caught red-handed by all three male leads, made Cat Boss eager to fast-forward to the scene where Lanchi is broken down, crying and begging for mercy.
She deserves it.
"Are you fantasizing about something very rude?"
Lanchi turned his head to stare at Cat Boss, sensing that it was thinking about something rather chaotic.
"No, meow," Cat Boss shook its head in denial.
Lanchi hesitated, then finally looked back at his book, no longer indulging Cat Boss's playful mood.
In the hotel suite's kitchen, the oven was baking a mouthwatering casserole, filling the air with a delectable aroma.
But Cat Boss, unable to bear the solitude, wandered into the living room to chat with Lanchi.
With Xigrei asleep in the bedroom and Tata busy cooking in the kitchen, it had no one to play with.
As the city-state of Xiaoye, the closest to the Demon Realm in the Eternal Night Lands, its magic engineering has been greatly influenced by the Demon Realm. The hotel is equipped with the same noise-isolating magic devices found in the Demon Realm, ensuring that neither the sounds of cooking from the kitchen nor the music and conversation from the living room disturb Xigrei's slumber in the bedroom.
Throughout their journey, while Xigrei didn't handle navigation, she remained vigilant in the backseat, alerting Lanchi to the snowy terrain and the presence of magical beasts, allowing him to drive with ease.
Tata, on the other hand, spent most of the trip eating and sleeping, snuggling with Xigrei to keep warm.
Xigrei doted on Tata, buying her the most recommended local delicacies in each city-state they visited and feeding her along the way.
She seemed to have completely accepted this retired version of Kaliyera, even coming to understand Lanchi's joy in nurturing small creatures.
According to Cat Boss's observations, Xigrei had the potential to become a female Lanchi years ago. Lanchi's obsession with Thalia had now seemingly rubbed off on Xigrei.
"Lanchi, why have you become so quiet on this trip? Back when we were in the North, you and I, the 'Lan Cat' combo, would chat for hours every day."
Cat Boss nudged Lanchi with its head as it asked.
"I've always been quite talkative, haven't I?" Lanchi replied, feeling the constant soft bumping of the black furball at his side.
"Meow, really?" Cat Boss expressed its relief that Lanchi wasn't making it do more work, but it also felt uncertain about its role in the team.
Could an eighth-rank divine beast be unemployed? Tata could also help Lanchi with the pseudo-stone tablet. At most, it had slightly higher-level wind magic, which could give Lanchi four extra lives, but there were currently no opponents that could bring out Lanchi's full potential and force him to use even his second life.
Click.
The sound of a turning door handle caught the attention of both Cat Boss and Lanchi.
Their gazes drifted towards a distant bedroom door that had opened. Xigrei emerged, her hair slightly tousled, wearing a strappy dress as sleepwear. She walked to the dining table, picked up a bottle of Snowfield Ice Spring, and began to gulp it down, looking like she had just woken up.
"Xigrei, how many times have I told you? You're a young lady now, so you should be a bit more mindful of your image."
Lanchi could only maintain his manners, staring at the book and speaking to Xigrei.
Xigrei's overly casual attire made it seem like she didn't care that he was still sitting there.
"What's wrong? Kaliyera and Little Black Coal don't mind," Xigrei said, setting down the water bottle and stretching as if she had just woken up. "Or will His Holiness look at me with that kind of gaze?"
She deliberately sat down next to Lanchi, sticking close to him like an innocent little girl, unconcerned about the gender differences between them.
"Meow..."
Cat Boss was unsure if Xigrei was testing Lanchi or seducing him, or if she truly wasn't thinking in that direction, still seeing herself as the little girl from twelve years ago whom Lanchi could easily pick up.
Even though Xigrei's voluptuous figure made it hard for Lanchi to ignore her softness, he quickly moved away and sat on the other single sofa, giving his seat to Xigrei.
"Xigrei, in my eyes, you will always be a good girl, but you also need to consider some objective factors. For example, you are now a full-fledged beauty, and accordingly, you also need to maintain etiquette that matches your looks and talent." Lanchi lectured Xigrei.
"Hmm."
Xigrei wanted to retort, but hearing Lanchi's high EQ words, she felt like no longer teasing him.
She casually waved her hand, returned to her room to change her clothes, and then came out again, stuffing her hands into her coat pockets.
"By the way, the last time we came to Xiaoye City, we stayed in a similar room, didn't we?" Xigrei asked, leaning on the sofa armrest and gazing at the falling snow outside the window.
In her dream, she had fallen asleep on the table edge, and Lanchi quietly sat next to her, reading a book.
Here in Xiaoye City, the rabbit beastmen residents had long gotten used to the long nights and fleeting days, and their lifestyle had completely adapted to the rhythm of the night.
Due to the city-state's unique geographical location and abundant natural resources, it continued to attract scholars, hunters, explorers, and travelers seeking temporary shelter.
In addition to the rabbit tribe that controlled this city-state, members of the demon race could also frequently be seen within its walls.
Far from the lands of humans, this place was undoubtedly dangerous for humans who lacked sufficient strength or bodyguards.
Fortunately, Lanchi had cultivated good relationships in Xiaoshi City from the start, and the impressions the various lords had of him had improved by leaps and bounds.
After he repaired the statues of the gods and communicated with the grand lords, he invariably gained their favor and wholehearted assistance.
Thus, the six-day journey from Xiaoshi City to Xiaoye City had been smooth sailing, with almost no unexpected incidents or troubles.
The only minor incident occurred in the latter half of the journey, where the mountainous terrain gradually increased, and the trio of two humans and a cat encountered a sudden blizzard, forcing them to take temporary refuge in a cave to dodge the threat of an avalanche.
Perhaps it was on that day that Xigrei witnessed his work of repairing the statues of the gods, and when packing their luggage, she began to show a keen interest in his painting and sculpting tools. Lanchi patiently introduced the purpose of each tool and shared his experiences using them, as well as the intricacies of art appreciation.
Along the way, the two of them mostly conversed, whether it was learning or teaching, which helped pass the time more quickly for both of them.
Now, looking back, Xigrei only felt immense nostalgia.
And at this moment, setting out on the journey again, she felt especially at ease and relaxed.
This trip was not as rushed as the last one, without the two million troops and the precarious war situation to the south, and there were no vampires lurking in the snowfields either; everything had already been peacefully resolved. There was no sense of urgency along the way.
Her physical strength at her peak was far better than that of the little girl in her dream who was just over ten years old, and Lanchi didn't have to visit the beastmen city-state and repair the statues of the gods every time, so the entire schedule was quite relaxed.
Just like now, they could hide in a warm hotel during the winter and chat leisurely, waiting for Kaliyera to finish cooking.
Everything exuded a sense of happiness.
"Yes, the last time, it was the grand lord of Xiaoye City who arranged a room for us. We wouldn't have had a place to stay otherwise," Lanchi replied with a rare smile, setting down his book and looking at Xigrei.
This independent city-state of Xiaoye, located close to the Demon Realm, was very popular with demon merchants and served as the starting point for demon merchants' travels and the endpoint for merchants from the Pelrant Empire.
Lanchi had fond and touching memories of his journey with Xigrei.
"I never expected your affinity for small animals to work just as well on the beastmen tribe. They all adore and trust you," Cat Boss said as he climbed onto Lanchi's shoulder, also feeling nostalgic.
"..."
The living room fell silent once more.
When Cat Boss looked at Lanchi's expression again, he noticed that his smile had gradually faded.
It wondered if it had said something wrong and shook its head back and forth as it looked at Lanchi and Xigrei.
Xigrei looked at Cat Boss helplessly.
Cat Boss was an expert at delivering finishing blows. Lanchi had seemed to be coming to terms with the disappearance of the rabbit people of Xiaoye, but after hearing Cat Boss' words, he finally couldn't keep his emotions in check.
Xigrei clearly remembered.
Just like Argom, the grand lord of Xiaoshi City, who hadn't been very close to Lanchi at first but later revealed a cute side reminiscent of a little bear in front of him.
This was not some kind of natural attraction; it was merely that they felt sincerity and respect from Lanchi, and they responded to him with the same.
Sigrid naturally understood Lanchi's feelings as he traveled and witnessed the prosperity of several Beastman city-states.
The Beastman lord of Xiaoye City had shown kindness to the Blood Clan many years ago when they were weak and persecuted. Many Blood Clan members had been hunted by Wolf Vampire hunters and struggled to find a foothold in the human realm, eventually fleeing to the Eternal Night Lands.
Thus, the deepest part of the Eternal Night Lands became their best hiding place.
The former lord of Xiaoye City pitied these wounded Blood Clan members and, out of their desperate pleas, shared the blood of the wild beasts he hunted on the Snowfield with them, saving many, including the future Eighth Progenitor of the Blood Clan, Marquess Somerset.
Marquess Somerset promised the former lord that he would repay this kindness in the future.
Ironically, the Blood Clan's repayment was when Somerset personally wiped out the rabbit tribe of Xiaoye City.
Lanchi had become numb to seeing the prosperity of the Beastman city-states along his journey.
He regained his usual calm demeanor.
However, upon hearing this story, he couldn't help but smile bitterly.
When someone smiles for no reason, it's either out of boredom or overwhelming sorrow.
"Are you alright?"
Sigrid sat next to Lanchi again, but this time she didn't intentionally snuggle up to him. Instead, she maintained a distance that she thought would make him comfortable.
If she were Sigride, she might have hugged Lanchi to comfort him at this moment. But now, playing the role of Sigrid, she decided to maintain mutual respect.
"I'm fine. It's just that during the darkest and most turbulent times of the Blood Moon Calamity, I didn't feel anything. But now, as we move towards a peaceful era, I suddenly feel a sense of absurdity that I can't quite put into words."
Lanchi shook his head with a smile, trying to brush it off.
However, Sigrid's concerned gaze didn't waver; she remained steadfast.
She continued to stare intently at Lanchi until he started to feel puzzled and leaned back, resting against the back of the sofa chair.
"You can't hide it from me, even if I can't read your mind, I can read your eyes."
Sigrid spoke with conviction.
This shadow world didn't seem to pose much difficulty, perhaps because Lanchi had done far more than necessary in the first three shadow worlds, and the last one had turned into a bonus round.
But Sigride was certain that this shadow world was the most challenging for Lanchi.
Deep down, Lanchi wanted to save everyone, and now that he witnessed the dust settling in this era, he was constantly experiencing the powerlessness of Black Sun Lanculos.
Even though his personal abilities had surpassed those of Black Sun Lanculos, and he could do better each time, he still couldn't resist the course of the world and the turning of the wheel of fate. It was similar to how, in the present world, he was unable to end the war in the Southern Continent and rescue all the beings suffering in it, no matter how much he wished to.
The stronger the obsession of a being, the more extreme they become once that obsession shatters.
No one knew what choices Black Sun Lanculos made or how he ultimately met his end during the Blood Moon Calamity.
Sigrid had a nagging feeling about it all.
She felt that Black Sun Lanculos was surrounded by extreme negative emotions towards the end of his life, and it would only take a spark to set him off, leading to his complete collapse.
And Lanchi was currently going through a similar process.
[Mission Objective 1: Read the letter from your old friend, Kaliyera; Head to the Demon Realm's Inferno City, Pasquale. (To be continued)]
[Mission Objective 2: Understand Black Sun Lanculos' State of Mind: 4.67%. (To be continued)]
[Mission Objective 3: Ensure the survival of all challengers until the 21-day time limit ends. Remaining time: 14 days, 02 hours, and 35 minutes.]
As one of the challengers, Sigrid could also see this mission panel, although Lanchi was unaware of it for the time being.
Sigrid had been paying close attention to Lanchi.
Every time she saw Lanchi gaining a deeper understanding of Black Sun, she felt as if she were experiencing his pain. She knew that beneath Lanchi's calm exterior, he was thinking deeply, feeling sorrow, and holding on to his emotions.
As for the outcome, it all depended on Lanchi's deep self.
"If I change, will you knock me back to my senses?"
Lanchi looked at Sigrid and joked.
He felt it was time to lighten the mood, and since this shadow world was a journey of reminiscence, they might as well enjoy it together.
Even the song playing in the room seemed to be reminding them not to forget to smile.
"No."
Sigrid shook her head, her tone serious and without a hint of jest,
"If there's a hell ahead, I'll face it with you. I trust every decision you make, and you won't be alone."
She said, her eyes fixed on Lanchi.
"......"
Lanchi was stunned for a moment.
Those purple eyes seemed to be asking him: Don't you know me well enough? Just looking into those bright and sharp purple eyes made him unsure if he was seeing Sigrid or the person he knew from the present world.
However, Lanchi soon shook his head.
It was impossible for a native projection in the shadow world to suddenly become a real person. He must have been imagining things. At this moment, his subconscious was longing for Sigride, which was why everyone he met seemed like her.
(End of Chapter)
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