Chapter 2235: Chapter 2230: The Spiked Human King (20)

More ancient, more majestic.

Ariel and the Substitute Emissary remained motionless throughout.

But in the blink of an eye, the surrounding barren land ascended, rushing toward the Divine Domain.

Though this Divine Domain still looked somewhat dilapidated, with its ancient and magnificent court reduced to mere ruins.

This allowed for an easy view of the distant scene, where the blizzard had stopped, and under the vast starlit sky, all that could be seen was the same desolation.

The once-bustling city had completely changed, as if the vestiges of Annihilation were imminent.

And the figures walking within vividly illustrated the concept of wayward spirits.

At this point, no trace of life could be found, their entire bodies seemingly cast in white ash, ready to disperse with a mere breath.

This wasn’t the only change; the outline of the ash was different from what was seen before.

It wasn’t merely a replica of their original form; something new had emerged upon the humanoid foundation.

Wings and horns, although oddly shaped, were still recognizable.

Their positions corresponded precisely, with the head on the left and the back on the right.

Indeed, whether it was wings or feet, there was only one of each, and there was a strange symmetry to it.

What kind of trend is this? His Majesty the King seems to have a rather eclectic aesthetic.

Watching this scene, Fu Qian felt the difficulty in discerning the Emperor’s intentions.

Fortunately, not everyone was so flamboyant; the Needle Witch maintained a low profile—

Despite such significant changes, in the same direction and at the same spot not far away, a familiar figure could still be seen.

Roughly styled, with a polygonal head, and the whole face featuring only a mouth.

The Needle Witch’s puppet was not only still present but unchanged.

The relentless passage of time and red snow had left no traces upon it.

Furthermore, not only did its appearance remain unaffected, but psychologically as well.

The rag doll looked as composed as ever, with no hint of discomfort due to seemingly arriving at the desolate Royal Court.

This was evidenced by its lack of startled reactions, continuing to quietly observe the performance of the two candidates.

...

So indeed, is it related to divine grace?

Faced with such a scene, Fu Qian directly reached a conclusion.

Underestimating one’s opponent is one thing, but continually exaggerating is also a sign of insecurity.

In his view, rather than believing in the Night Watchman’s mastery of composure to the extent that they remain unfazed by the collapse of a mountain, he tended towards a simpler explanation—they simply did not see the mountain collapse.

Exactly, it’s just like the previous guess about "snow."

It’s not the wind that moves, but the heart.

The snow was actually always there, only because he had gotten closer to the Lonely King that he could witness it.

So for the Night Watchman, their calm very likely stemmed from there being no change in their view.

As for whether they knew changes appeared in their eyes, given that they could make such arrangements, it’s highly unlikely that they had no concept of this place’s nature.

Fu Qian believed the greatest possibility was that the spectators knew of the changes but were only able to observe the characters.

That is to say, without seeing the backdrop, they could only deduce the situation’s development based on the characters’ reactions.

The reason, in part, was due to the rag doll’s detached and untainted stance, and also from previous speculations, why did the Night Watchman choose themselves for this critical role?

Utilizing talents is one thing, but this synchronization likely has a negative effect.

But since it was merely reconnaissance, it shouldn’t have been a suicide mission, so they likely had ways to avoid its impact.

Yet with this, observing the Lonely King seemingly could only be done indirectly.

In this aspect, one’s arrival could almost be considered a gift to the Night Watchman.

Of course, there are pros and cons.

The choice issue was resolved, but the result’s manifestation seemed somewhat unsatisfactory—the tool person still showed no reaction, even on both opposing sides.

Perhaps unaware of the Calamity Eye’s affairs, yet Ariel and the others clearly knew there’s a problem with the descent.

This was evident as the Substitute Emissary almost ceased its struggle for its will.

The Lonely King only slowed the descent progress, not reversed it.

Theoretically, the Substitute Emissary’s efficiency should only depend on the descent level of the Lonely King, so at most, it shouldn’t accelerate further.

This sudden pause seemed influenced by subjective factors.

Unsure of the situation, so opted for caution to avoid being led into a trap by unexpected events?

From their perspective, it’s reasonable, but it leaves the Night Watchman with discomfort.

The true and false Ariel sat quietly face-to-face once more, wordlessly, the scene becoming too abstract to grasp.

Though in this situation, the Night Watchman neither showed hesitation nor firmly remained seated.

The rag doll not rushing in was undoubtedly sensible.

After all, the Native Council’s hesitation is only temporary, no matter the situation before them, they must make a move. Picking chestnuts from the fire isn’t as simple—it’s coming.

Without disappointment, the Lonely King’s descent, though still delayed, suddenly introduced new movement.

...

The Native Council once again claimed third place in the competition for patience.

Fu Qian was certain the disturbance came from his old opponent.

Because without needing special perception, changes could be seen directly on the Substitute Emissary.

Colored like dark blood, sharp as needles, it initially seemed like a bloodline coiled around the body but soon extended beyond, becoming ostentatious and menacing.

The already unseemly Substitute Emissary instantly turned into a voodoo doll ensnared by thorns.

Indeed, it was truly thorns, and Fu Qian could confirm their razor-sharpness, having personally verified—

It wasn’t just the Substitute Emissary showing such signs, as nearly the next moment, similar changes appeared on him too.

Dark red blood thorns seemed to sprout from deep within his soul at that instant, spreading unstoppably inside and out.

In the blink of an eye, transforming Fu Qian into a prisoner of serious sin, accompanied by notable pain—a pain familiar yet distant.

Sins Thorns?

In that moment, Fu Qian naturally recalled something, related to "serious sin."

Upon first arriving at the Wasteland, he had once participated in a special survival game.

In the game’s finale, Sir William, favored by the Goddess of Sin and Punishment as the "First Sinner," entered a second form.

The scene he was wrapped in then closely resembled this one.

Even at that mission’s conclusion, the reward he received was thorn-like.

According to the hoarding habit in storage... aside from the Lonely King, did the current scenario involve the Goddess of Sin and Punishment too?

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