Chapter 31: What If the Hero Was Here?

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"What do you mean?"

Lyle's expression immediately darkened.

Even though he knew Jiang Cheng was a good person and was willing to trust this friend, what she said was still somewhat unforgivable to Lyle.

After all, finding the person he missed had almost become Lyle's obsession—perhaps even more important in his heart than the justice and kindness he believed in.

"What exactly do you know?"

Lyle's face was ugly as he strode forward,

A strong hand grasped Jiang Cheng's shoulder, who was about to turn and walk away, his fingertips pressing firmly and turning pale.

"Speak!"

Jiang Cheng did not say anything, yet Lyle felt her shoulder trembling under his hand.

Was she... crying?

Though it didn't seem likely, Lyle still frowned and circled in front of her with a bit of concern to take a look.

He saw Jiang Cheng grinning, her shoulders shaking; but her golden eyes were full of malice.

She obviously wasn't crying—she was... laughing?

"What are you laughing at?"

Lyle finally got a little angry. Both his hands grabbed Jiang Cheng's shoulders, forcing her to face him.

"What do you know? Speak!"

"Hehe, hahaha!"

Jiang Cheng finally laughed out loud, those eyes staring at Lyle coldly.

"I don't know, you know? I'm laughing because—so the great Hero can get angry too, huh?"

"......"

Lyle was silent for a long time, then released her. "Sorry. I got a little emotional."

"No, no, it's not your fault."

Jiang Cheng waved her hand, smiling with narrowed eyes.

"Anyone would get angry. Compared to pretending to be that illusory, perfectly good Hero, I'd rather you freely do what you want to do."

She smiled, eyes curved in delight.

"Most importantly, I much prefer you that way~"

Inside the flow of alarmed crowds, the girl turned around. The wind blew her grayish-white long hair, strands brushing against Lyle's face—for some reason, he felt as if his heart was swept up by the wind too.

............

"You're back."

On the top floor of the Mechanist Association, the chairman turned around and looked at the enforcer who walked in.

The enforcer knelt on one knee and respectfully said, "I've lived up to your expectations. That despicable elf has been dealt with."

"I see..."

The chairman looked at the enforcer with extra meaning in his eyes, then nodded.

"Go and file your report. You may leave once the record is complete."

"Yes."

The enforcer replied and left.

"You're here?"

The chairman turned his head to the previously empty helipad behind him, where the enormous form of a mecha appeared.

"Mhm," the reply was hoarse and sticky, quite unpleasant to the ear.

"Ha..."

The chairman smiled and pushed up his glasses. "When was the last time we met like this?"

"Fifty years ago. When the previous Hero first came to Adventurer City," the mecha replied.

"Oh right, that's it. You insisted that that Hero was a good person, and only put on this mecha in order to save him."

The mecha said nothing—he was obviously not here to chat with the chairman.

"Oh, there's another one."

The chairman shrugged. "I really am getting old and blurry-eyed. Can't even see our Saintess anymore."

"Ha, it's me."

A clear, lively laugh rang out. Atop the mecha's head, a petite figure appeared—none other than Jiang Cheng's...avatar.

Regrettably, after all this time working to repair herself, the avatar still lacked an arm. She looked a little odd, but her beauty was undiminished.

"So you knew I'm the Saintess herself..."

Jiang Cheng narrowed her eyes, a dangerous glimmer flickering within.

"Of course," the chairman answered calmly. "That's why the enforcer I sent was a relatively weak one."

"If you were really a foreign imposter in the Saintess' guise, I would have gone myself."

"Yourself, huh... ha, you really care about this stuff."

"After all, humans should stand at the peak of this world. Science and truth will lead us to the summit."

The chairman spoke serenely. His words sounded less like a boast and more like stating a fact.

"Even gods?"

Jiang Cheng asked with interest.

"Even gods,"

"Ha—"

Even though she had expected that answer, Jiang Cheng still laughed.

"So, let's make a deal."

Jiang Cheng squinted her eyes.

"First, write that execution report as truthfully as possible—no flaws. I want to show it to the Hero."

Jiang Cheng had thought long and hard and finally came up with this excellent idea.

Once Lyle saw the execution report, he would believe his teacher was truly dead, and his hatred for 'Him' would reach its peak.

"Of course."

The chairman nodded. "Had it not been so, I would have killed the enforcer as soon as I found out he was being manipulated by your divine arts."

"Second, I want to get rid of 'Him'. You all have to help me."

"?"

The chairman laughed. "Why is it always me helping you? Where's your leverage?"

"My leverage? Why, not letting 'Him' die, of course."

Jiang Cheng smiled sweetly.

"You don't want 'Him' to die either, right?"

The chairman fell silent, pushing up his glasses. The lenses flashed with a cold gleam.

"You really do know a lot... I thought you were just a delusional upstart, trying to control everything. Turns out I've caught a big fish."

"Ha."

Jiang Cheng chuckled. "Who's the fish and who's the fisherman, we shall see. Either way, you'll agree, won't you?"

"Of course I'll agree. Even if we didn't help, with you around, the Hero's victory is only a matter of time. I have no other choice."

"Good."

Jiang Cheng narrowed her eyes and smiled, turning and leaping down from the mecha.

"I'll leave this big fella here for now. You old friends have a chat—if you dare break our deal, I'll blow him up, okay?"

With that, Jiang Cheng turned and strolled away.

Suddenly, as if recalling something, Jiang Cheng paused, turned her head, and asked,

"You want humans to stand at the pinnacle of the world. But what about the dead? What about those followers from the past, the people in the slums, those slaves whose bodies have been transformed—what about them?"

"Them?"

The chairman raised his eyebrows. "That doesn't sound like a question you would ask—but I'll answer."

"They are the unavoidable sacrifices of this great dream. When the new world comes, their sacrifice will be remembered by all."

"Heh,"

Jiang Cheng sneered coldly, "Selfishness, that's all. Hiding evil behind such hypocrisy, truly disgusting."

"If the Hero was here, he'd surely curse you out and get rid of you."

With that, she turned and leaped from the rooftop, vanishing in an instant.

She had achieved every objective today—be it assassination or striking a deal, all had gone so smoothly.

Most importantly, that execution report—if the Hero was here, he would definitely cry when he saw it!

Imagining this, her nasty sense of humor nearly made her laugh out loud.

She couldn't wait to show Lyle that report.

"Hey, Lyle,"

Jiang Cheng suddenly spoke beside him.

"Let's go check out the Mechanist Association tomorrow?"

"Alright."

Lyle nodded. "I'll listen to you."

Under the sunset, thinking of all the day's successes and what might happen tomorrow, Jiang Cheng happily hummed a tune.

It was a song she had always loved, even in her previous life:"The stars in the sky are crying,The roses on the ground have withered,Cold wind blows, cold wind blows...

As long as you are with me..."

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