Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 159: Perradat

Why is it you again?

Miss Dorothy, the leader of the Amazon players, began to feel a headache coming on. Standing before her was Barto from the Alva Merchant Group, who was the support representative for the battle’s supplies.

She had known that the Alva Merchant Group would send someone. Compared to the logistics of the Returning Saints, which were almost entirely managed by the Temple of Life, the neutrally positioned Amazon had far fewer options.

The Claw Scar Mountains were already close to Old Gemino, nearest to the city center. Even swapping for a local would have been better, yet the Alva Merchant Group had sent this troublesome guy over again. Perhaps they didn’t want to send their own people to the frontlines, betting on Players “not dying easily”, Dorothy thought helplessly.

Needless to say, Barto himself would definitely interpret it as “the Merchant Group has high hopes for me, letting me snag a rare quest on the side.”

“Happy cooperation.” Indeed, “Miss” Barto spoke with a subtly self-satisfied tone.

“Our Miss Dorothy is setting up camp again. It seems no matter how big the setup, women are just timid. Last time in the Brick Mountains, you didn’t dare go in to rescue anyone. What are you waiting for now? For the undead dragon to come out on its own?”

“You’re so proactive, you should join our investigation team.” Dorothy spoke with a smile. “The investigation team went to analyze the undead dragon’s behavior patterns. Given how brave you are, you can collect a lot of attack intelligence for us—surely you wouldn’t refuse, right?”

Barto choked up a bit, then stiffened his neck. “I’m not one of Amazon. Why should I listen to you? Besides, as a support, can I charge in by myself?”

Dorothy: “Oh, hearing how confidently you command, I thought you were an advisor to Amazon.”

Barto glared at her discontentedly.

“The logistics are settled. You’re not a member, so there’s no need for you to stay in my tent.” Dorothy’s voice was steady, pointing towards the tent entrance. “Please leave.”

Barto didn’t move. “Come on. You know why I’m here, and I know why the Saints have given the quest to you—you’ve brought ‘that thing’ here. I want to see it.”

Dorothy’s eyebrows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but her expression remained unchanged. “She doesn’t see visitors.”

“You name your price. I’m not saying I won’t pay,” Barto said. “It’s just a monster. I couldn’t kill it in front of you if I tried.”

Dorothy was strictly businesslike. “No.”

“Come on. We’re all modern people here. Are you playing feudal with me?”

Barto’s beautiful face reddened with anger. “I just want to ask about my future. What’s wrong with that? Just because I said a few words to you before, do you have to be so obstructive?”

After saying that, as if he thought of something, he lifted the corner of his mouth. “Logistics is under my control, including your drinking water and food. Think it over before you reply.”

Alright, this person was worse than she thought.

Dorothy had no doubt that once a fight broke out, this person really would dare to tamper with the water supply. Since Players can’t die and can still level up, Barto wouldn’t feel guilty.

Directly attacking Barto would offend the Alva Merchant Group. She needed to find a legitimate way to control this person.

“You know the rules. Only one question.” Dorothy said, “If you don’t want your prophecy to be ‘spiced up’, keep a respectful attitude.”

“Do you have to say it?”

Dorothy walked to the tent’s entrance. She pulled out a brightly colored key that looked as if it had fallen into a paint palette. She thrust the key into the air, twisting it left and right, then immediately put it away into the system inventory.

The entrance to the tent was no longer the scene of Players coming and going, but another room.

The room was filled with candles of varying heights, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of burning incense. A silver platter was loaded with ham, bread, and fruit, and a large pile of silk cushions was stacked on the thick carpet.

Above the cushions, sleeping… was a monster.

Its lower body was that of a bright red serpent, with a long and powerful tail—the fine scales shimmering with a poisonous luminescence. Its upper body, however, was that of a young girl—

The girl’s face was beautiful, with long black hair that was soft and winding.

Her face had four eyes with dense yellow irises, characteristic of the vertical pupils of reptiles. The faint red skin of the human-like part still reflected the light pattern of snake scales.

If Nol were here, he would recognize this rare monster at a glance—the Priest Serpent Clan.

The common serpents in Tahe were mainly the Lena Serpent Clan. Like other beastmen, the Lena Serpent Clan was known for powerful venom and physical attacks, but there was nothing else special about it.

The Priest Serpent Clan was different, residing in the sparsely populated Endless Swamps. Its members were rare, all possessing terrifying magical talents.

The appearance of the Priest Serpent Clan in the inland areas only leads to two scenarios. The serpent people either become priests at the altar’s side or rare magical materials on the altar.

This serpent seemed to be the former.

There was a heavy collar clasped around her neck. Bright red runes fluttered around it—undoubtedly a magical seal.

“Hm.” Noticing a visitor, she lazily propped herself up. “Another fool curiously prying into fate uninvited.”

“Good morning, Lilith.” Dorothy’s expression was serious.

“Good morning, Dorothy. So, it’s this one…” She glanced towards Barto, her four eyes narrowing. “This gentleman wishes to peer into fate?”

With his identity seen through, Barto’s posture instantly straightened up. “Yes, Miss Lilith.”

“Knowing your fate will not bring you peace.”

Lilith’s voice was husky and sweet, and her pronunciation carried a strange rhythm. “You will only try to understand it and twist it, ultimately stepping onto the predetermined path—your various struggles and rebellions will only become the stairs leading to the road of fate.”

Barto’s facial muscles twitched.

It was all mumbling nonsense, in one ear and out the other. Considering he still needed something from this creature, Barto dared not to show his disdain too obviously.

Prophet Lilith, a bizarre creature born from the Priest Serpent Clan. She believed in the obscure gods passed down within her clan for generations and possessed the talent to divine fate.

Currently, this creature was controlled by Amazon. This group of fastidious women worry about this and that all day, and it’s said they use her very cautiously. Countless Players outside yearned to hear their own fate but couldn’t even get a chance.

If Barto wasn’t in charge of Amazon logistics by chance this time, he admitted he wouldn’t have caught this opportunity.

“I have made up my mind.” Barto coughed twice, trying to sound sincere. “Alright, you can go now, Dorothy.”

Dorothy crossed her arms and looked at him with a half-smile, without any intention of moving. Barto gritted his teeth, but he still didn’t dare force her out.

Serpent Lilith chuckled lightly, slithering off the cushion and circled around Barto. The snake scales brushed against the carpet, making an ominous rustling sound.

“Are you sure?” she asked again, with an inscrutable smile on her face.

Barto: “Sure. So how much do you want?”

“Knowing your own fate, that’s the price you have to pay.”

Lilith returned to the center of the room. She took a deep breath and opened her arms.

Those four bright eyes suddenly darkened, and something seemed to twist on the surface of her eyeballs. Just as Barto tried to take a closer look, his head felt as if it had been scooped out and hammered—the pain was unbearable.

“Perradat, I call upon you.”

She changed to the Priest Serpent Clan’s language, emitting a chilling hiss. The candles in the room suddenly brightened, and the flames elongated into something resembling a nightmare.

“Perradat, I call upon you. Please allow me to kiss the hem of your robe, to be imbued with your might, to witness the trajectory of this dust settling.”

Something quietly changed in the air. The temperature remained the same, but Barto felt a chill. His skin felt as if it’d been rubbed with sandpaper. Lilith and Dorothy’s mouths didn’t move, yet Barto heard a young girl’s light sigh.

Perradat, what kind of wild god is that?

Barto had only heard of the Goddess of Life, Tilia, and the Eternal Son, Anstis. Perhaps it was just a fictitious god of the Priest Serpent Clan—it’s said that the Realm of Shiva was filled with numerous beastmen, many of whom have “ancestral niche gods”. Such beliefs were entirely maintained through bloodlines, never amounting to much.

“I see your insignificant fate…”

Lilith’s hoarse voice carried a strange echo. “…A despicable villain, a puppet manipulated. You have abandoned a better possibility with your own hands and are destined never to have a good dream…”

…What is this?

…Anyway, it definitely doesn’t sound like a good thing.

Barto held his breath, waiting for the rest of the prophecy. The darkness in Lilith’s eyes dissipated, and she looked at Barto with her bright snake eyes, which held some vague cruelty in them.

“That’s it?” Barto couldn’t help but speak out. “What bullshit is this?”

A sense of unease began to flow through his veins. How could his fate be so negative when he has been climbing up all along?

“This is all you asked for.”

Lilith smiled mysteriously. “Normally, prophecies are neutral. This is the first time I’ve seen something like this for such a… cough, someone like you.”

“Playing games with me? It’s all bullshit. Just you wait.”

Barto was in no mood to pay attention to that suspicious pause. He turned around and left, clearly not intending to accept his prophecy.

Dorothy watched Barto leave the tent space. After his figure disappears, she and Lilith both sigh in relief.

“That was close. I almost blurted out ‘loser’.” Lilith lost her mysterious demeanor, patting her chest and taking a long breath.

She casually pulls off the “collar” around her neck, twirling it with her fingers. “Sister, do you have anything tasty? It’s bread here every day. I want to eat dumplings… or fried dough sticks…”

Dorothy chuckled. “We’re preparing for battle now. We’ll make something when we get back.”

“Okay, call me if you need anything!”

Lilith flopped onto the cushion. Her ghostly demeanor was gone, looking like a listless data cable. “I’ve been putting on this act for a while now, might as well make some cheats.”

Dorothy looked at the serpent stretching on the cushion, her lips pursing. “Have you really considered Paradise? It would definitely be more stable than with Amazon… As long as you’re willing, I can have someone escort you there anytime.”

“No thanks.” Lilith buried her face in the pillow, waving her hand nonchalantly. “You helped me a lot back then, sister. It would be wrong for me to just abandon you guys and escape on my own.”

“No way.” Lilith’s face was buried in the pillow, and her hand waved carelessly. “You helped me a lot back then, sister. It would be wrong for me to just abandon you guys and escape on my own.”

“Adults have their own ways,” Dorothy said earnestly. “You’re still too young…”

Lilith turned a deaf ear. “If the prophecy given to me by our people wasn’t wrong, I would ‘get what I wish for through trials and tribulations.’ Sister, if I were to go to that Paradise, it wouldn’t come true.”

“Although I don’t believe in that Perradat or whatever, the prophecies It gives are frighteningly accurate. I feel safer running around with you guys…”

Dorothy couldn’t help but sigh again. This little girl was like a stubborn snake.

“Then take good care of yourself and don’t ever leave the tent. There are many like Barto out there, and they wouldn’t hesitate to turn you into material.” She continued earnestly, “Tell us if you need anything.”

“Oh, and I’ve finished reading the books you gave me last time. I was getting bored.” Lilith’s expression turned flattering. “Sister, give me some new ones, preferably something more exciting, you know—”

“You’re underage.”

“…Tch.”

Dorothy became serious. “Lilith, was that prophecy you told Barto made up to deceive him, or was it a real prophecy?”

Lilith pouted. “I was planning to concoct something to fool him, but his prophecy turned out to be just like that.”

“Anyway, I think ‘the despicable villain’ is definitely realistic, but from ‘the puppet being manipulated’, it’s hard to say. A puppet of the Alva Merchant Group? A puppet of some mastermind behind the scenes? …Or some chaotic puppet? It’s all possible.”

“As usual, don’t expect an accurate interpretation. These things are really hard to tell.”

Dorothy nodded. She casually tidied up the cushions on the floor, and before she could even look up, she heard a terrifying gasp from Lilith.

“Lilith?!” Dorothy broke out in a cold sweat.

This little girl had made many prophecies, but never had such a terrifying anomaly occurred!

Lilith fell to the ground, her body struggling nonstop and her throat emitting a whistling, sharp sound. Her four eyes and mouth were wide open, filled with bright light like white flames.

[Where dragons are born, where mistakes converge.]

[The Master of the world returns to the start of the dream, and He will grant you the way home.]

Lilith almost screamed out; her voice was so shrill that it didn’t sound like her own.

[Lost knowledge is reset, and pursued desires are fulfilled. You will receive the aid of fate and witness a noble sacrifice.]

A prophecy.

A prophecy that was triggered automatically, without anyone asking.

Before the prophecy was fully pronounced, Dorothy rushed over to Lilith, lifting the girl’s slender body. As the prophecy was uttered, the blinding white light in Lilith’s eyes and mouth gradually faded, leaving only the marks of burns. She fell into an exhausted slumber, her breath tinged with the chaos of magic depletion.

Thankfully, it wasn’t serious enough to have lasting consequences… Dorothy cast several healing spells in relief and wiped Lilith’s face.

…What exactly was that prophecy?

The same question echoed in Barto’s head.

Before leaving the tent, Barto had deliberately thrown an expensive eavesdropping button on the ground. Who would have thought that these Amazonians would be so difficult to deal with? The eavesdropping magic was suppressed by the protective magic in the tent, and Barto could only hear them speaking but not the content.

Until that roaring prophecy.

The power it carried was so immense, and the self-declaration of desire was so urgent. Through the barely functioning eavesdropping button, it drilled into Barto’s ears.

Even now, Barto’s ears were still aching.

It was mostly Dorothy and the snake woman fooling him together, but the real prophecy came knocking. Yes, this was more like his own prophecy—

Some benevolent existence would take them home!

As for the “lost knowledge” and “noble sacrifice”, Barto didn’t care, nor did he want to. Just being able to leave this damned place was enough.

Just wait a bit longer, to figure out the specifics, and he must become the important figure who “informs everyone they can go home”.

Thinking of this, Barto’s mood improved.

Well, first of all, he should sort out the remaining communication crystals.

…..

Lynn directed two puppets to layer soft cloth on the bed.

No choice, the living conditions in Paradise were too good. After going out and then facing this stone bed again… Just looking at it for a bit longer, Lynn’s lower back began to ache.

“Let’s think about the situation now.”

Painter sat on his own stone bed, chewing jerky. “The four of us need to find a way to persuade Amazon to willingly give up the lucrative quest without letting them see the mistake… Great, another easy and pleasant day.”

If it weren’t for Teest showing off in front of the dragons, they might have had more room to maneuver—whether human or dragon, higher expectations are always placed on the strong.

“Sometimes, laying all your cards on the table isn’t a good idea.” Lynn looked at Nol, implying something.

Nol knew exactly what she meant.

For a second, Nol understood Kando’s feelings.

If he told Amazon, “Hello, this isn’t a game but reality. Everyone’s being played by a powerful False God, and we won’t know the way home until we defeat it but defeating it might not reveal the way home” …Not to mention whether the leader of Amazon would believe it, the subsequent proof and negotiations would still be difficult.

To this day, every time he made a move, he had to be prepared not to look back.

Unlike Kando, he didn’t have time to stay by the Amazon leader’s side to assess her character. What he faced wasn’t just the Amazon leader alone.

If the Player community became fragmented because of this and the Star Stealer Sol noticed something amiss and interfered, the Players would quickly become scattered.

“I know. We need to think of a better way.”

Nol massaged his temples and spoke in a somewhat erratic tone. “It would be nice if killing the Star Stealer Sol would directly drop a spell to return home.”

Teest: “How about making an example by sacrificing the leader of Amazon—”

Nol: “No.”

Test: “Sacrificing the high-ranking Amazons—”

Nol: “No.”

Teest: “You like me—”

Nol: “I do. So, can we think of other plans? Ones that don’t involve killing someone.”

Teest shifted his gaze away. “Honey, this is a war. You can’t expect there to be no sacrifices.”

“I’m being willful,” Nol calmly replied.

Teest hummed in his throat. “Alright, let me think…”

Then he ran out of words. Teest leaned on Nol’s shoulder, deep in thought. For a clever Mad Monk, “how to save people” was always a century-old problem.

During this time, Painter and Lynn looked at the sky and the ground, respectively. They turned their gaze back only when they were sure Teest was done muttering.

“From my experience, to entice others to act, you must offer a more tempting ‘compensation’.” Lynn cleared her throat.

“And a likable narrative.” Painter stroked his chin’s stubble. “Most of the time, people are willing to give up something for a good story… As far as This Villian knows, that kind of side quest that contradicts each other should exist, right?”

Package the [Expedition Against the Undead Dragon] as a side quest?

It seemed feasible, but the question was how to set up the stage and plot next.

Lynn was right; as long as a tempting guarantee was provided, the Amazon Players wouldn’t be unreasonable.

Fortunately, this was the Dragon’s Lair, and Nol knew all the quests and rewards. He had plenty of treasures that could match the system’s tasks.

More importantly, the story… He needed to make his story more credible. They must become representatives of “goodwill” and then offer a grand finale where humans and dragons coexist.

Nol mumbled to himself, suddenly hearing a light laugh. Teest was chuckling by his ear, his breath bringing a warm soft heat.

[What are you laughing at?] Nol was curious.

[You’ll definitely have no problem,] Teest said. [This is how you’ve come all this way.]

Nol’s heart skipped a beat. Indeed… Wonderful guarantees, representatives of goodwill, perfect ending. They were the foundation of Paradise, and the signposts of his journey so far.

Are you sure there are no lies buried underneath them?

That tiny voice echoed in Nol’s ears again. This time, you’re going to lie, aren’t you? You’re going to deceive your compatriots. Is this really the first time you’ve lied? You’re even less honest than Kando.

Bad guy, bad guy.

Bad guy.

Seeing Nol suddenly hold his head, Teest jolted in place. “Nol?”

“…I’m fine.” Seeing the worried expressions of his companions, Nol instinctively wiped his nose.

This time, he didn’t see blood. Strange. Should he have seen blood? Why did he think of that? Really strange.

Why would he see blood? What is blood?

Lots and lots of blood.

[I just got lost in thought. You’re right,] Seeing Teest tense up, Nol quickly said to reassure. [I’ll definitely have no problem. I’m best at this sort of thing.]

[It will go smoothly this time. I promise.]

Teest gave him a smile that could be described as radiant.

[I reserve my opinion,] he said.

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The author has something to say:

I feel like some of my protagonists could double as horror movie leads (×

Nol: (Ambiguous mumbling)

Teest: Turns out I’m the most normal person in this family (CosmicCat.jpg)

Teest: But Nol is the best.

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