Chapter 698
"Xia'er... Your Excellency?"
With a swift motion, Xia'er aimed the dagger at Imogen's eye and plunged it in, twisting the blade rapidly within her brain.
"Cough..."
After a brief moment of shock, Imogen's body went limp, her brain effectively dead, yet her body continued to twitch in a nervous spasm.
Brain death alone wasn't enough to extract the magical potion from a transcendent's body; she had to completely lose all vital signs.
Xia'er gripped the dagger's hilt and aimed for Imogen's heart, throwing the dagger with precision.
Thud.
The dagger pierced through the gaps between her ribs, embedding itself in Imogen's heart. A torrent of blood gushed forth with each heartbeat, quickly soaking the carpet beneath them.
Finally, after a few more convulsions, Imogen's body ceased all movement.
A powder, resembling dust and glowing with a dark purple hue, seeped from her blood—contaminated components of the magical potion within her body.
Confirming that Imogen was completely dead, Xia'er wasted no time. She rummaged through her own pockets.
Did the simulated version of me not think of a quick way to end things?
Now, Xia'er felt acutely aware of her body and was somewhat reluctant to use a knife or any other tool to end her life in the simulation.
But soon enough, she found a suitable item in her pocket.
It was a small glass vial with a wooden cork, labeled simply with the Chinese character for "poison" (毒, dú).
It seemed the simulated version of her had indeed thought of everything.
She pulled out the cork and looked at the dark green pill inside. After placing it in her mouth, the pill melted instantly.
A strong, minty aroma burst forth, filling her mouth and rushing up her nostrils, making her feel as if even breathing had a chilling sensation.
The mint flavor masked the poison's original taste; clearly, this was Adele's handiwork, though Adele probably never imagined Xia'er would use this poison for such a purpose.
A cool minty stream spread from her throat to her lungs, leaving little sensation otherwise, and suddenly, Xia'er’s vision went dark as she collapsed into the pool of blood before her.
This was likely Xia'er’s first time actively speeding through the simulation.
...
"Reality"
"July 31, 741 AD, 6:40 AM"
"Evaluation: Ah, this is the correct way to use the simulation."
"Only gather useful information, expend minimal mental energy, and then end everything quickly... It's a pity that the host's destiny points are too few to sustain this kind of play."
"Here, take this; it's what you deserve based on your performance."
"Reward: Destiny Points * 45"
"Destiny Points: 486"
Xia'er slowly awakened, throwing off the covers, rolling out of bed, and heading to the bathroom to freshen up.
Time to set up the scene and wait for Imogen's arrival.
Xia'er was also curious to see what changes her current Lv. 5 [Nemesis] would bring...
---
**Chapter 356: The Meeting with Imogen**
August 1, noon, 12:00 PM.
Ansu, North District, Platform 9 at Queen's Cross Station.
This was the terminal station for Ansu's railway, currently the largest railway station in the city.
The station was bustling with people, trains arriving from various places, bringing in wave after wave of passengers. It seemed perpetually busy.
A girl in a black trench coat and a black bowler hat leaned against a stone pillar on the platform, her arms crossed in front of her. Her long red hair cascaded over her shoulders, the dark coat accentuating its vivid hue.
A slightly newer oil lamp hung just above her head, looking no different from the others, save for its slightly fresher appearance.
In the hurried crowd, no one noticed these details.
"Excuse me, could you step aside?"
A tall, slender man in a white tank top and baggy overalls spoke up near the red-haired girl.
He was holding a wooden ladder under his arm and a toolbox in his hand, looking very much like a station worker.
His tone was polite, and he kept a respectful distance from the girl, seemingly not wanting to cause any trouble.
"I need to repair this oil lamp, could you please..."
Seeing that the red-haired girl showed no intention of moving, the man spoke again, trying to persuade her to step aside.
Logically, his approach was quite proper; any reasonably normal and gentlemanly person would smile and yield the space. However, the girl before him seemed completely uninterested in budging.
She slowly lifted her head, her dark red pupils, hidden beneath the brim of her hat, locked onto the man. The man felt a sudden chill in his chest, as if his heart had been gripped tightly.
"Imogen," the girl said slowly, directly stating a name. She looked at the man calmly and added, "Let's talk."
This was...
The man's pupils constricted slightly. He instinctively wanted to shake his briefcase, hoping to pull something out.
But at that moment, he noticed the already bustling crowd had grown even denser...
Among the throngs of people, on the walls, beneath the ground... countless black and white shadows lingered, quietly burning with shadowy flames, silently watching the man before the girl.
"Please," the red-haired girl slightly opened her right palm, gesturing for the man to follow, then turned and walked away toward the station's exit.
Gulp.
The man swallowed hard, suddenly feeling parched... He had been singled out without any warning, and the other party even knew his name...
The surrounding shadows began to weave through the crowd, inching closer to Imogen, clustering around her while leaving a clear path toward where she was walking.
All escape routes for Imogen had been completely blocked by these shadows.
This was... the followers of the Savior Goddess Church... Only they could summon such a multitude of "Avengers" and "Ascetics" among the transcendent beings...
He hadn’t even made a move yet... How did the Savior Goddess Church know?
Who exactly was this girl?
As the shadows drew nearer, threatening to envelop him completely, the man struggled to lift his right leg and stepped toward the direction the girl was heading.
The red-haired girl walked ahead, the man followed behind, surrounded by countless black and white magical shadows.
She exited the station and stopped in front of a rather ordinary carriage, stepping inside.
Beside the carriage, a girl with dark green hair, dressed in a maid outfit, glanced up at the man following them and said, "Get in."
The man, still hesitating outside the carriage, took a deep breath upon hearing the girl's words and stepped inside, sitting across from the red-haired girl.
The carriage slowly started moving, the wheels rolling over the cobblestone road, causing the interior to sway gently.
"May I ask who you are..." The man, seemingly unable to bear the silence and oppressive atmosphere inside the carriage, slowly inquired.
"Xia'er." Xia'er nodded slightly, looking at the lean "man" before her. "Isn't it a bit rude to still be in disguise at this point?"
The "man" took a deep breath, realizing that the other party likely knew far more than she had imagined.
She slowly raised her hand to her head, grasping her deep brown curls and giving them a slight tug.
Her original face began to tear and twist, and a complete, hair-covered mask that felt indistinguishable from reality was pulled off.
The compressed deep purple curls fell down, and at that moment, Imogen's eyes sparkled with a bright purple glow.
Throughout the journey, too many transcendent beings from the Savior Goddess Church had followed her, leaving Imogen with no means of resistance.
But now, with only the two of them left in the carriage, if she wanted to escape, this was the perfect moment for Imogen to strike!
Buzz.
As she activated her ability, a violent buzzing filled her mind, almost overwhelming her brain. For a moment, Imogen felt her vision go dark.
What’s happening?!
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