Alien world

Chapter 1729, Section 362: Being Manipulated by the Empire
In the stories that circulate on the continent of Ellen, Prince Aidan is portrayed as a tragic martyr who ultimately dies beneath the World Tree in Annan's arms.

"Is not it?"

Prince Aidan was speechless for a moment, then shook his head with a smile: "I died in the grass like a dog back then... but I should thank him for saying that for me."

"As for your question..."

The chaotic humanoid in the darkness paused for a moment. "At the moment of death, I did think a lot, but all of that stemmed from the fact that I can't do it all over again."

"After I was given a second life, I thought, why not do it again and do it even better?"

"You will disappoint Annan."

“I have disappointed countless people: my father, my brothers, and my people who believed in me. What difference does it make to have one more friend now?”

"You too, Albek. Join the Chaos Cult and you can begin your second life. Even if you don't want to be enemies with the Empire, I can grant your request to go south."

Albek did not give Prince Aidan an answer, but said only, "If anything happens to my nephew, I would rather die with my companions."

Da, da, da——

Footsteps approached, and the chaos in the darkness collapsed and dissipated like a wisp of mist.

Da da da.

The echoes faded into the distance, footsteps drew near, and the patrolling court instructors passed by.

"I have important information!"

Albek shouted to the figure outside the cell: "The Blackwatch soldiers are not dead yet. They were left in the warp by the Chaos Cult. You must immediately notify the Inquisitor to rescue them!"

"Abandon your schemes, traitor!" the instructor shouted. "Judgment Day is approaching, and only your head can wash away the shame of the Empire!"

"You must do it immediately..."

The court instructor walked past the cell door without stopping, not taking Albek's words to heart.

In the darkness where no light could reach, a soft murmur could be heard:
"Look at these machines that can't distinguish between good and evil, are they really worth your loyalty?"

……

Annan casually picked up the manuscript, initially assuming it was just like those unrealistic daydreamers who came to him with scripts—a bunch of clumsy, immature stories they thought would sell well. Little did he know that the manuscript was full of Baron Jim Kelly's "designs".

He considered the logic of his statement and, in conjunction with the manor, devised several interconnected branching routes.

Annan watched for a while, then suddenly gasped.

"Am I too heavy again?" The lady pressed against him from behind, her chest against the back of his head.

"hiss……"

Annan gasped again: "No, it's not your business. I'm just marveling at how amazing the Baron is."

The mention of the Baron seemed to startle the lady, and the soft warmth behind her head vanished instantly.

Annan flipped through several pages, and the further he went, the more complex it became, with more and more special symbols. Annan guessed that this was probably the Baron's method of manipulating the puppets. He didn't quite understand it, but he could roughly tell from the decreasing amount of common language that these were the "logic nodes" that the puppets would make after being triggered.

These manuscripts already show the beginnings of game programming...

Annan sighed, “I have to take back my previous prejudice. The Baron is a genius. He actually turned the reality show from ‘The Truman Show’ into reality. All he lacks is a pair of eyes that can help him see through the fog and find the right path…” In the garden, Baron Jim Kelly, holding a carving knife and working on the prototype of a sculpture, couldn’t help but hum softly.

Setting aside the manuscript for the time being, Annan continued to instruct the nobles.

That evening, back in his study, Annan couldn't resist taking out Baron Jim Kelly's manuscripts again, intending to examine them carefully.

"You're Olme?"

A second sound suddenly came from the bedroom, and Anan looked warily at a solid mass of gray mist in the corner.

"I'm not."

"Don't be afraid, I'm not a bad person. I'm a member of the Chaos Cult, just like you."

"Are there any good people in the Chaotic Cult?" Annan retorted.

Prince Aidan was speechless. This young man named Olme... why did he feel so familiar to him?
“I am Gray Mist, and like the Baron, I am an elite member of the Chaos Cult. But that’s not the point. What I want to say is that I just went to see your uncle.”

"How is he?!"

Annan instantly switched into the persona of a good nephew.

“Your uncle has agreed to join us.” As he said this, Aidan stared intently at Annan’s expression.

"Really? No, that's not right, you're lying to me..." Annan was first surprised, then frowned, her emotions building layer by layer.

People often say that Annam plays Annam no matter what role he plays, but that's just prejudice against sorcerers.

“I simply told him some of the truth.” Prince Aidan noticed nothing amiss. “After learning the truth, your uncle chose to join us to save his companions, just as you did to save your own uncle.”

This slow, deliberate poetic style, where a single sentence is broken into several lines... feels strangely familiar. Where have I seen Gray Fog before?
As for the Albek defection, don't be ridiculous. Annan prefers to believe that the Chaos Sect was actually the work of the Empire.

So, does this mean the Inquisition... no, the Empire's goal is to infiltrate the Chaos Cult?!
Blackwatch, who should have been a hero, returned to the Empire only to be investigated and placed under house arrest. Then, within a few days, his situation took a sharp turn for the worse, and he became a prisoner facing execution at the end of the month. Suddenly, everything made sense...!
But why would the empire abandon its usual style and stop charging headlong into using cunning tactics? Could it be related to the "truth"?
It must be said that even Annam was unaware of the empire's sudden transformation, thus becoming involved in the empire's plans.

Damn it, if it's all fake, then what I did in the Montreal Hills will make me look like a clown to those in the know.
How could the Empire be so wicked...?

What about our ancestor? Did he know about the plan too? How come our ancestor is so... so mischievous?
Confirming that everything was under the Empire's control, Annan, who had reluctantly supported his crumbling family, immediately felt relieved, though he still appeared anxious: "I don't care who my uncle has allied with, I just want to know when we're going to save him."

"Don't worry, he's already an elite member of our Chaotic Cult..."

The gray fog suddenly stopped speaking, and then Anan saw the chaotic outline like a shattered mirror, its surface cracked with countless lines.

Only intermittent sounds continued to echo in the room.

"Get ready to welcome...your uncle's 'new life'..."

bang——

As Baron Jim Kelly burst through the door, the shattered gray mist dissipated simultaneously.

"Damn it, if I find out you've sneaked into my work again, I'll turn your soul into a puppet and torment you for eternity!"

Baron Jim Kelly roared at the empty space where the gray fog had dissipated.

Then, turning her gaze away, she asked Annan with concern, "Are you alright?"

(End of this chapter)