Wasteland Echoer.

Chapter 696 New Demands (Part 1)
"Anno III: Powerful races will ultimately perish in the cycle of reincarnation; this is the rule established by the Creator. When one power rules over all, 'sorrow' will spread, and all vitality will eventually fade. This is true for the dragons, and for all races that follow them. The end of darkness lies in the hand of God, and the beginning of creation slumbers within the Hall of Myrons. Prosperity is but a moment, and destruction is but a snap of the fingers." — *Dragon's Words: Anniversary III*

“It seems that once the humans of the Crusad Empire touch that highest crown, standing atop the double-headed eagle overlooking everything, they suddenly forget their human identity. Foolishness, greed, anger, evil, and stubbornness will break through the shackles of reason in an instant and spread to all dangerous areas.” The man wearing the colored wolf king mask stopped, looked Wright up and down, then moved closer, repeatedly sniffing his scent.

Soon, the red demonic energy carrying the aura of "ancient gods" filled his nostrils, causing him to tremble violently and feel a fear that pierced his soul.

"Ahem." The man coughed a few times deliberately to cover up his fear and unease, then continued in a slightly trembling voice:

"Atlanka, he proved the folly of Ivan XXII, Vasily, and Shaneva with his life and eternity. However, he also successfully 'handed over' the largest piece of pure land in Krusd to our 'Devotion Group' in this chaos. Light Socrates, this is Atlanka's gift to us, a... 'gift of fools'."

“You are… if I’m not mistaken, you should be Blood Wolf, the leader of the ‘Dedication Group.’ We met underground at ‘God’s Forsaken Fortress,’ which is the former military fortress No. 03. So, you’re planning to be the ‘mantis stalking the cicada’ behind all this?” Wright raised his hand and forcibly removed the imposing “Wolf King” mask, revealing Blood Wolf’s rarely seen true face.

It was a face so ravaged it was almost inhuman. It resembled less the leader of the Lost Ones and more a weathered, top-tier soldier who had fought against humanity for years. The rosy face was covered with scars of varying sizes and styles, some arranged in close rows, as if they were the handiwork of torture inflicted after capture.

However, what is more common are deep wounds oozing crimson liquid, and a jumble of scars that are difficult to heal completely, a mixture of knife wounds, burns, explosive wounds, and even claw or bite wounds from wild animals.

Even though Wright saw some new, tender white buds near the partially healed wound, it seemed to confirm that "Blood Wolf" was still a powerful Loser. His self-healing ability did not seem to have completely disappeared, but was over-consumed by some hidden power, leaving behind a slightly messy facial appearance.

However, upon meeting "Blood Wolf," a Lost One, for the second time, Wright discovered that, unlike their first meeting in the fortress controlled by Shaneva, this powerful and tall man possessed a more intense bestial nature.

It seemed that the "Heartless Virus" had incorporated some of the genes belonging to wild beasts into his body, causing a pair of dark wolf ears covered with light gray fur to grow on his head. The eyes hidden beneath the contours of the Crusader's face were still bright and piercing, but beneath the blood-red whites of his eyes, they emitted an almost ghostly green fluorescence.

Fortunately, it was daytime, and the "scorching sun" was still shining brightly on all things. The eerie green fluorescence was slightly faint, but it was only more obvious and frightening under the enhancement of the "burning black vision".

“Light Socrates, I suppose I cannot answer your question. After all, after we, the ‘Dedication Group,’ were used by Vasily and Shaneva, we were purged and persecuted like discarded rotten shoes. We also have half-lost children and those lost women who have suffered, who, like me, desperately suppress and restrain the bestiality and demonic nature within them, just waiting for a peaceful time to come.” The “Blood Wolf’s” voice was exceptionally low and frightening, like a wild beast howling for food in a dark world. This self-explanatory rebuttal, with its hoarse voice and flat tone, was particularly eerie and did not bring any sense of security.

“So, you want to take control of the city of Nebusk, right? After all, Atlanca is dead… no, he should be said to have been exiled to a dimension from which he can never escape. The severed limbs of his loyal ‘Nebusk Guard’ members have nearly stained the floor of this ‘magnificent building’ red, and the ‘Night Investigation Team’ has also been completely wiped out by him. So, it would be a natural thing for you to take over the city.” Wright said with a sneer.

“Letting the Lost Ones manage a large city might be better than direct administration by the Crusad Federation. After all, the Federation Council, which served as the central administrator, has been completely destroyed; Vasily, Shaneva, and Atlanca are all dead. Crusad no longer has an institution to manage everything; disintegration and fighting amongst themselves are inevitable, just like the ‘Great Divider’ Romanuc II.” This hoarse voice, tinged with a “distorted respect,” came from the man before him wearing the “Devotion Group Insignia” on his chest. Wright recognized him immediately, and after sizing him up, his tone became warmer:
"'Flame Offering,' how come you... Yes, you're a 'Restorer' of the 'Dedication Group,' and you should be following your leader. But this time, you didn't bring those 'howling, bloodthirsty' 'little wolf cubs'?"

“They all perished, for the sake of ‘End of Ashes’.” “Xianyan’s” face twitched slightly, and a few glistening tears inadvertently seeped from the corners of his eyes, but they disappeared in an instant as a gentle breeze swept by, as if they had never existed.

Under the scorching midday sun and the residual energy of "dimensional distortion," "Xianyan's" originally fair face, which belonged exclusively to the lost, was half shrouded in deep "Vanta Black," while the other half was bathed in a near-holy radiance, making it appear complex and possessing a uniquely interesting beauty of conflict.

On his blurred face, illuminated by both light and darkness, several burns were slowly healing, presumably caused by heavy weapons. However, his emerald green eyes, messy short black hair, slightly dull mouth, and unshaven appearance revealed that, like Wright and the others, he had just experienced a particularly difficult period.

“Power is being reshuffled, just like this broken world. Back then, the Creator sought to reshape everything He had created. In the early 'Zero Era,' after the 'gods' who ruled the oceans and the 'Dipser Continent' during the 'Age of the Ancient Gods' fell into complete slumber, the remnants of the 'Council of Gods,' Vlapvolsky's followers, and the subjects of the 'Eternal Giant King' began a four-hundred-year war.” “Xianyan” said, taking a deep breath.

He walked up to Wright, took off the "Sacrifice Robe" used to protect against wind, sand and fire, draped it over Wright's shoulders, and fastened the metal buckle on it.

Then, he silently recited the incantation for binding spirits, pouring all the remaining fire-type magic power in his body into the "Mysterious Wrist Box" on his wrist.

Soon, a seven-colored halo appeared on it and quickly spread outwards. Within seconds, these elfin-like particles completely enveloped "Xianyan's" body, dressing him in a black tailcoat favored by Putoa gentlemen.

"They are the finest warriors, the most resolute losers, not bloodthirsty beasts or 'monsters' that tear everything apart. If 'Heaven's Way' truly exists, and the Creator could see these young men, perhaps he would grant them a peaceful and prosperous life in their next existence." "Xianyan" adjusted his tall, round cap and continued:
"Going back to the previous topic, the four-hundred-year-long war forced the Creator's avatars to awaken Him from His long slumber. This is the first and only time the Creator has awakened since the 'Seven Dimensions.' As you know, everyone has a bad temper when they wake up, and gods are no exception."

"The original planet or continent should have gone through a process of disaster, recovery, prosperity, decline and collapse, and continued to cycle endlessly using this template. However, a war that lasted for four hundred years brought all of this to an abrupt end. So, the Creator was angry. He first sent down fire to cleanse the darkness and sin with the flames. Then He sent down the 'Precursor Flood' to drown everything and forcibly start a new cycle of reincarnation."

"Are you saying that all the resistance we did in the Wasteland Era was meaningless? Reincarnation is reincarnation, and it will continue to run forever according to its predetermined program, right?" Wright glanced at "Flame Offering," clearly disagreeing with his statement.

“That’s what I originally thought, Light Socrates, but since you appeared in this hopeless world, I’ve come to believe that the Creator has changed His mind. In the ‘reason’ described by the Creator, there should be no ‘Orderers’ in an era of decay and collapse. On one hand, these two phases will soon pass, and the ‘Orderers’ will appear in the ‘budding’ phase, rebuilding a new cycle and world.” “Flame Offering” said, extending his right hand, covered in black ash and dried blood, to Light Socrates, gazing intently into Light Socrates’ dark eyes, and earnestly stating:
“I believe that in the eyes of the Creator, this cycle has already ended, it was completed when the ‘New Construction Project’ was finished, the ‘Order’ collapsed, and the ‘Heartless’ ran rampant. Now, it is the nascent stage of the world’s ‘recovery’. So, I think, Mr. Light Socrates, since you are walking between humanity and the lost, you have the ability to unite the two.”

"Do you want me to stay too?" Wright asked, looking at "Xianyan" with suspicion, without reaching out his hand.