The Witcher: Start with the Lord Marrying a Wife.

Chapter 554 The Art of Stripping Away Fate

Ares frowned as he looked at the table displaying a dazzling array of magical artifacts.

"It seems time is running out," he said. "The enemy's plot is more deeply entrenched than we imagined. We must immediately convene a meeting of all the clan elders to discuss countermeasures!"

As dusk deepened, the elders of the Star Pupil Clan gathered in the hall, illuminated by torches. Their faces were all somber; some bowed their heads and sighed, while others glared angrily at each other. A solemn and oppressive atmosphere permeated the entire hall.

An elderly man with white hair but still sharp eyes and an upright posture like a hawk stood up. He was Sir Hilde, the chief councilor of the Star-Eye Council.

Hilde declared loudly, “My fellow countrymen, it is time to uncover the darkest corner hidden behind the dust of history! The observers have been far too cruel to us, sacrificing the lives of our ancestors to mold them into living anchoring devices! This evil not only taints our bloodline but also threatens the security of the entire world!”

Whispers filled the hall; some voices choked with sobs, while others slammed their fists on the table and roared, "Why didn't anyone expose this back then? Why did you let all this happen?"

Hilde waved her hand to stop the noise and began to recount the secret: "Back then, in order to resist the invasion of demons from the outside world, our ancestors had no choice but to accept the 'Merge Plan' offered by the Observers. This plan aimed to use the combination of technology and magic to achieve a constant spatial positioning system. However, we never expected that this system would actually become a shackle, binding us forever to a twisted chain of fate."

His voice gradually choked up, and the hall fell into a deathly silence. Everyone felt as if a huge rock had been pressed down on their chests. The sense of inescapable fate and the desolate feeling of righteousness made the whole place silent, with only the crackling of the flames echoing and stirring the deepest emotional ripples in their hearts.

The air inside was filled with a cold and tense atmosphere, as if every breath had frozen into frost.

Lena sat alone at the long analysis table, which was scattered with crystal samples and complex data terminal screens. Blue light shone on her cold and focused face.

Her hands gently caressed the latest batch of gene chain samples extracted from the Star-Eyed Clan warriors. Hidden within those seemingly harmless, shimmering data fragments was an unbearable burden for the entire race.

The code on the screen flooded her mind, and she frowned as she compared and analyzed each symbol and sequence.

"Parasitic code."

Lena murmured to herself, her voice soft yet filled with undisguised shock and fear, "This is not an ordinary mutation, this is a deliberate implantation, a fatal countdown left to us by the observer. It will activate in a hundred years and push our entire race into the abyss."

She looked around; only a few dim lights illuminated a gloomy corner of the laboratory in the winter night.

Outside the window, the North Star shone like an ice-blue sapphire, but compared to the somber atmosphere inside, the tranquility seemed particularly ironic and distant.

Lena slowly stood up and walked to the small table in the corner of the room, which was piled with ancient books and magic scrolls. She opened a thick, yellowed ancient book, which recorded the lost secret techniques of "mental manipulation" and "soul unbinding" from the early Star-Eyed Clan sages.

That was a crucial clue she hoped to uncover regarding the parasitic code activation mechanism.

At this moment, Amy, who had been silently waiting for a long time, approached and gently tapped the data terminal with her finger. "Lena, we have confirmed that these parasitic codes are hidden deep within the genetic chain and are linked to the fragments of the Chaos Runes. They are not simply material entities, but rather a fusion of magical arrays and soul resonance mechanisms."

Amy's expression was solemn, and she frowned slightly: "If we don't stop it in time, it will cause the soul to disintegrate or even be invaded by another world. We must develop corresponding technologies as soon as possible to contain it."

Lena nodded in agreement, "I have already begun to try to build a preliminary model based on 'neural pulse dissection'."

This technique can detach parasitic code from the conscious level and delay its activation by adjusting the frequency of nerve signals.

As she said this, a bitter smile crossed her face, yet it was filled with determination. "But this is only a temporary delay. There is no permanent solution. We can only race against time to buy more time for the future."

Inside the laboratory, various complex instruments emitted low humming sounds, and a huge psionic scanner projected a dazzling, flowing light net, forming a giant three-dimensional DNA double helix model in mid-air.

The model rotates and transforms continuously, becoming increasingly subdivided into countless data points. Each data point maps to a tiny fragment of a rune, which resembles the brightest yet most unpredictable new star in the star system.

David stood in front of the control panel, his eyes fixed on the progress bar on the screen as it gradually approached completion.

A rare tense expression appeared on his face, a mixture of unease and anxiety stemming from a blend of fear and hope for the unknown future.

“We must fully cooperate with Lena,” he said in a deep voice. “This is not only science, but also our mission to save all humanity and our fellow human beings affected by this curse.”

Amy walked over, put her hand on his shoulder, and encouraged him with warm eyes: "David, please remember, no matter how difficult it is, we are not fighting alone."

With us protecting you, you will never be swallowed by darkness.

Night grew ever darker, enveloping the earth, and howling snowflakes relentlessly battered the outer walls of the tents, but inside, a scene of bustling activity unfolded—

Zelos was carefully examining the enchantment runes surrounding the tent. He frowned, meticulously adjusting the scale and energy intensity with each rune he drew.

“The enemy won’t sit idly by,” he whispered. “We need the strongest defenses, otherwise we could be caught off guard and our rhythm could be disrupted at any time. I can’t let any accidents happen.”

A few wolf howls drifted from afar, blending with the wind and snow to create a mournful and poignant symphony that sent a chill down one's spine.

In the camp, no one had time to care about the cold, because what hung on their chests was not only the mission, but also the heavy responsibility entrusted to them by their future destiny.

Time flew by like water. Several days later, after countless failures, after repeated data recompilation and adjustments, and after countless sleepless nights of arduous attempts under the lamplight—finally, "It's done!"

Lena's eyes shone with a long-lost excitement and determination. She clenched her fists at her chest, relieved but still alert.

"The 'neural pulse dissection technique' has been initially successful! It can temporarily isolate the transmission of parasitic code signals, delaying the activation time by decades!"

Applause erupted around them, and people's eyes were filled with anticipation.

But more than anything, it is understood that this is only the first line of defense in a long struggle.
The next moment, they would still have to face an even deeper, unknown darkness. David walked over and stood beside Lena. He looked at the blue spiral structure projected by the complex instrument and said, "You did a great job. This is everyone's hope, but it also reminds us that we cannot be complacent. There are still too many mysteries to be solved, and too many hidden dangers lurking within."

Tears welled up in Amy's eyes, but she said resolutely, "As long as we breathe, there is no reason to give up. We will defend tomorrow with our lives!"

Zellos swung his sword across the void, a chilling sword light slicing through the air like a dazzling silver moon breaking through the dark clouds. "Let the enemy know that they can never destroy our beliefs, no matter how many schemes and tricks they devise!"

The night was so thick that it almost swallowed everything in the world, leaving only the orange-yellow flames of the bonfire piercing through the desolate darkness.

Outside the camp tents, a layer of frost covered the broken stone slabs and scattered runic stones, as if foreshadowing an impending storm.

David sat on a rusty but sturdy wooden chair, his head slightly bowed, his left arm resting on his knee, and eerie gray patches slowly spreading from the wound burned by hellfire.

In the dim firelight, the gray spots looked as dull and lifeless as dead ashes, forming a stark contrast with his clear yet slightly pale skin.

His brows were furrowed, and fine beads of sweat slid down his forehead, rolling onto the back of his hand.

The fingertips of his left hand trembled slightly as he tried to touch the gradually twisting and mutated skin, only to be stopped by the pain.

His eyes revealed a complex mix of emotions—fear, struggle, and unspeakable resentment.

The tent was quiet and oppressive, with only the crackling of burning firewood and the occasional whistling of the wind.

The guards on the perimeter spoke in hushed tones, but dared not break the tense atmosphere.

Amy sat at a small table opposite David, her brows furrowed. She spoke softly, her voice both meticulous and firm yet gentle: “David, you must accept this change. After the Frostwolf bloodline merged with the cold flames from the depths of hell, you gained the new ability to devour flames, but at the cost of a drastically increased burden on your soul. This mutation is not without its dangers.”

She slowly rose and took out a small bottle of pale blue liquid from her sleeve, which was engraved with complex runes. "This is a soul purifier that we developed. It can temporarily alleviate the burden, but it is only a temporary solution."

David took the bottle, his eyes deep. "I know," he said hoarsely, "that I cannot fall, not only for myself, but for everyone. This power is both a curse and a hope."

His voice carried a chilling indomitable spirit and unwavering determination, but even more so, it revealed a deep-seated fear that had just been torn open within him, an unbearable pain caused by the contamination of his bloodline that kept him awake at night.

Memories flashed back, like ghosts glided across the edge of his mind: a few days earlier, on the edge of the wilderness dozens of miles from the camp, a fierce battle had nearly taken his life.

At that time, he was wearing the battle robes of the Star-Eyed Clan and fighting against the Great Demon, who was enveloped in surging chaotic energy and glaring angrily at the boundaries of space.

He swung his sword to sever the enemy's claws, but could not prevent the searing heat from seeping into his skin—it was a ball of "hellfire" originating from the abyss of purgatory, mixed with chaotic corrosion and carrying an extreme icy aura. It quietly attached itself to his left arm, spreading like a venomous snake, staining his pure Frostwolf bloodline with a layer of cold plague.

He tried to dispel it with sacred incantations, but found that the more he tried to drive it away, the deeper it penetrated into his bones and became one with his life force.

The atmosphere inside the tent grew increasingly heavy. Amy bent down to examine the wound closely. The grayish-white spreading part seemed to writhe like a living thing, rhythmically absorbing the surrounding temperature and life force.

"This state of fusion is extremely dangerous. It is not just an external trauma, but more like a parasitic infection that will continuously erode your body and mind."

She turned to look at Lena, who was studying tactical materials beside her but whose expression was equally solemn and uneasy. "We need to find a way to remove or control it as soon as possible, otherwise even if the 'neural pulse stripping technique' is successful, it is hard to guarantee that David can survive the more difficult tests in the future."

Lena put down the scroll in her hand, her cheeks flushed slightly, and the cold night air made her look even more resolute.

“We will study all the knowledge that may have been missed in the ancient books of the Star-Eyed Clan. These lost secret techniques may contain an antidote and may help David stabilize the state of his bloodline pollution.”

She said firmly, turning to the window in the distance to look at the intricate ruins and broken monuments hidden beneath the drifting snowflakes. "After all," she said, "this is not just about one person's life or death, but about the fate of all human civilization."

Time continued to pass, each breath filled with pain, each movement felt like being dragged across a bottomless swamp, but at the same time, the devouring power gradually awakened. At a certain moment, as moonlight shone into the corner of the tent, David suddenly stood up, his voice steady yet icy and sharp: "I feel it—the burning heat in my blood is roaring, and I can use it to burn and destroy all my enemies!"

Amy quickly stopped her: "Don't be impulsive! Your body isn't ready yet. If you can't control this power, it will completely destroy the foundation of your soul!"

"I must master it!" he gritted his teeth. "If I let it corrupt me, I will eventually lose myself. But if I can control it, it will be my strongest weapon!"

Zelllos suddenly pushed open the door and entered. His sword blade reflected a ghostly blue light, and his expression was serious and alert: "Time waits for no one. We must simultaneously perform magical enhancements and physical training to help you quickly adapt to your new power. Otherwise, you will become prey before tomorrow."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and they rearranged themselves around the table and chairs into a battle formation.

Under close monitoring and assistance, they embarked on an unprecedented challenge to the limits of human endurance: alternating between magical manipulation, mental guidance, and physical training, hoping to harness the Devouring Fire for their own benefit rather than have it devour them.

After the first day of training, the first light of dawn appeared on the horizon outside the window, and a ray of warm sunlight shone into the tent, making the snow-covered earth gleam with silver light.

But the room was still filled with a solemn atmosphere, and everyone's face was etched with exhaustion but also with unwavering determination.

Lena handed David a cup of special medicine, which he took and drank. His facial muscles twitched temporarily due to the toxins, but quickly returned to normal.

“Keep going,” she encouraged. “Only in this way can we truly find a balance and turn darkness into a weapon.”

Amy straightened the runes on her staff, her eyes shining like stars as she gazed into the distance, and said, "The future is still full of unknown dangers, but as long as our faith remains, we will eventually usher in our own dawn."

(End of this chapter)