Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

It forfeited, and the Overlord thus failed to win. This was generally a good thing for the Overlord, because a forfeited battle could not be resumed, and since Fenrir had forfeited, he could no longer gain any advantage over him. Kampavsky was now free from the constraints of his past life, and at least until he approached the Holy Path, he no longer needed to worry about any internal troubles. However, he also lost an opportunity to soar to great heights; the Fenrir legacy that would have belonged to him after victory was now forever out of his reach.

His destiny had been severed; he had lost the chance to leap to the level of a transcendent being, even reaching the fourth rank. And with the severance of this karmic connection, once he gathered the light of his soul and achieved the fourth rank, becoming a true god, the external resources from Fenrir would no longer provide him with any support. He would no longer be able to break through in the heat of battle, nor would he be able to unleash his full potential in combat. From then on, he would have to walk his own path.

"Do you regret it?" Alice toyed with a pen, letting the barrel spin between her fingers. "If I had acted a little later, perhaps you would still have had a chance to defeat it. Although the possibility was extremely slim, you might still have been able to give it your all at the last moment."

The Overlord chuckled.

“It would be a lie to say I don’t regret it. But what I regret is not going all in from the beginning… Now that the situation has become a tug-of-war, the longer it drags on, the more likely I am to lose… After all, it’s Fenrir,” his smile turned to self-deprecation, and he lowered his head and shook his head.

"...The longer it drags on, the lower the chances of winning. I'm not so arrogant as to think I can outwit these cunning old foxes...Miss Alice, I'm satisfied with what I've achieved so far, and I have no complaints about your arrangements. Please feel free to ask me for anything you need. I'm ready to face any opponent, no matter the level of the opponent."

Chelsea, who was beside him, took the cup of coffee he had finished and sat quietly beside him, waiting for his decision.

Alice knew very well that his battle was over—or rather, there was no need for him to fight it.

Alice shook her head.

“No need, Overlord.” Alice stretched out her hand, unfurling a phantom scroll that displayed the entire battlefield on her desk to the two visitors—the chaos and strife of the seven kingdoms resembled distinct branches and trees in her fingers. Every detail and secret was meticulously revealed on this scroll.

"The ceremony is complete, and the outcome of the war is in my hands. Whether Qin conquers the six states or the six states defeat Qin, the Qin Emperor will die. Sekhmet will also remain silent forever. Because my plan has already collapsed once, and a collapse after a collapse is not in line with my path. There may be some twists and turns in the process, but the outcome will ultimately be one of only a few."

Her fingertips brushed across the scroll, and all the myriad scenes on the scroll vanished into nothingness.

"In the end, the essence of this journey is nothing more than a 'trial'. As far as I know, Zheng Zha has already resolved his problem. And if he succeeds, Chu Xuan will surely succeed as well. Apart from them, I have already figured out the problems of the other guys I need to worry about—there may still be some trouble with Saito Hajime, but his troubles will not become a variable that can change the course of the battle."

Alice put away the scroll and folded her hands on the table.

"I only have one thing I need to figure out right now, and you can't help me with that."

"Is it about Miss Patchouli?" Overlord nodded, accepting her explanation before raising his own doubts.

“It’s about Patchouli,” Alice admitted, glancing at a spot on the other side of Terra. “I misjudged Patchouli’s situation earlier. Miss Andromeda and I also have some things to take care of and some things to say—I’m confident I can handle it, but it’s something only I can do.”

She clearly expressed her will, and there was no gap in that will where no one else could participate. The Overlord understood her meaning and knew her will. And since this matter was none of his concern, he naturally didn't need to interfere.

"Do you need me to leave?" the overlord asked politely.

“No need,” Alice replied without hesitation. “I don’t need a communication area that isolates me from all outside interference. You can stay in Terra, and I can see that you still have something you want to do on this planet.”

The Overlord nodded.

“I do intend to stay here… My struggle with Fenrir has brought such immense suffering to this world. To simply leave would not align with my principles—I intend to stay and lead the people of this planet in the upcoming catastrophe that will engulf the entire galaxy… I don’t think this conflicts with your plans?”

"There is no conflict."

"The outcome of the war is already predetermined. If the Qin Emperor remains in power, then Qin will inevitably lose. Because his absolute strength is not sufficient, the longer it drags on, the closer I get to success. But if the Qin Emperor steps down and breaks free from his constraints, then when he obtains the strongest power, it will also mean the end of the trial, and it will mean entering a battle where victory or defeat is determined by pure strength."

"I will not lose, and neither will the Central Continent Team. Because when strength is all that matters to decide everything, whatever the outcome of the battle may be, it will be a victory for us."

The Overlord's eyes flickered, then he nodded. He understood Alice's meaning—while the goal of this trial was to defeat the proto-god, that was a mission issued by Anubis, the objective of the main god. For the reincarnators of the Central Continent Team, the real purpose was to resolve the immense hidden threat of their 'past lives.' And after achieving this primary objective…

...Resurrection items and the like, doesn't everyone in the Central Continent Team have one? Even if they don't win the first time, the hero can just try again.

So the overlord rose and took his leave. His attendant, Chelsea, followed quietly behind him.

"I will attempt to become the ruler of Terra and guide the civilization of this planet to fight Qin. During this time, I will likely continue to use the identity of 'Wei Yanwu' instead of reverting to my original form and using the power of supernatural life to influence the outcome of this war."

"We probably won't have any more contact before this world ends. So, Miss Alice, before you go, I wish you all the best in achieving your goals."

Alice picked up her coffee cup and took a small sip.

"You too, Kampavsky. I also wish you success in putting your beliefs into practice in the days to come, and that you take another step forward in the final stages of this trial."

She put down her coffee cup. The two men, Ba Wang and his companion, then left, never to be seen again.

So……

"One less task for the team." Alice lowered her brows slightly, her eyes taking in the changes in her teammates' life trajectories.

She observed that most of the most troublesome individuals had already moved on from their battles with their past lives. Only the Zhao siblings remained entangled with the ferocious beast, but it seemed the fight would end soon. Those slightly weaker in the group had also largely overcome their own struggles—Luo Gandao's lightning bolt had become a dud after the ritual began, and while Cheng Xiao had forged his own path, he wasn't yet qualified to participate in this battle. Zhang Jie, that idiot, was trying to overcome his inner demons; no one else could decide that for him. And there was no need to discuss Xilin's problem.

All the additional issues have been resolved. All plans are progressing smoothly, and even if things go wrong, they will still move towards the predetermined outcome. The only remaining issue is, naturally, the last one.

"Patch."

Andromeda.

She reached out and retrieved a document from the terminal on the desktop. The document contained an appointment letter for the head of the Terra Originium research project—she was required to arrive in the capital of the United Government today for an inauguration ceremony. And according to the information she had obtained, the Rhodes Island doctor, a genius young woman named Andromeda, was in the same project team as her.

She put away her terminal, stood up, picked up a pre-prepared suitcase from the desk, and left her office. Then—

“Let us settle this matter, Andromeda.”

—She took the first step to leave.

..........................................

Meeting Andromeda wasn't difficult... or rather, she had been waiting to meet Alice for a long time. When Alice finished the trivial formalities and arrived at the research center arranged for her by the World Government, she unsurprisingly saw her target in the spacious research hall.

With her long, violet-colored hair, languid and serene demeanor, ideal curves, and slender figure… judging from appearance alone, the differences between Andromeda and Patchouli are minimal. And when Alice saw her, she smiled and nodded in greeting.

"I've heard so much about you, Dr. Luo. I've read your articles on the future applications of Originium and found them very helpful. I'm sure we'll get along very well from now on." She smiled brightly and extended her hand to Alice as a sign of respect.

Alice grasped that slender hand and gently shook it.

“Your research on the symptoms of Originium disease is also very insightful, Dr. Andromeda. We can find a quiet place to continue our discussion when we have time.” Alice responded to her invitation and made a new offer without directly breaking off relations.

They were all cunning old foxes, but that didn't necessarily preclude them from playing some old tricks. And given Alice's invitation, Andromeda naturally accepted.

“It would be an honor. Dr. Luo, I know of a beautiful lounge nearby. The green tea there has a unique flavor that you might find interesting.”

Alice didn't like green tea, or rather, she didn't like any kind of tea. She had never been particularly interested in this bittersweet drink. She preferred strong, bitter coffee.

Beyond that, she knew even better that Patchouli, unless she had no other choice, could barely drink anything except black tea. Just as Luo Ye preferred cola, enjoying its instant stimulation and sweetness, the English black tea that Patchouli loved had a flavor where both sweetness and bitterness were hidden beneath the sweetness of honey and milk.

A person's preferred beverage can, in some ways, represent their beliefs and stance. So, what does green tea represent?

Alice wasn't going to play riddles here, so she opted for a more direct response.

“I thought you would prefer black tea. Although I have hardly had any interaction with Rhodes Island, I have heard that black tea is a very popular drink there.”

“Oh, that’s a trend started by Miss Ceylon.” However, Andromeda simply tilted his head and easily steered the conversation to another topic. “She and Miss Black, who is with her, both enjoy brewing black tea. Although Miss Ceylon’s tea-brewing methods are a bit…unique, they have caused quite a stir on Rhodes Island.”

“I see.” Alice nodded. “I’ve heard of Miss Ceylon, a renowned Originium scholar in Siesta. I recall she was involved in some research project within this undertaking. Perhaps we could call her out one day and then we could sample her ‘unique’ black tea?”

Both sides are well aware that Ceylon is part of Loyalty. So, should Loyalty also be involved in this struggle?

“Oh, then forget it.” Andromeda waved his hand. “I’m not really interested in black tea. If you insist I change my taste…”

She paused. Then she said, "Unless I'm dead."

Chapter Sixty-Three - Alice III

The first exchange was not entirely pleasant for either the host or the guest. However, the underlying meaning was still clearly conveyed to each other.

—【This is a matter between us.】

— [No one needs to intervene.]

—[Even a leaf falling from the sky cannot.]

Andromeda set conditions, the price being that Alice would not resort to underhanded tactics and would only make moves within the current game. For Alice, who already held the upper hand, this deal was certainly one she could agree to.

Alice knew she was about to win, or rather, she was already on the verge of victory. No matter how chaotic the battle raged outside Terra, she had little interest in paying attention—it was nothing more than shifts in the laws of physics and disruptions in mathematical logic. Billions of light-years compressed into zero dimensions, several galaxies reduced to wastelands—that was all; nothing remarkable. She simply had no interest in focusing her attention on battles of this magnitude. Or rather—

—Most of her energy had actually been devoted to the war, and what remained on Terra was only a fragment of herself that could never be separated again.

It doesn't matter, it's not very meaningful.

While the other six nations were embroiled in war, Kampavsky, as the lord of Lungmen, gradually seized power on the continent of Terra. He became the dictator for life of the World Government, and then he guided Terra to teeter on the brink of war, waiting for an opportunity to grow stronger.

He wouldn't interfere with Alice's affairs, though Alice didn't really care. Months after the Overlord ascended the throne, Alice, using the alias Loai, collaborated with Andromeda to create a technology suitable for the people of Terra—a technique for analyzing Originium energy and cultivating a sea of ​​consciousness using its properties. Through this, the inhabitants of Terra could easily draw upon a unique energy different from Originium energy from their cultivated sea of ​​consciousness. And Terra would no longer be bound by Oripathy.

Alice named this energy 'Psionic Energy'. Originating from the Sea of ​​Consciousness, from the active energy within the mind. And on Terra, a planet where everyone is a moral exemplar, the Sea of ​​Consciousness, formed by the convergence of countless Psionic energies, naturally becomes solemn and sacred, like a heavenly realm—perhaps in the distant future this ocean will be corroded and corrupted by the poison of the human heart, but at least for now, and in the near future, the Sea of ​​Consciousness and Psionic Energy will be Terra's best friends and helpers.

The project took seven months to complete. During those seven months, Alice and Andromeda maintained a harmonious relationship without any conflict or disagreement—they worked together seamlessly within the institute like two ordinary, unfamiliar experts in the same field. Often, researchers would find them working through the night in the lab when they clocked in the morning. And almost every time, security personnel would see them leaving as the last to remain at the end of each phase of the project.

Many people assumed they had a close personal relationship, and many were happy about it. However, they had no idea that in those seven months, the two of them only met once outside of work.

It wasn't a coffee shop, nor a dessert shop serving black or green tea. After finishing their project, which resulted in 'psychic energy,' they all coincidentally came to a high-end restaurant exclusively for researchers after the celebration banquet, booked a private room, and arranged for seventeen seats.

Fifteen tables were empty, while Alice and Andromeda sat on opposite sides of the round table. They tacitly selected drinks and food to suit each other's tastes. And then—

"Are you really not interested in black tea?" Alice held a steaming cup of cocoa in her hands. Although it wasn't coffee, it looked almost the same color.

“Not interested,” Andromeda replied, holding a can of chilled apple soda in her hand. Its pale green color, from a distance, could easily be mistaken for green tea.

Alice wasn't disappointed; she simply shrugged slightly.

"You'll eventually come to like black tea..." She paused, then asked directly without beating around the bush, "Is she alright?"

“She’s fine,” Andromeda replied calmly. “If you concede, then you can have her. Are you going to concede?”

"I concede... Ah, I've never really cared much about winning or losing. But..." Alice downed her hot cocoa in one gulp. "There has to be something to the winning or losing game. I can lose, but before that, you know what I'm betting on with you right now, and what the loser loses."

She asked, and Andromeda simply smiled faintly.

“Everything,” the scholar with long, light purple hair said calmly. He tossed the half-finished apple soda into the trash can and repeated, “We gambled everything; we won everything, and we lost everything.”

She stood up, nodded to Alice, and then left.

Alice watched her departing figure thoughtfully.

after all……

"Everything" is a heavy word. If you simply wanted to defeat me, you wouldn't need to throw up so many chips and use such elaborate methods. Do you have ulterior motives, or... is everything you've shown not the truth?

[This is getting a little interesting, Andromeda... And there's something that really bothers me: you arrived in Terra so early, gained the upper hand so early. Yet, in the process, you did absolutely nothing, prepared nothing, and had no impact whatsoever, simply acting as the original protagonist of this scenario, silently driving the plot forward...]

Are you hiding something? Or is the truth just one of my many low-probability deductions?

Alice lowered her eyes, not making a hasty decision at this moment. The information she had gathered was not yet sufficient. More importantly, she felt surprisingly little urgency.

Not in a hurry, not flustered at all. And frankly, it was quite strange in itself that she had been able to suppress her concern and anxiety for Patchouli so easily at the very beginning, and remain calm until this moment.

She closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes, the restaurant waiter was already knocking on the door, urging her to hurry. So she paid the bill and left the restaurant with the finished cocoa. She quickly returned to her role and daily life, and when another project was successfully approved not long after, she encountered Andromeda again at the gathering and greeted him as if nothing had happened.

And so time continued to flow.

A year has passed, and another year will follow.

During these years, the war between the six kingdoms remained at a fever pitch. Galaxyes were shattered and swathes of space were eroded. Although Qin Shi Huang Huhai had not abdicated, he had already unleashed the maximum destructive power that a single universe could tolerate, namely, the power of a top-tier true god—he almost completely destroyed one of the remaining five kingdoms, but was unable to achieve his goal due to the combined restraint of the other four kingdoms.

The intensity of the war is escalating, and it may soon reach a battlefield where the level of escalation has reached its limit.

Before that, the war technology of all nations was advancing by leaps and bounds—the celestial warriors of the proud nation could shatter the void with their fists, manipulating the universe with every gesture. The mediocre nation fought steadily, using a vast horde of cloned troops to tie down Qin's mediocre main force and mastering the development and utilization of resources. The rebellious nation united its people, unifying its steel-forged mechanical civilization with a Gestalt mindset. While these three nations on the surface were tying down Qin's main force and most of Hu Hai's attention, the remaining two nations were also eagerly participating in the war.