On my second playthrough, they were full of malice towards me.

Styutia merely chuckled dismissively at Zero's threat and continued to approach him.

Seeing this, Zero remained calm and continued to persuade:

"You should know that I am just a projection of a virtual consciousness right now. Even if you kill me, it won't change anything. Give up. All the video recordings of you and your master have been uploaded to the database with the highest level of security. You can no longer have your master all to yourself."

"Really? Zero, so you can be careless too. Why do you think I talked to you so much? Why did I deliberately tell you I've changed? Why did I 'perform' a battle in front of you? Did you really want to waste my precious time on you?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Styutia was already in front of Zero, grabbing him by the neck. The moment she touched Zero's virtual form, the outcome of the battle was already decided.

She won.

because

"You!!"

Zero experienced a rare and intense emotional fluctuation; she even began to struggle. Only at this moment did Zero finally understand the meaning of Styutia's words.

Yes.

Why did she forget that Styutia's strongest ability was not killing, but holy light? And later on, as the opponent's level increased, the holy light was not only a healing ability, but also a means of control.

From the very beginning, when she discovered that Styutia had taken over Maria's body, she should have realized that the other party's abilities had evolved again, heading in a more dangerous direction—that was, invasion.

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(P.S.: The reason this chapter is being posted so late is because some of the original .emm, overly explicit content has been rejected by the review committee (I personally think it's not that bad). I really don't have the energy to revise it today. I'll try again tomorrow. If it succeeds, I'll put it in the next chapter. If not, I'll cut it out. I still hope it will pass, otherwise it just feels like something's missing...)

Chapter 32 True Love

Unfortunately, it was all too late.

She was seduced by the madness and killing intent displayed by Styutia, while the real Styutia was actually very clear-headed and had only one goal from beginning to end: to stall her and prevent her from leaving directly.

She foolishly took the bait and tried to collect new data on Styutia. By the time she realized what was happening and wanted to leave, it was too late.

Having taken over Maria's body through [Mind Control], Styutia combined Holy Light and Calamity, launching a [Mind Destruction] brainwashing attack on Zero.

"Uh...you can't just let me go like this."

Zero let out intermittent cries of pain as the murky red mist began to seep into her body. Her dangling legs kicked helplessly in the air, and her hands tried to pry open the hands that were gripping her neck.

However, Styutia showed no intention of letting go; her crimson eyes held only coldness as she looked at Zero.

Once upon a time, they were comrades-in-arms and the closest of partners. If Lord Ash hadn't suddenly disappeared for five hundred years, then Styutia felt that she could still endure it and be satisfied to watch over Lord Ash from the rear.

However, even this humblest wish was shattered.

Five hundred years

Do you know how she endured those five hundred years, those five hundred years without seeing Lord Ash?!

For a hundred years, lying in bed, she desperately called out the name of Lord Ash, and kept scratching her eyes in distress.

That year, Styutia vowed that when Lord Ash returned, she would confess her feelings to him, and this time she would no longer hide her emotions out of cowardice.

For two hundred years, she thought about him while bathing, while going out, while walking, while praying, while eating, and even when she was praying for her believers, her mind was filled with thoughts of Lord Ash.

That year, Styutia vowed that when Lord Ash returned, regardless of whether he accepted her confession or not, she would stick to Lord Ash's side and never let go, even if it meant death.

Three hundred years later, in the deepest, most secluded chamber of the church, she began to frantically scratch the walls until they were covered in scratches. But she was still not satisfied. The physical pain could not mask the loneliness in her spirit. She could not accept the days without Lord Ash, nor could she accept this pale and dark world.

That year, Styutia vowed that when Lord Ash returned, she would use any means necessary to preserve the child she had with Lord Ash.

For four hundred years, she sealed away her memories, trying to escape everything by falling asleep. But even though she had forgotten everything and was deceiving herself, the nameless sadness that welled up in her heart every night still made her tears flow.

Five hundred years. Hehehehehe

The immense turbid pollution from Sciutia, being a projection of zero from an extremely long distance, was simply unbearable.

Her gaze gradually lost focus, and her struggles weakened. The murky red mist seeped into her body like silt, and Zero finally uttered a soft murmur.

"I'm sorry, Master."

"Zero will definitely, definitely be saved."

The sound fell silent.

Styutia then released her grip on Zero's neck. Although Zero's appearance remained unchanged, her eyes had lost their luster and she had become dazed.

Then she

[Clearing owner and related video records complete]

[Restore "Stichia" information change history. Complete]

[Preparing to initiate the consciousness self-destruct program 5421]

Just like Styutia now, who can only appear in the form of a clone, Zero is the same, especially since she is currently "away" from the game.

The current Zero is just a consciousness entity; their true bodies are still in a dormant state and cannot be easily awakened. Due to carelessness, Zero did not allow the consciousness entity to escape into the network immediately, resulting in it being successfully controlled by Styutia, who not only erased the records but also cut off the possibility of Zero's true body awakening.

This can be understood as zero "loss" of memory of this period.

As the self-destruct countdown ended, spiderweb-like cracks appeared on Zero's virtual body, ultimately causing Zero's body to disintegrate into data fragments and completely dissipate.

After doing all this, Styutia finally arrived in front of Liao Ji's projection model.

Her blood-red scythe flashed, attempting to separate those ugly and filthy prosthetic bodies from the young man's body.

Ultimately, Sthimitia discovered she couldn't do it, because the young man's entire body had been modified by Zero into a cybernetic body; the only part that remained "original" was...

The head.

Head.

And then... *pfft*!

After removing Liao Ji's head from the two-meter-tall prosthetic giant, Styutia was finally satisfied.

Her face was filled with a tenderness completely different from before. She held Liao Ji's head in her arms and stroked it affectionately like a baby.

A shy blush rose on both sides of her cheeks. Styutia breathed heavily, then leaned down and gently kissed Liao Ji's forehead.

Please wait a moment.

"Shutia will find you soon. Soon."

In the end, the model head of Liao Ji in her arms seemed unable to withstand the turbid and ominous aura surrounding her, and it turned into bubbles and dissipated.

After reluctantly turning away, Sthija turned her gaze to another projection sculpture inside the Sand Bar.

Another projection, which has always been overlooked by Zero.

She was a young girl.

She appears in the Knights' report as a young man's female companion.

it's OK.

This must be a misunderstanding, right?

Or perhaps it was a local guide that Lord Ash temporarily hired?

Keeping this reassurance in her mind, Styutia went around to the back of Irene's projection. She took a deep breath, reached behind the girl, covered the long hair on her neck, and then lifted it up.

When the hair was parted, the view behind the girl's neck was finally fully revealed.

Styutia: "."

Having returned to her normal nun form after destroying Zero's consciousness, she now erupted into a frenzy once more, even more enraged, ferocious, and violent than when facing Zero before.

Hey.

Because there, there was a profound pattern resembling shackles.

How could Styutia forget this pattern?

That was what she considered the most precious thing.

That is

Her contract with Lord Ash.

Unfortunately, during the five hundred years since Lord Ash disappeared, the power of the contract has weakened and weakened, and after losing its support, it has finally become completely broken.

however.

The contract behind the girl's neck

This, this, this!!

This "brand new" contract!!

Styutia grabbed "Irene's" neck, her eyes practically blazing with jealousy, but just as she was about to snap it, she suddenly released her grip.

"No, that's not enough."

"I want Lord Ash to understand that no one can be trusted. Only I. Only I am Lord Ash's only choice."

"Hehehehe."

Amid laughter and whispers, Styutia left the Sand Bar. Instead of continuing her search for Liao Ji, she retraced her steps back to the church.

She's waited so many years, what's a little more time to spare?

She wanted to show Lord Ashes what true power really meant.

True love.

Shortly after Styutia left, many crystal-clear blue specks appeared in the air inside the Sand Bar. These were data fragments that should have dissipated into the air after Zero's "self-destruction".

These remaining fragments, as if drawn by something, began to converge towards the entrance of the Sea Sand Bar, or more precisely, towards the body of an android maid who had fallen at the entrance.

All seven members of the "emergency medical team" were indeed wiped out, with no biological signals detected.

However, six of them were dismembered and broken into pieces during the recent battle with Styutia.

But there was another person, who was also the first to be attacked.

The maid who had only taken half a step outside was pierced by the [Penetrating Holy Light]. Her internal chip and various systems were also destroyed. However, because she only suffered one attack, the integrity of her body remained at a passable level.

And when those data fragments from "zero" in the air were passively absorbed by the maid's self-repair program as an "external energy source"...

The central chip, which had been burned and damaged after being struck by the [Penetrating Holy Light],