I'm on the Ark, and I started as a succubus.

After doing all this, Early Dew waved her little hand at Frostnova and really ignored her, running off to play next to the terrifying evil god on her own.

Having truly fallen to the point of no return, having degenerated into the most beautiful newborn beauty of a water nymph, the most beautiful dew is not only not terrible, but extremely happy and joyful. Before long, a blissful expression of almost being immersed in a trance and losing one's senses appeared on one's face.

"Waaaaah! Waaaah—waaaaah!"

Froststar could only let out panting whimpers, struggled fiercely, and then remained standing in place.

She was no longer allowed to join the joyful and happy family of the Pearl Fall Elegy.

217 Talulah, who was tricked and crippled

Outside of Chernobog.

"call……"

Talulah sighed, took off her cloak covered in ice shards, and slumped into a chair.

The cloak was originally meant to keep warm, but after a long day of working in an open space on a rainy day, the snow and ice covering it melted into water and then re-frozen into ice, eventually turning into a heavy lump of ice wrapped in cotton.

It had long lost its ability to keep warm and protect against the cold, and was even constantly stealing her body heat.

She hadn't taken it off simply because she had no idea that the cloak had become such a horrible sight.

Too busy.

She has too many things to deal with.

Take control of the supplies given by that bastard, settle the team, restore discipline, prevent the Reunion Movement from causing trouble for the city of Chernobog, and prevent the infected from instilling fear in the residents of the mobile city again and causing a series of riots. Check on the Reunion members whose symptoms have worsened along the way—

—She has too many things to do.

There were so many that she herself couldn't even remember them all.

Talulah closed her eyes and rested for a while, then her delicate, ink-like eyebrows furrowed involuntarily, and she opened her eyes again to look at the top of the makeshift tent.

Her feelings became very complicated.

She wasn't as 'clean' as she was imagined or as she was portrayed to be.

No, it should be said that she even used 'lies' all along.

Once she concealed her true identity on the tundra, she went on to use one lie after another without stopping.

Hope, a land that can accommodate the infected, everything will be alright... But deep down, she wasn't sure at all.

No one knew Ursus's military strength better than her. Whether they stayed in the tundra or moved south, if the Reunion Movement encountered an encirclement and annihilation by the Ursus Army Group, their fate would be destruction.

Without mobile city fortresses, military landships, or heavy weapons, the Reunion Movement might be able to handle the Ursus Inspectorate's black beetles, but once it encounters the Ursus Army Group with its complete formation, the Reunion Movement has no chance of winning.

Mr. Patriot, she, and all the elite cadres of the Integration Movement had no way to cope with that kind of impact on the open plains.

But she still confidently painted a hopeful picture for every member of the Reunion Movement, leading them to follow her down a path destined for destruction.

The integration movement can only become fire.

Like a match, it emits a little light and warmth.

She was actually very clear about this.

Many people, even many cadres, in the Integration Movement simply wanted a warm place and enough to eat. They just wanted to survive and didn't want to become a pitiful spark.

A tiny spark of hopeless light.

Wanting to survive, wanting to have enough to eat, wanting not to freeze to death... there's nothing wrong with that.

These are the most basic needs of human beings. If we cannot meet these needs, then we can talk about ideals.

Talulah, have the Terrans evolved to the point where they don't need to eat? You can't even fulfill the most basic human need of being fed. What is the point of your so-called ideals?

Bai Chen's face appeared in Talulah's mind once again:

Is it the "great power" of Draco's nature that brings you a competitive spirit that makes you want to beat Koschei, or are you simply... oh, that's the nice way to put it, but to put it bluntly, you just want to spite Koschei, risking the lives of hundreds of thousands of people on the ice field to spite Him, and desperately wanting to deny everything He has said?

That's probably it. The Drakks always have a strange competitive spirit and a habitual disregard for human life. The lives of hundreds of thousands on the tundra, the lives of hundreds of thousands in the former mobile city of Koschie, were all just toys to you, toys used to vent your anger and to desperately deny everything He had ever said.

Talulah gritted her teeth, a look of struggle appearing on her face.

But Bai Chen's words continued to echo in her mind:

'Isn't it rare? Deep down, you actually hate those who don't understand you, and you wish you could burn them all to death. Otherwise, you wouldn't have fallen for Kosichek's trick.'

Yes, that's exactly it. You don't even take the people in the Reunion Movement seriously. They're just your toys, your tools, the tools you use to play against Kosi and that little black snake.

You actually hated these infected people who entrusted their lives to you. You hated their shortsightedness, their stupidity, their minds filled only with bread and campfires, and their inability to understand your ideals and beliefs.

Deep down, you disdain those infected who voluntarily leave the group, thinking they are foolish and short-sighted. You believe that one of them will eventually have to tuck their tail between their legs and return to you, Talulah, to accept your leadership. Otherwise, they will definitely fall into chaos for various petty gains and squander everything they have accumulated due to their short-sightedness.

Do you know why those people who drove around in the mobile city came back to find me?

It's very simple, because they believe that as long as I have food and drink, they will definitely get a share.

But they think you, Talulah, are different. You will abandon them cleanly and decisively when needed for your 'ideals' and 'great cause'. They are just tools for you to achieve your great cause, not people who need to eat, drink, or keep warm.

Talulah, Drak, leader of the Reunion Movement, your problem isn't extremes, nor is it the influence of the black snake in your mind. Your problem is arrogance, the arrogance of being high above and supreme.

You are well aware of how much of what Kosiché says is true; you are also well aware that the world is not simply black and white; you are even more aware of what it means to take the essence and discard the dross, and you know which of the things Kosiché taught you are good and which should be discarded.

It is clearer that if I had taken over the mobile city that Kosichear left behind after her death, more people could have survived, more infected people could have been fed and received effective treatment, and even the rights that were not taken away from the infected people could have been restored by the Duke's title and the laws of Ursus.

But you didn't do that. You preferred to deny everything, everything from Kosichean, good or bad. You were so arrogant that you thought you could lead a powerful team, powerful enough to change the Ursus infected, even if you abandoned all that.

No, I didn't, I never thought that way!

Talulah's expression became even more conflicted.

She...she did think it would be better if those civilians who attacked the infected died; she even imprisoned them...

She...she also had moments when she felt that members of the Reunion Movement were short-sighted.

218 Tears and a lament, take me away!

Talulah closed her eyes again and let out a long breath.

She had only thought about it that way.

Those were just fleeting thoughts, thoughts that arose under extreme conditions and high pressure.

She even mentioned to Alina that she had these disgusting thoughts.

"Talulah managed to control herself in the end, didn't she? Everyone has negative emotions at times. I've also had moments of laziness, but in the end I didn't lie in bed and fall asleep."

Alina's gentle smile appeared before Talulah's eyes. "You've suppressed those thoughts and taken no real action; they were just fleeting thoughts. Talulah, don't let those things overwhelm you. Go and rest."

Talulah's lips curled into a slight smile.

Yes, at least Alina is by her side, and Alina understands her.

She wasn't as bad as I imagined.

Those accusations against her were just rhetoric used by that guy, who was even more terrifying than Kosichek, to try and bring her down.

A despicable and shameless trick.

In order to, in order to...

Talulah's breathing became heavy again, and unbearable memories slowly surfaced before her eyes.

Food and fuel for the winter... to prepare for the team that had once again absorbed a large number of infected people, and to help everyone in the Reunion Movement get through that extra cold winter.

Disgraceful deal.

A mirror placed in front of you.

The mirror reflects the image.

Draco was crying with tears and snot streaming down his face.

Draco, his tongue lolling out, gasped for breath.

The red dragon seemed to have awakened its base virtues such as greed, absurdity, and indulgence.

Drak knelt on the ground like a wild beast.

Nightmare-like memories.

In the absurd reflection in the mirror:

The legendary, incredibly powerful red dragon appeared extremely weak, easily having its neck bitten by an even more powerful demon... no, a demon god, without any ability to resist or fight back.

All she could do was cry, cry on and on, her voice both soft and pitiful. She could only obediently endure the tearing, gnawing, and devouring sensation that felt like her soul was being pulverized and crushed, or like being dragged and pulled like rice cake.

Red Dragon has experienced countless pains, but none can compare to that one—a terrifying pain and scorching heat that felt like one's soul was being completely crushed and reforged.

It dominates all senses, overwhelming all other sensations with an unparalleled presence, leaving its mark on the body, mind, and soul.

A branding mark, an evil imprint that can never be erased, almost absolutely eternal.

The terrible pain gradually faded, but an even more terrifying feeling grew stronger and stronger.

It was so intense that I could clearly feel it rushing up my spine, like an electric current, into my mind, swirling and dominating there, severing reason, thoughts, pain... severing all possibility of anything ever reappearing there.

"Do not……"

Talulah's eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

Waaah... No way!

She, she didn't become trapped in that terrible purgatory.

They did not enjoy any of the happiness, joy, or bliss it brought.

Not at all!

No, absolutely not. Greed, lust, and covetousness are impossible for her.

She, she was the one who didn't become a part of the lament of the fallen pearl.

She was the leader of the Reunion Movement, a fighter trusted by everyone... Ugh, why, why do I keep having to remember her?

Why, why does something so unbearable seem like a beautiful dream that I keep yearning for?

She had clearly escaped from Zhu Duo's clutches! She had clearly returned to Alina and the others' embrace, so why, why did she still find herself thinking about those things?

When I have free time and nothing to do, why does that sinful and evil deal keep resurfacing in my mind? Even the feeling of sin seems to be running rampant.

I can't think about it anymore.

We can't dwell on it anymore.