I want to be a faded person for life

Xiangzi's fingers twisted flexibly a few times, then firmly grasped the hilt of the sword.

The blade of the curved sword suddenly left the ground, dragging out dazzling sparks and crystal fragments. The surrounding blood-red roses were dyed azure blue at some point, and the petals solidified into crystals that sparkled with starlight.

"What the hell are you?"

The strange scene made the Blood Knight Captain feel horrified.

The strange puppet girl did not answer, but took off her helmet and saluted gracefully like a dancer on stage.

The blue hair that falls like a waterfall also dances with the puppet's movements.

After the ceremony, the puppet girl began her swift dance steps. She used her toes as a fulcrum and spun in a strange posture that was difficult for humans to accomplish.

The girl swung the sword so violently that she even twisted her joints in opposite directions several times. The sword attacked the Knight Commander from three different angles that defied common sense.

Dolan wanted to continue retreating but felt a pain in her foot. A straight sword that appeared out of nowhere had pierced through her iron boots and nailed her foot to the ground.

The hound's tusk did not carry the storm, but the blade was coated with a layer of blue-green aura by the power of pyroxene magic.

The Knight Commander's heavy armor was instantly torn into three more holes, and the wounds penetrated deep into the bones. The specially made heavy armor could not withstand the sharp fangs at all.

but......

Her blood inevitably splattered on the enemy, so she still had a chance to win.

The Knight Commander, noticing this, threw more blood at the enemy—although it was a strange opponent, any living thing with flesh and blood would die from exhaustion.

Just one more blood slash would drain all the blood from her body.

The hound's fangs suddenly picked up the big sword and then strangely and suddenly covered the trajectory and instantly pierced through Dolan's open chest. There was no gap between the exertion and retraction of force between the movements.

But this is the opportunity the Knight Commander has been waiting for.

“Blood—”

Dolan grabbed the sword that pierced her chest with one hand. The blood in her body boiled because of her action. She wanted to use the hound's fangs to trigger the blood blade.

But the puppet girl neither tried to draw the sword nor let go and retreated. Instead, she pressed her other hand on the end of the curved sword.

【Kalia Great Sword】

The sword suddenly grew several times longer and wider, stirring in the Knight Commander's chest. The latter's body exploded into countless pieces, instantly shattering in different directions.

In the rain of blood, the girl performed a farewell ceremony, and then - all the blood in her body spurted out from her mouth, nose, and all her pores again.

It was as if an unusually bright red fireworks display had unfolded inside Hyde Fortress.

-

"Uh..."

Xiangzi stood up with his head covered. The cold feeling of blood leaving his body and the strange feeling of twisting his joints by himself still lingered in his memory.

She found herself awakened by the blessing she had recorded not far from the fortress entrance.

The memory was still a little hazy, but it was as if my body had moved on its own when I stepped into a disadvantageous position.

If I remember correctly, she died again just now.

Too careless.

I should have noticed the anomaly in the fortress earlier. Now that I think about it, I must have been affected by the strange effect when I killed those soldiers at the city gate.

Knight Commander Dolan was actually much weaker than her, but he was able to use his strange bleeding ability to kill her once.

Ever since the battle in Stonewell City, Xiangzi's mentality has become a little relaxed - to the point that he forgot that death is the norm in this world.

She forgot that even if she defeated Greg and possessed the Great Rune, she would still fail or even die due to carelessness... This is reality.

On the contrary, when she was weaker than she is now, she was more cautious and able to defeat the strong with the weak.

"Oh, long time no see."

A malicious and mocking voice sounded not far away.

Xiangzi turned around and saw that it was an acquaintance he hadn't seen for a long time.

The other party was still wearing the white robe stained with blood and grease, and a strange white mask.

"Are you...the white-masked Fan Lei from before?"

Xiangzi frowned slightly. Although the other party did help and guide him in the beginning, it also led him in the wrong direction.

"What a shame, my dear lady! Why are you so hostile to me?"

This ambiguous name made Xiangzi feel very uncomfortable, and he couldn't help but step back a little.

"You lied to me. The lamp wasn't heading towards Stonewell. She and I were going in opposite directions."

"This is a truly unfortunate misunderstanding."

White Mask spread out his hands and shook his head innocently.

"From the beginning to the end...did I ever say that Miss Deng went to Stonewell or was captured by Greg's men?"

He squatted down, bringing the dirty mask very close.

"You think so on your own—and I only suggest that you follow the guidance of the Blessed Light. Besides... despite the setbacks, you did reunite with your companions, didn't you?"

"That is--"

Xiangzi didn't continue.

Fan Lei was right, he had indeed not told any lies - he had just concealed some information and guided her in her current direction.

But why would Fan Lei appear in this place? The smell of blood on this weirdo is almost as strong as that on Knight Commander Dolan.

Could his appearance here be related to the anomaly in Hyde Fortress? Is there a figure in White Mask behind Knight Commander Stonewell's betrayal?

Thinking of this, Xiangzi became more alert.

The White Mask ignored her vigilance and just clapped his hands.

"I should congratulate you first. I heard that you have done something big recently."

Chapter 12: Approaching Clouds

"I single-handedly captured Stonewell, defeated Greg, and obtained the Great Rune held by the demigod."

"Just as I thought, from the first time we met, I felt that you were not your ordinary kind."

Even when Fan Lei was speaking nicely and in a flattering tone, people always felt that there was a hint of sarcasm in his words.

"Even without the witch's guidance, you can achieve great things. If I am right, have you been to the Hall of the Round Table, where heroes used to gather?"

Why is it that the first thing everyone does when they meet is to ask about the Round Table Hall?

Although he subconsciously wanted to skip this topic, Xiangzi suddenly realized a problem - he seemed to have misunderstood the nature of the name "Round Table Hall".

Because I only lived in that place for one night and never left the room.

So in Xiangzi's heart, he actually always regarded the so-called Round Table Hall as an organization similar to the "Adventurer's Guild" in the story that provides a place for the faded people to rest and communicate.

After all, Melina only said that it was "the guided Faded, where the heroes gather."

That Melina... probably overlooked the key point again. The so-called Round Table Hall is definitely not just a gathering place.

You can try to get some information from Fan Lei.

Xiangzi thought so and nodded.

"I have indeed been to the Hall of the Round Table."

——This is the truth.

"Oh, of course, of course—a Faded One like you who holds the Great Rune will undoubtedly be treated as a guest of honor by the people there."

"Even the Hall of the Round Table in its heyday would probably have been like this."

Fan Lei's tone became a little strange, as if he was looking forward to getting the answer he wanted from the other party.

"...So, what do you think of the Round Table Hall?"

Xiangzi was stunned. She had no way of answering this question. After all, she had only seen one bedroom in the Round Table Hall.

However, Fan Lei interpreted her silence as having another meaning.

"Oh, you don't have to say it, I understand too - the Round Table Hall, where heroes once gathered, is now just garbage and debris."

“Are you disappointed?”

Xiangzi didn't like this description, but he could only continue with what the other party said.

“It’s quite disappointing.”

This is the basic requirement for customer service work. Abandon your personal opinions and just continue the topic according to what the customer says.

After hearing this, Fan Lei felt like he had found a rare confidant. He held Xiangzi's hands and shook them up and down vigorously. With a person like him, he could probably sell goods and insurance to him ten times.

"I understand that. After all, reality doesn't match legend—it always makes people feel discouraged."

Fan Lei let go of his hand and changed his tone.

"But I don't think this is an age of declining heroes."

"Although the heroes of old are gradually forgotten, new heroes always emerge in every era. Just like your existence—the Round Table has fallen to this point, and it all comes down to problems with the people higher up."

"You should have seen the Noble Two Fingers in the deepest room of the Round Table Hall... I wonder if you have any thoughts on them?"

Two fingers?

Is it a person with only two fingers, or does it refer to two different beings?

Seeing that Xiangzi continued to remain silent.

Xiangzi could tell that Fan Lei lowered his voice, and when he mentioned "the honorable two fingers", he didn't show any respect at all, but instead had a sarcastic tone.

"...suspicious?"

This is another answer that Fan Lei wants.

"Ah, you do feel that way... Honestly, I feel the same way."

The White Mask was very happy and even began to regard the girl in front of him as a rebellious comrade. He was very satisfied with his gains today. Perhaps he could use this to plant the seeds of doubt in the hearts of the Faded Ones who had the qualifications to become king.

Even if a pure-blood knight was lost, it would not matter much - after all, Greg was dead, and the spies left in Stonewell had lost their meaning of existence, not to mention that something was wrong with Stonewell now.

"Well...it's getting late—that's all I have to say."

"I look forward to seeing you next time, my dear lady... Let me give you one last piece of advice."

Only then did Xiangzi notice that Fan Lei was carrying a package.

"Nimgufu is not a place to stay for long...Some bad things seem to have happened here recently. Even someone like me doesn't plan to stay any longer."

"Lake Lienia—there might be something useful for you there."

Fan Lei left without looking back, and his steps seemed a little hurried... as if he was afraid of something.

Xiangzi felt a little headache and thought that he really needed to go to the Round Table Hall.

Although it would be a little awkward to meet now, it was just like when she was in school at Yuqiu. As long as she did her own thing, it would be fine.

When Xiangzi returned to Hyde Fortress, the soldiers guarding the gate and the attackers were all dead, their bodies drained of blood, and bright red roses bloomed at his feet.

In some places near the wall, blood vessel and tumor-like substances are growing and spreading.

Stepping on the blood on the ground, Xiangzi returned to the fortress to retrieve the rune he dropped.

Knight Commander Dolan's body was torn into pieces, and he was dead beyond death.

More corpses were revealed in the surrounding sea of ​​dried flowers. There was not only the giant demi-human and some ordinary demi-humans, but also many who looked like nobles and residents who had originally been in the fortress. All of them died in the same way, having been completely drained of blood.

Xiangzi picked up the big sword that had fallen on the ground, and suppressed her nausea as she put the Knight Commander's body back together.

"I won't feel any psychological burden if I turn you into ashes..."

The spirit ash attached to the black greatsword with serrated edges records a special battle memory called [Blood Slash].

The Knight Commander has superb swordsmanship and strange abilities, and Xiangzi is somewhat jealous of her special bleeding ability.

If Ningmgefu would undergo a change as Fan Lei said, then it would be important to accumulate strength in advance and tell this news to those I know here.

-

A hooded figure appeared in the dilapidated house on Storm Hill. The wolves that were originally wandering here noticed the appearance of the figure, but before launching an attack, they seemed to have seen something terrible and left with their tails between their legs.

"Rodlika said this is where Xiaoxiang was last seen..."