The defeated saint is also on the way to tame the evil god today

"Your abilities are still so outstanding, Xiaomo. After just a short time away from the academy, you've already established your own channels in the outside world."

"Lucky..." Xingmo smiled, "It's just fate..."

When she said the word "fate", Xingmo's pupils shrank slightly, and the scene in the eye of the storm appeared in front of her.

She recalled standing at the highest point of the sunken castle, watching the dark strings binding the Typhoon briefly turn golden, and watching the countless silk threads flowing from the body of the Typhoon in all directions.

At that moment, she seemed to "understand" those threads and found the one she longed for among them.

Golden thread...like a golden string.

But that string was not like the "Starlight String", but some kind of more powerful and mysterious string.

It seemed... to be the string that symbolized "fate."

Xingmo closed his eyes, golden fragments flashed before his eyes, accompanied by meaningless aggregates that quickly passed by the edge of his vision.

Aurora noticed Xingmo's strange behavior and squeezed her hand.

"Did you see something bad again?"

"fine..."

Xingmo opened her eyes and smiled at Aurora.

Then, she turned to look at Professor Ling and asked:

"Professor Ling, your dice... can control fate to a certain extent, right?"

Professor Ling shook his head:

"To be precise, it's not about controlling fate, but about making reality move closer to a certain possibility in the future."

“The essence of an event is that it results from the emergence of multiple external ‘causes’ that lead to the ‘effect’.”

"Specifically, assuming the Black Pine departs from the Citadel and arrives at the port of Singara, this outcome will be determined by many factors: whether the sailors are qualified to perform their duties, whether the captain properly assumes command, whether the condition of the hull is suitable for ocean voyages, whether the climate in the interstellar seas is suitable for navigation, and so on..."

"These factors have varying degrees of influence on the outcome, and any one of them could go wrong. Depending on the cumulative impact of the errors, the outcome could have gone in a completely different direction."

"And what my 'Rainbow Light and Blink Moment' can do is to push established facts towards a tiny possibility. For example, I can make the sea area where the 'Black Pine' is located unexpectedly difficult to navigate due to various storms, causing the ship to sink..."

"You'd better not do this..." Vivian whispered, "I haven't had dinner yet..."

Professor Ling ignored Vivian and said to Xing Mo:

"You're asking me this because you've also triggered a similar ability, right?"

"That's right," Xing Mo knew that he couldn't hide it from Professor Ling. "When I used the dark string magic on the Typhoon... I seemed to have triggered the power of 'fate'."

"And when that power is triggered... I seem to know exactly how to control it..."

Xingmo recalled the feeling of freedom that came from knowing everything: when she pulled the string, she knew that Vivian would ride a dragon and deliver the bone flute to her.

She knew because this was the result of her choice.

"Merlin told me about... the 'Golden Full Moon,'" Professor Ling nodded slightly. "Whether it's your multi-string resonance with the Fire String and the Dark String, or your interference with cause and effect, it seems to be related to that moon."

"But I can't trigger that power now," Xing Mo shook her head, "It was just at that time... subconsciously..."

"This is most likely because you're currently at the Saint stage," Professor Ling pointed out the problem sharply. "Perhaps, once you become a Demigod, this clumsiness will no longer exist."

"How can you be sure..."

"Because that's what Merlin is like," Professor Ling smiled. "Do you remember his signature string magic, 'Lachesis Nocturne'?"

"Of course I remember." Xing Mo nodded.

"Lachesis Nocturne", Merlin's eight-string magic, is manifested as a golden thunder piercing the chest. The person pierced by the chest dies instantly, from body to soul.

Merlin had boasted to the Bell Keeper while drinking and explained that the golden lightning of Lachesis Nocturne was merely an externalized manifestation in the real world, and that its true attack was the "fate" of the victim.

Ending fate means absolute death.

Physical death may still be captured by the spirit, but the end of fate symbolizes the end of everything.

"That is to say... if I become a demigod... I will be able to further control that power..."

For a moment, two completely different emotions surged in Xingmo's heart.

One of her longed to control that power and turn it into her own weapon, so that she could better protect those around her.

And the other her...is afraid of that power.

It seems that the power of "Destiny" is so great that even being illuminated by its brilliance... makes people tremble.

"..."

As if she had noticed Xingmo's worries, Aurora secretly pinched her little hand under the table.

Xingmo turned around and saw Aurora smiling brightly.

What that means is... Don't be afraid! We're with you!

"I see. Thank you, Professor Ling." Xing Mo stood up and nodded to Professor Ling. "Well, it's almost time to say goodbye."

......

Half an hour later, at an island port in the Garo Sea, Xingmo left the "Black Pinewood" and boarded a merchant ship heading to New Garo.

With the power of the gold coins, she and Aurora were assigned a very nice room with a soft bed and 24-hour hot water.

"We're going to New Galo tomorrow..." Xingmo looked at the sea shrouded in the night, "I always feel a little uneasy."

"Yeah..." Aurora murmured, "What if the food is not good..."

Xingmo glanced at Aurora helplessly:

"Then go and drink the northwest wind."

"......"

On the "Black Pine", Ling successfully placed the "Storm Beacon" in the sealed room and then walked onto the deck.

A pale blue crescent moon hangs in the sky, casting a layer of pale blue light on the sea, so fine and fragmented that it seems as if stars are shattered among the waves.

At this time, the "Black Pine" has embarked on the journey back to the Academy City, and this treasure hunt in the sea has come to an end.

As long as the bone flute can be used properly, the possibility of the Empire's "Golden Fleet" crossing the sea will be further reduced, and the Empire's decision on war will have to be reconsidered.

"..."

Watching the merchant ship moving further and further away, Ling took off the twenty-sided dice above his head and did a simple check.

The dice flew lightly into the air and landed in the girl's palm. The upward side was faintly glowing in the blue moonlight.

After the test results came out, Ling didn't say anything. She raised her head and silently watched the merchant ship sailing away.

How could fate, in the truest sense, be manipulated? That mighty river was beyond the comprehension of mortals.

......

The next day, Xingmo was awakened by the sound of a train whistle.

She opened her eyes, and golden sunlight shone into the room from the round porthole. Dust could be vaguely heard floating in the light.

Are we here so soon? Xingmo rubbed her eyes, put her feet into her slippers, and stood up and walked to the bed.

The early morning sunlight made it difficult for her to open her eyes for a while, but after she got used to the sunlight, the scenery on the sea made Xingmo open her mouth slightly.

The sea surface as far as the eye can see is covered by ships. Some ships are entering the port, and some are leaving the port. When they meet, they spew steam with a slight blue hue into the sky, like lonely clouds on the sea.

Sunshine, merchant ships, and a prosperous sea.

"Little ancestor, get up, we're here."

Xingmo felt in a good mood. She trotted over to the bed, picked up Aurora who was sleeping on the bed, and ran into the bathroom with her in her arms.

"Wuwaa ...

"..."

Ten minutes later, the two dressed neatly, packed their luggage, left the room together and walked onto the deck.

The sea breeze blowing in your face is filled with moist water vapor, which does not resemble the atmosphere of a desert country at all. Looking out to the sea from one side of the deck, a huge maritime trade hub is gradually coming into view: it is a huge port, with ships coming and going interweaving on the waterway, and the final intersection is the giant lighthouse located in the port.

Behind the port, the outline of the city was faintly visible, flickering in the sunlight like a mirage.

And right above the city outline, a giant shadow stood in astonishment.

It was a gigantic structure beneath the clouds, its lower portion connected to the ground in the shape of an island, like an inverted pyramid, while its upper portion was an overlapping spiral structure composed of countless nested rings.

At the very top of the spiral, a huge exotic castle stands proudly. The great building is constructed with huge stones and rows of load-bearing columns, making it look like a god gazing at the land of Singara.

"That is..." Xing Mo murmured softly, "'Hanging Garden'..."

Xing Mo had heard about the grandeur of that wonder of the empire from countless scholars and travelers. Legend has it that it was a magnificent fortress built by the Golden People for the king of the ancient Garo people during the period of enslavement by the Garo people. Hundreds of thousands of people died in the construction process alone. It can be said to be a wonder built of piled bones.

And now, the emperor of Machiavelli's empire sits atop that fortress, sitting on the bones and gold of his people, overlooking the country he rules.

At this moment, Xing Mo felt a shock from deep within her heart. She could not imagine how such a giant was built, and she could not imagine what it would be like to look down at all living beings from such a magnificent existence.

And now, she was heading to the kingdom at the foot of the Hanging Gardens—the capital of the empire, Singara.

"The difficulty of this trip... seems to be higher than before..." Xingmo sighed.

"What are you afraid of? I'll take you to that garden to eat delicious food in a couple of days." Aurora was still as off-key as ever. "Mm~mummy~"

But Xing Mo couldn't focus on eating at all. She stared blankly at the sky garden on the horizon and the magnificent city shrouded in the huge shadow of the garden.

That city is the shadow of civilization.

......

7) Oasis (Part 4) -4k- (Vote for the cute one~)

Since landing at the port of New Galo, "heat" has become the only feeling occupying Xingmo's mind.

Although they were in an oasis, the scorching wind from the desert still blew in gusts, making Xingmo's face, which was used to the cold wind in winter, feel very uncomfortable.

At the port, Xingmo presented the certification documents previously provided by Mr. Luffy and successfully entered the empire's pearl city in the desert in a legal manner.

Walking onto the streets, everything I saw was a sea of ​​gold: the buildings on either side were constructed from golden bricks and tiles of a sandy material, reminiscent of the architectural style of the southern part of the academic city. Most of the men on the streets wore headscarves, while the women wore veils, their exposed brows revealing an exotic desert charm.

What was even more eye-catching was what was running on the streets: unlike the horse-drawn carriages of the Citadel, the animals pulling the carts on the streets of New Garo were camels. Their backs were covered with blankets of various colors, and the driver sat between their humps, driving the camels to pull the carriages behind them.

"The camel is really bigger than the horse..." Aurora murmured cutely.

"What's wrong?" Xingmo turned to look at Aurora.

"Ah, nothing much," Aurora shook her head. "I was just thinking, it's that big, if I kill it, I should be able to have another meal...? I think I can... Eh? What's that look on your face?"

Xingmo was looking at Aurora speechlessly, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly.

Little thing, eating everything will only harm you!

But...it seems that camels are really edible?

Tasty?

Xing Mo shook his head, refusing to be assimilated by the evil god:

"We have to rent a house first. Take out the letter sent by Mr. Luffy. Mr. Luffy seemed to have said, um... No. 36, West District, Outer Ring City..."

Xing Mo waved her hand, stopped a camel cart on the side of the road, told the address, and got into the cart with Aurora.

The camel cart swayed along the road, and a faint scent of spices flowed into the carriage from outside through the exotic chain curtains.

The hazy sunlight cut the street scene of Xinjialuo into chaotic fragments. The colors pieced together and set off the singing of nomads, forming Xingmo's first impression of Xinjialuo.

She saw the bustling streets, bronze-skinned men and women selling fruits and silk in the market, and sandy buildings that were different from the Citadel, stacked like gold ingots, the rubble on the surface gleaming in the scorching sun.

"This city is so full of life," Xingmo muttered, "It doesn't look like... there's going to be a war."

"Because they're so powerful," Aurora said lazily, "so powerful that whether there's a war or not, the people back home won't even notice any changes in their lives."

"The environment in the Citadel is different now," Xingmo sighed. "The letters Senior Alice sent me recently...their contents aren't optimistic."

Currently, public opinion within the academy is exploding. News that the Empire's "Golden Fleet" will invade the waters near the academy at any time is spreading among the people again and again, and is becoming more and more outrageous.

The empire's "Marine Archon," Ahmed Tut, was one of the figures at the center of public opinion.

His brutal deeds on the seas had long been spread in the Citadel like myths. His brutal habit of "tearing necks and drinking blood" and his invincible "Voice of the Returning Soul" had terrified the residents of the Citadel.

There were even cases of many nobles selling off their coastal properties. Although there were people like Senior Alice in the "Star Sea Church" who were actively preparing for war, on the whole, the nobles in the academy were still thinking about how to protect themselves.

Xing Mo witnessed what that guy did and knew how vicious he was as one of the empire's pro-war factions, so she had an extra goal on this trip to New Garo.