The villain's way to tame the protagonist

Marina's voice didn't change at all: "Because I can't stand seeing that kind of life, just like you, Miss Sitana, can't stand evil."

"Every day of your life depends on others' faces, and your existence depends on the kindness of the extraordinary. From value to personality, from personality to existence, you are completely crushed. There is no meaning in living. The reason you can still survive is because the extraordinary people need you as a nutrient tank, or a toy to kill time and entertain themselves."

“So I don’t want anyone to experience this feeling again. I don’t want them to be just stupid dogs wagging their tails and begging for mercy at the feet of the extraordinary people.”

"Ms. Xitana, I listened to your speech. To be honest, it's not like you, but there have been so many accidents that it's not surprising that it's not like you."

"What I want to tell you is that your speech and everything you have thought about have already fallen into an extremely harsh situation. I think that the path you want to follow now is no different from that of the emperor."

"You are all keeping mortals in captivity, but you are just a little more gentle than the emperor."

"My own... selfish desires. Haha... Hahahaha! My own selfish desires!"

Xitana laughed slowly, and that sad and self-mocking laughter made people feel uncomfortable and painful.

There were no orders or requests from Ansher, only Marina's own selfish desires.

As the laughter died down, Xitana's expression gradually calmed down. She did not choose to refute Marina's words, but leaned on the table with both hands, looking down at Marina condescendingly:

"Then you don't have to do it anymore, and there's no need to think about so many things."

Her voice had turned into pure indifference and coldness: "No matter what schemes you are brewing, no matter how many people you intend to harm for your own selfish desires, there is no need for you to do so."

"Because I can solve all problems."

"...Don't cause trouble for Mr. Anser, Ms. Sitana. Many things cannot be done with strength alone—"

"There is nothing that cannot be solved by strength." Xitana interrupted Marina, "If it is not enough, it just means that the strength is insufficient."

Marina narrowed her eyes slightly. "Are you still dreaming of those weird fantasies? Can human hearts and human nature be solved by violence? The curse that has been circulating on this continent for thousands of years, the chasm between extraordinary people and ordinary people, is this something that can be solved by force?"

"Why not?" Xitana asked back, "As long as Anser and I can be above everything and crush everything with our unparalleled strength, no matter how complicated people's hearts are, they will succumb to us."

"If you are really as powerful as the emperor... then Anser and I can not only let the common people live a good life, but also easily achieve those things you said that are not necessary."

Xitana said word by word: "Because I am strong enough, and I will always be strong."

Marina's fingers on the table trembled slightly.

She saw Xitana pick up the plan book she had carefully prepared again, without even looking at it, and directly crushed the entire notebook to pieces with an expressionless face, ravaging it until it was broken into pieces.

"Marina, your schemes and tricks have no value from now on. Compared to your complicated and chaotic route, compared to your selfish behavior, I am... countless times better than you!"

Marina's expression finally showed some emotion. She stared at Xitana and said, "You don't know what it takes to govern a region well—"

"Yeah, I don't know, but I don't need to know. I will make the person who needs my management realize what the price will be if he fails to manage well. I will give him... an unforgettable memory."

"I can do everything you can't do. I don't need to follow your ideas to do things you can think of, and I will almost certainly succeed in things you can do. I can use my own power to create a more perfect shortcut... You have to understand this, Marina."

Hitana casually threw the plan book that was crushed and almost torn into pieces to the ground, and the solemnity in her voice almost filled the entire screen.

"I am much stronger than you, Marina. Everything you have done is nothing in front of me."

"Anser, you are not needed at all."

After saying this, she looked at Marina, whose breathing was obviously much faster, and sneered:

"Don't follow Anser any more. You're doing nothing but causing him trouble."

"Shitana! How could you, how could I--"

This was the most suitable evaluation for Sitana, but now Sitana has put it on Marina's head.

This sentence made Marina, who had always been calm, suddenly furious. Sitana was stunned for a moment, then shook her head, and finally looked at her sister. She said nothing more and turned away in silence.

Everything that needed to be said had been said. Now, Sitana...didn't want to stay with Marina for even a moment longer.

After Xitana left, Marina knelt on the ground in silence, trying to collect the planner that was torn to pieces by Xitana. She seemed to have no reaction, but the trembling of her hands when collecting the fragments could not be concealed.

power.

Sitana shattered all designs in the most brutal way.

How could a person who is confident enough to say that he and Anther will rule the world together not have the ability to destroy all conspiracies with his own strength?

Absolute self-confidence, unparalleled edge, and...the power to match it.

In this world, power is the only thing that matters. No matter how many logics and theories there are, they are ultimately no more useful than someone’s fists.

But...Marina also has a chance.

She once had a chance, a great chance to earn the qualifications to become a transcendent.

It is absolutely impossible to become like Hitana, but if this power can be turned into assistance, who knows how much improvement it can bring. However, this opportunity was ruined by Hitana.

——She boasted to Marina about the importance of power, but she destroyed Marina’s hope of gaining power with her own hands.

With trembling hands, Marina pieced together her planner, the meaningless things that Sitana had said, bit by bit, and held it tightly in her arms.

Am I useless to Mr. Anser?

No, it's impossible. I must have been helpful to Mr. Anser, but as Xitana said, what I can do now is... too little.

Power...power. I must, must become a transcendent. No matter what the cost, I must have it all.

Thinking of this, Marina slowly raised her head, but her breathing stagnated.

Because she saw a crow as black as ink standing on the windowsill.

Its deep eyes seem to say:

You should know what is the right choice to make.

*

In fact, whether it was the ideological debate or the destruction of the opportunity to gain power, it did not really make Marina lose control of her emotions.

The only thing that made her unable to control herself and made her angry and panic was actually just one sentence -

Anser, you are no longer needed.

Chapter 6: Wrong Path, From Here On (K)

In the imperial capital, Hydra Manor.

Anser slowly put down the teacup in his hand: "So, the judging criteria have been finalized?"

"Yes, after so much trouble, we finally reached a consensus."

Grand Duke Qingjin nodded with a smile: "The war started by Grand Duke Tianrang and Grand Duke Xuechen involved a total of 59 territories. Apart from the 17 destroyed territories, there are still 42 ruined territories and tens of millions of refugees who need to be dealt with. This is undoubtedly the most suitable test to judge who is more capable of managing the empire on behalf of Your Majesty."

As for how to decide on the candidate for regent, thanks to Grand Duke Qingjin's hard work and mediation over this period of time, there was finally a result.

The three grand dukes from Donggang who were of the same clan finally agreed to hold the assessment in the Western Country, but they still put forward a number of rather harsh preconditions and regulations - such as allowing each grand duke to send additional personnel to the corresponding area to supervise the assessment, which was clearly a requirement to place personnel in your home turf.

However, this is actually harmless to the dukes of the Western Kingdom. After all, there is not much order in that place. The territories of each other are probably full of spies from all sides. It doesn't matter if some outsiders come in. Anyway, Donggang can't really spread its influence to the Western Kingdom.

Despite this, the whole process was not smooth, and Donggang chose to back down only after Grand Duke Qingjin offered higher and higher prices.

As for Hydra, who "had no intention of interfering in the empire's political affairs", Anser acted as if he had no idea of ​​the outcome of the Grand Dukes' deliberations: "In that case, when exactly will the assessment begin?"

"We have given Grand Duke Shi Yan and Her Highness Su Si Lun half a month to prepare. After half a month, they will go to the territories of Blood Dust and Heaven and Earth respectively to undergo an assessment lasting half a year to a year."

"Um……"

Anser leaned back lazily in his chair and nodded slightly. Although his expression was indifferent, he wanted to laugh in his heart.

If the purpose is to test the governing ability, it is normal for the probation period to be so long, but the grand dukes would not really want to seriously evaluate and select a regent.

It's nothing more than giving yourself time to make mistakes. If Efesande and Ivora don't make a sound within half a year or even a year, it means that they are probably really finished. It's hard to say whether anyone will care about the regent you choose at that time.

But this does no harm to Anser. The longer this period lasts, the more likely it is that Xitana will make further progress. Don't forget... she still has the birthday present that Flamel gave her.

The emblem that could help her resist the emperor for ten seconds also stored the coordinates of a certain maze. According to Flamel's original words, if Shitana reached the fourth level, then by going there, she would be able to seize the opportunity to achieve the fifth level.

However, with the precedent of being stuck at the fourth level for such a long time, Anser was not sure whether the current Shitana would be stuck at the fifth level for some reason. What's more, he had few chess pieces at hand, so it was not suitable for him to let Shitana leave.

After at least confirming two more leaders, or successfully taming the third hero, you can consider letting Hitana go to that maze to seek an opportunity to reach the fifth level.

"In this way, the matter of the regent is on the right track."

Anser stood up and said in a relaxed tone: "Then it's time for me to leave the imperial capital."

"You're going back?" Grand Duke Qingjin showed an extremely surprised expression, "Returning to Hydra Territory?"

The young Hydra was somewhat amused: "Of course, where else can I go back to?"

"Ah, that's not what I meant, Master Hydra."

Grand Duke Qingjin lowered his head slightly: "It's just... you really don't plan to do anything?"

"Hydra never interferes in the affairs of the Empire."

Anser said with a smile.

Grand Duke Qing Jin sneered in his heart. The more he looked at this young Hydra, the more he looked like he had been disguising himself since he was a child. Acting had become his instinct and he really enjoyed it.

On the surface, he still advised respectfully, "But I just happened to come here to seek your help. Regarding the assessment of the regent... there is still a very critical issue that has not been resolved, Your Excellency Hydra."

"Oh?" Anser raised his eyebrows slightly, "What problem is it that none of us in the empire can solve?"

Grand Duke Qingjin raised his head slightly and responded respectfully:

"Since it is an assessment, someone will have to review it in the end. You should know that we may not be able to reach a consensus. Therefore, we need the most prestigious, capable, and qualified person to accept and judge the results of the two candidates as an examiner."

The smile of this merchant duke is full of friendliness:

"I think there is no one in the world more qualified to be the examiner than His Excellency Hydra, who can make Hydra a paradise on earth."

——We make money together. This is the business principle of Lord Qing Jin.

Only when everyone makes money will there be opportunities to make more money in the future. As long as there is a suitable opportunity, he will never be reluctant to give back.

The position of examiner was the reward he had fought for Anser - after all, if someone said that Hydra had no interest in the politics of the empire, the Grand Duke Qingjin, who had seen the true face of this young monster, would be the first to disbelieve it.

What's more, because of what happened last time, he had been thinking about investing in Anser. Coupled with the recent news that spread throughout the empire and shocked the world, Grand Duke Qingjin was a little worried that he had gotten on board too late and would not be able to make this investment.

If Hydra is willing to take on the position of examiner, then it means... there is hope for future cooperation.

Dear Mr. Hydra, please don't make any strange decisions at this time.

"Is this so..."

Anser pondered for a long time, then sighed helplessly: "That's true. The Grand Dukes have different opinions on the governance of the territory. It is indeed difficult to reach a consensus. Although I don't want to interfere in this matter, but since this is the case..."

The young man said helplessly: "Then I have no choice but to take on more responsibility."

"That couldn't be better!"

Although Grand Duke Qingjin secretly felt that Anser was a little too hypocritical, he was still very happy that this matter was successful.

Looking at the happy expression on the face of the Grand Duke Qingjin at this moment, Ansor, who had a helpless look on his face, was smiling in his heart.

——He also wants to thank me.

The plan, starting from the Western Country and radiating to the entire empire, will also be slowly unfolded.

This self-proclaimed smart merchant duke had already made all the preparations and groundwork for Anser so that he wouldn't have to worry too much.

However, there is no rush for these things. The awakening of Xitana requires Ansher to re-arrange and adjust many of his current plans. Now, she can truly be regarded as a capable leader.

So far, the real focus of the trip to the West has been and only has been whether Ivora is alive.

This uncontrollable accident must be completely eliminated.

It seemed that the Grand Duke Qingjin didn't want the conversation to end there. He wanted to get to know Anser better, so he started the topic again: "Speaking of which, Miss Lance... is really an amazing genius."

He exclaimed in amazement: "To kill a fifth-level dragon with fourth-level power, without any external aid, and to achieve victory purely with one's own strength, this is an unprecedented feat."

"I should have thought of it earlier. All of us should have thought of it after Miss Lance was able to withstand the power of two kinds of bondage. She would definitely achieve what she has today."

This unremitting but heartfelt flattery would have made Athena herself so proud that she would have lost her mind if she were here.

But Ansher's answer might be even more arrogant than her own.

"This is just her starting point." The young Hydra said leisurely, "She will go to a higher place."

"That's natural."

Grand Duke Qingjin nodded his approval, and then subtly changed the topic to something that was extremely important to him and the other lords of the Western Kingdom.

"Speaking of which, Miss Lance's battle is related to someone. Do you know this matter...Mr. Hydra?"

Anser, who was ready to leave, leaned on his cane and said calmly: "Which one are you referring to? The Duke of Dragon Tongue who drove the dragon to the Castle of Strife, or..."

Grand Duke Qingjin's heart skipped a beat. He just found out that the dragon was brought to Castle of Strife by Grand Duke Dragontongue. Why did Hydra know about it so early?