The villain's way to tame the protagonist

That belief had nothing to do with the church and belonged entirely to Xin. If she really had something of her own at this moment, then the fragility and despair she had just shown would all be just a disguise.

And... that bet.

Anser still couldn't understand what made Xin think she could beat him? What made Xin think she could impress this cruel and vicious devil before she was destroyed?

If this matter cannot be explained, then there is only one answer left, something that only Ansel would do... something that Xin, who has learned so much from Ansel, would also do.

——This is the failure before success, the blood spilled in the celebratory glass.

If Xin's mind was really that determined, if Xin was really betting with Anser for something later and didn't care about winning or losing this round, then it would further prove that she was not in pure despair as Anser expected.

"Besides that... there is another factor. Should I say that you are unlucky, or something else..."

Anser still pinched Xin's chin: "If it had been earlier, I might have really been teased by you, Miss Xin."

He stared at the eyes that gradually lost their false fragility and sadness and began to become ethereal and clear, and sighed softly:

"It's okay, I've lost enough."

From Xitana to Mingfro, and from Mingfro to Marina...Ansir Hydra has learned so many lessons in terms of love. He always admits his mistakes and shortcomings, and always finds ways to make up for them.

Stay vigilant, examine yourself, control your emotions... The reason why Anser can be so sure that he does not need the so-called "love" is not just because he really does not need it according to the actual conditions, but more importantly, in the process of observing himself several times, Anser has never felt uncomfortable or uneasy.

In the North, he had actually been falling in love with Shitana little by little. Before letting Shitana face the Red Ice Python, he had fallen into countless self-questioning and torture, and even used various methods to deceive himself.

In the imperial capital, he had been able to completely harden his heart to turn Ming Fuluo into Helen, even though he didn't want to do it at all, which also meant that Anser was still always aware of his inner struggle and pain.

And in the West, facing Marina's sacrifice and burning, Anser has almost completely gotten rid of the interference and influence of that emotion - what drives Anser to refuse to let Marina bear all the blame is not just his feelings for Marina, but his dominant self.

Up to now, in his interactions with Xin, Anser was very clear that he had never expressed the thought of "needing to be loved" from the bottom of his heart even for a moment. No matter how he used this disguise to deceive Xin, Anser never felt awkward or uneasy for a moment, and there was no sense of inconsistency between his words and actions.

Marina also said that he only had one last weakness, but the problem that Anser could deal with so calmly and without any ripples was obviously not that problem.

“I see…I see.”

Xin looked up at Anser and answered very calmly.

"I'm still too late, am I, Mr. Devil?"

The fragility, pain, and despair just now... disappeared in an instant, as if they had never appeared on Xin's face, and never appeared in those eyes that reflected the soul.

Anser had to admit that he always felt that he underestimated Xin, but he didn't expect that every time he thought so, he still underestimated Xin.

The more sophisticated Xin's thinking is, the more complex and even exaggerated the things she can do... She has so perfectly replicated everything Anser did to her in her dreams, and she almost succeeded. If Xin were to study for a longer period of time, it would be... unimaginable.

"Yeah, you came too late." Anser shrugged slightly, "But if you had come earlier... it might have been even worse."

"But, Mr. Devil, have you forgotten one thing?"

Xin did not stand up just because Ansher changed his posture. She still half-knelt beside Ansher obediently, like a devout believer offering a prayer...but no believer would speak to her God like this.

She half closed her eyes, took Ansel's hand and put it on her cheek, rubbing it affectionately.

It wasn't the urgency and desire to grab a life-saving straw like before, but just a pure attachment without any unnecessary emotions.

"I will always remember everything you said. How could you think... that I forgot the most important teachings that led to my complete failure in East Port and the pain that nearly caused me to die?"

"Oh...you mean, you designed this too?"

Anser raised his eyebrows slightly, not moved at all by Xin's words, because this counterattack was too frivolous.

The premise for failure to have value is that it can indeed turn this "failure" into other possibilities. For example, in that gambling game, Anser really couldn't be sure whether Xin had other purposes.

If this calculation fails, what will happen to Xin? Is there any possibility? Obviously not, except that Xin's hidden face will be exposed, there is no possibility at all.

Xin shook his head: "What I mean is that there is no need to hide, because...it doesn't matter whether the disguise just now will be exposed by Mr. Devil."

“I’ve seen everything I wanted to see.”

She whispered this calmly and confidently.

...Bluffing? What can she confirm from my reaction just now? There is nothing wrong with my words and actions -

Just as Ansel and Xin were confronting each other again, a figure appeared at the entrance of the church.

Anser continued to stare at Xin, who also looked at him calmly. After a while, he shifted his gaze to the entrance.

"It's finally here, Bishop Mu." A smile appeared on his face again, "It's faster than I thought."

The white-robed bishop Mu, the only person walking outside the empire and probably the one who knew best in the church how dangerous Anser was, bowed with a wry smile.

"This is... inevitable, Your Highness the Regent."

He shifted his gaze to Xin who was half-kneeling beside Anser, and responded bitterly and helplessly: "We are all afraid that if we come too late, the Saint may completely abandon us and stand on your side."

Anser placed his hand on Xin's head again, and chuckled happily as if the cold confrontation with her just now had never happened:

"If you have such concerns, then you shouldn't have agreed to let Miss Saint come to see me from the beginning, right?"

"..." Mu could only remain silent.

At the beginning? Who would have thought that Xin would find the "greatest assistant" in Anser? Who would have thought that Anser was going for Xin? Who would have thought that the brainwashing ability of His Royal Highness the Regent was so terrifying? Who would have thought... why did he know this and that, as if everything was under his control?

The church had a reason for Xin to leave Anther immediately, but at the beginning of everything, there were also ten thousand reasons for Xin to stay with Anther.

"Bishop Mu, I remember we discussed the nature of the church a long time ago. We had a very harmonious conversation at that time. Do you remember?"

"…Remember, Your Highness the Regent."

Regarding rule, domination, and religion itself, at that time, the profound knowledge and far-sighted insights displayed by His Royal Highness the Regent had already shocked Mu Da.

Thinking about it now, he should have felt not shocked but horrified.

Stroking Xin's hair, Anser did not beat around the bush and said with a hearty smile, "I think it's time to tell Miss Saint, what do you think?"

Xin seemed very calm, which was completely beyond Mu's expectations. He thought that Xin was basically in a state of being played around by Ansir, but he seemed so calm and normal.

Xin appears normal at this time, which is the biggest abnormality.

"I also think that it is time for the Saint to understand the truth about the church."

"Is it just you?"

"No, it is the unanimous opinion of all the bishops."

"Hmm..." Anser responded thoughtfully, then sat on the bench, bent down slightly, and hugged Xin directly into his arms. The saint just sat there quietly, even leaning against Anser's chest naturally, "Looks very serious."

Seeing Xin showing no signs of resistance and being so obedient, Mu's eyes twitched twice: "Indeed...very serious, Your Highness the Regent."

"I think I can teach her right now." Anser put his arm around Xin's slender waist and said with a smile, "And the effect should be better than yours... What do you think, Miss Xin?"

"That's different, Your Highness the Regent."

Before Xin could speak, Mu said hurriedly, "What the Saint wants to know is not just the truth of the church, at least, not just the truth of governance."

Having said this, he hesitated for a moment, and finally sighed:

"Although I don't know how far you have investigated, it is definitely meaningless to hide everything from you at this time... Your Highness, Regent, I hope you can understand us. No... If it is you, you will definitely understand us."

"Understand what?" Anser raised his eyebrows. "Do you understand the war you started in the North and East Port?"

"It's... a mission."

Although it was meaningless to hide it, Mu still had no intention of revealing the church's purpose, even though he seemed very sincere.

He looked at Xin, who was half leaning on Anser's arms, with great solemnity, and said word by word: "No matter what the 'truth' that His Royal Highness the Regent showed you is, Saint, please believe... your duty and mission are definitely not lies."

"I know it must be difficult for you to accept, but I also believe that after you rediscover your responsibilities, you will definitely overcome the confusion and pain."

Xin finally turned his head and looked at Mu. The indifference and calmness in those holy blue eyes made Mu feel a little relieved. Anser didn't want Xin's will to collapse completely, and so did they. If possible, they didn't want to use the last resort.

"I prefer to accept the truth that Mr. Devil brings to me, Bishop Mu."

With just one sentence, Xin made Mu take back the breath he had just taken.

The Bishop, who was forced to come to negotiate with Anser, could only force a smile and ask, "Why, Saint? Why would you choose His Royal Highness the Regent instead of us?"

"Because I haven't saved Mr. Devil yet." Xin answered seriously, "I don't want to leave."

This reason was so simple that it left nothing to say - it permeated Xin's actions from beginning to end, and it was the only reason that kept her from leaving Anser no matter what, even if she was deceived, tortured, or seduced.

She wanted to save Anther.

However, from the beginning to now, even though the word "salvation" has never changed, its connotation and essence have already become completely different.

"...That's right."

Mu lowered his head tiredly: "Do you still want to redeem His Royal Highness the Regent?"

Although tired, he was not desperate. It seemed that from the very beginning, Mu had been mentally prepared for this scene.

Xin nodded: "Because this is the agreement between me and Mr. Devil."

It's just a covenant, it has nothing to do with anything else, it's only about the covenant between the saint and the devil.

"I understand." Mu closed his eyes resigned to his fate and slowly raised his hand, "Then Saint, please forgive me--"

"But I will leave with Bishop Mu."

"..."

Mu's movements froze. He opened his eyes and looked at Xin, and found that Xin's expression was serious. He looked at Anser again and found that Anser didn't seem surprised.

"Bishop Mu is right. Even if Mr. Devil knows a lot, there are still things he doesn't know. That's what I have to face."

A false life, a fabricated personality, an empty humanity...Xin must see clearly what her real mission is behind these illusions.

"After that, I can really save Mr. Devil. So, I will leave with you, Bishop Mu, because you won't tell me everything here, right?"

Xin stood up as he said this, and Anser had no intention of stopping him. He just leaned back in his chair and looked at the Ouroboros on the pulpit.

The sudden turn of events made Tanmu stunned for several seconds. He first glanced at Anser, who had not expressed his opinion, and then looked at Xin and asked tentatively: "Are you really willing to... leave like this, Saint?"

"Even if you ask me to stay, I won't stay, Bishop Mu."

Xin looked at Mu calmly: "Only after this can I help Mr. Devil."

Mu didn't know what to say. Looking at Xin, who seemed to have completely lost all feelings towards God and the Assistant Manager, his eyes were filled with sadness.

Even though Anser had no intention of forcing Xin to stay, and even though Xin said she was willing to leave with him, from beginning to end, the one she cared about and considered was only Anser.

What's even more ironic is that Anser doesn't seem to care.

"...Can we go now, Saint?"

"Please wait a moment, I still have something to say to Mr. Devil."

Looking at Xin standing in front of him, Anser did not stop her from leaving and asked with interest: "What's wrong? What's the matter--"

The softness that suddenly blocked Anser's vision and completely covered his face made Anser unable to speak.

Xin hugged him, just like hugging the miserable black shadow that was lingering on in the dream.

"Mr. Devil, you lied to them."

"But it doesn't matter. This is the end. You won't lie to them again. I promise."

It was that feeling of determination again... It was the determination that Xin revealed in his dream, the determination that he failed to conceal, the determination that made him do something foolish enough to let his soul be slaughtered by Anser in exchange for the ability to empathize with Anser...

"So, please wait for me to come back. I will definitely come back to you soon. During this time..."

And...sadness?

It is equally real, but not the kind of sadness that was born out of one's own pain and despair.

Anser heard Xin whispering sadly in his ear:

"Please don't... hurt yourself anymore."

When Anser came to his senses, Xin and Mu had disappeared in the chapel.

But the words of the saint still echoed in his ears, but... Ansel still didn't feel moved, he just felt simply confused.

Stop hurting yourself?

When did I...hurt myself?

Chapter 9: The Essence of Coordination and... God (K)

The sound of steady footsteps echoed in the dim and empty space. Although far away, the light sources at extremely regular intervals allowed the objects in the shadows to partially reveal their outlines.

The dull metallic luster, the strange structural lines, and the cables that were not arranged tightly and appeared very messy made this vast space seem out of tune with the era in which the empire existed.

But Xin had seen similar scenery before. After she became a saint, all the bishops had taken her to the deepest part of the central temple. It was a deeper area than the sacred place where she prayed to God, but there was always light there, which was much better than this dark and gloomy environment.

"If I hadn't brought you here, this place would have always been energy-efficient, and there would be no need for lighting equipment. If possible, we hope to use every bit of ether where it is needed. I'm sorry, Saint."