Xingtie, started with a guitar, and made a living by singing

Even today, she could still recall the first time the voice of the star core rang in her ears. Like all the great guardians of the past, she chose to close her ears and listen, diligently clinging to the so-called "protection" of the city builders...

But the illusory and increasingly distant "protection" has long betrayed people's faith.

Even with the faith of more than a dozen generations of great guardians, He still couldn't look back even once.

Those great creatures above the starry sky have never truly set their sights on the tiny and humble human beings.

If this is the case, why should we persist in preserving it and face a future that is doomed to destruction?

Those attempts, efforts, and struggles that people believe are the shining light of humanity will inevitably lead people to revival.

The result? Only repeated failure, and the gradual loss of the remaining living space.

Does she really have to wait until Bronya becomes the Grand Guardian of a street, or the Guardian of a castle, before she regrets it?

She absolutely could not tolerate such a thing, nor would she allow Bronya to live in such an ugly manner.

Rather than closing your eyes and ears to such an irresistible force, it is better to immerse yourself in it and feel the common will.

That’s right, the core of a star is so real and it definitely gives people “hope”.

Today, they are still willing to grant miracles——

That promise is so sweet, it is something that no one who is truly in that position can refuse.

A world without poverty, cold, and pain; a world where people no longer have to pray for their survival like prisoners; a world where guardians no longer have to die on this tomb.

If it were for these, Cocolia would give up everything.

It started by abandoning the lower-class areas in the name of justice, and then letting the Iron Guards risk their lives and continuously filling the front line with human lives.

She continued to give away things she once cherished, which also made people regard her as a cold-blooded tyrant. From a situation where there was still room for maneuver, to a situation where there was no way back.

Cocolia firmly believed that what she did was wrong in terms of small justice, but when it came to the greater good of saving humanity and the world, she was the first one to wake up and make the right choice.

All for that new world.

Naturally, the heavy burden that Bronya has to bear is definitely not something she can bear now.

It was for this reason that Cocolia had been so careful to conceal her secrets. She had done this to prevent Bronya from suffering unnecessary guilt. As a leader, she had to abandon some of her people in exchange for a ticket to the New World. This was undoubtedly a difficult thing to do.

However, the deaths of these sacrificed people were not in vain. Isn’t it worth celebrating that they were able to be reborn in the cradle of a new world?

And those who try to stop this process, or even try to lead the world back to the path of destruction—

Cocolia tightly grasped the document in her hand. The portrait on it was a "shining" idol-style Wendy hand-painted by intelligence officer Pelageya herself.

"...You are the sinners who made their sacrifice worthless. You will even cause more people to be drowned by the tide of the old times..."

The document was wrinkled and even the smile in the portrait looked distorted, as if mocking her.

“I will not let you go, nor will I allow such evildoers to taint the purity of the New World.

You deserve only to perish with the old times and be swept into the dustbin of the forgotten."

Cocolia's eyes looked even more gloomy and cold under the dim car lights.

The driver in the driver's seat blinked absentmindedly, not hearing Cocolia's whisper. He felt the journey had flown by inexplicably quickly, and the thermostat inside the car seemed to be broken, causing his hands to tremble from the cold.

But fortunately, we have arrived at our destination.

He turned the steering wheel skillfully and stepped on the brakes. The wheels made a squeaking sound as they rubbed against the dry ground.

Until they stopped at a steel gate that was three people tall, and the two guards standing on the side also came forward.

The driver rolled down the car window, revealing Cocolia sitting in the back seat. She stared at the two patrolling officers with a cold and serious look.

One of them seemed to be a newcomer and suddenly exclaimed.

"Guardian-sama!?"

"Silence! No noise is allowed in front of the Great Guardian."

Another experienced Iron Guard quickly stopped his companion's offensive behavior and apologized to Cocolia repeatedly.

"I'm very sorry. We didn't receive any notification that the Guardian was coming to inspect. We'll let you pass now—"

He didn't bother to check, but hurriedly pulled the new recruit over and turned the mechanism of the gate. With the sound of gears engaging, the steel gate slowly opened.

Afterwards, the underground vehicle started moving again, heading towards the interior of the camp.

The new recruit finally realized what was happening and asked cautiously, "Um... um, Senior. Isn't it against the rules set by Commander Bronya if we just let them go?"

"What are the rules? In Beloberg, the guardian is the most important rule—"

The experienced guard glanced at him, closed the door again as if nothing had happened, and continued to stand guard.

However, this made the new recruit feel uncomfortable. He hesitated for a long time and finally spoke again.

"Um, Senior... I seemed to have seen something strange just now."

"—You talk a lot, new soldier. Are you really looking to cause trouble for yourself?"

The old guard rolled his eyes at him. Even though the other party didn't see it because he was wearing a helmet, his impatient tone was still quite intimidating.

"What's going on? Tell me now, then shut up and stand guard."

"Yes, yes! Just now, I seemed to see pieces of something that looked like blue crystals on the Guardian's arm."

The recruit paused, then demonstrated with his left arm.

"It's probably here. Although the light is a little dim, I'm not sure if I've confused it with the Earth Marrow Crystal..."

After listening to this, the old guard was silent for a moment before speaking.

"That's an ornament made of high-purity marrow crystals—"

"Eh?"

"Don't say anything. Forget it, and don't bring it up again. I'll pretend you never mentioned it to me. Do you understand?"

The old iron guard's tone was extremely serious.

"Ok, ok...but why?"

The young soldier couldn't help but ask.

"For your life, it's that simple."

After the old guard finished answering, he didn't say another word, but continued to stand guard silently, like a statue in the cold winter.

The new recruits were also a little frightened and stopped talking. They just tried not to think too much as their seniors had said.

However, the more the brain tries not to think about it, the more impressed it becomes.

Could that blue crystal that wraps around my arm like an eggshell really be a decoration?

It's not like he hadn't seen the arm armor of Guard Officer Jeppard before. Generally speaking, the earth marrow crystals used as energy sources would rely on the equipment itself rather than being directly attached to the human body.

Most other ornaments made of earth marrow crystals also follow this rule. Only children would pick up a bit of earth marrow crystal, drill a hole in it, and put it on with a string.

But in that glance just now, he didn't see any device, only blue crystals that covered the curves of the forearm like scales.

Rather than saying it looked like a pure and translucent crystal of the earth's marrow, it would be better to say...

——It’s a bit like the ice crystals on the rift monster.

The moment this thought came to mind, the recruit trembled violently, and then quickly threw this guess out of his head.

He looked at his senior with a trembling face. The other party was still taciturn. What he would have considered indifferent in the past now seemed to confirm his thoughts and made him feel grateful.

The new recruit shut his mouth silently and stood up straighter. The old guard also withdrew his inquiring gaze and sighed helplessly in his heart.

How could he not realize a problem that even newcomers could notice?

However, if you want to survive here for a long time, you must follow certain unwritten rules.

And the Great Guardian Cocolia is Beloberg's biggest and most unspoken rule.

——The center of the restricted area.

The Iron Guard officers looked at each other in bewilderment. The leading officer, Lieutenant Deng En, looked at the tent with a guilty expression.

However, no one dared to raise any objections. Only an oppressive silence rolled over the atmosphere, causing great torment to everyone.

Inside the tent, Bronya pursed her lips and stared at Cocolia, who hadn't said a word since she entered.

She stood proudly in front of Bronya, like the queen of the snow, looking down on her subjects.

In the end, Bronya decided to take the initiative and spoke first.

"...Lord Guardian. If you are all right, please return to Krippenburg promptly. The people of Beloberg cannot bear any more risks at this time."

"Risk? What risk? Do you mean the threat of a dragon attack, the city's lack of leadership, or—I'm walking in the Iron Guard restricted area, and there's a chance I could be knocked unconscious and shoved into an arms crate, then whisked out of the city overnight and thrown off a cliff?"

There was no ripple in Cocolia's cold purple eyes, but her attitude was aggressive.

"Or perhaps it was a mistake for me to come in person, on behalf of the useless housekeeper, to ask my dearest daughter why she was so reluctant to return?"

"...You don't have to hurt my feelings with such words. This matter has nothing to do with Sebastian. He has done what he can. I want to stay completely of my own accord."

Bronya shook her head, her expression no longer timid, but rather calm and realistic.

"Your original intention? Is it your original intention to abandon your mother and choose to die meaninglessly here with others?"

"Pointless... suicide? I absolutely cannot pretend I didn't hear you. Lord Guardian, please retract these words immediately—!"

The silver-haired girl suddenly stood up by pushing herself up against the table, the dissatisfaction revealed in her eyes had already solidified into reality.

"That's enough! I was too indulgent in you in the past, but now the situation has changed. We can't just play house and drinking games like before!"

Cocolia, unable to bear it any longer, finally roared.

"If you still choose to be stubborn, don't blame me for revoking your rights as the acting leader of the Silver Mane Guard and personally bringing you back to Krippenburg—!"

Faced with such a scolding that was almost like a quarrel with her, Bronya's face was also filled with sorrow.

"You... feel strange to me. My mother is definitely not a tyrant who treats the sacrifice of others as a joke and forces them to obey her will."

"Tyrant? You... call me a tyrant?"

Cocolia's eyes, as cold as ice, finally showed a ripple.

The rage that was constantly spreading and burning in his heart finally reached its peak at this moment—

She raised her hand and brought it down high.

Then there was an extremely loud "pop" sound.

Bronya covered her burning face with her hands, her expression filled with disbelief and a hint of sadness, and looked at her with eyes that could never go back to the past.

At this point, Cocolia came back to her senses and looked at her hand in a trance, which she had not yet retracted.

She was subconsciously a little flustered and wanted to apologize to her daughter for what she did, but what she actually did was -

An icy, emotionless command.

"Put away your cowardly tears and wake up!"

This is the worst-case scenario.

Chapter 74: Wendy is wanted!

The atmosphere in the tent dropped to freezing point, and the mother and daughter, who had been harmonious in the past, were now confronting each other like enemies.

In Cocolia's opinion, anyone can call her a tyrant, but only Bronya, only her... absolutely not.

He poured all his tenderness into her and never expected her to bring anything to him. No matter what Bronya wanted, he would try his best to satisfy her.

In the years since she adopted her, Kokolia has always made time for her, no matter how busy she is. She has never missed a bedtime story or a parent-teacher meeting.

In order to allow Bronya, whose identity was controversial at the time, to grow up in the best environment, she sacrificed everything in her life, except for work and family, weaving the sweetest lies and life stories for her, clearing the thorns in her growth process, and dealing with batches of evil-minded villains.

Why couldn't Bronya understand her painstaking efforts? She was already old enough to be a "mother".

Why can't I understand her intention——

The pain, as if her heart was being tightly grasped by an invisible hand, made Cocolia's face pale and she even had difficulty breathing.