Chapter 215: Expecting a Blackening

"My goal is something you wouldn't understand even if I explained it."

Ansu's tone remained calm, but his gaze was deep. "But regardless, you are free now, aren't you?"

He stared into the other man's nervous, dazed eyes behind his glasses. "You've seen it yourself; the force trying to rescue you is actually the demon race."

"Shadow King Barcas's goal is to throw Norvigel into chaos, or even destroy it entirely."

"And you, while seemingly valued, are actually just a useful pawn."

Seeing the man fall silent, Ansu suddenly changed the subject. "Do you really think Barcas... would save your daughter?"

Valger froze. Ansu paused, each word coming out clear:

"You know better than anyone that black magic corruption is nearly incurable."

"All treatments are merely 'inhibitors'."

"If even our Echoes of Truth couldn't do it, do you think Barcas could?"

Ansu had been speculating about Valger's situation for a while.

What could make a despondent, numb middle-aged man—someone whose courage to resist had long been extinguished—willingly become a source of terror capable of leveling a city?

Because he had a weakness.

But if he no longer had that weakness, wouldn't that solve everything?

Barcas likely never intended to save Valger's daughter; he might even use her as leverage...

Hearing Ansu's words, Valger's pupils constricted as an ominous premonition filled his heart.

"I... I have to go home and check immediately!" His lips trembled. "My daughter might be in danger! Ansu, please let me leave, I beg you...!"

"David." Ansu didn't wait for him to finish before looking toward the other side. "Escort Mr. Valger back and ensure he reaches home safely."

David nodded immediately.

Ansu tossed him a magitech communicator made by Professor Duncan and gave him a meaningful look.

There wasn't much time left in the simulation, and he still had one major event to carry out.

He needed David to accurately report whatever happened at Valger's home.

...

After Valger left, the agonizing screams in the canyon gradually faded.

The elders' Great Memory Recovery Technique seemed to have been effective.

Elder Barnes emerged from behind the rock wall, holding a blood-stained notebook which he handed to Ansu.

Ansu took it; the notebook was crumpled and covered in blood, its pages filled with dense handwriting and diagrams.

"Hermit, here is the list you wanted, and also..." Barnes leaned in. "Inside is the entire underground smuggling network for Safe Magic Crystal No. 1."

"It's quite complete, tracing from the source of the minerals all the way to the underground black markets of Norvigel."

He had little interest in the Squirrel Party or the demons, but his eyes lingered on a place name, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Elune..."

"That legendary elven paradise far across the sea? This dangerous magic crystal actually came from there?"

Elder Matthew walked over while wiping his hands, glancing at the notebook upon hearing this.

"The elves rarely set foot in the human world, and that legendary elven paradise is even more mysterious," he remarked with a click of his tongue. "Countless navigators have explored to the west and south but always came up empty... I didn't expect these guys to find it."

Ansu was most concerned about Safe Magic Crystal No. 1.

He noticed that within the demon race, this crystal was referred to as "crimson marrowstone," which was likely its true name.

The hero party member he had met in the tavern, Altina of the Forest of Decay, was likely tracking this batch of smuggled crimson marrowstone...

"Is this thing really that destructive?" Elder Matthew stared at the crudely drawn crystal diagram in the notebook, muttering to himself with a frown. "It shouldn't be..."

"We'll know once we find a physical sample." Ansu closed the notebook and walked to the side.

He sat on a relatively flat boulder, pulled out his 《Future Diary》, opened it to a blank page, and began rapidly copying the dense names, addresses, and characteristics from the notebook.

The two elders watched his sudden strange behavior and looked at each other.

"Hermit, what are you...?" Barnes couldn't help but ask.

"Crucial step, don't disturb me." Ansu didn't even look up, his pen making a rapid rustling sound against the paper.

This was indeed a crucial step—an important part of bringing the key intelligence obtained in the simulation back to reality.

"Ansu~"

"You're so busy. What are you writing?"

A lazy, melodic voice filled with curiosity suddenly sounded behind Ansu.

Ansu's pen paused, and he turned around.

He saw the surging deep blue light gradually dissipating as Celia stood there with her hands behind her back, leaning forward on her tiptoes to peek at the diary on his lap.

"I'm writing..." Ansu met her gaze and blinked. "Important intelligence. Our future assassination list."

"Oh? An assassination list?"

Celia nodded, though she didn't fully understand.

She had just arrived and didn't know that the corpses on the ground were already members of Ansu's assassination list.

Seeing Ansu's focused expression, Celia didn't press further, instead scanning the canyon that had just seen battle.

Ansu increased his copying speed.

After a long while, having recorded the final stroke, Ansu finally let out a sigh of relief.

He put away the diary and looked at the witch who had come to support him.

"Where's Freya? Wasn't she with you?" Celia asked curiously, looking around.

Aside from the cult members and Danielle, she didn't see any other familiar faces.

"Freya... I had her go back first." Ansu explained, trying to keep his tone natural. "The next phase of the operation involves the Church of Holy Light, after all. It wouldn't be good to have her present."

"Hmm, that's true." Celia gave Ansu a deep look and said with a beaming smile:

"You're quite considerate of her feelings. Ansu, you're so thoughtful~"

Though she smiled, she was secretly pondering...

In everyone's eyes, Freya was always a devout believer of the Holy Light.

If she were to witness Ansu's upcoming slaughter of the Church with her own eyes, combined with the image of Ansu as the Chosen One in her heart...

It might cause her heart to waver and break, leading her to gradually descend into darkness.

Her Lord Ansu was no good person~

Ansu was a villain who used any means necessary, just like her.

What a pity.

Celia sighed inwardly; she was actually looking forward to seeing the scene of Freya's blackening.

That pure, kind pink-haired girl who was always out of place with the surrounding darkness... if she were betrayed by the person she believed in most...

Perhaps a rift would form, and she would gradually end up on the opposite side of Ansu.

Hmph, that would save her some trouble in the future...

"Uh..." Ansu looked at the witch's shifting, sinister smile and muttered under his breath, "What kind of devious schemes are you thinking about now?"

"Nothing..." Celia snapped out of it and waved her hand. "Forget it if she's not here. I'll settle the score with you later!"

She changed the subject, her gaze shifting toward Norvigel. In the night, the city's silhouette looked like a crouching beast of the North.

"Ansu, when do we leave?"

"Wait a moment."

Ansu's gaze fell on the long, narrow passage in the canyon. The light from the torches flickered against the rock walls, illuminating a group of trembling, terrified figures.

The prisoners who had been rescued from the prison with him were still trapped in place because their connected metal shackles had not yet been removed.

Tonight's experience had been a series of twists and turns; they stared in terror at the black-robed cultists and the demon corpses covering the ground, not even daring to breathe loudly.

Ansu's gaze swept over the standard alchemical firearms belonging to the escort guard scattered on the ground, and he finally spoke:

"Someone, hand out the guns!"