682 The Desired Failure (1/2)
”That side?” Lankshear repeated Ferragond's question and stood at the entrance of the cave, blocking the sunlight and making it dim inside. Then he smiled, ”Of course it is the Scarlet Plain's side.”
Shocked, Ferragond demanded angrily, ”It was you who conspired with the Sovereign of Blood and polluted the elvish tree? Why did you do that?”
He had more and more sensed the dangerous situation he was in and seized every opportunity to postpone, hoping to get rid of the influence of the projection of the devil. However, his abhorrence had accumulated for hundreds of years, and he did not begin to learn 'Dance of Revenge' a short while ago. The 'seed' was too deeply rooted to be dissolved any time soon.
As if he did not sense Ferragond's intention, Lankshear said with a cooperative smile, ”Sovereign of Blood? How is that schizophrenic psycho qualified to cooperate with me? As for the pollution of the elvish tree, I couldn't have achieved it without you and Nature's Abhorrence.”
'Schizophrenia' was a term that Lucien coined to describe a certain psychological disease. Since it was very close to the case of the double-headed, triple-headed and quadruple-headed demons, it was often used by the adventurers near the abyssal gap. The elves were no strangers to it.
”Why?” Asked Ferragond cooperatively. However, it was indeed beyond his expectation that the pollution of the elvish tree was really related to him.
Lankshear behaved like a supervillain in the tales of the bards, who always bragged about their plans gloatingly when they were about to succeed, only to give their enemy a chance of comeback because of their talkativeness. ”'Nature's Heart' is an item close to the level of demigods. Even if I had separated part of it from the abyss, it would've been barely possible for me to pollute it unless the Will of Abyss recovered from his heavy wounds. However, the original elves were born by Nature's Heart. Nature's blood flows in every elf's veins. It is deeply associated with the elvish tree.”
”Under such circumstances, when enough elves were possessed and corrupted by the primeval elves, and together with the symmetric magic circle we deployed on the Scarlet Plain, the elvish tree was naturally polluted.”
When talking about that, Lankshear chuckled, ”It could've been a complicated issue to let the elves who adored nature to be haunted by negative feelings for a long time without Nature's Abhorrence. Many of you were so hostile against human beings that you hated everything about them including their regular activities. Your sanity was blinded by your negative emotions, which perfectly met the requirement to summon the projection of devils. Therefore, I must thank you, Ferragond!”
Inside the illusionary 'Nature's Heart' of Ferragond appeared a face that was eighty percent like him, but the face was full of hatred, dissatisfaction and anger, which made the face twisted and hideous.
”Is this me?” Ferragond saw the face when he diminished the influence of the primeval devils. Although he knew that it was a representation of his negative feelings being possessed by the devils, he was still rather shocked. Did he always look like that when Nature's Abhorrence was mentioned?
He calmed down and suppressed his fury caused by Lankshear's words. He asked in confusion, ”But why are few followers of Nature's Abhorrence among the corrupted elves?”
”The elves who have really been possessed by the devil of abhorrence, unless they are willing to and they reach a certain threshold, will show no sign of corruption on the outside. Only those who struggle against the feelings of abhorrence will lose control of themselves. Their difference is like the difference between Martha and you.” Lankshear explained the reason to Ferragond 'dutifully'.
Hearing the last remark, Ferragond felt his surging fury again. ”So, Martha has been possessed by the devils a long time ago and became your 'subordinate'. No wonder she slandered me. However, why did you target me? What's your purpose?”
”Why did I target you, you ask? My target has always been you! How can I make further advancements without corrupting you and turning you into a legendary body that contains the devil of abhorrence?”
”What? Your target has always been me?” Ferragond found it hard to believe his ears. Although Lankshear and he were not close to each other, they were certainly no enemies. Then, he suddenly realized something. ”It was you who requested the aid of the Congress of Magic? Just so that they would investigate me? Then, taking advantage of my hatred against human beings and my anger after being vilified, you ignited my negative feelings. Together with the long-term influence of 'Dance of Revenge', the devil was successfully projected into my heart…”
”You understood it too late. Also, it's not caused by the projection of devils, but by the transformed negative feelings that have been gathered in you.” Lankshear explained with a smile. ”Turning oneself into something similar to the primeval devils is highly risky and may result in loss of control. Therefore, I chose you. You are the perfect 'container' with your hundreds of years of hate.”
”You!” Hearing that, Ferragond was so overwhelmed by fury that he almost launched an attack without caring about anything. ”Did you not fear that the sorcerers would find out the mastermind behind everything?”
”Hehe. Setting up magic circles on the Scarlet Plain could not only take advantage of the conflicts between the abyss and the main material world but also lure Lucien Evans and his team to investigate. When they visit the abyss, Malfurion will certainly be following them, or the Congress of Magic wouldn't be pleased. As a result, I can do whatever I want without concerns. By the time they return from the Scarlet Plain with 'evidence', the 'eyewitnesses' and the 'masterminds' will have died or fled. He can predict nothing however powerful his astrology is!” Said Lankshear, raising his head.
”Were you not worried that Lucien Evans wouldn't go to the abyss? There was still Atlant!” Ferragond was refreshed after the projection of devils was slightly driven away.
Lankshear raised his bow and aimed the arrow at Ferragond, smiling. ”He definitely would, because he is Lucien Evans who studied quantum superposition and proposed the observer effect.”
In fact, due to his lack of strength, Lucien always made plans according to the enemy's personality and style, but now, he had been analyzed!
”As for Atlant, he was happy to see my plan. He dared not try it and was waiting for a safer path, but it doesn't mean that he didn't want to collect files through this incident. For a certain reason, I learnt of his stance and therefore dropped him a secret message asking him to join the team.” Lankshear mocked Ferragond. ”How could a sorcerer who studied the mind like him have found no anomalies?”
Ferragond shouted angrily, ”What is it that you want?”
”We the elves have been sinking for so long that we have forgotten the glories in our past. I do not want to be trapped in this tiny forest forever; I want to conquer the continent, the ocean and the whole world like our ancestors did!” Lankshear's graceful face was now more or less zealous. ”That can't be achieved without experts in the level of demigods! Now that I have a chance of advancement, I have to seize it. Ferragond, I will always remember your 'contributions' to elves!”
Ferragond glared at Lankshear. ”You…!”
It was simply too shameless and disgusting!
Lankshear looked at the sun outside and laughed aloud. ”Ferragond, don't be mad. Do you know why I said so many things to you?”
Instead of waiting for Ferragond to reply, he stepped forward and said jokingly, ”To maintain your hatred, fury and pain until the right moment!”