Book 2 Chapter 21.1 (1/2)

- Can You Hear My Heart Beating?

When the dull light of day illuminated the mountains, Madeline emerged at the edge of the mountain peak. She casually inserted Death Prison into the hard tundra ground. Even though the enormous sword was damaged all over, it still easily entered the tundra rocks without releasing any sound.

Her hand that was covered by black armor slowly loosened its grip on the handle. Death Prison’s hilt was was made from an unknown type of rough metal that hadn’t been polished at all. There were protrusions and cold pricklies everywhere. At the center of the sword hilt was a sinister and terrifying skeleton with four long and ferocious teeth extended outwards from it. If an ordinary person held it, their palms might immediately be badly mangled.

At this moment, the shaft of Death Prison was covered in blood and shockingly red. Blood slowly flowed along the sword hilt. Not even the coldness that seemed to be able to freeze time could hinder its flow in the slightest.

Drops of blood continued to flow from the gaps between her hand and the armor and drop onto the tundra floor. The droplets of blood seemed to possess their own life force as they continuously rolled about between the tundra’s gaps, with some droplets even trying to climb back up. The scattered blood tried their best to move back together, but even if they succeeded, they would soon use up their tiny bit of heat and energy, and as a result turn into faint bloody mist before scattering in the air. They didn’t even leave behind any traces on the tundra rocks.

Madeline removed her mask. Slightly narrowing her eyes, she gazed into the east where the morning light rose. At the end of the horizon, the boundless clouds of radiation seemed to have mushed together with the great earth.

Her dark blue eyes were just like how they were seven years ago, deep like a great sea. The icy winds blew through her gray hair, causing specks of mysterious stellar radiance to scatter into the distance.

Another graceful figure appeared between the mountains, one that sprinted towards the peak Madeline stood on with a great speed that far surpassed that of an antelope. Her fiery red short hair was especially eye-catching in the bleak and colorless surroundings. In the blink of an eye, Peperus had already arrived behind Madeline. After getting down on one knee, she said, “The tasks your distinguished self has ordered have been completed.”

Madeline silently stared into the distance without replying. A hint of shock appeared on Peperus’ face, because she rarely saw Madeline remove her helmet or mask. Even when she returned to the Town of Trials and sat alone in the small church, Madeline would still always hide herself behind the thick armor.

“How many were killed?” Madeline calmly asked. Her posture didn’t change in the slightest, as if she was an ice-cold statue.

Peperus’ face immediately became pale, and her body became as rigid as a zombie. One could even see her body tremble slightly, as if she was exposed to irresistable coldness.

“Your distinguished self has ordered that one needs to deal with things properly and cannot leave behind incurable wounds. How could I go out and murder…” Peperus’ voice became softer and softer, and her body began to shake more and more violently.

“How many were killed?” Madeline repeated, her tone and voice exactly the same as the first time she spoke these words, as if her voice had just been replayed.