Chapter 306

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This chapter is edited by Cthulhu. Thank you for your contribution!

Chapter 306: New Event “The Assassin”!

Marquis Scarlet stood outside the door, his mind blank. A strange man’s voice echoed from inside, momentarily short-circuiting his cognitive processes. Throughout his century-long memory, such a moment was unprecedented.

Over a hundred years ago, Marquis Scarlet was an unknown orphan born in the countryside of the Kingdom of Dark Light. As a familyless child, he endured constant bullying due to malnutrition, appearing fragile as a skeleton. Only one old beggar in the village showed him kindness, teaching him survival skills—how to escape, fight, and navigate the harsh world.

Consequently, he would often steal food and share it with the old beggar in the alley. But one day, the old beggar died unexpectedly. No external harm was involved; it was simply an ordinary death that left an indelible mark on Marquis Scarlet’s memory.

It was a brutally cold winter. Despite free food distribution by the Dark Light Church, an old beggar’s sudden death was commonplace. The village’s apprentice priest assisted in collecting the body, consoling that the beggar had committed no significant evil. His soul would be protected by the Savior of Dark Light, destined for human reincarnation without rank elevation—merely due to insufficient devotion.

He couldn’t comprehend. Why do people die?

At such a tender age, he understood nothing, yet profound sadness and pain consumed him. Even with the promise of soul reincarnation, the loss felt unbearable. Now truly alone, he had no family!

Months later, lost and confused, he contemplated death, yearning to reach the afterlife. But at twilight, his entire destiny transformed.

A lazy, beautiful girl in red sat alone on a rooftop, observing the slowly descending sun. That scene would be forever etched in his memory.

“You,” she spoke, her gaze fixed on the horizon.

“I already know your story, understand your value of family… so, do you want to become my family?”

Become her family? The invitation seemed incomprehensible.

The girl continued, “Accept my blood, become my kin, and you’ll obtain Eternal Youth, along with a family that will never abandon you.”

The boy collapsed, weeping profusely. He accepted her invitation and joined the Scarlet Blood Clan.

He soon learned this “girl” was the progenitor, creator, and sole queen of the Scarlet Blood Clan. All descendants originated from her. Everyone adhered to the rules, severing past familial connections. Henceforth, only Scarlet Blood Clan descendants were considered true “family.”

“Here, you can do anything—burn, kill, loot, help others… I don’t care what kind of person you become… but betraying your own kin is unforgivable.”

Marquis Scarlet was born. “Scarlet” was a name bestowed by the Queen during a half-conscious moment. Yet in his heart, Her Highness Scarlet Moon was a deity!

The first time he witnessed her repel enemies by drinking blood, he recognized her imperfection but was simultaneously moved by her lineage’s sacrifice.

“…”

Why?

Returning to the present, Marquis Scarlet’s mind remained clouded. A strange man’s voice emanated from Her Highness’ room—an unprecedented scenario he couldn’t process.

“You can go down first, Scarlet. I’ll handle what you mentioned,” Her Highness’ voice emerged, maintaining its characteristic lazy indifference.

Marquis Scarlet’s emotions churned, but ultimately, he relaxed. As long as she was safe, her specific activities were inconsequential.

As a secret father, he understood certain nuances. Within the Scarlet Blood Clan, many members discreetly formed external relationships, with the seemingly perfect Queen turning a blind eye.

He dared not contemplate further.

Yet, he couldn’t help but speculate. Blood’s scent—was she draining that man? Her mind seemed lucid. What was she doing? Why the momentary delay? What inconvenience could exist?

Incomprehensible.

“I understand,” Marquis Scarlet murmured, numerous thoughts swirling yet unwilling to disobey the Queen’s command.

He turned stiffly and departed. Midway, he mustered courage, declaring, “I won’t disclose today’s events… Your Highness, as long as you’re content, anything is acceptable.”

Then he swiftly escaped.

Inside the room, the Scarlet Moon’s pale face contorted. Staring at the smiling man on the floor, she spoke indifferently, “Aren’t you aware that speaking now only breeds misunderstandings?”

“I know,” Bai Yan admitted without hesitation, his pleased expression unwavering.

“Why?” she demanded.

“Because it’s interesting.”

Bai Yan’s smile brightened, genuinely relishing the moment. The witch would surely understand, perhaps even more enthusiastic about his amusement.

“So that’s it. You’ve been deceiving me, and it brings you such joy… I’ve decided. I’ll break your limbs and tear out your tongue to silence your laughter.”

Her tone had turned glacial.

“You’re merely an incorrigible wild cat. Nightsaber is the savior’s loyal dog, while you’re just the provocative feline in Babel Tower.”

Yet, she didn’t act on her threats. Bai Yan recognized her nature—had she truly intended harm, she would have attacked immediately.

These were merely intimidation tactics.

The Scarlet Moon would never harm her companions—a rule established by the king, unless betrayed first.

Bai Yan nodded lightly, sounding helpless and sardonic, “Very well. Since you wish to torment me, I’ll flee to the world’s end, ensuring our paths never cross.”

“…”

After a pause, she responded, “No, you can’t.”

“Why not?”

She contemplated briefly, abandoning reasoning.

“No reason.”

Bai Yan fell silent, sensing her impending trickery. He reluctantly rose from the floor.

The Scarlet Moon maintained her grip, shrinking slightly like a koala, continuing to draw blood from his neck.

“Haven’t you had enough? An ordinary person would have perished…”

She remained silent, systematically extracting blood to extend the interval before her next episode—avoiding reliance on anyone, especially this “wild cat.”

Eventually, the satiated Scarlet Moon released him.

“So tired.”

Instantaneously, she drifted into slumber.

“She sleeps so quickly, without guard. Is her blood’s potency making digestion challenging?” Bai Yan observed, bewildered.

Studying her closely, he noted her sleeping expression—surprisingly innocent, reminiscent of a child.

“Her Highness Scarlet Moon, please evolve into ‘Divinity’ soon, so my contributions and cultivation can bear fruit… and I can work for the great savior.”

He smiles and murmurs softly to himself, leaving the room.

—-

“How have you been lately?”

Since his return to Tatsumi City, Bai Yan visits the Augustus family residence.

He suddenly appears in Maryse’s room.

A pleasant surprise.

The little guy sitting on the bed playing with a notebook is first stunned, then overjoyed.

He still remembers him!

Maryse lets out a sigh of relief. Her exceptional performance against Glofield should have been noticed… She is not just a burden.

To be honest, the powerlessness she felt during the Doomsday Crisis has made her somewhat anxious recently.

But she quickly pouts and says, “Go away!”

“Okay, then I’ll leave.”

Without a second thought, Bai Yan turned and walked away, leaving Maryse stunned and reaching out helplessly to stop him.

But she found that Mr. Profligate had disappeared in an instant.

The girl stood still for a while.

Then, Maryse suddenly slapped herself… At first, her movement was big, but the force was light when it landed because she was afraid it would hurt.

Oh dear, what a temper she had… she had brought this upon herself.

Maryse became angrier as she thought about it, feeling extremely wronged.

The 28-year-old half-elf “little princess” almost cried.

But she thought about the promise she made to her 18-year-old hunter sister to be a role model and decided that she had to be strong and not cry… which made her feel even more aggrieved.

“Don’t cry, how can adults shed tears so easily?”

Bai Yan reached out and pushed her back gently, smiling.

Of course, he wouldn’t just leave like that.

“What are you…” Maryse was about to scold him, but she was afraid that Mr. Profligate would run away in anger, so she swallowed her words.

“I think there will be big changes in Tatsumi City recently.”

She started babbling about random things.

To be honest, Maryse wasn’t very interested in these matters, but she didn’t know what else to talk about.

In any case, she had to start a conversation with him first, at least that’s what the books said.

Bai Yan nodded slightly and asked seriously, “Have the Leaf King’s people contacted you?”

In fact, he didn’t come here for a casual walk; he had a purpose in getting information about the Leaf King and the others from Maryse.

“Yes.” Maryse pondered for a moment and replied, “That’s true. The Leaf Lord sent people to the Augustus family with a letter, inviting me and Phoenix to attend a banquet he is hosting in a few days. All the upper-class figures in the city will be there… but I don’t really want to go.”

“I’ve already figured out an excuse to ask for leave, saying that I suddenly fell ill and couldn’t even crawl, let alone attend the event.”

Bai Yan listened silently, without saying a word, and Maryse glanced at him.

“But if you want, I can go and take a look, uh, take the opportunity to investigate more about them.”

Bai Yan nodded and said, “Even if you go to the banquet, it shouldn’t be a big problem, but you must be careful not to get involved… ‘The World’ is a much more terrifying person than you can imagine.”

Bai Yan’s warning was serious.

During the first playthrough, when Babel Tower and the Imperial Guards’ leader ‘The World’ confronted each other, although it only happened once, it left a deep impression on him.

The result was the devastating defeat of Babel Tower.

Even though the game didn’t end in a wipeout, it still had a chain reaction that left Bai Yan unable to cope with the subsequent Doomsday Crisis.

Once Maryse’s identity was exposed, there was a possibility that she would be immediately restrained by the powerful ‘The World’, and even the current Bai Yan couldn’t fully guarantee her protection.

“Do you care about me?” Maryse asked abruptly, clearly concerned.

“……”

With the second Doomsday Crisis only eighty-odd days away, Bai Yan could only shake his head faintly.

His smile remained as before, as he began to speak vaguely: “We are comrades, aren’t we? Fighting together for the mission of Babel Tower and saving the world, caring for each other is only natural.”

At that moment, Maryse seemed to sense something, and after a moment of silence, she obediently didn’t ask any more piercing questions.

But she still gave him a punch!

“Goodbye! See you next time!”

——

Bai Yan thought for a long time and decided not to go out of his way to see Mu Ling again, but instead went straight back to the Tulip Manor in Annottales.

How should he put it?

Even without communicating with her, in Bai Yan’s mind, she was the person who understood his “goal” the most in the world.

Even though she didn’t even know who she was herself, nor the truth of the Savior.

But deep down, Bai Yan and she had a subtle resonance.

That was the determination to save the world.

If asked who he most wanted to fight alongside until the very end, it would undoubtedly be Mu Ling, and there was absolutely no other candidate.

But if asked who he most wanted to be with…

“Forget it, don’t think too much about it, the world is going to be destroyed in a few dozen days.”

He was originally someone who lived carefreely and treated life like a game, so he wouldn’t dwell too much on this.

And right now, he didn’t have the energy or time to think about it either.

Bai Yan arrived at the study, holding a cup of warm tea and a cellphone in his hand.

“It should be time.”

Based on the content he saw after deciphering the underlying data himself, Bai Yan knew that a new event should be starting soon.

After a not-so-long waiting period, the new event to be released in Babel Tower is called “Assassin”.

It’s just a small event.

Bai Yan had already discovered that the scale of Babel Tower events, whether big or small, mainly depended on two factors.

The first factor was the current strength of the Babel Tower members. If their strength was too strong and they faced relatively weak enemies, then the original big event might be downgraded to a “small event”.

The other factor was the scale of the event. Even if the enemies were weak, if the event was large and time-consuming, like a national-level war, then it would still be considered a big event.

These kinds of events usually occur in the later stages. Currently, Babel Tower is still in the middle stage.

He calmly sat in the study, drinking tea and silently counting down.

“10, 9, 8… 3, 2, 1.”

In the instant that Bai Yan finished counting down, the cellphone he was holding vibrated on schedule.

“Very good.”

A new event!

“Assassin”

The presentation of the new event on the phone screen was quite ordinary, appearing to be a series of small levels linked together, with each one needing to be cleared before unlocking the next.

Bai Yan glanced over and saw that there were a total of fifteen levels, with the fifth, ninth, thirteenth, and last levels being marked with red skull icons, clearly indicating the so-called boss battles.

“New Event: Assassin!”

“It is said that in the Kingdom of Dark Light, there has been a mysterious assassin organization called ‘Mercury Ball’ lurking for thousands of years. It is rumored that assassins designated by them may appear in front of anyone with ‘intent to kill.'”

“As long as you are willing to pay the price, there is no one that cannot be killed.”

“Event Task 1: Defeat ‘Mercury Ball’! 5 Awakening Souls! 3 Spirits of Revelation!”

“Event Task 2: Eliminate all ‘Color Assassins’ and obtain 1000 Source Energy Points! 1 Spirit of Revelation!”

Bai Yan had actually already seen all the game descriptions in the underlying data of “Babel Tower.”

The rewards were clearly richer in one level.

Just a small event, yet the rewards were so rich… After the First Doomsday Crisis, the game entered the middle stage, where the enemies in Babel Tower became stronger and more diverse, while the rewards for events and emergency missions also skyrocketed.

Furthermore, Bai Yan discovered many hints about this event’s “hidden tasks” through reading the underlying data. Although it was not made clear, he knew that the key was in the mask of the leader of the Mercury Ball.

“I must find its secret, and no reward can be missed,” Bai Yan mumbled to himself, his eyes calm and his decision made.

In the new event “Assassin,” there were two operators available for selection.

After some thought, Bai Yan chose “Sword of Demons” and “Nightsaber” from the operator list.

There were reasons behind his choices.

Firstly, Bai Yan wanted the newly joined “Sword of Demons” to adapt quickly to the situation in Babel Tower and complete an event task as soon as possible.

Then, the reason for choosing Mu Ling to join the battle was simple. She was strong enough and reliable enough to ensure the perfect completion of the mission.

Completing the mission perfectly would double the rewards.

Bai Yan mumbled to himself, “Well, besides that, there will be a ‘third person’ participating in this event as well, and that person is… Viscount Edmond.”

During the first playthrough, the Assassin event was closely related to “Hidden Azure” and even determined the future direction of “Hidden Azure.” This was also stated in the underlying data of “Babel Tower.”

Therefore, Bai Yan attached great importance to this event in “Babel Tower.”

“The show is about to begin,” Bai Yan squinted his eyes, pondering why the hidden character of Mercury Ball in the underlying data had a connection to the “Tower”.