Chapter 442

Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/PazjBDkTmW

Chapter 442: You Are the Cannon Fodder!

“The prison is all fine now. Yes, there was a small problem with the system before, but it has been fixed.”

“Yes, nothing happened.”

“Dear daughters of the esteemed Lord Almighty, are still here investigating the whereabouts of the rebel leader… They must have just reported recently, I understand the need for double reporting, I understand.”

The warden’s head rested lifelessly on a table in the prison cafeteria, eyes wide open, unblinking. Inside his mind chip, however, he was communicating with the higher authorities of the Noy Military, relaying reports that everything was normal.

But everyone knew it was just a matter of time before the truth would be uncovered. Still, it could serve to confuse and buy some time.

Bai Yan stood calmly in front of the dining table, smiling as he manipulated the situation. The footage that the Noy Military headquarters saw was edited to his advantage, ensuring there would be no issues for now.

Partridge and Elene, sitting across from him, didn’t seem to care about the severed head. They ate their meal together, unfazed. To anyone watching, it would seem like they were the best of friends.

But they were far more concerned about the sudden appearance of a man before them.

“Let me introduce myself, I am Profligate of Babel Tower,” Bai Yan said, wearing a black robe, his scholarly demeanor ever-present. He smiled slightly and politely introduced himself to the two women.

The identity of “Profligate” was the one Bai Yan used most frequently. His other identity, that of the Keeper of Secrets, Viscount Edmond, was reserved for special occasions, mostly when dealing with matters in the Kingdom of Dark Light.

During this time, Bai Yan had also noticed that Kaluoer, the maid, was slowly regaining her true nature. She still wore her usual expressionless face, but Bai Yan realized she was pretending. The girl had a deep fondness for pranks.

Partridge, staring at Bai Yan for a long time, exclaimed, “Are you also a Core Operator of Babel Tower? I’m so envious, really, truly envious. Why are you all chosen? I wonder. How does the great Savior decide who to select?”

“Fate,” Bai Yan said, a smile tugging at his lips. He spoke sincerely, “Respected Savior chooses people based on ‘fate’… I swear, I didn’t deceive you.”

Indeed, he hadn’t deceived her.

“That means I have bad luck,” Partridge sighed, taking a few bites of beef-flavored nutrient paste, clearly uninterested in further conversation.

But Bai Yan stepped closer, placing his hand gently on her head. “No, your destiny is very fortunate…” he said, his voice carrying a strange weight.

“Someone as wicked as you, with hands stained in blood, should have perished. Yet here you are, sitting comfortably, enjoying a meal without even losing a single tooth. You are very fortunate, aren’t you?”

Partridge’s face trembled slightly as she smiled awkwardly, feeling the terrifying power of his hand. It was as if he could end her life at any moment—and he certainly had considered it.

There was a madness to this man that filled her with fear. In his eyes, the life of someone wicked wasn’t a life at all.

Everything about him—the strength, the power, the values—was completely indifferent to her existence.

Just sensing the imposing aura radiating from Bai Yan shattered Partridge’s pride. She trembled uncontrollably, her usual arrogance now nowhere to be found.

Elene, however, remained calm. She set aside her meal and, using her psychic powers, brought forth a paper and pen, beginning to write.

“Next, they would take over the Clone Factory.”

“Hmm, what is that place?” Bai Yan asked, though he already knew the answer. He smiled, feigning ignorance, and gently removed his hand from Partridge’s head.

Partridge, still shaken, breathed a sigh of relief before explaining, her voice tinged with lingering fear, “That’s the place where we were created—the factory where new clones are nurtured for the Almighty. They’re not only powerful but completely loyal, willing to sacrifice their lives for the Almighty.”

“The cloning center is located in the heart of Noy Military, within the central area of the Giant Hive. Naturally, it’s heavily guarded and holds advanced technology from a highly civilized society. The latter is a mystery even death cannot explain.”

“My advice is… it’s better not to go,” Partridge concluded, her voice quiet, almost pleading.

“Don’t worry. Let’s go. We have cannon fodder to learn from our mistakes,” Bai Yan responded confidently.

Elene wrote it down on the paper, her expression serious.

“…”

Partridge fell silent for a moment, then murmured, “Hey, hey, the cannon fodder you’re talking about… is it actually referring to me?”

“And there are your sisters, too,” Elene added without hesitation.

Partridge felt a chill rise from the depths of her heart. But she knew she had no power to refuse. Her lips trembled as she weakly pleaded, “Please, don’t let me die so easily… I’m not afraid of death, but I don’t want to die like a common piece of trash.”

Yet, neither of them responded to her.

It remained the same. For someone consumed by evil, their life had no value.

If it weren’t for her being useful and brainwashed, her head might have ended up next to the warden’s on that dining table.

Bai Yan nodded. “Yes, I’ll help you, too. This city will be changed by the Babel Tower.”

Elene wrote on the paper, “Thank you… why?”

Everything happens for a reason.

Elene, young yet mature in heart, understood that nothing in this world came without a cost. Why did the Babel Tower take risks to help her?

Another voice spoke up from the corner of the room.

“Of course, it’s for you… Your body and soul already belong to the Babel Tower, they’re the property of the Savior. So helping you is also beneficial for the Savior.”

It was Mu Ling.

She had joined them.

Elene thought long and hard throughout the day before finally writing her true thoughts on the paper.

“If the ultimate goal of the Babel Tower is to save the world, then taking my soul afterwards would be of no consequence.”

She had made up her mind.

Bai Yan nodded, extending his hand with a gentle smile. “Alright then, let’s do our best. From now on, we’ll fight side by side.”

Elene hesitated for a moment, but then reached out and shook Bai Yan’s hand.

“Um,” he murmured.

The Clone Factory was enormous.

It occupied the entire nest, while the surrounding areas were residential and commercial quarters for the city’s inhabitants.

Bai Yan and the others didn’t go directly to the Clone Factory. Instead, they arrived at the outskirts of the residential area.

Mu Ling, along with the rest, entered a nearby coffee shop. She quietly observed the surroundings, reflecting that she might be the one who drank coffee here the most.

“Do you remember when Pastor, a formidable figure, used to frequent this coffee shop owned by the elites?” Mu Ling mused, contemplating the immense changes that had occurred over time.

“Actually, I don’t really enjoy drinking coffee,” Bai Yan murmured to himself.

Outside the coffee house’s windows, the streets were filled with various shops. The way people lived seemed little different from life in Tatsumi City.

“The Giant Hive,” a city in the Night Union, had civilian technology far behind that of the Ring City or Tree City. Here, even basic technology seemed outdated compared to the Air Alliance.

Bai Yan sipped his coffee as he observed the streets. Propaganda about “the Almighty” plastered every corner. People seemed to adore him, singing songs of praise and hanging his portraits everywhere.

The image of “the Almighty” was that of a golden-haired, well-built man with an intense gaze—a figure of admiration, or at least that’s how it was promoted.

Just then, a group of clone soldiers patrolled the street. Clad in black military uniforms, they stood tall, radiating confidence, and the passersby avoided them in fear.

The clone soldiers were extraordinary beings. Inside the Giant Hive, there were hundreds of thousands of them, maintaining order and closely watching every move of the citizens. Rebels, once identified, could be executed on the spot without trial.

“We’re very close to our destination… Do we really want to go?” Partridge asked, holding a cappuccino in her hands. “Do I really have to go?”

She really didn’t want to become cannon fodder.

“Where do you want to go?” Bai Yan asked, his voice carrying a mocking edge. “Don’t resist anymore. Now that we’ve come this far, do you have any last words?”

After finishing his coffee, Bai Yan didn’t comfort Partridge. Instead, he boldly provoked her.

“Ugh… I’m not a bug,” Partridge muttered, tightly squeezing her hands, feeling a deep sense of annoyance.

But she was powerless to change her fate.

Then, Bai Yan noticed Mu Ling, who seemed to be gazing at him with a knowing look. Had she discovered something important?

Hmm?