Chapter 180

180: Zophi Gregory

"What ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍a truly moving scene. Unfortunately, I still cannot comprehend such emotions."

Watching ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Lina throw herself into Jasmine's arms and cry her heart out, Sauron shook his head with considerable emotion, speaking with a hint of regret.

"...Mr. ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Sauron, since Lina's questions have ended, then... it should be my turn next, correct?"

Just ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍then, Evelia suddenly stepped forward. Her complexion had been poor for a while now, and her eyes were fixed intently on Sauron with a complex yet determined expression, as if she had something she wanted to say but hadn't voiced.

"Oh? ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Miss Evelia actually has questions as well? Please go ahead. I will certainly tell you everything I know."

"Mr. ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Sauron, you like children very much, don't you?"

Evelia raised her head. Strange golden runes faintly flickered in her right eye.

"Of course. I already mentioned this when we chatted in the director's office last time. Children are humanity's future and symbols of hope. This is also why, despite being able to build other more convenient facilities on this land, I specifically had Howard choose to establish an orphanage."

"Then please tell me this."

Evelia gritted her teeth as if struggling to suppress her anger.

She looked around at the piles of corpses beside the blood pool, some already decayed and others still intact, silently gazing at the eerie smiles remaining on those young faces. With a voice nearly hoarse from strain, she loudly demanded an answer from Sauron:

"Why! Why them specifically!? Why you, who claims to love children so much! Why did you choose these orphans! As materials and sacrifices for your so-called experiments!?"

"Tell me! Why!?"

"..."

Facing this question, Sauron fell silent. After a long while, a self-mocking bitter smile slowly appeared on his face. Then he shook his head and gestured for Evelia to calm down.

"Miss Evelia, you possess an eye that can see through falsehoods. So please tell me, in your eyes, am I lying?"

"...No, but that is exactly what puzzles me. My eyes tell me you aren't lying. Your every word and action comes from the heart. But…"

"Yet in reality, you personally and brutally killed those children you claimed to love! You even discarded their bodies like garbage, casually throwing them aside!"

"Soul Gaze sees the essence of a person. I couldn't possibly be mistaken! So, Sauron, tell me, why would you do something so contradictory! Why would you personally take the children you loved and..."

"Miss Evelia, I believe you have misunderstood something."

"What?"

Sauron gazed at the mountain of corpses not far away, and an indescribable smile of benevolence gradually appeared on his face.

And this small smile instantly sent chills down Evelia's spine.

"Who told you that everything I've done isn't actually beneficial for those children?"

"They were abandoned by their parents shortly after birth. Even with the orphanage's support and care, in the end, how many of them actually achieve ideal happiness?"

"I love them, and precisely because of that, I have witnessed far too many children gradually transform from sunny, cheerful, and positive youngsters into numb and lifeless walking corpses."

"Their former smiles cease to exist, replaced only by exhaustion and misery."

"What meaning does such a life have?"

"Therefore, I gave them a new choice."

"To journey to my Lord's side and reach the true Paradise."

"Look, how happily they are smiling?"

"...Lunatic!"

Evelia's expression gradually darkened. That's right, the person before her genuinely loved children from the bottom of his heart. But this love of his was incredibly twisted, enough to inspire terror.

"By the way, there is one thing please don't misunderstand."

"That is... from beginning to end, Howard and I were responsible for completely different experimental projects!"

"Therefore, for Howard's experiments, the children perhaps experienced only endless suffering. But for my experiments, they slumber in beautiful dreams, and their souls achieve true sublimation."

Sauron turned around and spread his arms toward the blood pool before him.

"To be able to journey to the Lord's side, never again losing their smiles because of cruel reality, what an honorable and blissful thing that is!"

"But don't worry, the Lord will one day return to this world! Just as I told you, Miss Evelia."

"This world has long been broken and wretched. Only the supreme Lord can lead humanity back to its former glory."

Just as Sauron was delivering his speech, Amya, who had long been wearing an expression of disgust, stepped forward and immediately unleashed a barrage of criticism at him.

"Hmph! Bah! Claiming it's for the children's good, this is nothing but an excuse you've found to rationalize your own actions, isn't it!?"

"Setting everything else aside, this behavior of yours, sacrificing others' souls to achieve your own goals, and you still claim it's for their benefit?"

"...Haha, it seems Miss Amya has quite a considerable problem with me."

"Heh! I don't care what kind of bullshit experiment this is for. Either way, today, you are destined to fall short!"

"Oh? What do you mean by that?"

Sauron smiled cheerfully, while Amya looked at him with disdain.

"Indeed, you were very strong in your prime. But now your old physical condition has long since deteriorated. The Holy Spear isn't in your hands either. What are you going to use to fight the four of us?"

"Four against one, the advantage is mine!"

"Haha, well that does seem to be the case!"

Facing Amya's mockery, Sauron instead revealed a completely unconcerned smile.

"But you know, Miss Amya, and my dear daughters, there's something you all haven't noticed yet, correct?"

"My experiment, the [Divine Canon of Grace], has already been completed!"

Sauron smiled and pointed behind everyone. Evelia instantly seemed to realize something and abruptly looked behind her.

She saw that the corpses of the two Descent Faction members who had been killed by Lina and Amya had long since drained completely of all their blood. And the direction that blood was flowing was precisely toward the blood pool behind Sauron.

"That man was right. [Fate] has long determined everything."

Sauron smiled as he slowly extended his hand toward the blood pool.

In the next moment, a massive whirlpool suddenly appeared in the center of the blood pool. At the center of the whirlpool, a golden divine canon wrapped in blood threads gradually rose.

In an instant, the blood in the pool began frantically rushing toward the divine canon in the center.

"The [Divine Canon] has been completed. Next!"

Sauron slowly caught the divine canon wrapped in eerie blood threads, and a smile emerged on his face.

At the same time, an unprecedentedly massive magic power instantly enveloped the entire underground space.

The intense magic storm was even comparable to super-tier magic, forcing Evelia and the others to squeeze their eyes shut for a moment.

And when they finally overcame the magic wind blowing against them and cautiously opened their eyes again, the world before them had already undergone earth-shattering changes.

The former underground cavern had vanished.

In its place was a boundless azure sea and a vast sky white as jade.

And at the center of this world, a striking figure holding the divine canon stood there.

Snow-white hair, golden eyes brilliant as gold.

Like a divine messenger descending upon the world, looking down at everyone from above.

"You are the challengers!"