Chapter 194: Double Loyalty
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 194: Double Loyalty
In an instant, the entire Shadow World erupted into a riot at the appearance of the rift.
The shadows permeating the space twisted frantically, attempting to devour every remaining inch of void.
But a moment later, Xie Bai raised her hand again.
"Quiet."
Instantly, the Shadow World fell still.
Once the realm had finally settled, Xie Bai slowly descended.
Seeing this, the Shadow World proactively raised a platform for her and opened a passage.
On the other side of the passage lay Brandon, whom Xie Bai had brought into the Shadow World earlier. At this moment, he was lying on the ground, unconscious.
Xie Bai walked forward, looking at Brandon’s somewhat youthful face with a hint of confusion.
"Is Brandon still just a lad at this point in time?"
He lacked the mature elegance she had seen in the present world. Xie Bai crouched beside him and poked his cheek with her small hand.
"His health bar is at about ten percent; he should be fine..."
"Cough...!"
Brandon suddenly began to cough. He snapped his eyes open and scrambled into a sitting position.
"W-where am I... Am I still alive? Wasn't the ship just destroyed?"
As he spoke, he scanned the pitch-black space around him.
"Is this the legendary Hell? I didn't think it actually existed. It's so dark... I wonder if there are True Gods here too..."
As he looked around, Brandon’s gaze lowered until he spotted Xie Bai. He stared at her face, momentarily dazed.
"So cute..."
Brandon froze for a second.
"Wait, is this an angel... No, no, how could there be an angel in Hell? Besides, she doesn't have wings on her back..."
While Brandon’s mind was in a state of total chaos, Xie Bai stood up beside him. She looked at his bewildered expression and thought for a moment.
Then, she placed her hands on her hips and said in a haughty, superior tone:
"Ahem... That's right. This is indeed Hell. To determine where you go after death, I must now review your past."
For some reason, Xie Bai’s frame—which stood at less than 1.5 meters—seemed exceptionally imposing at that moment.
"While there’s still time, tell me your history yourself. Remember, no lying, or you'll be trapped here forever."
In truth, Xie Bai actually could keep Brandon trapped here forever.
Faced with Xie Bai’s explanation, Brandon forced his eyelids open.
"Is this really Hell?"
"Indeed."
"And if I tell you my past, I'll receive a judgment to decide my destination?"
"Correct. As long as you explain yourself clearly, I guarantee your next life will still be in the Empire, and you'll never want for food or clothes."
Hearing Xie Bai’s promise, Brandon took a deep breath.
Finally, he spoke.
"However... I refuse."
"???"
Xie Bai looked at the suddenly righteous Brandon, a flash of surprise in her eyes.
"What... do you mean by that?"
Facing Xie Bai’s questioning, Brandon stood up and looked down at her.
"First of all, for the sake of the Emperor, I, Brandon, would rather have no peace after death than reveal any of my secrets!"
As he spoke, he suddenly pointed at Xie Bai.
"Furthermore, this isn't Hell at all! Just now, I finally analyzed the nature of this world."
He paused.
"This place is entirely a Shadow World composed of shadows. If I'm not mistaken, everything here is controlled by you. You are the master of this world!"
Halfway through his speech, Brandon suddenly struck a pose, resting his hand against his face as he addressed Xie Bai.
"Speak. Who are you exactly? A True God who commands shadows, or perhaps a Shadow Dragon hiding in the dark? Regardless, I must know who it is that killed me. I refuse to die without knowing the truth!"
Xie Bai looked at the Brandon before her, her lip twitching slightly.
"Was this guy always such a dork? I wonder what he went through to grow out of this phase."
She quietly turned off the screen recording function built into the Player Panel.
If she ever got the chance, she was definitely going to show the present-day Brandon what he used to be like.
Thinking this, Xie Bai stepped up to him and looked up.
"Hmm... You've got spirit. But before I answer your question, I need to emphasize one thing."
"What?"
"You're standing too high."
The moment the words left her mouth, the surrounding shadows surged forward, pinning Brandon down firmly.
Thud!
Brandon was forced onto his knees, his head slammed against the ground. His height was instantly reduced to a head and a half shorter than Xie Bai’s.
Xie Bai stood on the high platform the shadows had raised for her, looking down at Brandon.
"Listen well. I am neither a God of Shadows nor a dragon. However, I will permit you to call me..."
She searched her memory.
"The Lord of Myriad Darknesses."
Without hesitation, Xie Bai simply appropriated the title the Shadow World had used for her back then.
Upon hearing Xie Bai’s introduction, Brandon, pinned to the ground, fell silent.
"Hmm? What's wrong? Did I scare you?"
Xie Bai stood on her tiptoes and glanced down at herself.
"It shouldn't be that bad. I don't think I look that terrifying..."
Just as she was inspecting herself, Brandon, who had been pinned down, suddenly broke free from his restraints. He rushed in front of Xie Bai, stopped abruptly, and slammed his head into the ground in a heavy kowtow.
"So you are an existence with the power of a True God, yet distinct from them!"
Xie Bai was nearly startled by Brandon’s sudden rush and kowtow.
"Uh... you could say that. Why? Is there a problem?"
Having received confirmation, Brandon’s voice immediately took on an urgent intensity as he spoke to Xie Bai:
"Our Empire is sorely lacking an existence like yours! Please, Your Excellency, come with me and help the Empire resist those True Gods! Save this world!"
"Huh?"
Xie Bai was completely stunned. Before she could react, a prompt suddenly rang out.
【"Brandon's" loyalty has increased to 300】
【Lust's Blessing triggered: "Brandon's" loyalty is now locked at 1000】
"Wait, this is...?"
Brandon had pledged his loyalty to her again?
In the present world, Brandon had already offered his loyalty to her back at the Void Insect Hive. In this timeline, the youth version of Brandon had actually pledged his loyalty a second time.
What did this mean?
Double loyalty?
Seeing this, Xie Bai quickly commanded, "Alright, alright, stand up first... but remember, do not use that condescending tone with me again."
"Understood, Your Excellency."
Brandon stood up and bowed respectfully to Xie Bai. In his movements, Xie Bai saw glimpses of the Brandon from the present world.
"Fine. I'll help out with your Empire's business. But before that, I need to understand the situation."
Hearing this, Brandon immediately replied.
"Of course. Please allow me to explain my circumstances to you."
As he spoke, the shadows nearby condensed into two armchairs and a round table, allowing the two of them to sit.
"First, this all began when I discovered that the Emperor had been bewitched by an Evil God."
"Cough...!"
"What is it, Your Excellency?"
"Nothing. Continue."
Xie Bai covered her mouth and waved for Brandon to keep talking.
"Very well."
Brandon adjusted his collar.
"Because the situation was sudden, and for the sake of the Empire, I contacted two of my close friends afterward to plot this plan together."
As he spoke, Brandon didn't forget to trace routes on the round table.
"Essentially, I was responsible for covertly commanding the Guard to attack the Imperial Capital to draw the attention of the Imperial Defense Force. Then, my two friends were responsible for infiltrating the Imperial Palace to wake the Emperor."
Hearing this, Xie Bai immediately cut him off.
"Wait, explain to me first—what kind of people are these two friends of yours? They actually listened to you and joined a rebellion that easily?"
Faced with Xie Bai’s question, Brandon scratched his head.
"Uh... it's nothing much, really. One is just a warm-hearted Traveler who enjoys wandering through mountains and rivers, and the other is a cold, aloof Alchemist who spends all his time tinkering in his workshop."