As a villain, he could do whatever he wanted.

Page 48

His body was covered in wounds, mostly remnants from the previous battle. They weren't too deep, but they were enough to show how intense the battle had been.

Looking further down, you can also see the silver-white magic sword stuck in the thigh.

At this moment, the sharp blade was still deeply embedded in Lius's flesh, from which streams of bright red blood flowed, mingling with the surrounding mucus to create a bizarre scene of black and red.

Logically speaking, anyone would feel fear and anxiety in the face of such a predicament.

However, looking at Lius, one could see that he had maintained a calm expression before losing consciousness, seemingly unconcerned about his situation, or rather, displaying an attitude of complete confidence.

However, only he could sense this attitude for the time being, because on Lius's shoulder, Miss System was anxiously shaking his body.

"Host! Wake up! Host! Answer me! Don't die!"

Clearly, Miss System was unaware of Lius's composure; she was simply shaking the boy's shoulders with a flustered and worried expression, trying to wake him up.

Under the System's actions, the surrounding blood became increasingly turbulent, mixing with the mucus and merging into it.

"boom……"

As the blood continued to mix, the surrounding scene gradually trembled, as if some catalyst had been triggered, causing the magic permeating the surrounding air to react.

"Um……"

At the same time, the black-haired woman in the middle in the distance seemed to suddenly sense something. She blinked for a moment, let out a soft hum, and then her eyes flashed with a dark light.

"Monster...monster..."

Bathed in light, the black-haired woman turned and looked up, her gaze meeting that of Lius, who was suspended in the air. As if drawn by something, she emanated an almost desperate hostility.

"She is..."

Staring at the woman on the ground, the system was stunned for a moment.

Before she could react, the light in the woman's eyes suddenly intensified, enveloping the entire library. At the same time, the black viscous liquid that permeated the surroundings also fluctuated violently, surging and churning underground like molten lava.

Looking further at Leus, one could see that the mucus mixed with blood had become hot and pulsating, like ants drawn to honey, constantly surging towards Leus's bleeding thigh, almost greedily drawing it from it.

"what!!!"

At that moment, under the astonished gaze of the system, the woman in the center of the rotunda suddenly opened her eyes wide, raised her head, and opened her arms covered in mucus. Her expressionless face changed, and she began to scream hysterically.

"A monster...a monster!!!"

"What on earth is she doing..."

Feeling the vibrations in the surrounding space, Miss System stared blankly at everything, and at the same time noticed that there seemed to be tiny cracks appearing on the pillars of this underground library...

------

"Hmm? You mean... offerings?"

In the ward, listening to Lia's words, Diana quickly turned around, looking surprised as she heard the girl's deduction.

"Yes, they were sacrifices used as materials for casting spells! Weren't these villagers located at the center of the array? That is, the place where materials for casting spells are usually placed when the array is activated."

Lia nodded vigorously, a mixture of tension and emotion on her face, as she continued to explain to Diana, following her own train of thought.

"...Those black-robed nuns used some unknown method to infect the villagers with abnormal magic, causing the magic within their bodies to go berserk. They then used an array to absorb the villagers' rampaging energy. Once enough was absorbed, a large amount of magic would gather inside the church, activating the magic array and achieving their goal."

“But… even so, why do this? Those formations should just be defensive runes. Even if they are activated, they will only defend the area around the church. What’s the point? Why do something so thankless in this small village…” Diana said, frowning.

“I don’t know either, but… Leah has a feeling that this matter is very important and extremely dangerous. Ms. Diana, we can’t stay any longer. The formation could be activated at any moment. We must let my brother know immediately…”

"boom!"

Just as Lia and Diana were discussing, a violent tremor suddenly came from the floor around them, interrupting their conversation. Then, a series of booming sounds came from underground, like thunder, plunging the entire village into a deafening state.

“Ah… this is…”

Affected by the tremors, the two quickly grabbed the railing to avoid falling to the ground. Feeling the booming sounds in their ears, Leah gritted her teeth and barely managed to lift her head, looking through the window at the source of the tremors—the small church on the edge of the village that they had been discussing.

Leah was stunned.

"The church... has collapsed..."

In the distance, the small building that once stood on the ground has disappeared, replaced by a sunken area.

A violent tremor surged from beneath the earth, tearing apart the stable land and carrying its sound all the way to the tranquil starry sky.

The sheer power of the scene was overwhelming, causing the distant cliffs to sway precariously, and the rivers on both sides to rush downstream as if fleeing this breathtaking spectacle of cataclysmic destruction.

Upon closer inspection, one can also detect the black viscous liquid seeping from the cracks.

Even when blended into the darkness, the black liquid, shimmering with light, remained strikingly conspicuous.

A viscous substance as tall as a building rose from below, resembling a small castle or a ferocious dragon soaring into the sky. A plump, black-haired woman stood at the highest point of the solution, expressionless and shrouded in black smoke, displaying her earth-shattering tyranny in this small village.

"Ah...what's going on...is it an earthquake?!"

"Help...help me...has the gods appeared and come to save us...?"

"Waaah... Mommy, I'm so scared... Waaah... Don't leave me..."

Seeing this scene, chaos erupted in the room. Even Diana, who was usually quite calm, couldn't help but freeze in place, not understanding what was happening. She just opened her mouth in shock and stared at everything in the distance in disbelief.

As for Leah, she also blinked in shock, but compared to the fear and shock in her heart, at this moment, she was more concerned about something else.

"My elder brother went to the church before..."

Such thoughts lingered in the girl's mind, and suddenly her heart tightened, causing her to swallow slightly, having already decided on her next move.

"Ms. Diana, you brought a teleportation scroll with you before you left, right? Find a way to get the villagers away from this place, quickly."

Turning to Diana, Lia tied her long hair up and fastened her long top to her belt. With a capable demeanor, she gritted her teeth and strode forward, stepping towards the outside amidst the trembling of the ground.

"Hey! Where are you going? What do you want to do!"

Seeing Leah leave, Diana called out to her repeatedly, but Leah waved her hand behind her.

"Lia... needs to go rescue her brother. He's still there. Lia has a feeling he's in trouble and she has to rush over to help."

"Go help? Don't be ridiculous! We don't know anything about that monster, but it's obviously impossible to defeat. If you go there now, are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

Diana frowned and scolded, even losing some of her usual composure as a noblewoman, while Lia shook her head slightly, her eyes showing fear, but her determination remained unchanged.

“Lia knows that the monster is difficult to fight, but even so…Lia can’t abandon her brother. Ms. Diana, you should leave quickly. If something really happens to Lia and her brother, please tell the others what happened here.”

"Are you trying to make me escape alone?! Damn it... Why did this happen? Where did this monster come from? Was it summoned by some kind of formation? And you actually want to fight it all by yourself? What can a common girl like you do? With your pathetic magic? Besides, you don't even have a weapon!"

"As for weapons... I have them."

As Lia spoke, she pulled out a walking stick from the side. It was the village chief's "clothes rack" from before, which Lia used to support her body as she slowly walked forward.

"This is enough. Although it's not exactly a wand, it can still be used as a medium to release my magic. My mother, Annie, also taught me many spells to protect myself. I can teleport a certain distance. Although I'm not very proficient yet, it's enough for me to protect myself. I'll come back as soon as I find and rescue my brother."

"You...you really want to go and die?"

"It's not about going to my death, it's about saving my brother," Lia explained.

"What's the difference between that and sending someone to their death? Is that young master really that good? Is he worth risking your life to save?" Diana said, frowning.

“Of course, it is very important. In Leah’s heart, her brother is one of the most important people. Her brother also cares about Leah, as well as you, Ms. Diana. If any one of us were to switch places with her brother, he would also do his best to come to our rescue. For this reason, even if Leah is willing to risk her life, she will save her brother.”

With that, Leah stopped arguing and tied her cane around her waist. While resisting the surrounding vibrations, she hopped across the rugged terrain and ran as fast as she could towards the church.

"Damn it... Is this girl out of her mind? She's actually putting so much effort into that wicked young master, and she even says he cares about me too..."

In this critical situation, Diana's lips twitched incessantly, instinctively wanting to object in her heart.

However, for some reason, at this moment, the blonde woman was inexplicably moved. She pondered Leah's words again and suddenly felt a sense of loneliness.

“This young girl said… if she were in danger, Lius would definitely come to her rescue, and that might indeed be true. But if I were in danger, would that young master really come to my rescue…? Doesn’t he just see me as a plaything? Would he risk his life to rescue me for my sake…?”

Imagining that scene, Diana pursed her lips and finally shook her head.

“No… he wouldn’t. Even though he’s very kind to Lilith, he might not be able to do as much for me. I’ve always had to rely on myself, whether it’s taking care of the family or raising my daughter…”

As she was talking to herself, another tremor interrupted Diana's untimely thoughts.

Looking at the patients lying on the hospital beds around her, barely clinging to life, and recalling the image of Leah bravely rushing out earlier, she gritted her teeth and took out a scroll from her bosom.

"Let me help that girl one last time. I'll spend a teleportation scroll, otherwise, if word gets out about what happened here, it will give me a bad reputation."

Convincing herself in this way, Diana unrolled the scroll, set the range, looked at the crowd around her with expressions of despair, took a deep breath, and pressed the scroll to the ground.

"Teleport!"

As she spoke, a flash of white light appeared in the surrounding space, then filled the entire house. In just a few seconds, the room was empty, leaving only lingering smoke and dust in the sound of the wind…

Chapter 87 My Adopted Sister in a Dream (Part 1)

"..."

Opening his eyes, he saw a pure white, unfamiliar ceiling. For someone who was previously unconscious, the initial reaction would be that he was lying on a hospital bed, facing the bright white light above his head, waiting for a beautiful nurse to come and treat him.

However, as for Lius, he was well aware of the predicament he had been in before he fell into a coma, and it was absolutely impossible for him to escape so easily. This was also not a place where he could let his guard down.

"Is this...a dream?"

After blinking, he stood up from the ground again, looked down and frowned as he examined his body.

My mind was clear, and my eyes were sharp; I didn't have that hazy feeling I usually have when I dream.

"Um……"

After some consideration, he ultimately used a more traditional method to confirm the current situation.

"Pinch~"

Hesitantly pinching his skin with his fingers, Lius felt no pain, but instead felt his steps become lighter.

Looking down again, I found that my feet, which were originally standing on the ground, had turned into the shape of mochi dumplings. My whole body had changed into a semi-floating state, floating in this white space. The pointed white "tail" was swaying back and forth below, looking somewhat playful and cute.

"Hey... this kind of performance is way too traditional... have I turned into a ghost...?"

For a moment, Leus really felt like he had arrived in heaven, but when he looked around more carefully, he saw another figure, which dispelled his original doubts.

"Is that person over there... Leah?"

Gazing at the white-haired girl standing on the ground in the distance, whose face he couldn't discern, Leus blinked slightly. Filled with doubt, he began to walk forward, eventually reaching Lia.

With each step he took, Leus felt his body swaying unsteadily, while the scenery around him constantly changed.

The space rippled, gradually changing from its original all-white tone to a courtyard with smoke rising from chimneys, then to a fortress with imposing military equipment. When Leus stood in front of Leah, the surroundings transformed back into the Fren Manor, allowing Leus to face the white-haired girl in this familiar environment.

"If Lia is here... So, this is one of my dreams... But why am I suddenly having a dream, and why is this dream so real? Could it be that I was also influenced by that monster lady... I must investigate this thoroughly after I wake up."

As he observed the ever-changing scenery around him, Leus nodded thoughtfully, his heart filled with not only astonishment but also a deep sense of bewilderment about his own situation.

Just then, seemingly noticing the puzzled look on Leus's face, Lia blinked slightly and spoke slowly in a tone that conveyed no particular emotion:

“Brother, now is not the time.”

"Hmm? This isn't the right time... What are you talking about, Leah?"

Even knowing he was in a dream, Lius still instinctively asked a question in response to his sister's nonsensical words.

"Now is not the time for you to meet me... I'm sorry, I accidentally dragged you into this. I shouldn't have put you in danger. I didn't expect you to come here to investigate... I'm sorry, brother, I've hurt you again..."

"Lia, what's wrong with you...?"

Faced with Lia's urgent words, Lius blinked and was about to take a step back when he suddenly noticed that his hands were being held tightly by Lia's two small hands, which were wrapped together, making it impossible for him to escape immediately.

"..."

Although Leah did not show any obvious expression on her face, her body revealed an uncontrollable passion for her brother in front of her.

As if venting inner emotions, beneath the cold exterior lies an undisguised, passionate heart.

"Leah..."

Faced with Lia's actions, Leus, who was initially a little flustered, felt somewhat relieved.

At least he could confirm in his heart that Leah was still the little sister who loved him, and this had not changed even in his dreams.

However, what puzzled Lius was that if he looked closely at the girl in front of him, he could sense a subtle sense of distance beneath her enthusiastic gestures.

Well... it's as if Lia is intentionally controlling herself, not fully releasing all her emotions. At the same time, there's a sense of composure and sorrow in her eyes, as if she has experienced many years of hardship, which have washed away her original innocence, leaving only a sense of vicissitude that belongs to an adult.

"Brother..."

Holding Lius's hands tightly, Lia's arms trembled slightly, as if she wanted to express something further to Lius. However, in the end, she shook her head slightly, looked at him with a somewhat worried look, stared for a few seconds, and then turned her gaze to the pure white sky.

"Your body is starting to react, which means... you're about to wake up, right?"