Chapter 162: Persecuting He Kate is Addictive

Chapter 162: Persecuting Hekate Becomes Addictive

Yi Fengchu merged with his past reflection and immediately checked what items were hidden on his person.

Through the phone's explanation, he learned that the staff carried by the Prophet was an S-grade Fate Domain artifact forged from his own snake fangs and scales, named the "Oath-Gambler Silver Staff." Anyone struck by this staff would be forced into a wager based on luck with its wielder, where the loser's fortune would be entirely transferred to the winner.

In short, it was practically tailor-made for a Fate Domain Ability user, allowing Yi Fengchu to become luckier with each battle while his enemies grew increasingly unfortunate—until, in the end, they might trip over their own feet and die on the spot.

Beyond that, the white cloak draped over the Prophet, the pocket watch hidden in its inner pocket, and the magnifying glass were all high-grade artifacts: the B+ grade Nightmare Domain "Dream-Tailor's Cloak," the A grade Time Domain "Clock of Reversal," and the A+ grade Secrets-Peering Domain "Lens That Pierces Fog."

One could say that while the Prophet appeared simply dressed and unadorned, his entire body was literally draped in artifacts. If a Peering Domain Ability user happened to pass by and glance at him, they’d likely see a dazzling array of colors—specifically, every imaginable shade of black—emanating from the various Domain powers.

Amidst these priceless mystical artifacts, Yi Fengchu also pulled out something entirely out of place from the depths of his pocket—a palm-sized, ordinary wooden toy train.

Ah, this was meant for Bryce...

Yi Fengchu’s expression grew complicated as he stared at the tiny train in his palm for a long moment before sighing and placing it beside the carousel model the Prophet had been fiddling with earlier.

The door opened and closed, leaving the bedroom empty.

Only the carousel continued to spin and jump on its circular platform, the gears emitting soft, rhythmic clicks.

Yi Fengchu stepped into the garden for some fresh air, strolling along the flower-lined paths under the moonlight, the snow-white hem of his cloak fluttering like a flowing stretch of moonlight.

Beneath the bright silver moon, he raised a hand midair, his fingertips lightly plucking at the threads of people’s fates, weaving a melody inaudible to ordinary people.

Through the fates of the servants and guards, Yi Fengchu traced back, following the fluorescent traces Hekate had left in their eyes for surveillance, until he located her true form.

In an instant, Yi Fengchu saw where Hekate was.

She existed—in every inch of this territory.

Hekate’s divine form resembled either fireflies or luminescent moss, but regardless of which, both were organisms with an extraordinary capacity for propagation.

In the nearly twenty years since meeting the old duke, Hekate had patiently rooted herself deep into this land—ensuring that every clump of soil concealed glowing green vegetation, every brick and tile glistened with faint fluorescence.

She hid within every blade of grass, every brick and stone, and perhaps even within the wind and rain, her roots hidden from sight.

Yi Fengchu turned to gaze at the splendid ducal manor—it was no exception.

Within the pristine, fairytale-like walls of the estate, beneath the sky-blue spires, Hekate’s presence was everywhere!

The long-vanished duchess, who everyone said had disappeared, had in truth never left the ducal manor, never strayed far from her "home."

From beginning to end, she had watched her husband and children up close, watching over their growth in her own peculiar way…

Yi Fengchu grasped Hekate’s threads of fate. Compared to an ordinary person’s, hers were far more numerous and intricate, countless faintly glowing green strands intertwining and tangling, making it impossible to comprehend all the information of her fate at a glance.

If an ordinary person’s fate was but a shallow ripple, a babbling brook, then an Ability user of Hekate’s caliber had a fate like a raging tidal wave, surging forth with overwhelming power.

—Yet even this tidal wave could not resist being held in the palm of the Lord of Fate.

A wrist-thick silver snake silently slithered down from his shoulder and sank its fangs into the center of Hekate’s threads of fate. A sound like a snapping string echoed along the river of fate, sending violent ripples outward.

Hekate had no time to resist. The thin layers of moss spread across the land instantly withered, their glowing surfaces dimming into lifeless, faded vegetation.

Yet this was not the end.

The moment Hekate’s presence vanished entirely, it was as though an invisible brush swept down, adding a stroke of vibrant green over her divine form.

The power of 「Remolding」 spread through the dream of the painted reflection, resurrecting the "Hekate" who had died in the dream, bringing her back to life in the blink of an eye.

Yi Fengchu: "…"

He was baffled. Even though the mother was the source of the painted reflection’s lifelong nightmares, the very being it feared and longed to escape, why did it still diligently resurrect her reflection in the dream?

It was as though, even knowing it would be burned, it refused to leave the flames that brought it misfortune.

Not satisfied with this, Yi Fengchu killed Hekate in various ways again.

Before her second death, Hekate had already realized that some irresistible force held murderous intent toward her. Some of the glowing green dots burrowed into rivers, others hid within clouds—yet all were instantly annihilated by fate-manipulating means.

For her third death, Hekate took humanoid form, attempting to swap identities with her "eyes" and hide among the many subjects in the territory. But her high-grade lantern-shaped artifact, the "Rebirth Furnace," suddenly malfunctioned without warning, the flames rebounding and consuming her vitality.

For her fourth death, Hekate abandoned her own body, stuffing her fluorescent essence into an ordinary wild rabbit. Yet during the most vulnerable phase of assimilation, the rabbit panicked and fled into the woods, dashing its head against a tree trunk and dying on the spot—taking Hekate’s primary consciousness with it.

Then came the fifth, sixth, seventh deaths…

Standing under the moonlight, Yi Fengchu’s golden eyes unfocused as they gazed into the distance, and he couldn’t help but marvel.

This was actually rather fun.

He even felt an impulse to keep watching Hekate flee for her life, to see what other unusual deaths she could achieve…

But the foundation of the world began to tremble in layers, like the rumbling groan of a colossal machine on the verge of collapse, bringing Yi Fengchu back to reality.

With regret, Yi Fengchu withdrew his hand and sighed. "No more playing! Any more, and the entire dream will shatter…"

His current goal was to turn the painted reflection against Bishop Longinus and help it escape his control—not to repeatedly provoke disasters in the reflection’s dream until he was kicked out entirely, forcing him to begin anew…

Thus, controlling himself, Yi Fengchu clenched his fist, suppressing his urge to play, and seriously analyzed the earlier phenomenon:

"All this time, we’ve overlooked one thing—this is the painted reflection’s dream. Since it’s a dream, logic and facts don’t always matter. To some extent, they yield to the dreamer’s subjective impressions."

"As long as the dreamer subconsciously believes that 'Hekate' is invincible, unkillable, and that her schemes will always succeed, then Hekate truly is undefeatable here."

Even if the dream was invaded by external forces, even if Yi Fengchu could kill Hekate countless times, another "Hekate" would simply rise again in the painted reflection’s dream—this was virtually one of the dream’s fundamental rules.

"So, Hekate isn’t the opponent I should be focusing on. Given her tier, she’s not even qualified."

Yi Fengchu murmured thoughtfully, "The one I should be dealing with is the dream’s true master—the dreamer itself—and the unshakable impressions embedded in its subconscious…"

As a juvenile false god, Yi Fengchu didn’t hold much hope that the painted reflection could actively break free from Longinus’ control. But at the very least, in this long-standing nightmare, couldn’t it stop stubbornly working against itself?

After a moment of contemplation, Yi Fengchu turned and returned to the ducal manor, knocking on Bishop Eric’s door.

It was late, and the elderly Bishop Eric was already preparing for a peaceful slumber.

Thus, the old man who appeared at the door looked weary, his gaunt frame draped in a loose sleeping robe, a bulbous, jellyfish-like nightcap perched atop his head.

Squinting, the old man studied the mysterious midnight visitor with puzzlement, recognizing that Yi Fengchu seemed to be a powerful Ability user.

Hmm, quite a high tier… perhaps even higher than His Holiness the Pope, whom he’d once had the honor of meeting…

Heh, this seemingly young and handsome man at the door might very well be far older than him!

"A startling realization dawned on Bishop Eric's mind as his hand, which had been casually gripping the doorknob, unconsciously loosened and fell awkwardly to his side. 'Good evening, sir. May I ask who you are?'

'I am also a guest of the duke. You may call me "Prophet,"' Yi Fengchu replied without hesitation, flashing the bishop a faint smile. 'Tomorrow marks the Harvest Season—a festival that draws crowds, I hear. This will be your twentieth time presiding over the ceremony, is it not?'

'Y-yes, indeed.'

The elderly man was baffled, unable to discern the intentions of this unfamiliar powerhouse. He could only nod blankly, his nightcap bobbing like a jellyfish.

'I have an interesting proposal,' Yi Fengchu said with a smile, leaning slightly forward. The shadow he cast over the drowsy old man exerted subtle pressure, causing Eric to widen his eyes and listen nervously.

The mysterious visitor’s tone dripped with mischief, as though sharing a prank with a companion, revealing a youthfulness that matched his appearance:

'Isn't it dull to have the same ceremony every year? For this year’s festival, Bishop, would you be open to a completely new way of opening the event?'

Bishop Eric, a playful old man, brightened at the idea. He found the idea genuinely intriguing—a perfect way to surprise everyone—though he maintained a composed exterior.

Cautiously, he inquired, 'What do you have in mind?'

'As it happens, I do have a plan...'

With a wave of his hand, Yi Fengchu manipulated the flow of time, creating a bubble of stopped time around them. He then detailed his scheme before smiling faintly. 'What do you think?'"