He quickened his crawl, the raw edge of the metal sheet grating against his palm. Though it couldn't pierce his skin, waves of stinging pain pulsed through his hand with every inch, a burning protest he ruthlessly ignored.
Time became a blur of scraping metal and aching limbs, until a faint glimmer of light sparked ahead. Daziel's heart hammered a joyful rhythm against his ribs; he knew, with a surge of hope, that his destination was close.
He crept forward with renewed caution, reaching the vent and peering down through the narrow opening.
Below stretched a hall even more cavernous than the basement above, yet the air here felt heavier, more suffocating. Instruments of torture were scattered like grim decorations throughout the space, stark against walls stained dark red with old blood. The stench of iron and decay hung thick and cloying in the air.
Three Aurumaton Gatekeeper paced the perimeter, the whine of chainsaws in their hands a constant, unsettling hum. Red laser beams pulsed from their mechanical pupils, sweeping in silent, relentless arcs across the chamber.
In the heart of the room, a massive iron cage dominated the space. Within its bars, a figure was huddled, face hidden, limbs drawn in tight against themselves.
Daziel's pulse roared in his ears. He held his breath, eyes locked on the huddled figure. Could it be Yukong? Uncertainty gnawed at him, but the burning need to know drove him onward.
He inhaled deeply, gauging the distance, and then, with a surge of adrenaline, he slammed open the vent cover and dropped into the abyss.
"Intruder… detected!" a mechanical voice boomed, echoing through the stillness. "Initiating… Punishment Mode!"
Daziel's sudden descent shattered the oppressive calm of the second basement level like a thrown rock splintering ice.
The Aurumaton Gatekeeper' synthesized voices echoed in the vast emptiness. Imaginary number runes blazed on their chests, spinning in furious circles. The chainsaws in their grasp shrieked into life, a high-pitched whine that grated on the nerves, and crimson lasers flickered, then locked, fixing on Daziel with unwavering focus.
Accompanied by the Sentinels, six Mara-Struck Craftsmanships—Lanternfish Dragons—unfurled their metal wings. A frantic fluttering filled the air as they launched themselves at Daziel, eerie blue flames erupting from their jaws, tracing strange, flickering arcs in the dim light. They moved with a horrifying, unnatural grace.
This deadly duo, Sentinels and Dragons, always fought as one, the heavy blows of the Sentinels meant to control and immobilize, leaving the victim vulnerable to the dragonfish's fiery breath. A brutally efficient synergy.
He couldn't afford to be caught by the Aurumaton Gatekeeper, not even for a fraction of a second. A Trailblazer's legendary resilience would be tested to its breaking point under their assault. He had no desire to be pinioned by those metallic behemoths, let alone be roasted alive by dragonfire. Drawing the Firewood Stick from his back in a blur, Daziel sidestepped the whistling arc of a Sentinel's chainsaw, and in the same motion, swung the crude weapon with all his might, connecting squarely with a Lanternfish Dragon.
"Still as disgusting as you are in the game!" Daziel spat, a snarl twisting his lips.
The Lanternfish Dragon exploded backward with a deafening bang, metallic shrapnel flying, and a plume of acrid black smoke billowing from the wreckage.
The Aurumaton Gatekeeper, however, were a different beast entirely. Their metallic hides were tougher, their health bars, as game logic dictated, significantly thicker. Their programming was single-minded: eliminate the intruder.
Enraged by the destruction of their companion, the remaining Sentinels and Lanternfish Dragons surged towards Daziel, a relentless wave of metal and fire.
For a breathless moment, sparks showered the second basement in a dazzling display, the clang of metal on metal a deafening, incessant chorus.
Daziel fought with a ferocity born of desperation, the Firewood Stick in his hand no longer a mere branch, but a weapon imbued with his will, each swing a thunderous impact.
Finally, after a grueling struggle, he battered the Mara-Struck Craftsmanships into a mangled heap of scrap.
Though Daziel was no novice in combat, Aurumaton Gatekeeper were far from weaklings in the Xianzhou's military hierarchy. Dating back to ages past, these gilded figures had sailed alongside the Xianzhou in the pursuit of elixirs, tasked with overseeing and bolstering human forces in countless battles.
This victory had been hard-won. As the last automaton clattered to the ground, beads of sweat, cold and clammy, beaded on Daziel's forehead. He ignored them, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs.
His focus was fixed on the iron cage, his steps urgent yet hesitant, as if treading on fragile glass, both desperate to reach his goal and terrified of what he might find.
Closer. Closer.
In the dim, oppressive light, the figure within the cage sharpened into focus. Those unmistakable fox ears, that hauntingly familiar pallor of skin…
"Master Yukong!"
Daziel's voice cracked, a raw whisper as he practically lunged to the cage's edge.
Inside, Yukong lay curled in on herself, eyes rolled back into their sockets, face flushed a feverish crimson. Her breath came in shallow, rapid gasps, interspersed with weak, rattling inhalations.
The remnants of her undergarments clung to her form, but livid marks bruised her neck, screaming testament to a desperate struggle.
Ignoring everything else, Daziel ripped the Firewood Stick from his grip and slammed it against the iron cage's chains.
"Open!" he roared, the crude weapon crackling with an unseen energy as it struck.
"Crack!"
The chains snapped, metal shrieking, sparks spitting outwards like angry fireflies.
Daziel wrenched open the cage door, his movements clumsy with urgency, and gently lifted Yukong into his arms.
"Master Yukong! Master Yukong, wake up!" He cradled her, shaking her gently, his voice laced with frantic concern.
But Yukong remained unresponsive, her gaze unfocused and distant.
Daziel held her close. She was feather-light in his arms, her body yielding against his, her legs instinctively twining around his waist. A scorching heat radiated from her skin, sending a fresh wave of alarm through him.
"Master Yukong, hold on… I will save you," Daziel choked out, his voice trembling.
He pressed his fingers to the delicate skin of her neck, seeking the fragile pulse beneath.
Scorching. Erratic. Wildly out of control.
His gaze fell upon a faint, discolored mark on her neck, a telltale puncture wound that hadn't yet faded.
Daziel's hope plummeted, crashing against the bedrock of despair. Yukong's pulse was a frantic drumbeat, terrifyingly abnormal. The situation was far worse than he could have imagined.
Then, a chillingly emotionless voice cut through his panic, echoing directly within his mind.
"Ding!"
"[Scanning in progress…]"
"[Scanning complete!]"
"[Target person detected: Yukong.]"
"[Status: Suffering from internal Fire, vital signs dangerously weak.]"
"[Cause: Injection of an overdose of a classified secret medicine.]"
"[Unknown composition of the secret medicine. System analysis predicts a specialized drug designed to shatter willpower, plunging the target into a state of insatiable desire.]"
"[Warning: If the medicinal effects are not neutralized swiftly, the target will suffer irreversible loss of autonomous consciousness, degrading into a mere plaything driven by base urges.]"
The system's flat, detached tone was like ice water poured directly onto Daziel's soul, extinguishing the last flickering embers of hope.
The nightmare scenario had become reality.
The Aurum ver's Alley Merchant Guild… they were truly monstrous. Daring to assault a Sky-Faring Commission Helmsman!
A crushing wave of guilt washed over him. He felt a brutal responsibility for Yukong's plight. This reckless infiltration plan had been his idea, his initiative.
Daziel's fists clenched, knuckles white, nails biting into his palms until blood welled, a slow, unnoticed ooze.
"System," he hissed, his voice tight with barely suppressed rage. "Tell me. How do I save her?"
"[The method to relieve the effects of the special secret medicine…]"
The system hesitated, a fractional pause that stretched Daziel's nerves to breaking point.
"Speak!" Daziel roared, raw fury ripping through his voice. "Stop dithering!"
"[…Requires completion of a designated task.]"
The system finally delivered the answer, but the words detonated a fresh explosion of rage within Daziel.
"Nonsense! Of course, I know! All you ever have are depravity value tasks. Just spit it out!"
Daziel's voice was a venomous snarl. "In the future, spare me the explanations. When I need it, I'll do it myself. Just give me the task."
In this desperate moment, such agonizing indecision was utterly pointless! Just like Kafka had said, hesitation was a luxury they could not afford.
He felt a chilling understanding bloom within him, the chilling premonition of Elio's prophecy.
The time for justice was now. Even if that justice was tainted, corrupted.
He would not regret this.
If his actions cast a darker shadow upon this world… then let all the karmic weight fall upon him alone.
One day, he would shatter this corrupt, disgusting world with his own hands. But first, he must embrace the darkness. He must become the villain they needed him to be.
This was the grim awakening Daziel now faced.
"[…]"
The system remained silent for a beat.
"[Master, I believe you are… embracing your role.]"
"Enough with the drivel! Task list. Now."
Daziel felt a flicker of irritation. His last instruction, to emulate the "useless" system of Cat's Paw Mao, might have backfired spectacularly. It was still "talking," but now it was verbose, meandering.
Never mind…
It had claimed to be female.
"[Current strategy target: Yukong]"
"[Depravity Value: 0%]"
"[Task: Increase Yukong's Depravity Value to 30%]"
"[Task Reward: Special Body Fluid]"
"[Special Body Fluid: The white turbid fluid you produce can counteract any abnormal conditions on female characters.]"
"[Additional Note: Due to the bonus effects of the special secret medicine, Yukong will gain additional Depravity Value at an accelerated rate during this time.] A fortunate coincidence, perhaps?"
Daziel exhaled a long, shaky breath, a mixture of relief and grim acceptance.
He parted Yukong's pale, alluring thighs, lifting the last scrap of fabric concealing her intimate triangle, revealing the shadowed tangle of blue-green hair…
It was then that he noticed something nestled within Yukong's most private place, something foreign and out of place.
Daziel gently extracted the object, drawing out a fine, sticky strand of white liquid silk.
Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a data storage device, impossibly small and discreet.
What was this…?
Daziel pushed the question aside, shoving the device into his pocket for later scrutiny. Time was bleeding away.
Then, without further hesitation, he positioned Yukong's legs across his shoulders.
Her slender limbs swayed restlessly, an awkward angle, perhaps.
But no time for perfect positioning. Not now. This desperate, unconventional posture would have to suffice.
_____
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