CHAPTER 310: CHAPTER 310 PUNCTURE

Yu Sheng fell beside a pillar, feeling the blood and vitality gradually flowing from his body, while the "Artificial Saintess" pressed heavily on him, like a lifeless block of iron, motionless.

A low, chaotic noise emanated from the metal shell of the opponent, sounding like some critical component was in its final idle after severe failure, and some viscous liquid, like blood plasma, slowly seeped from the gaps in her outer shell, carrying heat and corrosion, exuding a metallic texture, mixed with a suspicious dark red.

Yu Sheng tried hard to push, barely pulling the two blades that pierced him from his body, but he was unable to push the now entirely lifeless shell of the opponent off himself.

"Hey, really dead?" He gasped, looking at the motionless Iron Puppet, saying skeptically.

This fearsome and persistent enemy, after confronting it so many times, he almost believed it was unkillable, yet unexpectedly, she was lying in front of him now, looking as if she’d never move again.

Yu Sheng shook his head, feeling dizzy, and couldn’t help recalling the previous broken fragments he had read from the "Consciousness" of this Iron Puppet through blood connection, feeling even more bewildered.

After resting there for a moment, Yu Sheng sighed softly.

Dead is dead, it’s inevitable, maybe he’ll die in a while too, after this death, it’s about time to end everything here.

Thinking of this, he again struggled to lift his arm, wanting to push the "body" of the Artificial Saintess off himself.

Flesh supporting metal, blood mixing with "mud."

Suddenly, a fuzzy voice, as if drifting from the depths of distant memories, surfaced in his mind—

"...You’re meant to be someone important, remember to come home and visit then..."

Yu Sheng suddenly froze.

While pondering the source of the voice in his mind, he just realized his fingers inadvertently touched the dark red "blood plasma" seeping from beside the pale face of the Artificial Saintess.

...Dead Communication?! Does it work on this "Artificial Saintess" too?!

Before he could think further, he felt his vision suddenly blur, followed by the descent of a black and white gray world into his sight.

However, unlike previous Dead Communications, what he saw was not the scene of this "Holy Coffin Room"—the black, white, and gray world expanded fiercely, a fully unfamiliar scene covered the surrounding reality, breaking into his vision, like... falling into an almost real Dream Realm.

He saw a vast wheat field.

Immense plains, distant rolling mountains, rivers quietly traversing the wilds, and those calm and peaceful villages scattered across the wilderness.

The sound of swinging a stick came from behind, sounding very close.

Yu Sheng turned back somewhat startled, seeing the surrounding scene ripple like mist, changing continually, he noticed a large tree had appeared behind him at some point, in front of the tree stood a stake, and a girl who looked about eight or nine years old was standing at the stake, intently swinging the stick in her hand, using the stake as a target, honing her "swordsmanship."

Several figures, tall and short, watching, seemed like older boys and girls surrounding the tree, watching the little girl swing the stick, some cheering, others encouraging, some shouting loudly about going home for dinner.

Yu Sheng frowned, subconsciously stepping forward, but the tree disappeared abruptly, leaving a thin mist floating, on the path in the wilderness, Knights in cloaks were galloping on horseback through the village roads.

"Border conflict intensifies! Demon attacks worsen! The Saint calls for more brave and righteous warriors to receive the ritual, and gain glory!"

The Knight shouted loudly on horseback, his luxurious cloak, and the majestic armor beneath the cloak making people envious.

Envoys ran between villages, conveying the teachings of the Saint, bringing the Saint’s blessings.

The land is barren, but the Saint can make even barren land grow enough wheat to fill everyone, knowledge is precious but the village church teaches every child to read and write for free.

Yu Sheng traveled through scenes of illusions.

The eight or nine-year-old girl grew to eleven or twelve, her rough practice stick became a decent-looking wooden sword—although still wooden, at least it had a proper hilt and guard, the father used an old knife to carve it under an oil lamp, making it a birthday gift for the girl.

Her two older brothers were very envious, but they did not have the Talent of "Selection," so they could only be envious.

A neighbor’s eldest brother was chosen, becoming a glorious Knight, going with the Envoy to the capital, reportedly going to be sent far, far away, returning only after a long time, he wore splendid armor as dazzling as gold when he left, the exquisite and majestic armor left people in awe.

"Being a Knight, you can send back two hundred francs a year to your family, equivalent to five strong laborers," the mother calculated under the oil lamp, she had also studied in the church earlier but couldn’t further develop her Talent, now she can only be a literate farmer, "you not only have a Knight’s Talent but also a Saintess’s Talent, if chosen for a sacred duty, you can send back eight hundred francs a year..."

The father was unhappy with the mother’s calculation, they argued, not knowing what they were quarreling about.

The twelve-year-old girl diligently practiced "swordsmanship" every day, practicing with neighbors’ brothers and sisters or studying knowledge from the church together.

Several crops of wheat matured, several trips from the Envoys.

Yu Sheng crossed a fragment of mist, seeing luxurious carriages stopped in open spaces, villagers bowed their heads in awe, and not far off, a majestic steel structure floated in the sky.

Another group with Talent was taken, most had the Talent to become Knights, and two girls were reportedly able to become Saintesses.

The Envoys came and went.

The Minstrel also came and went.

The Minstrel was actually more interesting than the Envoy—they brought many stories from afar, and all were stories young people loved to hear.

About demons beyond the border, about the great Holy Army, about those upholding justice and defending the Kingdom—the Saint leads the army outside the Civilized World against those mad dark chaotic creatures, they build high walls surrounding one Kingdom World after another, and it is under this Protection that the wheat field can mature again and again, the wilderness can be peaceful and calm.

The wooden sword turned into an iron practice sword, and then became a real steel sword.

At sixteen, the girl began to patrol the wilderness with the older boys and girls from the village, eliminating any beasts that might threaten the village, as well as the weak monsters that, for some reason, always emerged from certain "nests".

Finally, the envoy came again.

"This one, this one, and this batch over here, they’re all ready, come with us—you have been blessed."

So, the girl and the boys and girls boarded the carriage together.

She brought with her the treasure sword her father had commissioned at a high price, and two sets of new clothes sewn by her mother.

"... You are going to become someone significant, remember to come home and visit once you’re there..."

Her mother leaned against the carriage, holding her hand, and said.

"No need to send all your earnings back; take care of yourself first. Your dad and I have harvests at home, and your two brothers are pillars of the family."

She added.

The carriage set off.

After leaving the wilderness, the carriage was replaced by a magic-powered cart.

The ride was comfortable, with soft cushions and a kindly old envoy who shared many intriguing stories of distant lands with the young boys and girls who had just left home behind.

Yu Sheng stood in the swaying carriage, watching the young boys and girls gather around the lights, eagerly discussing the future, glory, and their hometown, watching the mist rise and dissipate.

"This is the sword my father had made for me, and I’m skilled in swordsmanship!" The girl, who had already become a swordsmanship expert, said proudly to the "envoy" receiving them at the entrance of a grand, palace-like building, "I also know about herbs and arithmetic!"

"Very well," the envoy told her, "Put your sword in this box over here, along with these clothes. You can’t bring too many personal belongings during the promotion ritual, but rest assured, they will be handed back to you when you return — your swordsmanship will be of use."

Then, the young boys and girls went inside, into that grand palace, walked through a long corridor, with the envoys guiding them gently, letting them lie on the ritual platform. In the haze, they heard the envoys’ instructions—

"This batch, send to the transformation room.

"These few, send to the regeneration room.

"These... take them away.

"This one has great talent — send to the extraction room, the success rate is high."

It seemed like all of this happened many years ago.

The girl became the Saintess, and the boys and girls from her hometown became knights, forming an enviable team — like minstrels sang in stories, during the day, they marched onto the battlefield, bravely fighting against heretical evil, defending justice and the people. In the night, they returned to the sanctuary, with endless glory and grace awaiting them.

The days thereafter were full of glory.

The days thereafter were full of glory.

Full of glory.

Glory...

Glo&%￥￥#!!!

Mist rose like smoke, and then everything fell into darkness, a black and white gray world echoed with a whistle and a sharp, seemingly implanted alarm buried deep within some underlying system—

"Mind barrier critical! Cognitive mask breached! Warning, mind barrier critical! Immediately shut down the..."

Yu Sheng just found this alarm sound irritating. He waved his hand in the darkness, and the noise abruptly stopped.

Then he glanced around, only seeing deep darkness, without exit, with only chaotic mist floating in his view.

But gradually, a beam of light appeared in the mist.

A figure stood in the light.

A gallant lady, clad in bright armor, with golden hair draping over her shoulders, holding a sharp sword — the last gift her father gave to her — stood not far away.

She looked dazedly at Yu Sheng, then lowered her head, looking at her body.

Black metal rapidly covered the layer of bright armor, the sword silently shattered, and her fingers transformed into sharp blades.

Cognitive mask breached, teetering on the verge of madness, memory conflict and logic conflict surged like a tidal wave. She raised her head, seeming to want to reach out this way — seeking help? Or just unconsciously trying to grasp onto something before her body fell?

Yu Sheng did not know.

The darkness shattered, and the last memories of the dead vanished into eternal peace.