CHAPTER 666: CHAPTER 663: THE END

This was indeed a trial.

But should things really turn into such a melodramatic mess?

At this moment, a multitude of thoughts invaded Ronald Lick’s mind—games, novels, movies... Although they varied in type, the stories often shared a common thread: companions turning on each other over interests after defeating enemies.

Just now, the cooperation between Jani and himself had been nothing short of perfect.

And now, a temptation lay right before him.

What would the outcome be?

Ronald grew wary, then silently counted the four grenades left in his hand, beginning to devise a battle plan.

Meanwhile, standing on the iceberg, Jani genially placed the crossbow arrow on the ground and picked up the circular gemstone in front of her.

"..."

The girl’s gaze lingered thoughtfully on the object for a few seconds.

Then she looked up again at Ronald on the opposite side,

"Yang, I know what you’re thinking."

"After having just gone through that ordeal, it’s perfectly understandable that you’re on guard."

As Jani spoke straight to his thoughts, Ronald responded with a sheepish smile, scratching his head,

"You know, I’m after all in a ’trial’..."

"Yes, you are in a trial," Ronald’s voice tapered off as Jani picked up where he left off, "So—what do you think now?"

"The treasures hidden within the ruins are now in our hands, and the enemies we encountered have vanished with the surrounding environment. Yet despite being the one undergoing the trial, why haven’t you left this place?"

"..."

Ronald fell silent.

Jani had hit the nail on the head.

Why hadn’t he shown any sign of departing, despite the destruction of the trial’s setting?

There were two possibilities—

One, Ronald had to personally obtain the circular gemstone that Jani held in her hand.

Two, the trial concealed even deeper requirements, so despite the circumstances, Ronald still couldn’t leave.

At this very moment,

The conflict on Ronald’s face mirrored the struggle within.

Jani on the other side was more straightforward; she held up the circular gemstone and waved it at Ronald, then bluntly stated,

"Old Yang, let’s be upfront with each other."

"I’ll ask you a question, and your answer will determine who gets this thing—let me make it clear that getting it could give me the chance to take your place in leaving this trial."

Taking his place to leave the trial...

At this moment, what Jani said openly implied far too much.

But Ronald did not lose his composure; perceiving the emotion in Jani’s tone, he nodded seriously and replied,

"Go ahead and ask, I’ll answer truthfully."

Jani continued,

"Old Yang, the situation is clear. The success or failure of this trial affects which one of us will vanish with this world. Under that premise, if you successfully complete this trial and return to the outside, what do you plan to do?"

"Do you intend to limit the spread of Spells as much as possible, as you said before, or do you have other plans?"

"..."

Ronald pondered seriously for nearly a minute, then repeated a passage that had once made a deep impression on him:

"This matter is related to Wisdom."

"No matter what you are studying or contemplating, always ask yourself—what are the facts, and what truth do these facts uphold.

Never allow yourself to be swayed by what you prefer to believe or what seems beneficial to society if believed by others. Simply examine what the facts are."

"..."

"Russell, huh..."

Yani blinked, taking a few seconds to realize that what Ronald had said was one of Sir Russell’s famous quotations from a video recording.

Strictly speaking, Ronald had not directly answered Yani’s question.

But he had used this quotation to emphasize his intention to seek truth from facts, to make decisions based on the actual situation, a spirit he wished to convey.

Yani was very clear in her mind that the quotation had a second part.

It was about love—

"Love is wise, hate is foolish.

In this increasingly interconnected world, we must learn to be tolerant of each other.

We must learn to accept the fact that there will always be people who say things we don’t want to hear; only through this can we possibly coexist. And if we wish to live together rather than perish together, we must learn such tolerance and forbearance.

Because they are absolutely essential for the survival of mankind on this planet."

Just as Ronald had responded.

Yani was silent for a long time.

However, her subsequent reaction was still beyond Ronald’s expectations.

Just receiving such a response, Yani tossed her hand high into the air and then threw the ring-shaped gemstone in Ronald’s direction.

"..."

Ronald didn’t even react at first.

Only when he saw the ring-shaped gemstone twinkling under the starlight on the surrounding lake waters flying toward him,

did he realize—

Yani had already made her choice within this simple dialogue.

Ronald Lick moved two steps to the left and then reached out with both hands toward the falling gemstone.

Snap—

His two hands firmly cradled the ring-shaped gemstone against his chest.

At the same time, Ronald also realized that Yani’s words were not empty.

Strictly speaking, the function of the ring-shaped gemstone was not to grant immortality but to fulfill the user’s deepest desires after the sacrifice of someone else’s life.

Like Airen before,

holding a grudge against the ice ruins, he immediately obtained the power to destroy the place after sacrificing Ai Wei, and further enhanced his physical abilities as a mercenary.

And if it were Yani...

Having learned that this trial was a false construct, with her intense inner desire, it was possible that she could take Ronald’s place and leave this trial world by sacrificing him!

"..."

Yani actually gave up such a thing?!

Ronald immediately looked up towards the opposite side, wanting to ask Yani for the reason behind her choice.

But on the floating ice opposite,

The girl’s actions once again exceeded all of Ronald’s expectations.

At the same moment Ronald caught the ring-shaped gemstone,

Yani was already half-kneeling on the ground, having picked up the crossbow arrow she had set down, and was now aiming it at her own throat!

"What a pity, old Yang."

"I got this thing, yet the trial still hasn’t ended."

"It seems that the only way to pass this trial brought by the ’Divine Comedy’ is this one..."

"Yani, don’t do this! There might be other ways!"

Ronald shouted loudly as he rushed towards Yani.

But the moment he leaped into the cold lake water, the girl on the floating ice opposite gave him a hopeful smile:

"Yang, Poet Dante was the first poet of the new era and the last poet of the old era. And I—will be the first person you met in this trial, and also the last one."