Chapter 170

"After the pursuit through the Backwater Pass failed, I and the wanted 'outsider' were somehow taken to the Underworld. Forced by circumstances, we formed a temporary alliance and together helped the residents of the Underworld solve some... survival problems."

"... Go on, I'm listening..."

"We also defeated an ancient machine called Svarog and learned some truths... the truth about the 'Stellaron'."

Click--

The pristine white paper suddenly twisted, Cocolia, without batting an eye, tossed aside the crumpled document and gestured for her to continue.

"Mother! No, Lady Cocolia... You've always known the truth about the Stellaron, haven't you? I'll come into contact with that knowledge someday. One of the prices to pay for becoming a 'Guardian' is to forever bear these secrets."

Bronya took a deep breath, mustered her courage, and spoke aloud the confusion and anger that had been weighing on her heart all along:

"So... forgive my bluntness, but I believe ordering the extermination of the outsiders was the wrong choice. The Architects have waited for centuries to resolve the problems caused by the Stellaron, and these few might just be—"

Bang!!! What interrupted Bronya's speech this time was the vibration caused by a fist slamming hard onto the table. The huge mahogany desk was dented, causing Bronya to take a few steps back in fear.

"Enough! Arrogance, ignorance... You have disappointed me, Bronya."

Cocolia's face revealed an expression of anger that Bronya had never seen before, and her delicate and beautiful eyebrows twisted into an ugly contortion.

She slammed her hand on the table and stepped closer to the cowering Bronya, hurling urgent and angry words at her daughter who dared to question her.

"You've only glimpsed a corner of the snow-capped mountain, yet you think you've seen the truth. You only got splashed with mud on the lower levels, and you dare question my orders? You understand nothing, know nothing, yet you dare to draw arbitrary conclusions based on a one-sided impression..."

Thump. Bronya, her back pressed against the door, had nowhere left to retreat, while Cocolia's words continued to assail her mercilessly like swords.

"What kind of bewitching potion did those damned outsiders give you? Damn it, those vile and wicked scumbags, I should have killed them myself to avoid any further trouble."

Cocolia's seemingly muttered words appeared to completely enrage the cowering Bronya.

"No, Mother, you're wrong—they're not mud! My origins, the things you never told me... I remember them all now. I won't run away anymore, Guardian! Please stop giving me vague excuses."

Large tears rolled down her cheeks. The girl's tears and hysterical screams silenced Cocolia's anger. A moment of clarity appeared in her eyes, and she instinctively reached out to wipe away her daughter's tears.

"... Speak, what exactly do you want to know?"

The hand that was halfway out was ultimately withdrawn.

Cocolia backed down a bit, composed herself, and calmly watched Bronya's tears.

"Then tell me what Mother saw. What are you hiding? Why did you send the Silvermane Guards to their deaths in the Fragmentum? Why did you abandon the people of the Underworld? Why... have you kept me in the dark all this time!"

Bronya, sobbing, wiped away her tears with her sleeve and stared intently at Cocolia's face with reddened eyes.

"Come on... then let me tell you..."

It wasn't the kind of sharp, ambush-like movement that made people feel threatened; rather, it was more like the gentle tone of someone approaching a friend.

Bronya's head suddenly throbbed with pain, and her mother Cocolia's voice was no longer familiar, replaced by a distant and hollow sound... Precisely because she sensed no malice, Bronya was caught off guard and unable to defend herself.

The mother's gentle voice in my ear carried a seductive quality.

Unbelievable ramblings.

Irresistible, irresistible.

My mind went blank, I couldn't think, my thoughts were about to break down and surrender to the seductive voice...

"Lady Cocolia! Here are your documents—ah, I'm sorry."

Just then, like a gentle breeze, Bronya's chaotic thoughts were instantly dispelled. Cocolia, who was about to succeed, was furious and turned to look at the young man at the door.

"Who allowed you in?"

"I've already knocked on the door several times, Lady Cocolia..."

The silver-haired youth lowered his head as if shrinking back in fear, quickly placed the documents in his hand on the floor, and retreated.

The atmosphere in the room hardened again. Knowing that the same tactic wouldn't work, Cocolia rubbed her temples, stepped back to her desk, gazed at the sky outside the window, and said to Bronya,

"I'm sorry, Bronya, I lost my composure... I knew this moment would come eventually... I just didn't expect it to come so soon. You want to know what drove me to issue those orders... right? You feel ready to uncover the truth?"

"Hmm... I'm ready... Mother."

Bronya, her eyes already showing wariness, nodded.

"Then go have lunch and get some rest. Be in my office promptly at 2:30 PM. I'll tell you everything... It's time you heard His voice."

Cocolia snorted in dissatisfaction and waved Bronya away.

Chapter 208 Cocolia: When did my daughter become so alluring?

Bronya bowed her head to say goodbye to her mother, maintaining a calm expression, then turned and pushed open the door to leave.

The moment she left the office, the burden on her mind and body vanished, and the eerie babbling that had been echoing in her mind subsided. "Ha... ha..." Bronya braced herself against the corridor wall, her entire back drenched in cold sweat, gasping for breath as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

If there had been prior precautions, this outcome might have been avoided. But that person was her mother; what daughter would be wary of her mother?

Yes, that's precisely why what truly chilled Bronya was the malice her mother conveyed. Her mother didn't trust her, and even considered her an enemy for the sake of the Stellaron.

Why? Aren't we mother and daughter, bound by a deep bond? The dual burden on her mind and body was overwhelming. She felt so lost, so confused, and wanted to burst into tears... Just then, someone handed her a clean white handkerchief.

"My timing was perfect. Are you alright?"

The voice, identical to the one she had heard just before her thoughts were about to go blank, pulled Bronya back from her struggle. "Thank you," she whispered, taking the handkerchief Bai Jun offered her.

"If one person can't do it, then two people should share the burden. It's very painful to bear everything alone—haven't I told you that before?"

Bai Jun shook his head and comforted Bronya again with his previous words until her pale face gradually improved and she smiled at him. Only then did Bai Jun raise the corners of his mouth.

"That's right, there's no need to be so polite with me. That's what a true companion is all about."

"Yes, I understand, Bai Jun."

Bronya's cheeks flushed slightly. She quickly wiped the cold sweat from her face with a handkerchief, then, citing "this is not a suitable place to discuss this further," she led Bai Jun away from the deserted corridor and began exchanging information.

"My mother said that this afternoon..."

"I know, the loud argument in the office just now could be heard even through the door."

Bai Jun heard the change in the sounds inside the room, which prompted him to impulsively use the "Beautiful Youth" effect for the first time. He casually grabbed a handful of documents from the charming office worker who was passing by, and barged into the office under the pretense of work.

As it turned out, his judgment was correct.

During his sudden intrusion into the office, Bai Jun clearly sensed that unknown, peculiar energy... There was no mistake, it was definitely the aura of Stellaron, a fact Bai Jun could determine based on his numerous interactions with Stellaron.

"So what should we do, Bai Jun?"

Bronya gripped the sleeve of her coat tightly, glancing instinctively at Bai Jun. Whether she realized it or not, her focus had gradually shifted to Bai Jun, and a hint of dependence and longing crept into her bewildered voice.

"Let's inform them about this first. As for what happens this afternoon... I have my own plans."

With a slight smile playing on his lips, Bai Jun quickly made a decision. He first instructed Bronya to share the information with the members of Wildfire, informing them to also begin their operation. Then, with a malicious grin on his face, he pulled a small object from his pocket under Bronya's watchful gaze.

"Huh? Is this really okay!?"

Bronya's eyes widened after hearing Bai Jun's plan, and she unusually displayed a rude attitude. "Don't worry, I won't use this trick unless it's absolutely necessary." Bai Jun nodded reluctantly in response.

Then, the agreed-upon time arrived in the afternoon.

Cocolia was already waiting in her office chair... Correction: ever since her big argument with Bronya, she hadn't left the office. She only had a few sips of coffee for lunch, and spent the rest of her time spacing out and thinking about certain things.

She stared down at the photo frame in the desk drawer, her eyes flickering with uncertainty and struggle—it was a childhood photo of her and Bronya.

Thump thump thump--

She heard a knocking sound at the door.

Cocolia immediately put the photo frame back in the drawer, tidied her appearance, and said calmly, "Come in, it's alright."

Good afternoon, Mother.

"You've arrived, Bronya... huh?"

Bronya gently pushed open the door, placed her hands on her lower abdomen, and bowed gracefully and dignifiedly to greet her. Cocolia looked up from the documents in her hands, froze when she saw her, and the words caught in her throat.

The Bronya before me had simply changed into her usual uniform, yet she seemed to have undergone a transformation. It wasn't just a change in clothing, nor was it simply a matter of makeup; it was more like a change that came from within... How best to describe this subtle change?

It was as if she had lost some of that anxious urgency and gained an air of poise and composure, and... she was strangely charming.

Even Cocolia couldn't help but glance at her daughter's aloof and elegant demeanor a few more times, until Bronya, standing opposite her, showed a slightly embarrassed expression and softly said, "Mother, why are you staring at me?" Only then did Cocolia snap out of her daze.

"No, it's nothing, you look adorable today."

Cocolia's words made Bronya's lips twitch. Seemingly realizing her lapse in composure, Cocolia coughed a few times and quickly changed the subject.

"The reason I called you here this afternoon is simple. Didn't you want to know the truth I've been hiding from you all this time? I thought about it for a long time and felt it was necessary to respect your true feelings, after all, you're all grown up now..."

Cocolia walked towards the door, and just before she reached the door frame, the figure with her back to Bronya paused briefly before continuing to speak.

"If you're truly prepared, then come with me."

After leaving those words, Cocolia walked away, heading straight towards a certain location.

Bronya, sighing to herself, seemed deeply weary as she shook her head and rubbed her forehead. Finally, she turned around and followed Cocolia's retreating figure.

The sky was cloudless, yet it was unusually cold outside.

Although the city of Belobog is equipped with Geomarrow lamps to maintain a temperature within a tolerable range for humans year-round, once outside the Belobog gates, the outside temperature drops drastically once the warm currents are removed.

Bronya followed Cocolia to the city first, receiving countless flowers and adoration from the citizens along the way. The noisy cheers, like the chirping of sparrows, spread from all around, a situation Cocolia was already used to.

She responded to the cheers of the citizens with a smile and calmly crossed the city's main avenue.

Cocolia was heading to the front lines of the Fragmentum, where the Silvermane Guards was stationed.

More precisely, it is the area further north of the Silvermane Guard Restricted Zone, a place called Everwinter Hill —a Eternal Freeze far north, an ancient battlefield that no one except the Supreme Guardian has been able to set foot on for centuries.

"Bronya, you once asked me what the Stellaron really is. Now I'll answer you. From the moment the extraterrestrial invaders arrived before the Eternal Freeze, this world was already condemned to death. It was the Stellaron that gave us a glimmer of hope."

After entering the Backwater Pass, Cocolia, who had been walking ahead, recounted everything that had happened without turning her head.

"The first Guardian once led an army to fight against extraterrestrial invaders, but the Antimatter Legion from another world were tireless. She soon realized that flesh and blood could not possibly contend with such a terrifying enemy. In near despair... she chose to turn her gaze to the 'Stellaron' and made her first wish—to summon Eternal Freeze."

Cocolia suddenly laughed, but the suppressed laughter sounded mocking.

"Isn't it ridiculous? The Eternal Freeze that brought a thousand years of suffering to Belobog was brought about by the first guardian, Alisa Rand, who is regarded as a hero. And after she used the power of the Stellaron to suppress the invaders, her first priority was to study how to suppress the Stellaron."

Bronya remained silent, listening quietly.

"There is no right or wrong in this world, only human arrogance and shortsightedness. They burned their lives to continue this civilization, then fell into silence, their Remembrance scattered by the wind and snow, bringing with them a disaster that transcends time. Even in the thousand years after their deaths, the harm caused by this Eternal Freeze has intensified, until now there is no hope of saving them."

Having sat in the position of Supreme Guardian for so long, she had witnessed countless tragedies for which she was powerless to help. Even the "Preservation" that Belobog still sings praises of, has He ever truly looked upon the suffering of humanity? That is nothing but the Architects' self-righteous delusion.

The Geomarrow's energy will eventually run out, the city's ever-growing population will eventually become the straw that breaks the camel's back in terms of food security, and the permafrost outside the city will further isolate any plans for outward expansion.

Cocolia knew better than anyone that Belobog was simply dying a slow death.

Regardless of who comes to power or what measures are taken, as long as the Eternal Freeze persists, Belobog's fate is sealed.

As for the research and development of suppressing the Stellaron? Cocolia once had such aspirations, until she discovered that the device currently used to suppress the Stellaron was still the same equipment she bought from the company a thousand years ago, and her last thought was extinguished.

What is the point of a plan that has made no progress for nearly a thousand years? In a fit of anger, she banned all research related to the Stellaron, including but not limited to dismissing Serval, shutting down her laboratory, and disbanding her research team.

Even though it caused a falling out with her best friend, she didn't care at all.

Before they knew it, they had reached the last stretch of the journey before Everwinter Hill.

As the Corridor of Fading Echoes deepened, the surrounding air grew increasingly cold and desolate, and a bleak metallic rust smell filled the nostrils. The low groans and hisses that had been lingering in the mind gradually became clearer, accompanied by intense dizziness.

Faced with such an environment, Cocolia not only did not feel uncomfortable, but her soul burned even more intensely.

Compared to the more magnificent existence in the starry sky, a thousand years is but a fleeting moment, and the achievements of a tiny race are utterly insignificant.

Since this world is destined to perish, Cocolia will never repeat the mistakes of the former Supreme Guardian, walking down a dead end and wallowing in self-pity.

If persisting is destined to be futile, then choose a fresh start.

That's right, end the dying struggle of the old world and become the god of the new world!

Cocolia suddenly grabbed Bronya's hand and led her toward the white light not far away—the exit of the Corridor of Fading Echoes.

"We've arrived, Bronya."

Suddenly, everything opened up before my eyes, and the scene that came into view was pure white. Everything was covered by wind and snow. On the desolate hillside where no one could be seen, there were dilapidated buildings, mechanical wreckage of unknown origin, and Fragmentum Monster frozen into ice sculptures.

Stepping into a world shrouded in wind and snow, the howling of the gale fills the air.

Bronya seemed to be shielding her face with her hand because of the dazzling sunlight reflecting off the snow, but out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of a pair of dark purple eyes staring at her with great enthusiasm.

Bronya, have you ever thought about a world without poverty, cold, and suffering; a world where people no longer have to plead for survival like prisoners; a world we can protect forever?

"... I'm looking forward to it too, Mother."