Twelve Titans, Twelve Demigods

Everyone thought that the story on the Sky Screen should have come to an end with Stelle's death.

But the next second, the scene suddenly shifted.

Amid those familiar ruins, blanketed in smoke and dust.

Stelle sprang up from the ground completely unharmed.

The sight left everyone watching the Sky Screen staring in utter disbelief.

Many even cried out, "Is this some kind of haunting?"

She had clearly been confirmed dead just moments ago, with nearly all the blood drained from her body.

Yet now, Stelle did not look injured in the slightest.

She was practically like a brand-new model fresh off the assembly line, brimming with energy.

Stelle blinked and curiously surveyed her surroundings.

Looking at the architectural style in the image, the people of Douluo Continent found it strangely familiar.

The ruined walls and broken structures bore an uncanny resemblance to many buildings on Douluo Continent.

Only, this land had long since become a silent wasteland.

Stelle swept her gaze around and quickly spotted the still-blazing wreckage of the Astral Express in the distance.

A flicker of concern crossed her eyes before she fixed her gaze on a nearby corner.

Dan Heng was slumped against a broken wall, his fate uncertain.

Stelle hurried over, crouched down, and looked at Dan Heng's pale face. She could not help teasing him, "Pretty cool landing pose, buddy."

She reached out to check Dan Heng's breathing and felt its faint but steady rhythm.

At last, the worry hanging over her heart eased.

A memory suddenly flashed through her mind—her first meeting with Dan Heng and March 7th.

Back then, she had collapsed on Herta Space Station, and it was Dan Heng and March 7th who found her.

She remembered that Dan Heng had seemed to want to give her CPR at the time.

At that thought, a seductive voice seemed to ring in Stelle's ears, constantly urging her on: "Go for it!"

That voice was practically a devil's tempting whisper.

After hesitating again and again, Stelle finally leaned down toward Dan Heng, intending to wake him with CPR.

The corners of her lips curled slightly as she muttered softly, "Sorry, Dan Heng."

But just then, Dan Heng, lying on the ground, suddenly replied weakly, "Sorry to me... for what?"

Stelle jumped at the sudden voice.

She jerked upright, panic flashing across her face—the picture of someone caught red-handed doing something bad.

She hurriedly scratched her head and gave an awkward laugh to cover it up. "N-Nothing. Just... sorry I couldn't protect you."

Dan Heng slowly opened his eyes and blankly stared at the lively, energetic Stelle before him.

His eyes were filled with stunned disbelief.

Just moments ago, he had exhausted every means he had and still failed to save Stelle, whose breathing had completely stopped.

How had she become perfectly fine after he had only been unconscious for a moment?

Still, shock aside, seeing Stelle safe and sound finally put Dan Heng's mind at ease.

Supporting his still-dizzy head, he slowly climbed to his feet.

Then, the two of them began investigating the surroundings together amid the ruins.

They also tried sending messages to their companions aboard the Astral Express to let them know they were safe.

But no matter what they tried, the messages vanished like stones sinking into the sea. They simply could not be sent.

At this point, the scenes on the Sky Screen began to speed up, glossing over many details.

In the image, Stelle seemed to hear some strange noise.

So she and Dan Heng set out together, following the sound while surveying the terrain of Amphoreus.

Above them, they saw a massive sphere floating in the sky.

Stelle even took March 7th's camera and excitedly snapped a whole bunch of photos.

Then, following the commotion, the two discovered an argument breaking out in the distance.

A white-haired man in blue robes suddenly rushed out from the shadows.

Without a word, he snatched the bat from Stelle's hand and began fighting Dan Heng.

The bat was incredibly hard, forcibly smashing Dan Heng's spear into two pieces.

Just as the two sides were about to come to blows, with tensions drawn taut—

A little red-haired girl suddenly jumped out.

Frowning, she sternly scolded the white-haired youth dressed in blue and white.

Only then did the conflict finally subside.

Afterward, Stelle and Dan Heng traveled together with these people.

Before long, a massive blue creature appeared on the Sky Screen.

Its body was enormous, standing two or three people tall by itself.

Its neck was long and slender; if one stood atop its head, they could likely see an extremely great distance.

Its four limbs were even more thick and powerful, each one as wide as the waists of three grown adults.

Yet such a colossal creature was merely a mount for people in this world to travel on.

This sight left both humans and Soul Beasts across Douluo Continent trembling in shock.

This blue creature was even larger than an ordinary ten-thousand-year Soul Beast.

If it simply charged forward like that, it could probably easily severely injure an ordinary Title Douluo.

Such a terrifying giant beast was actually just a means of transportation?

It was simply unbelievable, utterly inconceivable!

The scene continued. Riding this Blue Earth Beast, Stelle headed toward a city called Okhema with her companions.

Along the way, Stelle fought alongside her companions and defeated quite a few enemies.

She also met Castorice, and the two joined hands to fight their foes.

After arriving in Okhema, Stelle and Dan Heng temporarily settled down in the city.

While helping the city's residents deal with all kinds of trouble, they waited for a chance to contact the Astral Express Crew.

At the same time, they promised the people of the city that they would never reveal anything about the world beyond the sky.

But things went against their wishes. One time, when Stelle and Dan Heng went out for some fun—

Someone offered to take a commemorative photo for them.

Photos of other worlds in their album were unexpectedly seen by someone else.

Well, that was that. Stelle and Dan Heng had accidentally exposed the secrets of the world beyond their own to the people of Okhema.

The scene abruptly shifted.

Stelle and Dan Heng's hands had already been tightly bound by golden threads.

Words appeared on the Sky Screen, introducing the two people before them.

Standing before them was a stunningly beautiful, romantic, motherly woman.

She wore a lavish gown, and her eyes seemed vacant. Yet once the golden threads coiled around her hand touched someone, they could sense that person's emotions and distinguish lies from truth.

Behind her stood a purple-haired girl.

The girl was also dressed in an exquisite, beautiful gown. With a somewhat vacant look on her face, she was none other than Castorice.

But who could have imagined that this seemingly gentle and harmless girl possessed the terrifying ability to kill with a touch?

Because Stelle and Dan Heng had failed to keep their promise to Aglaea and revealed matters concerning the world beyond the sky.

Aglaea looked calmly at the two and slowly spoke. "I will ask you four questions."

"I will test you with the Four Questions. Answers that go against your heart will make the golden threads tremble, while sincere answers will leave them perfectly still."

"And the number of times the golden threads tremble... will be the number of steps the executioner takes forward."

"After the Four Questions, if she has not reached behind you, then the two of you will have passed the test."

"Otherwise, your journey will end here."

Standing three steps behind Stelle, Castorice still wore that vacant, gentle expression.

In a voice as soft as a feather brushing past, she slowly said:

"You will merely fall asleep amid the gentle fragrance of flowers, without the slightest pain..."

"I promise."

Beneath the Sky Screen, everyone on Douluo Continent who saw this scene could not help but feel their hearts tighten.

If Stelle's answers failed to satisfy Aglaea this time, she would be sentenced to death!

Some people seemed to realize it as well—could it be that...

This little gray-haired girl, like Firefly, had died more than once in Amphoreus?

If that was the case, everyone felt that Tang San was about to suffer another crushing defeat!

"Do we get two chances to lie?"

After hearing Aglaea's words, Stelle secretly glanced at Dan Heng beside her and muttered under her breath.

There was an unmistakable trace of wishful thinking in her tone.

Aglaea's gaze remained steady. "If you regard life as a game, then do as you please."

Dan Heng took a deep breath and reassured her in a composed tone, "No matter what she says, Trailblazer, as long as our consciences are clear, that is enough."

Stelle nodded, seeming to understand.

Seeing this, Aglaea said no more and slowly began, "Then let us begin... the first question."

"Outlanders—why did you come to Amphoreus?"

Stelle's lips instantly curled upward. Her eyes held a hint of provocation, and her tone was utterly arrogant:

"To turn this place completely upside down!"

The moment she spoke, the golden threads tied around her wrist began to tremble violently.

Aglaea remained expressionless, her voice as calm as ever. "Jokes cannot conceal your true heart."

"Opportunities are fleeting. You have already wasted one."

"Second question."

"Outlanders—why did you extend aid to Okhema?"

Stelle's face immediately fell, revealing a disappointed expression.

She closed her eyes and shook her head, speaking with a touch of petulance:

"I regret it. I never should have helped at all!"

The golden threads around her wrist trembled wildly once again.

Aglaea gently shook her head, her tone indifferent. "Anger has consumed you. Count it as one step."

"Third question."

"Outlanders—if circumstances changed drastically, might you turn your blade against Okhema and its citizens?"

Stelle's lips remained slightly upturned as she replied dismissively:

"I use a bat, not a blade."

As expected, the golden threads trembled violently, revealing the presence of a lie.

Aglaea was briefly speechless, her voice tinged with helplessness. "Are you trying to talk your way to your own demise?"

"I can oblige. Count it as one step."

"The final question."

"Outlander—there is an unknown power surging within you... are you willing to use it to help the Chrysos Heirs slay a god?"

Stelle's eyes flew wide open, her face filled with confusion and disbelief.

"You could sense that?"

The golden threads trembled slightly. The movement was small, but it still did not escape Aglaea's notice.

"Answering a question with a question. Strong suspicion, resistance. Count it as one step."

At last, Aglaea's voice carried the coldness of judgment. "The Four Questions are complete."

"The golden threads have exposed your wavering. Unfortunately, neither of you passed the test."

"You may be a hope that has descended upon Amphoreus, but you may also... be a threat to Amphoreus."

"I have no choice but to close the gates of fate upon you."

Dan Heng clenched his fists tightly and growled through gritted teeth:

"Deciding our lives and deaths through a private trial is utterly unreasonable..."

Seeing this, Stelle hurriedly put on a panicked expression and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Someone, save us—"

Dan Heng shook his head in disappointment, his voice full of helplessness.

"Here... probably no one can hear us calling for help."

Aglaea's gaze did not waver in the slightest, and her tone was resolute. "For the Holy City, I am willing to take up every trait the world despises, and employ every cold but effective means."

As she spoke, she turned to Castorice, who stood behind Stelle and Dan Heng, and softly instructed:

"Castorice, grant our guests a merciful farewell."

Castorice slowly stepped forward and stopped before Stelle.

Her voice remained gentle, carrying a soothing reassurance. "There is no need to be nervous..."

Stelle squeezed her eyes shut, her body trembling slightly as she cried out in a tearful voice:

"Don't come any closer..."

Castorice's voice drifted lightly. "Please... relax."

As soon as she spoke, Castorice gently placed her slender, pale index finger against Stelle's pulse.

A trace of icy coolness pierced Stelle's skin, then slowly seeped into her veins.

Castorice placed a second finger there... then a third.

Until half her palm was gently wrapped around Stelle's left wrist.

A faint, unfamiliar floral fragrance quietly flooded Stelle's nostrils.

The scent was cloyingly sweet, with a long lingering finish, gradually making her forget the meaning of breathing.

Stelle quietly closed her eyes, and her vision slowly blurred.

The cold reality was replaced by a dreamlike purple sea—the floral fragrance Castorice had spoken of.

Then, Stelle finally understood...

She was welcoming her own sweet death.

(One more chapter to go, but it'll be a little late...)