Gladiia, Are You Sober? / Imprisoned, But Not Me

However, she was not at peace inside; in fact, she was suppressing her trembling and emotional turmoil when she said those words.

She didn't know when it started, but she had become so concerned about a land dweller.

Even if this person is currently colluding with Seaborn.

If it were the old Gladiia, she wouldn't say a word, nor would she give Bai Ye a chance to explain; she would simply swing her long spear.

The tougher she acts now, the weaker she becomes.

Bai Ye did not struggle at all because of what Gladiia had said. He simply stared into Gladiia's crimson eyes and looked at his own reflection in them.

He shook his head. "Only in this way can everyone be saved."

"Liar!" Gladiia slammed her fist into the wall, leaving a dent.

"You know the origin of the Abyssal Hunter, and you've heard me explain what the Swarm are all about... It's an endless, doomed war. There are four the Firstborn like Ishar-mla, but not all the Firstborn are like Ishar-mla, a solitary individual that can be killed."

"What—" Gladiia had completely lost control of her poker face. Her emotions had been somewhat out of control since just now.

"'The Origin Lifeline,' the culprit that triggered the 'The Great Silence,' another the Firstborn." Bai Ye calmly gazed at the Abyssal Hunter before him and softly spoke, "He is one with the ocean, and unless the sea dries up, there is absolutely no possibility of defeating Him."

"Gladiia, you are waging a war that will never end and is doomed to failure—and the bishops who have used these Sargos technologies seem to be suggesting that the origins of the Abyssal Church may not have come from the land-based nation of Iberia."

"The birth of you hunters..."

"!"

Gladiia quickly came up with another possibility.

Could it be that the Abyssal Church originated from Sargos? And that the birth of the Abyssal Hunter was a lie from the very beginning?

The Sargos leadership concealed the surgical procedure and the truth hidden behind it from the hunters.

Perhaps the Abyssal Hunter were never born as vanguards, guardians, or warriors. They weren't even weapons or tools—at least, that would be beneficial to Sargos. If they were merely sacrifices created by cultists for destruction...

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

"I'm not sure either, but we can find evidence to prove that I'm right, or wrong," Bai Ye said softly.

Gladiia's arm loosened, and Bai Ye slid down the wall and stood on the ground.

The hunter braced herself against the wall, now beginning to doubt the purpose of her past irrational rebellion and all her past actions. Doubt was a dangerous sign, the first step towards her downfall, but Gladiia couldn't stop her thoughts.

Even the strongest and most resilient hunter is still human, possessing emotions and weaknesses unique to humans.

Gladiia's heart was as hard as steel, but her heart was also soft.

"Therefore, I must reconcile with the Swarm. The Abyssal Church will never understand that their target has long since changed. Skadi is not Ishar-mla, but the Firstborn in me."

"Gladiia, I probably don't need to teach you. Figuring out who the enemy is and who the friend is is more important than simply wielding a weapon."

Chapter Thirty-Eight Gladiia, Are You Awake?

"Then how can I ascertain your true purpose? Are you human now? Or the Firstborn? Which side are you on? The Swarm? Or... us?"

Gladiia looked at Bai Ye and pressed for an answer.

"Both," Bai Ye said firmly, "But no matter what, I will always stand by your side."

Bai Ye has been asked this question more than once.

He is Players, and also a native.

She is Great Beast, and she is also human.

He was the Firstborn, and also a hunter.

In order to change the fate of the two planets, Bai Ye cannot completely side with either side; he must learn to maintain a balance.

At the same time, he cannot fall down, cannot be overwhelmed by the pressure from both sides, and he cannot lose.

He must continue fighting like this until the very last moment.

Bai Ye reached out and pulled the Gladiia up, then stared at the hunter and said, word by word, "I said, the fate of the Abyssal Hunter will be changed by me."

"Specter's, Skadi's, and... Yours Gladiia."

"The answer can only be found in the depths of the ocean, at the source where Seaborn are born."

"We cannot let the Abyssal Church get its way. There are no winners in the battle between the Hunters and the Seaborn; it will only allow the Abyssal Church cultists to succeed in their conspiracy."

With that, Bai Ye placed the long spear in Gladiia's palm. "If you're worried."

"Then keep your eyes on me, just like you said before."

"If you think I'm colluding with the Abyssal Church, if you think I'm lying, if you think I'm no longer on the side of humanity, then kill me with this weapon."

"..."

Gladiia gripped the long spear tightly in her hand, raised the weapon, and aimed the sharp tip of the spear at Bai Ye's chest and heart.

She could hear the sound of a heartbeat. Even though Bai Ye had been inhabited by the Firstborn, his body hadn't mutated; he was still human. Human weaknesses still held true.

If you stab hard enough to pierce the heart, Bai Ye will die.

But at this moment, Bai Ye straightened his chest, met her gaze firmly, without wavering or backing down.

This is the second time.

This is the second time Bai Ye has given herself the choice, just like the last time, in the hospital room.

"Oh..."

With a long sigh, Gladiia suddenly put down the weapon in her hand and carried it back on her back.

"I will keep an eye on you," Gladiia said, "But until that day comes, I will fight alongside you. My blade will be your blade."

"The blood of us hunters also flows in your veins— Abyssal Hunter, we are all connected by blood."

Gladiia truly accepted Bai Ye.

No matter how heretical he may be, or even if he is not Aegir.

However, it's not a big deal, after all, there seem to be only a few left who can be called companions.

Even Sargos, her homeland, was shrouded in gloom in Gladiia's heart.

"Phew—" This time, it was Specter's turn to breathe a sigh of relief.

She certainly didn't want her captain to fight with Bai Ye.

This outcome seems to be a win-win situation for everyone.

However, Skadi suddenly puffed out her cheeks. "It feels like... there's one more?"

"What's extra?" Laurentina was taken aback at first, then realized what was going on.

"No way..."

She knew what kind of person her captain was, and it was hard to imagine that the captain, whose expression would not change even if the sky were to fall, would become a different person.

"At that distance just now, if they weren't fighting, they would have been kissing." Skadi seemed to have a strong obsession with French kissing.

"Uh—" The shark seemed to be seeing Skadi for the first time, "You actually thought of these things? This isn't like you!"

"Who do you think it is because of?" Skadi glared at Specter.

"It's not entirely my fault... cough cough." Laurentina's tone was a little unnatural.

Although Bai Ye did not refuse, it was indeed she who took the initiative.

"Well... it doesn't matter anyway." Skadi shrugged, glancing at Bai Ye and Gladiia not far away. She suddenly laughed.

That might not be so bad.

Anyway, Abyssal Hunter, connected by blood.

The hunters and Bai Ye packed their things and prepared to return to Saltwind City. Bai Ye's Plasma Cannon had completely destroyed the church and the underwater cave below.

In addition, the Terrorfish developed by Quintus Bishop, as well as the converted inhabitants of Saltwind City, were all vaporized by the Plasma Cannon.

There is no need to stay here any longer.

It's time to prepare to return.

Fortunately, while the bishop was caught up in his smugness, Bai Ye had already emptied his laboratory, which might indeed yield useful clues. Furthermore, with the help of the First Spokesperson, Bai Ye wasn't worried about losing his way in the investigation.

Rather, he was so eager to pull all these bishops out.

However, this will take time. Hunters need patience to catch their prey. Moreover, Quintus Bishop's death is not entirely without impact—although he has been completely reduced to carbon and will not reveal any secrets about the Bai Ye and the Hunter, his death will make the other Deep Sea Bishops more cautious.

Bai Ye was pondering, Gladiia, who was walking beside him, suddenly spoke up, "Why did you stop the attack from the First Speaker for me earlier?"

"You should know that even if I were pierced through the chest, I wouldn't die."

Upon hearing Bai Ye, Bai Ye lowered his head and looked at his right palm.

In the seabed just now, Bai Ye blocked the First Speaker's attack for Gladiia —the forelimb that was originally going to pierce Gladiia's chest was blocked by Bai Ye's right hand.

In his palm, there was almost a hole pierced through it. Later, he rubbed the plasma with his right hand, and the high temperature scorched the wound, making it even worse.

As for why he went to block that attack?

Bai Ye didn't seem to care much. For him, shielding a teammate from a fatal blow to prevent casualties in battle was a perfectly normal action for Players.

"I don't know, my body just started moving on its own. Maybe I don't want Skadi and the shark's captain to get seriously injured?" he said jokingly.

However, Gladiia turned to stare at Bai Ye and pressed him down again. "This is no joke."

"Now you represent more than just yourself. If something happens to you, nobody knows what will happen to Ishar-mla."

"You don't need to take the risk for me."

"Moreover, I could have dodged that attack; I deliberately didn't."

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Imprisoned, But Not Me

Bai Ye had no idea whether Gladiia was just being stubborn or emphasizing something.

Moreover, Bai Ye felt that Gladiia seemed very strange today; she shouldn't be so emotional normally.

It's like a switch has been flipped, making me extremely easily excited.

Where did the original poker-faced, icy beauty go?

Be normal.

Bai Ye silently pulled Gladiia's hand off his collar. This is the second time today. Don't think you're so great just because you're tall.

Then, Bai Ye looked at her coldly. "Stop taking yourself so lightly... Don't think we can't see your outrageous self-destructive tendencies. Do you think you're about to become Seaborn, so it doesn't matter what happens to you?"

"I didn't," Gladiia denied vehemently.

She looked toward Skadi and Laurentina.

However, she was met with evasive glances from Skadi and Laurentina.

Clearly, these two people didn't believe it at all.

For a moment, Gladiia didn't know what to say, and she fell silent.

"Whatever you want."

Gladiia avoided their gazes as if fleeing, and walked ahead on her own.

Bai Ye, Skadi, and Laurentina exchanged a smile and then followed.

Bai Ye was not only met with Gladiia's doubts.

The Abyssal Hunter and Bai Ye will also have to face questioning from the Inquisition.

Yes, it's that Iberia Grand Inquisitor, Lord Dario, who had a brief encounter with Bai Ye before.

He and the young judge, Eirene, were already waiting on the hunter's inevitable path.

In fact, Bai Ye had already realized this. He could have led the hunters to avoid the Grand Inquisitor and leave Iberia directly.