Chapter 259

The beast wasn't hungry, so it wasn't in a hurry to devour her.

But she knew that how much time she had left was completely out of her control. A ferocious beast could devour her at any moment.

A strong sense of crisis weighed on her, and she almost felt suffocated.

"What's wrong?" Efnir stared at Majian, then suddenly chuckled softly, "Have you discovered something?"

Their eyes met briefly, and Majian hurriedly looked away, staring intently at the silver ring in her palm. Cold sweat almost soaked through her clothes, and for the second time in her life, Majian felt an immense sense of powerlessness, as if she were not in control of her own destiny.

This is clearly an Apostle Beacon; what else can you glean from it?

No, it should be said that Efnir's goal was for her to see something...

"This... looks familiar..."

This statement is neither too strong nor too weak, but rather ambiguous, "Somewhat like that of Apostle..."

"The Apostle Beacon?"

Efnir smiled, and a flash of white light appeared. A long spear was already positioned between Efnir and Majian, its tip just piercing through Majian's finger and the ring. The sharp blade almost pierced Majian's brow.

The sharp aura that rushed towards her stung Majian's cheeks like needles, and her heart felt as if it had been violently clenched. She stared stiffly as the spear tip was pulled away from her eyes, then floated up lightly, and the ring was easily flicked away and fell into Efnir's hand, leaving Majian's fingertips with only a tingling sensation.

The spear turned into stardust and slowly dissipated. Majian shifted his gaze to Efnir.

This was the first time she had seen Efnir in her full Synchronization state up close. Her shrunken body looked like a middle school girl, with moonlight-like silver hair that reached her waist. Efnir's appearance was very different before and after Synchronization, but her heterochromatic eyes, like the starry sky, remained captivating.

"It's very hard, unlike ordinary metal. It might really be Apostle Beacon."

Efnir gripped the ring, giving a serious evaluation.

Maybe?

Majian's cheek twitched almost imperceptibly for a moment, but she didn't speak.

"Oh, by the way, I wonder how much you know about the Apostle?" Efnir suddenly turned her gaze over again.

"Apostle ..." Majian tried to appear calm, fidgeting with her fingers as if deep in thought, "They are combatants under a mysterious organization, possessing similar abilities to agents..."

Before Majian could finish speaking, Efnir interrupted her, "That's not what I want to hear. Aren't these all intelligence reports released by the Human Federation?"

Majian looked aggrieved. "But I've never had any contact with the Apostle..."

"No? Oh, there wasn't one..."

Efnir smiled and tilted her head, staring intently at Majian, making Majian feel a chill run down her spine. "You have the scent of Apostle on you. I thought you had a close relationship with the Apostle."

The pointed remark made Majian's heart skip a beat, and she unconsciously tensed her neck.

"H-How could this be... I'm the agent, I've always been the agent. Efnir, don't you know Raven? She can testify for me..."

However, Efnir remained silent, her faint smile lingering, her calm gaze revealing a chilling indifference that penetrated to the very core of her being.

Silence.

Silence again.

The hot breath made the back of his tongue dry, Majian moved his throat stiffly.

What exactly is this fear...?

Her breathing became uncontrollable, and panic and fear crashed against the dilapidated old dam like waves crashing one after another. Majian tensed her body to keep herself from trembling uncontrollably.

Odor?

She unconsciously twitched the tip of her nose.

The scent of Apostle? Do I really have any scent on me? That's utter nonsense.

Perhaps Efnir simply wanted to hear a different answer, or perhaps she already knew her identity and was just waiting for her to slip up so that she could have a plausible reason for everything she was about to do? After all, even Efnir had to consider the consequences of killing an agent, right? But if the agent who was killed was actually an undercover agent sent by the Apostle Organization, then Efnir would have no such scruples.

But is that really the case? Majian had a big question mark in her mind.

The soldiers who defend the city may not necessarily get the best outcome.

For criminals, the punishment they face for surrendering themselves and those who flee and are arrested is undoubtedly different before overwhelming evidence breaks their resolve.

Efnir pursed her lips, taking in every subtle expression and movement of Majian.

In her opinion, Majian was almost at its limit.

Efnir was waiting, waiting for Majian to reveal everything—just as Majian had guessed, Efnir had no evidence that Majian had any affair with the Apostle, and therefore she was hesitant. Efnir was not as skilled at interrogation and extracting information as the Bushiyuan Plains, and even if Majian was really a member of the Apostle Organization, Efnir did not have enough confidence to break through her disguise.

Therefore, she was waiting, waiting for the right moment to enter, to constantly put psychological pressure on Majian in her own way, to confuse reality with illusion, and to make Majian reveal her weaknesses. Of course, the agent's willpower far exceeded that of ordinary people, and Majian's fear of Efnir was not enough to crush her—but with the Collapse Shard present, all of this had to be questioned.

The Fragment Radiation had already invaded her body while Majian was undergoing Synchronization. According to reports from the Underground Research Institute, the Fragment Radiation not only interfered with the agents' normal thinking abilities, but also amplified their emotions, such as joy and sorrow, anger and fear, without filtering.

All Efnir has done is plant a seed of fear in Majian's heart and wait for it to sprout, and so far it seems to be working.

Just then, a call broke the silence between them.

"Senior... Senior Majian... are you here?"

That was Violet's voice.

12. The power granted

Violet's voice drifted from afar; she seemed to be searching for Majian, but Violet didn't know Majian's exact location, nor did she know that Efnir was here.

"Did you call her over?"

Efnir gazed at the Majian with interest, rubbing it in her palm; very faint scratches appeared on the surface of the ring.

The Apostle Beacon and the Agent Beacon are very similar in some ways, using the same manufacturing technology. Similarly, as a product of Ruins Technology, the Beacon is far more durable than any material that can be manufactured by current human technology. The only two things that can destroy the Beacon are the Order Force and the Corruption Energy.

In less than ten minutes of contact, Majian truly felt a deep-seated fear of the girl before him. The composure on his face had vanished completely, replaced by bitterness and timidity.

She instinctively replied, "I... I didn't..."

"Is that so?"

Without commenting, Efnir slowly put the cleaned ring on her left index finger in front of Majian, which surprised Majian.

She opened her mouth, but seeing Efnir's scrutinizing gaze, she swallowed her words back.

"Are you planning to keep watching me like this as the captain?" Efnir tossed her silver hair back, the stardust dissipating. She dispelled her Synchronization and returned to her normal appearance, still wearing a cool smile. "--Is your successor still looking for you?"

"Senior Majian... where are you?"

There was a hint of urgency in Violet's voice; as she moved further away, she seemed to be planning to search elsewhere.

"She might have something urgent to discuss with you," Efnir said.

Majian stared at Efnir, unable to discern her thoughts, and could only steel herself, turn around, and forcefully reply in a voice trembling with nervousness, "I'm here..."

"Senior Majian!"

Violet's voice sounded both excited and relieved. Then came the sound of footsteps.

Majian remained standing still, because Efnir continued to stare at her with that ambiguous gaze, her eyes constantly shifting between the ring and earring on Efnir's fingers.

"By the way, do your descendants know your secret?"

What secret?

Efnir didn't say.

But Majian felt her heart suddenly clench, and she subconsciously pursed her lips.

"She... they know nothing..."

She felt more flustered than ever before, completely disoriented, and these words were tantamount to a confession.

Efnir gazed intently at her.

A brief silence fell between them again. Then, Efnir walked towards her. In those few steps, each footstep seemed to pound on Majian's chest, making it hard for her to breathe. Efnir stopped in front of her, and she watched, her neck tense, as Efnir slowly raised her hand.

A tight grip on her neck, a delicate fragrance wafted over, and Efnir grabbed her collar. Majian bit her lower lip hard, almost drawing blood, cold sweat streaming down her cheeks as she stared straight ahead without looking away.

A faint fragrance emanated from the person before her, filling her nostrils. At this distance, she could clearly see the clear yet cold, deep starlight in Efnir's right eye, and her long, curled eyelashes like raven feathers. This person was indeed beautiful, but it was precisely because of this that she was so terrifying. A mountain-like sense of oppression came from all directions, and every inch of air became as icy as an Antarctic iceberg.

His heart was racing, Majian could almost hear the rattling of his teeth.

But the expected pain did not come. Efnir simply straightened her collar and then very considerately took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from her forehead and cheeks. Her movements were so gentle that they did not seem like those of an agent who had been fighting against the Erosion Entity for many years, but rather like those of a considerate and gentle older sister.

The Majian remained frozen, not daring to move or even breathe.

"What are you nervous about?" Efnir smiled inexplicably. "A senior should act like a senior. Don't make a fool of yourself in front of the juniors."

If it weren't for the lingering indifference in Efnir's eyes, Majian would almost have mistaken the person in front of her for someone very gentle.

Sure enough, Efnir's next move sent her tumbling into the ice cave.

"We might be spending a considerable amount of time together going to go. Of course, you have to listen to me," Efnir gently brushed a stray hair with sweat from her temple behind her ear, leaned down, and lowered her voice. "You can only say what I tell you to say, and you have to do what I tell you to do. You have no right to disobey me. In return, I will keep your secrets, and your life—tell me, can you do that?"

Grow numb.

The calm and gentle voice touched her ears, but it did not evoke even the slightest thought of resistance in her heart.

She nodded eagerly, a gesture that seemed to bring Efnir satisfaction for the first time.

"Very well, let's continue our conversation later."

Are there still any left?

Majian pursed her lips and simply replied softly, "Mmm..."

Looking at the subtle curve of Efnir's lips, indescribable emotions rose in Majian's heart. She knew very well that from now on, she would no longer have any room for self-selection in front of this person.

This feeling is hard to define; it's like water that's been stirred up and made muddy.

She felt a void in her heart, which was then filled with fear, but now she couldn't figure out what to do next.

Just then, the footsteps drew closer, and Violet's figure appeared in Majian and Efnir's field of vision.

"S-senpai?"

From afar, Majian spotted Makan's extremely unnatural expression. Then, her gaze shifted to Efnir, who was inexplicably there and incredibly close to Majian. Violet paused, startled, and instinctively stopped in her tracks.

The fleeting, eerie atmosphere between Efnir and Majian made her suspicious, but the distance between the two people bothered her even more.

Although Majian is usually approachable and easy to get along with, she never lets others get too close to her.

This Efnir...

"That... Violet?"

Majian spoke first, breaking the brief silence between the three of them. She had already put on her usual carefree smile. She secretly glanced at Efnir, pretending to be calm, but this extremely subtle change in her eyes was clearly imprinted in Violet's eyes.

"Did you... find anything? You weren't in any danger, were you?"

Normally, Sumire would probably be overjoyed by Majian's concern, but now her heart was only focused on that subtle look in his eyes. Moreover, Majian usually didn't hesitate when speaking, and that fleeting glance concealed an indelible panic and confusion, as well as—a question.

No... it wasn't a question. Senior Majian was the one who adopted a humble posture. Her gaze towards that woman was filled with an ambiguous plea, as if that woman were a high and mighty queen.

"Seniors... what are you... doing?"

Violet's voice was a little off-key, and she clearly saw a hint of panic in the eyes of the usually calm and reliable senior Majian, before glancing at Efnir once more.

"We didn't do anything..."

The Majian answered.

13. Stay

Perhaps because it had rained yesterday, the night in Xijing City looked exceptionally clear.

In late autumn, each rain brings a slight chill to the air.

In Efnir's room, Yukina had already draped a light coat over her shoulders. She sat upright at her desk, as if she were in class, intently reviewing the documents in her hands. The cool night air brushed against her nose, and the lamplight cast shadows that stretched out the window, reflecting the faint moonlight.

She had been sitting there alone for almost an hour, her desk piled high with reports, contract copies, and even some internal meeting minutes and ledgers that she had obtained from Huachao Cai that day. These were undoubtedly important documents for the Huachao Consortium, but they posed no challenge to Huachao Cai.

It's unclear what Huachao Cai's motivation was, but she didn't resist Yukina. Instead, she cooperated fully, even setting aside her status as a wealthy heiress to get Yukina information that even Shinomiyami Nami hadn't been able to obtain. It has to be said that Yukina's work has been progressing unexpectedly smoothly so far.

Yukina closed the ledger in her hand, yawned, stretched her whole body with one hand behind her head, and the bones in her spine seemed to be cracking.