Chapter 137 - Dawn Line TE: Widow

Chapter 137: Chapter 135: Dawn Line TE: WidowThe flames burned fervently.

The ghost watched the flames blazing before her—she could have chosen not to speak up to stop it, for as long as Moli was burned to death, she could find another body to possess and continue to sustain her "believers".

She looked at the young man holding the torch in front of her, who was also looking at her, his expression extremely indifferent.

—He clearly had the same desire, the same intention. He wanted to save Moli, and she wanted Moli to live, so why should she be constrained by his words?

"A group of blind believers, and one true zealot," Su Ming’an looked at her, "You choose."

"What exactly do you want?" The ghost couldn’t understand what this man was trying to say.

"I want to make a deal with you," Su Ming’an said, "I have a prop that can take a dying person away. If you willingly leave Moli’s body, leave Terrily, I will save Moli and let her continue to live."

"Why should I trust you?" The ghost scoffed, "Do you think I’m so great? To sacrifice myself for a minor believer?"

"It doesn’t matter," Su Ming’an continued, "Whether you leave or not doesn’t affect me. Saving Terrily and Moli was just something convenient for me; I don’t like this town, let it be destroyed, my mission is already completed."

The ghost first showed utter anger, then, she gradually calmed down and fell silent.

She looked at the angry townfolk around her, and then, softly said:

"...Let me down first."

Su Ming’an immediately went to untie her ropes without any hesitation.

"Hey, he..."

Some townfolk tried to stop him but were blocked by Mitchell’s walking stick. Mitchell’s expression was somewhat solemn, as if he too was struggling internally.

The ghost was let down; she rubbed her sore arms, and then, looked at Su Ming’an.

"This is her body," she said, "You go ask her."

Saying that, she closed her eyes.

The next moment, Su Ming’an saw that exceptionally pure gaze—it was Moli’s eyes.

"...Hmm?"

It seemed she hadn’t expected to wake up here, Moli was a bit panicky when she first saw the sunlight streaming down, but quickly, she saw Su Ming’an in front of her and calmed down slightly.

"Lighthouse brother, what’s this..." she noticed the townfolk holding torches to one side, instinctively becoming somewhat afraid, clutching at his sleeve like she often did during the nights.

"Moli..."

She heard an old voice calling, and turning her head, she saw Boris Mitchell.

"Mayor?" she called out blankly.

She didn’t recognize Boris.

Even though her former deity stood in front of her, with his aged face, the man in her eyes was nothing more than an old man with white hair.

"Moli, Moli—now, the lives of the entire town are in your hands."

The white-haired old man stumbled forward. Moli was somewhat afraid, but her kind-hearted self did not casually push away an old man who could barely stand, she looked at this old man with a face full of pleading, somewhat at a loss.

"Please, please let the ghost leave... Our town can’t endure the continuous exiles and deaths anymore; at this rate, Terrily will become a ghost town..."

The old man clutched her red bridal dress, his eyes filled with profound sorrow.

Moli still didn’t fully grasp the situation; she only knew she should have woken up in the temple at night, day after day waiting for someone, but she couldn’t remember more.

Yet for some reason,

as this old man, whom she didn’t know at all, came at her with a face full of humble pleas, a sense of melancholia welled up inside her.

"Old man, please wait a moment..." she instinctively called out, but for some reason, once these words left her mouth, she felt it was absurd, these feelings coming in waves, almost drowning her.

...Apparently, she shouldn’t address him like that.

What should he be to her?

"Moli, a ghost is parasitizing your body," Su Ming’an slowly explained, "You don’t have memories during the day because it has taken over your body. Because of it, a townsperson dies every day."

"...Is that so," Moli was stunned, and suddenly, she clutched her head as if some memories were being awakened:

"I... I remember now, there was a person... Sometimes she would talk to me, and sometimes... she would tell me stories from the outside world..."

As she spoke, suddenly her body stiffened, and then, her gaze began to tremble violently:

"No," she murmured to herself, "She isn’t just anybody."

Su Ming’an quietly watched her.

"She is, my god," Moli’s eyes were somewhat vacant. "It seems I’ve always been waiting for someone, and then she came... She talked to me, kept me alive, she knows everything, possesses supreme might—she is my god."

Su Ming’an turned his head away.

From the looks of it, it was impossible for Moli to let the ghosts make the sacrifice.

He had no particular feelings about it, it was just something he did along the way. If he could save someone, then save them, there might even be some hidden rewards. If it didn’t work out, he would let Terrily Town continue as it was; after all, the choices of Moli and the ghosts were their own, and he was merely a passerby traveler.

"But, no, this is wrong." Moli’s gaze suddenly fell on Su Ming’an.

There was something in her look that was definitely not pure innocence.

"Lighthouse brother, you told me, you have told me other stories..." she spoke, her tone soft and narrative, whispering the words he had once said:

" I saw your so-called exile during the daytime, and I know that among those people there must be innocent wronged souls. But just to satisfy the majority’s prayers, for the advancement of the entire town, they are suddenly sacrificed, and this sacrifice does not require their own consent."

She looked up: "Before, you asked me whether such a system was reasonable... Now I think, this system, is unreasonable."

Su Ming’an viewed her with a new perspective.

"" Moli whispered, repeating his words:

"Lighthouse brother, Terrily now is sick, it is absurd. I know this all too well... And the god I idealize, absolutely, absolutely would not let innocent townsfolk die for Her... at any cause."

"So." She raised her head, her eyes carrying an uncharacteristically resolute look.

"In the past I might have truly worshipped her, but now, I understand—she is not my deity."

Su Ming’an laughed out loud.

His laughter was very genuine.

The next moment, he saw it, a specter of pitch black, rising from Moli’s body.

It gradually condensed into the form of a woman, whose features were unclear as it was just a dark silhouette.

"Is this, your answer, Moli?" the Ghost asked her.

"I’ve remembered." Moli said firmly, "My god, named Boris. I’m sorry... but I won’t have a second faith anymore."

Mitchell’s body shook violently, he seemed to want to cry as well.

But in the end, he just sighed deeply.

The Ghost disappeared.

After hearing Moli’s answer, it rose from her body and suddenly vanished.

Moli did not know where it went, but the sudden heaviness on her body told her—the Ghost had left, and her lingering existence was about to die too.

Her vision was somewhat blurry, her breathing slower and slower.

In a haze, she seemed to see a black presence surge up, and then, it gently touched her lips.

She faintly heard such a voice.

She tried to hold on to this voice, but everything was gradually drifting away from her.

—She heard cheering.

The townfolk’s cheers.

They looked quite happy, clapping and cheering, the women’s laughter was shrill, the old men’s laughter was hoarse, all this sounded so clear as it poured into her ears.

Her mind felt clearer than ever. Hearing all this, she knew she should also be happy for the peace of Terrily.

She slightly lifted her gaze, wanting to show a smile happy for the victory of good over evil, but in the end, she only felt the tears burning hot, her form also seemed to slowly fade away.

The next moment, she saw the approaching Su Ming’an.

This traveler had always told many interesting stories, it was he who helped her make the final decision—the confidence that good drives out evil.

She watched him stuffing a doll into her hands, and then her nearly transparent form gradually stabilized.

"You did it, Moli."

She saw the Mayor smiling at her too, this white-haired, kind-faced old man resembling the somewhat blurred father in her memory.

...But she always felt something was missing in her heart.

Latter, as she touched her chest, she understood—because her deity had completely vanished.

The Mayor in front of her was named Boris.

The departing ghost, it claimed it was also called Moli.

Whether the past ones or the current ones, her deities had completely disappeared from her life.

But all was well.

Because of "justice."

"Lighthouse brother, I remember now." Moli murmured, "She once told me, she did all this while waiting for the once deity of Terrily."

Su Ming’an tilted his head to look at her.

"Whether it’s the ghosts or the deities, they have all departed." Su Ming’an said, "Your faith now, is in yourselves."

"..." Moli was silent for a while, then suddenly covered her face, "Lighthouse brother."

She tried to smile, just like the crowd of celebrating Townfolk behind her, but her unexplained tears could not be held back.

The doll fell to the ground, and her figure started turning transparent again.

"...Should I be happy?" she asked blankly.

She was born for faith, and she once wanted to die for it.

But now, clearly there is nothing left by her side.

"Yes." Su Ming’an responded.

"—Thank you, thank you, Traveler from the outside world!" Mitchell, leaning on a cane, approached, his mouth open in a happy grin, "Tonight Terrily will hold a celebration banquet, thank you—"

He looked toward the girl beside him, "Ah, and Moli too."

Moli’s memories gradually resurfaced, she recognized this old man.

Boris still had the shadow of his younger self, his facial features hadn’t changed much, just the wrinkles of time had altered his appearance.

But she did not speak to acknowledge him.

He is no longer the deity she was waiting for.

Now, she has nothing but the justice she held in her hands.

Eni returned from the banishing space and saw the three-to-three voting result on the table.

Since both factions had three people each, this public vote resulted in no one being eliminated.

He still wanted to watch the execution process, hoping that the girl was not yet dead. But when he turned his head, he saw the empty execution by fire frame.

And those Townfolk, they had disappeared, apparently going to hold some kind of celebration party, laughter floating from the other side.

The girl named Moli, her entire body was uncontrollably shaking.

He could only see her entire body bent, like a bow that was strung, stiff.

By her side, stood Su Ming’an.

Eni heard the girl’s crying.

Her palm held a clump of black mist, but soon the mist also slipped through her fingers, she groped in the air, but caught nothing.

"What is this?" Eni stepped closer, "Did you make her cry?"

Su Ming’an didn’t speak.

Eni realized that the other’s emotions might not be very good either.

"Eni." Cloning came over and slapped his shoulder, "Don’t space out, follow me, there are still Werewolf players who haven’t died."

"Hey, wait a minute..." Eni still wanted to ask something but got directly pulled away.

In the moment he was pulled away, he heard Su Ming’an’s faint voice carried by the wind:

"This ending, it should be considered all’s well that ends well, right?"

Su Ming’an looked at Moli lowering her head, watching her clutch the doll tightly in her embrace.

He heard the system’s prompt sound.

But it wasn’t cold.

Like the girl said, it sounded like a voiceover by his ear.

She bent over, the black mist in her hand completely dispersed, between sobs, he heard her howl like a wolf.

The girl hugged herself tightly, her entire body shivering, like she was embracing someone who didn’t exist.

Smoke gently rose, the Townfolk prepared the dinner, the town was peaceful.

Boris turned his head back, leaning on his cane.

His eyes held a bit of confusion.

[I am a lost traveler, but also a steadfast Pilgrim.

I am a stealthily lurking ghost, but also a sinner who has returned to the right path.]

"Ding-dong!"

A clear prompt sound echoed.

Su Ming’an stepped forward, his hand on her shoulder, she looked up.

"Traveler from the outside world." Her eyes were blurred with tears, "My deities are dead, what else do I have left?"

Her gaze lost focus, blood vessels spreading across her eyes.

Su Ming’an grasped her hand, then placed it on her chest.

He said nothing, his eyes deeper than ever before.

Moli suddenly burst into tears, she buried her head in her own arms, her hands tightly clutching Su Ming’an’s arm as if a drowning person struggling to grab the last straw.

Su Ming’an’s arm ached from her grip, he didn’t pull away, but silently watched the rapidly scrolling comments, as if watching another world.

"Ding-dong!"

[(TE·Widow): "Except for the justice she holds, she now has nothing else."

—Tomorrow, is more important than anything.]