Nanoe also smiled.
"Because this doesn’t need too much analysis. I don’t want you to die."
John looked at the two of them, finally unable to hold back: "Truly, Rover. If you don’t treasure this woman, I will look down on you."
Rover glanced at him.
"No need for you to remind ."
"I’m only reminding myself not to get so envious that I do sothing stupid."
"Then you should try hard."
John sighed.
He found that Rover and Nanoe were truly a very troubleso combination. One was pragmatic, on guard, not so greedy as to lose his head. The other was smart, sharp, and always kept Rover at the center. Getting these two to sign onto an unclear deal was nearly impossible.
At the sa ti, inside room 2705.
Nanoe’s real body was still sitting on the sofa, eyes half-closed, one hand on her chest to maintain the connection with Rover. Nanami sat beside her, hands clasped together, watching her older sister with an expression both worried and curious.
Morie stood before the table.
Before her was a simple diagram of room 2705 and the surrounding corridor, sketched onto the tabletop using Psionic energy. Faint lines of light moved, representing room doors, defense towers, areas where Elith could deploy spiders, Thunder Dragon’s flight paths, positions where Rilia could stand to block if battle beca necessary.
Morie was no longer sitting in a wheelchair.
She stood straight, platinum hair falling onto her shoulders, her jade green eyes calmly looking at the entire diagram. Her body was still small. Her skin still appeared frail. But no one thought of her as weak anymore.
Since the Titan bloodline awakened, Morie had changed.
Not in a loud way.
But a quiet heaviness.
Like a large stone finally falling into the right position, giving the entire room a new foundation.
"Rover may need to leave the room to participate in a special trial." Nanoe opened her eyes, her voice soft but clear enough for everyone to hear. "Not necessarily decided right away, but we must prepare in advance."
Selina imdiately sat straight up.
"I’m going with Master."
"Not necessarily possible." Morie said.
Selina frowned and looked at her.
Morie didn’t avoid Selina’s gaze. If it had been before, she might have explained in a very soft voice, even unconsciously placing herself in a weaker position. But now, she only stood there and calmly said: "If Rover leaves, room 2705 can’t be left empty. We don’t know what Ad will do, nor do we know whether other Survivors might seize the opportunity to make their move. If all the strongest combat forces follow Rover, this room will beco a target."
Selina fell silent.
She didn’t like it, but couldn’t refute it.
Morie looked at the diagram on the table, her fingertips lightly tapping the positions of the two defense towers.
"I’ll use the [Free Defense Tower Renovation Card]. Before Rover makes his decision, I’ll make at least one tower capable of dealing with souls or invisible energy. The round just finished proved we’re too lacking in options against this type of enemy."
Rilia sat to the side, her azure blue gaze watching Morie more attentively.
She could sense the very thin Titan pressure around Morie.
Not explosive, not threatening, but real.
Sunako swallowed, softly asking: "Then what do I do?"
Morie looked at her.
"You?"
Sunako imdiately stood a bit straighter.
"That’s right. I’m currently a backup maid, talking accessory, supplentary mascot, and if needed, I can develop new occupations."
Morie was silent for a mont.
Then said: "You’re responsible for supporting Nanami and Monica. If sothing happens, follow them. Don’t act on your own."
Sunako nodded imdiately.
"I’m very good at running."
Thunder Dragon glanced at her.
Krit.
Sunako imdiately added: "Of course, if Great Lord Thunder Dragon needs it, I can also run alongside Great Lord Thunder Dragon to sing praises of your heroic deeds."
Thunder Dragon closed its eyes in satisfaction.
Morie paid no attention to that small cody routine.
She looked at Rilia.
"And you."
Rilia raised her head.
"?"
"If Rover leaves, you’ll be room 2705’s frontline combat force." Morie said: "I don’t care whether you’ve truly submitted yet. But if this room is destroyed, you won’t have a good ending either. So during Rover’s absence, you must fight."
Rilia looked at Morie.
A mont later, she coldly replied: "Understood."
Morie nodded.
Nothing more was said.
Nanoe looked at Morie, the corner of her lips curving slightly.
She liked this change.
Morie before was very smart, but her frail body had always given her a very deep layer of self-doubt. Now, with her legs able to stand firmly, with the Titan bloodline beginning to awaken, she had finally dared to use her own voice to arrange others.
This was very good.
Room 2705 couldn’t rely solely on Rover.
Rover was the center, but around him there needed to be people strong enough to support that center.
Outside in the fog, John looked at Rover and Nanoe.
"I’m not forcing you to decide right now."
John said.
"But before the fourth round officially begins, you need to give an answer. Taking the normal path, you’ll continue facing the fourth round, then the fifth round twisted by too many eyes placed on you."
Rover asked: "And if I use your card?"
"You’ll step into hell a bit sooner." John smiled. "But that hell at least has an exit."
Rover said nothing.
Nanoe also didn’t imdiately object anymore.
Because this ti, she knew John wasn’t entirely wrong.
If Rover had already been bet on by three Lamp-Bearers, if John beca the fourth, if the fifth round truly could be pushed to five tis normal difficulty, then the normal path wasn’t necessarily safer than the level 5 trial.
It was just that danger was still danger.
Rover looked at John.
"I need to know all the conditions of the card before deciding."
John nodded.
"Alright. Next ti I’ll bring the card for you to see."
"Not next ti."
Rover said.
John was slightly taken aback.
Rover looked at him, his voice very calm.
"You want to decide before the fourth round. So right now, how much ti do you have left to prove you have value?"
John looked at Rover for a mont.
Then he burst out laughing.
"I truly didn’t choose the wrong person."
Rover shook his head.
"Don’t talk as if I’ve already agreed to let you bet."
John laughed even more cheerfully.
"Alright. Then consider currently trying to earn the qualification of being allowed to bet on you."
Nanoe gently rested against Rover’s shoulder, her smile gentle but her gaze still sharp.
"Rember what you said."
John looked at her, then looked at Rover.
In that mont, the envy in his eyes was almost impossible to hide.
"Rover, you should truly be grateful that this world brought her to your side."
Rover slightly turned his head to look at Nanoe.
Nanoe also looked at him, the smile on her face suddenly a little softer.
Rover was silent for a few seconds, then said: "I know."
John sighed.
"Alright. Before I get so envious that I want to kick you into the fog, let’s end today’s eting here."
He lightly patted the lantern on his side.
The small lanterns planted in the ground began glowing brighter. The fog behind the black vehicle slowly parted into a pathway.
"Go back, Rover."
John said.
"Prepare well. Whichever path you choose, from now on, this dead zone will no longer treat you like an ordinary Survivor."
Rover looked at him for a mont longer, then turned toward the vehicle.
Nanoe still held him from behind, her translucent body gradually becoming more faint.
Before disappearing completely, she pressed close to Rover’s ear and softly said:
"Don’t worry."
Rover smiled.
"I’m not worried yet."
"You are worried."
"..."
Nanoe laughed softly.
"It’s fine. I’ll stay by your side."
Her voice dissolved into pale red light, then the projection vanished.
Rover stepped into the vehicle.
The car door closed.
John stood outside the ring of light, watching the vehicle gradually disappear into the fog. A mont later, he lowered his head to look at the lantern on his side and smiled bitterly.
"Four Lamp-Bearers already..."
"Hopefully you all don’t work the best horse I’ve ever seen to death."
The fla in the lantern gently flickered.
No one answered him.
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