Chapter 11 Burning Fifteen Hours*
In Elysien's secret meeting room.
Beichen sat in the main seat and looked around at everyone gathered around the round conference table. He felt a little excited - after all, it had been a long time since they had all been together. Seeing all his relatives, friends and lovers sitting here safely, he somehow felt a constant surge of strength in his body.
"Everyone, please look."
She placed the object in her hand on the table in front of her—the last relic had been explored yesterday, and all the fragments of the "Holy Book of the Tomb of God" had been gathered together, now forming a small rectangular card.
"This is our final key—the Holy Book of the God's Tomb."
Xiao Ping frowned. "It looks very strange. It must be something from ancient civilization."
"Um."
Xiang Ying nodded seriously:
"I've seen something similar in Chita. It's probably used to store large pieces of information."
"That's true." Yagad nodded. "It should be an ancient encrypted image card. The reading equipment is already in the ruins. We've brought it back—but it may not be usable directly. It needs to be debugged in my test base."
"This data is extremely important. I will be overseeing the entire analysis process, so I'll be staying at the research base with Yagard for the next few days. So, I'll leave the rest of the arrangements to you."
Beichen said, placing his hands on the table and smiling at everyone:
"Our enemies may not give up until I get the truth, so there will probably be other chaotic raids to disrupt us soon. I hope you can help me withstand it. As long as you can hold on until I finish reading this information, we will take a big step towards victory!"
"No problem!" Xiang Ying clenched his fist. "I will guard the perimeter of the research base. Any evil forces that want to approach will not be able to escape my detection by the star spirit power!"
"It's time for me to go and help those guys to recover. As a Fallen Dark Species, I have lost to Su Mo repeatedly in the intelligence war. I am really useless." Yaye raised his hand immediately.
Xifeng adjusted his military cap. "It's time for me to return to my original post. By the way, the research report on the Sazam Plague is at the base. If you have some free time, you can take a look at it."
Beichen nodded.
"Then I'll go talk to my mother. She should be able to find out something." Gu Yinyue said, turning to look at Atlas. "Atlas, what about you?"
"I need to go recharge. I was injured last time, so I'm a little low on energy. Oh, and I need to nail Ragnarl's straw dragon."
“…”
Everyone twitched their lips.
"Well, although it may be a bit tiring, please everyone, please step up your defenses and prepare for any possible situation. Black Disaster Su Jie, what about you guys?"
Hearing Beichen's question, the twins, who had been in a daze for some reason, suddenly came back to their senses. Black Fire scratched his head and chuckled a few times:
"Well, well... my brother and I will just do guerrilla work. We'll fill in wherever there's a shortage of people. After all, assassination is what we're best at—and it doesn't seem like we'll be of much use right now."
"No? Black Plague Su Jie is so powerful." Beichen was a little confused. "How about you and Xiang Ying guard the base together?"
Su Jie's mouth twitched:
"Xiang Ying is the top combat weapon, and with so many people like the Night Cavalry, they don't need us anymore, right?"
Seeing that the two seemed to be trying to hide something from her, Beichen hesitated for a moment before finally agreeing. After all, she believed that they would not do anything to let her down, nor would they act recklessly without understanding the current situation. However,
"Then Black Disaster and Su Jie, go ahead and do what you want to do. But you must promise me one thing: you must protect yourselves and don't let anything happen to make me worry. Okay?"
The twins looked at each other, and saw the same bitterness and emotion in each other's eyes.
──After all, they have been together for so long, she already knows them very well.
But they quickly suppressed this feeling, turned around and smiled at Beichen, making a "leave it to me" gesture.
The meeting was over, and after a few brief instructions, the others left the meeting room, leaving only Beichen and Yagard.
Looking at the empty conference room, Beichen couldn't help but smile bitterly for a few seconds.
These guys are really too considerate. Last time it was Xifeng, this time it was Yagad, and before she even said anything, they had already taken the initiative to reserve space for the two of them to be alone together.
"So, Miss Beichen, should we move to the experimental base now?"
Beichen nodded and signaled Yagard to put the Holy Book of the God's Tomb into the storage space. Then he followed Yagard and walked with him towards the experimental base.
After walking for a while, Beichen became impatient.
Yagad's attitude was too normal, but it was strange precisely because it was normal - he spoke to her as usual, saluted her as skillfully as usual, led the way for her, greeted the weapons in the base, and asked about their operating conditions, just like the days before he left Elysien.
——As if the tragedy of his departure had never happened.
As if noticing Beichen's unstable mood, Yagad turned around and lowered his head in confusion:
"Miss Beichen, what happened?"
"Ah, no." Beichen smiled awkwardly, "I just feel a little bit like I'm in another world. I can't believe that Yagad really came back like this."
Yagad was stunned for a moment, then pursed his lips.
"Miss Beichen, please wait a moment."
As he spoke, Yagad led Beichen into a room. There were some strange devices in the room, which did not look like they belonged to the ruins, nor did they look like they could be made by worldly technology. Probably, most of them were made by Yagad himself based on the knowledge given by Chiyue.
The room was not big. On one side were various devices, and on the other side were several rows of huge bookcases and desks. In the corner was a medium-sized bed, probably for Agard to rest when he was tired from studying.
While Beichen was observing the room, Yagard was taking out the card reader from the storage space of the long-handled axe Yinsha and connecting it to some other devices in the room. After fiddling with it for a while, the device started up. Yagard inserted the card of the Holy Book of the Tomb of God into the slot of the card reader, and Yinsha, under Yagard's instructions, closed the door and left the house to serve as a guard outside.
"Analysis begins."
After operating for about an hour, Yagard breathed a sigh of relief as he watched a photon screen appear above the device, with strings of characters popping up densely on it. He turned to Beichen and smiled:
"At about 13 to 15 tyres, Miss Beichen can conduct any kind of inspection on it."
"That's good. Thank you for your hard work, Yagad."
Beichen, who had already put aside the previous feeling of incongruity, knew that he was only fifteen hours away from the truth. He couldn't help but cheer himself up in his heart with excitement and caution.
But Yagad suddenly half-knelt down in front of Beichen's seat:
"I'm sorry to answer your question only now. Without interpreting the holy book, I guess you wouldn't be in the mood to chat with me."
"Ah? ...Ah!" Beichen immediately came back to his senses. "Indeed, you are right—but in that case, does Yagad have something very long and important to say to me?"
"Yes."
Yaga pulled Beichen's hand and put it on his cheek.
"I want to confess to you what I've been through."
"...Huh?" Beichen was a little surprised. "Well, although I do care a little, is it really okay to say it out loud?"
"I know everything about Miss Beichen, but Miss Beichen doesn't know me. I don't want this situation to continue, so if Miss Beichen wants to listen—"
"Yes, of course!" Beichen nodded with a smile, "But before that, can you please change the way you address me, 'Miss Beichen'? Just call me Beichen directly."
This time, Yagad did not refuse as he did in the past. Instead, he remained silent for a few seconds and nodded slightly.
"Okay. ...Beichen."
Then, over the next hour, Yagad briefly explained his experiences so far in a leisurely and lukewarm tone.
The person who spoke was completely emotionless, as if he was talking about someone else's affairs, but Beichen's heart was filled with turmoil when he heard it. He was so shocked that he didn't know how to respond.
"...In other words,...you didn't get rid of those sounds and images until I became a miko?"
"Yes."
Beichen took a deep breath in silence.
For more than ten years, he has been enduring the incessant noises and mind-disturbing images, the guilt of killing his brother and parents, and the pain and despair that ordinary people cannot imagine, but he still insisted on surviving.
──What a level of willpower this requires.
Her eyes felt a little sore, but she still forced herself to smile. She held Yagard's hand, leaned over and kissed his forehead. At the end, she chuckled a few times:
"Well, half-kneeling is only useful when you're taking advantage of Yagard."
The knight was stunned by her intimate actions for a while, then he stood up with an ecstatic look on his face.
"Miss Beichen—no, Beichen…are you confirming?"
"Confirm what?"
"...that kiss. Do you want to tell me that it wasn't just to comfort me who was about to leave?"
Beichen blushed, but she still nodded.
"However, whether Yagad accepts it or not, I won't force him. After all, what I can give him is not complete."
"I know."
Yagad did not avoid the content of her words, but answered with a serious expression,
"If we could have met earlier, if I could have been more outstanding, if I could have won your heart before you fell in love with someone else, even if it meant making the whole world my enemy, I would never let another man touch a hair on your head. But it is precisely because I know that such thoughts would likely hurt you that I choose to block my feelings."
As he spoke, with a look of fanatical piety and a smile of gentle loyalty, he carefully reached out his hand and held her in his arms.
"Now, even if the restrictions that blocked my feelings are gone, I don't want to hurt you. As long as I can stay by your side, I can endure this level of unhappiness. After all, it's my own fault that I haven't been able to gain your favor. Before this, I didn't even have the luxury of hoping that you would fall in love with me. So..."
He lowered his head, as if testing, and gently brushed his lips against Beichen's lips. Seeing that Beichen did not resist or show any displeasure, he smiled with relief.
"This is already good enough. If dying once can earn you back your feelings for me, I'd even be willing to die a few more times so that these feelings can multiply several times."
"Wait, wait, wait! This idea is too bizarre! You absolutely mustn't go and die! You dying once almost made me go berserk and turn into a real miko. If you die a few more times—several Senagards wouldn't be enough to ruin me!"
Yagard's smile became more calm and fanatical - this was the expression he often showed when Beichen praised him when he was still a colorless demon. But now, this expression subtly gained a bit of vitality and spirituality, as if he had been freed from some invisible constraints.
This is the true state of Agard.
"Then, Miss Beichen, can you sign a contract with me? This is my most long-cherished wish."
"It turns out Yagad does have a wish after all." Beichen raised her hand with a hint of amusement, letting Yagad carefully bite open her palm and hers, then facing their palms together. "Every time you ask, you say 'My need is that Miss Beichen needs me,' but that doesn't seem entirely truthful."
"No, this is the truth. Needs and desires are different. Back then, I didn't expect anything from you, but now, I've become greedy."
"It's okay, be greedy."
Beichen looked at the extremely complex totem that emerged on the back of his hand, stretched out his hands and hugged Yagard's thick and strong waist.
"Is there anyone more greedy than me? So as my knight, you must follow my example!"
"I see."
Yagad folded his arms and hugged the person in his arms tightly, accepting the order with a happy expression.
Perhaps it was because they had been together for a long time and had a very good telepathic connection, the spiritual communication channel started to ring at this moment.
"Um, let me check the situation."
It was Xiang Ying's somewhat sour voice.
"Master, Agaard, how is your research going? The Holy Book of the God's Tomb?"
"Everything is normal. You will be able to see the contents of the Holy Book in fifteen hours at most."
"Ah, so you two have nothing to do now?!" Black Fate's voice also rang out, "Agard, such a good opportunity, hurry up!"
"Yeah, yeah," Su Jie smirked. "Look how generous we are in giving you some time alone. So next time we want to take Little Loach out to play, please give us some time off!"
"Don't bribe me with this kind of thing, Black Plague Su Jie. Don't you think military discipline isn't bad enough?"
The west wind also came to join in the fun.
"Well, considering you two have worked hard lately, I'll allow you to be unbridled for a while. But Yagad, your physique..." There was a subtle pause in Yaye's voice. "Anyway, you should be careful about your own behavior."
"Please rest assured, I will do my best to satisfy Miss Beichen,... no, Beichen. Although I have no experience in terms of skills, at least I have the innate conditions - I have made many preparations for this moment today."
"Wait, are you subtly mocking us for not being as big as you?!" Black Disaster exploded.
"And what is 'preparation'?! 'Preparation'?! I really care! Did you really take some weird strengthening drug?! " Su Jie followed up with a complaint.
"Besides, I now have a weapon-like physique, so I don't need to worry about fatigue."
"But Master needs to be worried, right?!"
The War Machine, concerned about his master, complained to Shadow Born.
"Stupid Ying, you're really stupid. Isn't this just right?" Yaye smirked. "You've always felt that it's not satisfying that damn Matcha can't hold out for the whole thing. With Yagad here, that woman's rank will skyrocket, and you'll be more satisfied in the future."
"I-I see..."
As a result, the warmongering Xiang Ying was bribed in an instant.
"But no matter what, it's best not to exceed ten hours. And as for props, don't use anything longer than [beep -], I don't think she can handle it."
Xifeng, are you really trying to dissuade me?!
Beichen couldn't help but utter a sound with his mouth twitching violently.
"Wait! Don't sell me out without my permission! Didn't you get my consent?!"
"The question is, when will you, Matcha, happily agree to something like this? Don't you just keep dodging it?"
『…』
Beichen was speechless.
So, outside the mental communication channel, Yagard had already carried her down to the small bed, and then his tall body slowly pressed down.
“Wait wait wait… that!!”
Perhaps because being pressed under Yagad would be very oppressive, Beichen swallowed his saliva:
"Can you, can you let me prepare myself mentally..."
"Don't worry, Beichen." Yagard smiled gently and gentlemanly, but his hands were not gentlemanly at all - he was unbuttoning Beichen's shirt. "Although I don't have experience, I have a lot of relevant knowledge. It shouldn't be a big problem. Please just enjoy yourself."
…The problem is that I don’t think this will be enjoyable at all!
Of course, Beichen didn't dare to say this, and because Yagard's actions were too gentle, Beichen was too embarrassed to struggle, so he was stripped naked.
"Well, can we start with [beep]?"
“…Why is the difficulty level so high from the start?!”
“…Huh, is this a difficult level? Then what about [Beep]?”
"That's even more exaggerated! Where did you learn all this sex education knowledge, Agard?!"
"Well, it's probably Chita's database."
“…”
"Anyway, I'd like Miss Beichen to inspect my body first."
The knight started to take off his clothes, while Beichen's face turned pale. What's going on with the inspection? Inspection!?
Then when her eyes swept over the other person's lower body, her blue face turned white.
"Mamma Mia—"
She tried to crawl out of bed, but was blocked by Yagad.
"Beichen, are you dissatisfied?"
"...Uh, no...I don't know how to put it...There's a saying in humans: 'Too much is as bad as too little'...That probably describes how I feel right now—"
"Please rest assured, I've checked the data, and it won't be to the point of 'too much is as bad as too little'."
“…”
How on earth are you taking care of your body? Are you constantly looking at this kind of data?!
In the end, Beichen was sadly pushed back onto the bed by Yagard.
“…I never thought this day would come.”
While gently rubbing Beichen's thighs with the heat from his lower body, Yagard reached out and tidied Beichen's messy hair.
"If I had foreseen today, I would have prepared even harder."
"...Then I will really escape at the risk of my life." Beichen muttered softly.
Yagad didn't hear Beichen's mumbling clearly, but just chuckled and kissed Beichen's shoulder:
"Can we begin?"
"...B-Okay... Maybe... maybe... maybe."
"Then—"
“Wa ...
As a result, the experimental base still recalled Beichen's screams without any suspense.
Three hours later, Agard's voice suddenly rang out again on the telepathic communication channel:
"Everyone, I'd like to ask, when you usually sharpen your blades, how many times do you usually do it?"
"Huh?" Black Disaster asked doubtfully. "It depends on my mood, probably two to five times. What's wrong?"
"I understand. ...Then I'll use six as the standard."
"Don't be jealous in a place like this, ahh ...
Beichen screamed, and the others, foreseeing the tragic situation that Beichen would face, chose to express their sympathy for her with silence.
"So, do I need to do it eight times..."
Gu Yinyue added a sentence in a low voice, but when Beichen heard this, he rolled his eyes and relieved himself with shock.
Here, the card reader is still working diligently and analyzing the information, which is a cause for celebration.
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