Chapter 44
The roar of the water vein nodes gradually subsided, and shattered roots and energy remnants scattered like ashes all around. The surviving warriors of the Light Domain silently cleaned up the battlefield, but the look in their eyes as they gazed at Seed 237 had changed from trust to deep wariness.
Sprout 12 knelt beside 237, her voice trembling but firm:
"Are you... still one of us?"
Seed 237 breathed heavily, the patterns on his palms not yet completely faded, and he responded softly:
“I never intended to hurt anyone…that’s not me.”
However, this statement did not seem to dispel the doubts around them. Several guards of the Light Domain whispered among themselves, and one even said coldly:
"Not him? But what we saw... were his hands."
The air seemed to freeze, and 237 appeared to be isolated in a cold, desolate underwater world.
Just as his mind wavered, the familiar voice reappeared, cold and grating:
"See? They don't trust you. Even if you save them, they'll still see you as a monster."
"Only I will never abandon you."
Seed237 closed his eyes, his knuckles clenched tightly. He wanted to argue, but found that the voice overlapped with his heartbeat, making it difficult to distinguish.
Bean Sprout 12 looked at his slightly trembling figure and bit her lip, asking:
"Are you... listening to that thing's voice?"
Seed237 suddenly looked up, a flicker of panic in his eyes. He remained silent, offering no denial.
Sprout 12 slowly stood up, her back to him, her voice filled with barely suppressed pain:
“I trusted you, trusted you enough to stand by your side... but now, you’re not even sure if you can still control your own body.”
"If one day... you lose control again, and I have to stop you myself... can you accept that?"
These words pierced Seed 237's heart like a sharp blade. He wanted to reach out, but froze in hesitation.
The shadow parasite sneered in my heart:
"She's already plotting how to kill you. Do you still want to pin your hopes on her?"
What Seed 237 managed to squeeze out of its throat was just a nearly broken whisper:
"I don't want to lose you..."
Sprout 12's shoulders trembled slightly, but she didn't turn around. She simply raised her head and gazed at the devastated water veins and roots, as if trying to hold back her tears.
At this moment, an order came from the council of the Light Domain:
Seed 237 has been temporarily isolated for observation and sealing.
Sprout 12 was required to act as an "inspector," and to immediately carry out suppression should any abnormalities occur.
When the news arrived, the air froze once more.
Bean Sprout 12 looked at 237, her heart already torn in two.
She wanted to protect this bond.
But she also knew that one day she might have to sever it herself.
Deep within Seed 237's chest cavity, the Shadow Parasite chuckled quietly:
"The cracks have finally taken root."
Beneath the city of Light lies a special isolation zone designed to suppress supernatural abilities. The air here is damp and stifling, and the walls are inlaid with stone slabs engraved with runes, as if constantly chanting a low chant, suppressing all unstable forces.
Seed 237 was placed in the deepest cell. The walls were transparent yet heavy with crystal, and within them floated flowing veins of light, like countless cold chains. His hands were bound by special vines, and the engraved arrays at his feet shimmered with a chilling blue light.
His eyes were closed, his breathing slow and deep, as if he were passively accepting this imprisonment. But if you listened carefully, you could hear the low murmurs of shadows still lurking within him, like a hidden undercurrent.
The heavy iron gate swung open with a screech that sent a shiver down one's spine. Sprout 12 entered, clutching a pass from the Light Domain Council. She wore light combat gear, her eyes filled with complex emotions, appearing particularly contradictory in the dim light.
She saw Seed 237 in the cell.
In that instant, her heart felt like it was being squeezed.
"……how is your day?"
The sound was so soft it almost seemed to dissipate.
Seed 237 opened his eyes; his gaze was still deep, but utterly exhausted. He forced a smile:
"Is it good that we're still alive?"
His tone was self-deprecating, yet it carried a hint of tenacious warmth.
Sprout 12 approached the crystal wall, and reached out her hand through the cold barrier, but stopped in mid-air without actually touching it.
Sprout12: "I applied for a long time before I was allowed to see you. The people in the council... they suspect that you have been completely corrupted by the shadows."
Seed237 (in a low voice): "And what about you? Do you feel the same way?"
Sprout12 remained silent for a long time before finally speaking:
"I don't want to doubt you. But... I'm also scared. The you that day was not the person I knew at all."
These words pierced the air like needles, making 237's breath catch in his throat. He lowered his head, his voice heavy with suppressed emotion:
“I had no choice; it forced itself on me. I tried, but I couldn’t stop it.”
Sprout 12's eyes flickered, she bit her lip, and asked softly:
"What if it takes control of you again? Would you let me stop you... even if it means ending it all with my own hands?"
Seed 237 suddenly looked up, its eyes filled with a mixture of pain and a hint of determination:
"If one day I completely lose control... I hope it's you who will end me. Because at least, in the final moment, the person I want to see is you."
Sprout 12's eyes trembled, almost bringing tears to her eyes, but she held them back with all her might.
In this heavy atmosphere, the voice of the Shadow Parasite seeped in once more:
"See? She will kill you in the end. Trust? It's just an excuse to avoid too much pain when the knife goes in deeper."
Seed237 suppressed the whisper in its heart and stared intently at Sprout12, as if it wanted to use all its strength to firmly grasp her existence.
In the end, Sprout 12 only left behind one sentence:
"I will come to see you again. Don't let that thing consume you... at least, before I give up on you."
She turned and left, her back view resolute yet lonely.
Meanwhile, in his cell, Seed 237 slowly closed his eyes, his fist clenched tightly within the vines, veins bulging. The low laughter of the Shadow Parasite grew clearer in his mind.
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