Chapter 126: Embrace
Are you doing this for freedom? For revenge? Or are you enjoying the pleasure of being enemies with the world?
At this moment, Sylphine felt as if she saw a sinister light flashing in Ashes pitch-black eyes. She had only seen such eyes on her teacher before eyes that longed to see the world burn.
But Ashe quickly put on his familiar cheeky grin, making Sylphine wonder if she had imagined it.
I just want to be able to pick my ears anytime, anywhere, he shrugged and smiled. Instead of having to go to the bathroom every time I want to pick my ears or nose.
Also, being exploited without making money really crosses the bottom line for a worker like me. Whenever I think about this, I get so depressed that my hormones are out of whack and my endocrine system fails.
Sylphine asked, Is it worth dying for something like this?
Not worth it, but I may not necessarily die, Ashe smiled. As long as I leave the Bloodmoon Kingdom, I can naturally start a new life.
Leave? Sylphine was puzzled. Where do you want to go? How will you leave?
I dont know, do you have any good recommendations?
I do! Ive read about many other kingdoms in books. I most want to go to the monstrous kingdom built in the Abyss, then the ephemeral kingdom where all souls have eternal life, and also the stellar kingdom that controls the skies
Ashe waved his hand, No, I actually hope you can recommend a way to leave Bloodmoon.
How would I know how to leave Bloodmoon Each kingdom is a completely closed off world, there is no conventional way to travel between kingdoms. If there was, they would have fought and become one kingdom long ago. Sylphine was a little exasperated. You dont even know how to leave yet you want to leave Bloodmoon? Give it up Ashe, the Blood Mad Hunters hurt a lot when they hit people.
But Im sure I can leave Bloodmoon.
Im very doubtful of your earlier claim to be the only normal person on the team now. Theres no hope at all, what miracle are you still hoping for?
Ashe thought for a moment and said, Although it sounds far-fetched as evidence, I learned from the Destiny Oracle that I will leave Bloodmoon in the future.
Sylphine was stunned. Destiny Oracle? Really?
Really.
Damn it, how did you get such good luck?!
Ashe blinked. Im escaping from prison now, not going on vacation.
But Im still so envious! Sylphine said sourly. For us medics, our future lives are decided early on. Were only allowed to live under the glory of Bloodmoon, everything we do has rules and regulations, life is full of untouchable warning lines everywhere.
She said dejectedly, Other than virtual world exploration and surgery, there is no passion in my future. Its like a pond of stagnant water slowly turning foul.
Then do you want to come with me? Ashe smiled. We still lack a medic on our team.
Sylphine couldnt remember how many times she had been stunned speechless by Ashes words.
Are you serious?
Of course, Im not inviting you to go to the bathroom with me. This is a prison break, how can I joke about it?
Youre kidding, Im a medic with a bright future ahead, why would I go on the run with you and live such a precarious life?
Why are you asking me? Ashe spread his hands. Im just giving you a choice as a friend. You should ask yourself do you want to abandon your current life and come with me?
Sylphine hurriedly retorted, What friend Thats right! Last time you came up with all kinds of excuses to borrow my medic uniform, it was to use for your prison break, wasnt it?
Yes.
Then how can you call us friends? You were clearly just using me!
Being friends with you and using you are not mutually exclusive. I hope youll join my team, but I also hope you get to live the life you want. Working where you like is living, working where you dont like is punishment.
Some selfishness is understandable, but I wont be so selfish as to think others are selfless. So I wont say nonsense that even con artists are too lazy to say, like trust me.
Ashe held out his hand to Sylphine, Ill just ask, do you want to come with me?
Thump.
Her stagnant heart seemed to beat, her cold blood seemed to warm. Born in a top nurturing facility, strictly educated since young, became one of the sacred bloodline before even graduating, never violated any rules or laws Sylphine encountered such outrageous invitation for the first time.
It was like a fish living in a pond being asked by a passing bird if it wanted to leave together.
I dont want to.
What a pity.
Ashe didnt expect to lure away the medic with just a few words. He went over, picked up the cannibal mayor, See you next time then, [222].
Sylphine suddenly had the urge to tell him her real name, but held back: Will there be a next time? Even if there is, you definitely wont recognize me.
Then youll have to remind me, Ashe smiled. Ill tell you stories about whats outside the Bloodmoon Kingdom, look forward to it.
Wait.
Ashe stopped and looked at Sylphine strangely. Sylphine was at a loss for words, she didnt know what she wanted to say either tell him to surrender? Tell him to stay here and wait for death?
After a moment of silence, she turned her head away and said softly, If, if I have a way for you to clear your charges, and even leave Craglake to start a new life, able to live openly in the Bloodmoon Kingdom, would you be willing?
There was indeed a way for a heinous cult leader to have his crimes pardoned and leave prison.
That was to turn the criminal into a Bloodmoon Shade.
Crimes committed by the two Bloodmoon races were not subject to normal judicial procedures, only handled by the Church and Research Institute. If the criminal became one of the sacred bloodline, they had to be handed over to the Research Institute. The most common punishment the Institute gave its kin was house arrest and forced labor, usually in centuries-long sentences, but they would not execute their kin.
However, converting between the sacred and the shades required complex procedures, absolutely not something death row inmates in prison could accomplish, unless
Unless the most primitive kin propagation method was used, such as the Embrace Ceremony.
But besides the sacred bloodlines strong will, the Embrace Ceremony also had requirements for the recipient the recipient needed to fall in love with
Sylphine suddenly realized an issue.
Why did she want to keep Ashe around, even willing to Embrace him? Because she didnt want Ashe to leave, she wanted Ashe to stay.
The pond fish wouldnt leave with the bird, but would drag the bird into the pond, hoping the bird would also become a fish.
Did the Embrace Ceremony really require the recipient to fall for the sacred bloodline?
In many bio-augmentation surgeries, there were cases of the patients personality changing due to the augmentations. Mechanical augmentations reduced desires, leading to the pursuit of spiritual fulfillment instead; Abyssal augmentations increased destructive urges, making them more irritable and angry; Aviary augmentations made the patients enjoy eating insect cuisine
The sacred bloodline were not all telepaths, how could they know the recipients true feelings for them?
They only assumed the recipient fell in love with them.
Perhaps this was not a prerequisite for the ritual, but a result of the ritual.
The name Embrace means the first embrace. And the truth behind the Embrace Ceremony was perhaps more romantic, yet also more cruel, than recorded.
Im not willing.
Sylphine looked at Ashe. Ashe shrugged, Although I dont know what method you mentioned, I probably wouldnt be willing either way.
Why not?
While it may be too small a sample size to generalize, from what Ive gathered in prison, I feel the outside Bloodmoon Kingdom is perhaps just a bigger Craglake. Ashe sighed, I dont think Im some freedom terrorist, but I feel I probably still wouldnt be able to breathe out there.
Its not that Bloodmoon cannot accommodate me, but that I cannot accommodate Bloodmoon.
How arrogant, Sylphine smiled faintly. You really are a cult leader through and through.
Ill take that as a compliment for now, sorry to disappoint your goodwill.
Its fine, I regretted it as soon as I said it anyway, fortunately you didnt agree. Sylphine waved her hand. See you, Ashe Heath.
Ashe suddenly remembered something. Speaking of which, I still dont know your name.
If I tell you my name, Id be breaking the rules. And you say youre not a cult leader, trying to seduce me into crime right before leaving?
Youre right, but it doesnt feel good to part like this. We should at least shake hands.
Ashe directly tossed the cannibal mayor aside and walked over to extend his right hand to Sylphine.
While it may be nothing to you, Ashe said seriously, Ive always been grateful that you kept pulling me back each time from deaths grasp. Several times I felt like I heard a crowd critiquing how I didnt die spectacularly enough
That may be an early sign of schizophrenia, I suggest getting a new brain.
Every statement from you expands my understanding of biotech
Sylphine looked at Ashes hand, and suddenly felt an urge. She walked over and hugged Ashe briefly.
In Ashes startled moment, she let go and stepped back a few steps, murmuring softly: As expected, its not that simple Alright, the farewell ceremony is over, you should get going.
Huh? Youre actually a girl?
Do you have any objections? The more you guess, the closer I am to committing a crime.
No objections at all. And to preserve the feeling from earlier, Ive decided to never bathe again from now on-
Get out of here!
Watching Ashe leave the medical room carrying Fernand, Sylphine felt somewhat downcast for some reason, feeling empty inside.
She shook her head, shaking off the pointless thoughts, and turned to head back to the rest lounge.
This was just a trivial interlude in her millennia of life. She couldnt accept Ashes invitation her bloodline didnt allow it, her soul didnt allow it, her mission didnt allow it.
Because she was Sylphine Gauven, the most gifted of the bloodline in a millennium.
Just as she grasped the side door handle, she suddenly heard the thump of a heartbeat.
But it wasnt her heartbeat.
It came from below the prison, from the depths of Broken Lake, where the finger shark guarded the Black Coffin tomb!
Junior your Blood Lock needs help?
Sylphine didnt push open the door. She looked at the pitch-black, reflective door panel that could almost serve as a mirror.
She saw that her blood-red eyes were smeared black.
They looked like ordinary human eyes, like Ashe Heaths eyes.
No need. Go back to sleep.
The heartbeat gradually faded away, disappearing into Broken Lakes waves.
Sylphine pushed open the door and returned to the medical officers lounge.
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