So I became a witch

"A reconnaissance mission on the ring front?" I looked at the communication from the headquarters and fell into deep thought.

Compared with the previous in-depth exploration of the virtual beast front, this mission is just a very ordinary patrol. As long as we complete the ten-day round of shifts on the real boundary line under our control, we will be responsible for guarding against the invasion of virtual beasts. If we are lucky, even one Void beasts can't even see it, it's the task with the lowest difficulty factor.The only thing to pay attention to is that the executive members of this task are specially marked so that they must be performed by those freshmen, which is the so-called novice task.It seems that the headquarters did consider the survival of these newcomers, and deliberately did not release difficult tasks such as in-depth investigations as soon as they came up.

"Excuse me, what's the problem?" The woman standing across from my desk asked anxiously.

"No, it's nothing." I shook my head, "Then, this mission will be led by you, Kroll."

"Hey? Let me come?!" The woman visibly panicked.

"That's right, it's just an ordinary mission to patrol around the base, is there any problem?"

"Ah, no...I see." Kroll took a deep breath and replied firmly.

"Well, then those children will be entrusted to you."

After Kroll left, I suddenly noticed a certain figure flashed out of the corner of my eye.As if noticing that he seemed to be discovered, the small figure hurriedly hid behind the door, but did not notice that a piece of his clothes was exposed outside.

Thinking of something, I smiled slowly, and said with a smile, "Please come in."

After hesitating for a moment, that little figure walked into my office and said in an uneasy voice, "That...Captain Yin..."

"What's the matter? Ye Qianmo." I looked at the nervous girl standing in front of me, trying to make my voice as kind as possible.

Chapter 120 Hope

Speaking of which, apart from the initial lecture in the central square, this is the second time I have seen this rumored little girl, and it is still so close.

"That... Excuse me... this mission..." Her eyes flickered, as if she was desperately suppressing the uneasiness in her heart.After a long time, she raised her head and looked at me uneasy but determined, "Can you let me... go too?"

I sighed, shook my head slowly, and tried my best to be kind: "I'm sorry, but you failed the test and training, right? If that's the case, you won't be able to join the team."

The girl opened her mouth: "I, I just... no, sorry to bother you."

Looking at the girl's dejected back, a certain part of my heart seemed to be tightened suddenly.

"Is it really okay to do this?" Elvis' voice came to my ears from the grass outside the office window.

I frowned, and said without turning around: "I didn't know you had a bad taste for eavesdropping."

"Haha, I was just passing by, and I didn't mean to eavesdrop? It's just, is it really okay for you to reject her like this? That child has put in a lot of effort to be selected."

"……I know."

How could it be possible not to know?Even without looking carefully, I could clearly notice the scars on the girl's body.Just to keep up with the pace of other children, you have to work several times or even dozens of times more than ordinary people.

But even so, it is absolutely impossible for her to catch up.No matter how hard she tried, she was doomed to become a demon hunter with a star physique.

"What a ruthless fellow."

"...Then what about you? Why are you paying so much attention to this child again? It's definitely not just because of the 'friend' request?"

"I really can't escape your eyes... It's nothing, I just think that child is somewhat similar to me."

"Similar? With you?"

"Yeah, chasing the light of hope, but in the end it was burned to ashes... what, just kidding. I just came to see if anything happened to my cute little assistant. After all, thanks to the help of this child, let My usual work is much easier, and I finally have time to start researching my own things." Elvis shook his hand, and his breath gradually disappeared from the window, and it seemed that he had really left.

The moths chasing the flames were eventually burned to ashes... Isn't this kind of thing the same for you and me?

The patrol team that set off the next day was originally scheduled to return after seven days, but they were forced to return on the fifth day because they simply encountered a small group of virtual beasts, although the scale was far smaller than that of the front On the battlefield, there was also at least one King Beast leader. Fortunately, they met the patrols of other teams and barely escaped.However, even so, a team of ten people still paid a heavy price for one death, two serious injuries, and five minor injuries.

In less than half a month, the recruits transferred from the headquarters had suffered casualties, and the reason was just bad luck.

Yes, just because of bad luck.If it weren't for these virtual beasts that suddenly appeared, they might still be in school, spend their youth with their classmates or family members, gradually grow up, get married, give birth to their own children, and live a happy life... But, Reality has no ifs, and everything is a dream in the water.

I put down my work and went to the affiliated clinic next to the base, where all injured personnel will be transferred for treatment.As soon as I entered the door, I felt a strong pessimistic atmosphere, completely different from the cheerful atmosphere of the previous few days. Before these children who had just walked out of the house had time to adapt, they were hit hard by the dull reality .

"Go away! I don't want to see you!"

"Huh? No, that, I just..."

"Ah, that's great. Unlike us, as long as you stay comfortably behind, you don't have to worry about getting injured or dying. Anyway, you must be laughing in your heart, right?"

"No, no, I..."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up! How could a guy like you understand..."

"Stop here." I slowly walked into the ward, just in time to see the girl sitting on the hospital bed, who was yelling at another girl standing next to her.One of them was a recruit who participated in this patrol mission, while the other was Ye Qianmo, who was holding a bandage in his hand, standing there a little at a loss.She seemed to just want to change the child's medicine, but unfortunately became a puppet to vent.

The girl sitting on the hospital bed was stunned for a moment, apparently not expecting my arrival. She gritted her teeth and shouted in despair, "Anyway, everyone will die! Such a monster...how could it be possible to win!"

"Maybe so. Whether it's you, me, or someone else, we may all die. But we will definitely win. No matter how long it takes or how much manpower it takes, we will definitely defeat those monsters." I firmly Looking at the girl, he said, "This is my promise."

As if shaken by my determination, the girl lowered her head and remained silent. Taking this opportunity, I winked at Ye Qianmo and asked her to go out for a while.For these children who have just seen the cruelty of reality, spiritual injuries are more in need of treatment than physical injuries.

I quietly closed the door. For other veterans who are used to seeing this, this level of casualties is already rare and common. It should be said that it is a habit, or they have become numb to death.I don't know if it's a blessing or not, but at least the existence of the base continues to run smoothly.

Ye Qianmo was still standing at the door, staring blankly at the ceiling, seemingly wondering what he was thinking.Are you glad you didn't join the patrol?Or are you worried that you will die like everyone else?

"I screwed up again," she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks like broken silver threads.

"...you've done a good job. It's not your fault."

"No...it's not like this...it's all my fault, mom, dad, Penny, and Jean, they all left...all, it's my fault...already, don't know what to do I did it...no matter what I do, it's all wrong...If that's the case...then why do I exist here..." Her voice was hoarse, and her eyes were completely wet with tears.

...Ah, I got it wrong from the beginning.

This child is not strong.

Abandoned by his biological father, he came to this special environment alone.It must be very disturbing, right?However, she hid this uneasiness in her heart, and always, always forced herself to smile to lighten the burden in others' hearts.

But one day, this taut string will usher in the moment of breaking.

In that case...

"not like this."

I bent down and gently hugged the crying child in front of me.

"You are not a useless existence."

"But I... obviously no matter what I do, it's always wrong..."

"Then, let me assign you a task. A unique task that only you can do."

"Only I can do the...mission?"

"That's—go laugh."

"……laugh?"

"That's right, go laugh. Fear of death, anxiety about the future, all of these are like a mountain, weighing heavily on everyone here. So, I hope you can replace those who can't smile People here, go show your smiles to your heart's content, and tell everyone here about the beauty of this world."

"This kind of thing... can I really do it..."

"Yes, this is a very difficult task. From now on, you will not be allowed to grieve, no matter how painful it is, you must never show it in front of others. But... this is a task that you, and only you, can do. "

"Please—please be, our hope."

--------------

"!!!!" Memories of the past flooded into my mind like a tide.

Is this the memory that belongs to Yin Xingchen?

It is completely different from the Ye Qianmo I saw in Arisia's great-grandmother's memory. When she first came to Team 103, she was still a little girl who was afraid of loneliness and pain.She had just experienced the "Emperor Building Project", and she came to this strange place alone before she even got out of that abandoned psychology.Witnessing the death of her companion and hating herself for being unable to do anything, she was saved by Yin Xingchen's words just before she was on the verge of collapse.

"Please be, our hope."

It is precisely because of the existence of this sentence that Ye Qianmo became the sunny girl I know later, who seems to be always smiling.Her smile has indeed infected many people, adding light to this hopeless and dark world.However, no one has ever known how much pain and sorrow is hidden behind that smile.

Is this the last fragment that belongs to the existence of Ye Qianmo...

"I know it's wrong to do this. But, I have to do it."

In the darkness, a woman's voice suddenly came.

I squinted my eyes, and finally saw a looming figure wandering in the darkness.

It's Yin Xingchen.It's just that compared with the one in my memory, her appearance has changed a lot. Countless dark and strange substances almost occupy her half body, and even the pupils have become like virtual beasts, deep and bottomless.

"Should I call you Yin Xingchen...or, the son of the witch?"

"Each half. Now I am Yin Xingchen and the fourth son born by my mother." The woman in the darkness said indifferently, with no trace of humanity in her voice.

"If it's convenient, can you tell me what happened next to make it like this?"

(Two chapters are published in a row. There are a lot of things at the end of the term recently. I won’t be free until New Year’s Day. Please forgive me)

Chapter 120 Three Battles

"It's just a simple relationship between the host and the host." The woman, or the "fourth child", said, "I long for her body, and she is looking for my strength."

"I see. It seems that you didn't die in that war back then, but merged with the witch's son and quietly returned to the present world. You set up a formation in this isolated village to seal yourself. That's it. Right?" I said quietly.

If I'm not mistaken, the woman in front of me is probably the source of the "curse".Even if it is sealed, this power still transcends the taboos of time and space, and is deeply embedded in the blood of the Yueyin clan.

"...why do you do that?" I asked in a low voice.

In the memories I have seen, the woman who has the highest belief and stands in front of everyone with her own strength, like an unbreakable wall, is by no means the existence of merging with the witch's heir just to survive.

"My father once asked me, 'What is your way?'" the woman slowly responded to me. "At that time, I answered him, 'Protect those who need to be protected'. However, until I stepped on the battlefield , I just realized how ridiculous my words are. My strength is too weak, not to mention protecting others, even myself. People are dying in front of my eyes, repeating the daily life of killing and blood... …So, I imposed my desire on that girl. I wanted her to be my, no, 'our' hope."

"Hope...then, what exactly do you mean?"

"Death is not terrible, what is terrible is the fear of the unknown before that. No one knows whether they will exist tomorrow. Facing this war that seems to never end, everyone loses the will to fight. Anyway, it will eventually If you die, resistance becomes meaningless. So, isn't it obvious what to do?"

"Did you... create that meaning?"

"That's right. I asked that child to become an 'existence that must be protected'. Although weak, he will never be sad. He always smiles and firmly believes in hope and the future. Like a beacon, it shines on our progress. the way."

That's right - just like what the Star Emperor Ruthias did.

"...you know, what did you do?"

A puppet that won't be sad is the existence Yin Xingchen hopes for.

However, that was definitely not a role Ye Qianmo could take on.

She loved this world more deeply than anyone else, and she was afraid of loss and loneliness, but she was told that she was not allowed to cry anymore.No matter how sad you are, you must smile in front of others.

How could such a thing be possible.

...But, she actually did it.

Even if your heart is full of unwillingness and tears, you must cheer up and smile.

So, at that time, she was crying alone in front of the grave.

"This is a helpless way. In order to keep other people from losing their will to survive, I have to do this."

"But what you do is different from those guys who imposed the emperor's fate on that girl?"

In the end, all are the same.No matter who it was, they only took a fancy to that girl as a "vessel", but never considered her own feelings.

Such a world... is boring.

The woman is silent.After a long time, she said slowly: "You are right. This is a crime I committed, so it must be ended by my own hands."

The surrounding darkness suddenly seemed to change its shape, and there seemed to be some unknown power gathering in it.

I took a step back subconsciously, and the black substance on the woman in front of me seemed to be a little bit more than when I was talking to me just now, and even the entire face was covered, becoming hideous and terrifying.

"Come on, looking for travelers from the past. I have foreseen your coming, so I set up this place and wait for more than 400 years. Kill my existence here, and you can get the answer you are looking for." Yin Xingchen's voice suddenly She became old and misty, and the black mist gathered in her hands, forming two pure black sharp blades.

"Hey? Hey!!! Why did you suddenly enter the battle stage! Wait a minute, I've never heard of this kind of development!" Because of the sudden situation, I became a little unprepared .The aftermath of the riot just a few days ago is still there. If force is used regardless of the cost, something very bad will definitely happen.

"It's too late. Chen Jiu's seal has been opened. At this moment, the only way is to fight." With a light wave of the long sword in the woman's right hand, the darkness that had been covering us dissipated in an instant.Only then did I realize that I had returned to the center of the village, but the buildings on the ground had completely disappeared, and the stream that divided the valley into two reflected the scenery of the starry sky. Everything was like a dream.

dream?No, speaking of it this way, this place does not seem to be real, and it is somewhat similar to the imaginary domain that once sealed the witch and enveloped the entire Xingjiang City.

Not only the formation, but also opened up another space?It is a privilege unique to witches, but it is learned by a mortal. It is really remarkable.

No, now is not the time to lament this.The opponent's killing intent was genuine, if he didn't try to fight it off - he would die.

"Well, can you wait for a while? I admit that I seemed to have overdone it before. I apologize first, so everyone should calm down and have a good chat. Why bother to fight and kill as soon as we meet? Kill it, right? If you really want to fight, I’ll have a good fight with you later, okay? Recently, due to various reasons, it’s really not easy to shoot. Or let’s change Thinking, let’s start with an exciting Dou Di Zhu... So can we stop now after talking about it!”

At the critical moment, I instinctively dodged to the side, dodging the opponent's sword light.Thanks to the master's special training day and night, my body has already sensed the danger even before the opponent raised his hand.

...But then again, it really is that way.What Yin Xingchen used just now is definitely the starting move in Jingyueliu that I am familiar with, Moon Shadow.Although there are some differences from person to person, this is the only one I will never admit wrong, so I was able to escape that attack with the body of an ordinary person.

However, the luck only goes so far.The next move, whether it is Yue Shan or Yue Yin, is definitely not something that I can dodge now.Even if I can see it, my body will never be able to keep up with the reaction, unless I undo the seal I imposed on myself, but if I do that, something worse than now will definitely happen.