Chapter 40: It’s a good hatred

“Is there anything else, Head Referee?

I believe we haven’t violated any rules of the match, and besides…”

The 3D map unfurled.

The final zone contraction had commenced, and a full map scan activated.

Only three red dots remained, encircling the group.

“It seems the match is drawing to a close.”

Lien glanced at the map, remaining silent.

At that moment, the other participants began to converge around them.

“Isn’t this the referee?

Why… is he here to announce the end of the match?”

A sinister grin stretched across Andrew’s face, his body splattered with a considerable amount of blood.

He tipped the cloth sack he had slung over his shoulder, and a heap of blood-stained tokens tumbled out.

A quick glance revealed over a dozen of them!

However, only Sylvie was by his side.

Their other teammate was nowhere to be seen.

‘Oh!’

Upon seeing Andrew and Sylvie, a small gasp suddenly echoed through Qilin’s soul network.

Simultaneously, he sensed fear emanating from his companion spirit weapon.

‘What’s wrong, Little Flame?

Do you know them?’

Qilin scrutinized Andrew and Sylvie with surprise.

He felt… ‘…they didn’t seem particularly strong.’

It was only after Little Flame offered an explanation through the soul network that he understood.

‘Oh, so that bandaged man I killed earlier was your teammate.’

He uttered the words as if to himself, yet with a tone of sudden realization.

However, he showed no regard for discretion; indeed, he might have even said it intentionally for others to overhear.

As expected, Andrew and Sylvie immediately turned their gaze towards him upon hearing his words.

Both their expressions registered surprise.

“Boy, did that bandaged man die by your hand?” Andrew’s sinister smile returned as he glared at Qilin with malevolent intent.

Qilin produced two daggers.

“Recognize these? My spoils of war.”

The two small lolis manifested their forms.

Qilin embraced one with each arm, shamelessly nuzzling their soft, delicate cheeks, first to the left, then to the right.

Though they appeared as lolis, the appearance of spirit races bore no actual relation to their age.

‘Qilin: Legally sanctioned lolis acquired!’

Andrew and Sylvie’s faces both darkened.

It wasn’t because the bandaged man had been slain by Qilin, but rather because… ‘That damn brat dared to provoke them so brazenly!’

“Referee, the match isn’t over yet, is it?

In that case, killing him now wouldn’t violate any rules, would it?”

Andrew drew the greatsword from his back, a blade as wide as a door plank.

His eyes blazed with murderous intent.

Lien cast a glance at him, then unexpectedly chuckled.

“No, it wouldn’t.

The match still has ten minutes remaining.”

Having said that, he stepped aside and began to observe with keen interest.

Seeing this, the grin on Andrew’s face grew even more savage.

Even Sylvie had already donned her pair of knuckle dusters.

Together, both of them radiated spiritual energy fluctuations.

“Listen here, boy, let me tell you something.

That bandaged man was just some random nobody we picked up to fill out our numbers.

He had no real skill to begin with.

If killing him makes you swell with pride, then I suggest you get on your knees right now, hand over your companion spirit weapons, and I might just be merciful enough to let you walk out of this forest alive.”

Qilin, however, remained utterly unfazed.

He asked with an air of nonchalance, “Oh, and what do you intend to do with my companion spirit weapons then?

You can’t contract a second one, can you?”

“Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee! Slaughter them, of course! Slaughter them!

I’ll pin them beneath my sword, then stomp on them, foot by foot, listening to their wretched wails and pleas for mercy, until they become nothing but a pool of blood on the ground.

Sylvie will pummel them into a bloody pulp, punch by punch!

Hee-hee-hee! Those pathetic screams of agony are truly the most beautiful sound!”

Andrew’s words plunged everyone present into a stunned silence.

Every face was etched with profound displeasure.

Melody, in particular, had eyes that now gleamed with icy coldness.

“Milady, Melody requests permission to fight…” Melody stared intently at Andrew’s arrogant face.

What she could not tolerate above all else was the brutal slaughter of spirit races by humans!

For humans, spirit races were considered almost entirely harmless beings.

A stressed cat might scratch, a rabid dog might bite.

Any animal in the natural world could potentially inflict harm upon humans.

Yet spirit races—they were practically harmless to humanity!

Their harmlessness was akin to an imprinted ideology (TL Note: A concept of deep-seated, unshakable belief or instinct, like a ‘thought-steel-seal’).

They were inherently kind and pure-hearted by nature.

They were companions who could be trusted completely and unconditionally.

Therefore, any abuse of spirit races was seen as the most extreme form of bullying the weak by the strong!

It was the most shameless and despicable torment inflicted upon those utterly incapable of resistance!

Moreover, spirit races were humanity’s most crucial source of power in their struggle against the Abyss!

To brutally slaughter spirit races?

‘What the hell is the difference between that and being a human traitor?’

When those brutally slain spirit races returned to the Mother Tree of Life, their memories and experiences would be read by the Mother Tree of Life.

Their pain and despair would be absorbed by the Mother Tree.

‘What would happen then?’

‘What benefit could that possibly bring to humanity?’

“Melody?” Mellina was also furious.

However, in her eyes, this seemed to have nothing to do with them.

Logically, they should have remained uninvolved and simply waited for the match to conclude.

Yet, Melody’s emotions were continuously flowing into her at that moment.

It was a rage beyond all reason!

Never before had she felt such an intense surge of anger from Melody!

Melody was truly enraged!

Upon hearing Melody’s request to fight, Andrew also shifted his gaze to her.

“Oh? You…”

His gaze swept over Mellina and Sephilia in turn.

Then, a look of realization dawned upon him. “So, it’s you.”

He observed Melody with keen interest.

His eyes made no attempt to conceal the greed festering within him.

Andrew extended his tongue, licking a circle around his lips.

“Little lady, you wouldn’t happen to be a spirit race, would you?

Heh heh heh heh, if I were to hack off your limbs, then tie a rope around your neck and hang you up, and then use your abdomen for boxing practice, that would be quite the thrill, wouldn’t it!

Hey, Sylvie, wouldn’t you like to try it?”

Sylvie also chuckled.

“Indeed, I’m quite looking forward to the taste of her blood.”

Their words successfully ignited the fury of everyone present!

Sephilia stepped forward, shouldering her Radiant War Hammer.

“Mellina, there’s nothing more to say.

We have to take them on!

Fight them to the death!”

Wynne had already fallen silent, stealthily melting into the shadows.

Mellina was also consumed by immense rage.

She resolved that, no matter what suffering she might endure afterward, she would absolutely kill those two despicable scoundrels before her today!

However, besides them, there were others present as well.

A short-barreled flintlock pistol reappeared in Lien’s hand.

He raised the barrel, aiming it at Andrew.

“Boy, as the Head Referee of this match, I declare you disqualified.

Furthermore… given your recent remarks, you had best pray that both of you die by their hands.

Otherwise… I will show you what it truly means to wish for death.”

He had spoken.

Andrew was utterly dumbfounded.

‘What?’

‘What’s wrong with this guy?’

‘What do a few boasts from me have to do with him?’

Sylvie was also stunned.

He couldn’t fathom why a bit of trash talk would lead to their disqualification.

More specifically, how had they managed to incur the referee’s wrath?

‘Are you some kind of righteous crusader?’

‘Or is Rozval a relative of those people?’

They truly didn’t care about being disqualified, ‘but why the hell are you threatening to make us wish for death?’

‘This is utterly baffling!’