Chapter 666: Integrity and Stuff, Who Needs It Anyway

Because she had witnessed it.

During that time when he was confronting the God of All Machines.

She had clearly felt the power fluctuations emanating from within that dazzling purple light screen, felt that bone-deep terror and trembling that originated from the depths of her soul.

And precisely because of this.

She would never view him as a low-level human being, let alone the fact that he had countless ties to the Colossus.

"Then shall we set off?" The Desire Mother Tree tilted her head, smiling sweetly.

But Lynn didn't move immediately. Instead, he raised a finger and smiled at her as he said:

"No, there's one more condition."

"Oh?" The young girl showed a hint of interest.

Lynn adjusted his Monocle and spoke slowly: "What you need is just me. It has nothing to do with these two friends of mine. Let them go, and I can guarantee that I'll take you to the location of the Colossus's Brain Consciousness. What do you say?"

That young girl smiled, as if she had already seen right through his thoughts.

Wasn't this precisely his weakness?

He could put himself in danger, but no matter how the situation changed, for those beings he genuinely regarded as friends and family, he would always keep them in his heart and remain unwavering.

"I refuse."

That young girl's smile didn't change.

Because she was very clear that if she wanted to control this cunning Night Doctor, she had to start with the people around him.

Those were his Shackles. Only by grasping the Shackles could she put on the safety Pin.

She.

Had no intention of repeating the mistakes of those Plague Doctors.

Lynn showed a surprised expression, rubbed his chin, and said: "So that means there's no room for negotiation?"

The Desire Mother Tree smiled meaningfully and said: "This isn't negotiation. Although you've kept the atmosphere between us very harmonious and have piqued my interest in you, business is business. Such a good chain - do you think I'd let it go so easily?"

"Ah!"

Lynn looked as if he had suddenly realized something.

"Is that so? Then there really isn't any good way around it."

And almost the instant he finished speaking, his hand seamlessly reached into the System Space, the Curse Purge ability activating simultaneously. A revolver glimmering with silver light spun in his palm before he firmly gripped its handle.

The muzzle immediately pressed against his own chin.

Bang—

A gunshot rang out.

Without any hesitation, without any delay, everything happened too fast. That bullet had already pierced through his lower jaw, passed through his skull, and as blood blossoms sprayed from the top of his head, burst out through his cranium.

Zuo Zuo's pupils instantly dilated, shock pouring out from her eyes.

Right before her gaze,

Lynn's body crashed heavily backward. His body, suspended between reality and the virtual, began slowly peeling away into fragments under a flickering, unstable state.

"BRAIN!!!"

In that moment.

Zuo Zuo screamed uncontrollably, shoved Little Treasure away, and charged frantically toward Lynn's direction.

Clearly, this was something no one had expected.

Just a moment ago, he had been all smiles, and the next moment, he had unhesitatingly shot himself.

That young girl's pupils also contracted.

Clearly, even she hadn't anticipated this.

Because in her observation of him, he valued his own life and safety very much. Or rather, for Chaotic Creatures, selfishness toward one's own life was always a dominant trait.

Without any hesitation.

She instantly teleported in front of him before Zuo Zuo could even reach him, her fingers suddenly emitting streaks of blood-red distorted light.

With a rustling sound, blood-and-flesh vines instantly wrapped around Lynn's soon-to-dissipating body. Surging mental fluctuations flooded into his consciousness like a torrent, forcefully mending his Will in a rustling cascade.

After all, she was a Root.

She quickly stabilized Lynn's severely traumatized consciousness.

"I really didn't expect you to threaten me this way!" The Desire Mother Tree let out a cold laugh, her fingers emitting a faint glow that continuously healed the wounds in his consciousness.

"But aren't you underestimating me just a bit? I was once a deity, and even after my fall, I still am. Death is not a way for you to escape my control."

In the hazy realm of consciousness.

Lynn's lips twisted into a difficult arc as he said:

"I'm not... trying to escape... haven't you realized yet... I am the Colossus's Heart after all... when my consciousness is severely wounded, the Colossus's Brain will also sense it... it probably hasn't fully completed its revival yet... so think about it..."

"If it senses that my consciousness is on the verge of death... wouldn't it accelerate the revival process... making all your efforts... come up empty-handed?"

At these words, that young girl's expression shifted slightly.

Lynn raised his hand with difficulty, pushed up his Monocle with effort, and smirked:

"Besides... you can't control me either... you don't dare manipulate my consciousness... have you forgotten what happened to the God of All Machines? If you touch the monster sealed within my consciousness... your fate won't be much better either..."

That young girl's gaze clearly became uncertain.

Monster?

Seal?!

In that instant, she once again remembered the massive Violet-colored Magic Circle he had deployed when confronting the God of All Machines, remembered the white-haired figure she had vaguely glimpsed within the light screen.

Her gaze fell deeply upon Lynn's meaningful expression.

Her first instinct was that he was toying with her.

Because in her various observations of him, she had long come to understand this human's cunning. From a very subtle point, he could weave truth and falsehood to pull you into his rhythm, then crush you with his abundant experience.

"Are you playing me?" She narrowed her eyes.

Lynn closed his eyes, still wearing that playful smirk on his lips, but remained silent.

That young girl's gaze flickered.

She could say with high probability that he was being scheming.

But who really knew?

Because if even a shred of his words were true, she wouldn't dare gamble. Even someone as powerful as the God of All Machines had nearly been crushed to death within that light screen.

A Root that couldn't die had almost died.

"You're... running out of time..."

Lynn said with his eyes closed, a slight curl to his lips: "Either save me... and let my two friends leave, or control me... and let us both gamble on that probability... and see who dies first in the end."

His tone was gentle and calm, as if he wasn't at all concerned about his current situation.

As if even life itself could be used as a bargaining chip.

That young girl narrowed her eyes, a dangerous light flickering within them. She had finally witnessed this young man's troublesome nature and cunning.

Because he had never even considered that he might die.

That was why he dared to unhesitatingly shoot himself.

And that single shot of his.

Had instantly shifted his position back to the most advantageous side for him, forcing her to make compromises and concessions. Because the two points he had just mentioned had indeed struck straight at the vital issues.

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