Chapter 515 (1): I Be Takin’ Her Today! Let’s See Who’s Got the Stones to Stop Me!

After chatting with Vichy, Wayne couldn’t help but shoot Solsknar and his companions a sympathetic look.

You’re in trouble, kid!

In Ines’s script, Vichy was a member of the adventuring party. With insider knowledge, she was in charge of guiding the player. Solsknar, on the other hand, was a simple NPC who encountered Wayne, the leader of the party, without knowing anything. It was easy to foresee the ending of someone going against the player.

There were many cases proving that anyone who went against the player, whether they were good or bad, would be considered an antagonist, and antagonists were meant to be defeated!

Wayne could think of two explanations for Solsknar’s rotten luck: first, because of his potential to become a subordinate god, he was currently under training; second, he was the reason that the goddess’s boyfriend had fallen into Hell and gotten humiliated by a whole army of succubi, thus learning many advanced driving skills. While the goddess had forgiven Her boyfriend because She benefited from said skills, She took Her frustration out on the culprit.

No matter which was the answer, Solsknar could expect a thorough beating today.

“Since you’ve seen through me, I’ll stop pretending to be a righteous hero.” Wayne raised an eyebrow, quickly getting immersed in his role. He pulled the teary-eyed Vichy into his embrace with a wolfish grin. “Indeed, you have a good imagination. Vichy had gone radio silent for so long because I’d put her on her knees and made her slave for me!”

“Bastard!”

“Shameless scoundrel, you don’t deserve the goddess’s blessing. Anyone can become a subordinate god, but you alone are not qualified.”

Solsknar and the four other demigods were furious with Wayne and his complete lack of integrity. They comforted Vichy that since this was the Divine Realm of Darkness, Wayne’s arrogance had a time limit. They would liberate Vichy even if they had to risk their lives.

Moreover, Vichy had not been tainted. In their eyes, she had always been and would continue to be a model knight.

“Kekekeke—”

Wayne cackled, digging deeper into his role. “It’s too late for her. You should’ve come sooner. Do you know why Vichy wouldn’t go? It’s because she couldn’t. She’s pregnant with my child!”

Rumble!!

Infinite waves of dark clouds converged in the sky above the Palace of Night. Crimson lightning crackled, filling heaven and earth with a chilling, murderous intent.

Solsknar and the others raged and snarled at Wayne, their faces distorted. Meanwhile, Vichy, the victimized mother... showed little change in her expression.

(╥﹏╥)

She had been crying this whole time. She had been fake-crying, but now, she shed genuine tears.

“It’s okay, Vichy. You’ve always been pure in our eyes. This demon threatened you. You aren’t at fault.”

“Indeed, we’ll always believe you, Vichy.”

It doesn’t matter if you believe me; it matters that the goddess doesn’t misunderstand me!

Vichy covered her face. She was on the verge of a breakdown because she was stuck between two degenerate superiors.

Her shame further enraged Solsknar and the other four demigods. Sai and Hayner, as fellow females, let out battle cries and charged at Wayne first.

The twins hailed from the Abyss in Hell just like Solsknar. Standing over two meters, they each had three pairs of arms, their torsos accounting for more than half of their bodies. Their scleras were black, and their irises were red. In their mouths were fangs and snakes’ forked tongues. Combined with their eerie, insidious faces, they projected a macabre beauty that deterred regular people.

Twack! Twack!

With Vichy in his arms, Wayne made two swings with his left fist, knocking the twins down. They collapsed and went unconscious, their bodies stiffening.

“I didn’t notice the last time how the two Abyssal inhabitants were right up my alley as long as their upper bodies are covered,” Wayne commented, clicking his tongue.

Since they had misunderstood him, he might as well push further in that direction. It was easy to play a pervert. He could do it with some determination.

A boundless dark realm swept toward Wayne with volatile spatial ripples. Solsknar, alongside Sid and Gauche, shot toward him like three black arrows. Their six crimson eyes blazed with fury.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Wayne didn’t even take a step forward, yet his pressure forced the dark realm to pull back. Once again, he made three simple punches. Sid and Gauche were knocked out just like that, and Solsknar alone remained conscious.

He staggered back with blood streaking down his nose. He lost his composure when he sensed that his domain was gone.

It had only been two months, but Wayne had gotten stronger, strong enough to rival the two subordinate gods of the Divine Realm. He couldn’t put up a proper resistance.

“Impossible. Absolutely impossible!” he roared furiously.

“What’s impossible? People can do whatever their talents allow them to do. The fact that you’d say that already sets your defeat in stone.” Wayne tightened his arms around Vichy, who could not lift her head out of shame. He laughed brightly. “Vichy will be mine from now on. She no longer has anything to do with you trash. I’ll generously allow you to attend the banquet when she delivers the child. Remember to bring red envelopes.”

“No, absolutely not!” Solsknar glared at Wayne with crimson eyes. “Every subordinate god is a role model in the Divine Realm. They have received the goddess’s recognition in both power and character. I don’t believe that someone like you can become a subordinate god. You’ve severely lowered the moral low bar in the Divine Realm. You are not worthy.”

Ever consider that the moral low bar has long been lowered by someone else? Like the Goddess of Darkness?

“You can’t say anything, can you? I didn’t expect you to know shame!” Solsknar rebuked, transforming his hands into weapons. “I knew it. You blinded the goddess with lies and trickery, making Her believe that you were virtuous.”

You got it wrong. Your goddess has blinded me instead.

When Wayne remained silent, Solsknar planted his feet on the moral high ground and spoke with more conviction, “Leave Vichy. I’ll report your vices to the Listener, and then the goddess will give you the proper punishment.”

“It’ll be embarrassing if I leave Vichy with you just because you said so. No one can separate this family of three.” Wayne put a hand on his hip. Hearing Vichy’s whine, he pushed harder, “I be takin' her today! Let's see who's got the stones to stop me![1]”

Solsknar didn’t really understand him, but he could tell Wayne’s arrogance and audacity. He charged heroically in the heat of the moment.

Then he dropped with a yelp.

Wayne pulled his fist back and patted Vichy on the backside. “You have defeated bandits x5. Exp+5, affinity with your teammate+99. Congratulations, you have hit the threshold for Relationship: Lovers. From now on, you may recover hit points by doing it in hotels, forests, or any other locations.”

Vichy wept while covering her face. She had just received a complaint about her giving herself extra scenes and stealing screentime from the female lead. In the future, she could expect trouble just like Anastasia.

Wayne gleefully basked in the joy of being Ines. “What are you waiting for? Lead the way. I’m eager to finish the mission.”

He patted her backside again.

Vichy was wearing black armor at this moment. Unlike the armor that Wayne and Auston wore when they turned into Darkness Knights, her armor had a softer contour, with pteruges condensed from Darkness energy. Wayne’s pat collided with the pteruges and clanged loudly.

It didn’t matter since it was meant to establish his character.

Vichy led the way in a daze with undried tears at the corners of her eyes. Stepping over the ‘bodies’ of her once-companions, she staggered as if she had endured terrible abuse.

Wayne took one step and then halted, looking down at Solsknar in surprise. “Seriously, bandit leader? How much are you paid per month? Can’t be more than a few bucks. Why are you putting your life on the line?”

Solsknar grasped his ankle and said hoarsely, “You’re not taking Vichy unless it’s over my dead body. I won’t let go.”

From his peripheral vision, he saw Vichy walk with visible despair. He could easily tell how much torment and abuse his former teammate had endured at the hands of Wayne. He couldn’t let go!

Bam!

Wayne kicked Solsknar right in the face. Solsknar’s grip went slack before he flew to the other end of the street, tumbling twice until he finally became motionless.

“The troublemaker dirtied my shoe.” Wayne huffed and caught up with Vichy, flashing her a grin. “How is it? Isn’t my villain act convincing?”

“Adventurer, please do control yourself,” Vichy said numbly. “You’re being troublesome to your companion.”

“Really? I thought you wanted my child.”

“I don’t. I’ve never. Don’t be ridiculous,” Vichy hurriedly denied. Why would he tell the truth like that in the Divine Realm of Darkness? If the goddess heard...

Oh, a message. The goddess had heard.

(╥﹏╥)

A light click came from the street corner, followed by a wheezing shriek. A red flare bloomed in the sky like a firework.

Wayne turned around and saw that it was Solsknar’s doing. The honest python had stubbornly shot a signal flare to summon fellow heroes in the Divine Realm.

“Amazing. He’s still alive even after taking two punches and a kick from me. He’s so strong.” Wayne marveled. The Abyssal Python, the most promising candidate for the third subordinate god, lived up to his reputation. At least he had a healthy health bar.

“Hahaha, you’re doomed.” Solsknar caught his breath on the ground. “The goddess has stipulated that no one is to fight on the tenth level, the Palace of Night. Your violation will be punished. The two subordinate gods will be here soon. I look forward to visiting you in prison.”

He nodded at Vichy. I’ve promised to save you from the demon, and I will. I do not give up on my teammates.

It was such a touching scene that Wayne and Vichy were both moved. They shot Solsknar a pitying look. Enough was enough. He really should lose consciousness already.

“Rebelling subordinate gods...” Wayne cocked his head at Vichy. “Haven’t we skipped a little too much ahead?”

Encountering bosses right after taking out the bandits? Where were the elite monsters? The commanders of darkness, demon councilors, the great four, the eighteen monks, and the hundred and eight demonic stars hadn’t appeared yet!

Vichy shook her head. This was an open-world game, so it made sense for the bandit den to be right across from the bosses’ palace.

“How is that reasonable? The bosses’ palace should be in the city center, too expensive for the bandits to afford. No one that rich would become bandits.”

Wayne huffed, then turned to Solsknar. “Don’t celebrate just yet. While the goddess has formulated rules in the Divine Realm, the rules are only meant to enforce order. They are neither fair nor just, and they do not apply to those in power. You may not understand now, but you will.”

Solsknar didn’t understand. Exhausted, he blacked out, his head drooping.

Hum—

Tremendous pressure shook space itself and shattered the earth like nightmares being brought into reality, unleashing suffocating Darkness energy. It shook the entire tenth level and made all living beings within shudder.

Vichy felt it most keenly. It was like looking into an abyss, evoking the deepest fear and despair in her. That showed her the unbridgeable gap between her and the subordinate gods.

Two figures emerged and took form. They looked at the long stretch of road below.

1. The original is a transliterated version of a Cantonese quote from Scissor Seven, an animated series. ☜