"Excuse me, what do you usually do after your save file gets corrupted?
Urgently waiting online, very very urgent."
...
Second Playthrough
Colton, Hall of Divine Punishment
The massive iron doors thundered open, and the dim red glow from the lamps of refined gold flickered faintly. Cold gazes pierced through the darkness, all focused on him, devoid of any mercy.
At this moment, Luo Po truly looked desolate.
He was like a drenched stray dog, hurriedly dragged through the torrential rain into the Hall of Divine Punishment, his hands and feet bound in shackles, waiting with a weary expression for the final judgment to be handed down.
The boy wasn't particularly handsome, but his fair skin and delicate features gave him a certain charm. However, the downpour from the sky plastered his black hair to his face, almost obscuring his vision.
With the dull echo of the gavel striking three times, Luo Po's last sliver of hope was snuffed out.
"Criminal Luo Po, guilty of 'inciting war' and 'illegally developing war machines,'" the Chief Judge glanced at him coldly, pausing for two seconds before pronouncing the final charge, "and... 'blasphemy.'"
"After careful deliberation by the Ecclesiastical Court, the criminal Luo Po is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment."
Luo Po suddenly chuckled, a grim smile forming on his face.
This so-called 'blasphemy'? It was because he used his armor to rescue the townsfolk, but the villagers accused him of firing his armor's cannons at the sacred emblem on the church.
They just wanted him to 'delete his character and restart.'
By Luo Po's calculation, this was the fourth year of his second playthrough. Given that each restart moved back by one year, the third playthrough would be his final chance in this world.
...
The sentence had been passed, and Luo Po was returned to the cold, dark cell, his hands and feet once again bound in chains.
Expressionless, he reached under the hard cot and pulled out a small notebook made of black goatskin, using the last of his pen's ink to document the course of this playthrough.
Luo Po no longer took any pleasure in such things and had no habit of keeping a journal.
But before the next playthrough begins, the contents of this diary and the events of the final hour before his death would replace all of his memories from this round.
With trembling hands, due to the restraints, Luo Po scribbled crooked letters on the goatskin pages.
1. You died this round because you overdid it simping for a woman. Let this be a constant reminder.
2. You've discovered the secret of the Arcane Armor. The details are at the end of the book. In the third playthrough, make sure to build enough armor to kill everything as soon as possible.
3. Remember your identity as a villain and stick to the original story's path. Don't concern yourself with honor and righteousness.
4. Find opportunities to steal the protagonist's spotlight.
5. To you, they are all just pawns.
6. Stay elegant.
7. Stay elegant.
8. Stay elegant.
After writing down the twenty most important reminders, Luo Po casually shoved the journal back under the cot.
...
The crisp sound of a key turning in the lock startled Luo Po awake. A familiar feminine fragrance filled the damp cell, and boots clapped against the wet, cold floor.
Luo Po slowly shifted his body, lying on his side, facing the wall like a 'sleeping' worm.
The scent of jasmine cut through the musty air, growing closer. Finally, Luo Po felt a warm blanket, still carrying the girl's warmth, being draped over his shoulders.
"Luo Po... sir, you won't even turn to look at me?" the girl's voice trembled, as if on the verge of tears.
"Triss Belle," Luo Po responded, still facing the wall, addressing her by her full name, "there's no need for false pretenses.
Just like you said before, I'm nothing more than a pawn, whether to you or to the others."
He had once been an outstanding armor engineer, but to them, he was just a disposable pawn, discarded once his value was used up.
It was only in the fourth year of the second playthrough that Luo Po fully grasped the profound secret of the Arcane Armor. But the time left for him was not enough to build a world-shattering suit of armor to overturn the world and its inevitable conclusion.
He played the part of a villain, yet to survive, he acted like a righteous man, lowering himself without shame to please them. In the end, he wove his own web, discarded as a useless piece and thrown into prison.
Luo Po had often felt that his second playthrough resembled an old fairytale, where he played the role of the 'knight.'
And he pondered often: what truly is a knight?
A knight swears to protect the princesses, following the prince into the witch's castle to save them at all costs. The noble prince marries the equally noble princesses.
And the knight, who cleared the path, is accused of war crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment.
In summary: the knight is just a stepping stone.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't save you... I'm truly very sorry," the girl choked up, her once-melodious voice now hoarse, standing silently beside Luo Po's bed, repeatedly apologizing.
"Couldn't save me?" Luo Po laughed bitterly, finally turning to look at her. Staring into her golden eyes, he saw her long, fluttering lashes, "You could easily get me out, but you won't. Because you know very well, I'm not worth the heavy price."
"My family has already declined. All I can do is reduce your sentence." The girl's expression dimmed.
"Hmm? If you've come just to comfort me, then there's no need."
"I came here because I owe you a huge debt," she said, looking down at him with a faint smile breaking through her sadness. "And now, I've come with sincerity to repay it."
Luo Po's expression stiffened, then he looked at her in surprise.
He used to joke: Apologies? What's the use of an apology? Show me some sincerity.
Whenever they asked what kind of sincerity he wanted, Luo Po would flash a sly smile: "Why, it's you, clean and waiting for me in bed, of course."
It was a crude joke, but this girl had remembered it so well.
"The verdict has been handed down, and I can't change the facts. But I still hope to offer you some... physical comfort."
The girl swayed her slender waist, slowly undressing before him. Her pale skin glowed under the stark light, and the scent of jasmine grew even more intense.
Her flushed, delicate face drew near, her lips brushing against his in a near-biting kiss.
The soft, slick sensation in her mouth reminded Luo Po of dolphins swimming through the ocean, gliding through his own.
For once, Luo Po didn't stick to his principles.
Besides, the shackles bound most of his movements, leaving him little choice.
Her white thighs, smooth and strong, gripped his waist tightly as she guided his hands.
Luo Po gazed into her lust-filled golden eyes, seeing the hidden pity and sorrow within them. He grabbed her hand, the one holding his chin, and pulled away from the passionate kiss.
"Even now, while doing this, there's pity in your eyes."
Luo Po smiled bitterly. Despite her flawless, tempting body, he knew this was just charity.
He didn't need pity. He hated charity even more.
More importantly, he was about to 'delete and restart.' Soon, all memories of this round would fade, except for the contents of the journal and the last hour before his death.
He didn't want this brief moment of physical contact to distort his judgment in the next playthrough.
Soon, all his memories with them would be gone, replaced by the twisted words in his journal: their names, their malice toward him, and...
Their weaknesses, ripe for exploitation.
"Please, don't pity me." Luo Po stared up at the half-naked girl, but his gaze only lingered for a second before he looked away. "It's a shame... the Wish Fulfiller Armor couldn't fulfill my wish."
His voice was colder than usual.
"Do you... hate me?" She seemed on the verge of tears, her voice cracking as if hurt by his rejection.
"Not really," Luo Po said after a pause.
It wasn't that Luo Po wanted to hurt her feelings, but rather, she was sitting on him, making it hard for him to reach his gun.
"Please leave," Luo Po said calmly, dismissing her.
The girl quickly dressed, like a child preparing to run away from home, pouting as she exaggerated every motion with dramatic flair.
But she knew she was only throwing a tantrum.
The boy was destined to spend his life in prison, and she could do little to change that.
The night rain continued its relentless downpour, raindrops pounding on the iron bars. The fresh scent of summer mud mixed with the metallic tang of rust permeated the cell.
As she reached the door, about to say her final goodbye, the distinct sound of a safety latch being released echoed behind her.
Her last expression of stubbornness froze on her face. In the fastest reaction of her life, she tried to stop him.
But Luo Po had already raised the gun to his temple and pulled the trigger.
With a heart-wrench.