Targeted by Vill-V? Lin Wei felt another headache coming on.
I'm not Raiden Mei, I'm not interested in your secrets!
Although Vill-V's "Deep End" was different from Aponia's "Deep End,"—
Based on their individual "cognitions" and permissions, like "Ohio" and "Idaho," essentially unrelated—
Lin Wei still wasn't interested.
He was here for a vacation, not to explore any "Deep Ends." Leave him alone!
But since she insisted on bothering him…
"Well, it seems I can't refuse such a gracious invitation. I suppose I've arrived just in time for the grand opening? However, I'm afraid you'll have to find another assistant for your performance. I'm only here as an audience member~" Lin Wei played along, summoning Pandora and shifting it into a sleek, dark cane.
He smiled, bowing politely yet defiantly towards Vill-V, wherever she was hiding. He ignored the Russian-doll-like contraptions that had appeared nearby, walked to the edge of the area, and waited patiently, feigning interest.
The key to a magic show was controlling the audience's attention, using misdirection to conceal the magician's true intentions.
So, what were a magician's biggest fears?
First, the audience figuring out the trick. Second, a bored audience.
Both meant a loss of control.
He would give her a taste of both and see what she could do.
He would be an unresponsive audience.
"Oh dear, oh dear, what an unexpected turn of events! It seems our esteemed guest isn't impressed by the opening act~ In that case, let's skip the lengthy introduction and jump straight to the climax!" The voice, though momentarily surprised, remained enthusiastic, echoing from all directions.
"If you don't mind me asking, there are only a handful of people in the Elysian Realm. Besides me, who exactly is your audience?" Lin Wei asked, mercilessly exposing her charade.
"Please be patient, our guest from afar, the show is about to begin!" Vill-V's voice was calm and unhurried, not at all bothered by his interruption.
The three large, gear-covered "hats" that Lin Wei had ignored suddenly exploded, showering the area with colorful confetti.
Along with the confetti, a massive curtain unfurled, covering the sky and reaching the ground, as if enclosing the entire world, a spectacular and awe-inspiring sight.
Clap, clap, clap… Lin Wei applauded, genuinely impressed by the spectacle.
Full marks for special effects!
Elysian Realm, Elysian Realm… a data space, not reality.
It was only natural for someone with admin privileges to have some fun, right?
Not bad, actually pretty cool, Lin Wei thought.
The colorful confetti rained down, forming a thick, shimmering carpet of "snow."
However, Lin Wei and the area around him remained untouched, not a single piece of confetti landing within a half-meter radius.
The reason was simple. He had simply planted his cane in the ground, nothing more.
The falling "snowflakes" dissolved before reaching him, like real snow melting in the sun.
Since he couldn't figure out Vill-V's intentions, he would avoid any contact with her creations.
After a moment of silence, a hissing sound filled the air as the curtain began to rise, as if this truly were a grand stage.
The curtain revealed… another stage, shrouded in mist and steam.
Suddenly, a cheerful violin melody filled the air, adding a touch of vibrancy to the mysterious, steam-filled stage.
Following the sound, he saw an automaton, clearly modeled after Eden, playing the violin with a dreamy expression, the music sweet and melodious.
Lin Wei facepalmed. Did Eden give you permission to use her likeness?
Speaking of which… audience?
He recalled Vill-V's earlier announcement mentioning an "audience," plural.
He shifted his gaze upwards, scanning the area at about the height of a second-floor balcony.
Sure enough, hundreds of automatons filled the "audience seats," clapping enthusiastically. Many were easily recognizable – the white hair, the pink hair, the gray hair… quite distinctive.
Quite a crowd, Lin Wei thought, his lips twitching. Vill-V really went all out.
At least half of the "audience" had green hair.
Were they modeled after Mobius, or were they simply copies of Klein?
Either way, it would probably infuriate Mobius.
A strong gust of wind swept through the area, clearing away the steam, revealing the metallic, intricate stage, and scattering the confetti "snow."
As the colorful confetti rained down again, then vanished with the wind, the boundary between the curtain and the outside world dissolved—
In an instant, Lin Wei found himself on the stage, only the small area around his feet remaining unchanged, still resembling the open field.
"Admin privileges…" Lin Wei muttered under his breath, pulling his cane from the ground and watching indifferently as the last patch of grass beneath his feet transformed into stage flooring.
Since Vill-V wanted to demonstrate her control over the Elysian Realm, he would play along. What else could he do?
"You said I was an audience member, and now you've forced me onto the stage. Are all magicians from the Previous Era this eccentric?" He didn't bother looking around anymore. He knew all he had to do was wait for the main act.
"Tricking your audience like this will get you bad reviews and complaints, you know!" he said cheerfully.
"Don't mind the theatrics, it's just a small surprise," a voice said from the center of the stage. A figure slowly rose from the ground, a girl – or was she a woman? She looked young – adorned with brass and gears.
Perhaps it was the lighting, or perhaps it was her hairstyle, but half of her dark green hair seemed to shimmer with a different color, giving her a somewhat sinister appearance.
So this was Vill-V? The great magician, the great mechanic, the great inventor…
Lin Wei glanced at her.
She was indeed… great.
Vill-V, in turn, looked at him with interest. "My, how strange. Usually, first-time audience members are a bit nervous, but you seem perfectly calm."
"Every magician has their specialty, and mine happens to be escapology. This is… hardly a challenging situation," Lin Wei replied truthfully.
Vill-V eyed him strangely. He's doing this on purpose, isn't he?
"Indeed, someone who can befriend a Herrscher is bound to be… unusual." She didn't question him further. She never sought answers from others' words. She had her own methods.
"So, what is it you want? No need for introductions, I overheard everything. Vill-V." Lin Wei cut to the chase, not playing along with her script.
"Oh dear, it seems my preparations were inadequate. I failed to inspire awe or elicit screams of terror. How disappointing~" Vill-V sighed dramatically, shaking her head.
They were talking past each other, on completely different wavelengths.
Should I just leave? Lin Wei turned to go, his face impassive.
If she didn't want to talk, he wouldn't force her.
"Wait, our esteemed guest, the show isn't over yet. You can't leave in the middle of the performance," Vill-V said, stepping forward to block his path, a smile on her face, her words sharp.
"You have plenty of other audience members. Go on with your show," Lin Wei said, gesturing to the crowd of automatons.
He could play this game too.
"Oh, but you're my most important audience member! And you're a fellow magician! That makes things even more interesting, don't you think? Perhaps I could invite the 'greatest magician of the Later Era' to join me on stage?" Vill-V's eyes gleamed with amusement, emphasizing his self-proclaimed title.
"I refuse. This is your stage. And my appearance fee is quite high~" Lin Wei deadpanned.
"Don't be so hasty! I promise you'll be satisfied with the final result. Consider it… a friendly competition between magicians?"
"Vill-V, controlling the pace of a performance is a basic skill for any magician. I don't mind if you want to control the stage. And I don't mind performing, as long as you can afford my fee. Escapology isn't cheap, you know." Lin Wei looked at her, deciding to stop playing games. It was time to be blunt.
"A magician needs three things: props, skills, and an assistant," he said, raising his cane. "Now, I have two props at my disposal. One is this grand stage – the Elysian Realm – and the other is this ordinary cane."
"And I have two choices for an assistant. One is you, Ms. Vill-V, kindly helping me with my performance – by letting me leave."
"The other is activating my Divine Key's Zeroth Power output and awakening my other assistant, who can also help me escape this stage."
"You see, with the props and the assistant, all I need is a little… insignificant skill, and a grand escape act can be successfully executed." Lin Wei's voice was soft, but his words were a threat.
Then, he added, "And to avoid any misunderstandings, Ms. Vill-V, let me clarify. Pandora's Zeroth Power has two activation methods. One is when I actively trigger it to wake up a certain sleepyhead. The other is… passive activation. It triggers whenever I'm in mortal danger…"
He stopped there, smiling at Vill-V, the implication clear:
So, how do you like this surprise?
Unleashing the most terrifying power at the moment of death – it fit the Herrscher of Corruption's persona perfectly, didn't it?
(°ー°〃)
Something feels wrong… Lin Wei knew this wasn't Dr. MEI's intention when she created the black box.
Whether due to a rushed execution, RIN's strong will, or a genuine desire to fulfill their last promise, the gift he received was this gentle "curse."
He had become a walking nuclear bomb…
It was absurd, yet he couldn't help but feel grateful.
Clap, clap, clap… Steady, resounding applause filled the air. Vill-V exclaimed, her voice full of admiration, "Brilliant! What a brilliant concept! The creativity and audacity are truly breathtaking! Bravo! Bravo!"
The applause spread rapidly as the automatons in the audience joined in, cheering enthusiastically.
Lin Wei's threatening aura was effortlessly dispelled by her applause, as if they were simply discussing magic tricks.
He felt a headache coming on. He shouldn't have revealed his trump card so early.
He had no hostile intentions towards Vill-V, and he was certain she felt the same way. So, even though he had revealed his hand, he couldn't actually use it. It was a stalemate.
He really didn't want to destroy the Elysian Realm.
If it were Gray Serpent or Otto standing there, it would be a different story.
Applause? He would blow them to smithereens!
Lin Wei lowered his cane, his expression turning serious as he returned to the main topic. "Alright, tell me your purpose. I'm guessing it's the twelfth Divine Key in my hand that piqued your interest? Now that you've seen it, are you satisfied?"
Dr. MEI's "final work," a Divine Key untouched by Vill-V… he suspected this was the reason for her interest.
"Oh, no, you misunderstand. A Divine Key? That's a matter for the experts. Let them deal with it, I have no interest in interfering," Vill-V waved her hand dismissively. The "Vill-V" here was, naturally, the "great magician."
"Then you're interested in me?" Lin Wei was speechless. Is she crazy?
He wasn't a Herrscher, nor had he defeated two Flame-Chasers. Why would she be interested in him?
"Why else? With your… limited abilities, you managed to win the favor of a Herrscher, the very Herrscher who dealt the fatal blow to our era. That's more than enough to pique my interest."
"And you seem to get along quite well with Kalpas? My, my, how intriguing. Tell me, how did you manage that?" Vill-V's eyes gleamed with excitement as she leaned closer, whispering in his ear, "Just between us… I'm not the only one interested in you~"