Chapter 439: Chapter 437 Heart-to-Heart Talk

Vivian West, due to stirring up conflicts within the Knight Order, injuring a Death Plague Knight, and being repeatedly exposed for insulting the First Dead Man, was ultimately spared being stripped of her knighthood in consideration of her past contributions. Instead, she was sentenced to work on the elevator lift, on a 24-hour shift system, with one day off per month, for ten years.

During her only day off each month, Vivian would not head to the burial layer where the Knight Order was located,

but would disguise herself as an ordinary deceased and go to the tavern “Patella and Ale” on the third layer of the tomb area to drink all night long.

Rumors say that any of the dead who speak with her in the bar disappear.

Today was another rest day, and Vivian took out the skin pouch she always carried with her, wrapping it around her entire body to cover her rather explicit torso.

Next, she shifted her black hair from the front to the back, entwining it to transform into a black backless long dress.

Her complexion was pale, her gaze empty,

and the structure of her mouth especially unique, with both upper and lower lips coated with a layer of pitch-black metal; her tongue resembled a tombstone, engraved with incomprehensible symbols.

Besides being known as the “Death Word Knight,” Vivian also held another identity–that of a Lich. Unlike most knights who engage in horse-riding and combat, Vivian’s main ability was death magic.

Even amidst the talent-filled Death Plague Knights, Liches comprised less than one-tenth.

It was precisely because of her uniqueness that she retained her knighthood despite committing grave offenses.

Vivian, posing as a ‘normal deceased,’ arrived at the bar she knew too well, its sign a bizarre model of a “leg bone stuck in a goblet,”

The most unique aspect of this tavern was that all the cups and barrels were made from patellas, or knee bones, complete with tendons, which gave a unique fragrance when storing the drinks and fermenting.

Vivian ordered a cocktail named “Black Patella,” served in a completely decayed and diseased patella cup containing a dark liquor aged over thirty years, fragrant and rich.

She sat alone in a vacant spot by the corner, savoring her drink, contemplating various matters.

At that moment, an unfamiliar young man approached her.

As the young man was about to pull over a stone stool to sit across from her, a sound that acted upon the brain spilled from Vivian’s lips:

“I don’t know why you happen to be here, but I have no desire to converse with you, a stranger brought by Bernard.”

The young man stood behind the stone stool and bowed, saying, “Since I refused to become a Death Plague Knight, I have no more contact with Mr. Bernard, and I will leave the Original Tomb after some time.

Today, while wandering here, I accidentally caught a whiff of Miss Vivian’s aura and followed it in, not expecting it to really be you.

Mainly, I don’t know many people here, and the last time I came out from the bottom of the Original Tomb, it was Miss Vivian who dragged me out of the black mist and threw me into the lift. These days I’ve been so stifled with no one to talk to.”

Vivian slightly sniffed with her nose, indeed, she did not capture Bernard’s wolfish scent from the young man.

But even so, she still had no interest in the young man and preferred not to be disturbed on her rare day of rest.

However, the young man took a seat first and ordered the same cocktail “Black Patella,” its rich aroma akin to inserting a pirate’s unwashed feet from days into a bottle of finely brewed whiskey. If Yi Chen hadn’t been prepared, he likely would have spat it all over Vivian’s face.

“Cough cough~ My trip to the Old World primarily involved visiting various Source Epidemic Areas to get a rough understanding of the Old World, but I won’t be explicitly aligning myself with any side.

The only one with direct contact to me is only Duke Garrison, and I too wish to be as free and neutral as the Duke.

Additionally, I have also visited the ‘Cancer Palace’ before.

Of course, I have not joined them, nor have I accepted the invitation of the Honored Tumor Knight.”

At the mention of the Cancer Palace, Vivian’s eyes immediately changed, “Are you not afraid of death? To dare to speak of your visit to the Cancer Palace within the Original Tomb, if certain individuals find out, they might see you as a spy for the Cancer Palace and execute you on the spot.”

Yi Chen appeared utterly unconcerned, “As long as Miss Vivian doesn’t mention it, it should be fine.”

With that, he finished the drink in his cup,

Vivian silently watched the young man, her curiosity piqued about this visitor to the Original Tomb who declined to become a knight.

Moreover, it was a rare opportunity to discuss matters outside of the Original Tomb with someone, and she was keen on taking it.

“The Honored Tumor Knight of the Cancer Palace, what do you make of him?”

“I merely visited briefly and happened upon three knights after a match by chance, they may not release their auras as you or Mr. Bernard do, but they share an intimate bond, their physical bodies’ cancer cells even sympathetic to each other.”

“The folks from Cancer Palace have always had a wise and powerful ruler–this unwavering belief allows them to put aside their contradictions and fight for the collective will.”

“Indeed…”

At this moment, Yi Chen deliberately leaned closer and whispered into Vivian’s mind, “When I first met the First Dead Man, I noticed this issue as well. That person was completely immersed in exploring death and seemed totally unconcerned with the Knight Order or even the whole Original Tomb.”

These words struck a chord with Vivian; she downed her drink in one gulp.

“The First Dead Man… forget it! It’s only by His death that we were born, so I shouldn’t say too much.

But even without the First Dead Man’s guidance, the Death Plague Knight Order was many times stronger than now.

The old team leader back then was a being comparable to the First Dead Man, unique and even transcending the Death Plague itself, realizing his own form of death. The guy in charge now is just an idiot who lacks the strength but insists on exercising absolute authority.”

“The old team leader…”

Yi Chen had also heard Vivian talk about this matter in the elevator before.

“Do you know where that former leader went?” Yi Chen didn’t know if he should ask this question, but after some thought, he still did. Currently, it was the only topic that could keep the conversation going and, if possible, even bring him closer to Vivian.

Vivian wasn’t annoyed, but rather started to reminisce. It seemed she was eager to discuss these memories with someone, especially with Yi Chen, an outsider.

As she called for another drink and started speaking while sipping,

“When the Old World faced a joint invasion from multiple planes, the then-flourishing Death Plague Knights, led by their leader, charged at the forefront and even managed to suppress the invading forces completely, forcing them to use some kind of plane technology to temporarily flee.

I still remember, the invaders killed by the leader were piled up into a veritable mountain.

However, the extraterrestrial invaders quickly found a countermeasure.

They recognized that the leader could not be killed, and that defeating and sealing him head-on would cost tremendously, so they targeted his mind, at the price of two entire legions, to parasite a strange ‘Thought Body’ inside the leader’s head.

Since then, the leader had completely lost himself, with all life within a kilometer radius, friend or foe, being wiped out.

Even after the war ended, he remained in a lost state…”

“Where is he now?” Yi Chen was utterly engrossed in the story, eager to hear the final answer.

At that moment, Vivian sitting opposite abruptly changed the topic and threw a sharp look at Yi Chen, “Do you know why I especially disliked you when I first saw you?”

“Ah? Is it because of Bernard…”

“No, Bernard is just simply foolish, and him recruiting new recruits is an enhancement to the strength of the Original Tomb, so I wouldn’t dislike you for that.”

“Is it because…”

Vivian pointed her finger at the spiked mask Yi Chen wore on his face,

“You want to know about the leader’s whereabouts, right? After the war, the Monastery branded him as a dangerous Prisoner who could cause the World’s destruction, they sent the warrant directly to the Original Tomb, together with the First Dead Man to suppress him.

In the end, they locked the old team leader up at the bottom of the Monastery prison.

Since you have Iron Chains within you, you must be connected to those detestable Monks, right? Or rather, after you leave here, you’re planning to head to the Monastery in the Source Epidemic Area?”

“Ah? Miss Vivian, that’s a huge misunderstanding! I am actually a wanted criminal by the Monastery, and there are Monks out there who want to catch me…”

Saying so, Yi Chen leaned in again and whispered, “I have already arranged with my teacher; once we’re strong enough, we’re set on eliminating the rulers of the Monastery, and maybe then I could meet this leader you’ve mentioned.”

“Hmm?”

Vivian, though somewhat drunk, just assumed that Yi Chen was talking nonsense, as any Power would not want to offend the Monastery due to its special significance.

It wasn’t until Yi Chen extracted a large portion of the spiked Iron Chains from within him, displaying the mark of the Duke’s merchandise, that he completely convinced the other party… At that moment, Vivian’s attitude towards the young man totally changed.