Chapter 169: Villain Simulator, Ch 168
[At that moment, in addition to titles like the Solitary King of the Tower and Lord of Tempests, you gained a more fearsome name—God of Slaughter.]
[Age 2561: At last, no one dared to resist anymore. Over time, the people of Inazuma began to taste the benefits of your rule and gradually accepted your governance.]
[After all, the old Inazuma had always been isolated. Mondstadt's Black Ships not only broke through Inazuma's borders but also ended its era of national seclusion. The Shogunate's influence waned, and Mondstadt's culture began to take root on this island nation.]
[As for your "queen," Raiden Makoto, she seemed to have come to terms with everything. Though you bore the title of "tyrant," there was no deep hatred between you and Raiden Makoto.]
[At the beginning, she resisted you vehemently, even harboring some hatred. But over time, she seemed to grow accustomed to you and this new way of life.]
[Occasionally, you would "conquer" this foreign goddess anew, and Raiden Makoto grew used to the process of being conquered. Though she did not have the strength of her sister Raiden Ei, she was still a divine being and could endure your storm-like advances.]
[You could tell Raiden Makoto was sincerely trying to play the role of a "wife." Whether her feelings were genuine or feigned, it was at least not a bad thing. She even attempted to manage the tower for you and prepare meals. After tasting her cooking, you immediately invited the Four Winds to join you in a dinner to sample her efforts.]
[The reason was simple: it was a rare opportunity to "share joys and sorrows" with your vassals.]
[Seeing their expressions after swallowing the "delicacies," a rare, heartfelt smile appeared on your face.]
[Regarding the meal's evaluation, the South Wind commented it was a bit too salty, the East Wind reverted to its true form, the North Wind vomitted on the spot, and the West Wind solemnly told you that if she ever committed a crime, she would prefer execution over enduring such a punishment.]
[Of course, you hadn't forgotten your little pet—the wind spirit imprisoned in the depths of the tower.]
[At this point, aside from the Four Winds, even you had almost forgotten Barbatos. Your former visits to torment her stemmed mostly from your emptiness.]
[Now, as a god of two nations, you were busier than ever and had fewer opportunities to "visit" Barbatos.]
[This time, you poured fine wine over Raiden Makoto's cooking. Barbatos took a bite and declared it was a thousand times worse than your scepter.]
[Age 2564: Because of the banquet incident, Raiden Makoto believed you were mocking her and ignored you for three years. Eventually, however, you reconciled, followed by a passionate battle.]
[You and the Raiden Shogun, once mortal enemies, now shared a relationship akin to an ordinary married couple.]
[But you knew you didn't love her. Your love had been extinguished with Amos' death long ago. Besides, if true affection did stir in your heart, the higher existence above you wouldn't tolerate it.]
["Do you still hate me?" you asked on impulse.]
["Of course I hate you," Raiden Makoto replied coldly. "I hate you for invading my land, slaughtering my people, and separating me from my sister. I've always wanted to know why you attacked Inazuma."]
["To fulfill a dear friend's dream," you answered without hesitation. "She wanted to see the world, so I conquered it for her, bringing all of Teyvat within view of my tower."]
["No, that's just an excuse," Raiden Makoto retorted bluntly. "You did it because wind flows through your veins. That wind must sweep across the world, and its name is 'conquest.'"]
[Her words silenced you. Indeed, you hadn't thought of Amos in ages. Perhaps your conquest was just a pretext to satisfy your own desires.]
["Then go conquer," Raiden Makoto murmured, pressing her cheek against your back. "I wish you victory."]
[Age 2721: The peace didn't last. From the distant icy land of Snezhnaya, envoys of the Fatui arrived, seeking diplomatic relations with Mondstadt.]
[Snezhnaya, one of Teyvat's seven nations, was a powerful force. You understood that the Fatui's mission was less about diplomacy and more about intelligence gathering.]
[The eleven leaders of the Fatui, known as the Harbingers, feigned respect but hid disdain behind their masks. In their eyes, you were merely a brute—a barbaric tyrant without strategy.]
[As a god of a nation, you maintained your composure, hosting a grand welcome banquet for the Harbingers.]
[During the banquet, a tipsy Harbinger raised his glass and jested, "Mondstadt's wine truly lives up to its reputation. If the Anemo Archon could tribute such wine annually to Her Majesty, the Tsaritsa would surely be delighted."]
[The others, catching his slip, didn't stop him. Instead, they smiled slyly, as if enjoying a show.]
[After all, in their eyes, even a combined Mondstadt and Inazuma could never rival Snezhnaya. Subjugating you was only a matter of time.]
["Did you say 'tribute' just now?" you smiled faintly. "No problem. Bring out Mondstadt's finest wine for this esteemed Harbinger."]
[Soon, a massive wine vat—used only during Mondstadt's annual Wine Festival—was brought in. This vat, filled to the brim, was usually offered to the citizens for free consumption.]
[The insolent Harbinger, oblivious to your simmering anger, smiled and said, "It seems the Anemo Archon is most understanding. Her Majesty will surely appreciate such a gift."]
["No rush," you said calmly. "This wine is for you. Drink it all—don't waste a drop."]
["Surely you jest," he stammered, cold sweat forming. "Not even a hundred men could finish that."]
["I said," you repeated, each word chilling, "Drink. It. All."]
[The pressure emanating from you made the atmosphere suffocating. Even your restrained wind aura stung their faces. They realized you weren't joking.]
[Forced to comply, the Harbinger began drinking but soon turned pale. Another Harbinger attempted to mediate, hoping you would forgive the offense.]
[You leaned on your hand, eyes half-closed, and sneered. "Do you want to drink too?"]
["Anemo Archon," the Harbinger tried a veiled threat. "Her Majesty will remember this."]
["Oh? I was merely going to teach him a lesson," you said, amused. "But now I'm curious—what can she do to me?"]
[With that, you appeared before the offender, severed his arms with wind blades, and threw him into the vat. Sealing the lid, you watched the wine turn darker with his blood.]
[The other Harbingers, once arrogant, now fell silent, terrified by your ruthlessness.]
["What a waste of wine," you said, running a finger along the glass. "Deliver this 'gift' to your queen. Tell her Mondstadt's gates are always open, and there's a second-largest bed in my tower, reserved just for her."]
[This is undoubtedly a naked provocation. All those harbringers were trembling with anger, but they could do nothing about you. After all, the reason they were so arrogant was that they relied on the powerful national strength of the Snezhnaya.]
["I will convey your message to Her Majesty the Tsaritsa," the Fatui's executive, who was leading the group, stood up and said with a grim face, "I hope you won't regret your choice today."]
["Regret? Don't you know?" you said arrogantly, "The wind always blows in one direction and never turns back." You added, "By the way, don't forget to take my gift with you."]
[The Fatui's executive, carrying the coffin-like wine barrel, left in defeat. This was not a joyful banquet, and you knew deep down that Snezhnaya would not let this go easily.]
[At that time, Snezhnaya had already established diplomatic relations with Natlan, Fontaine, and the Sumeru. If war truly broke out, it would undoubtedly be a massive conflict that would affect the entire Teyvat continent.]
[Age 2732: Snezhnaya didn't tolerate your actions and declared war. Fontaine and Natlan sided with Snezhnaya, while Sumeru remained neutral.]
[Liyue, though abstaining from direct involvement, offered support as Mondstadt's ally.]
[However, this was not Morax's decision. Though still Liyue's god at the time, he had stepped back from ruling directly, unlike the gods of other nations. Instead, he had gradually withdrawn from power, entrusting governance to the people themselves.]
[The decision was made by the "Liyue Qixing," a governing body composed entirely of humans.]
[As war loomed, you personally led your army across Liyue, aiming to conquer Fontaine first as a strategic entry point into Snezhnaya.]
[Fontaine, of course, was well-prepared for the war. At their border, they had constructed a supposedly impenetrable defensive line to repel Mondstadt's forces.]
[However, to Fontaine's surprise, rather than a direct assault on this "absolute defense," you chose an unconventional tactic. Using hurricanes, you pushed through the mountains, carving out a new front and bypassing their defenses entirely.]
[While the complacent people of Fontaine believed their position secure, you led your forces straight into Fontaine's territory.]
[You had anticipated a brutal campaign, even preparing for prolonged conflict. But unexpectedly, after only six weeks of stalemate, Fontaine chose to surrender.]
[You didn't even have to reach Fontaine's capital before they raised the white flag.]
[Perhaps it was your reputation as the "God of Slaughter" that compelled their surrender. In a gesture of submission, the Hydro Archon even willingly offered her Gnosis, pleading for the forgiveness of her people.]
[Fontaine's surrender, though not an immediate game-changer, dealt a significant blow to Snezhnaya's position. With Fontaine's defeat serving as the spark, the grand war engulfing Teyvat was set in motion.]
[Age 2783: The war raged for decades. Both the Snezhnaya bloc and the Mondstadt bloc were severely weakened. However, thanks to Mondstadt's accumulated resources and its trade with Inazuma for supplies, your forces gradually gained the upper hand.]
[In the same year, Snezhnaya sent envoys to request aid from Liyue, only to be flatly rejected by the Liyue Qixing.]
[At year's end, Snezhnaya experienced an unusually harsh snowfall, with temperatures plummeting to unprecedented lows. Ironically, this extreme weather provided Snezhnaya with a reprieve. One of the primary challenges for Mondstadt's forces had been enduring the bitter cold, and this snowstorm served as a natural barrier.]
[Seizing this opportunity, you unleashed your full power to create a massive storm that swept across Snezhnaya, dispersing the accumulated snow. With their defenses exposed, Mondstadt's forces launched a decisive assault, capturing the key city of Snezhnaya.]
[This battle marked a turning point in the war. From that moment, Snezhnaya's strength began to wane, and their chances of victory diminished.]
[Age 2789: Even so, unlike Fontaine, which surrendered at the first sign of trouble, Snezhnaya resisted for several more years despite their inevitable defeat. The war finally ended when you led your army to breach Snezhnaya's gates and storm the Tsaritsa's Winter Palace.]
[Entering Immersion Mode]
The once-opulent palace was now piled with corpses. The formerly pristine floors, smooth as ice, were stained with red and black blood.
The once-mighty Harbingers were no more. Either they had fallen in battle or been crushed defending their nation.
Seated high upon her throne, the defeated Tsaritsa, the Cryo Archon, remained poised and elegant, showing no trace of despair.
She was a strikingly beautiful woman, her allure rivaling even that of the Raiden sisters. Yet her cold demeanor made her seem more like an ice sculpture.
"Your Majesty," you said with mocking politeness. "I've personally come to visit you in Snezhnaya. You must be so moved."
After all, at the war's outset, everyone believed that the powerful Snezhnaya could never lose.
But now, the Lord of Tempests stood in the palace of the Ice Queen.
"You can kill me," the Tsaritsa said coolly. "But you cannot defeat me."
"Oh, I can do more than defeat you," you replied, stepping onto the stairs leading to her icy throne. "I'll make you submit to me."
Though the Tsaritsa still retained her divine power, it was clear she had lost the will to fight.
"Too late," she said with a faint, icy smile. "You will never make the dead submit to you."
You froze in surprise as you noticed her arm had already turned to ice, the frost spreading rapidly across her body.
"Hmph."
You scoffed. "I expected you to fight me to the death, yet you choose to die this cowardly way? Your Majesty, you truly disappoint me."
"Sometimes, living is more painful than dying," the Tsaritsa said, her lips curving into a faint smile. "You and I are different. You seek conquest; I sought rebellion."
"Rebellion?" you raised an eyebrow. "Clearly, your rebellion has failed."
"No," she replied, shaking her head. "I wasn't rebelling against you but against something greater. If no one resists, one day, this entire world will become nothing more than 'nourishment.' At that point, it won't matter who rules it."
Her words shook you deeply.
As one of the Seven Archons, you were aware of Celestia's existence—the higher order that governed the gods. Yet you knew little of their purpose.
To the Seven Archons, Celestia was as untouchable as the Archons were to mortals.
For the Tsaritsa to rebel against Celestia was as absurd as a mortal rebelling against the divine.
"You want to... rebel against Celestia?" you asked, lowering your voice.
"What's this? Are you afraid?" Frost had crept to her shoulders, but she still managed a mocking smile. "Even if you conquer Teyvat, what then? Your tower, no matter how high, will always stand beneath the heavens."
Her words left you speechless.
Indeed, what was the point of defeating Snezhnaya or conquering Teyvat? As long as a greater power loomed above, true freedom would remain out of reach.
"Tell me..." you said, placing a hand on her ice-crusted shoulder. "What should I do?"
The Tsaritsa's blue lips parted as she whispered a few final words. Then, her body froze entirely, transforming into an ice sculpture.
From the statue emerged a faintly glowing "chess piece," which floated into your palm.
It was her Gnosis—the Cryo Archon's heart. The seven Gnosis pieces were integral to her rebellion.
This formidable enemy, who had fought you for decades, entrusted her unfinished plans to you—a "tyrant"—in her final moments.
The Teyvat War, which spanned decades, ended with a brief, enigmatic exchange between the Anemo and Cryo Archons. None would ever know what passed between you that day in the Winter Palace.
[Exiting Immersive Mode]
[Reward Acquired: Cryo Gnosis]
[Task Progress: Collect Seven Gnosis (2/7)]
So he had acquired another Gnosis?
Lucas nearly forgot that collecting all seven was the "main quest."
By rights, after defeating Fontaine, he should have acquired the Hydro Gnosis as well. Perhaps the simulator restricted rewards to one Gnosis per simulation.
Otherwise, this simulation might have allowed him to gather all seven in one go.
[Returning to Text Mode]
[Age 2790: The war between Mondstadt and Snezhnaya finally came to an end, even forcing the war-hardened Natlan to accept defeat.]
[Fontaine, Snezhnaya, and Natlan, like Inazuma before them, became vassal states of Mondstadt. Their three Gnoses were now in your possession.]
[The world order was reshaped. Though Liyue had not joined the war, it provided substantial aid to Mondstadt, strengthening your rear defenses. Eventually, you visited Liyue to strike a "deal" with Morax, whom you hadn't seen in years.]
[The result: Liyue gained half of Snezhnaya's territory, and you acquired Morax's Geo Gnosis.]
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Author's Note: Extra chapter!
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