Chương 54: Villain Simulator, Ch 54

Let's put other things aside for now. Even though Mondstadt is a city with a relatively open-minded populace, they still place considerable importance on the purity of a newlywed wife.

"You can't even remember the offerings from before, so how could these outsiders? Who would recall a mere plaything of a noble from eight years ago?" Priscilla's face suddenly showed a mocking smile. "As for my secret, he'll never know… because, well, he's impotent."

Hearing this, even Lucas couldn't help but smile knowingly.

He hadn't expected that this Lawrence attendant, who usually seemed so impressive, would actually be a paper tiger.

"All right," Priscilla lowered her head and said, "You should leave now, Master Eberhart."

"But…" Lucas suddenly stood up and grabbed Priscilla's wrist. "What if I don't want to leave?"

Priscilla blushed, as if she wanted to pull away. "Please don't do this, I… I'm already his wife."

"But you don't love him, do you?" Lucas's mystic eye, which could see the lines of death, also seemed capable of seeing through lies. "A man who's impotent, marries a beautiful wife, just to show off. Just now, when he took you to make a toast, he looked like he was parading a trophy."

"So what?" Priscilla gave a sorrowful smile. "Do I have any other choice?"

Lucas opened his palm, revealing a delicate cufflink. Though the design was somewhat old, it was pristine, as if it had been polished frequently. "You've kept this cufflink all along, which means you haven't forgotten about me, right?"

"Yes, I can't forget you. But what does that change?" Priscilla did not deny her feelings. "Master Eberhart, are you saying you would marry me?"

"What if I said yes?" Lucas pressed his hands on Priscilla's shoulders, his eyes deep and serious. "As long as you help me with one thing, I will marry you. As for everything else, I'll take care of it. I'll swear a deadly oath: if I break my word, may I forever suffer the torment of the fierce winds cutting my flesh."

These were not empty words meant to deceive Priscilla.

If he could really complete his plan and become the head of the family, he could marry anyone he wanted. It wouldn't matter if she were a commoner; even if he married a slave, no one would dare say a word.

Perhaps it was a desire to defy the unfairness of fate, or maybe it was Lucas's oath that moved her. After a brief hesitation, Priscilla finally nodded slightly.

"I… agree. What do you want me to do for you?"

"Simple," Lucas brushed aside the long hair by Priscilla's ear and whispered, "In a little while, the head of the Lawrence family—my father—will embark on an expedition to Dragonspine. At that time, a small 'accident' might occur, leading to the annihilation of the entire team, leaving only me alive."

Though Priscilla was just a commoner, she was no fool. She knew of Eberhart's status as an illegitimate child and was aware that his brother, Parsifal, was most likely the infamous fugitive known as The Phantom Thief.

If an accident happened during the Dragonspine expedition and the Lawrence patriarch died, the right to inherit the family would fall solely to Eberhart, as he was Ingobert's only remaining blood relative.

She hadn't expected that Eberhart's plan would involve such a major event.

"However, I'm not sure if this accident will be successful," Lucas furrowed his brow slightly. "So, I've prepared an escape plan. If anyone survives and returns to Mondstadt to expose what I've done, I need you to light a signal fire at a designated spot to inform me. I will flee to Fontaine. I'll leave you some money, and whether you choose to elope with me or remain in Mondstadt will be your decision."

"You… you're telling me such an important thing..." Priscilla's expression seemed tense. "Aren't you afraid that I might betray you?"

"I am," Lucas said frankly. "Honestly, I don't fully trust anyone. But the likelihood of you betraying me is the smallest. Time is short, and I have no choice but to rely on you."

In fact, Lucas had another option: the loyal gladiator slave. But since the signal fire needed to be lit outside the city, sending a slave like the gladiator would easily arouse suspicion.

Seeing Priscilla's hesitation, Lucas continued, "Don't feel guilty. Even if you don't agree to help, I'll still proceed with my plan. You'd merely be passing along a message for me. This has nothing to do with you."

"I… I understand," Priscilla nodded. "If you succeed, I'll wait for you in the city. If you fail... I'll follow you to the ends of the earth."

"Thank you for your trust. But..." Lucas's face suddenly revealed a meaningful smile. "I still hope you can give me a pledge of loyalty."

"A pledge of loyalty?" Priscilla seemed momentarily confused. "What is that?"

Lucas moved closer and whispered, "Madam, if I have something to hold over you, wouldn't that ensure your loyalty?"

"What?" Priscilla immediately understood Lucas's implication, her face flushing. "Here? But... Luther, he..."

Doing something like this on the night of her wedding seemed, to say the least, a bit over the line.

"It doesn't matter," Lucas dismissed her concern without hesitation. "I just want to draw a little green hat on his face."

Priscilla was silent. She knew she had already boarded a ship from which there was no turning back.

With a sweep of his arm, Lucas cleared the clutter from the table. He made sure to remain as quiet as possible—his last act of mercy toward Luther.

As for Luther, who still slept soundly in his drunken stupor, in some sense, he truly had become a loser.

...

[Entering Text Mode]

[After preparing everything, you make a request to your father, Ingobert, hoping to accompany him on the Dragonspine expedition.]

[However, Ingobert surprisingly refuses, citing that while the expedition is well-prepared, there are still dangers. He believes you are too young to take such a risk.]

[But how could you give up this only chance? After much pleading, Ingobert finally agrees to take you along, but only if you stay by his side at all times.]

[You are naturally overjoyed by this, as it gives you more opportunities to act.]

[Even before the team set off, you had sent someone to Dragonspine to gather intelligence. You created a map, marking all the potential "accident" sites, the timing of each occurrence, as well as your escape route and supply points after the assassination.]

[Half a month later, everything was ready. The Lawrence Expedition officially set out. The team comprised eighty people, including logistics, combat, and medical personnel—a well-prepared force, even the largest to ever explore Dragonspine.]

[Finally, you arrived at Dragonspine. Along the way, you kept enticing Ingobert with tales of the 'ancient kingdom sealed in ice' and the 'magic of objects fallen from the heavens.' This only heightened Ingobert's excitement, so much so that he didn't allow the team to rest and reorganize at the foot of the mountain, leading them straight into the snowy peaks.]

[For the first two days, the expedition proceeded smoothly. Apart from a few snow-dwelling monsters, you encountered no significant danger. But on the third day, disaster struck. The group inadvertently entered the territory of a giant boar king, and the beast relentlessly pursued you. Although you narrowly escaped, over ten lives were lost.]

[All of this was part of your plan. You had deliberately led the group into the boar king's domain. Every event along this journey had been rehearsed in your mind countless times. You wouldn't make mistakes... you couldn't.]

[In the days that followed, the team was beset by more disasters: landslides, avalanches, extreme cold, and cracks suddenly appearing on the surface of frozen lakes. These relentless dangers chipped away at the once well-prepared expedition team.]

[Finally, when less than twenty people remained, someone suggested returning. Even Ingobert himself began to hesitate about continuing the journey.]

[The mountain clearly held many secrets, and the team had made some valuable discoveries along the way, but no one knew what other dangers lay ahead.]

[At that moment, you stepped forward with a shocking revelation: there might be a traitor among the team. You pointed out that the strange string of disasters was too coincidental, and that even if the team returned, as long as the traitor remained, no one would make it out of the mountain alive.]

[Your "discovery" threw the remaining survivors into a panic. You then suggested a solution: starting now, every noon and midnight, the team would hold a vote to select the person they believed to be the traitor. And then... that person would be executed.]

[You had already predicted the two possible outcomes: first, those dissatisfied would rebel, giving you a legitimate excuse to eliminate some of them; second, if they follow your suggestion, you could slowly pick them off one by one.]

[Ingobert tacitly agreed to your proposal, but everyone remained hesitant. No one immediately stepped forward in agreement. You maintained a serious expression and said, "How about this: let's conduct an anonymous vote to decide if we should use this method to identify the traitor."]

[You tore pieces of paper from the adventure log and handed them out. Soon, everyone had cast their votes. After tallying them, you announced, "The votes are in. Earlier, I lied to all of you. In fact, I marked every piece of paper, so I know exactly who voted for what. Two of you voted against my plan. Whether you're the traitor or not, it shows you're hiding something!"]

[As soon as you said this, everyone's faces showed surprise. Two people in particular started shaking visibly. Without hesitation, you drew your sword and plunged it into one of their chests. The other dropped to their knees, begging, "It wasn't me! Don't kill me!" But you coldly pushed your sword into his heart as well.]

[Your actions brought a complex expression to your father's face. He muttered, "Your brother would never do such a thing."]

[You said nothing, but a cold smile crept onto your face—yes, your father's beloved child, the kind Parsifal, would never do something like this.]

[In truth, you hadn't marked the votes at all, and far more than two people had voted against your plan. You did this just to start reducing the number of survivors. While you were confident in your abilities, to ensure your plan's success, you decided to continue being cautious.]

[You had never forgotten your mother's words… endure, always endure!]

[The next day, one of your teammates disappeared. Some thought he had fled due to the pressure, so the group pressed on. But soon, you stumbled upon his disemboweled corpse. In the snow before him, his intestines had been arranged to spell out four words: "Leave no one alive."]

[Two more team members immediately broke down, screaming as they fled the group. You didn't stop them; without supplies, they wouldn't survive the snow mountain.]

[This incident left the group in even greater fear. The ability to silently kill a member and move their body such a distance made them question whether the killer was truly a traitor—or perhaps a ghost haunting the snow mountain.]

[Of course, an ordinary person couldn't manage such a feat—but you could. Thanks to your mastery of the fire element, you had much greater resistance to the freezing cold than the others.]

[At noon, the group held the first vote. The person chosen was a burly man. No one objected to the result; after all, everyone knew they weren't the traitor, so as long as they weren't the one chosen, it was likely the right choice.]

[The burly man naturally didn't want to die. Knowing he wasn't your match, he tried to flee. Just as before, you didn't chase after him—the snow mountain would swallow him for you.]

[But before he could run 100 meters, an icy arrow pierced through his back. The one who fired it was none other than your father, Ingobert.]

[You had rarely seen him fight, but now it was clear: he had never neglected his training. His attack wasn't so much a pursuit of the "traitor" as it was a demonstration of power.]

[You continued onward, but the atmosphere among the group grew increasingly tense. No one trusted each other, and everyone seemed like they could be the traitor. This… was exactly the outcome you wanted.]

[Unexpectedly, the expedition made some progress. You discovered a building buried beneath the snow. The grand circular door was adorned with intricate silver sculptures, suggesting that priceless treasures lay within.]

[You entered the structure and after some searching, found an actual treasure—a chest piled high with "Starsilver," a precious metal from legends. It was said that weapons forged from Starsilver were as powerful as divine artifacts. The value of Starsilver exceeded that of gold by far.]

[However, the joy of discovery didn't last long. The fourth vote was about to begin.]

[Just as you expected, the chosen individual finally snapped. Drawing his weapon, he roared, "I'm not a traitor! Even if there is one, isn't it for the sake of wealth? Let's just kill these two nobles and split the treasure ourselves!"]

[His words echoed the thoughts of many. They had been voting to survive, but who could say they wouldn't be next? Some even suspected that this rebel was the true traitor—but did it matter? In the face of such riches, nothing else seemed important anymore.]

[The long-term pressure and mistrust had driven them to madness. As commoners, they first turned their weapons toward you and your father, Ingobert, whose strength they all feared.]

[This was exactly what you had been hoping for. You needed a riot. Pure fear of death might not have been enough, but once greed was added to the mix, these fools would willingly risk their lives. As for the Starsilver? It was merely bait you had planted beforehand. Only the top layer was real—the rest was nothing but tin.]

[You did not expect them to kill Ingobert, but if they could at least injure him, that would be beneficial to you.]

[The survivors were no weaklings. Two of them even possessed Visions. The battle was fierce. You took a slash to the arm, and Luther's leg was shattered.]

[Ingobert, though uninjured, was no longer a young man and was now slightly unable to breathe from the exertion.]

[At that moment, you quietly stepped on a hidden stone tile. With a thunderous crash, the wall near the entrance collapsed, sealing the exit with massive stone blocks.]

[Luther gasped in shock, but your father, Ingobert, remained calm. He glanced at the barely hidden excitement in your eyes and smiled. "Luther, check the room next door for an exit. I have something I want to discuss with Eberhart alone."]

[Though confused, Luther obeyed his master's command without hesitation. He wanted to survive—his young wife was waiting for him at home. He had no intention of becoming a corpse consumed by the snow.] (pfft)

[Entering forced immersion mode]

Cold air seeped into Lucas's clothes, making him shiver.

Although the simulator reduced pain, the other sensations were extremely realistic. Sometimes, Lucas wondered if he was really playing a "full-body game" or if he had been transported to another world.

Standing before him was a man in his fifties. Despite the streaks of gray in his hair, his body still appeared robust. The cold in the snow-covered chamber didn't seem to affect him much.

This was the man Lucas's character, Eberhart, called father—Ingobert.

"You've done well so far," Ingobert smiled faintly, his stern face softening. "As expected of my son."

Lucas's heart tightened, but he maintained his composure. "I don't understand what you mean."

"A father knows his son best. There's no need for pretense with me," Ingobert said calmly. "Ever since we entered Dragonspine, I've sensed something unusual. All of this… was orchestrated by you, wasn't it?"

Ingobert, as the head of the Lawrence family, was no fool. Unlike the mercenaries on the verge of madness, he had remained elegant and composed throughout the journey.

"Hahaha…"

Lucas, whose plans had been exposed, let out a cold chuckle. "Since you already know, there's no point in keeping up the act. Yes, this was all my plan."

Lucas raised his head. This might be the first time "Eberhart" had ever shown such arrogance in front of his father.

"I knew it," Ingobert mused. "You're nothing like Parsifal."

"Stop mentioning him!" Lucas clenched his fists. "I know I've never measured up to him in your eyes."

"You're wrong. You're far more like a Lawrence than he is," Ingobert shook his head. "Your ruthlessness, your patience, your deceit—they all prove that."

"So what?" Lucas sneered. "Even if that's true, my brother was still your chosen heir, while I wasn't even given the family name."

"Is that why you drove Parsifal away with your schemes? And now, here on Dragonspine, you plan to murder your father…" Ingobert remained calm. "All for the title of family head?"

"No, it's more than that…" Lucas's eyes burned with hatred. "I'm also avenging my mother!"

"I never intended for your mother to die," Ingobert spread his hands. "You know she took her own life."

"She was driven to it by you!" Lucas snarled through gritted teeth. "Why did you force me to choose between my mother and Lawrence?"

"That was just a test to see if you have enough ruthlessness," Ingobert replied. "Parsifal is a good child, but he cannot become a good lord. I realized this when he was very young. So, I found my other heir, which is you. Gradually, I discovered that you are simply my best candidate for inheritance..."

"Everything you are saying is nothing but a lie to save your own life," Lucas pulled out a short stick from his waist, pressed a mechanism, and the stick instantly extended into a spear. "If you really wanted me to inherit your position, why I still don't have the surname Lawrence?"

Ingobert didn't answer that question but looked at the spear in Lucas's hand, contemplating. "You've indeed been practicing with that lowly weapon. I thought you practiced spear techniques to defeat your brother. But now it seems that I was your real target?"

"Prepare to die..." The spear in Lucas's hand burst forth like a dragon breaking through the sea. "My dear father!"

Since this was in a simulator, Lucas couldn't use the abilities he gained in reality.

Now, all he could rely on was his continually honed spear technique, the mystic eye that allowed him to see the "Death Lines" obtained from the Spear Witch, and the power of fire elements.

Of course, he also had the attribute boosts gained over the years from the "First Glass of Red Wine."

However, Lucas still underestimated Ingobert's strength. He quickly drew a longsword from his waist and deftly parried his opponent's attack.

Swordsmanship had once been a required skill for nobles, as it cultivated grace and intelligence among the aristocracy.

In contrast, the spear originated from sharpened wooden sticks and hay forks, weapons used by rebels, and was despised by the nobility.

But because of this, although nobles were skilled in swordsmanship, they had little experience dealing with spear techniques. This was also why Eberhart specifically learned spear techniques—even though it was a weapon looked down upon by the nobility.

But does that matter?

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Author's Note: REVENGEEEE