CHAPTER 1312: CHAPTER 152: COINCIDENCE

Dean Asamons and the Undead Wenger represent two extremes.

Asamons’ soul is immortal, while Wenger’s body is everlasting.

It’s hard to say their becoming the Four Grand Lords was merely a coincidence, and when Lu Li briefly informed the Undead of the current progress, he mentioned that if Claire were here, she would be pleased.

"The deputy dean could never do that; no one loves the human race more than she does."

"But that’s what Asamons said."

Lu Li conveyed Asamons’ words about Chris coveting the Keeper of the Realm to the Undead, who then, despite his doubts, changed his mind: "The deputy dean indeed had premeditated for a long time..."

It’s no secret at the Giant Tree Academy that Deputy Dean Chris always coveted the Keeper of the Realm.

But most professors disagreed: devouring the Keeper of the Realm may enhance Chris’s power further, but without the Keeper’s restraint, the swamp beneath the Giant Tree Academy could spiral out of control.

The professors feared the forces of Midnight City would be unable to stop the swamp— and their fears proved correct.

Midnight City fell during the March Championship.

"I think it may just have been an accident," the Undead said, "or else the Midnight Church would not have spared the deputy dean."

The Undead was the third survivor of Midnight City to recover his memory, unlike Margaret, who was trapped in the dungeon, and Asamons, who had no memory of the Midnight City Illusion. He knew much about Midnight City and the Giant Tree Academy and had participated in the Midnight City Illusion throughout.

Also, for instance, who is more trustworthy, Asamons or Chris?

The Undead’s judgment on this leans towards whoever remains clear-minded as more trustworthy— so he prefers Asamons.

Wenger was sewn and revived by Chris herself, and his choice explains everything.

"But you can ask some questions, and if it’s the real Asamons, he will know the answers."

Wenger, who has embraced immortality, is no longer the "foul-mouthed" figure lingering in Lu Li’s memory— without memories of the Undead Wenger, Lu Li is left with only the distant illusionary impression and the profanity encountered along the way.

The Undead provided Lu Li with several questions that only the real Asamons knew the answer to, allowing him to test the gardener. Then he hoped he could have a moment of peace: "I still have some private affairs to attend to, like removing some parasites from my body. When you need help, come to me; whatever you intend to do, I’ll assist you."

Even if it means sacrifice.

The Undead emitted this sentiment, which Lu Li keenly caught.

"You better survive."

Unwilling for the Undead to fall into despair, Lu Li took him into a dream— a place of widespread hope, the Land of Light.

"The Land of Light needs you."

"I’m already so tired..."

Even the sunshine couldn’t spur the Undead into action, until he saw the Agate Lake Camp, which changed his mind: "But who can resist the temptation of a feast for just a little more effort?"

What changed his perspective wasn’t the power of the Agate Lake Camp— as the Land of Light was currently weaker than even one of the Five Great Knight Orders.

Instead, it was the optimism and hope that Midnight City’s residents had never experienced, no matter when.

The people here sincerely believed that they would end despair and were willing to do anything for it.

Though what he saw was merely a dream, the Undead didn’t feel Lu Li was deceiving him.

The Undead summoned the Lizard Maid, and Margaret, who was waiting in the corridor, pushed the trolley used as a disguise, placing down the midnight snack prepared for the "gardener," then carried the trolley, with the dishes hidden under the plate cover, to the kitchen.

Unfortunately, the Head Chef wasn’t there, so without a suitable excuse, Margaret collected some pastries in the kitchen and took Lu Li back to the tower.

Placing the silver dish containing pastries and Lu Li into the dumbwaiter, Margaret pulled the rope, sending the dish into the tower.

On the other side, Claire, lying on the bed, used the wind to lift them to her, opened the dish cover, revealing Lu Li curled up inside.

"Looks like the Head Chef’s carving skills have improved," Claire joked, using a fork to groom Lu Li as he stretched his body: "Good news or especially good news?"

"Especially good news."

Lu Li wasn’t affected by memories, the Undead regained his memory, and the Land of Light gained new members.

Now, only the last Head Chef of the Four Grand Lords remained.

Claire helped Lu Li come up with an idea: "The Lizard Maid can only approach the kitchen when retrieving dishes..."

"Disguise as food to be brought into the kitchen by the cook?"

"That’s not possible anymore; your story has made mother vigilant, and it’s said that all food transported by the cook is now cut into meat chunks, as minced meat was served at the banquet." Claire rubbed Lu Li’s head, and the wardrobe door suddenly opened, revealing a maid outfit that floated out as planned: "But if you disguise as a Lizard Maid, there’s no problem; with a lizard head, no one can recognize you."

"No one can fail to recognize me."

Just the height alone is not suitable.

"Let Margaret come up."

As the Head Maid, Claire controls all the Lizard Maids, overseeing their life and movements, but she had long released her control over Margaret— however, the other five Midnight City survivors were still under her command. Before they regain their memories, Claire wouldn’t loosen her hold.

While waiting for Margaret to arrive, Lu Li asked about her process of finding the "Book of the Dead."

Margaret infiltrated the castle and went straight to the library. While dusting off with a wool duster, she also observed the books on the shelves— the "Book of the Dead" was found during this process.

Besides the "Book of the Dead," Margaret also found many books that should have been stored in Giant Tree Academy, but they temporarily couldn’t help or weren’t worth the risk of taking.

Margaret claimed finding the "Book of the Dead" was just a coincidence, but Lu Li didn’t think so.

The True Vision Orb can coincidentally see souls, the Crown of Knowledge can coincidentally restore memories, the "Book of the Dead" can coincidentally find memories, Asamons’ soul is coincidentally immortal, Wenger’s body is coincidentally immortal.

There are too many coincidences.

Temporarily ignoring the déjà vu brought by coincidences, Lu Li entered sleep, heading to the gardener’s garden to await his entrance into the dream.

In the dead of night, the gardener’s mottled dreamscape appeared, and Lu Li blended into the halo.

In the dream, Asamons was awake. When Lu Li asked the questions given by the Undead, Asamons

relaxed and smiled: "You succeeded, didn’t you?"

Asamons answered the questions correctly; Asamons was still Asamons.

Lu Li shared his exchanges with those who are not people with Asamons, who also thought so: "Chris has reasons to do so, but she wouldn’t really go through with it unless something unexpected happened that we don’t know."

In Lu Li’s memory, Chris in the illusion never showed regret or guilt. Either the culprit wasn’t her, or there was another story behind it.

Just as both Asamons and the Undead thought, if Chris wanted to destroy Midnight City, the Midnight Church would not tolerate her presence in the illusion.

"Anyway, our main enemy should be the Swamp for now, not Chris," Asamons said.