CHAPTER 540: CHAPTER 265: UNSWERVING COMMITMENT_2

"Then that saves a lot of explanation," Ethan said. "I think reading the content of that letter is indeed fate’s guidance, predicting your arrival."

No, that’s a complete misunderstanding.

If she didn’t have the constraint of the golden mask, Cynthia would certainly have blurted out.

McCarthy Delin left the final letter to her, which could be considered one of his few romantic gestures for someone who entrusted his entire life to others; however, an emotion stronger than being moved continued to dominate Cynthia’s heart.

When Ethan mentioned "destiny," the pervasive terror awakened her completely.

They were under the surveillance of the King of Gold, and no living creature could escape his gaze.

Even this meeting with Ethan, this face-to-face conversation, was due to the will of the King of Gold.

To make her reminisce the past upon revisiting old places?

Cynthia certainly wouldn’t entertain such naive thoughts; she immediately understood the true intentions of the King of Gold.

This is a test.

And it is before the golden throne, what he referred to as "the last chance."

Her heart would be evaluated during the test; if she made an incorrect decision, this place would no longer tolerate any other noise, just like the realms ruled by the King of Gold.

She once stopped the King of Gold once, and now it was the second time, one of the few things she could do to protect the place she did for McCarthy Delin.

Thinking of this, Cynthia became unwaveringly resolute.

She gazed at Ethan.

—Since that’s the case, Mr. Ethan, let’s discuss your fate.

................

Meanwhile, at the golden throne.

The orb, displaying blurry images, was slowly rotating in the center of the hall, the figure on the throne lazily leaned against it, watching Cynthia reflected in the orb, each person wearing a golden mask the same.

They watched attentively, the hall was dead silent, not a trace of noise.

Except for one mask with a sorrowful expression, who turned his gaze to the figure on the throne, silently expressing his doubts.

"Oh? You question whether Cynthia might not complete the task well?"

The King of Gold glanced at the person wearing the sorrowful mask, speaking with interest.

He was the only voice in the hall.

The figure wearing the sorrowful mask looked humbly at him, trying to explain something.

This wasn’t his sole opinion; in fact, all ministers thought sending Cynthia out was not a wise decision, and this three-day agreement should never have existed from the start.

The suspected incidents of three Guild investigators being killed provided them with enough reasons to take tougher measures.

Yet Cynthia was still trying to persuade that human who sought to infringe upon the magic net using peaceful means. She offered him the choice to become a resident of the Golden Kingdom, with his skills, he might even advance further, becoming a presence within the hall.

But even if she succeeded, in hundreds of years, similar events would repeat.

The most prudent approach was to let everyone abandon this desire from deep within, completely erase the traces of the magic net’s existence in that realm.

Moreover, among them, Cynthia was always the least loyal.

She always tried to use her methods to complete the tasks assigned by the King of Gold, and this time was no exception.

"But isn’t this interesting?"

Or rather, this is the reason he values Cynthia.

Passionate emotions, even willing to sacrifice herself for it, facing unknown fears head-on, and this emotion was so intense that even the golden mask could not completely erase it.

Returning to that evocative place, knowing what happened there, would surely intensify this emotion, making it stronger, more uncontrollable, and thus... leading to unexpected decisions.

The people below the hall remained mute, having understood the King of Gold’s will.

They realized they had been wrong from the beginning; sending Cynthia was never to solve problems, but merely an amusement for their bored king.

The stake was Cynthia’s homeland.

This "play" requires intense inner struggle, and emotions hotter than ever before; if Cynthia’s performance could satisfy their king, perhaps she could earn some more time for this realm.

All conflicts and contradictions were all to echo the final theme.

—Submission.

This is the core of the King of Gold’s entire drama.

Eventually, Cynthia would bow her proud head, return to the golden throne, just like a thousand years ago.

They had all gone through the same process, their hearts already numb, Cynthia persisted the longest, which is why the King of Gold found her so fascinating.

This also became the source of all her suffering.

Someday, when the last trace of passionate emotion in her heart is worn away by time, becoming like the others, then the King of Gold’s interest in her would vanish, and that would be true release, no longer needing to be an object of amusement.

New "playthings" would then replace Cynthia’s place.

They silently observed the images in the orb, the next "toy" valued by the king seemed to have already surfaced.

This should be Cynthia’s final test.

As a tool for amusement, her shelf life could be considered extremely excellent.

They could hear fragmentary negotiations within the orb;

"I roughly understand, from a job perspective, if I accept this job, I’ll be relocated to a distant city where transportation is inconvenient and communication environment is poor, likely unable to contact friends from this city ever again."

Ethan thought this was quite a terrible job offer.

According to Cynthia’s description, this job does not allow bringing family, requiring lone travel, no end to the work period, and no concept of retirement, the only advantage might be "high salary," more knowledge, more power...

The problem is, he’s not one to sacrifice everything for the salary; what does he need so much money for?

Ethan said, "I’m quite satisfied with my current life, not planning to switch jobs anytime soon."

His current state could be considered prematurely financially free, coming home to play with Lindong after each busy day, wasn’t that a wonderful thing.

But it was clear Cynthia wouldn’t leave it at that.

Because this job offer also had a compulsory nature, those being recruited had no rights to refuse, or else bad things would happen.

The city where he originally lived would be turned upside down, those he cherished would be affected.

This thus constituted a classic trolley problem.

Give up oneself for others, or walk towards destruction with those one cherishes.

Cynthia chose millennium ago; she went to a place where she could never contact McCarthy Delin again, until the latter’s dying breath.

From Cynthia’s job offer, Ethan roughly understood her past encounters.

Poor Cynthia, tricked into working hard labor in a park after the war ended before she could enjoy bliss.

Ethan couldn’t help but mourn for her in his mind.

But Cynthia wasn’t a weak woman unable to tie a chicken, she was a Hunting Goddess who faced the Old Gods and fought against their minions, he couldn’t quite imagine how powerful the park’s behind-the-scenes boss must be to control Cynthia for over a thousand years.

Yet from the time dimension alone, this golden mask granted Cynthia eternal life.

Her friends had all fallen one after another, her power remained as strong as before.

The King of Gold...

That’s an alias he never heard of, there’s no record of him in the academy books.

Now, this trolley problem fell upon Ethan.

Moreover, he himself was bound to the tracks.