Super Righteous Player
Chapter 415 - 412 Werewolf Bella_1

Chapter 415: Chapter 412 Werewolf Bella_1

...Talking to myself?

Annan pursed his lips.

Not to say... he was actually quite interested.

Whether "Annan" was indeed himself from the previous cycle—this could be easily confirmed with a face-to-face private conversation.

After all, there was some knowledge that only "Annan" would know in this era.

Such as the content of his previous life, such as things from Earth...

If he could gain the trust of his current self, he might be able to obtain some important information from him.

But before that.

He still needed to take care of the tasks ahead...

...Join the Winter’s Hand?

Annan snapped back to reality and watched the stern-faced old man with caution.

Was he a man of the Winter’s Hand?

He did seem the part.

Those of the Winter’s Hand were said to be devoid of emotions.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The clear sound of a cane tapping the ground rhythmically made Annan

"No need to worry, puppy. I am not your enemy."

The old man stopped five meters away, bowed his head, and spoke to Annan, who was crouching on the ground, with a calm, emotionless voice, "You desire power, don’t you?

"You wish to become... a Transcendent?"

"...Yes."

Annan murmured almost a whimper, unable to help himself from averting his gaze and bowing his head.

—When "she" raised her head again, she had adjusted her emotions and had adopted Bella’s identity completely.

In those dark-golden, wolfish eyes were hesitation, vigilance, and yearning.

This fit her current persona perfectly.

The present Annan was portraying "Bella," a wolf girl who, suffering from bullying, longed for power.

She traveled to the Frost Speech province, seeking change, only to be continually met with rejection. With her wallet stolen and penniless, she barely survived by stealing food. But because she carried food, she became a target for other beggars— though she managed to secure a small territory for herself through the superior strength inherent in her lupine heritage, barely able to sleep at night covered with newspapers and rags, it was far from comfortable.

This was the scenario Annan had deduced from his own clues.

Her clothes were ragged, but the main tears were clearly caused in fights; her earliest wounds were nearly healed, while others had been inflicted about a day ago, indicating she had been in two recent fights. She wasn’t very hungry, having apparently eaten the night before... plus the rag she had been covered with when she woke up indicated she must have won.

From this deduction.

It must be because she was particularly capable in a fight and yet all alone... Considering her wits, she might have even foolishly inquired about how to become a Transcendent, which is what caught the Winter’s Hand’s attention.

The reason she wasn’t approached right from the start was perhaps that in the past few days, Bella’s ancestry had been thoroughly investigated.

It would only be after confirming she could be inducted that someone would make contact.

At this moment, it was critical for Annan not to immediately respond with eager acceptance.

That would only arouse suspicion about his motives.

As Bella, her current demeanor should be...

"But... who are you?"

Annan questioned, "Showing yourself only to hide... I cannot trust you!"

—Displaying heightened vigilance and appropriate despair after being attacked were reasonable responses.

The old man did not seem to doubt Annan’s actions.

His face remained expressionless, his pupils cold, his demeanor stiff as if he were a puppet.

"I am from the Winter’s Hand."

He spoke calmly, lifting his right hand that had been hidden in his sleeve.

On his right thumb was a ring made of ice, exuding a sinister coldness.

As the old man raised his hand, the air in the alleyway turned cold instantly. Annan couldn’t help but shiver, and the grey fur on his skin began to grow back, barely bringing some warmth back to him.

"How can I trust you..."

Annan’s voice was somewhat louder at first but grew quieter and tinged with fear as he continued.

Of course, he was pretending.

But the next moment, as the old man pointed vaguely at Annan, he suddenly felt his emotions instantly settle.

It was as if he had taken a sedative, his mind went blank... all emotions stripped away.

If it were a normal person, maybe they would have already lost their ability to resist, but Annan, already accustomed to the counter-reversal of the Frost Heart, found the sensation surprisingly tolerable.

But she certainly wasn’t foolish enough to show it at this time.

And at this moment, the old man calmly asked her, "To what extent can you go for power?"

"I am willing to pay any price."

Annan maintained a calm expression and spoke in a low tone.

"Any price—such words are meaningless."

The old man responded with the same calm and even tone.

His eyes were deep and blue as the ocean, as if there was a visible chill surging within them.

Thud.

The old man paused slightly with his cane and said calmly, "For the path of the Transcendent, would you be willing to sacrifice your own soul?"

"I would."

"Can you promise to keep all secrets?"

"I can."

"Can you give up all emotions, never to fall in love with anyone again in this life?"

"I can."

"Would you be willing to slaughter the innocent upon command?"

"I would."

"What about women and children?"

"..."

"Would you be willing to undertake a mission that guarantees death?"

"..."

"What about a mission with a high difficulty, a nine in ten chance of death?"

"...I can try."

"What if I ordered you to do so, would you go?"

"...I would."

Up to this point, Annan was guessing the answers Bella might give, being careful not to be too assertive lest she be rejected.

After all, Winter’s Hand was a national espionage agency, not an assassin organization... It would definitely be better and more reassuring to have more upright values.

But then, the old man’s next question gave Annan a whiff of something ominous:

"—Are you loyal to the Archduke?"

...What kind of question was that?

Loyalty—what did it signify? It was a trait that could be nurtured, not something one was born with.

Unless...

During a fleeting moment of thought, Annan answered:

"If needed, I can be loyal."

"—Good qualities."

The old man nodded solemnly.

He raised his cane slighty and pointed it at Annan.

"Grab my cane and stand up, homeless pup."

With a voice devoid of any emotion, he answered calmly, "From now on, you shall be a person."

"...Yes!"

Annan grasped the cane and stood up.

He felt the icy, solemn touch from the depths of his soul being drawn out, and suddenly a rush of excitement surged through him, several times stronger than usual—

He suddenly understood.

The previous technique was probably not only for lie detection; a considerable part of its purpose might also have been to engender goodwill upon their first meeting.

The old man withdrew his cane and asked calmly, "Your name is Bella, right?"

"Yes! My name is Bella... I have no surname."

"Then, Bella—I am your teacher. You don’t need to know my name; just call me ’Teacher.’ Understand?"

"...Yes, Teacher!"

She immediately wagged her tail and moved closer, with an excitement in her voice that she could not hide, "When can I become a Transcendent?"

"You must pass the ’Wolf’s Kiss’ trial first. You will be those who walk with the Frost Beast... If you can’t tame the Frost Beast, you’re not fit to be Winter’s Hand."

The old man turned away calmly and then glanced back slightly.

His profound eyes appeared to sparkle with a blue glow: "I’m warning you one last time, the Wolf’s Kiss can be fatal.

"If you leave this alley with me, there’s no turning back or giving up."

"I am already... prepared," Annan said earnestly. "Is there anything you need to teach me, Teacher?"

"No need. Survive the Wolf’s Kiss first," the old man answered shortly and turned away.

Without any hesitation, Annan followed.

There was a slight stir in his heart.

The Wolf’s Kiss...

Did it refer to the Frost Beast’s... "feeding"?