Super Righteous Player
Chapter 831 - 370: The Number of the Clown

Chapter 831: Chapter 370: The Number of the Clown

Annan calmly said, "Dmitry’s birthday is on the ninth of September, the key number being nine; I’m a Ritualist, and I have two phases in life, while the mysterious lady’s guardian month is February...

"...These are all numbers that Kafney might choose, would resonate in her mind, but would definitely end up discarding.

"Because Salvatore doesn’t know Dmitry’s birthday, and Kafney’s recognition of me as a Ritualist isn’t clear enough—and the moment she realizes the personas of ’me as a Ritualist’ and ’Dmitry,’ she’ll immediately think of Maria, who’s watching the nightmare from outside.

"From Maria, she would associate with my tricolor scepter, and the three of us siblings.

"Therefore, at this time, the only number that could emerge in Kafney’s mind is one number.

"That is three."

Annan resolutely answered, "Correct, or not?"

"...That’s correct."

Watching the color drain from the corpse husband’s face, Annan couldn’t help but burst into hearty laughter.

He leaned back in his chair, eyes twinkling as he said, "See the situation clearly, rootless thing?

"Do you think you’ve trapped me? Do you believe, you could kill me?"

Annan’s expression suddenly changed.

He spoke softly, "Then the number for the execution is—eleven."

Enjoying the corpse husband’s renewed wailing, Annan said with a smile, "Well then, let’s continue our story.

"The next number indeed could cause me some trouble. I might even guess wrong at this point..."

Hearing Annan’s words, the corpse husband immediately held back his scream.

He wasn’t unable to endure the pain; it’s just that there was absolutely no need to "hold on for the sake of pride."

But upon hearing Annan’s words... the corpse husband suddenly endeavored to bear the immense pain of the death penalty, shutting his mouth, focusing intently to hear Annan’s answer.

"After guessing wrong twice in a row, Kafney would realize the severity of the problem. Since she had already guessed one number correctly, retreating wasn’t an option—the only way for her to lose now was to ’guess another number right.’

"Because Kafney still had two chances left.

"And for Kafney, guessing all three numbers right wasn’t necessary. She needed to increase the likelihood of her own victory.

"After guessing wrong twice in a row with ’Annan’ as the keyword, Kafney would start to realize something—that the three numbers I picked weren’t related to me personally.

"That is to say, Kafney would realize that when I ’randomly’ chose three numbers, I had already anticipated the game she might be facing. So the numbers I picked would definitely be ones she could guess.

"And with Kafney’s indecisive nature, she would then start to hesitate, to doubt herself... Had I really recognized her?

"Because the role she was playing was Dmitry, and Kafney believed her performance would be excellent. But she didn’t understand her senior Salvatore—although he would also protect me, he wouldn’t disrespect the corpse husband.

"Yes, even for you, the tragic playwright, or an evil god like the Skeleton Lord, Senior Salvatore would offer at least some respect. Because the education he received from a young age taught him to revere the gods.

"He wouldn’t interrupt me when I speak. Senior also would protect me, but he wouldn’t stand in front of me... He’s more skilled in offering support from behind.

"This is because, from a long time ago, Senior has been very clear about his own weakness. Being aware of one’s weaknesses is a valuable talent... He could stop the weak from recklessly challenging the great, which they have no hope of confronting."

Annan said, narrowing his eyes towards the corpse husband: "Senior is much smarter than you.

"But Kafney is prouder and more self-conscious than Senior Salvatore. She’s already prepared to abandon her life and no longer doubts the path she’s taken. Yet precisely because of this, she’s also aware of her own weakness, but what she thinks is ’can I make it to the end?’

"These two people, one looks at their feet, the other gazes forward. Their personalities are completely different.

"Therefore, with two chances remaining, Kafney will surely not choose ’her own side.’ This is timidity... but it’s actually more of a resolution."

"This is Kafney’s determination that up to this moment, when she faces being at her wit’s end, she would stake her life," Annan said, his gaze intense. "She would inevitably save the number associated with herself for the very last, as the decisive sword.

"So, her second to last number would relate to Salvatore.

"The number associated with Salvatore is the ’one’ represented by Salvatore’s birthday on January 1st, as well as the ’two’ related to the duality with the senior and junior.

"In the previous number, Kafney chose three. But two was not ruled out... Facing a choice between ’one’ and ’two’, it’s no surprise which she would choose, right?"

Annan said with a smile, "Time’s almost up, it’s my turn to play a card—the answer is ’two’."

"You never stood a chance of getting it wrong—!"

Before the death sentence was imposed, the cadaverous man screamed out in extreme haste.

"Yes, that’s right. I was fooling you," Annan said, still smiling.

"Otherwise, how could you bear the pain of the death sentence and listen attentively to my story?

"Just accept the ’thirteen’ deaths quietly first."

Annan’s voice was dark and profound, as if coming from the depths of the abyss: "I will quietly watch you suffer."

After thirteen streams of light passed, Annan laughed with even greater pleasure.

Through the "Ritual: Holy Sacrifice," Annan used the decaying man as a sacrifice to nourish his own soul. He distinctly felt his soul becoming warmer and brighter, as if a great amount of wood had been thrown into a furnace.

Annan felt that if he could open his attribute panel now, he would see a rapid and unparalleled growth in the awakening degrees of his elements.

At the very least, his elements of Wisdom, Strictness, and Understanding had definitely been significantly strengthened.

As the decaying man once again became barely alive, his presence noticeably weakened. He couldn’t even sit steadily on the chair and knelt on the ground as if a genuinely guilty man—blood spreading around him from the center; his pale skin marked by bloodstains like a spider’s web.

But Annan’s own radiance became even brighter.

The twin flames shining from his eyes made the throne he occupied resplendent.

"So, the last number goes without saying," Annan said leisurely.

"Why choose eight instead of four?

"Because in her heart, she resists the possibility of ’four’. She doesn’t want to be close to Annan just because she is the ’fourth prince’s daughter’ and dislikes Philip who is closely associated with four.

"But more importantly—she couldn’t forget the silver-violet sea of flowers on August 8th."

Annan spoke slowly: "It was then that she first met me.

"If there’s a final battle where she would stake her life... it could only be this number.

"—Because she hoped I would choose this number. This number that is meaningful to her, to us."

Watching the number eight vanish into a deep blue light point.

The bonds on Annan were completely gone.

He rose from the lofty throne, overlooking the kneeling cadaverous man.

Annan sighed and slowly descended from the throne.

"Do you know why I left fourteen for the last?"

Passing by the cadaverous man, Annan stopped behind him.

He said without turning back: "Because this card suits you best.

"—Joker."