The Rich Cultivator
Chapter 174 - 173. Room of Memories (2/3)

Chapter 174: 173. Room of Memories (2/3)

Tyler’s eyes darted around the room, confusion swirling in his mind as the surreal scene unfolded before him. "What is happening?" he muttered under his breath, trying to make sense of the strange events.

Astrid—or rather, the being that looked like Astrid—turned her gaze to him. A smile crept across her lips, but it was not the warm, kind expression he was used to seeing. This smile was cold, calculating, and sent a chill down Tyler’s spine.

"Phantom Blackwood..." she began, her voice carrying an eerie calmness. "No... according to this girl’s memory, you are Tyler White."

Tyler felt a jolt of realization. He quickly deactivated the mask function of his disguise, revealing his true form. His expression hardened as he stared at the figure before him, wary and on edge.

"This girl has a deep respect for you in her heart," Astrid continued, her voice smooth as silk. "But she also harbors envy."

"Envy?" Tyler repeated, tilting his head slightly, his brows furrowing.

Astrid nodded slowly. "Yes, because you were able to travel the world freely. She envies your freedom."

As she spoke, she walked over to Lutz, who remained kneeling on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. Without warning, Astrid placed her foot on Lutz’s head, pressing him further into the floor.

"Who are you?" Tyler demanded, his voice low and cautious.

"Who knows?" Astrid replied with a shrug, her tone teasing and elusive.

Tyler narrowed his eyes. Something wasn’t right. This wasn’t the Astrid he knew.

"This room is just like the Room of Thoughts," Tyler observed, glancing around at the shifting, ethereal walls. "But it seems like an advanced version... This is the Room of Memories."

As if responding to his words, the scenery in the area shifted once again. Behind Astrid, the image of a young girl—Evergreen—appeared, wielding a sword, just as in the earlier memory. Her expression was fierce, determined.

"You are the Country’s Hero... Evergreen," Tyler said, the realization clicking into place.

Astrid—or Evergreen—laughed, her voice echoing through the room, a chilling sound that made Tyler’s skin prickle. "Hahaha... As expected. You’re smart. I was also curious—how did you figure out that my son was the traitor?"

With a casual movement, she pressed her foot down harder on Lutz’s head, causing blood to trickle from his scalp. The sight made Tyler’s fists clench in anger, though he kept his composure.

"It’s simple," Tyler said, his voice steady but cold. "When Astrid took that cruise ship, other than my crew, he was the only one who knew about her whereabouts. And when Isadora was ambushed, he was the only one in that cell. It all fit."

Evergreen’s smile widened, her eyes gleaming with dark amusement. "Oh... Nice. I really love smart people."

She sauntered towards Tyler, her movements slow and deliberate. When she reached him, she leaned in close, her breath hot against his ear as she whispered, "How about this? We can join forces... together."

Evergreen pressed her body against his, her voice laced with temptation.

Before Tyler could respond, the Room of Memories shimmered again, a blinding light filling the space. A white, cloud-like mist appeared behind Lutz, glowing with an ethereal brightness. The shifting scenes around them paused, and a new memory took its place.

This time, the memory showed a younger Lutz, much smaller, curled up in a corner. His face was streaked with tears, his body trembling as he cried quietly.

He was playing Hide and seek with Astrid. But he saw a horrible scene. It was scene where his Mom Evergreen begged for mercy. But the King ruthlessly Forced her.

Evergreen shook her head in pity as she watched Lutz, her voice laced with disdain. "Even though he knows the truth, he’s still denying it. What a weak-minded fool, just like his father."

---

This happened after the Labyrinth emerged. Lutz, using a Half-Angel as a medium, successfully opened the Labyrinth. His aim was the Rooms of Memories—to reveal the dirty deeds Astrid’s father committed and make both father and daughter suffer.

However, things did not go as planned. The king, in a rare moment of vulnerability, begged Lutz not to look at those memories. But it was already too late. When Lutz glimpsed the truth from King’s memory, it shattered his heart, leaving him lost and broken.

---

The Room of Memories began to glow intensely, and threads of light started to extend towards Tyler, as if attempting to latch onto him, eager to reveal the depths of his memories. The shimmering energy swirled around him, tugging at his mind.

Scenes flickered to life. He walked forward, step by step, his eyes fixed on the middle-aged man before him. He stomped his foot down, pinning the man. This is when Tyler stomped the Immortal.

"Oh, look at us—same pose!" Evergreen quipped with an amused grin, watching Tyler mirror her actions in the memory.

Tyler, uninterested in her jest, asked sternly, "What happened to Astrid?"

Evergreen rolled her eyes as if the question bored her. "She’s sleeping. She doesn’t want to wake up. A fool, just like my son. She didn’t even resist when I took over her body." Her voice dripped with condescension, the words laced with a hint of disappointment.

The Room of Memories, which had briefly focused on Tyler, now shifted its attention back to Evergreen.

A younger, slightly more grown-up Evergreen appeared in the scene. She was in the wild, battling a fierce beast. Her face was set with determination as she fought, and eventually, her efforts were rewarded. She managed to slay the creature, claiming a special fruit as her prize. Excitement danced in her eyes as she eagerly rushed off to find someone—her friend, the boy who had once shown her kindness.

Her heart raced with anticipation as she approached, but when she arrived, she stopped dead in her tracks. The fruit she had fought so hard for slipped from her hands, hitting the ground with a soft thud.

Before her, the boy was standing with another girl. They were holding hands, smiling at one another with warmth and affection. The sight shattered Evergreen’s joy in an instant. Her chest tightened, and her fingers trembled as she took in the scene.

Without a word, she turned and left, unable to bear it any longer. Her steps were quiet, but her emotions roared within her. The boy, perhaps sensing something, glanced over his shoulder. All he saw was the smashed fruit on the ground. He shrugged, dismissing it, and turned back to the other girl, continuing their conversation as if nothing had happened.

"She’s so much prettier than me," young Evergreen whispered to herself. "She wears such cute dresses... She’s so much more feminine." Her voice was barely audible, filled with a mix of envy and sorrow.

As the scene played out, Evergreen’s voice echoed again in the memory, recalling her grandfather’s words: "If you can’t get something, you can use your strength to take it." The young Evergreen repeated the words in her mind, even though she knew deep down that her grandfather hadn’t meant it in that way. But in her heart, she had decided to twist the meaning, to use it as a justification for the path she would soon take.

---

The boy’s eyes fluttered open, disoriented and groggy. He realized his hands were bound tightly behind him, restricting any movement. He struggled, twisting his wrists in an attempt to break free, but the ropes held firm. Panic set in as he glanced around. He was in a small tree house, high above the ground, sunlight filtering through the leaves.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and Evergreen stepped in, holding a tray with a steaming cup of tea. Her smile was wide, too wide, and there was a manic gleam in her eyes.

"Good morning, darling," she said sweetly, her voice dripping with unsettling affection as she set the tray down in front of him.

The boy’s heart raced as he stared at her, panic filling his chest. "Evergreen? What are you doing?" His voice trembled as he spoke, his fear impossible to hide.

She tilted her head, looking almost amused by his question. "What am I doing?" she echoed, her tone light but laced with something far more sinister. "Just taking what I want."

The boy’s breath quickened, and he tried to wriggle free once more. "Release me! My friends were right about you... You’re a weirdo!" he shouted, desperation creeping into his voice.

Evergreen’s face darkened in an instant. The sweet façade vanished, replaced by cold fury. Without warning, she swung her fist at him, her knuckles connecting with his face. Pain exploded in his jaw, and blood trickled from his nose where her punch had landed. His vision blurred for a moment.

"Ahh... I’m sorry," Evergreen said in a mockingly gentle tone, her voice softening as if nothing had happened. "Don’t talk to me like that, okay? It makes me upset."

The boy, too terrified to speak, nodded quickly, his heart pounding in his chest. His face throbbed with pain, and he could taste blood on his lips.

"Good," she said, her unsettling smile returning as she picked up the cup of tea. "Now, drink this."

The Tea contains Aphrodisiacs.

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