Violet’s progress in the orphanage was not particularly fast.

 

The boy named Eli was extremely cautious. Every few steps, he would stop and look around, checking for anything appearing nearby or whether the two older sisters behind him had caught up.

 

Perhaps due to the Princess’s attack at the main entrance drawing most of the enemy’s attention, the three of them wandered deep into the orphanage for over ten minutes. Thanks to Eli’s skillful navigation and evasion, they miraculously encountered no undead Eternal Thrones.

 

They did come across many orphanage children who dressed similarly to Eli, but like him, they were all listless, with dull eyes. Even though they noticed Violet and Xiao Guang, the two unfamiliar outsiders, they showed no intention of approaching or calling out.

 

Standing in the shadows, they silently observed like small, ghostly souls.

 

They didn’t approach on their own, and Violet was quite content with that. Dealing with one Eli was enough trouble, having to comfort all these children would be even more troublesome, and the priestess hated troubles the most.

 

Finally, the boy stopped at the corner of a dimly lit corridor.

 

“Wait a moment, Sister Violet.”

 

“Hmm?”

 

Although wearing a puzzled expression, Violet still followed Eli’s instructions, stopping her steps and gesturing for Xiao Guang, who had no intention of paying attention, to also halt.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

The little boy looked somewhat timidly at the shadows of the closed doors behind the corner and explained softly.

 

“Up ahead is the experimentation area. Without adults accompanying, I can’t just approach it casually. I’m sorry, I can only bring you here. Through the corridor of the experimentation area, there’s a particularly large iron door. The older brothers and sisters who do experiments with us always come out from that door…”

 

Eli’s logic was easy to understand.

 

Since he could remember, he had never had direct contact with people from outside. Unaware of the difference between Violet and the Eternal Throne members and influenced by the priestess’s friendly gestures, he naturally agreed to lead the way.

 

However, the “rules” within the orphanage were an absolute law for him. Even with Violet guiding him, he dared not enter the prohibited area. This was Eli’s limit.

 

Seemingly inexplicable but actually quite reasonable, considering he was just a six or seven-year-old child without basic education, his thoughts were extremely simple.

 

Silently observing the little boy, who seemed afraid of Violet’s reproach, the priestess hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose not to say anything more.

 

There was no need to involve him any further.

 

“That’s it then. You go back to where you live now. No matter what happens outside, don’t go out to explore casually, okay?”

 

In the girl’s clear and gentle voice, there was a hint of command and authority this time. Violet understood that for a child with an undeveloped mind, a firm tone sometimes had a more effective impact than gentle persuasion.

 

Encounters were a matter of fate, and even though she was just a passerby, the priestess didn’t want Eli to inexplicably perish in the aftermath of the battle between the Eternal Thrones and Princess Lilya.

 

“Huh? But the adults say we have to every day… Uh!”

 

Eli seemed to want to say something more, but when he raised his head and met the indifferent, clear silver-blue eyes of the black-haired girl, an instinctive panic and tremor involuntarily rose in his heart.

 

It was as if defying the will of the girl in front of him would bring about some terrifying consequence.

 

“I-I understand, Sister Violet! Well then, until next time.”

 

While the first half of his sentence carried an unmistakable sense of panic, when he mentioned “until next time,” a trace of reluctance emerged in the boy’s tone.

 

Children’s emotions are indeed unpredictable. Perhaps for Eli, Violet was the most beautiful and kind “adult” in his memory.

 

“Well, until next time.”

 

Unfortunately, there wouldn’t be a next time.

 

A fleeting thought crossed the girl’s mind.

 

After all, Eli was just an ordinary and unremarkable child. It was only because he got involved with the Eternal Thrones that he coincidentally crossed paths with Violet.

 

After this encounter, even if Eli managed to survive, the two sides would no longer have any intersection.

 

This wasn’t about raising any flags but a deduction based on facts and common sense, indicating an inevitable parting.

 

Meeting by chance, being transient passersby—nothing more.

 

With these thoughts in mind, the priestess finally squatted down, smiled at the small and skinny boy in front of her, and when she turned away, her expression became indifferent once again. Without much nostalgia, she walked away briskly.

 

“Thank you, Sister Violet…”

 

Eli took out a colorful candy still warm from his pocket. A touch of warmth flashed between his lifeless brows. Then, he gradually walked back into the darkness…

 

…

 

Having left the little boy Eli, following the direction he indicated before parting, Violet and Xiao Guang casually walked around the corner and arrived at a large iron gate that appeared to have been renovated later on.

 

Here, this should be the so-called experimental field.

 

No one guards the door outside, but there is a strange aura continuously emanating from inside, causing disgust.

 

This is a very extreme spiritual energy, and if one were to give it an exact name, it would probably be “resentment.”

 

In this world, if humans hold strong negative emotions at the time of death, there is a certain probability that their souls will become vengeful spirits. These are a special type of spiritual entity, tangible yet intangible, usually classified as undead.

 

Initially, in the Forgotten Lands, Violet had encountered many similar entities, but they were more powerful than what she currently sensed. They could condense, act through possession of the living, or even manifest directly.

 

However, the ones behind the door feel very scattered, seemingly just the spiritual resentment resulting from the simple fragmentation of human souls.

 

If there’s something particularly unique about them, it’s the astonishing total quantity, and the “hatred” is truly extreme.

 

To generate such intense vengeful spirits, it seems that one must commit brutal acts of killing, torturing people to death in the cruelest ways.

 

It’s really disgusting.

 

The only question is, why did the [Eternal Throne] deliberately create these extreme resentments, and what do they intend to do with them?

 

“Master, there are many bugs inside, what should we do?”

 

Miss Dragon wrinkled her nose, easily detecting the strong scent of decomposed bodies. Even though she usually pays little attention to lower life forms, she seems to have a quite negative perception of these things that are neither human nor corpse.

 

“Kill them all. There’s nothing to discuss with these things.”

 

Saying that, Miss Priestess raised her leg and, quite unladylike, kicked the door directly.

 

Bang!

 

The heavy and massive metal door, estimated to weigh several tons and requiring machinery assistance to open, was kicked inward by Violet’s unceremonious kick. It separated from the wall, sending shattered stone debris flying as it rotated and whistled inward!

 

The so-called experimental field turned out to be a large room scattered with a plethora of recorded data, magical instruments, and surgical equipment. Five or six metal tables still bore dark red bloodstains. In the corner were several large metal cages covered with black cloth, their contents unclear.

 

“Hurry, hurry, hurry! Move quickly! Take everything away. We are about to start the experim… ugh!”

 

When Violet “broke in,” a man in a prominent white coat was standing in the center of the room, directing over a dozen members of what seemed to be Eternal Throne, undead individuals, to move and organize scattered papers and instruments.

 

However, because he happened to be facing the iron door as it flew towards him, the heavy metal plate hit him directly.

 

Although the man seemed to hold a high position, his strength was quite ordinary. He couldn’t make any resistance. After being struck by the massive door, he, along with the door, directly imprinted into the wall on the other side, never to make a sound again.

 

Silence.

 

All the undead individuals busy at work simultaneously stopped, looking bewilderedly at the large hole that used to be the entrance, and the two beautiful girls leisurely walking in from the outside.

 

“Hmm? Did something get hit when the door was opened? Whatever… the result is the same. Xiao Guang, take care of them!”

 

“Yes, Master!”

 

Only at this moment did these dumbfounded individuals realize that the two in front of them were invaders from the outside. They hurriedly pulled out their weapons.

 

“Damn, it’s the enemy! Didn’t those idiots say the enemy is still at the front hall? How did they reach the experimental field so quickly!?”

 

“Forget about that! They killed Lord Leopold. We absolutely cannot let them go! Otherwise, we’re all done for. Attack together!”