A pair of boots stepped on the ground of the insect nest, beside a middle-aged nobleman who was already dying.
"Life is pretty tough."
The condescending voice came, making the blond man feel a little funny.
In the past, he always looked down on others and spoke. Although he would not trample others under their feet, but with those people bowing in fear, maybe if he trampled them under their feet, they would feel more at ease.
With this thought in mind, Patrick slowly opened his eyes and looked at Yin En, who looked calm.
He clicked his tongue and then said, "Can we reconcile?"
"Of course not." Yin En raised his eyebrows. At this moment, he was actually interested in Patrick. Just because of his sense of humor at the last moment, he felt that the other person might actually be an interesting person: "You're pretty good.
Optimistic and humorous, you can say this kind of thing."
"What an interesting person. It would be interesting to be friends with him."
No wonder Viscount Grant has remembered him for so many years and still regards him as a friend... Perhaps back then, these two people only showed their true selves to each other.
After the separation, they no longer even had friends with whom they could exchange this "other side".
"If you can't reconcile, please kill me quickly."
Patrick raised his hand with a bit of boredom. His eyelids drooped and were about to close. The man's voice was so weak that everyone knew he was about to die: "Do I have to let myself swallow my breath slowly? Huh? What do you think?
That brood that is so gentle to you and earnestly invites you to become their master can be cut down with one sword. Why is it so hesitant to treat a wicked person like me?"
"It's a good thing to make you suffer for a little longer. At least I'm quite happy."
Yin En laughed and spoke cheerfully with a villainous line: "Of course, don't worry too much, I just have some questions I want to ask you - you also have questions you want to ask me, right? I know there is nothing hidden in you.
I don’t have anything in hand that can be subpoenaed or recorded, so I am willing to exchange some information with you."
"Of course, you are indeed about to die, so I understand your unwillingness to make an exchange. I will give you a happy one, since you have never really killed someone."
"Have you seen all this?" Patrick took a deep breath. In fact, his vitality would not disappear just because his waist was broken. What really brought him to the verge of death was actually the forced activation of the Ether Armed Darkness.
Hua's actions against Bishop Baiwu.
The man opened his eyes, stared at the white-haired boy in front of him, and then shook his head slightly: "Well, I'm too lazy to lie - in fact, I didn't hold back, I really can't beat you."
"Don't underestimate yourself, young man... Although I don't know what your inheritance is, you have extremely powerful power in your body. This power is even better than the blood of the Eclipse Dragon of our Ellen family. At least
It is also a special ability that can only be found in fourth-level or even fifth-level inheritances."
"Don't be discovered, not even Ayers. His ambition is not big, but once the sails of the ambitious ship are set, he will strive to do his best."
"I don't know what he would have done at that time."
Different from the mechanized ether weapon, the biological ether weapon Anhua needs the wearer to provide high-purity source blood in order to be driven, and the real ether furnace heart can only be found on the main body of Anhua.
If the Anhua sub-strain wants to exert its super-standard combat effectiveness, the user must inject a large amount of the blood of the Corroded Dragon. While confirming that the driver is indeed an authorized user, it also provides energy for the etheric weapons.
The reason why Anhuazizhu was able to entangle Bishop Baiwu was because Patrick injected half of his own blood into it, so Anhuazizhu could fight with the Light-Embracering Priest for so long, but this did weaken it.
Patrick's fighting prowess was such that Yin En thought that the opponent was holding back.
However, with the defeat of the nobles and the gradual consumption of blood reserves, the Anhua sub-strain could no longer stop Bishop Baiwu.
And Patrick was even more unable to face the young man in front of him, or heal his fatal injuries.
I don’t know whether Patrick was good-natured when he was about to die, or whether he wanted to mislead the young man who killed him. He calmly said to Yin En in the last moments of his life: "As for the problem, I do have one.
"
The middle-aged nobleman narrowed his eyes. Like Yin En, the man who had listened to almost all the information from the Hive Mind asked whether he was nervous or expecting, "Yin En."
"Why did you reject the brood?"
From the fact that Patrick called the Hive Mind the name of the Hive Mind instead of the Hive Mind, we can know that his spirit has actually been partially eroded by the Hive Mind, but I don’t know whether it was because the resonance was not enough or he took the initiative to resist, so he failed.
.
If Yin En hadn't killed the Hive Mind, I'm afraid he wouldn't have died...but would have been transformed by the Hive's Inspiration and became the first second-level 'human apostle' of the Hive.
No, if Yin En did not kill the Hive Mind, it would prove that he would choose to become the Hive Mind - then Patrick, who was half dead at this moment, would become his 'acting apostle'.
"It's the Hive Mind."
Sighing, Yin En couldn't help but shake his head: "This question is actually very simple."
He stared into the eyes of the dying man next to his feet and said calmly: "Because of fear."
"Patrick, I'm afraid I've chosen this shortcut. The one that's not the best, but seems the easiest."
Yes.
Yin En has indeed rejected the insect nest, but this does not mean that he cannot return to the insect swarm's path.
The brain-eating insects are not extinct yet, and the insect swarm's psychic network has not completely disappeared. As long as Yin En wants to, he still has a chance to regret it and rebuild the insect nest from scratch.
But he didn't intend to do that.
Because this is the shortcut.
This is not to say that Yin En has a mental mysophobia, or that he has a sense of ritual and must go there in a human body - this is definitely not the reason.
Yin En just knows very well that if he chooses to become the master of the insect swarm, he will do his best to do his best.
Just like what Patrick said about Viscount Grant... At that time, no one knew what they would do for the 'best'.
In this case, there is no turning back, many decisions will no longer have the chance to change, and many endings will no longer be possible - choosing the path of the insect swarm is such a seemingly quick, but actually lonely and lonely path.
The road to 'perfection' is difficult and difficult to reach.
"Yeah... hum, parasitic psychic network... maybe, this is the real 'echo' and 'mirror'?"
With a sneer, Patrick thought of these two words, his eyes full of hatred, but his expression was helpless: "This method is more feasible than using any other learning machine... it can even allow people to achieve immortality.
"
"The brood is indeed immortal. There is a huge gap between such creatures and us humans. It's no wonder they pursue...chasing this possibility."
"yes."
Yin En nodded slightly, turned his head, looked in the direction of the corpse of the Hive Mind, and then said: "I know what the question you really want to ask me is, Patrick."
"You want to ask, if I can't go there for the rest of my 'human' life, will I also long for eternal life and chase the path of echoes and mirrors?"
"You want to ask me this question, to know whether I will take action against the Ellen family...or, in other words, against Isengard, or against the bloodline of your Corroded Dragon lineage."
"Just like Axel."
The middle-aged man remained silent.
He knew that he was not qualified to ask this question, because he was the killer who was preparing to kill Isengard. His current hypocritical concern was really shameless.
It can even be said to be shameless.
But then again, he is almost dead, so what about being shameless?
It was precisely because of death that Patrick became free and easy.
"Yes."
He smiled and looked at Yin En: "This is what I really want to ask. I want to know whether you will become a bastard like Axel...in the future, the possible future, to devour
He uses his grandson’s body to maintain his immortality.”
The man whispered: "I can't stop you, I just want to know... whether the person who defeated me is a noble and glorious hero, or an ambitious tycoon."
"Does this need to be said?"
Yin En asked calmly, making Patrick silent instead.
He had already guessed Yin En's answer, so he smiled bitterly: "Yeah, you definitely don't..."
"I can."
But Yin En's answer was completely beyond the man's expectation: "I can do it, Patrick. It's not trivial and trivial things like being a hero. I can do it because I need it."
"I will do this without hesitation and without any psychological burden."
Under the stunned gaze of the blond man, Yin En closed his eyes.
And when he opened his eyes again and stared at the insect nest crystal in front of him, his water-colored eyes were as calm and cold as his voice, even with a trace of pure indifference: "If I need time to advance my career and complete my
dream - then I will pursue eternal life without hesitation, by any means necessary, and without any confusion or hesitation."
"Even if the cost is to be stained with the blood of innocent people and become despicable and disgusting."
"but."
Saying this, the young man clenched the sword in his hand: "If I want to do it, I will do my best."
"Even if I die in pursuit of the best, I will not let myself choose inferior methods to achieve my dreams."
"And the eternal life of the insect swarm is obviously not the best choice... Letting innocent people die, let alone it. There are many ways to live forever, and I don't have to choose this one."
"I have such determination and will, and I also have the means, but my personality determines that I will not do that. This may be regarded as a kind of fate."
Lowering his head, Yin En looked at Patrick who was thoughtful and deep in thought again. He smiled: "For the sake of your dying, I answered your question first to satisfy your curiosity."
"Now, I ask and you answer."
Yin En asked: "Who asked you to kill Isengard? Why did you listen to that person's instructions?"
"Why are you so unscrupulous, even at the cost of your own life?"
The boy's question was sharp and direct. Patrick took a deep breath, and then smiled bitterly: "That's a good question. Well, I'm going to die anyway, and I've wanted to say it for a long time."
He raised his head and told Yin En the whole story and facts.
The white-haired boy listened carefully, and then opened his eyes wide with a "Sure enough" expression, with a hint of sympathy in his eyes.
It was not for Patrick, but for the blond boy who had adventured with him in the underground ruins.
"Understood."
By the time Patrick finished speaking, Yin En could already see the extremely dark energy in the other person's body.
This is a soul that is certain to die, or in other words, has already died. It is only because of the will of the sublimated person that it temporarily remains in the world, waiting for the source of matter to dissipate and then completely disappear.
"It's time to die."
Turning his head, Yin En no longer looked at Patrick: "Farewell, Mr. Patrick, your life is really sad, but at least your death will not be ugly."
He didn't use his sword to kill the other party. He still had things to do and no time or energy was wasted.
Of course, the most important reason is not this.
But, if he takes action and ends the life of the man in front of him, it may be a kind of relief for him.
In this case, it is better to let Patrick slowly enter the end of his life.
Let him remember, let him think, let him...
Pain because of yourself.
Just after Yin En turned around and left, Patrick leaned against the crystal wall of the insect nest. The man stared blankly ahead, staring in the direction of the dissipated will of the insect nest.
He seemed to want to laugh, but couldn't. The man said to himself hesitantly and bleakly: "Indeed, it is such a sad life."
"Why is this happening... I can clearly relate to this emotion back then... I still remember that summer, watching the stars with Ellie and my brother..."
"Why are you still doing such boring things decades later..."
"Is it because I'm old and have forgotten my dreams? Or is it because I finally..."
His breathing gradually stopped.
In the Hive, Patrick Ellen's life comes to an end.
At the same time, Yin En stepped into the true vulnerability of the insect nest.