Yama Reborn-Chapter 527 - 524: 【To a Madman】

Chapter 524: To a Madman

The Wizard frowned, his spiritual power formidable. Even though Vanel’s expression remained unchanged, the Wizard still sensed the change in his heartbeat and asked with a frown, "Vanel, do you have any objections?"

"None at all," Vanel replied, his expression and gaze straightforward. "I just heard that among the powerful Seeds, there’s actually a cat. I find that quite absurd and very rare."

The Wizard glanced at Vanel but couldn’t discern anything from his expression or eyes.

For one thing, Vanel was someone who could resist even the Octopus Monster Organization’s psychic interrogations with sheer willpower.

Secondly, the Wizard possessed mighty spiritual power. If he were to forcibly probe Vanel’s mind, he could naturally detect the lie. However, they were currently on the same side. It wasn’t appropriate for the Wizard to overtly use his spiritual power to spy on a comrade’s Consciousness Space.

"In any case, this Chen Nuo has deep connections with Seed. He is Seed’s Chosen One—oh, by the way, everyone has actually met this Chen Nuo before. He was the one in the Antarctica operation who followed the Captain... That Captain of the Abyss Organization wasn’t the Controller at all; this Chen Nuo was! During the Antarctica operation, he also used a false name and a fake identity."

"Damn it... I recognize this Chen Nuo! A despicable and shameless fellow with oddly powerful abilities," the Wizard gnashed his teeth.

He was obviously recalling his own failed hunt in Jinling City. Back then, he had thought it was a simple mission, almost like a vacation. But he never expected to have kicked an iron plate. That guy named Chen Nuo was not only crafty and despicable but also possessed a bizarre array of powers—and on top of that, he even had companions like the Star Sky Empress, a top-tier powerhouse on the same level as himself.

He had suffered defeat in Jinling City, and his powers were greatly diminished. Forced to return to Europe, he stayed hidden for a long while to recover. Later, that Star Sky Empress pursued him to Europe seeking revenge. She destroyed several of his Cultivator Association’s strongholds. However, as his strength had not fully recovered at the time, he could only hide and swallow his grievances.

"I had dealings with this Chen Nuo when I was still with Noah’s Ark—though at that time, Vanel was the contact person responsible for Chen Nuo. Vanel had some friendship with him," Nolan revealed, and Vanel’s scalp tingled at once.

Sure enough, the Wizard was already looking at him with a cold gaze.

Vanel immediately shook his head. "I only met Chen Nuo during an Octopus Monster Organization operation in the South America Tropical Rainforest. At that time, I was a double agent. Though I was with the Octopus Monster, I was actually working for Noah’s Ark. So, after I met Chen Nuo during that operation and we became acquainted, I felt his power was immense. Considering even the Star Sky Empress was his wife, I genuinely wanted to recruit them both into Noah’s Ark. After all, with two Controllers of such power, it wasn’t strange for Noah’s Ark to want to absorb them into their ranks, was it?"

The Wizard quickly reviewed the timeline in his mind. His failure in Jinling City had happened much earlier than the Octopus Monster Organization’s South America Tropical Rainforest operation, so he let it go. After all, when he himself was being thrashed by Chen Nuo and his wife in Jinling City, Vanel didn’t even know Chen Nuo.

"So, during the Antarctica operation, Chen Nuo and you... Vanel and Nolan, you were their undercover agents!"

"Yes, at the time we were both Noah’s Ark operatives planted within the Octopus Monster," Nolan acknowledged, knowing it was unnecessary to hide these details to resolve the Wizard’s doubts. "The Antarctica operation involved the Octopus Monster Organization’s team, but for Noah’s Ark to take action, relying on just me and Vanel wasn’t enough. So we sought external assistance. The Star Sky Empress declined our invitation, but Chen Nuo accepted. That’s why we knew he had assumed a false identity and name to participate in the Antarctica operation."

"So you deceived all of us back then," Lillian said through clenched teeth.

"Our allegiances were different back then, so there’s no need to dwell on those matters now," Nolan said slowly. "If Your Excellency still harbors grievances, why don’t we first join forces against these Seeds? If we survive, and you still want to settle this account with me, I am willing to bear the consequences."

"...Forget it," Lillian suddenly sighed. "The Octopus Monster and Noah’s Ark are essentially the same organization. You are all just pawns manipulated by that Octopus Monster. It’s meaningless. Moreover... in the Antarctica operation, Kamisou Ichiro of the Octopus Monster personally joined the team. At that time... regardless, we were bound to be schemed against and deceived by it. It’s pointless to blame you."

Nolan looked at Lillian. "Your magnanimity as a Controller is admirable, Your Excellency."

"Spare me the flattery and share your thoughts," the Wizard said coldly through gritted teeth. "Regardless, my son died in Antarctica. The Antarctica operation was organized by Kamisou Ichiro of the Octopus Monster, who also participated personally! I will settle this score with it, no matter what! And then there’s that fellow named Seed who imprisoned me on the moon! All I want to think about now is how we’re going to kill these bastards!"

"Unfortunately, we can’t kill them—we don’t have that ability," Nolan sighed.

"There are two Controllers here," the Wizard frowned. "Although there’s still a power gap, if we carefully set up a trap..."

"You should dismiss that thought immediately," Nolan said with a wry smile. "Wizard Your Excellency, I know that even among Controllers, you rank at the forefront. And Your Excellency Lillian is also a standout. The collaboration of two Controllers, especially prominent ones, would normally ensure victory against any known foe. But against the Seeds, it won’t be enough. During my experience in Jinling, when the Octopus Monster’s scheme failed and it suffered a great loss, I personally witnessed a scene that shocked me."

With that, Nolan looked at the two Controllers. "May I ask, Wizard Your Excellency, how does your power compare to the Star Sky Empress?"

The Wizard’s expression stiffened, but this was no time for pride. Though displeased, he spoke the truth. "If it were a friendly sparring match, it would likely be an even fifty-fifty. If it were a fight to the death, my chances of winning are only thirty percent; there’s a seventy percent chance I would be defeated and forced to flee."

Lillian’s expression grew even more strained. She bit her lip and shook her head. "My strength is slightly weaker than the Wizard’s."

"Good. To my knowledge, Chen Nuo’s strength is at least on par with the Son of the Sun. His power is quite comparable to that of the Star Sky Empress. Of course, the two are lovers and have never fought to the death. But during the Antarctica operation, Chen Nuo was involved and took action many times. I heard Kamisou Ichiro comment that if human Controllers were ranked, the Star Sky Empress and Chen Nuo would likely be contenders for the title of ’Strongest Human’."

Although his words were quite implicit, they clearly conveyed a message to the Wizard and Lillian: Neither of you is a match for that couple.

"During that operation in Jinling City, I personally witnessed Chen Nuo and the Star Sky Empress join forces to confront a Seed—the one named ’Tree,’ the Fourth Seed. Together, they were still defeated! And they seemed to have no chance of victory. It was solely Seed’s arrival that reversed the situation.

"So, Your Excellencies, even if you two joined forces, your combined strength would probably still be weaker than the partnership of Chen Nuo and the Star Sky Empress. Those two are stronger than you, yet they had no chance of victory against a single Seed.

"Therefore, I deduced that even for the top human powerhouses, the Controllers, the gap between us and the Seeds is not one of strength, but one of Life Level. This difference in Life Level gives these Seeds an overwhelming advantage when facing us. Simply adding more human Controllers—two, three, four, or even five—would probably not be enough to confront a single Seed. One Seed has the power to kill all human Controllers! This disparity can even reach the point of complete domination."

"If that’s the case, what’s the bloody point of resisting?" Vanel cursed. "What’s the meaning of our cooperation then?"

"We cannot kill them. Even if all human Controllers joined forces, we couldn’t kill a single Seed. That’s because of the difference in Life Levels. However, a Seed *can* kill a Seed!"

None of those present were fools. The Wizard was widely recognized as cunning. Vanel, having served as an undercover agent for a long time, was also sharp-witted. Lillian... well, she was an exception. Though powerful, this woman was considered rather dull in the Underground World.

After Nolan spoke, both the Wizard and Vanel immediately understood. Lillian, after a moment’s thought, also grasped the idea.

"So... you want to incite these Seeds to kill each other!"

"It’s the best method. And unfortunately, it seems to be the only one," Nolan sighed.

"Tell us your plan," the Wizard said, looking at Nolan.

Nolan smiled faintly. "Although I had long understood the strategy of using Seeds to fight Seeds, making them kill each other, the specific plan only came to me after I met you all and we shared intelligence. That Seed captured you, gave you guidance to enhance your powers, and imprisoned you on the moon. Clearly, it needs you. But then you went and escaped from prison again. I think that Seed definitely wants to recapture you. So, why don’t the three of you find a way to lure that Seed here!

"Based on my observations and judgment, these Seeds are competing with each other. They also have rules they can’t easily break. The Octopus Monster ordered me to withdraw all forces from East Asia because Chen Nuo became Seed’s Chosen One. Therefore, East Asia, especially Huaxia, became Seed’s territory, and other Seeds are forbidden from approaching Chen Nuo. By the way, the Octopus Monster was severely punished by Seed last time because it schemed against Chen Nuo.

"So, if we want to deal with the Octopus Monster, couldn’t we bring another Seed—say, Seed!—before it? If Seed encroaches on the Octopus Monster’s interests, it will provoke a backlash from the Octopus Monster! Then, there’s a high probability they’ll fight."

"But you said their competition is still in a probing stage; they won’t fight to the death," Vanel suddenly interjected. He looked at Nolan with a mocking expression. "Seed’s power is the strongest among them. If Seed is provoked to come to New York to fight the Octopus Monster, even if it doesn’t kill the Octopus Monster, it will make the latter pay a price, like weakening its strength. So, no matter how I look at it, this benefits you, doesn’t it? When the one holding the leash weakens, the rope around the dog’s neck loosens considerably. Nolan, are you trying to get us to take the risk of luring Seed here, risking being recaptured by Seed, all for your own benefit?"

At these words, both the Wizard and Lillian looked at Nolan with cold eyes.

Nolan sighed. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"Nolan, do you have an explanation for Vanel’s words?" the Wizard stared at Nolan, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

Nolan appeared relaxed. "Vanel, your accusations are very accurate, and what you’ve described is true. However, that is not my intention. In fact, I don’t need to offer a lengthy explanation. I only need to state one thing to prove that my sole focus is on opposing the Seeds, and I have no selfish desire for personal gain."

"What is that?"

"The relationship between a Seed and its Chosen One involves a degree of life-sharing. Once the Seed dies, its Chosen One will also die! This is an inescapable rule of life. And I am already the Octopus Monster’s Chosen One. Therefore, our fight against these Seeds ultimately aims to kill them. If the Octopus Monster dies... I will die too! So, by choosing to fight the Seeds, I have chosen a path of certain death! Ladies and gentlemen, for someone who has chosen a path leading to certain death, what need do I have to seek personal benefits?"

Everyone fell silent. Nolan’s defense was too compelling, too irrefutable!

Seed dies, Chosen One dies! A Chosen One who embarks on a path to destroy Seeds is essentially committing suicide. What benefits would someone who chooses a path of certain death possibly want?

The Wizard and the others were influential figures who could assess situations and move on quickly. They soon dismissed this suspicion.

"Then tell us... luring Seed to New York would, at most, cause two Seeds to fight. It wouldn’t force them into a life-or-death struggle."

"No, no, I never said we should lure Seed to New York," Nolan shook his head. "What I’m suggesting is that we induce the Seeds to infringe upon each other’s interests, to make them break the rules! Then they will fight fiercely! Although they usually only probe and avoid fighting to the death, if the rule violation is severe enough, they might become determined to kill each other.

"The interests I’m referring to are not mere territories. For Seed, its interest isn’t Huaxia! For the Octopus Monster, its interest isn’t New York. As long as core interests aren’t violated and no rules are broken, even if Seed were to visit New York and swagger down the street, the Octopus Monster wouldn’t utter a peep."

"What are these fundamental interests you speak of, the kind that would enrage them, make them abandon probing, and engage in a life-or-death battle?" the Wizard asked.

"Chosen Ones!" Nolan took a deep breath and uttered the answer, word by word. "Chosen Ones share their lives with Seeds and can also amplify the Seeds’ power to some extent. They are crucial to the ultimate goal that the Seeds are pursuing. Therefore, Seeds protect their Chosen Ones like precious treasures and absolutely will not allow other Seeds to harm or destroy them!"

The Wizard’s heart suddenly stirred; he faintly guessed something. "You..."

"Kill Chen Nuo! Only by killing Chen Nuo will Seed become completely enraged!" Nolan pointed at his own nose. "And it can’t be just anyone; I must be the one to do it! I am the Octopus Monster’s Chosen One! If I kill Chen Nuo, then in Seed’s perception, my action is equivalent to the Octopus Monster’s action! At that point, Seed will retaliate at all costs, killing both the Octopus Monster and me in revenge!

"But I need your help. After becoming the Octopus Monster’s Chosen One, my strength increased rapidly. Sharing life has brought me many benefits. Two months ago, I crossed the threshold to become a Controller. However, although I am a Controller, it has only been a short time. My current power is probably among the weakest of all Controllers. At best, I’m only comparable to that useless old geezer, the Son of the Sun."

(The Son of the Sun somewhere: ????)

"Continue!" the Wizard said coldly.

"I can’t kill Chen Nuo alone! And he has the Star Sky Empress by his side! So I need help. For example... if you, Wizard, and you, Lillian, are willing to help me... the three of us could act. If one of you is willing to sacrifice yourselves, fighting to the point of severe injury to hold off the Star Sky Empress, then the other person and I—two Controllers working together—with sufficient planning and an ingenious setup, would have a fifty percent chance of killing Chen Nuo!"

Hearing this, the Wizard frowned. "But, during our information sharing, you said that when a Chosen One is in mortal danger, the Seed can sense it and will immediately come to the rescue. They possess Transcendent Spatial Abilities and can tear through space to appear instantly, no matter how far away. Even if two of us ganged up on Chen Nuo, killing him instantly would be impossible. If he manages to summon Seed..."

Nolan’s eyes grew even wilder! He smirked. "Then let Seed kill me! If Seed kills me, the Octopus Monster will also be forced to fight to the death, relentlessly! Because if I die, it loses its Chosen One and will go insane, becoming the most disadvantaged in the competition among Seeds! And once the Octopus Monster and Seed are locked in a desperate battle... you two find a way to finish off Chen Nuo!"

All three were stunned!

"Nolan, do you even realize what you’re saying?" Vanel stammered, his voice low. "You’re talking about..."

"Suicide?" A crazed glint flashed in Nolan’s eyes as he chuckled coldly. "As long as we can kill the Octopus Monster, kill these Seeds, that’s all that matters! Every Seed killed is one less of them! And I... I’ve never felt my life was anything worth clinging to.

"By the way, don’t you know?

"For a madman, the fear of death...

"Simply doesn’t exist."

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