books44 Chapter 374 [Empire] Commander-level Core
Chapter 374 [Empire] Commander-level Core
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the wax bear. Its tiny form shone with an eerie luster in the dim flames, soft and meltable, yet burning tenaciously. Though the flame was small, it exuded an undeniable presence. Even though it seemed so insignificant, the people around it couldn't hide the complex emotions in their eyes—warning, shock, and even a hint of fear.
"Is this... the core of a commander-level monster?" an officer asked in a low voice, his voice trembling slightly.
Nightingale didn't answer, but just narrowed her eyes.
I looked at the little girl holding the bear, my heart aching with complex emotions beyond words. The connection between this child's wax life and the bear was far greater than we could imagine. The bear's ability not only created wax life, including those black candle beasts, but also affected the entire region's environment. Such power truly qualifies it as a "commander-level force."
"Commander-level beast..." The officer's expression grew increasingly serious. "If this little bear unleashes its full power, I'm afraid the entire city will be unable to resist."
My heart shuddered. The officer's words brought back memories of the previous scene—the black fog, the black candle beasts, the all-consuming flames. If the little bear truly lost control, its power wouldn't be limited to controlling these beasts; it could even destroy an entire city.
But at the same time, my gaze fell on the little girl, and the conflict within me intensified. Though the little bear was a commander-level being, its power seemed closely tied to the girl's emotions. It seemed more than just a cold, alien beast, but more like a being bent on protecting her with all its might. It didn't actively harm anyone; all the disasters were caused by the girl's uncontrollable emotions.
"It has never attacked anyone." I suddenly said, my voice firm.
Everyone's eyes were instantly focused on me.
"It simply responded to Miyou's emotions," I continued. "The black candle beasts appeared because of Miyou's despair and obsession. It lit the candles to protect Miyou. Although its power is great, it is not a real threat unless it is forced to activate."
"But its very existence is a threat," the officer said coldly, a hint of determination in his tone. "It has clearly proven its power to destroy the city. If we can't completely control it, we must eliminate it."
When the little girl heard this, she hugged the bear tightly, her eyes filled with fear. She whispered, "No... You can't hurt the bear. It's protecting me..."
I felt my heart tighten, and I quickly squatted down, trying to comfort her in a gentle tone: "No one will hurt it, Miyou, as long as it doesn't get out of control."
"It's not out of control!" she suddenly cried out excitedly, tears welling up in her eyes again, "It just wants to protect me, to protect me when my mother is not around... You can't take it away!"
Her voice was filled with such intense fear that it left those around her speechless. The bear trembled slightly in her arms, and the flames seemed to flicker even brighter, as if responding to her emotions.
Nightingale glanced at me with a complicated look in his eyes. He whispered, "The problem isn't the bear itself. The problem is if it gets out of control again...it's going to be a disaster."
I nodded. While I understood the little girl's feelings, I couldn't ignore the danger the bear posed. Its power was too great, and any slight fluctuation could lead to irreversible consequences.
"We can try to coexist with it," I whispered, looking at the officer. "Its power is enormous, but it's also the only thing this child has. If we can find a way to control its power instead of destroying it outright, perhaps we can avoid a greater tragedy."
The officer was silent for a moment, looking at the bear with a complicated expression. He seemed to be weighing the pros and cons, but the tense expression on his face did not relax.
"That's not for me to decide," he finally whispered, "but I will report it to my superiors and try to protect the child and her wax bear."
I breathed a sigh of relief and turned to look at Nightingale. He nodded slightly with a hint of recognition in his eyes.
In the little girl's arms, the flame of the little bear still flickered slightly. The weak but stubborn light seemed to be its protection for the girl and the last hope in the girl's heart.
These problems are not something that mercenaries of Nightingale and I can worry about.
As I stepped out of the door, I heard hurried footsteps behind me. A little girl, clutching the teddy bear, ran after me. Her tiny figure seemed incredibly determined, clutching the wax bear tightly in her arms, her eyes filled with a hint of fear, yet also with a hint of stubbornness. Even more frustrating, she pulled out a box of matches from nowhere and held them tightly, as if this was her last resort.
"Miyou, you can't follow us." I stopped, turned around and looked at her, trying to make my voice sound gentle, but there were some complicated emotions in my heart.
"I want to follow you." She raised her head, her voice filled with irresistible determination, "I want to take the little bear and go with you."
I sighed and looked at Nightingale. He folded his arms across his chest and looked at me calmly, clearly not intending to intervene in the matter, leaving everything to me to handle.
"The little bear said that it won't let anyone take me away. If they dare to take me or the little bear away, I will light it on fire." She raised the matchbox in her hand, her small voice carrying a threat that was hard to ignore.
Now, not only Nightingale, but I, too, was feeling a bit of a headache. This child clearly understood her situation, yet she still insisted on following us. This stubbornness left me feeling frustrated and troubled, and I didn't know how to respond.
"Miyou, this is not a place you can follow. We are mercenaries, and the place we are going to is very dangerous." I tried to dissuade her from the idea with reality, "You should stay here, they will protect you."
"But aren't you in danger too?" she asked, a look of certainty in her eyes. "The little bear said you need its strength. It can help you fight the bad guys."
"That's not something you need to worry about." I said with a wry smile, squatting down to try to be at eye level with her. "Besides, you're also in danger. Besides, I...we don't want you to be in danger."
The little girl shook her head and held the bear a little tighter in her arms, seemingly unfazed by my words.
"If you don't want me, then I'll light the little bear on fire." She looked down at the little bear in her arms, her tone piercing with stubborn sadness. "Anyway...anyway, Miyou is already fake. It doesn't matter who the little bear fabricated Miyou follows or where he goes."
My heart sank.
The self-denial and sadness in her words left me speechless. This child's pain and loneliness were far deeper than she let on. She no longer cared about who she was, only wanted to cling to the last shred of meaning she felt in her heart.
"You're not fake." I finally spoke, my voice filled with unquestionable firmness. "Miyou, you are Miyou. No matter what body you are in now, your existence is unique. You don't live for anyone or anything, but for yourself."
The little girl was stunned for a moment, a trace of confusion flashed in her eyes, but she still hugged the teddy bear tightly and did not let go.
Nightingale looked at me, then at the little girl, shrugged, and said in a nonchalant tone, "She's determined to follow you. Either you stay and look after her yourself, or you take her with you and solve her problems." He paused, his tone tinged with a hint of joking, "Anyway, you just love taking trouble on yourself."
I gritted my teeth.
"Okay." I sighed and gently took the little girl's hand, with a hint of helplessness and seriousness in my eyes. "Since you want to follow me, you have to listen to me. Without my permission, you must not light the bear on fire, understand?"
The little girl looked up at me, a glint in her eyes, and then nodded heavily: "I'll listen to you."
I stood up and looked at Nightingale. He raised his eyebrows and smiled meaningfully, "Thank you for taking the trouble. Don't regret it."
"You won't interfere anyway." I replied unhappily.
We walked out of the room, followed closely by the little girl. The flame of the little bear in her arms was still flickering, as if responding to its owner's determination.
Perhaps, this is just the beginning.