Yet, the scene he had once witnessed beneath the oil refinery resurfaced in his mind.
From that moment on... August had no longer been a man of the Iron Crystal Throne, had he?
Amidst the blood rain, August raised his hand and lifted the Ring of Nibelungen again to summon the Frost Giant Army. But the gleam on the ring, having just brightened, quickly faded.
It became dull, devoid of all its mystical power.
It was as if a countermeasure had already been prepared for this very eventuality.
August raised his eyebrows with understanding. "As expected, Simon was wary of me. That old man always seems to guess a bit of everything. A pity he always keeps his speculations to himself, endlessly doubting, yet seldom making a decisive move. Otherwise, things wouldn't have reached this point."
Simmons Jiang. That was the name of the Director of Affairs.
Perhaps he had long noticed August's abnormalities, understanding how fanatical the child he had watched grow up could be. But he had never dared to believe August would act this way.
In that instant, Huai Shi glimpsed the Short Knife at August's waist and finally understood. "Is it because of Condra?"
August said nothing, nor did he refute Huai Shi's guess.
"Have you gone mad!" Huai Shi roared in anger. "Condra's death wasn't caused by the Great Grandmasters! Even if you harbor hatred, you should target the right—"
"Condra isn't dead!!!" August suddenly shouted, interrupting Huai Shi. Across the thick blood rain, he stared into Huai Shi's eyes and enunciated, word by word, "He. Is. Still. Alive!"
Huai Shi was lost for words.
After being assimilated by Hell... who could say for certain whether one was alive or dead? Perhaps in that moment of assimilation, Condra had already ceased to be the person he once was?
What truly remained, no one knew.
"What did Ivy Vine give you?" Huai Shi's expression grew icy as he drew his cold Axe Blade. "Let me guess. They said they can bring Condra back to life? They just had to say that, and you believed it? Right? I'm starting to wonder if you even have a brain."
"So, the Great Grandmaster didn't tell you anything, did he?" August's smile turned scornful. "That man always likes to be mysterious. He clearly knows everything, yet says nothing. He keeps claiming the history of Hell is inconsequential, yet he's been concealing the truth all along. Just like he wouldn't tell you the Eternal Frozen Core is right here, nor would he tell you that besides creating the sun and moon and remaking all things, the Forgers truly did develop an Eternal Life Machine!"
Huai Shi was shocked, finding it utterly unbelievable.
It wasn't that he didn't dare believe it was true; rather, he couldn't believe August would fall for such nonsense.
He wanted the Ivy League to use the captured Eternal Life Machine to resurrect Condra for him... The idea was simply laughable.
In this world, only one thing could truly be eternal: the Destructive Element · Eternal Beast.
Beyond that, not even gods are!
August had never understood how seriously the Astronomical Society regarded such taboos. Huai Shi didn't even need to think about it.
If there were even the slightest possibility of the Eternal Life Machine being real, the Doomsday Clock would have sounded.
Then, right here, in this very place, the Purification Legion of the Existence Institute would descend from the heavens and burn everything to ashes—this place, and the entire world along with it.
They would leave not a single trace behind.
Even if it meant writing an entire White Paper and using up the purification quota for the next ten years, it would be deemed necessary.
Yet, nothing of the sort had happened.
Countless divinations, the vigilance of the Rainbow Bridge, innumerable prophetic tools, even the temporal readings from the Rainbow Bridge—none showed any sign.
The Existence Institute had not come.
That proved only one thing: the machine was fake.
He couldn't even bring himself to laugh, finding it impossible to comprehend. "Do you really believe such nonsense?"
"Do I have any other choice?" August countered. His expression might have been a scoff or a laugh, but his pupils burned with crimson rage. "I don't seek eternal life! I just want to see him one more time! As long as Condra can come back, I'm willing to do anything! The Great Grandmaster could have done it!"
"He could have saved Condra!" August roared. "You know it, I know it, even he himself wouldn't deny it! But no matter how I pleaded, how I prayed, he refused to even look my way! I've tried everything, Huai Shi! Everything! I have no other choice left!"
"Is that it?" Huai Shi murmured, a grim realization dawning.
"Yes, that's it." August raised the Frost Axe, aiming it at Huai Shi's face. "The time for sob stories is over, Mr. Huai Shi. Please surrender."
Huai Shi sneered. "And what if I say no?"
August waved his hand. The Eye of Nightmare's formation suddenly parted, revealing the youth, a sword blade pressed against his neck—a prisoner.