Chapter 136: The God King Successor's Mortal Heart Refinement
Frigga glanced toward the depths of the Golden Palace, in the direction of the Throne Room where Odin was. Her gaze was somewhat indifferent, yet also held a sense of relief.
"I don't know."
"He and I... though there was never love, and it was only a political marriage for the sake of peace between two realms at the start..."
"But after thousands of years of companionship, there is certainly friendship and familial affection."
"Or perhaps it's that unspoken understanding between an old married couple."
"I don't know what to do either."
"Perhaps he has long since come to terms with it? Or perhaps he will be furious?"
"Who knows."
"So let's just let nature take its course."
"Leave it to the future."
"In any case, the lifespan of our Divine Race is still very long. Some things don't need an answer right this moment."
Aphrodite nodded.
"Mm."
"Let nature take its course."
"At least for now, seeing the children happy makes us quite happy as well."
The two women looked at each other and smiled, clinking their teacups.
It was as if they had reached a secret pact that belonged only to the two of them.
Arthas, of course, knew nothing of the profound communication between his two mothers.
After he finished distributing the rings, he was pulled into the Private Chambers by the goddesses.
To celebrate the upcoming departure, which was really just an excuse for a revelry.
Tonight, Diana magnanimously announced:
"Since he's leaving anyway, let's not bother with shifts."
"Everyone, let's go at him together."
"Let's leave a 'deep' impression on our God King, Your Highness."
"So that even if he goes to Earth and sees other women, he will remember the fear of tonight."
And so.
Arthas spent the most wonderful and most ridiculous night of his life, and also the night that most tested his kidneys.
Over a dozen goddesses each displayed their Divine Abilities.
Arthas felt like a small boat, tossing and turning in a storm-tossed sea.
Though exhausting, it was truly pleasurable.
That feeling of being surrounded by love and desire made him even more determined to protect all of this.
The next morning.
Arthas walked out of the Private Chambers feeling refreshed—oh, special thanks to the perverse recovery power of 'Echo of Love'—leaving behind a room full of still-slumbering goddesses.
He looked back once, his eyes full of tenderness, and then resolutely turned away.
In the garden, he opened a Portal to Kamar-Taj.
Golden sparks flashed, and his figure disappeared into the morning light of Asgard.
Arriving at Kamar-Taj once more, it was still that same snowy mountain and that same stone platform.
The Ancient One was still sitting there cross-legged, brewing tea. Her long, straight black hair fluttered in the wind, beautiful as a painting.
"You're here."
The Ancient One didn't turn around, her voice calm, as if she knew he would appear at this exact moment.
"The scent of perfume on you is quite strong."
"It seems you were quite busy last night."
She turned around, giving Arthas a teasing look.
Arthas scratched his head awkwardly. In front of the Ancient One, he always felt like a student who hadn't grown up yet.
"Ahem, Teacher."
"That was a farewell ceremony, a farewell ceremony."
"I'm ready."
"I can listen to the mission briefing at any time."
He walked over and sat upright, putting on an air of listening intently.
The Ancient One nodded and put away her joking expression.
With a tap of her finger in the air, a massive magical projection appeared between them; it was a holographic image of Earth.
One could see that at this time, the flames of war were burning fiercely across the Earth.
The European continent in particular was almost entirely covered by the red flames of war.
"If you are ready, I can tell you about the current situation on Earth."
"The situation is not optimistic."
"Humanity... has broken out into a Second World War."
"And the scale and brutality of this one far exceed the First World War you experienced before."
Arthas frowned as he looked at the devastated map.
When he last left Earth, the First World War had just ended, and he had killed Ares.
He thought that without the God of War's incitement, humanity would behave a bit better.
He didn't expect...
"Even without Ares."
"Humanity has still started an internal war?"
"Is this what they call... a leopard can't change its spots?"
He sighed, a hint of disappointment in his tone.
"Mm."
"War is a part of human history, and it is also their process of self-destruction and Regeneration."
"But this time is different."
The Ancient One's finger pointed to a certain spot on the map.
There was a black skull symbol there, radiating an eerie blue light.
"The current Space Stone (Tesseract) is controlled by an evil organization named 'Hydra'."
"Their leader is a man codenamed 'Red Skull'."
"He attempts to use the power of the Space Stone to develop superweapons, thereby ruling the world and even... challenging the gods."
"That blue light is the misused spatial energy."
"Hydra... Red Skull..."
Arthas muttered these two names.
The names sounded like villains, and they even dared to touch the stone his old man had hidden?
They were simply courting death.
The Ancient One looked at him.
"What do you plan to do?"
"Will you charge straight over, slap that Red Skull to death, and take the stone back?"
"Or..."
Arthas pondered for a moment and shook his head.
"No."
"Teacher, I won't hide it from you."
"Although I have the ability to destroy them directly, doing so would make me just a thug, not a Guardian."
"I need to observe humanity carefully."
"To see what kind of choices they make when faced with such a desperate situation."
"To see if there is any light within them worth me saving and nurturing."
"This will help my judgment as a Guardian in the future, and also help me screen for my future team."
"So I won't go directly to Hydra to destroy their ambitions."
"At least not for now."
Hearing these words, a gratified smile appeared on the Ancient One's face.
She stood up, walked over to Arthas, stretched out her slender, fair hands, and affectionately patted Arthas's cheek.
It was like praising a sensible child.
"Mm."
"It's good that you have your own thoughts."
"It seems you have truly grown."
"Not just in power, but in your state of mind as well."
"I, your teacher, support you."
"Go, see with your eyes, and feel with your heart."
Arthas felt the warm touch on his face and looked at the black-haired beauty close at hand.
His heart fluttered again, but this time he controlled himself.
"Teacher..."
"Mm, I'm ready to set out now."
He stood up and cast his gaze toward the distant horizon.
There was the world engulfed in the flames of war, and also his new trial ground.
"Where do you plan to go first?"
The Ancient One asked.
"No specific goal."
Arthas shrugged.
"I plan to see it all."
"I'll go wherever I end up."
"Maybe I'll meet someone interesting in a small tavern, or maybe I'll see a true hero on the battlefield."
"In any case... I have plenty of time."
After speaking, he waved to the Ancient One.
He jumped straight down from the peak of the snowy mountain.
His form turned into a streak of light, rushing toward that chaotic and exciting human world.
Chapter 137: Red Room
After leaving Kamar-Taj, Arthas did not fly directly to that Hydra base.
Instead, he restrained his dazzling Divine Power radiance, changed into an ordinary, slightly worn brown coat, and put on a felt hat that covered half his face.
Like a traveler wandering through the chaos of war, he set foot on the land hailed as the cruelest meat grinder in human history—the Soviet-German battlefield.
This was the Eastern Front.
There was no gentlemanly conduct of the Western Front here, nor were there occasional humanitarian ceasefires.
Here, there was only a life-and-death struggle, only cold, hunger, and endless slaughter.
The wind and snow howled, cutting like knives against the face.
Arthas walked through a landscape of ruins.
This had once been a village; now, only broken walls and charred wood remained.
Frozen corpses could be seen everywhere by the roadside, both soldiers and civilians.
They maintained their pre-death postures: some charging, some curled up, some tightly protecting the children in their arms.
Arthas stopped and looked at the corpse of a young soldier.
That face was still childish, even younger than Arthas's, yet fear and despair were frozen in his eyes.
He clutched a photo tightly in his hand, featuring a smiling girl.
"Is this... human war?"
Arthas whispered to himself.
He had seen the wars of the God Realm, seen the armies of Asgard sweep across the Nine Realms.
But those wars were more for glory, for conquest, or for living space.
Yet the war here exuded an aura of pure, suffocating destruction.
Both sides were seeing red, no longer viewing the other as human.
This wasn't just for territory; it was to annihilate the other's race and will.
He continued forward, reaching the edge of a city under intense fire.
Stalingrad.
This city had turned into a giant grave.
Every building, every street, even every sewer was the site of a tragic struggle.
Arthas stood on the ruins of a tall building, watching the crowds below slaughtering each other like ants.
Tanks rolled through the streets, flamethrowers turned air-raid shelters into ovens, and snipers harvested lives from the shadows.
He saw a Soviet soldier charging a German tank with a cluster of grenades, turning into a mist of blood in the explosion.
He saw a group of German soldiers shivering in the cold wind, yet still frantically pulling their triggers.
For a brief moment.
Arthas wanted to intervene.
If he wished, he wouldn't even need to use a Divine Artifact; a simple pressure of Divine Power could make all these tens of thousands of people collapse and stop fighting.
Or use Space Magic to throw all those tanks and cannons into outer space.
But he held back.
His hands gripped the railing tightly, knuckles turning white, before slowly letting go.
"I cannot intervene."
"At least... not as a 'God' to forcibly terminate this war."
Because he understood it would be meaningless.
Even if he stopped the battle here today, war would still break out somewhere else tomorrow.
The greed, fear, and hatred within the human heart cannot be eliminated by external force.
If gods intervene excessively, it will only cause humans to become dependent, or conversely, to hate the tyranny of the gods.
"Protect..."
Arthas mulled over the word.
"The protection the Ancient One spoke of is not being a nanny."
"It's not about helping him up when he falls, but pulling him back when he wants to jump off a cliff."
"What I must do is prevent them from destroying themselves."
"Prevent people like the Red Skull from using power they cannot control to drag the whole world into the abyss."
"As for this conventional war..."
"This is the path they chose for themselves, and they must walk it to the end."
"Even if this path is paved with flesh and blood."
Although he thought this way rationally.
But Arthas was not a heartless god, after all.
He wandered the battlefield for a few days, occasionally doing small things within his power.
Like secretly blocking a stray bullet for a civilian about to be hit.
Like leaving a piece of bread for a child about to starve to death.
Like using a faint trace of Divine Power to dispel the cold in an air-raid shelter.
These small acts couldn't change the course of the war, nor could they save many people.
But at least they made him feel better.
And they allowed him to see those faint but tenacious lights within human nature.
Those people who still supported each other and refused to give up hope even in desperate situations.
During one of his travels, Arthas left the front lines and arrived at a relatively "peaceful" rear area.
This was a snowy plain surrounded by forest, far from the roar of artillery fire, appearing exceptionally quiet.
Deep within this forest.
Sat a monastery-style building that looked quite old.
High walls loomed, and iron gates were tightly shut.
A somewhat worn sign hung at the entrance, written in Russian: "XX Orphanage."
Above the gate, however, there was no cross, but only a red five-pointed star symbol, which seemed somewhat out of place.
"An orphanage?"
Arthas stopped.
In these times of war, orphanages were a common sight.
But his keen Divine Sense detected something was wrong.
It was too quiet here, unnervingly so.
Moreover, the aura emanating from behind those high walls didn't feel like the joy of children playing, nor like the hunger and sadness of ordinary orphans.
It was a kind of... deathly silence.
And a deliberately suppressed fear, thick with the scent of blood.
This aura reminded him of the dungeons of Asgard, and even Hela's undead legion.
Intuition drove him toward it.
He didn't knock.
Instead, he directly activated Invisibility Magic, floating over the high wall like a gust of wind and landing in the courtyard.
The sight in the courtyard made him frown.
There were no swings, no slides, not even a single decent toy.
In their place were various types of training equipment.
Balance beams, single-plank bridges, high walls, barbed wire...
These pieces of equipment didn't look like they were for children to play with; they looked more like an obstacle Training Ground for special forces.
At this time.
A group of little girls in thin gray uniforms were lined up and running on the playground.
They weren't old, looking only about seven or eight years old.
Every one of them was gaunt, their little faces flushed red from the cold.
But their eyes...
Those were eyes Arthas had never seen on a child's face.
Hollow, numb, and indifferent.
Like a group of dolls whose souls had been sucked out.
They ran in perfect formation, no one speaking, even their breathing deliberately kept low.
Even if someone tripped, they wouldn't cry, but would immediately scramble up and continue running.
Because if they slowed down, the man next to them in the black the military coat, holding a whip, would strike without mercy.
"Snap!"
A crisp sound.
A little girl stumbled slightly due to exhaustion.
The whip in the man's hand lashed down hard onto her back.
The little girl didn't cry out, didn't even try to dodge.
She just bit her lip, stubbornly holding back tears, as she regained her footing and caught up with the group.
"Useless!"
The man cursed in Russian, his tone filled with disgust and brutality.
"Is this the future elite?"
"Can't even handle this bit of hardship and you want to serve the motherland?"
"Ten more laps!"
"Anyone who falls behind gets no food tonight!"
Arthas's fist clenched instantly, a surge of rage rushing from his heart straight to his head.
How was this an orphanage?
This was clearly Hell!
He took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to act immediately.
He decided to observe further.
He silently slipped into the main building.
The scenes inside were even more shocking.
In the operating room, several people in white coats were performing an "examination" on an unconscious little girl.
But it was definitely not medical treatment.
Various instruments were connected to her head and body.
Arthas could feel they were using drugs and electric shocks to stimulate her brain, attempting to erase her memories and implant certain commands.
In another room.
It was the so-called "classroom."
A group of slightly older girls was watching a video.
The video wasn't a cartoon or an educational film.
It was a tutorial on various killing techniques, and even actual execution footage.
And in the corner of the "classroom."
A pile of worn-out dolls was stacked.
But those dolls were torn to pieces, some even had their throats slit or eyes gouged out with sharp objects.
Clearly, these children were being taught to treat their "enemies" this way.
"Enough."
Arthas could no longer bear to watch.
Although he was no saint, he would never allow such inhumane things to happen right before his eyes.
Especially when the victims were a group of innocent children.
This crossed his line.
He deactivated his Invisibility Magic.
He appeared directly in the room where the "surgery" was taking place.
"Who's there?!"
Several Doctors in white coats were startled, the scalpels in their hands nearly falling to the floor.
Before they could even react, Arthas had already struck.
There were no fancy moves.
Just a simple wave of his hand.
An invisible storm of Divine Power instantly swept through the entire room.
Those precision instruments and the jars filled with unidentified liquids shattered in an instant.
Several Doctors were thrown back by this force, slamming heavily against the wall and losing consciousness immediately.
Arthas walked to the operating table.
He looked at the pale little girl covered in tubes.
His eyes were full of pity and rage.
He reached out and gently placed his hand on her forehead.
The Divine Power of "Echo of Love" was activated.
A warm pink light flowed into her body, repairing her damaged nerves and physique, dispelling the forcibly implanted fears and shadows.
After settling the little girl.
Arthas turned and walked out of the room.
By now, the alarms outside were blaring loudly.
A man in a the military overcoat rushed in with a group of fully armed guards.
"Who are you?!"
"How dare you break in here! No matter which faction you belong to, don't think about leaving now that you're here."
"Fire!"
The man roared.
A dozen submachine guns spat fire simultaneously.
Dense bullets rained down toward Arthas.
But Arthas didn't even dodge; these bullets simply couldn't harm him.
Moreover, he had his Divine Power shield active.
Those bullets, a few centimeters from his body, seemed to hit an invisible wall, stalling and falling one after another.
"This... what kind of 妖术 is this?!"
The guards' eyes widened in terror.
Arthas walked toward the man step by step.
With every step, the aura on his body grew stronger.
That was the Divine Might of the Prince of Asgard, and the judgment of an angry Guardian.
"You people."
"Are you even worthy of being called human?"
He raised his hand and gave a light squeeze.
The firearms in all the guards' hands instantly twisted and deformed, turning into scrap metal.
Then with a wave of his hand, except for the leading man, all the guards were blown away by a massive force, falling out of the window like kites with broken strings, their fates unknown.
The man's legs went weak with fear; he wanted to run but found his body couldn't move at all.
Arthas walked up to him, grabbed him by the throat, and lifted him up like a small chick.
With his feet off the ground, the man struggled desperately, his face turning the color of pig liver.
"Speak."
"What is this place?"
"Which organization do you belong to?"
"Why do you treat these children like this?"
Arthas's voice was bone-chillingly cold, devoid of any emotion.
"I... I don't know..."
"I'm with the Soviet the military... you're making an enemy of the state..."
The man was still trying to use his status as a threat.
Arthas let out a cold laugh.
"The state?"
"Don't insult those words."
"Since you won't talk, I'll see for myself."
He didn't waste any more words.
He directly activated Mind Magic.
His vast Mental Strength crashed brutally into the man's brain, instantly flipping through his memories.
"Red Room..."
"Through physical modification, mental brainwashing, and psychological devastation..."
"Sterilization surgery... to eliminate all weaknesses..."
"Killing each other... only the last survivor can graduate..."
"Black Widow Program..."
As images flashed through his mind one by one.
Arthas's expression grew uglier, the fire of rage in his eyes almost manifesting into substance.
This was simply more cruel than Hell.
They not only ravaged these girls' bodies but also stripped them of all emotions and futures as women and as human beings.
Turning them into machines that only knew how to kill.
He thought of Steve Trevor.
A man who, though a Mortal, possessed an incredibly noble soul.
The one who, to stop the poison gas, bravely stood on the front lines and even faced Ares alongside him.
Both were humans.
Why was the difference so vast?
Some can die to protect others, while some, for so-called "profit" and "control," turn their own kind into monsters.
This kind of organization, this kind of program.
Must be destroyed.
"Where is the headquarters?"
Arthas increased the pressure in his hand.
The man's eyes were already rolling back; under the double torture of mind and body, he had long since broken down.
"In... Siberia... the specific coordinates are..."
"This is... just a branch outpost... used for screening candidates..."
After getting the answer he wanted.
Arthas threw him on the ground like trash.
He didn't kill him directly.
Because such a death would be too easy for him.
"You will be judged."
"But not now."
Arthas cast Space Magic, condensing a small halo—Dimensional Slash.
It struck directly between the man's legs.
"Aaaaaah!!!!"
A shrill scream echoed through the sky.
Since they liked performing sterilization surgeries on others, let them taste it themselves.
Having dealt with the leader.
Arthas turned and walked out of the room, arriving at the training field.
The children who were still running saw the guards being defeated and the instructor being subdued.
One by one, they all stopped.
But they didn't cheer, nor did they run; they just stared blankly at Arthas.
That numb look in their eyes made Arthas's heart ache as if pierced by a knife.
"Children."
Arthas tried to make his voice as gentle as possible.
A faint golden glow emanated from his body, dispelling the surrounding cold.
"Don't be afraid."
"I'm here to take you home."
"Home?"
A little girl murmured to herself.
"We... don't have a home anymore."
"The instructor said... the Red Room is our home."
Arthas knelt down.
Looking into her eyes.
"That's a lie."
"This isn't a home; it's a prison."
"A real home is where there are parents, hot meals, dolls, and a place where you can laugh and cry as much as you want."
"Even if your original home is gone."
"I will send you to a safe place, a new home."
Perhaps the light on Arthas was too warm.
Perhaps the word "home" touched the softest part of their hearts.
The frost in the children's eyes began to melt.
Some children began to sob quietly, while others tentatively approached Arthas.
Arthas opened his arms.
He pulled the suffering children into his embrace.
Using Divine Power to soothe their wounded souls.
"It's okay."
"It's all over."
After soothing the children.
Arthas had them all retreat outside the courtyard.
Then.
He flew into the air.
Looking down at this "orphanage" full of sin, a look of resolve flashed in his eyes.
"A filthy place like this."
"Should not exist in this world."
He raised his right hand in a cross gesture.
Within his arm, the Divine Power of Light converged.
Turning into a dazzling miniature sun.
"Cross Ray!"
A thick pillar of light descended from the sky, instantly engulfing the entire building.
There was no explosion, no smoke, only pure high temperature and purification.
The blood-stained operating tables, the sickening torture devices, and the so-called brainwashing tapes.
All turned to ash in this light, disappearing completely.
Along with this evil orphanage, all traces were erased from this snowy plain.
Only a massive, charred crater remained, serving as a warning to the Red Room.
Having done all this.
Arthas landed in front of the children.
Looking at the ruins, the children were a bit afraid, but more than that, they felt a sense of liberation.
That nightmarish place was finally gone.
"Alright."
"Let's go."
Arthas gave a large wave of his hand.
He opened a massive golden Portal.
Although he couldn't take these dozens of children back to Asgard.
He could send them to a relatively safe place.
Like... the United States? Or a church orphanage in some neutral country?
Or perhaps have Diana arrange something over on Paradise Island.
No matter where they went, it would be better than here.
Ultimately.
Arthas chose to temporarily send them to a Red Crossshelter in Switzerland.
It was far from the flames of war and had a relatively complete aid system.
Moreover, he left a small magic mark on each child.
If they encountered life-threatening danger in the future, or if the people from the Red Room attempted to capture them again.
He would be able to sense it and arrive instantly to rescue them.
This was his final protection for these children.
Seeing the children eating hot meals and wearing clean clothes in the shelter.
Long-lost smiles finally appeared on their faces.
Standing in the distance, Arthas smiled with relief.
Then, his gaze turned toward the distant east.
In the direction of Siberia.
"Red Room headquarters..."
"This debt isn't settled yet."
"Since I've come across it."
"Then your good days are at an end."
He pulled down the brim of his hat.
He turned and vanished into the wind and snow.
Chapter 138: First Encounter
The Siberian night was so cold it felt as if it could freeze one's soul.
Gale-force winds whipped goose-feather-sized snowflakes across the endless wasteland, letting out a shrill, mournful howl.
Deep within this forbidden zone for life sat a massive, fully enclosed military base.
It was like a steel behemoth lying in wait beneath the snowfield; only a cold corner was visible, yet it radiated a suffocating aura of danger.
This was the legendary Red Room headquarters, a place dedicated to manufacturing nightmares.
Arthas was currently hovering in the air above the base.
He had already changed back into that somewhat thin-looking brown trench coat, but the surrounding wind and snow automatically melted within half a meter of his body.
His Divine Sense was like an invisible net, silently covering the entire base.
Unlike the previous branch office that was only responsible for screening and rough processing.
This place was clearly more formal and more tightly secured.
Heavy machine guns and searchlights were mounted on the high walls, patrolling soldiers led fierce wolf-dogs, and every door required an extremely complex password.
However, for Arthas, who possessed Space Magic and invisibility techniques, these were as good as non-existent.
With a flash of his body, he passed through the thick concrete walls and entered the interior of the base.
There was no nauseating smell of blood here.
On the contrary, it even appeared somewhat clean and tidy.
The corridors were covered with thick carpets, and portraits of Soviet Union leaders hung on the walls.
If not for the deathly silence and the occasional sound of rhythmic footsteps, this place might even seem a bit like an elite boarding school.
Arthas wandered between the various rooms.
Through the observation windows on the doors, he saw the girls living inside.
These girls looked to be around ten years old, slightly older than the group he had rescued before.
Moreover, their complexions actually looked quite good.
There was no emaciation, nor were there any obvious signs of abuse.
Clearly, those who could be sent here were all "elites" selected through layers of screening.
The Red Room had high hopes for them, so they were reluctant to subject them to destructive modifications before fully squeezing out their value.
"Gather the best prospects together."
"Give them a relatively favorable environment."
"And then, bit by bit... turn them into devils."
Arthas gave a cold snort in his heart.
This method was even more insidious than direct violence.
Because it would give these children an illusion—an illusion that they were special and favored.
Thus making them work even more devotedly for the organization.
He continued deeper.
He arrived at the deepest part of the dormitory area.
This seemed to be where the so-called "top students" lived.
The rooms were singles; though not large, they were decorated quite cozily.
Arthas stopped in front of a door.
The aura emanating from behind this door made him feel a hint of difference.
It was an aura that, though faint, was extremely tenacious, full of vigilance and wildness.
Just like a lion cub that hadn't grown up yet.
He passed through the wall and entered.
The lights in the room were off; only the light reflected from the snow outside barely illuminated everything inside.
A small bed, a desk, and a wardrobe.
Simple and plain.
The quilt on the bed rose in a small curve.
That girl was sleeping there.
Long red hair was scattered across the pillow; even in the dim light, it remained dazzlingly red, like a burning flame.
Arthas walked to the bedside.
He looked down at the sleeping girl.
Although she was still young and her features hadn't fully matured yet.
One could already see from her delicate eyes and brows and her perky nose that she was a natural beauty in the making.
Especially that furrowed brow, which remained even in her sleep.
It made one instinctively want to reach out and smooth it over.
"Is this... the 'Black Widow' of this generation?"
Arthas thought to himself.
He wanted to wake her up and talk to her.
To see if he could gather more intelligence about this place without alerting the entire base.
Or... simply because he wanted to tease this pretty Little Redhead.
He slowly withdrew the invisibility magic from his body.
His figure revealed itself.
At the very moment his figure appeared.
The girl, who had seemed to be fast asleep, suddenly snapped her eyes open.
In those green eyes, there was no post-slumber confusion, only a heart-palpitating cold glint.
In the next second.
Her hand reached under the pillow like a lightning bolt.
She pulled out a sharpened dagger.
Without any hesitation, or even any superfluous movement.
She stabbed directly at Arthas's throat.
This series of movements was smooth as flowing water—fast, accurate, and ruthless.
It didn't seem at all like something a ten-year-old child could do.
This was definitely muscle memory formed through thousands of training sessions.
If it were an ordinary person, they would likely be a corpse by now.
But Arthas merely tilted his head slightly.
He extended two fingers.
He lightly pinched the incoming dagger.
"How fierce."
"Little sister."
"It's so late; instead of sleeping, you want to kill someone?"
The girl did not panic because her attack was blocked.
Using the bedboard for leverage, she kicked off and flipped backward, creating distance.
Holding the dagger across her chest, she assumed a defensive posture.
Only then, by the moonlight, did she clearly see the man who had suddenly appeared in her room.
Tall and upright.
Wearing a set of strange clothes.
Most importantly... that face.
Even at such a life-or-death moment.
The girl was still momentarily stunned by that face.
It was too handsome.
It was a temperament completely different from the hideous-looking instructors or the guards who only knew how to follow orders.
His eyes were filled with a smile; no Killing Intent, only a warm, playful light.
"You... aren't an instructor?"
The girl's voice was a bit raspy, but still pleasant to hear.
She lowered her dagger, but she didn't completely let down her guard.
"How can you be here?"
"How did you get in?"
This was the Red Room headquarters; not even a fly could get in.
Yet this person had appeared by her bedside like a ghost.
Could it be... a new test?
Before Arthas could answer.
Heavy footsteps suddenly came from the corridor.
Immediately followed by.
"*Bang! Bang! Bang!*"
Someone was violently hammering on the door with a stick.
The sound was exceptionally piercing in the silent night.
"Natasha! Why aren't you asleep yet?"
"What was that sound just now?"
"Do you want to be punished?"
"Don't let me hear it a second time!"
The instructor's gruff voice came through the door, carrying an unquestionable authority and threat.
Arthas raised an eyebrow, preparing to directly deal with the noisy instructor.
But the girl named Natasha moved.
She didn't scream, nor did she call out to the instructor for help.
Instead, she quickly jumped off the bed, rushed to Arthas, and pushed him with her small hands.
"Quick! Hide!"
She said urgently in a low voice.
"If you're found, you're dead!"
Chapter 139: Natasha
Although she didn't have much strength and couldn't push Arthas at all.
But seeing her anxious look, Arthas's heart stirred.
He submissively let her push him, hiding in the shadows next to the wardrobe.
After settling Arthas down.
Natasha immediately jumped back onto the bed, pulled over the quilt to cover herself, and shouted toward the door:
"I'm sorry! Instructor!"
"I just... I just had a nightmare and kicked the bed frame."
"I'm going to sleep right now!"
Her voice carried a perfect touch of trembling and fear.
The acting was seamless.
The instructor outside the door snorted.
It seemed he accepted the explanation.
After all, it was common for these children to have nightmares.
"It better be."
"You have to get up early for training tomorrow."
"If you're lacking energy, you'll pay for it."
The sound of footsteps gradually faded until they vanished at the end of the corridor.
Quiet returned to the room once more.
Natasha let out a long sigh of relief and sat up from the bed.
She looked at the man walking out of the shadows, her gaze complicated.
"You..."
"Why haven't you left yet?"
Arthas smiled.
He walked to the bedside and sat down on the edge without ceremony.
"You haven't told me how to leave, so where would I go?"
"And..."
He looked at Natasha's small face, which still held a hint of wariness.
"Why did you help me just now?"
"Aren't you afraid I'm a bad person?"
"If I were a bad person, what would you do if I killed you?"
Natasha hugged her knees, shrinking into the corner of the bed.
Although she still held the dagger in her hand, her aggressive posture had disappeared.
She looked at Arthas.
A trace of maturity and sorrow beyond her years flickered in her eyes.
"No matter how bad."
"You couldn't possibly be as bad as the people out there."
She pointed toward the door.
"If you were a bad person, you would have already made a move when I had the dagger earlier."
"And..."
She paused, her cheeks flushing slightly.
"You look... not like a bad person."
"How can a bad person look this good?"
"Hahaha..."
Arthas couldn't help but laugh out loud.
He reached out, wanting to rub her red hair.
Natasha instinctively flinched, but she didn't dodge.
Feeling the warmth from the top of her head, her body stiffened slightly, then slowly relaxed.
"You little girl, you're quite good at reading people."
"My name is Arthas."
"And you? I heard the instructor call you... Natasha?"
"Mm."
"Natasha."
"Natasha Romanoff."
The girl said in a low voice.
"This is the name the instructor gave me."
"My old name... I don't remember it anymore."
She looked up at Arthas.
"You haven't answered me yet."
"Who are you? How did you get in?"
"This is the most strictly guarded place in the world."
"Not even a bird can fly in."
Arthas withdrew his hand.
He looked at this girl destined to become a legendary Agent.
His expression became a bit more serious.
"I'm here to save you all."
"I saw many girls like you outside."
"They are treated as tools, as weapons."
"I don't like that."
"So I wanted to come and see if I could pull this place up by its roots."
Hearing the word'save'.
Natasha was stunned at first.
Then, as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world.
A helpless, bitter smile curled at the corners of her mouth.
"Save us?"
"Don't be ridiculous, big brother."
"Though I don't know how you got in."
"But... however you came, you should leave as quickly as possible."
"While you still haven't been discovered by the guards."
"Otherwise... your little life will be forfeit."
"There are not only instructors here, but also many monsters."
"You can't beat them."
There was no mockery in her tone.
Only deep worry and advice.
As if she had already resigned herself to fate, accepting that she would die here, or rot away here.
But this instead further ignited Arthas's protective instinct.
"I'm not afraid."
"But you."
Arthas leaned in closer, looking into her eyes.
"Aren't you afraid your life will be forfeit?"
"If I leave, you'll have to stay here, continuing that kind of training until you become an emotionless killing machine."
"Or die on some mission."
"Is that kind of life... really what you want?"
Natasha fell silent.
She lowered her head, looking at the dagger in her hand.
The blade reflected her slightly youthful yet world-weary eyes.
"Whether I want it or not... what use is it?"
"We have no choice."
"From the first day we came in, we knew."
"Only the strongest can survive."
"This is our fate."
"Fear? That is an emotion for the weak."
"The instructor said as long as we are strong enough, nothing can hurt us."
"Not even death."
"Tsk tsk tsk."
Arthas shook his head.
"Total bullshit."
"The instructor is just lying to children."
"The strong aren't those who don't feel fear, but those who dare to face it."
"And..."
Suddenly, as if by magic, a piece of chocolate appeared in his hand.
He had bought it in some small town on his way here.
"And, the strong also eat sweets."
"They also need to sleep and be cared for."
He peeled off the wrapper and held the chocolate to Natasha's lips.
"Try it?"
"The taste of the outside world."
Natasha looked at the dark thing.
She smelled the enticing sweet aroma.
Her throat moved involuntarily.
In the Red Room, food was merely fuel to maintain survival, devoid of any flavor.
She hesitated for a moment.
In the end, she couldn't resist the temptation.
She opened her mouth and took a small, gentle bite.
That bittersweet, smooth, and rich flavor instantly exploded in her mouth.
It made her eyes, which had been constantly tense, instantly light up.
"Is it good?"
Arthas asked with a smile.
Natasha nodded vigorously.
She took another big bite.
A smile finally appeared on her face, the kind a child of her age should have.
"It's delicious."
"Is this... the taste of the outside?"
"Are there... many things like this outside?"
"Of course."
Arthas leaned against the headboard in a lazy posture.
"Outside, there's not just chocolate."
"There's ice cream, cake, and beautiful dresses."
"There are jobs where you can live without having to kill."
"And houses where you can see the sea."
That night.
In this cold Siberian base.
In this dangerous room where they could be discovered at any moment.
The heir to the God King of Asgard and the future ace Agent of the Red Room.
They talked a lot.
Arthas told her about the Golden Palace of Asgard, the sea of flowers on Paradise Island, and the silly but brave humans he had seen on the Soviet-German battlefield.
Natasha listened, enthralled.
Although she still said things like "impossible" and "liar" out loud.
But in those eyes, the flame called 'hope' was rekindled.
Unknowingly.
Dawn was approaching.
The wind and snow outside seemed to have lessened slightly.
Natasha yawned, her eyelids beginning to droop.
She was still a child after all, and after a day of training, she was long since exhausted.
"I'm going to sleep..."
She said groggily, her hand still tightly clutching the unfinished half-piece of chocolate.
"You should leave too..."
"Before it gets light..."
"Don't get caught..."
Arthas helped her cover up with the quilt.
Looking at her face, which still bore a hint of a smile even in her dreams.
A decision was made in his heart.
This little red-haired wildcat.
He was definitely taking her.
Not just to save her from here.
But also to make her his first 'family member' in this world.
"Don't worry."
"I'm not leaving."
"When you wake up."
"This nightmare will be over."
Arthas stood up.
He looked toward the sky outside, which was gradually turning white.
His gaze instantly became cold and sharp.
"Now..."
"It's time to have a good talk with the Master of this place about the issue of 'education'."
Chapter 140: The Rescued Girl
Sunlight filtered through the barred window, casting a slanted glow on Natasha's face.
It was a bit dazzling.
Natasha frowned, her eyelashes fluttering a few times before she reluctantly opened her eyes; what met her gaze was that familiar, cold ceiling.
But at the corner of her mouth, a trace of the smile from her dream still lingered.
That dream was simply too beautiful.
She dreamed that she had grown up, wearing a white wedding dress, standing in a palace filled with fresh flowers.
And that handsome big brother who gave her chocolate yesterday was smiling and reaching out to her.
In his hand was not a dagger, but a sparkling ring.
"Oh my..."
Natasha covered her burning cheeks and rubbed against the somewhat stiff pillow.
"Truly... how embarrassing."
"How could I have such a dream..."
But in the next second, she suddenly sprang up from the bed.
She glanced at the clock on the wall, then at the position of the sunlight outside the window.
Her face instantly turned deathly pale.
"I'm doomed!"
"How is it so late?"
According to the rules of the Red Room, morning training began at the crack of dawn.
Now the sun was already so high; at least two hours had passed.
Being two minutes late meant a whipping; being two hours late...
She didn't dare imagine what kind of punishment awaited her.
Perhaps being locked in that Confinement Room with only rats, or perhaps... being executed directly?
"Wait..."
Natasha hurriedly pulled on her gray Training Uniformwhile her mind raced.
"Why did no one come to call me?"
"Where are the instructors?"
"Usually, they would have come in long ago to drag me out of bed."
"And... why is it so quiet outside?"
This abnormal silence made her feel more uneasy than an instructor's roar.
She suddenly remembered the man from last night.
That big brother named Arthas.
"Could it be... he's already gone?"
"Were the things he said... really just lies to trick me?"
"Saving me, a new home..."
"As expected."
She stopped her movements and looked at her disheveled self in the mirror, her messy hair and the light in her eyes fading.
"Someone like me... still shouldn't count on any miracles."
"Marriage and such... is even more of a pipe dream."
"I'd better prepare to receive my punishment."
She washed her face with cold water, forcing herself to calm down, and carefully hid that half-piece of chocolate from yesterday into her underwear pocket.
That was her only memento.
Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the door, ready to face Hell.
However, when she walked to the edge of the Training Ground, the scene before her eyes made her freeze completely.
She even doubted if she was still dreaming, or if she was hallucinating because she was too afraid.
There were no whippings or angry shouts as she had imagined, nor was there the rhythmic sound of marching feet.
On the vast Training Ground, the girls who usually only focused on training and were full of hostility toward each other...
Were now gathered in small groups, chirping away in conversation, some even laughing and playing.
That oppressive, deathly atmosphere had vanished without a trace.
In its place was an unprecedented sense of ease and... chaos.
And in the very center of the Training Ground was an even more bizarre sight.
Those instructors who usually stood high above them, holding the power of life and death over them...
At this moment, they were kneeling neatly on the ground, forming a square formation.
Every one of them had their head bowed, hands hanging down, and eyes wide open, yet without any focus—only empty whites.
Like statues that had their souls stripped away.
They allowed the surrounding girls to point and stare without any reaction.
"What... is going on?"
Natasha murmured to herself.
She tentatively took a few steps forward.
Just then.
A little girl with dazzling blonde hair spotted her.
That little girl looked even younger than her, with a doll-like face that seemed harmless.
But in their usual combat training, she was Natasha's most formidable competitor.
She was extremely ruthless, and her personality was somewhat prideful.
That was Yelena Belova.
Yelena walked quickly toward Natasha.
Although the two often exchanged harsh words, at this moment, in the face of this sudden change, they instinctively chose to stick together.
"Natasha!"
"You're finally awake!"
"I thought you died in the dorms."
Although Yelena's words were biting, her tone carried a trace of excitement she couldn't hide.
She pointed to the kneeling instructors behind her.
"Look!"
"We found them kneeling here as soon as we woke up."
"No matter how much we shout or hit them, they don't react."
"It's like they've gone stupid."
"It's so satisfying!"
"Who did it?"
Natasha asked.
Although she already had a faint guess in her heart, she still didn't dare to be certain.
Yelena's small face suddenly turned a bit red, and she fidgeted with her fingers somewhat awkwardly, her eyes drifting unnaturally elsewhere.
"It was... a very handsome big brother who did it."
"He seems to... know magic."
"He even patted my head just now..."
At this point, the blonde girl's voice grew smaller and smaller; she was clearly shy.
For these girls who had never interacted with any males other than the instructors...
Arthas's level of looks and gentleness possessed a nuclear level of lethality.
"A very handsome big brother?"
"Could it be..."
Natasha's heart skipped a beat.
Just then.
A faint aroma of coffee wafted over from the other end of the Training Ground.
Natasha followed the scent.
She saw that on the high platform usually used for inspections...
A figure was sitting there leisurely.
Holding a cup of coffee that was still steaming.
He wore that familiar Brown Trench Coat, which rustled in the wind.
Sunlight spilled over him, gilding him with a golden edge.
Like... a god descending.
"Big Brother!"
Natasha could no longer care about any Agent's poise or any sense of restraint.
She let out a scream.
She broke into a run, sprinting toward that figure.
He was the terminator of her nightmare last night, the source of her anxiety this morning, and her only reliance now.
Arthas heard the sound and turned his head.
Seeing the little girl rushing over like red lightning...
A doting smile curled on his lips.
He set down his coffee cup and opened his arms.
"Thump!"
Natasha slammed heavily into his embrace, her hands tightly clutching his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist.
Like a koala that had found its Master.
Tears couldn't stop flowing, wetting Arthas's collar.
"I thought... I thought you left!"
"I thought you were lying to me!"
"Waaah..."
She cried heart-wrenchingly, venting all the grievances she had suffered over the years in this moment.
Arthas supported her small bottom with one hand to keep her from falling and gently stroked her soft red hair with the other.
"Silly girl."
"Didn't I say I would save you?"
"I am a god, and gods do not lie."
"How could I leave?"
"I just went to teach these 'bad guys' a lesson."
"And prepared some breakfast for you all while I was at it."