HEX: Aspect Of The Void

Chapter 203 - Will To Live

H-how does he know everything?!

Xiang's eyes were bulging in shock as she looked at the ones before her.

Even after all that happened, the sacrifices we made... everything I did to get this far, he figured it out in an instant? Impossible!

After the Monster demanded offerings, she was the first to step up and suggest the unthinkable. Due to her quick-wittedness and the panic which was going around at the time, the women listened to her.

I had nothing... compared to everyone, I was merely a young adult. Yet, with that little twist of fate, I rose to a place of prominence! I just... I didn't want to die!

And so, using her manipulative abilities, she made the men subject to the more numerous women. She also organized a system and managed to serve as the intermediary with the monster everyone was frightened of.

"Oooh, I like youuu... Sssso, you'll be their representative, ehhh?" The serpent said amusedly.

She nodded, just as nervous as the rest of the townsfolk, but desperate to live.

And so, just like that... she became the town representative at the young age of 19.

It had been 20 years since then, and she never failed in her duties. She took several measures to ensure the town remained stable, even with the constant demand for sacrifices.

And, just as a human would take care of their livestock, the monster often brought materials to ensure the townsfolk never had to worry about food or adequate amenities for survival.

If they did well, bringing better sacrifices than usual, the town was rewarded with extra supplies and amenities.

On rare occasions, they had visitors, and she prepared the means for dealing with them as well. Masking her age with makeup, she would charm the men and ensure they stayed in the village until the next demand for a sacrifice.

She had never failed in her venture, and when matters nearly grew out of hand, she went as far as marrying these strangers or sharing her bed with them to keep them tied down.

Anything... I'll do anything to live!

Before long, this became the means of life they became used to. This system was going to last for as long as she, Xiang lived.

"I don't care what happens after I die. I just want to live the best I can now... Just that is enough for me!" She told herself, ignoring the abominable acts she was enforcing.

She wanted the taste of power and comfort to last forever, and it was going to... At least that was what everyone had thought.

But...

They just had to show up... who are they? Why... why now?! Her mind desperately sought an answer.

Her sister was dead, the entire structure she had built and worked so hard on was on the verge of being destroyed. All because of a group of strangers.

I thought I had them... but...

"What's there to think so hard about...?" A voice said to her, drawing Xiang's attention to the man who spearheaded the whole thing.

He was grinning amusedly at her, like she was a toy or specimen who was meant to be used and discarded by him.

"You were just a small fish in a pool anyway, nothing more."

As the words resonated deeply within her, even with her will to live, despondency crept within her.

But, she wasn't going to give up on life just yet. She admitted her defeat, her loss. If she couldn't beat them then...

"P-please..." Her lips quivered as they spoke.

In order to survive, even the devil will eat flies!

[My Turn]

"Please... please spare me!" Xiang pleaded, crashing on her knees.

The tears in her eyes flowed so easily, soiling the makeup on her face as her distorted face made her the very depiction of ugliness.

The remaining townsfolk followed their leader's lead, unsure of what else to do.

"P-please spare us!" They all begged.

Looking at the sight of an entire group of people yielding in subservience made me chuckle a little. Though this was on a much smaller scale than what I was used to, the feeling remained the same.

"Master, should I dispose of this insolent woman?" Lust asked with a wide grin as she stared at Xiang.

"N-no, please!" The shameless woman begged further.

As much as I would find it interesting to see what kind of show Lust would make of the woman and the rest of the town, there was something of more value.

Something only the townsfolk could do.

"No, Lust... I have a better idea." 

Xiang's eyes bulged as I addressed Lust, shocked by the presence of the cause of their calamity.

"Ahh, what a shame. I truly wanted to play with her." Lust whined a little, glancing at Xiang as she drew closer to the petrified woman.

"For a long time now, since that day I saw you 20 years ago... I wanted to make you mine." 

Xiang's entire body throbbed as her eyes pleaded for mercy. Any statement she made could guarantee her death, just like her sister.

"That's enough, Lust." 

Hearing my voice, Lust nodded and bowed subserviently, moving back while I approached Xiang's kneeling figure.

"Eeek..." She squeaked, gulling as I drew closer.

"Now then, I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourself. Will you accept it?"

My standing gait overshadowed her smaller frame as I stared at her condescendingly. Even though I could feel her feelings of frustration, I could also notice the overwhelming will to keep her life.

"I-I'll do anything!" She yelled.

The remaining 

"Oh? Even if it means abandoning everyone else here?" I asked.

There were little murmurs at this point, as everyone wondered what decision their leader would make. 

Surely she wasn't going to abandon them, right? WRONG!

"I'll do anything, no matter what!" She insisted.

Gasps of unease and disbelief spread amongst the townsfolk as they clearly heard Xiang betray them in desperation.

"Very well then, you may rise"

She shook a little in surprise, but a relieved smile quickly formed as she rose weakly, her legs still throbbing legs.

Her slender frame stood before me as she bowed her head to hide the look of relief on her discolored face and reddened eyes.

"Move closer..." I instructed her, my eyes still transfixed on her trembling form.

My Generals looked at me with curiosity, relishing every moment, while Lumia was dumbfounded by what I wanted to achieve.

This will be a good lesson for her... Watch closely, young one. 

Xiang now stood a few inches short of my location, awaiting my instruction.

I raised one of my hands slowly and placed it on her head. 

The smooth texture of her hair indicated she recently had them treated.

Shampoo, eh? Lotion, moisturizer, perfumes... I see now...

Glancing at everyone else, who had shabby hair and a bland odor, it was fair to assume that Xiang was hoarding a lot of the good stuff and having the most benefits from their deal with Lust's subordinate.

In essence, she was a fraud.

A grin formed on my face at that moment.

"The thing you can do for me right now... Xiang, is very simple." I whispered, drawing her face near mine.

I felt sweat roll from her face and the vibrations on her head as her pulse went into overdrive.

"You don't need to move, you don't need to think. You just need to stand right there... and let me do all the work..."

Her eyes bulged, but before any realization dawned on her, I was already finished with her.

Her body didn't even react, unlike the previous ones. In a flash, even by my standards, I was done. Her near-dead, mentally battered body stood upright, having barely any life within it.

"H-hicc... L-live... I... Live..." She constantly muttered, repeating her words over and over again in madness as tears streamed down her face.

"Memory Drain... Ah, it's been a while." I said, removing my hand from her head.

As usual, her mind wasn't able to handle the speed of the information transfer which was over a hundred times faster at the moment.

"L-live... I... Live..." She kept mumbling, and it began to sound annoying, like a fly buzzing in my ears.

"What an eyesore. Lust, you can have her now." I turned to my General who was eagerly waiting for her turn.

"Ahh, thank you so much, Master!!!" Lust beamed, licking her lips as she stared at her prize.

"Come over here!" She instructed the brain-dead woman.

Xiang obeyed despite her current status, and moved toward Lust.

"You're my toy now, aren't you? So... Be a toy and stay with me, okay?" Lust smiled in depravity, stretching her hands to Xiang.

Instantly, she absorbed the empty woman into herself, saving the fun for later.

"Lord Hexarion, what are you going to do now? What about the rest of them?" Wrath asked me.

Oh yeah. That's true.... these ones are still left. Shall we get started, then?