疾疾疾！！
疾疾疾！！
In desperation, FrostNova fired six crossbow bolts with all her might.
Squeak!
Crack!
The next moment, the six crossbow bolts made of carbon fiber and aluminum alloy were caught by FrostNova's cold current and frozen into ice pops at absolute zero, shattering on the ground.
"Wh—" Huang's expression changed.
"Rhodes Island is now like these arrows..."
"How pathetic."
FrostNova sneered, "With this level of skill, Talulah won't leave any of you alive."
Huang was numb. Perhaps FrostNova herself didn't know that her Originium Arts had reached the theoretically most powerful and obscure level.
It could even be called absolute zero!
With this strength, they were no match.
"With a gentle squeeze, you will all turn to dust."
"Think about it."
"I am merely the captain of the Yeti Squad, and the Reunion Movement is controlled by the woman who ambushed you in Chernobog, killing your comrades."
"What do you think Talulah is? The leader of the Reunion Movement, the savior of the Infected?"
FrostNova did not immediately kill everyone present but instead tormented their minds and bodies in a different way.
Perhaps "test" is a more fitting word than "torment."
For some reason, Mozi felt as though FrostNova was educating them,
rather than being a life-and-death enemy on the battlefield.
"There is no such thing on this land."
"Hmph."
FrostNova snorted coldly and said indifferently, "If she were a 'savior,' neither I nor the old man would have joined the Reunion Movement."
"She is first a strategist, then a warrior, and only then a leader."
"But she has already betrayed us."
Her expression was filled with disappointment. "The warrior I believed to be the most steadfast and persistent has turned out to be merely a facade."
"And her last remaining opponent is you, who are without resolve and have never lived side-by-side with death."
Mozi finally understood FrostNova's intention. She was trying to motivate them by provoking and belittling them, hoping to ignite their fighting spirit through anger.
But why was she doing this?
"Speak politely, White Rabbit. Facing life and death is not your sole prerogative."
Before Mozi could ponder, Huang's sharp voice echoed again. This time, the smile she usually wore was gone.
As one of the few elite operators present, Huang had the right to say this.
She understood comradeship and sacrifice better than anyone, and she had experienced days where death was a constant companion, no less than anyone else.
"Your eyes also hold regret."
"It's not your place to remind me!" Huang was becoming agitated.
FrostNova continued to provoke her, "You are not ready to accept their deaths."
"Enough!" Huang rudely interrupted FrostNova, her blood boiling. She raised her chainsaw and charged forward again, this time without holding back.
Zhengzheng!!
"Cough, hah, cough..." Although she blocked Huang's forceful blow, FrostNova was clearly struggling. She questioned, "And am I ready?"
"Cough... cough!" Huang was not at ease either, responding with a few light coughs.
"I've thought about it so many times, dreamed about everyone's death so many times, but I never expected..." FrostNova looked at Huang, "You are the same, little cat, I can see it."
"I imagined it so tragically, yet never thought there would be such a lonely death."
FrostNova spoke a profound sentence, and Huang's emotions gradually calmed down. She replied, "You have brothers, and so do I."
"The Rhodes Island operators fighting Talulah in Chernobog were all incredibly brave."
"There was one they called Ace, a resilient warrior I rarely saw in my life. He fought with an emotion rare in other warriors—'melancholy'."
FrostNova had high praise for Ace's squad.
'Brother Ace...'
'Are you trying to break me?'
'?? Lingjing, can't you stop digging up the past?'
'Brother! Sob sob!'
'You said you'd be back soon, why aren't you back!'
......
Ace had little screen time, but his character was undeniably well-developed. Even after so long, hearing him mentioned again brought tears to the audience's eyes, and the comment section exploded.
Lingjing was always good at crafting characters, only to strike them down when they gained everyone's recognition and affection.
Mozi even suspected that the lead designer might have experienced trauma, otherwise, they wouldn't be harassed by fans daily.
Despite this consideration, Mozi never imagined that FrostNova, who was talking to them now, would also be "killed" later.
She was still happily watching the game's plot unfold.
Mentioning Brother Ace made Huang's expression even grim. She coldly said, "Our relationship isn't so good that I allow you to casually discuss my comrades."
"Only a warrior who constantly reflects on their own combat feels worry. He is a good warrior."
A hint of relief flickered in FrostNova's eyes. "So are you."
"Tch."
"He died alone. Do you regret losing him?"
"Absolutely."
"Do you regret not being able to save him?"
"Of course!"
"Don't you want to ask who?" FrostNova continued. "Ask, ask the question you don't know how to articulate, and don't know who to direct it to."
"You..." Huang was momentarily speechless, her inner thoughts laid bare.
Amiya, standing nearby, felt the intense emotions emanating from FrostNova once again.
"Why?"
FrostNova demanded harshly, "Why wasn't I there? Why wasn't I stronger? Why couldn't I stop it?"
Her emotions grew more intense, and the surrounding temperature continued to drop.
While questioning Huang's inner thoughts, it was also her own mournful cry.
She was unwilling; why did she faint when her brothers and sisters needed her the most? Why was she so weak and unable to protect them!
Why!!
Even if Mozi was slow to react, she understood FrostNova's inner state at that moment.
She was extremely unwilling for the Yeti Squad to perish because of her, and she could do nothing, absolutely nothing!
She didn't even have the chance to avenge them herself.
She didn't know whom to seek revenge from.
Lungmen? But they were the invaders.
Talulah? Did she still have a chance? Talulah had disappeared after the battle began!
She couldn't blame Rhodes Island, could she?
They didn't participate in the battle.
Helplessness, frustration, unwillingness—FrostNova's inner turmoil must have been immense.
Doctor, give it your all!
Mozi silently encouraged her in her heart, using this moment to make FrostNova recognize Rhodes Island.
In the game, FrostNova continued to question herself.
"Why did I fall when my brothers and sisters needed me the most?"
"Why can't I even fulfill the wishes of some fools?"
"Why is Ursus so cruel to our brethren, and so cold to ordinary Ursus citizens?"
"Why must this spark that could have burned the land be extinguished in this foreign land?"
"Why, in a war that was meant to prevent more evils, did I only bring about more needless sacrifices?"
"Cough, cough... uh, cough, cough...!"
Her questions were incessant, hysterical.
The audience's hearts were struck like heavy hammers, causing them to weep uncontrollably.
'Crying, a complete tragedy.'
'Watching this, for some reason, tears are streaming down my face.'
'Because of this corrupt, laughable, pathetic, foolish system!'
'It seems Ursus has not only the conflict between ordinary people and the Infected but also class struggle.'
'Sister FrostNova, she's so pitiful, sob sob...'
'I can't watch this anymore, brothers, let me take a smoke break.'
......
FrostNova was on the verge of collapse!
This cruel world was too harsh on her.
She didn't ask for much; she just wanted to live well with her brothers. Even this small wish couldn't be fulfilled.
Mozi fell silent. FrostNova's unwillingness and despair were far stronger than she had imagined.
She even doubted if FrostNova would ever have a chance to join Rhodes Island.
Such emotional trauma couldn't be healed with a few words; the Doctor was not a god.
Even Amiya, who was usually good at comforting others in the game, was at a loss for words for a long time.
"Why did we pay with all our lives, yet, cough, only achieve a lie?"
"Why... why won't this land give me more time?"
"The Infected should be proud of their identity and seize justice for the land through the simplest means..." FrostNova recited Talulah's past words, unable to comprehend how the person who said this had become who she was now.
"Only now do I realize that the beliefs Talulah once shared with us, the ideology that should be rooted, and the direction that should be constantly consolidated and corrected, are all gone."
"There was only incitement, only indulgence. We were assigned to the most arduous battles, unable to participate in the team's construction. Everything happened too quickly..."
Regret was evident in FrostNova's voice. They had all been deceived by Talulah. The current Talulah was clearly leading the Infected towards the darkest future.
Her malicious plan would only further compress the living space for the Infected, and it had to be destroyed.
However, her brothers and sisters, and countless innocent people, would never return.
FrostNova looked at Amiya with almost lifeless eyes. "Did you hear me, Amiya?"
"Miss FrostNova!"
The cold current was accelerating its condensation, and the surrounding temperature dropped to a terrifying extreme.
The warmth around Huang was dispersed.
"Does the cold make your body temperature drop? Does death make you timid?"
At this moment, FrostNova was like the strictest instructor, mercilessly reprimanding everyone. "You won't, Amiya, and you can't!"
"Can't you read minds, little rabbit?"
"Read them now. Read my anger, read this heart that has been simmering with bitterness and boiling in my chest for over a decade, yet still beats!"
"Read it, feel how much anger is in this heart that refuses to stop, refuses to die!"
The exquisite copywriting completely stunned the audience, leaving them unable to recover for a long time.
FrostNova's anger towards this ugly land shocked everyone.
It was a desperate roar of indignation after enduring countless hardships, which, even for those who hadn't experienced it, made their blood boil, wishing they could transform into saviors and crush and destroy everything.
It was not enough to vent the unquenchable fire in their hearts!
FrostNova continued to provoke Amiya with her words. In her opinion, merely declaring certain ideals, wielding certain technologies, and organizing a few teams
was akin to dreaming to resist Talulah and to fight against this dark and unjust land.
The cold current intensified, and countless ice cones formed.
"Miss FrostNova... Thank you."
"But I can't be angry with you."
No matter how FrostNova provoked her, Amiya remained gentle, but her expression was always sorrowful. It was precisely because she understood and empathized that she couldn't bring herself to hate the White Rabbit before her.
"You... cough, cough, you're wasting my time." FrostNova rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"I can't truly read minds, it's just... I can't isolate the emotions coming from you," Amiya said sadly. "The pain and scorching anger pouring from your chest into my memory... I can't bear it, but I won't refuse you."
"......" FrostNova lowered her eyes, remaining silent.
"Miss FrostNova, I really feel it." Amiya, with a crying tone, shed two tears, which traced paths down her cheeks, breaking countless fragile hearts.
"Why are you crying?"
"I..."
"You must not. Wipe them clean," FrostNova reprimanded. "In front of the enemy, you must not shed tears."
"State your answer."
Upon hearing this, Amiya looked at the Doctor for help. Receiving an encouraging glance from the Doctor, Amiya made up her mind and firmly stated, "If fighting is necessary, then fight until the end."
"Miss FrostNova, now, we must fight you."
"To the death."
(Yes, you now... must fight me.)
(To the death.)
She reached out to catch a snowflake, quietly feeling the warmth vanish in her hand.
FrostNova smiled.
Mozi cried.
She felt an overwhelming emotion welling up in her chest. Despite desperately tilting her head back, tears still couldn't help but trickle down her cheeks, flow down her chin, and wet her neck.
FrostNova was using her life as a catalyst to awaken Rhodes Island's fighting spirit!
She felt so helpless, so regretful, so heartbroken for this young rabbit, not even nineteen years old.
Then,
FrostNova spoke,
"If you can defeat me, and some of you are lucky enough to survive—"
"I am willing to join Rhodes Island and fight against our common enemy, the Infected, as you wish."
"This is a responsibility I must bear."
She was like an old general in her twilight years, who, even with her lamp almost out of oil, did not forget to impart wise counsel.
"The Infected don't need anyone to lead them."
Amiya declared loudly, "We are fighting for the same belief, not for any single person, never have."
FrostNova's eyes gleamed repeatedly. She affirmed, "Yes, that's right, that's right. What is corrupt should be removed. Defeat me, defeat Talulah."
"Who are you?" she continued to ask.
"Anyone."
"For whom do you fight?" she continued to ask.
"For everyone."
"Good, Amiya... cough, thank you."
With that, FrostNova began to hum a tune, "Even time itself will freeze here... ♪"
"You will die here, and I will extinguish your absurd illusions."
"Or, defeat me."
"Defeat me, and give me hope."
Everyone's expressions were tense. Amiya shielded the Doctor behind her.
FrostNova's final battle officially began!
......