Warlock Apprentice

”Brother Pat...” Hua Que Que seemed to have a lot to say, but when she called Angel, it was as if her thoughts were interrupted, and she opened her mouth, not knowing where to start.

Faced with Hua Que Que’s hesitance, Angel took the initiative: ”Popota doesn’t have much time left?”

”...Yes.”

”Is this why you insisted on meeting him via the Signal Tower?”

With lowered eyes, Hua Que Que gently nodded: ”These past few days I’ve felt an emptiness in my heart. When I carefully searched for answers, I saw some images. Images of my brother—I know his time is short, and I just want to see him one last time, even if we don’t speak, just to look at him is enough.”

Although Angel had already suspected this in his heart, when Hua Que Que confirmed that Popota might soon face physical demise, he still felt somewhat emotional. He remembered Popota saying he could hold on for a year or two, but now, it hadn’t even reached half a year.

Perhaps because he spent too much energy on nurturing the Transforming Soft-bodied Insect lately, or maybe, having seen his sister Hua Que Que and resolved his obsession, the mental gate of ”persisting to live” in his mind began to loosen?

”How much time does he have left?” Angel asked.

”Maybe a week, or half a month.” Hua Que Que counted on her fingers, calculating Popota’s death date sadly: ”It won’t be past the seventh day of the latter half of the Month of Repose.”

That means, by the end of this month, Popota’s body will collapse. And it’s already mid-month.

Angel: ”After you finished talking with Popota, he seemed to have realized he doesn’t have much time left. Did you tell him?”

Hua Que Que shook her head: ”I said nothing, just talked about recent events with my brother.”

Angel understood. Although Hua Que Que said nothing, Popota was not foolish. Precisely because she avoided bringing it up, beating around the bush, Popota had already guessed the truth in his heart.

Moreover, Popota’s body is his own, and he understands his own situation better than anyone. No one else can know if it’s good or bad.

Regarding Popota’s impending death, Angel doesn’t feel too much emotion, just a slight sigh. After all, Popota becoming like this was his own choice.

Besides, his death might only be a physiological death.

Angel had promised Hua Que Que, to leave a glimmer of hope for Popota. That is, to bring Popota’s Consciousness Spark into the Wilderness of Dreams.

By then, even if Popota’s physical body dies and his soul is taken by the Demon God, it’s just an empty shell. Popota’s true spirit will still remain in the human world.

Of course, whether Popota, transformed into a resident of the Dream Realm, remains Popota, or is merely a storage of logical memories, is a philosophical question of ”self” that is left to individual perception.

As Angel and Hua Que Que each became lost in their thoughts, a long-lasting silence lingered in the air.

”Engaging the Signal Tower consumes Magic Crystals every minute.” The cold, textured voice reaching their ears was undeniably from Isabel, outside the scene.

Perhaps Isabel had some opinion about Hua Que Que activating the Signal Tower without speaking, or maybe she wanted to wake her from her submerged sorrow.

Isabel’s voice indeed brought Hua Que Que back from her personal thoughts. She apologetically nodded to Isabel, then looked at Angel, hesitated for a long time, and softly said: ”I beg you.”

Because Isabel was present, Hua Que Que didn’t state specifically what she was asking, but Angel knew she was referring to the arrangements after Popota’s death.

Hua Que Que herself didn’t know what Angel could do, but she prophesied that Angel could leave a glimmer of hope for Popota.

”I naturally won’t break my word.” Angel paused, then said: ”Besides this, do you have anything else to say?”

Hua Que Que hesitated a bit: ”There is one more thing, I don’t know whether to say it, as I haven’t deciphered its meaning yet... Forget it, I’ll tell you.”

”Before, while learning Spirit Breath with Lord Moliya, I saw an image. In it, I saw Brother Pat.”

Angel: ”An image... You mean, foresight?”

Hua Que Que nodded.

Although Angel wore the Blood Night Shelter, which could block Prophet Wizards’ prophecies about him, Baiyuan clan’s inadvertent, non-targeted foresight seemed unable to be blocked by the Blood Night Shelter. However, if Hua Que Que deliberately chose Angel as the prophecy target, it would trigger the shelter’s shield.

Hua Que Que: ”I saw Brother Pat seemingly walking in darkness, with a glowing road ahead.”

After hearing Hua Que Que’s words, Angel was actually a bit puzzled; does this image hold any meaning?

Angel directly asked, and Hua Que Que’s response was a shake of her head: ”I haven’t deciphered the meaning either.”

Angel was silent for a moment: ”Does your Baiyuan clan’s foresight talent sometimes show very ordinary images, like eating, drinking, shopping, etc., even if these scenes happen in the future?”

Hua Que Que nodded: ”Indeed, such situations occur because these foresight images are random and uncontrollable, ordinary scenes often appear.”

Originally, Angel considered pondering over the image Hua Que Que mentioned, but upon hearing this, he dismissed the notion.

Maybe the image Hua Que Que saw was just a night he went out shopping, and the glowing road was the street lamps beside the road.

Without confirming the importance of this image, avoiding over-interpretation is the only thing Angel can do.

Angel: ”Alright, I understand. Anything else?”

Hua Que Que shook her head: ”Probably not...right.”

Just as she said this, Hua Que Que suddenly remembered something: ”Oh, right! If I decipher the meaning of the image, can I contact Brother Pat again?”

”Of course.” Angel nodded.

No matter if Hua Que Que truly wanted to contact him, or just wanted to know Popota’s situation, Angel didn’t mind her interruptions.

Soon after, Angel waved goodbye to Hua Que Que and prepared to shut off the Mini Signal Tower. But then, Isabel walked up.

Her gaze fell behind Angel—Sanders.

”Illusion Demon sir, don’t forget our previous agreement.”

Angel figured the agreement Isabel referred to was probably about the alliance between Illusion Demon Island and Black Castle. Although Angel was surely part of this matter, the real executor and decision-maker was still Sanders.

Sanders: ”I understand, though this isn’t urgent now; there are still many things to handle in the Barbarian Cave recently.”

”As long as you remember.” Isabel nodded and said nothing more, directly shutting off communication.

Angel waited a few more minutes to ensure no more ”knock knock” sounds, then stored the Mini Signal Tower situated in the study’s center into the gear button.