"I'm not causing you any trouble by doing this, am I, Alice?"

Lin Tianming didn't regret killing those three members of the Mechanical Sect, but he still wanted to know how Alice felt about it.

Alice shook her head, "No, many members of the Mechanical Sect bully ordinary people so much they think everyone is easy to push around. When they draw their swords against you, they should be prepared to get struck down in return."

After a pause, she added, "Wait for a moment, let me contact my people so they can take care of the situation here."

After finishing her sentence, Alice took out her phone to contact her support.

After briefly explaining the situation and instructing the person on the other end to send someone quickly, Alice put away her phone.

"All set, let's head back, Tianming. When the others arrive, they'll take care of everything here!"

Seeing Alice handle the situation with ease, Lin Tianming nodded and followed her back.

On their way back, Lin Tianming and Alice didn't encounter any more nasty incidents that tarnished the image of Beiyin Domain.

Several times, Alice tried to say something, but remembering how she was interrupted by people from the Genetic Sect and Mechanical Sect twice before, she swallowed her words again.

She didn't know what to say to improve the image of Beiyin Domain in Lin Tianming's eyes.

Lin Tianming knew the reason for her silence from her inner thoughts all along.

When they got back to where the tournament was being held, Lin Tianming took the initiative to break the silence.

"Alice, thank you for taking me out today, this was much more interesting than wandering around alone!"

Hearing Lin Tianming's words, a little sunshine appeared on Alice's somewhat unhappy face, "Really... really?"

"Of course it's true. Spending the day with you let me see that there's also a beautiful side to Beiyin Domain."

Receiving such high praise from Lin Tianming again made Alice's pretty face blush with a bit of embarrassment.

[Even though we've just experienced some unpleasantness, Tianming... he still speaks so highly of me...]

[Do I really have the ability to make him feel the beauty around him?]

As Alice was lost in her thoughts, Lin Tianming's next words made her blush even more and her heart flutter.

"However, beneath what seems like a beautiful exterior, there are still many unsettling elements lurking in Beiyin Domain, Alice."

Hearing Lin Tianming's critical comments on the overall Beiyin Domain made Alice purse her lips, feeling downhearted.

[In my past life, I watched Beiyin Domain fall apart and become the first region to be destroyed in the Age of Gods' Descent... I know this all too well...]

[Sadly, even if I get a second chance at life... Some things are beyond my current control...]

[Once a global hegemon, we committed too many atrocities, perhaps this is the destiny of Beiyin Domain...]

Alice's thoughts were also heard by Lin Tianming.

At this time, he couldn't think of anything to say that would comfort her.

All he could do was to place his hands on her shoulders and say, "But I believe in you, Alice. If Beiyin Domain were really worthless, it wouldn't have someone as beautiful as you. And the local people I met today on Saint An Avenue gave me a very friendly, kind impression.

No matter what happens in the future, I hope you won't regret what you've done, and that you'll protect the Beiyin Domain that you hold dear in your heart!"

"Tianming..."

Deeply moved by Lin Tianming's words, Alice gazed into his eyes, momentarily lost in thought.

[This life's Tianming... is really different from him in my last life...]

[First, he shared half of the Mechanical Secret Realm's fortune with me, and even after seeing the dirty, ugly side of Beiyin Domain, he still comforts me... I really like this life's him...]

[Like... Like? How can I be falling for him again?]

Seemingly having an epiphany, Alice—who'd been spending a lot of time with Lin Tianming recently—instinctively took a step back.

"Even if... even if you treat me so well... I... I... I will still fight for Beiyin Domain in the grand competition... If I meet you... I will absolutely not show you any mercy!"

What a pity... just a bit more and the conquest would have been successful!

Even though it was just a bit off, Lin Tianming still considered this level of conquest quite successful.

Actually, this is pretty good too.

Avoiding falling for him like Senior Sister Yanran did, maintaining such a distance, he could avoid some trouble.

Thinking of his Senior Sister Yanran, Lin Tianming felt somewhat of a headache, not knowing how to face her passionate emotions.

Now wasn't the time to think about Senior Sister Yanran, Lin Tianming quickly abandoned the thoughts related to her, and with a smile, he looked towards Alice.

"Alice, I'll be waiting then, I will give it my all in the competition too, hoping it will be a spirited and exciting showdown!

But competition is competition, it won't affect our relationship off the field."

"Anyway... anyway... from now on we need to keep our distance... I... I... I have to go back first!"

Babbling on for a while, Alice, afraid of staying too long and affecting herself, fled immediately towards the resting area of Beiyin Domain.

[I'm meant for Mechanical Ascension... how... how could I get emotional?]

[Wouldn't this be just like my last life... faced with emotional matters and spawning a Heart Demon?]

[No... Mechanical Ascension is my pursuit!]

All of Alice's frantic fleeing thoughts were perceived by Lin Tianming.

Watching her back as she ran away, panicked like a little doe confronted by a lion on the savannah, Lin Tianming's lips maintained a faint smile.

Once Alice had disappeared from his line of sight, Lin Tianming carefully reflected on her receding thoughts and shook his head with a hint of regret.

"It's such a shame to see such a lively and radiant, elf-like beautiful girl turn into a cold machine!"

Honestly, Lin Tianming truly didn't want Alice to follow the path of Mechanical Ascension.

However, since this was Alice's choice, he wouldn't obstruct her in any way.

Flashes of the terrifying truth at the terminus of Mechanical Ascension crossed his mind, and Lin Tianming took out the remaining one-quarter of Mother of Destiny's face.

After being with him so long, the quarter face still felt no different to the touch than real human skin.

And even with just one-quarter remaining, the beauty of Mother of Destiny could still be sensed from it.

This was the result of Mechanical Divine Country's peak Mechanical Ascension technology.

Isn't it a pity though, that even with such achievement, it still leads to obliteration?

"Alice, can you withstand the truth at the end of the path of Mechanical Ascension?"

This question was directed both at Alice and at himself.

In the emotional resonance with the quarter face of Mother of Destiny, there still lingered a faint hope.

This was the last sliver of hope that he provided to her when he made a promise to Mother of Destiny in the Mechanical Supreme Hall.

At this thought, his eyes became even more resolute while in emotional resonance with the quarter face of Mother of Destiny.

If he could witness the true Mechanical Ascension...

In the future, not only would Alice not face death at the end of Mechanical Ascension but even the quarter face of Mother of Destiny that lingered because of his promise might have the possibility to fully revive the original self.

Whether it was for Alice, or the promise made to Mother of Destiny...

Or even to prevent himself from walking towards a corroded and obliterated end...

He must witness the true Mechanical Ascension!

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