Finally, she turned around, looked at Huai Shi, and asked softly, "How is it?"

"Very beautiful."

Huai Shi nodded. "Truly as beautiful as a swan."

Indeed, like a swan dancing by a blood-red lakeside. Though the color was frightening and the scene terrifying, her presence seemed to make everything lovely.

The Red Swan.

"It's not just ballet. I've diligently studied painting, singing, and I've even learned the violin," Luo Xian suddenly said. "I've tried nearly everything that's supposed to bring joy... watching movies, listening to music, cooking, knitting sweaters, helping the elderly and children, donating to those in need, following celebrities, dating. I've tried almost all of it."

She looked at the young man before her, her smile having vanished at some unknown point.

"Yet I have never felt the joy you all talk about. Why is that, Huai Shi?"

She took a step forward, her gaze fixed intently on Huai Shi's eyes. "How can I be as joyful as you? Can you please tell me?"

"How can I become happy?"

"Please tell me," she said. "Whatever you want, I can give it to you."

Almost pleading, she looked into Huai Shi's eyes with desperate hope, begging for his Mercy. "Please tell me!"

"..."

Huai Shi was silent, looking at her with pity—at her scar-ridden Soul and the darkness that had swallowed her.

His lips parted, but he could not find the words.

He could only remain helplessly silent.

And so, Luo Xian lowered her gaze, a flicker of understanding in her eyes, as if she had expected this all along.

"You can't do anything either, can you?"

From the day she was born, she had yearned to experience the things others spoke of: the joy from bedtime stories, the love from fairy tales, the happiness that graced the end of every story...

But what is joy? What is happiness? And what is this so-called love?

"These things are all lies, right?"

As if a final realization had dawned, Luo Xian murmured distractedly.

Those things are all deceptions.

All... lies!

They're all lies, lies everyone else uses to deceive her, and her alone.

Treasures only others possessed, treasures they could flaunt before her, while she had nothing.

"..."

After a long silence, Huai Shi couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes any longer and sighed weakly, "I'm sorry."

"Is that so?"

Luo Xian's gaze gradually grew cold, the earlier fervor and expectation gone, replaced by an emptiness as vast as the Abyss.

"Why don't you leave, Huai Shi? Isn't the game already over?" she asked indifferently. "You never cared about the rankings; you could leave this place whenever you wished, couldn't you? Why stay and play games with a madwoman?"

"I originally wanted to run, but I couldn't get away. Later, I no longer wanted to," Huai Shi said. "I wanted to save you."

Luo Xian was stupefied.

In the silence, as if she'd heard the most hilarious joke, a smile involuntarily touched her lips. Laughter shook her, straining her vocal cords as she let out a great, taunting and mischievous laugh.

"Is that it?"

She seemed to finally understand the goal of his futile efforts, yet this realization only made it more unbelievable, more... absurd!

"You really are a Prince, Huai Shi," she whispered. As she murmured, she lifted her eyes to the young man before her, revealing a ferocity and dead stillness that mirrored the very essence of the Abyss.

Countless rivulets of blood stirred as distant thunder rumbled.

The silence over the shattered Long Street was torn apart. Mountains of corpses disintegrated under an unseen impact, and the curtain of blood rain billowed in all directions.

Sharp shadows emerged from the edge of the blood rain, hurtling forward. They coalesced from the void, summoned by the tread of the Crystal Shoes.

Bathed in the dark green light of a candle flame, a huge, withered pumpkin, soaked in blood, was pulled by the Skeleton Horse. Its six massive wheels crushed the earth, a thunderous sound erupting with each turn.

At Cinderella's prayer, the nightmarish Pumpkin Carriage reemerged in this Hell, exuding a chilling aura.

"Then please dance with me, Lord Prince." Luo Xian reached out, caressing the face of the giant Skeleton Horse, then turned to Huai Shi in the distance, extending an invitation. "Just like when you stood on the stage, shining so brightly, as if you could save everyone. Please dance with me."

Thus, boarding the carriage of death, she cast one final, icy glance at Huai Shi.

"—I really do... love you deeply."

And so, the Skeleton Warhorses neighed. Blood-red flames erupted atop the carriage, manifesting as tangible ferocity and rage. Drawing upon the miracles of the road to Paradise, heedless of her own Power or sanity, she unleashed a savage breath of death towards Huai Shi.

The Abyss's love, vested within it!

In the silence, Huai Shi sighed, drew the Sword of Virtue, and slashed.

Iron hooves striking the broken road, the White Horse returned from the void. It neighed at the sight of Cinderella on the distant carriage and couldn't help but take a step back, snorting at Huai Shi in displeasure.

Its eyes glared at Huai Shi.

Why do you always manage to attract such troublesome opponents?

"Yeah," Huai Shi scratched his head. "Why do I always encounter such tricky enemies?"

After much thought, there seemed to be only one reason.

Perhaps the world just isn't kind to me.

But compared to others, wasn't he fortunate?

He hadn't fallen. He hadn't faced suffering, torment, or abuse he couldn't endure. He hadn't been snatched away by an illogical, sudden death, nor had this world worn him down.

He was still alive. He could still get up. He could still move forward.

So what excuse did he have to complain?

He had poured out his grievances. He wasn't dead yet. So, he couldn't give up here.

"I have to carry out my duties as a Prince." Huai Shi looked at the White Horse and asked with a smile, "Could you help me?"

The White Horse glared at him, whether in annoyance or frustration. Soon, it snorted twice and, proudly puffing out its chest, signaled him to hurry up and not dawdle, its bearing truly magnificent.

Huai Shi grinned, mounted the horse, and looked towards the shadowy figure on the carriage in the darkness.

"Ready, Your Highness?"

The Prince of Paradise gripped the reins and sword, and softly declared, "—Here I come!"

Before the blood-red carriage, the two Skeleton Warhorses neighed in displeasure, a silent roar emanating from them.

From the darkness atop the carriage, a pleased smile seemed to flicker into existence.

"Only you can bring me such joy, Huai Shi."

Luo Xian raised her hand. Flames of pain emerged from the Ashes, enshrouding the entire carriage. The Power of the road to Paradise coursed through her, manifesting in her hand, imbuing the battle chariot with immense Power.

She gazed at Huai Shi's face, awaiting his final performance, the last, thin thread of joy she could find.

Come on, Lord Prince.

Please bring me this ultimate happiness!

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