This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist-Chapter 1122 Divine Game: Quiet Mountain 5

—— "If it’s Quiet Mountain’s BS Rita, she would never resort to such low tricks as pretending to be unconscious."

DawnCicada’s voice echoed through the room.

Does this person ever speak without putting others down?

Rita stopped playing dead and lifted her head to look at DawnCicada.

She had no choice but to make that move, as both her wrists were shackled by two metal rings attached to the ends of a cross-like contraption.

When she woke up earlier, her first action had been to assess her current situation.

There was a lot of bad news. The device restraining her was some kind of special artifact. Her four core attributes were sealed, and now her strength, agility, constitution, and intelligence had all been reduced to 10 points. All her SSS-tier and below skills were grayed out, and even her Thunder Magic Element, which she usually carried with her, was silent. All her concealing gear had been taken away. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

But there was some good news too: the capsule machine stuck in her gums was still there, and the two divine skills, [Mystic Force] and [Story’s End], were still usable. These divine skills had no consumption cost when activated.

However, in her restrained state, even using these two skills wouldn’t change much.

Rita glanced around the small cell, which was so cramped she could take it all in with one sweep. She didn’t see Nivalis or B80, and when she tried summoning them through her pet contract, she received no response.

DawnCicada stood with her hands clasped behind her back, slowly walking toward her. Her gaze lowered, studying BS Rita, who was half a head shorter than her, and asked, "Are you done checking?"

Rita’s eyes settled on DawnCicada. She was bound to a cross, a rather uncomfortable position, but she still managed to curl the corner of her mouth and, imitating DawnCicada’s tone, replied, "The DawnCicada of Star Sea is nothing like you. She knows how to control her patience."

DawnCicada’s brow furrowed deeply as she repeated one of Rita’s words, "DawnCicada?"

Ah, I forgot. The person in front of me should be called BeaconCicada... Rita felt a moment of annoyance but didn’t get a chance to dwell on it. A hand suddenly shot forward, grabbing her by the neck and slamming her back against the cross.

DawnCicada’s expression turned dark as she spoke in a slow, deliberate voice, "Don’t try to play any games with me. These tricks are just leftover moves from Quiet Mountain. Why does Star Sea’s Cicada go by DawnCicada?"

Rita struggled to breathe under the grip, but with difficulty, she managed to speak the words that had been on her mind for a while. "Can you shut up for once?"

But inside her mind, she was still shocked by BeaconCicada’s question. She knows about Star Sea’s Cicada? Of course, if there’s a second BS Rita, it’s only logical there’d be a second Cicada too.

DawnCicada tightened her grip, but Rita didn’t make a sound. She showed no sign of crying out in pain or begging for mercy. Even the Vine, made of countless Flower Crown Murders, which was coiled around her body, remained still.

Those golden eyes, crackling with lightning, stared back at her calmly. Rita was focused, remembering this moment, preparing for the day when she could exact her revenge.

Amidst the silent stare-down, BeaconCicada suddenly asked, "Do you know SmokeTune and Spring Guest?"

Rita’s mention of two unfamiliar names startled BeaconCicada, but quickly, she realized that in Rita’s vulnerable state, she was still trying to pry information out of her.

How annoying. Just like Quiet Mountain’s BS Rita!

BeaconCicada showed a wicked smile and, in the next moment, the hand she had around Rita’s neck glowed with a skill’s light.

She asked again, "Why does Star Sea’s Cicada go by DawnCicada?"

It was clearly a skill.

Before Rita could fully process the question, she instinctively answered, "Because Beacon was destroyed, and now she is the ruler of Dawn, so she is called DawnCicada."

BeaconCicada reflexively replied, "How could Beacon have been destroyed?!"

As soon as she spoke, she was knocked back by an invisible force.

The skill had been interrupted, and she didn’t get Rita’s answer.

Despite being thrown back, Rita realized very clearly that even if BeaconCicada hadn’t been knocked away, she wouldn’t have been able to answer that question.

This was clearly interference from Divine Game. Information about the true situation of the Uncharted Star Sea was not meant to be known by players from Quiet Mountain.

The act of asking questions was also a process of revealing information. It seemed that the copycat players from the mountains knew very little.

BeaconCicada, struggling to regain her balance, stood near the door of the cell. Her eyes, filled with shadows, locked onto BS Rita.

Rita gave her a provocative smile and rasped, "You’re really pathetic."

BeaconCicada, half-threatening, half-warning, said, "You better behave yourself, or when you meet Quiet Mountain’s version of you, I’m afraid you’ll be begging me to save you."

That left Rita stunned.

Is the version of me here really that scary? So much so that BeaconCicada thinks the way to threaten me is by mentioning another version of myself?

Rita almost wanted to tease BeaconCicada, asking if she was afraid of Quiet Mountain’s BS Rita. Maybe she could provoke BeaconCicada into revealing more. But BeaconCicada seemed to have other matters to attend to. After saying that line, she fell silent for a few seconds and quickly left.

After BeaconCicada departed, Rita waited a few minutes, ensuring she had no intention of coming back. Then, she immediately summoned the battlefield chat channel.

[BS Mistblade]: It’s been quiet for 8 hours. She hasn’t said a word?

[Isolated Isle Lightchaser]: I’m in Domain 23, I’ll head to Beacon as soon as I’m done with Snowfield.

[BS Rita]: Teacher, you weren’t like this before. Aren’t you worried I’ll be dead by the time you arrive? I really don’t want to talk about BeaconCicada here. She’s not right in the head. Do you know what she keeps doing? She keeps dragging me down, just like Quiet Mountain’s BS Rita! She even choked me! Teacher, help me get revenge!!

[Isolated Isle Lightchaser]: My eyes are hurting from the noise.

[BS Rita]: Focus, I think they all know about Star Sea, and they know players have descended there, but they don’t know the specifics. It seems like this kind of information is taboo. She asked me why Star Sea’s Cicada is called DawnCicada. When I told her that Beacon was destroyed, she asked me how Star Sea’s Beacon could be destroyed. But before I could answer, Divine Game punished her.

[Tiger Ear Kessa]: I can’t believe you caved so quickly! Didn’t think you’d be this kind of person.

[BS Rita]: Long story. I have my own rhythm and plan. Okay, when she choked me, she used a skill. Why is it that whether it’s Star Sea or Quiet Mountain, they all like choking people? But I’m crafty, I’m playing along with her plan. Everything is under control. It’s funny, I’m not worried at all. Yeah, I admit I didn’t expect things to flip so fast...

[Isolated Isle Ash Cinders]: Your brain and mouth are having a fight.

[BS Rita]: Teacher!!!!

[DawnCicada]: BS Mistblade, she spoke. Are you satisfied now?

[BS Mistblade]: I was just curious if you’re going to slap her.

[BS SmokeTune]: Yeah, didn’t she slap you?

[BS Rita]: No. You might not believe it, but I get the feeling that BeaconCicada is afraid of Quiet Mountain’s version of me. Also, she doesn’t know SmokeTune or Spring Guest... SmokeTune, if you see her again, ask her if she knows Scarlett and Apache. They’re my mother and my teacher, who isn’t a Divine Game player.

I still don’t know how this BeaconCicada knows me, but it’s likely connected to the existence of BS Rita here, just as Star Sea’s versions of them "recognized" familiar faces from Quiet Mountain and began to question things.

But the fact that BeaconCicada doesn’t even remember her family... what about me? Do I still remember my family, or the teachers I met after my rebirth?