This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist-Chapter 1140 Divine Game: Quiet Mountain 23

BS SmokeTune was quietly observing QM Rita, who seemed to have an affinity for coming to this quiet prison. SmokeTune knew it was probably because of her Vine. While her Vine couldn’t bloom, the Vine from [March Hibernation] inherently had a fragrance. Since the buds had bloomed, the scent had become even stronger. One of the effects of [March Hibernation] was calming the mind.

Since the night of the sixth day of the game, SmokeTune had sensed that QM Rita was troubled, confused.

QM Rita was indeed perplexed. Was SS Rita really this strong? The progress in every Demon Game seemed almost like she was cheating...

In just five Demon Games, without using her Demon Gift or [Nightmare Cage], SS Rita had already matched her in combat techniques.

At first, QM Rita thought it was just that the other’s pride had been so deeply wounded that she lost her sanity. After all, while her combat skills were good, they still weren’t enough to make her a serious threat.

But every single time they faced off, SS Rita kept changing, improving in ways QM Rita didn’t expect. She initially thought this was just a trick to provoke her from the Demon Game. But then she wondered... what if it wasn’t?

The sound of a long sword scraping against the floor echoed through the prison.

A square-shaped image appeared in the air.

In the image, a figure in tactical robes wielding a golden short blade repeatedly charged at a figure in full armor, wearing a metal mask. The former’s movement and blade technique were skilled and precise, but each time, the latter, within five exchanges, would turn the tables, knocking the attacker to the ground. There was a gap not only in combat skill but also in attributes.

QM Rita’s cruelty in facing her original self was worse than when she interrogated herself or Pine Bloom. Each time she knocked SS Rita back, she didn’t just leave physical wounds—she was attempting to break SS Rita’s psychological defenses too. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

"Pathetic..."

"Your time in SS Divine Game isn’t much different from mine. How could you be so weak?"

"Low quality."

"How do you have the right to share the same name as me?"

"Lightchaser, Ash Cinders, Nivalis, B8017193... are these the beings you care about? Four beings that can make you feel pain? How idle..."

"I never thought my face would end up in a place like this."

Perhaps it was because they shared the same face, QM Rita would occasionally step on SS Rita with her metal boots, but at least she never stepped on her face.

SmokeTune could see how angry SS Rita was, but the latter clenched her teeth and refused to speak. Even as blood dripped from her mouth, she said nothing. Even when she had a few teeth knocked out, she remained silent.

Perhaps she knew that only in a fair exchange of blows would dialogue have meaning. But when faced with a one-sided crushing defeat, any response seemed like a form of surrender or self-defense—an attempt to preserve her last shred of dignity.

Even though this was QM Rita’s memory, SmokeTune still quietly watched for a while before asking, "Is this the SS Rita you know?"

The truth-telling rune circle on the rack lit up. SmokeTune answered, "Yes."

Stubborn, unyielding, her eyes ignited with an ocean of rage.

The first time SmokeTune met BS Rita was even before DawnCicada—at the food street of Mischief Restaurant.

She just happened to be at the amusement park of "Chaotic Blocks" too.

It was as though she was a bystander witnessing a legend in the making.

Actually, she had "known" SS Rita for a long time, which was why she intentionally died under her skills in the "Player Relic" game.

The SS Rita she knew was like that, and the comments made by the unknown god in the amusement park all those years ago were not wrong.

SS Rita was truly arrogant—not in the way of boasting or dividing beings into ranks, which was far too low-level. Her arrogance was deeply ingrained in her soul. She believed that whatever others could do, she could do too, and that she could do what others couldn’t.

Every victory she achieved deepened this arrogance.

This kind of arrogance probably reached its peak the moment she led BS Rita out of the Invasion Sequence.

To others, she had every right to be proud. If she reached such achievements and gave up her pride, it would be too hypocritical.

But at that moment, SS Rita came to Quiet Mountain.

At the height of her pride, another, even more exceptional version of her appeared.

The first person of Quiet Mountain—QM Rita.

SmokeTune could imagine just how much impact QM Rita had on SS Rita.

Just the text in the chat group was enough to feel the emotional turmoil within SS Rita. She wasn’t someone who liked chatting in the battle chat group—occasionally, she might provoke her enemies for amusement, but that was it.

She had once overheard a gossip during a chat with Nivalis: "She really doesn’t like chatting much. She once heard that Nuclear Flash NightFury followed chat messages and tracked down Pine Bloom, so unless it was unavoidable, she didn’t really enjoy talking."

But since learning about QM Rita, her messages became disturbingly frequent—even when she could only type with her thoughts. According to Nivalis’ description of her character, SS Rita should have spoken less to avoid revealing her true emotions.

The only explanation for this was that SS Rita was trying to use jokes to cover up her true feelings, trying to draw out more topics about QM Rita and learn more about the other her.

SmokeTune, having been silent for so long, was finally asked by QM Rita: "What are you thinking about?"

SmokeTune had long since given up on resisting. Since she couldn’t speak about SS Rita’s secrets, all she could do was offer some gossip laced with personal opinions: "I’m thinking that your existence triggered her pride. You could easily capture and kill the Pine Bloom she couldn’t beat. You made QM Cicada, Quiet Mountain SmokeTune, fear and respect you."

QM Rita’s lips curled up slightly. She thought to herself, She’s also read Mistblade and Maple Syrup’s diaries.

Even though QM Rita didn’t say anything, it was clear that she was enjoying the moment. It was as if the ice around her had suddenly released a few threads of cold smoke, making it seem like she had warmth now.

A Demon Game lasted a long time. QM Rita only showed part of it, but even this portion, they watched for over an hour.

The tip of her blade gently tapped the ground, and the dreamlike image was erased, replaced by a new one.

The setting in the image had changed. The background was no longer the forest, but now a large bridge. However, the figures in the image were still SS Rita and QM Rita.

"Now, is this the SS Rita you know?"