This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist-Chapter 1143 Divine Game: Quiet Mountain 26

2 AM on the eighth day of the game.

QM Rita paced through the wooden house. She had arrived too late—her target had already left, and any traces had been cleaned up. She casually swiped her knife through the air, but nothing happened. The marks she had left on SS Rita through her dreams had also been erased.

She opened the chat group for the Divine Game apostles.

[Rita]: "In 4 hours, in the Demon Game, help me kill SS Rita. Afterward, I’ll make a promise to you in exchange."

[Cicada]: "Speak to me politely from now on."

[Rita]: "No, pick something else."

[Cicada]: "Get lost!"

[SmokeTune]: "Give me SS SmokeTune."

[Rita]: "Sure."

[Frenzied Shark]: "You actually ask for help?"

[Rita]: "It’s a trade, not a request. Whether you come or not is up to you."

[Cicada]: "What’s going on?"

[Rita]: "I suspect she’s using time-stop to enter the Demon Game repeatedly. I don’t know how many cycles she’s done, but every time, she finds me in the game and fights me, learning my battle techniques and skills. Right now, in terms of combat skills, she’s no weaker than me."

[Rita]: "In the last game, I needed to use a Demon Relic and my Demon Gift to defeat her. Yes, just defeat her. She used some strange skill that prevented me from killing her."

[Frost Deer]: "...Uncharted Star Sea should be giving you a medal."

[Maple Syrup]: "I’m only impressed with Uncharted Star Sea’s top players. Without QM Rita, I wouldn’t be satisfied."

[Mojie]: "I’m packing up to go to Uncharted Star Sea."

[Frenzied Shark]: "I wonder what Quiet Mountain is feeling right now."

[Kessa]: "Maybe Quiet Mountain should go talk to Uncharted Star Sea. Whether it’s war or some kind of competition, lock those two up in a separate area and let them fight."

[Mistblade]: "I thought you were already playing the Demon Game like a solo game, but I didn’t expect you to exploit the bugs to grind stats and combat power."

[JE]: "This is the first smile I’ve shown since my Order Badge was lost."

[Cicada]: "I remember SmokeTune has time-stop. Maybe you should try it too?"

[SmokeTune]: "You know, every time I enter the Demon Game, ’Beacon’ disappears a few players, right?"

[Cicada]: "So why can’t you just stay away from people and not make friends?"

[SmokeTune]: "I’m already quite antisocial, but the Demon Game has evolved to the point where if I just glance at a small Vineborne on the street, I can see them next time I enter the game. I haven’t left my house for half a year, but the Demon Game gives me real-time ’Beacon’ news every day. I even know what type of Vine the Vineborne born in District 21 this year has!"

[Maple Syrup]: "Next game, you should be able to meet that little Vineborne."

[SmokeTune]: "Shut up!"

[Rita]: "Can we talk about something else later?"

[Mistblade]: "If you vouch for it, lend me an Order Badge, and I’ll help you kill her."

[Rita]: "Sure."

5 AM, the largest tree tower inn in Forest Sea.

Deceitful Bloom, Nivalis, and B80 sat in a line on the bed, staring at the unconscious BS Rita lying on the bed.

The golden rain curtain that enveloped Rita had condensed into a thunderball and was locked in a small cage woven from Vine, currently held by Nivalis. After learning where BS Rita had left the gacha machine, Deceitful Bloom pried Rita’s mouth open and pulled the machine out. "She’s something else."

Nivalis: "Indeed."

B80: "Impressive."

As the creator of the gacha machine, Deceitful Bloom could easily dismantle it. She and Drummer had left a hidden door in the machine. After confirming that all of BS Rita’s equipment, including the Order Badge, was inside, Deceitful Bloom felt relieved. Her abilities were now restricted, and if the perfect item, the Solitary Antenna Baby, were put back on, she wouldn’t be able to find BS Rita again.

Once that was sorted, she turned her attention to Nivalis and B80, her expression cold as she looked at the brainless dragon and the malfunctioning little robot. "You two could hear I was mocking her, right?"

Nivalis shook his head vigorously, his eyes innocent. "No idea."

B80’s blocky head whirred as it tried to process. "Unable to analyze."

Deceitful Bloom sighed. "No wonder she likes you two. You both worship and like her without any principles or bottom lines."

Nivalis raised a dragon finger, shaking it as if rebutting her. "It’s not without principles. If she were really mediocre, then her affection for us wouldn’t be worth mentioning. We wouldn’t worship her so blindly."

Deceitful Bloom’s evaluation was simple: "So pragmatic."

"I’m just stating the facts!" Nivalis complained, then looked confused. "Why does she sound so nice when she speaks the truth, but when I do, it just pisses people off?"

B80: "Maybe it’s a problem with your phrasing?"

Nivalis thought for a moment, then nodded deeply. "Maybe. If she were questioned about her blind worship of someone else, she’d probably say, ’I don’t have no principles or boundaries, I just choose to close my eyes when faced with someone truly great.’"

The dragon and the robot shared a silent moment before bursting into exaggerated laughter.

Even Deceitful Bloom, watching them, couldn’t help but curl her lips in amusement. "That’s totally something BS Rita would say. I can already picture the look on her face when she says it, trying to charm someone while spouting nonsense."

Seeing Deceitful Bloom in a better mood, Nivalis curiously asked, "So, are you really going to protect her until the game ends? Is there no ulterior motive?"

Having secured the Order Badge, Deceitful Bloom leaned back in the chair, casually saying, "Even if there is an ulterior motive, what will you do about it?"

Nivalis, feeling somewhat defeated, fell silent.

With just 10 minutes until 6 AM, the person on the bed suddenly sat up.

Nivalis and B80 instantly disappeared into the pet space, clearly retreating.

Deceitful Bloom casually played with a Vine arrow, watching as BS Rita, bound by Vines, woke up. "Awake?"

The dark, emotionless pupils of BS Rita scanned Deceitful Bloom without responding, her focus solely on the approaching 6 AM.

The next second, the Vines tightened, but it was too late. An orchid mantis burst out, breaking free from the Vines and restoring her form in the corner of the room, searching for the Order Badge on herself.

It wasn’t there! Her black eyes turned back to Deceitful Bloom.

Hundreds of petals of Flower Crown Murder surged toward BS Rita, forming into a flower sword held by a pale, powerful hand. In the blink of an eye, she appeared before Deceitful Bloom, the sword sweeping across her, but only unleashing a rain of flowers.

A Vine from behind attacked, wrapping around BS Rita’s eyes. Before she could resist, a voice, dreamy and ethereal, whispered in her ear:

"Divine Game main task: Your current teammate is Deceitful Bloom from Starsea. She will be your only ally in this game. You must trust her unconditionally and follow her until the ’Quiet Mountain’ game ends."

The Vines dispersed, and BS Rita’s once black eyes glowed red. Her gaze dropped, looking at the slightly shorter Vineborne.

The flower sword dissolved, transforming into Vines that slowly climbed up her wrist. She spoke in a flat tone: "SS Deceitful Bloom."