A Familiar Taste! Werewolf Game Begins Again!

However, the goodwill barely lasted a week before plummeting again due to his conduct during the The Trees At Peace storyline revealed the day before.

"Tragic" was the word for it.

Now, viewers watched Aventurine with a mix of feelings.

Fortunately, they didn't expect him to have much screen time in the second episode, so they figured they could tolerate him... for now.

----------------------------

On the screen, Aventurine was earnestly talking to Stelle.

"Penacony has a basic promise: In The Family-created dreamland, the safety of every guest will be guaranteed."

"Anyone in danger will be forcibly awakened and returned to reality safely."

"What gives them the confidence to make such a claim? Because behind this promise lies the protection of The Harmony!"

"The Family's dream weavers have linked their thoughts together, forming a line of unwavering loyalty in The Harmony."

Aventurine crossed his arms, facing Stelle, who hadn't yet recovered from the shock.

He presented his hypothesis.

Creating death in a dream without The Family's permission is something even an emanator cannot do.

"Who can do it? My friend, it could only be her, that woman who calls herself the Galaxy Ranger."

"Firefly's death is already a foregone conclusion, but as for Robin, the shadow looms faintly overhead."

"Who will be the next victim?"

As these words fell, the audience's speculation from last week was nearly identical.

No matter how identities might shift, the one closest to death is undoubtedly Acheron!

Other than her, no one else has the ability to make such a thing happen.

Not the Masked Fools, nor the Stellar Hunters.

Only The Nihility can possess such power to shatter the rules.

Moreover, in Aventurine's words, there wasn't the slightest indication that he had discovered Acheron's true destiny.

This gave the audience, who already knew, a sense of superiority.

...

: Hmph, Aventurine still doesn't know that Acheron is the Emanator of The Nihility, but I already do.

: We're so awesome!

: Watching the second episode now, after knowing so much information, wow, it feels totally different.

: Alright, let's watch Aventurine's performance.

: Those characters who appeared in the first episode, we now know exactly where they stand! No one can fool my sharp eyes!

: To this, I can only say one thing: gamematch!

...

The audience couldn't wait to see Aventurine's reaction when he learned Acheron's true identity.

On the screen, Stelle was warily watching Aventurine, unmoved by his words.

"If that's the case, I won't trust you also." Aventurine wasn't surprised and smiled, "It's fine; you can have your own judgment. Building trust always takes time, and I'm willing to wait."

"I just hope you understand: around that legacy, Penacony is full of undercurrents, and everyone harbors ulterior motives."

"Don't pick the wrong side."

"After all, no matter what, open calculations are far better than hidden monsters lurking in the shadows... right?"

Aventurine's words were still full of rhetorical techniques.

Using his 'candor' to contrast Acheron's 'secrecy.'

Nearly every word carried subtle psychological hints.

At this moment, the sound of footsteps approached.

It was Black Swan.

"But who's to say there isn't a deeper conspiracy behind those surface calculations?" Black Swan chuckled softly and silently walked up to Stelle.

In the shot, the three formed a triangular stance.

Stelle and Black Swan stood close to each other, while Aventurine was opposite them.

Aventurine hadn't expected Black Swan to interfere at this moment.

He had gone to great lengths to bring Stelle here, intending to use the shocking moment of witnessing Robin's death to subtly influence Stelle's subconscious, leaning her away from Acheron.

"Memokeeper, our transaction is over." He closed his eyes, adjusted his emotions slightly, then took a deep breath and said, "No more beating around the bush, my friend. I want to collaborate with the Astral Express in my personal capacity."

"I have no interest in the legacy. I came to Penacony purely to help the IPC reclaim its ownership here. You know, the frontier prison."

"The Express is essential. The Family is hard to deal with; they won't even let the IPC in, not even now. They're guarding against us like thieves."

"But the Express is different. Thanks to the renowned Navigator, The Family treats you with far less hostility."

Because of Black Swan's presence, Aventurine got straight to the point.

He skipped unnecessary rhetoric and laid out the core of his message to Stelle.

"I'm under The Family's surveillance and can't investigate the truth behind the deaths."

"With your help, if we can uncover the truth, we can give the victims justice while gaining leverage for negotiations to bring The Family to the table."

"Otherwise, we'll just watch as death is concealed."

"That's just too unfair, isn't it?"

...

: As expected of an IPC executive, you can feel the corporate vibe.

: Such a long speech, first showering the Express with praise, then wrapping his own purpose in phrases like justice for the dead and fairness.

: In essence, he's still trying to use The Family's internal chaos to his advantage.

: But as an IPC executive, does Aventurine even have the right to talk about fairness?

: That's just moral manipulation.

: Still, you have to admit, Aventurine's rhetoric is sharper than Dudley's.

: This kind of purposeful 'sincerity' is really hard to pin down. It's so compelling.

: Is it his personality, or has life in the IPC made this level of skill second nature?

...

No matter what is said, people who have left the IPC will always face more terrifying costs for their cooperation, such as Chadwick.

After the baptism of the first episode and The Trees At Peace, fans are now extremely wary of everyone and everything related to the IPC.

On-screen, After Aventurine finished speaking, without waiting for Stelle's response, he left calmly and naturally.

After he left, Black Swan spoke slowly, "On the surface, this deal doesn't seem harmful to you, but Aventurine is a shrewd businessman. The deeper layers of his intentions are anything but simple."

"Although you didn't mention Firefly, he definitely sensed something, which is why he kept steering the conversation toward death."

"Don't fall for his manipulation." Just when the audience thought they had seen through Aventurine, Black Swan's words made everyone feel a chill.

They had only focused on Aventurine's superficial rhetoric and overlooked the deeper implications.

Robin's death could not shake Stelle, nor could the so-called injustice and fairness for the dead.

From the audience's perspective, it seemed almost certain that this was about Firefly!

Only by seeking justice for Firefly did Stelle have enough emotional drive to take action.

As for Firefly's death, Black Swan would never actively disclose it to Aventurine, but somehow, this guy had pieced together some clues.

What Aventurine said earlier turned out to be a double-layered trap!

When you smugly think you've unraveled the first layer, there's actually a second one waiting.

This brief opening drama instantly pulled the audience back to that familiar feeling.

Black Swan's words seemed to mock the audience's newly gained sense of superiority.

...

: Wow, I thought the second episode would be easier to follow, but I was fooled again right at the start!

: Ahhh, no, I can't take it! I need to focus harder—clearly there's so much I missed.

: Guess that's what makes IPC executives so scary. If Black Swan hadn't hinted at it, none of us would've caught on!

: I'm sorry, Brother Aventurine—I shouldn't have compared you to Dudley. Dudley really is just an ordinary person...

: My brain only had a one-week break, and now it's burning again?

...

That familiar feeling sent chills down the audience's spines.

Every line of dialogue to follow might carry the same kind of multi-layered meaning as before.

Black Swan's shift in attitude also began to confuse viewers.

Clearly, in the previous episode, Black Swan said Aventurine could be trusted.

But here, she suddenly seemed to express doubt.

The two characters' statements directly contradicted each other.

Not only did Black Swan disrupt Aventurine's original plan, but she also warned Stelle to be cautious moving forward.

Werewolf game was back... As the audience started brainstorming again, no one noticed, When Black Swan led Stelle out of the dream, she gently brushed her fingers against Stelle's ear and handed her a blank card.

"This is a small parting gift," Black Swan said.

"If one day you find yourself drowning in the deep sea of memories, with no other memokeeper by your side, this will guide your way out."

"I am someone who values favors and relationships greatly. Consider this compensation for the secrets I've kept from you."

"Now, I have some personal matters to attend to—related to that wandering galaxy ranger. Let's part ways for now."

Stelle watched as Black Swan vanished before her.

This mysterious memokeeper came and went unpredictably, and Stelle was slowly getting used to it.

After leaving the realm of memories, Stelle turned on her phone and contacted others from the Express crew, arranging to meet by the Clockie statue at 3:06.

At that moment, the screen suddenly went black.

A line of large text appeared, "Some time ago, deep within the Memory Domain."

The darkness was torn apart by flames.

A powerful musical score began to play, and the audience's eyes widened.

It was SAM and Acheron! They were still fighting!

No one knew how long the battle had been going on. The surroundings were scorched and unrecognizable.

SAM landed heavily on the ground from mid-air, flames blazing all over his body as he stared intently at Acheron, "You should draw that sword now, Ranger!"

"Hunter, do you still dream? Dream of those who died because of you."

But Acheron did not respond directly. Instead, she took a deep breath and steadied her grip on the sword.

The question was directed at SAM, but also at herself.

Just when everyone thought the wielder of The Nihility was finally going to draw her blade, the scene suddenly shifted again.

It entered Acheron's memories.

An unexpected figure appeared— It was the Grand Duke Inferno!

...

: What the hell?! The Grand Duke?!

: Did he get resurrected?