Villain Simulator, Ch 279

But that only applied to real-world entities that retained their memories from the simulator.

Could a character from one simulation retain memories from a completely different one?

Upon closer thought, it wasn't entirely impossible. After all, the so-called "simulator" was essentially a parallel world, and the "main world" he existed in was merely one among countless others.

However, in this world, his face had been disfigured by the Iron Mask. By all logic, he should have had no connection to the God of Storms, Decarabian. And yet, for some reason, the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles still seemed to recognize something about him.

"I believe that might just be your imagination," Lucas said, slightly bowing as he smiled. "I know you've come to destroy the Seven Sacred Federation, but before that… would you be willing to have a conversation with me?"

The proposal made the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles pause in curiosity.

It was as if an ant she was about to crush had crawled onto her palm and asked to have a chat.

Still, after what had just happened, she had to admit—perhaps humans weren't quite as insignificant as ants after all.

After a brief silence, she finally spoke in an indifferent tone, "What do you wish to discuss?"

"Don't you think the wind here is rather restless?" Lucas glanced around at the empty expanse of sky surrounding them. "If you don't mind, follow me."

The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles wasn't worried that this human had any ill intentions. If she was confident in her ability to destroy an entire nation, then eliminating a single person would be effortless.

Thus, the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, who had long resided in Celestia, descended alongside Lucas as he set foot upon the Jade Chamber.

For the briefest moment, there was a flicker of surprise in her golden eyes.

"What's the matter?" Lucas asked casually. "Are you thinking that mere humans shouldn't be capable of building a palace floating in the sky?"

She nodded silently. "A shame. The higher you climb, the closer you are to your downfall."

The meaning behind her words was clear.

Lucas, however, merely replied with indifference, "People strive for higher ground, just as water flows downward. The desire to ascend is ingrained in human nature."

"So that's why you climbed step by step to the pinnacle of human power?" The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles regarded him coldly. "Yet, in my eyes, you are no different from any other human."

"Have a seat." Lucas remained unfazed by her dismissive tone. He gestured towards a table before them. "Let's eat while we talk."

A grand feast lay spread across the table, its rich aroma filling the air.

"Conversing while eating?" The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles scoffed. "I fail to understand the point of such customs."

"The mouth serves two purposes—speaking and eating. If I had to choose just one, I'd prefer the latter," Lucas chuckled. "Consider it an act of cultural immersion."

She let out a soft, dismissive hum but made no further objections. Instead, she picked up a piece of food and placed it into her mouth.

As she chewed, something in her expression subtly shifted.

Then she took another bite. And another.

"Well?" Lucas grinned. "Not bad, right? To honor your status, this is the finest banquet Liyue has to offer."

For a moment, it seemed as though her expression softened ever so slightly. But then, she set down her utensils.

"Why did you stop?" Lucas tilted his head. "Does it not suit your taste?"

"Too much exposure to human indulgences may lead to erosion," she said, shaking her head. "Let's get to the point."

"Of course." Lucas nodded. "So… can you tell me why you—or rather, the entity you represent—wants to destroy humanity?"

The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles cast her gaze toward a transparent wine bottle on the table.

"Consider this bottle as Teyvat," she said. "And the liquid inside… as human civilization."

With a mere thought, the half-filled bottle began to refill on its own, the liquid continuously rising higher.

"If left unchecked, your civilization will—"

The liquid kept flowing, filling the bottle to the brim. But it didn't stop there. The excess liquid continued to pour in, causing the glass to tremble.

And then, with a sharp crack, the bottle shattered, its contents spilling across the table.

"…suffer this fate."

Lucas nodded slightly. "A fascinating metaphor."

"Metaphors are useful — they allow even foolish creatures like humans to comprehend the unknown through the known," the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles stated, standing from her seat. "The purpose of the Heavenly Principles is not to destroy humanity, but to maintain Teyvat's balance. We leave behind embers, allowing civilization a chance to take root again."

"And then, when civilization flourishes once more, you come back to harvest it, leaving only the roots behind?" Lucas smirked. "We humans have a term for that—'weeding'."

A sharp glint flashed in her golden eyes. "That is merely your own speculation."

"Humanity has always been nothing more than Celestia's tool for extraction," Lucas continued. "The Gnosis, the Vision—all just clever deceptions to siphon power from humans."

"But as human civilization advances, you fear that one day, people will uncover the truth and resist. So, just like harvesting a field, you cut down every civilization that dares to rise too high."

The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles sighed. "Ignorance is a kind of bliss. The more you know, the closer you are to destruction."

As her words fell, she suddenly raised her hand—preparing to strike.

There was only one reason for this.

This human… knew too much.

No one feared an ant that had grown strong. No matter how powerful, an ant was still an ant.

But an ant that had gained wisdom—that was a true threat.

And to the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, the man standing before her was an ant far too intelligent for his own good.

He had to be erased. Immediately.

Yet just as she was about to unleash her power, her vision blurred.

An unsettling sensation washed over her.

The vast, immeasurable strength she wielded—was completely inaccessible.

"Impossible!" For the first time, a hint of shock appeared on her face. "What… have you done? Was it the food?"

Lucas shook his head with an amused smile. "Come on, give me some credit. Even if I were a fool, I wouldn't be foolish enough to think poison could affect the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles."

His smile deepened.

"I simply severed your connection to Celestia."

----

Author's Note: Hello, hello, everyone! 🙌 Hope you're still sticking around despite my questionable update schedule (but hey, I always make up for it on weekends! 😉).

Alright, let's try Power Stone goals again—though, let's be honest, it might just flop… 

But hey, 100 Power Stones = 1 extra chapter! Let's see if we can hit it!

🔹 Join our Discord! → discord.gg/NiaXD

🔹 Read 50+ chapters ahead! → patreon.com/NiaXD

Thanks for the support, you guys are awesome! 💙