Just when Seth thought he'd have to restart a third run, the simulation kept going.
[Perhaps due to your family background, Jingliu didn't do anything to you—she simply distanced herself.]
Seth exhaled.
That golden "Noble Lineage" sure was useful.
No wonder it was only a newbie perk the system wouldn't let you keep for free.
With that trait, almost any script's difficulty would plummet.
The simulation continued.
[You quietly breathed a sigh of relief and buried your desire deep inside. But that dark desire is like poison—it will one day bloom into a gaudy flower of evil…]
[Perhaps she'd grown used to teaching a disciple, or perhaps she had other reasons. Before long, Jingliu took another disciple: a snot-nosed kid named Jing Yuan.]
[From the first glance, you disliked him. In your heart, the master you used to have all to yourself was now split in two.]
[What's more, to avoid you, Jingliu devoted more effort to teaching Jing Yuan and grew increasingly distant from you.]
[Jealousy and possessiveness twisted your heart.]
[While Jingliu was on campaign, you frequently "examined" and "instructed" Jing Yuan, taking the chance to discipline him. You kept it measured—your bullying hurt but didn't injure.]
[Jing Yuan proved tough—he let you bully him and never told Jingliu.]
[Jingliu noticed your antics. But because you kept a careful hand, and she herself believed in strict education, she tacitly allowed it.]
Seth was dumbfounded.
Not only was the simulation-self jealous of a child over a crush—
The kid he bullied was none other than future "Five High-Cloud Quintet" member, the famed Luofu General Jing Yuan.
As expected of a Villain Simulator—bold and dirty.
[Time flies—fifty years pass.]
[With your family's help, you not only joined the Ten-Lords Commission early, you became the head of the Detention Division among the four: Detention, Imprisonment, Punishment, Interrogation.]
The four divisions' functions were evident from their names:
Detention: apprehend felons and the Mara-struck.
Imprisonment: guard the Shackling Prison; they are its jailers.
Punishment: carry out sentences.
Interrogation: wield the Pen of Karmic Decrees, read sins, issue karmic judgments, and also conduct interrogations.
Nominally equal, but Detention Division can arrest from the Xianzhou General down to common criminals.
With authority over arrests, Detention Division is the most powerful of the four.
For Seth to hold the Detention Division Head seat at a young age was meteoric.
After a sigh, he focused back on the screen.
[By now, Jingliu is the Sword Master of the Luofu, the undefeated emblem of the Cloud Knights.]
[The Furnace Master of the Artisanship Commission's apprentice gifted her a sword. She sparred with the Vidyadhara. The Nameless who soared the stars drank and chatted with her—her friendships deepened.]
[With Jing Yuan, adept at formations and strategy, the five together made a name for themselves. The "Five High-Cloud Quintet" spread across the Luofu and became famed throughout the Xianzhou Alliance.]
[Yet Jingliu didn't know that Jing Yuan, her disciple and the weakest of the five, bore immense pressure.]
[That pressure came not only from the excellence of the other four, but also from you, his senior brother.]
[In office, you're the Detention Division Head of the Ten-Lords Commission—above the Six Commision' head, only half a step below a Xianzhou General.]
[Jing Yuan, meanwhile, is just an ordinary Cloud Knights officer.]
[In swordsmanship, you two are about equal—neither gifted. But through diligent practice and steady accumulation, you always edge him out.]
[Jing Yuan dreams of surpassing you, to earn one approving glance from his master.]
By now, Seth was numb.
Really, Jing Yuan? If you can't prop yourself up, don't blame me.
But the simulation didn't care what he thought.
[In his rush to surpass you, Jing Yuan became impatient for quick success. On one expedition, he advanced rashly for merit and fell into an Abundance ambush, leading to disastrous losses for his unit.]
[A commander whose greed for merit causes heavy casualties—even if not one of the ten unforgivable crimes, it is a grave offense in the army. The lightest punishment ends a career; the worst is death.]
[This was internal military discipline of the Cloud Knights; the Imbibitor Lunae Dan Feng and the artisan master's disciple Yingxing could hardly say anything.]
[Due to her aloof nature, Jingliu had few friends in the army besides the High-Cloud Quintet.]
[With no other recourse, Jingliu came to you—her long-estranged senior disciple—hoping you'd intercede for Jing Yuan.]
At this, Seth grew excited.
He sensed the simulator was about to stir the pot!
Sure enough, two options popped up:
[Faced with Jingliu's request, you choose:]
[1. Jing Yuan is my dear friend and sworn brother—I'll intercede at once!]
[2. Master, you wouldn't want Jing Yuan to be heavily punished… would you?]
Since it's a Villain Simulator, you pick the most evil option.
Seth chose the second without hesitation.
[You no longer hide your desire. You stare at Jingliu; the flames in your eyes seem ready to melt her.]
[You say: "Want me to plead for him? No problem. As long as Master shares the bed with me tonight…"]
[Jingliu stares in disbelief, as if meeting you for the first time. Though she sensed the evil lurking in your heart, she never imagined you would flout ethics and covet your own master.]
[Worse, you used your junior brother's safety as leverage to force her hand.]
[Jingliu flies into a rage and gives you a brutal beating.]
[After leaving you seriously injured on the spot, she storms off.]
[Watching her back as she leaves, you smile.]
[Jingliu still scruples over your identity; she didn't dare go too far. Your wounds look severe, but they're superficial—hurt but not crippled.]
[What really pleases you is that Jingliu has a weakness at heart. A weakness means a soft spot—Jing Yuan just isn't a heavy enough bargaining chip yet.]
[Thinking of a future chance to savor her fragrance, your heart burns…]
[Even without your intercession, Jing Yuan is not severely punished. The current Luofu General, Teng Xiao, sees his talent and potential, and allows him to atone as a common soldier.]
[Gold shines wherever it is. After this upheaval, Jing Yuan matures completely. His gifts in formations and strategy finally bloom.]