The screen suddenly went black, leaving only a few large characters.
[Intermission Time — After the Interlude, Even More Exciting]
In the spacious and brightly lit meeting hall, Topaz slammed her hand on the table in front of her with a gloomy expression, then angrily said, "What?! There's an interlude?"
Aventurine, sitting nearby, remained silent, only gasping for air, clearly not having recovered from the news he had just received.
"Sister…" he murmured, a hint of pain and confusion in his eyes.
At this moment, Jade, who had been observing with a cold eye, spoke up, her voice calm and indifferent: "It seems we might need to reconsider the candidates for reclaiming Penacony."
"Jade, Aventurine, Topaz, three stones… a truly brilliant plan." Her lips curled slightly, revealing a subtle smile. "When the Jade Stone is sent back to the family headquarters, the company's arrangements will be a complete success."
However, Topaz suddenly looked up, her gaze like a torch, fixed intently on Aventurine, her voice low and full of warning: "But don't forget, you know better than anyone what severe consequences the shattering of the sha jin stone will cause—the sha jin stone will completely disappear, and this is undoubtedly the heavy price to pay for losing a stone!"
Aventurine's lips curled slightly, letting out a dismissive chuckle. Though his face was a bit pale, he remained composed as he said, "Oh? What do you think Diamond will do to me? If I lose this gamble, then the only outcome awaiting me is death. He can, at most, punish a corpse, such as demoting me or directly expelling me from the Ten Stonehearts."
"Opportunities are rare, why not take a gamble?" A cunning smile appeared on Jade's face.
"You and I gamble? Although things that haven't happened cannot be used as stakes, but… alright, if I can return to the company alive, then I'll bet—he'll promote me to P46."
"Then if such a situation truly occurs during the upcoming viewing… what will you offer as a wager?"
"Real stake or fake stake? I don't want to give you anything, lest I be completely devoured."
"But if it's just for fun, then it's like our first meeting—I'll bet my life, lady."
"Interesting, but since that is 'Diamond's' decision, even if it's a future simulated by this viewing room, I can't predict the answer in advance." Jade shrugged, not refuting any of this.
After a brief chat, Aventurine's somewhat pale complexion gradually regained its color, and he looked much more energetic. At this point, the screen also began to display new content.
[Intermission Interlude: Eternal Fire Mansion]
"The star of the Festival, Penacony." Accompanied by a deep, magnetic male voice, the image on the screen gradually became clear.
His head was a grotesque, twisted goat-like head, as if a demon had descended. Flames burned fiercely in his head and eyes, as if to devour everything.
His posture, however, was as straight as a pine, exuding an unparalleled aura of majesty. He wore a long black robe, adorned with sparkling gems and silver threads, shimmering with a mysterious light. Even more striking, he wore a golden monocle, and the gaze emanating from the lens was sharp and profound, seemingly able to see through everything.
Below him, four figures stood respectfully, as if awaiting the king's decree.
The man gently raised his hand, and a ball of burning flame bloomed in his hand, like a dazzling, open flower. As the flame danced, an exquisite clock gradually emerged, its hands slowly turning, seemingly symbolizing the passage of time.
"The family has set a banquet, guests are invited to attend." The man's voice sounded again, carrying a mysterious charm. His gaze swept over the four people below, his eyes sparkling.
"The golden blood of destruction will flow together, offering a grand sacrifice to Him." His words were like a spell, inspiring awe.
"Children of flame, this is your coming-of-age ceremony."
As the last sentence was spoken, the entire scene fell into silence.
Duke Inferno sat on the throne, his presence like an insurmountable mountain, awe-inspiring. The four children standing below had various expressions, some excited, some nervous, but they all knew that this coming-of-age ceremony would be a significant turning point in their lives.
[Welt: Eternal Fire Mansion… This is Duke Inferno.]
[Sushang: Is that the one Aventurine said was killed by Jing Yuan?]
"Akash!" Duke Inferno called out, "My most emotional child…"
"I ignite your eyes and teach you to play the strings. You shall play a banquet song with a four-stringed instrument, silencing the harmony choir."
Hearing his father's words, Akash smiled slightly, then raised the instrument in his hand and confidently replied, "Exactly, Old Man!"
[Sunday: This gentleman looks a bit familiar.]
[Star: The corpse is speaking?]
A half-bitten apple slowly appeared in Duke Inferno's hand. However, what was horrifying was that inside the apple was not a core, but a human spine! The spine was still burning with a faint purple flame, as if emitting a strange aura.
"Dubra…" Duke Inferno called out, the flames burning in his eye sockets seeming to grow hotter, his voice full of love and majesty, "You are my most intelligent child."
"I ignite your body and bestow upon you blades, saws, and axes."
"You shall temper iron scythes with sulfur, grant joy and pain, and let the tears of the actors flow into the Styx."
Dubra nodded respectfully, indicating that he understood his mission: "As you command, my father."
[Sampo: This is so much fun, Old Sampo, I'm really looking forward to what you can do.]
[Sparkle: This is truly entertaining, hahahaha, I understand, this is the circus clown beating the drum to start the show.]
"Katrina, my bravest child, I ignite your heart and grant you a boiling blood. You shall use the fire of rage to break open the Preservation's treasury, melt their gold, and forge an effigy for our benefactor."
"No need to say more, old man!"
"Finally, finally Constance… my most ambitious child, my most excellent child, I have nothing more to teach you. Just remember, let Penacony's midnight wither and die, take everything you love, leaving only the tomb of Memory."
After forcefully saying this, Duke Inferno crushed the burning flower in his hand.
"Hahahahaha…" A wild laugh came from below the stage. A figure slowly stood up. She lifted the hat on her head, revealing her delicate and beautiful face, and laughed, saying, "He doesn't need to appear, I alone are enough."
"Katrina, it's better to be pessimistic," another woman wearing a large white hat sighed softly. "Perhaps we will all die."
"Shh~" Akash gently raised his hand to his mouth, making a shushing gesture. "When have desperadoes walking in destruction ever feared death?"
"But we should also prepare for the worst," a puppet said, then suddenly turned its back. "Father…"
The manipulator behind the puppet asked, "This journey is dangerous, what is the retreat?"
"Retreat… as always, it never exists," Duke Inferno walked down from the stage and came to the four people, announcing without hesitation, "Destruction is a magnificent instant. If one seeks to survive basely, this life is too long."
"Enjoy Penacony, enjoy her invitation, let this beautiful dream be ready to welcome her new master from Tartarus, 'Duke Inferno' Afrit, Eternal Fire Mansion."