[Simulation begins]
[Age 0: You were born. You are one of the descendants of the Ten-Lords, destined to inherit the great seat of the Ten-Lords in the future.]
Victor's heart skipped a beat; this was an incredible starting point.
Everyone in the Xianzhou Alliance knew the Marshal commanded life, and the Ten-Lords presided over death.
The ultimate fate of all Xianzhou natives is to become Mara-struck, and the Ten-Lords Commission is responsible for ushering in those who have succumbed.
At the same time, the Ten-Lords Commission also handles the Xianzhou's major cases. Under special circumstances, they can even apprehend a Xianzhou General.
This organization, born even before Lan's ascension to godhood, was not only ancient but also immensely powerful.
To be born a descendant of the Ten-Lords was to be, arguably, the most privileged heir in the entire Xianzhou Alliance.
A Gold Trait, indeed.
But what Victor hadn't expected was yet to come.
[Age 1: Your family is already training your body according to special, ancient traditions to help you quickly adapt to learning the occult arts of the Ten-Lords Commission.]
[Age 2: While other children are just learning to speak, you have already begun your rudimentary education.]
[Age 3: While other children are still playing freely, you have already begun simple training.]
[Age 5: You happen to hear rumors of a swordswoman named 'Jingliu.']
[Countless Denizens of Abundance have fallen to her blade: the Plumewarriors of the Wingweavers, the Nest-Fathers of the Borisin. Even War-Beasts as tall as mountains cannot withstand a single strike from her.]
[A conflict suddenly arises in your heart...]
[1. You want to ask Jingliu to be your master.]
[2. You do not.]
Any veteran gamer knew that you had to pick option '1' here, or the game's story would be difficult to advance.
However, Victor decisively chose '2', just for the sake of being rebellious.
Just kidding. In truth, Victor wanted to test if it would lead to multiple endings and how it would affect his evaluation.
After Victor made his choice, the simulation continued.
[From then on, you slowly grow up, constantly undergoing all sorts of rigorous training from your family.]
[You hear bits and pieces of news about Jingliu. She continually achieves great military honors, even capturing the Borisin War-Chief Hoolay, which leads to the Foxians becoming the Xianzhou's most loyal allies.]
[The last time you hear of Jingliu, she has, by virtue of her past achievements, become the Sword Champion of the Luofu, the symbol of the Cloud Knights' invincibility... You are 18 that year.]
[You join the Ten-Lords Commission and become a Judge.]
[During an attempt to capture a dangerous Mara-struck criminal, your strength proves insufficient. The criminal impales your heart and head.]
[You are dead.]
[Simulation over. Evaluation too low. No rewards obtained.]
The corner of Victor's mouth twitched.
That was a rather unceremonious death.
Not only was it unceremonious, but it was also suspicious.
A dignified descendant of the Ten-Lords, a top-tier heir of the Xianzhou Alliance, actually dying at the hands of a criminal? He was 99% certain he'd been set up.
The seat of the Ten-Lords was a position of great power; someone definitely didn't want him to sit on that throne.
It seemed the 'Descendant of the Ten-Lords' title was a double-edged sword, giving Victor a higher starting point but also bringing him greater danger.
He also quickly figured out a way to break this impasse.
The simulator had already told him plainly: he was killed by the criminal because his 'strength was insufficient.'
So, as long as he could gain enough strength before that event, he could overcome this hurdle.
The White 'Steady Accumulation' was clearly not enough to give him the strength to turn the tables.
If he had a Purple or even a Gold 'Steady Accumulation,' perhaps he could have built up enough power.
But that was the problem. If he already had Purple or Gold Traits, would he still need to repeatedly farm this beginner simulation script that only gave White Traits?
Obviously not.
Having figured this out, Victor started the simulation again.
[Age 0: You were born. You are one of the descendants of the Ten-Lords, destined to inherit the great seat of the Ten-Lords in the future.]
...
Soon, it was time for the crucial choice.
This time, Victor decisively chose '1'—he wanted to ask Jingliu to be his master.
The simulation quickly entered a different branch.
[You express your desire to study under Jingliu, and your family is highly displeased. With the family's influence, they could, with some effort, even have the Xianzhou Marshal take you as a disciple. Why would they need to let you study under a 'nobody'?]
[You insist repeatedly. Coupled with Jingliu's exceptional talent, her repeated victories against strong foes, and her rising fame, the family finally, reluctantly agrees to let you become her disciple.]
[As a mere Cloud Knight Vanguard, Jingliu naturally cannot refuse the 'request' for tutelage from a Ten-Lords family. Jingliu accepts you as her disciple, and you become her first apprentice.]
Victor stroked his chin. The current Jingliu had not yet become Mara-struck; she was a swordswoman with grand ideals and ambitions, a frank and heroic warrior.
Once she became Mara-struck—cold, unhinged, and crazed—if someone had threatened her like this, she probably would have cut them down on the spot.
[Because she was forced to take you on, Jingliu does not like you at first. Furthermore, it is her first time being a teacher, and her own master died in battle before they could properly guide her, so Jingliu is extremely strict with you.]
[Jingliu often demands you complete various training exercises by the standards of an adult. Perhaps she is trying to make you back down from the difficulty.]
[Faced with a training regimen that even adults would find grueling, you grit your teeth and persevere, never slacking off.]
[Age 6: A year has passed. Your perseverance has gradually moved Jingliu, and she begins to teach you in earnest.]
[Age 16: Ten years have passed. You discover your talent in the way of the sword is limited. Although you train diligently every day and have made some progress over the long years, it is minimal compared to some sword geniuses.]
Victor sighed. He could only say that the White 'Steady Accumulation' had an effect, but not much of one. To make rapid progress in swordsmanship, he would probably need to get a specialized Trait like 'Sword Genius'.
Fortunately, getting by on the Xianzhou wasn't about fighting and killing, but about navigating social connections.
The simulation was still ongoing.
[Jingliu's combat record, however, grows ever more brilliant. She returns victorious from every expedition, whether against the Plumewarriors of the Wingweavers, the Nest-Fathers of the Borisin, or the mountain-sized War-Beasts—none can withstand her single strike.]
[You look at the sword in your hand, then back at your master, Jingliu. The light around her grows ever more dazzling, and the distance between you seems to grow ever wider. A strange emotion is quietly born in the depths of your heart...]
Victor couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath. So quickly, his filial piety had... warped. Truly worthy of the Villain Simulator; it really didn't pull any punches.
An image of that ice-cold swordswoman, with her heroic and peerless figure, flashed through Victor's mind.
If it's Jingliu... it's not entirely unacceptable!
[Age 18: Jingliu captures the Borisin War-Chief Hoolay alive, facilitating the alliance between the Foxians and the Xianzhou.]
[You gaze upon your master's increasingly dazzling figure, and a desire like a burning flame rises in your heart—a powerful craving known as possessiveness.]
['She is mine! She can only belong to me!']
[You swear this oath silently in your heart.]
[As a swordswoman, especially one seasoned by countless battles, Jingliu is exceptionally perceptive of malice. Living and training together day and night, she seems to have faintly detected your hidden thoughts.]
Oh crap! Am I going to get wiped out this quickly!?
Victor stared, dumbfounded, at the content displayed by the simulation.
The Abominations of Abundance that had died at Jingliu's hands numbered in the tens of thousands.
Victor's mind couldn't help but conjure an image of Jingliu with blood-red eyes full of madness and chilling killing intent, a peerlessly sharp greatsword of ice crystals in her hand, surrounded by corpses impaled on ice shards...
Victor frowned in frustration.
Wouldn't it have been better to just learn swordsmanship from her properly? Why did you have to become a rebellious disciple who covets his master? And to top it all off, you even got found out.
Victor could already foresee the tragic scene of himself being hacked into several pieces by Jingliu.
Now, how am I supposed to get out of this?
______
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