Domina the Theater, in a private room somewhere inside the facility.
There were no cells here.
The surrounding decor resembled more a room used for house arrest.
For someone without particular demands, it could be considered quite comfortable.
After being captured, Cocoa wasn't tortured immediately.
She spent half a day here, alone, undisturbed.
Until...
"Click~"
The door opened from the outside.
A young woman with dark brown hair, dressed in a black suit, entered.
Cocoa looked at her for the first time… and recognized her immediately.
—You!
There was no way to forget her. Even after all these years, the impression that person had left on her remained deeply etched in her memory.
Such unyielding will.
No matter the torture, no matter the drugs used to force the truth, nothing ever made him speak.
At the time, Cocoa had even begun to admire that seemingly ordinary young man with no notable background.
If it hadn't been for all the accidents during the Third Honkai Impact, she might have ordered his continued detention.
She wanted to see just how far someone like that could endure before breaking down and begging for mercy.
She wanted to test the limits of his psychological defenses.
She had competed unilaterally against him.
And she had never given up.
At that time, there was no doubt: she had to win.
She had to prove to everyone that they were the most qualified to judge.
But now...
—I didn't expect it to be such a great honor for someone as insignificant as me to be remembered by you, Madam Cocolia.
The young woman approached with a smile on her lips and eyes slightly narrowed.
Only then did Cocoa notice her pupils had no focus.
She looked like a walking corpse, lacking any vitality.
And that realization sent an even deeper chill through her.
Even so...
—What do you intend to do?
Cocoa tried to remain calm and asked:
—Take revenge?
It wouldn't have surprised her.
It would be a fine way to die.
—Madam Cocolia, don't be so hasty —she said—. Ling Ke has started to make people lose their anxiety.
Just listen:
—A simple conversation saves time, effort... and energy.
—Yes, I do want revenge. And it's also my right.
She was still smiling, as if everything she'd suffered had nothing to do with him.
But then came the next words...
—However, the resentment in my heart doesn't fade so easily.
Ling Ke raised his right hand and wagged a finger.
—So if, during my revenge, you try to seek death in secret... I'll be very, very upset.
—What's that supposed to mean? —Cocoa frowned.
—Let's set a few rules! —he said with a smile—. Physically, I won't hurt you too much.
—I remember when Bronia captured me right in front of you. In the early days, you didn't torture me; you even helped treat the limbs whose joints had been ripped apart.
—I remember. Whether it was genuine concern or just because you hadn't figured out who I was yet.
—So in the coming days, all of you who've arrived at Domina the Theater will also receive our "kind hospitality."
—And then...
Ling Ke slightly narrowed his eyes.
—It began on September 1st, 2013, and ended on March 28th, 2014. I remember it with complete clarity. A total of 208 days.
—During those six months, everything I experienced will be "returned" to you without exception.
—If you manage to endure, you'll earn your freedom.
—If not...
Ling Ke turned his back and took out a photo frame.
Inside was a recently acquired image from the Anti-Entropy group: a nostalgic scene of the Cocolia Orphanage.
Ling Ke approached Cocolia and showed her the photo.
—As a self-proclaimed "mother," you should strive to survive for the sake of your daughters.
—Live until the end. Live until release.
—Otherwise, who will be the next person to receive my "reply"?
—Do you want to be the one to choose?
In that moment...
—!!!
Cocoa trembled.
Clearly, she had a human being before her.
But he seemed more like a demon wearing human skin.
Though in truth...
That demon...
Was her own creation.
Karma.
Some say: what goes around, comes around.
Ling Ke had already endured his share.
Now, it was her turn.
Cocoa clenched her fists.
She knew he already understood that she would rather die.
She herself had witnessed the tortures inflicted on Ling Ke.
Her subordinates were indeed very "efficient."
They had endless methods to inflict pain.
At the time, she even praised them.
—This is the fate of those who dare to defy me —she had said.
But now... fate had turned.
—See you in a few days —Ling Ke said, leaving the photograph behind.
And, intentionally, he also left behind a dagger.
The implication was more than clear.
He then turned and walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he laughed softly and said in a meaningful tone:
—Madam Cocolia...
—Sleep well tonight.
The door closed gently.
Inside, Cocoa stared fixedly at the photo.
And looked at the dagger beside her.
Inside, she was utterly devastated.
Ling Ke paid no further attention to Cocolia.
For him... it was enough to watch and wait for the outcome.
After all, in the coming days, even without physical harm, Cocolia's condition would be no better.
The crushing pressure on her soul was the "first course" Ling Ke had carefully prepared for her.
And she would taste it from beginning... to end.
Day after day, chipping away at her will.
Until, eventually... she broke too.
—If this had been a few years ago, who would've thought I'd become so cruel?
—In the end, one always finds a way to break through their own limits...
Still seated on that majestic high-backed throne...
Ling Ke rested his left cheek against his hand, while his right hand glided across a semi-transparent rectangular interface suspended before him.
At that moment, the accumulated points of the Ready Player One System continued to rise.
No explanation was needed for what that meant.
But Ling Ke had already chosen to become the World-Destroying Player.
So, naturally, he would allow himself no compassion, no hesitation, no ambiguity.
Now, all human civilization in the Bengsan world, in his eyes, was just a "game."
Only that, among the countless NPCs, there were some noteworthy "items" that required careful handling.
The rest... were just faceless numbers.
And it was then that...
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining a new game character template —— Dominator Doll-1379!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining a new game character template —— Dominator Doll-1380!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining a new game character template —— Misuke Ayako!]
...
System messages popped up from time to time.
The connection wasn't in real time.
Because now Ling Ke understood that the templates obtained through "draws" weren't always powerful or possessed strange abilities.
Often, like in Mijia gacha games, they couldn't be called useless—but they didn't bring any qualitative changes either.
For example: the "Dominator Doll-xxxx" he had just received... was like Chinese cabbage.
A character template that came and went constantly.
Its only effect: to expand the number of available dominator dolls.
And nothing more.
As for characters like "Misuke Ayako," although they came from famous franchises like Fate, they were just ordinary people.
For those types of rewards...
—Well, at least I've got more "faces" to use —Ling Ke said.
Yes, he treated those templates like masks.
In the future, they might prove useful for infiltration missions.
Suddenly...
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining a new game character template —— Sixth Night Symphony!]
—Huh?
Seated on his throne, Ling Ke was momentarily stunned.
And then...
—Hahaha…!
He showed a dangerous smile—one enough to make anyone break into a cold sweat.
And began issuing commands:
—Everyone participating in outdoor massacre missions will adopt the appearance of Sixth Night Symphony.
In that moment, malice filled his voice.
—Otto Apokalis... I know you're hiding in the shadows, preparing the final step of your long-planned journey.
—So now that the crucial moment has come...
—If I fall...
—Will you accept it?
Or not...?