Versatile Mage

Translated by XephiZEdited by Aelryinth

The young Medusa suddenly opened her mouth, as if she was going to tear Mo Fan’s head off with a snap of her jaws. Her mouth could spread hugely, wider than half of her face. The poisonous fangs swept past Mo Fan’s face and left a cut on it.

Mo Fan did not react, nor did the young Medusa really bite at him. She suddenly laughed like a giggling woman.

“I don’t know how you found this place, but the girl you are looking for is already dead, or should I say, she has already merged with the young Medusa and became a part of her body or face,” General Ethan said.

Mo Fan looked at the young Medusa without expression.

Mo Fan had already sensed it when he was outside. The shadow fly did not come from Apas, it actually came from the young Medusa!

The young Medusa had eaten Apas. Her face and body resembled the little girl’s. Mo Fan’s heart was filled with rage, yet who was he supposed to vent it on? The cruel demon creature that ate people, or the man who was an authority in the military?

“Must you really rely on such an inhumane way!?” Mo Fan asked.

“Mo Fan, I was like you when I was at your age. I once led my men and fought the scorpion demons for three days and nights straight just to save a merchant’s pregnant wife in the wild. After saving her, I had to bury my own men in the sand… when Kamui City was threatened by a mirage, the military gave up on the small city because they were busy fending off the creatures from the Sahara Desert. My men and I were there and fought our way out when we were surrounded by the undead… I have done things like that many times.” General Ethan lit up a cigarette that he had taken out from his front pocket.

Ethan remembered to offer the young man a cigarette. When Mo Fan did not accept it, he lit the cigarette up himself and inhaled deeply.

“There are many ways to win a war, but most people think it’s most effective to fight the demon creatures and drive them out of our territory… By using that method, Mages would die even if we won the war, but if we lost, the civilians are the ones to suffer. The other way is what Gangma was doing, by offering some insignificant little girls to the snake demons and earning their leaders’ trust. In the end, the Mages won’t have to die, and neither do the civilians,” Ethan said.

“So that’s how you became a General? Feeding your own people to the enemy leaders that are trying to invade your land so you can send them off with a smile in exchange for some peace?” Mo Fan grinned coldly.

“It guaranteed the lives of a few thousand elites, allowing us to fend off the undead of the Pyramid of Khafre tonight!” Ethan replied.

“I was very impressed by your people for being able to survive for thousands of years in one of the most dangerous places in the world. They must have some impressive traits flowing in their blood, but it turns out that you’re only relying on such a filthy method… why did your people even bother overthrowing the Pharaohs? Isn’t it better to be ruled over by the powerful Pharaohs and continue to live as worthless slaves!?” Mo Fan grunted at Ethan.

Mo Fan initially thought the reason was much more complicated, but it turned out to be so simple and straightforward. It was just to make the fighting easier for them! The army would offer little girls like Apas to the snake demons and scorpion demons to enlighten them, so they would withdraw in advance.

To think that the army was using such a method in exchange for some ugly peace! Mo Fan was overwhelmed by sorrow and rage at the same time!

“We can never kill them all, those things just keep coming. It’s been the same for thousands of years. The lives of a few girls or a few thousand Mages… it’s a very easy choice to make. I believe in another ten years, after you’re overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness multiple times and have witnessed the corpses of your men piling up because of your failures, you too will shred your pride and dignity and push a few girls down the cliff into the nest of snake demons.

“I won’t deny that I’m a devil; I deserve to go to Hell, but you can’t deny the peace I’ve brought to the city, either! As a matter of fact, when death is grabbing people by their throats, they will want these girls pushed down the cliff more than anyone else. The people despise cruel, inhumane assh**** like me, yet they still hope someone will do the same as I did, so they can lie on their sofas comfortably and share how detestable people like me are to the others in a park.” Ethan continued while staring at the young Medusa. He was wearing a strange smile as he spoke.

“It’s actually easier to get along with the demon creatures than us humans. They will just leave if we treat them well. Meanwhile, humans might push you off the edge of the cliff, even after you’ve served them well!”

Ethan shared a lot, highlighting the tough times he had been through despite his calm tone.

“It’s time for me to leave. The people are still hoping that I will blow the horn of victory for them, even though many lives are going to be lost. If we win, a lot of my men are still going to die. If we lose, many of the civilians behind the army are also going to die. Feel free to expose my crime. It’s meaningless, even if you have some solid evidence. Cairo needs me, since I can bring them victory and peace. When they cry as their lives are threatened by the demon creatures, they will think lightly of the crimes I’ve committed.

“By the way, I remember that your country normally won’t kill a Ruler-level creature. They will spare the lives of the Ruler-level creatures that they catch, too. Otherwise, not only would it topple the balance between different species, it might infuriate the creature’s parents… Say, is there really any difference between our countries?” Ethan flicked the cigarette to the ground and headed toward the exit. He completely ignored Mo Fan’s existence.

—

General Ethan’s footsteps faded into the distance. Mo Fan stood inside the cell, while the young Medusa moved back and forth, showing off the appearance of the little girl whose death Mo Fan was grieving about. The creature was observing her prey like a starving woman. Mo Fan was utterly disgusted by the sight of her…

However, Mo Fan was actually angrier at General Ethan. Behind his brilliance as Cairo’s military prodigy were piles of dead little girls like Apas!

He might be spilling the beans about how brutal the truth was, yet it did not conceal his pride and arrogance as he treated the little girls’ lives with contempt!

It was more than disheartening!