Chapter 1203: At the Price of Life

After two seconds, Nine Frost said calmly, “First and foremost, Greed must occupy my fate—”

“

NO

.” Gao Yang cut him off.

“Let me finish, Captain,” Nine Frost said earnestly.

Gao Yang took a deep breath. “Sorry. Keep going.”

“Greed has been pulling the strings since many years ago, starting the Godbearer Cult, orchestrating the White Disaster, and possessing Surnamed Li. Someone that cunning must have guessed how we’re going to deal with it.”

Gao Yang sighed. “Dragon’s fate and mine are the only ones Greed cannot pry into and occupy. To defeat it, Dragon or I have to be there.”

“Yes.” Nine Frost nodded. “But don’t you find it suspicious? Why did Greed reveal that it could not pry into your fates? Why reveal its biggest witness?”

Gao Yang frowned. “I thought about that. Although we would’ve reached the same conclusion based on the fight, it said it clearly. That seemed on purpose.”

“I believe Greed gave us that confirmation purposefully to achieve its goal.” Nine Frost held Gao Yang’s gaze. “Think about it. After learning of Greed’s weakness, we have no choice but to send you or Dragon to deal with it. Then it can prepare accordingly, creating a contingency plan to avoid danger.”

Gao Yang considered it. “It makes sense. Greed is reliant on its omniscience. It’s wary of what it cannot pry into. It’s not a bad thing for it to reveal its weakness, then at least everything will be in its control.”

Nine Frost nodded. “Then here’s the question. If you and Dragon stay out of the fight against Greed, whoever is sent there will die. If either you or Dragon go, though, Greed will avoid you. What do we do then?”

“We make Greed believe that neither Dragon nor I can afford to go to it, luring it into showing itself. Then Dragon will take it out.”

“Yes, that is the plan, but it won’t work,” Nine Frost said. “I told you, the lure isn’t real enough.”

Gao Yang’s eyes darkened with realization. “Greed does not trust anyone but itself, or anyone but the things it has already claimed. That means...”

“My fate,” Nine Frost said with a smile.

“Shit!” Dr. Jia had been following along. “Are you sure you wanna go that far, Nine Frost?”

Nine Frost said without wavering, “That’s the only way to defeat Greed.”

Gao Yang’s expression darkened, but he didn’t interject again.

“Only after I die and Greed claims my fate fully, Captain, will Greed believe that you and Dragon are otherwise occupied. That’s when it’ll bite the bait.”

“Wait...” Dr. Jia realized, “Once Greed claims your fate fully, won’t it know about this plan?”

“Yeah.” Nine Frost chuckled. “Unfortunately for Greed, I’m with Captain now. Greed cannot see Captain’s fate. Then it’s blinded to this moment of my fate, too.”

Laughing, Dr. Jia slapped his thigh and said, “That’s right. A smart idea from you, Nine Frost!”

Nine Frost smiled. “Fate is fate. Memory is memory. Greed cannot see the fate of Captain and I talking here, or the moment I come up with a perfected plan during our discussion. However, Greed will have access to all my memories. Through them, it will see Captain and I having this talk and all the thoughts I’ve had. But—”

“But memory can be modified!” Dr. Jia finished his sentence for him.

Nine Frost nodded at him. “That’s the second favor I need of you. Wipe out all my memories regarding this plan with Memory Tailor and fill the hole with fake memories. There must be no trace left.”

“Easy peasy.” Dr. Jia patted his chest in confirmation.

Nine Frost turned back to Gao Yang. “I’ll go over the full plan, Captain.”

“I’ll lead the team to fight Greed. Sooner or later, Greed will have pried into all of our fates and figured out our second contingency plan—the rings Harvest Song and I will be wearing. We can’t defeat Greed like that.”

“But I’ll know, and based on my personality, I will choose mutual destruction with Greed, which is likely to fail.”

“After my death, Greed will occupy my fate in its entirety, and through my fate and memory, it’ll confirm that you and Qing Ling are going after Envy, while Dragon takes on Pride.”

“That is the moment Greed will bite the bait and allow Dragon to make his move.”

That was Nine Frost's whole plan.

“Hm...” Dr. Jia stroked his chin. “A good script, but are you sure Greed will fall for it?”

“Nothing is 100% foolproof,” Nine Frost said. “But that is our best bet at this moment.”

“No,” Gao Yang said with certainty, his expression solemn. “Greed will fall for it.”

“Why?” Dr. Jia asked despite being the resident Genius.

Gao Yang’s eyes glinted. “Deception isn’t about how masterful the method is, but about the limit of the target’s perspective.”

Nine Frost and Dr. Jia considered his words.

“Greed is the ultimate culmination of selfishness. It cannot understand human’s selfless devotion. It cannot comprehend the possibility that Nine Frost will sacrifice his life just for an uncertain victory.”

Gao Yang paused. “A stingy man won’t believe that a poor man will give his money to a poorer beggar. No, he’ll think that the poor man is up to something rather than doing it out of the goodness of his heart.”

“When Nine Frost dies to Greed, Greed will only think of it as Nine Frost failing due to his inadequacy. Nine Frost’s fate and memories are proof of that. Death is the most convincing lure.”

“One’s sacrifice will even win a chess game with God!” Dr. Jia gave Nine Frost a thumbs-up.

But Gao Yang couldn’t relate to the man’s excitement. He addressed Nine Frost with a pained look, “Nine Frost, perhaps you don’t have to—”

“Captain.” Nine Frost smiled. “You must be able to come up with this plan, too, but you’ve never even considered sacrificing me. That’s your kind heart and your limitation.”

“But my life is mine to give. You can mourn me, but don’t feel guilty about it.” Nine Frost’s eyes crinkled. “Greed must die—for the dead, but more so for the living.”

“Please give me the permission, Captain.”

Gao Yang didn’t respond.

“Please give me the permission.”

Gao Yang still didn’t say anything.

“Please give me the permission,” Nine Frost had long made up his mind.

Finally, Gao Yang nodded. “...You may proceed.”

...

The door to the laboratory opened. Chen Ying walked in with a dry towel hanging on her neck, dressed in soft, fitted gray running clothes with her hair tied into a high ponytail.

“Frost, I’ve been looking for you. Here you are.” Chen Ying was surprised to find Nine Frost alone. “Are you done with work? Come running with me?”

Nine Frost turned to the side and gave her a small smile, his eyes soft.

“Good timing. I have something to say to you, Chen Ying.”