Hell looked at her like that and let out a light, noncommittal laugh.
There was no mockery in that laugh, only a calm “I knew it.”
Luna pressed her lips together.
To cover her embarrassment, she lifted her head and looked at Hell, her tone tinged with complex emotions.
“So in the end, your goal was still to use me to achieve your own objectives.”
Hearing this, Hell spread his hands. The gesture was casual and natural, as if stating something obvious.
“Isn’t that only natural?”
His voice carried a hint of “you just realized that?”
“I’m a villain, not some good guy.”
Luna looked at Hell, at that white mask, at the slowly flowing red “V” symbol on it, at his completely matter-of-fact attitude—
She suddenly didn’t know what to say.
Right.
He was a villain.
He always had been.
How could she have thought, even for a moment, that he might be a good person?
How utterly stupid of her.
Luna lowered her head, pulled the blanket tighter around herself, and said nothing.
The girl stared at her own blanket-wrapped body, then lifted her head again to fix her gaze on the man sitting in the chair. Countless questions churned in her mind, and she decided to start with the most important one.
“Next question—”
Her voice turned serious, those pale golden eyes locking onto Hell.
“What’s the truth behind the birth of the Crystal Husks? Did you people create them all?”
Now Luna’s tone carried an edge of accusation.
“Was the Crystal Husk Crack crisis that appeared in the city also caused by you?”
“Not entirely.”
Hell leaned back in his chair, listening to her questions, recalling the original work’s settings in his mind. Then he shook his head slightly.
“The Crystal Husks truly appeared in this world without any warning—that part has nothing to do with us, the Eternal Night Gospel.”
Luna’s brow furrowed slightly.
“It’s just that the Eternal Night Gospel has mastered the method of producing Crystal Husks.”
Hell continued, his tone taking on an explanatory note.
“Though we can control them, we can only control the ones produced in our own factories. Those Crystal Husks that appear out of thin air from the cracks… can’t be controlled.”
Luna nodded thoughtfully. She thought for a moment, then asked again.
“So… the Crystal Husks that come from the cracks have nothing to do with you?”
“The Crystal Husks are just tools to help the organization complete its missions.”
Hell spread his hands, the gesture casual and natural, his voice carrying a sense of obviousness.
“Releasing Crystal Husks for no reason does us no good at all.”
Luna pressed her lips together. She was silent for a few seconds, then lifted her head, her expression turning more serious.
“Then next—I want to know the intelligence on the Eternal Night Gospel.”
The girl’s voice held urgency and a hint of anticipation.
“How many of you are there? Where is the headquarters? What’s the next action plan? And—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.”
Hell raised a hand, cutting off Luna’s rapid-fire questions. Those eyes that always carried a hint of weariness now held exasperation and amusement.
“I said I’d answer your questions—but I never said I’d answer this many of them.”
Luna was stunned.
Hell looked at the girl, his tone teasing.
“If I told you everything you wanted to know, would you take me for an idiot?”
Luna’s face flushed slightly. She lowered her head and muttered quietly.
“…Found me out.”
Her voice was as soft as a mosquito’s buzz, but Hell heard it clearly.
He let out a soft “hmph” and said nothing more.
Luna lifted her head, about to try again—but Hell kept going.
“Of course, the questions you want to know aren’t necessarily off-limits.”
Hell’s tone carried a hint of deeper meaning.
“But—”
Luna’s eyes lit up faintly, and she unconsciously leaned forward.
“But?”
Hell looked at the girl’s expectant eyes and spoke slowly.
“You have to complete the missions I give you before I’ll tell you what you want to know.”
He paused, his tone turning serious.
“Just like destroying the Crystal Husk production factory tonight.”
Luna’s expression froze.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found she didn’t know what to say. After several seconds, she finally forced out a sentence.
“I—I am a dignified Goddess Angel. How could I take orders from a villain like you…”
But as she spoke, Luna’s voice grew weaker and weaker, losing its confidence.
Because she knew.
She had already been completely controlled by this guy.
From the very first meeting, from that abandoned warehouse, from the moment he threatened her with Hestia, from when she used her smartphone to call for help, from when she almost self-destructed just now—
She had already fallen completely into his grasp.
Her rebuttal now was nothing more… than a powerless resistance.
Luna lowered her head, pulled the blanket tighter around herself, and said nothing.
But in those pale golden eyes, a storm of complex emotions churned endlessly.
Hell watched Luna’s eyes, swirling with countless emotions, and knew she was hesitating, struggling, weighing the pros and cons of this deal.
So he decided to add more fuel to the fire.
“It looks like you finally understand your situation.”
His voice was flat, but it carried a sense of “you’ve finally figured it out.”
Luna didn’t answer, only pressed her lips together.
“So, I’m going to make a deal with you.”
Hell continued, his tone turning serious. He paused, speaking each word deliberately.
“You will follow my orders from now on and carry out the missions I give you. As payment, you’ll get the intelligence you want.”
He looked at the girl, the red “V” symbol on his mask slowly flowing.
“This way, you can learn more about the Eternal Night Gospel and deal with it more effectively.”
At this point, Hell leaned forward slightly.
“What do you think?”
Luna was silent. She kept her head down, staring at the edge of the blanket, countless thoughts surging in her mind.
Follow his orders? Carry out his missions?
That would be… becoming his pawn completely, wouldn’t it?
But… this guy was right.
She really did want to understand the Eternal Night Gospel, wanted to know the truth, wanted to find a way to end this war.
And the man in front of her was the only one who could give her that information.
What should she do?
Hell watched Luna’s hesitation and let out a soft sigh. His tone softened a little, carrying a hint of reassurance.
“Don’t worry.”
Luna looked up at him.
“I won’t make you do anything that harms the Goddess Angel Alliance. If I do, you can refuse to carry it out.”
Hell continued.
“What I ask you to do will be directed at the Eternal Night Gospel. After all, like I said just now—I want to root out the cancer within the Eternal Night Gospel.”
With that, Hell spread his hands slightly.
“But as an Adjudicator, I can’t act directly. So… I need a sharp blade to do it for me. You get what I mean?”
Luna looked at Hell, listened to his words, and fell silent for a long time. His meaning was crystal clear. So she took a deep breath.
“Really… all the missions are aimed at the Eternal Night Gospel?”
The girl’s voice was very soft, carrying a final trace of doubt and caution.
“Absolutely.”
Hell nodded. His voice was firm and earnest.
“You can rest assured.”
Luna looked at Hell, at that white mask, at the red “V” symbol slowly flowing on it.
She thought for a long time. Then, slowly, she nodded.
“I agree.”
The girl’s voice was very soft, but carried a firm resolve.
Hearing this, Hell clapped his hands lightly.
The gesture was casual and natural, as if he had just completed an ordinary transaction.
“Good.”
His voice held a note of satisfaction.
“Then from now on—”
Hell’s tone turned teasing.
“You’re my loyal slave.”