Endless Debt Chapter 1131: Finale: Astronaut

Utter darkness enveloped Xilin as he scanned his surroundings, a void that seemed to devour all light. Before him stretched an immense white desert, devoid of any greenery, water, or signs of animal life.

His feet met cold sand and soil. With a gentle surge of Ether, Xilin easily analyzed the material composition: mere gray dust and rocks.

The ground was scarred with countless craters, their origins mysterious, as if from some colossal impact. These lunar pockmarks varied greatly in size and depth, with some plunging astonishingly deep, carving sheer cliffs dozens of meters high into the terrain.

Beyond the impact sites, protruding rock formations displayed geological textures evocative of weeping or the dense structure of solidified basaltic lava, patterns made starkly clear under the dim light.

This was not Xilin's initial visit to this desolate realm. Each arrival brought a profound sense of disorientation and unfamiliarity, as though the very land defied the fabric of reality.

Yet, Xilin was aware of its tangible existence, albeit far removed from any familiar landscape.

Gazing upward, through colossal, drifting stones resembling mountains, Xilin perceived the blue planet hanging in the celestial gaps.

Summoned by the Devil, Xilin now found himself suspended in the void, having reached the Moon, which loomed high in the heavens.

In the distance, dust-laden hills were visible, appearing swathed in a thick, grey-green shroud. This expansive dust layer resembled a dense fog or a pervasive black 'tumor' clinging to the lunar surface.

After traversing some distance, Xilin spotted the sole inhabitant of this stark, monochrome world: a figure encased in a bulky diving suit.

He looked like a dedicated farmer, toiling in a forgotten, desolate land, unseen and unknown.

"Hey, Xilin."

Leviathan ceased his labor, standing upright to regard Xilin with keen eyes. A chuckle resonated from beneath the heavy hood. "It’s been quite some time since I last saw you in such a state. Truly a trip down memory lane."

Xilin harbored no fondness for Leviathan, even a deep aversion, yet he recognized his indispensable need for him.

This Devil perpetually exuded an aura of calm control, as if every event unfolded according to his design, mirroring his own recent resurrection.

Xilin had already succumbed to despair, and yet, a miracle had transpired.

"Why did you summon me?" Xilin inquired.

"Oh, nothing momentous. I merely wished to discuss future endeavors," Leviathan replied, adopting the tone of a corporate executive. "After all, you've regained your physical form. Whatever you aspire to achieve, no one should be able to impede you now."

As Leviathan spoke, he maneuvered a peculiar 'cargo' with his feet. It was at this moment that Xilin noticed the object, his gaze momentarily locked, compelling him to ask.

"What is this?"

"Hmm… let me ascertain the appropriate description," Leviathan mused, considering how best to explain to Xilin. "Consider it akin to how organic beings manage their metabolic processes."

"You absorb sustenance and its vital essence, and consequently, you must expel the resulting waste."

Leviathan dragged the cargo towards the precipice of the Ring Mountain, where deep shadows concealed the bottom of the chasm, revealing a murky pile of numerous bodies.

"You can perceive this as the metabolic residue of a resurrection," he elaborated.

Leviathan peered down at the cargo, which was indeed a person, an adult male. His face bore an uncanny resemblance to Bologue; in fact, it was Bologue himself.

The body, however, was undeniably deceased.

With a forceful kick, Leviathan sent the corpse tumbling down the incline of the Ring Mountain. It stirred a cloud of lunar dust as it descended, joining the heap of fallen forms.

"What precisely is he?" Xilin felt compelled to ask. "Bologue Lazarus… what purpose does he serve?"

"He is much like yourself, merely a component, an instrument for achieving a specific outcome."

Leviathan gestured for Xilin to accompany him. "Let it be for now; we can set him aside and focus on you."

He then posed a question. "Regarding yourself, Xilin, have you no inquiries for me?"

A profound silence fell over Xilin. After a considerable pause, an open-air cinema materialized on the distant horizon. It was then that Xilin finally spoke.

"How did you accomplish it?"

"Which aspect specifically?"

"All of it. How did you retrieve my body?"

This was the enigma that perplexed Xilin. Nesanel could have easily concealed his body deep within the Cultivation Room, yet he had deliberately courted such danger to bring it onto the battlefield, citing preparations for a trade with the King's Secret Sword. The explanation, however, was riddled with such obvious inconsistencies that Xilin found it utterly unbelievable.

"I retain a certain measure of influence within the Order Bureau; securing their assistance presents no significant obstacle."

"And what of Gray?"

Xilin voiced the question that troubled him most: why had Gray appeared at the brink of his demise?

Gray's actions and comprehension seemed flawless and absolute. Yet, Xilin mused, could such extreme perfection, such an unimpeachable facade, be the most profound imperfection of all?

The deeper Xilin pondered, the more a chilling premonition gripped him; it felt as though Leviathan possessed absolute power, capable of manipulating the entire world to fulfill its desires once a decision was made.

Leviathan casually responded, "Oh? This particular matter involves no schemes or deceptions. I simply possess a profound understanding of Mammon's character and Gray's intentions."

"When one comprehends another individual sufficiently," Leviathan continued, "their actions often become remarkably foreseeable."