My wife is an immortal black snake.

Page 18

Margarita realized that she seemed to be the one who was slow to act and always one step behind in this matter.

She wanted to express her feelings to Yang Hao, but due to her own insecurity, lack of self-confidence, and other factors, she was the one who arrived too late. If it weren't for Mr. Jack's tip, perhaps she still wouldn't know the true nature of Yang Hao's relationship with that "Koschche."

She harbored an undisguised and intense hostility towards Koschei. But she wasn't simply venting all her anger on the Ursus monster... she was also pondering, "Why?"

...

Not only was she a step behind in her feelings for Yang Hao, but she was also a step behind in this crucial matter of protecting him. Logically, with her ability to foresee the future, she should have been the first to detect the threat and prepare for it... but she wasn't. Margarita wasn't prepared; she could only foresee the enemy's invasion, but not what Yang Hao would do to prepare for it.

Margarita was able to deduce some reasons related to herself regarding this matter. One of them was that she had never used her [prophecy] ability on Yang Hao, never.

"The seventh one's done... hiss... but the casualties among the snake scales..."

She silently watched the man she loved beside her... because of her immaturity, her lack of confidence, her... procrastination, her slowness, and the man taken away by the monsters of Ursus.

If I used the [Prophecy] on Yang Hao and knew who he would contact in the future, perhaps I could prepare in advance and act before he met that person and contacted that monster... and stop him, right? Then I could live with him forever, right?

But Margarita wouldn't do that. On one hand, she knew very well that [prophecy]... wasn't an ability used against... not against family. She shouldn't interfere just because she could [predict] the consequences of every choice he made—that would not only disregard Yang Hao's personal will, but it wasn't the kind of relationship Margarita desired between them.

On the other hand... she also knew that Yang Hao would feel uncomfortable about this. His feelings were what Margarita cared about most. Therefore, she had never used [prophecy] on Yang Hao, even if it could [foresee] his future—perhaps Margarita would only do so with his consent?

...So she didn't do it.

"The eighth one—! Okay, two more to go... but the Assassin secret police are almost here..."

Margarita believes that the second major reason she was a step behind in this matter is...

She knew she was immature. Yes, she was immature at all, very naive, naively believing he could wait forever, naively believing the enemy wouldn't attack when they were most relaxed, naively believing... nothing unexpected would happen.

Margarita even sadly hoped that all of this was her own fault, that it was all her own doing that made her seem so pathetic... But what didn't even give her a target called "self," a chance to blame herself, to torture herself, was that this "immaturity" wasn't her fault at all.

Margarita is a Sarkaz Blood Demon. Her lifespan is several hundred years, and she has only lived for 26 years. In the Blood Demon's mind, she is still a child. She needs at least another 70 years to become a true adult in the Blood Demon race, but when she was still an infant, her parents, who could have given her a Blood Demon education, all passed away.

Even if she could see her parents' ghosts now, what good would it do? They could no longer teach Margarita. As a Blood Demon, Margarita had lost her parents who had educated her, and she was forced to begin struggling to survive on this land as an immature child... While other Blood Demon children could skillfully navigate social interactions and relationships with other short-lived races thanks to the experience passed down from their parents, Margarita had no one to guide her. She didn't even know how many years Yang Hao, as a short-lived race, could wait for her, or how long her "moment" meant to him.

Because of her immaturity... she's missed out on so much. Because of her immaturity, she didn't even anticipate all the dangers in emergencies, only able to passively prepare through "prophecy." Because of her immaturity, lack of security, and inability to even build self-confidence, she can only passively procrastinate in her relationships...

Margarita was still a child, a child who had to enter society before she could grow up, and as a child, she didn't even have a reason to whip herself to vent her emotions: because it really wasn't her fault.

That's why... Margarita now hates her immature self so much, hates herself for not being able to properly express her feelings to him because of her naivety... But now, is there still a chance? It's...gone, isn't it?

"Ninth...just one more, keep going! Hey? Margarita, what's wrong? We'll be leaving soon, don't be discouraged, okay?"

Worried about her condition, Yang Hao finally had some time to relax and rubbed Margarita's cheeks, hoping that she could recover as soon as possible.

"...Mmm." She nodded bitterly... Was this the feeling brought on by pain? Bitter...sweet, and with it, inexplicable, unwarranted expectations and fantasies...

These complex emotions made her feel as if she had grown up, as if she had the potential to grow from an immature child into a mature and reliable Blood Demon.

...But why is it precisely at times like this, when he is taken away and he himself is hurt, that he can grow?

Is this what the book mentioned? Only through injury can one grow...

...If I had been hurt countless times before, and by the time I met him I was already mature and grown up...

Will everything change now?

She didn't know. She wouldn't use her [prophecy] ability on him without his permission.

"The tenth one...! Great! Margarita, we'll be leaving here soon!"

However, this does not mean that Margarita will not use that ability on herself.

...Pain or injury...let me see my future.

Let me grow... that's what I mean...

...Now I have a reason to mend the fence after the sheep are lost...and catch up with him with a completely new attitude.

She used the prophecy on herself.

This time, she foresaw events decades in the future. She foresaw that at some point she would stand in that tower, before Kosiché, who had replaced the white-haired Vaivain's body.

There, he, still just as young as he is now, is looking at himself.

Chapter 48

When the tenth candidate city lord was assassinated by the Serpent Scales, Yang Hao instantly gained complete control of the city.

Although this control might only last for less than five minutes, it was enough for him!

What is now unfolding before him is the new screen that has been unlocked after he temporarily obtained the position of [City Lord].

[Territory: Border city of Louisiana]

Title: City Lord (Temporary)

Stability: 70%, Resistance: 2%

Daily political points earned: +1

The city's weak claim

City commands can be used

Can command all units under its name to act

Special national policies regarding Colombia can be implemented.

Cities can be split up to create independent districts

Can......

...]

The influx of information gave Yang Hao a terrible headache... not just any headache... but he quickly overcame it with the help of the [Puppet Stage]. He began searching for where he needed to use the systematized information, while also making sure the first Serpent Scale unit came here to join the second Serpent Scale unit, in case of an attack by the Assack State Secret Police.

Margarita watched her silently from the side. She... perhaps understood what she needed to do next.

“Margarita? We can leave in a little while.” Not noticing Margarita’s strange behavior, Yang Hao said, shaking his head, “Just a little while… I’ll take care of it.”

"...Yes." She nodded, having made up her mind.

...

After receiving Margarita's reply, Yang Hao also tried his best to disrupt the city's original plans.

Through the [Puppet Stage], he found the city's original flight path—if nothing unexpected happened, it would have moved towards Bolivar after the other two mercenary groups arrived this afternoon. But now things might be different. Yang Hao directly adjusted the flight path, forcing the city to move towards the heart of Colombia, following the shortest route that would pass through the disaster zone located behind it.

[A city order has been issued, shifting the city's air route from Bolívar to the Colombian interior. Meeting certain criteria, public stability has increased by 1%, currently standing at 71%.]

[Violated (K) state government order. The state government's relationship with the city has deteriorated by -30. Now: -30]

[Betrayal: Due to violating the orders and contracts of the (K) Louisiana State government, the city has acquired the (Betrayal) effect. The effect is: Diplomatic relations decrease by 100, lasting for 1 year.]

[Event: Rebellion]

"...a single hair can affect the whole body."

【rebel:

It was impossible for a Colombian city to rebel against the Colombian government. But now, that (impossibility) has been broken.

The Colombian government has taken note of the unusual nature of this (rebellion). They will investigate every lead related to the rebellion. They may come up empty-handed, but they may also discover your presence beforehand.

'Fuck Colombia' effect: The city temporarily breaks away from the control of the Colombian government, and its relationship with all Colombian cities decreases by 200.

"...Have I dragged all the innocent people into this?" Yang Hao gritted his teeth. After quickly reading through the incident, he began his next adjustment: ordering the city's secret police to fight against the secret police of the two state governments.

This is something he can accomplish with ease. Now that he holds the title of [City Lord], he can easily command all units in the city to act—provided that the [Resistance] and [Stability] values ​​allow, he can even order them to destroy the city on the spot.

However, it doesn't need to go that far. Yang Hao just needs the chaos to continue until he and Margarita can leave the city, enter the wasteland, and then escape towards Ursus.

In his capacity as the "City Lord," he ordered all the city's police to search for and arrest the state government's secret police.

[Event: The City of Freedom]

The city's police were bewildered by the seemingly divinely ordained orders they had received. They had always identified themselves as Colombians, as citizens of a Colombian city—and now the city was ordering them to attack secret agents of their own state government. They couldn't comprehend it, but their bodies obeyed.

Having previously reclaimed their rights during the strike, the workers, upon discovering something amiss in this incident, joined in this absurd farce in order to protect the property they had worked so hard to regain.

'This city has gained true freedom, but what comes after freedom?'

effect:

A full-strength division that experienced the (Colombian Workers Rise) event will begin to take over the city. This unit is classified as (Trained) and is a neutral, uncontrollable unit until you intervene.

Three veteran-level city police units will attempt to maintain order in the city. They will remain neutral with the Workers' Division and will prioritize confronting the state government's secret police.

—A partially-strength Colombian army group has assembled. They will attempt to retake the city; if the city is surrendered, they will not harm the residents, but will instead seek out the key figures of the rebellion.

"...It seems I can't stay in Colombia any longer."

"Yang Hao?"

"...It's nothing. How about coming to Ursus with me in a while?"

Having made preparations for the trip, she didn't nod, but simply held onto Yang Hao's hand and looked at him.

...There's one last thing left. That is, to transfer my property—

Just then, Yang Hao's [Puppet Stage] ability suddenly shut down.

To his astonishment, the [Puppet Stage] displayed that his [City Lord] title had been stripped. Even so, the entire city had already begun to act according to his previous orders.

While maintaining order, the city's police were also hunting down the state government's secret police. Armed groups of workers appeared on the streets to protect their legitimate interests. Because the city was no longer moving toward Bolívar, the city's residents felt a sense of relief for some reason.

The city has already started moving towards Colombia, but that's not the point.

The key point is that Yang Hao witnessed a new event.

[Event: Confirmed]

Lady K is certain that her target is in this city where the rebellion has broken out. She has found you. She has somehow stripped you of all your titles, and she will hunt you down by any means necessary.

'Who did I offend?'

effect:

A gull squad composed of long-lived species will hunt you down. Squad size: 10, Level: Golden Skull.

You need someone to stay behind and slow them down.

"—This is fucking—!! Ouch... Margarita?! Quick, we have to get out of here!"

When Yang Hao blurted out a curse in his astonishment, he instinctively grabbed Margarita's hand. He pulled the inexplicably silent Margarita out of the living room. He didn't have any personal belongings with him, except for his cell phone.

After leaving his home, looking at the chaotic streets in front of him, and seeing members of the Serpent Scale unit, dressed in black uniforms, executing a group of secret police officers, Yang Hao knew that whether he could reach Ursus alive depended on whether he could escape this city today.

Chapter 49

The city descended into chaos. While the police struggled to maintain order, they were also, under a divine revelation, searching for the existence of a secret police force.

They did achieve considerable results. Most of the urban areas that had fallen into chaos due to the city's sudden retreat were stabilized thanks to the police's efforts. The outskirts of the Sarkaz mercenary settlement also remained quiet under the [warning], awaiting further developments.

Meanwhile, the conflict between the secret police was also brought into the open. Perhaps the state government's secret police simply couldn't understand why they, fellow Colombians, would turn against their own compatriots, even going so far as to collude with the secret forces of Ursus? Unaware of the truth, under the control of the puppeteer's strings, the city's police and state government personnel were locked in a bloody battle.

It wasn't just a confrontation between police; the workers—those who had previously sparked strikes—now also took to the streets, banners in hand. They shouted slogans urging residents to stay home, and armed themselves with various tools, searching the streets for any "enemies." They found many who appeared to be trying to steal their spoils of victory.

They might be local criminals, spies infiltrated from other areas, or even secret police from the state government. These workers may not be warriors, but their determination to protect their property and the hard-won gains of their victory is unwavering.

After wiping out the third state government secret police unit, the workers' corps and the city police maintaining order met eyes. They looked at each other in silence, because, after all, they were compatriots from the same city, having bumped into each other while strolling around town.

“Are you also lackeys trying to steal our property?!” a worker wielding a nail gun shouted at the human wall of city police. “Are you also lackeys of the state government?!”

...

Faced with the workers' shouts, the city police exchanged glances and then made way.

In the gap created by the human wall, someone threw something out. The workers looked at each other, then looked closer and realized it was a secret police officer from the state government.

The city police are not their enemies; they are their compatriots standing shoulder to shoulder with them!

The workers cheered and charged toward the city police lines, who laid down their weapons and embraced the burly thugs. They were already cornered by an invisible barrier; the city was destined for freedom, a freedom beyond the reach of both the Bolivarian and Colombian governments.

But what happens after you gain freedom?

...

[Event: Unite!]

The city's police are no longer confused; they have joined forces with the workers. When a city's police and workers unite, no one in that city can stop the birth of a great workers' government!

But this government still needs a leader, someone capable of leading them to a better future. The joint labor and police groups will temporarily elect a strong leader; perhaps you could try your luck?

'I can take this position.' Effect: Become the leader of the United Independent Regime, permanently gain a strong claim to the city, and Colombia will send an endless stream of spies to you and all your friends until they are defeated.