Release

What Ivan gave Han Qingyu was his extreme specialty eruption state. In all he had witnessed in his life, Han Qingyu was the only person capable of acquiring another's specialty. Of course, the reality remained filled with too many unknowns. Only a small number of Yanxiu were currently recognized, and Han Qingyu was perhaps not the only one. As for the Yanxiu within General Ivan, it could not be passed on voluntarily, nor could succession be guaranteed simply because only two people were present within a certain radius. According to Zhe Qiuhong's earlier assessment, Alphonse's Yanxiu voluntarily migrating into He Tangtang was the true exception. In most cases, when a bearer died, the Yanxiu's fate was either to perish alongside them due to being too deeply fused with the bearer, or, more often, to have its consciousness temporarily disperse and coalesce anew somewhere indeterminable, perhaps resurfacing on any other person. It was completely impervious to time, space, and human will or methods. No one knew whether General Ivan's Yanxiu would die with him or disperse to parts unknown. Beneath the Mid-Autumn moonlight, Han Qingyu's body gradually transformed into molten lava, immense agony corroding skin, muscle, internal organs, and everything else. Gritting his teeth, Han Qingyu fought to convert and absorb it... He knew he couldn't actually retain someone else's specialty. Yet when General Ivan had misunderstood and made this choice—traveling thousands of miles in a dying state to carry it out—Han Qingyu had no other choice. The only thing he could do was try his absolute best. At this moment, Han Qingyu did not wish in the slightest to say that General Ivan was making one final contribution to humanity right up to his death. Because over those years, humanity—or at least Azure—had undoubtedly broken General Ivan's heart. He did not want this great warrior, at the edge of death, to look back on all of that again, to recall those lonely years. Only the two of them stood along the riverbank. As Han Qingyu's body began to burn, General Ivan's body gradually dimmed. Unlike back at Winter Palace Square in Xiongzhanli, Ivan did not say "I entrust this to you" this time. He did not hand Xiongzhanli over to Han Qingyu, nor did he mention this world or humanity. Because at the height they stood, many things came naturally and were simply unavoidable. "Be on guard against the aftereffects of your eruption. I believe humanity must be missing something, or it wouldn't be like this." Even at the final moment, he spoke only of the most practical things. "Understood," Han Qingyu replied, looking at him and nodding. At the same time, on the hillside on this side of the river, Wen Jifei and Wu Xu stood up; Rusty Sister and the others stood up, raising their hands in a silent salute to General Ivan. Across the river, Pegmont abandoned his plan for an ambush as well. He stood up, saluting in farewell while grumbling inwardly, *Old guy, you're out of line. I escorted you all this way, and you didn't even give me anything... Even if you couldn't, doing this—how am I supposed to cut him down in the future?!* No one would have imagined Pegmont would be the first whose eyes blurred with tears. He did not look at all like someone who would be that way. Throughout this journey, bringing the dying General Ivan here, Pegmont had cursed and complained the entire way, nearly making Ivan explode with fury several times. Yet deep down, he knew he was witnessing the final chapter of a great human warrior's life. Now, that journey had reached its end. *Whoosh!* A fiery-red combat blade landed in front of Pegmont, its flames dispersing. Ivan turned his head and said, "Thank you, kid." Pegmont fell silent. "Actually, you are the person I've seen who might become humanity's strongest in the future," Ivan continued, adding abruptly, "Trust me. You must always believe that, and always keep going like this." "Huh? Old man, have you gone crazy again?" Pegmont said. He had always been conceited, but no matter how cocky he was, he had never imagined he might be humanity's strongest. *Could I really be stronger than Legion Commander Chen Buer? I can't even beat Han Qingyu. Though, to be fair, I can't be killed either.* "Fine, I'll admit you've got an eye for talent," Pegmont added, tears rolling down his cheeks. Ivan smiled and turned back. At this moment, everyone, Han Qingyu included, knew clearly that he wasn't crazy. He was in a lucid state, calm and composed, with an unpretentious smile. As for why he had suddenly said that to Pegmont, it no longer mattered. Just then, the flames on Ivan's body flared bright once more—the final burn. "General," Han Qingyu saluted. "Mm." Ivan nodded. He looked at him, then gazed toward the figures on the hillside. "Are you grieving for me?" He smiled gently and said in earnest: "There's no need. Because to me, this is actually a release. "Out of the last ten-odd years of my life, only these past few days have been easy and peaceful. To be able to depart in a state like this—I consider it destiny's final favor. "It's just that from now on, this world will be a heavy burden on all of you. "Just think of me as slacking off," he said with a smile. "Yes, sir," they responded together from both sides of the river, Han Qingyu and the others forcing a smile. They roughly knew that General Ivan had endured immense agony and torment, yet none could truly fathom the depth of that suffering. And he had been acutely aware of this suffering, aware that he had lost his mind... So perhaps it had been even more painful than what General Jiang Longchi went through. And so, they did their best to send him off with smiles. "That's that, then," Ivan said with a smile, waving a hand. Over the mountains, forest, and river, an autumn night breeze blew past. His raised hand vanished, and then his body vanished... Time: September 20, 1994. Location: Mountainous region of Yuejiang Province, Huaxia; near No. 15 Field Hospital. Former commander of the Azure Xiongzhanli Front Combat Corps, one of the most powerful warriors in human history, the only decorated warrior in human history to date who had severely wounded a Daie-class Great Spike in single combat—the Butcher, Ivan Andreyevich, made the ultimate sacrifice and dispersed into the autumn wind. Only the tales of him would endure forever in Xiongzhanli and the future history of humanity. And his signature molten lava flames still burned on—burning upon Han Qingyu. *** "You..." Wen Jifei glanced at the red-haired guy on the hillside across the river. He had long since holstered his rifle, as there was no doubt this was an ally. "The name's Pegmont." He Tangtang: "Who?" Pegmont: "..." "Number one on the Cloud Piercer Leaderboard—the one Qingzi kicked off," Zhe Qiuhong reminded them. Pegmont: "..." *I haven't been on the Cloud Piercer Leaderboard for ages, all right? I'm a super now too. Though, as for the Dome Leaderboard...* *Whatever. Ivan just said I'm the one who'll be the strongest in humanity.* "Hey, Major Qing, right?" Pegmont shouted. Han Qingyu looked up with difficulty. "Seeing as you're sick, I'll cut you down next time. And by the way, that hairstyle of yours is totally lame." With that, Pegmont turned around, tossed his red hair, shouldered the blade General Ivan had left him, and vanished into the woods on the opposite bank.