Thank You

In the gloom, adrift in pitch-black darkness, his consciousness was hazy. His head ached terribly. As if he had struck something. He could not recall where he was, forgot who he was, or what had happened. He felt only drowsy, exhausted, wanting nothing more than to slip into a deep, endless slumber. He seemed to hear voices—intermittent, fragmented, without beginning or end. Gradually, they became clear. "...Mm, this one can sort of count as my junior apprentice brother, I suppose. Though his talent and wit don't match a ten-thousandth of mine, he's barely passable. Whatever swordsmith business needs doing, just leave it to him. He'll be in Your Majesty's care from now on." "No wonder!" The other voice marveled in realization. "We were wondering—after hundreds of years, with Our Eternal Empire long gone, why would a Mohist drop down here to assassinate the sovereign? To think that after a mere few centuries, the two schools have merged into one? Truly remarkable!" "Ah, it's actually pretty complicated, but let's just leave it at that... Only, you won't blame me, will you?" "Why would We? Knowing people and assigning them well is an exceedingly rare virtue. We can hardly praise it enough." "You think too highly of me again," Ye Chun sighed. "I just like running away, that's all." At that, the voice burst into hearty laughter, slapping the armrest in high spirits. "If you wanted to run away, why return before Us?" Ye Chun fell silent and did not reply. After a long while, she let out a quiet sigh. Ji Jue suddenly felt a hand seize his hair, hauling him up. Panting, she slung him over her back. Unfortunately, he was upside down. His head hung low, aching. And it struck something! Twice. Just like that, half-dragging, half-heaving this overly heavy burden—as if dragging a dead dog—she panted and turned to bid farewell: "Then please excuse my departure." "Need an escort?" asked the voice, sounding like a warm, genial middle-aged uncle. "No need, I can manage." "Let Us walk you to the door; it isn't far. It's only a few steps, yet you're winded like this. Take care of your health—have you been eating properly?" The talkative old man sighed with nostalgic emotion, gesturing as he spoke. "We remember back when that woman who abandoned the seat of the swordsmith brought you here. Back then, you were so thin and tiny, looking as if you'd stop breathing and die if someone blinked. Caused Us quite a bit of worry. Yet before We knew it, you've grown this big." "...Thank you for your concern. I'm more or less healthy, good for a decent while yet." "Now that you've even found a live-in husband, hurry up and pop out a child!" The uncle urged, "Bring the little one for Us to see when the time comes. No need to fret over taboos—whether named Ye or not, boy or girl, it makes no difference. We are hardly some stubborn antique." ! In his daze, Ji Jue felt another sharp pain in his head. Had he dropped to the ground again? Why 'again'? "I told you, he's not a live-in husband!" "Huh? Marrying a groom into the family isn't in fashion anymore? Fine, marrying down works too, but there still must be formal betrothal gifts and a proper wedding, right? What is this boy's family background? Let Us lay out the harsh truth first: finding a Mohist so broke he'd pawn the pants off his backside is one thing, but no matter how open-minded We are, We cannot condone a junior running off to elope—" "...So you haven't listened to a single word I've said, have you?" Ye Chun let out a resentful sigh. "Besides, elders nagging about marriage is considered terribly obnoxious in this day and age!" "Mmh, it was terribly obnoxious in Our day as well." The voice sounded increasingly smug. "Yet We thoroughly enjoy it!" Amidst a low rumble, the sound of heavy doors opening echoed out. "All right, go on, go on," the uncle sighed. "If you can't hold out, don't force it. If you feel unwell, head back quickly. There isn't even an attendant in this place; if you vomit here, We will have to clean it up in person. And next time, don't bring over some robot vacuum. We don't know how to use it, We don't know how to fix it, and it just gets on Our nerves." "At least do some chores, Your Majesty..." Ye Chun sighed, heaving Ji Jue onto her shoulder, and bowed one final time. "Thank you for looking after us. Until next time." "Hah!" The voice behind the doors laughed. "Shouldn't it be farewell forever?" No one replied. In the silence, the doors swung shut. From then on, a long, arduous journey stretched ahead. Through countless tangled thoughts, Ji Jue drifted between wakefulness and stupor. More often than not, in his delirium, he slipped into one nonsensical dream after another. He had fallen into the ocean, chased by a shark. The shark was pedaling a tricycle, catching up fast. Don't be afraid, I have an airplane. But it was dark, the plane wouldn't work. Close call, so close, narrowly escaped. He smelled citrus and lime, sweet and crisp. Had summer arrived? Too tired. No doing practice problems today. Take a break, sleep a little longer. So sleepy. The oranges were so sweet; he wanted to eat more. He heard weary panting and grumbling. It sounded like someone was cursing Ji Jue. Who was Ji Jue? What on earth was a 'grindset tryhard'? He forced his eyes open with great effort. In his blurred vision, he saw a sky brimming with iridescent light. In the pitch blackness, stars seemed to glitter, and there was a hazy face covered in dust. Carrying him on her back, step by step forward. "Mom..." Ji Jue murmured blankly. In the silence, she looked back in surprise. The expression on her face seemed to soften for an instant. Sighing helplessly, she reached out and pinched his cheek. "Fine, I won't hold it against you." "...From now on, you'd better remember your big sister's immense kindness, understand?" Big sister? Through the haze and stupor, Ji Jue's eyes shifted slightly. As if finally recognizing who she was, his lips parted with difficulty. Delighted, Ye Chun leaned in close to listen, only to hear a bewildered murmur: "...Salted fish?" [?] "Heheh... the paper... almost finished..." Ji Jue laughed foolishly, triumphant. "Hungry... go whip up a couple of dishes for me... extra... spicy..." ! Expressionless, Ye Chun pulled back her fist. Then she threw another punch. Thinking it over, she still felt unsatisfied, so she delivered one more punch, followed by several swift kicks! Setting Ji Jue on the ground, she backed up two steps, took a running start, leaped into the air, and kicked him hard! Ungrateful bastard! I was out of my damn mind coming to fish you out! Next time, rot to death at the bottom of the vortex all by yourself! Even if you end up enslaved to a lonely old hermit, weeping and kowtowing that you know better, not a single soul will give a damn about you! Just like that, Ye Chun made up her mind—a little too late. Then, huffing with fury, she hauled him up by the leg like a dead dog and set off once more. The way back was long. A fine day had a fine morning, a fine midday, and a fine afternoon. As the afternoon bells of the dilapidated church rang out, surrounded by the passionate hymns sung by the faithful, the aged Hierophant would often take a sip of black tea and sigh with deep emotion: that day more than half a year ago had truly been thrilling and precarious. Thank goodness he had fled early! Otherwise, how could he be basking in such splendid sunshine now? How could he have built up such a grand enterprise from scratch? Slurp~ A contented sigh escaped his throat. This was what people called peace and serenity. Until hasty footsteps sounded outside, and someone drenched in sweat burst in, beaming with uncontrollable joy: "Hierophant! Joyous tidings! Tremendous joy, great news!" "Huh?" Taken aback, the Hierophant stood up instinctively. "Did someone come to donate money? Quick, take me to receive them—" "No, not that... No, no!" Panting heavily, his face radiant with excitement, the follower shouted, "I... I just heard over at the Wild Gathering! It's Lu... Lu... Lu Changsheng, the Sacrificial Lord Sage has resurrected! He has risen from the dead! Rising after death—truly a holy miracle!" "What the hell?!" In utter shock, the Hierophant's eyes widened, and he shrieked, "What the fuck did you just say?!" "Y-Yesterday!" The follower picked up the teapot, gulped down its contents in great draughts, wiped his mouth, and grinned broadly. "The Sacrificial Lord Sage... he suddenly appeared in the sacrificial temple! He insta-killed a bunch of rabble from the Tianxin Society, Wulou Temple, Blood Eye, Decaying Wind, and the rest! He even killed a Sacrificial Lord and heavily wounded Duke Changle and Duke Anguo—" "Huh?" The Hierophant stared blankly. "What the hell?" Are you talking about the same Lu Changsheng I know? "Not only that, he also seized the Imperial Seal of the Realm! The Imperial Seal of the Realm, the orthodox succession of the Eternal Empire, and even Chixiao manifested!" In his stupor, the Hierophant shuddered, his beard and hair trembling. He shrank back. "And he proclaimed publicly... worthless rabble, heads marked for sale, old dog Tianlu..." The follower babbled disjointedly about what he had heard, finding it harder and harder to contain his joy. Yet he noticed that the aged Hierophant seemed to be trembling, more and more. He had to be just like him—his blood boiling with fervor! "The Sacrificial Lord Sage said at the end: 'Once I establish the Evil Transmutation Holy Dynasty, I shall transform evil into righteousness, setting right what is broken. When the time comes, every follower will be granted the rank of marquis...'" ! The teacup slipped from the Hierophant's fingers, shattering to pieces. Shivering, soaked in cold sweat, his eyes grew hollow. Unable to hold it back any longer, he let out a shrill, mournful shriek as though mourning his own parents. "—Lu Changsheng, fuck your mother to hell, aaaaagh!!!" Goddamn Imperial Seal of the Realm! Goddamn worthless rabble! Goddamn old dog Tianlu! You pull off such a world-shattering stunt—you're amazing, you're high and mighty, you're a genius! But what about me?! I... I... "No, pack your things right now!" The Hierophant rose in sheer terror. "We can't stay here any longer! Hurry, move fast, we're going to Mid-—" BOOM!!! At that instant, the wall collapsed. Countless masonry fragments exploded inward, whistling past, instantly grinding the stunned follower right before the Hierophant's eyes into a paste of flesh and blood. Splattering everywhere. Through the settling dust, sunlight slanted in, illuminating the figure stepping through the ruined wall. Looking at him. "Evil Transmutation Cult, correct?" Dazed and shivering, the Hierophant nodded with great difficulty. "Fine. Keep this one. Bring him back to slice up and study," the intruder said, nodding, before instructing the people behind him: "Kill everyone else connected. Leave none alive." The rasp of swords leaving their scabbards rang out. The hymns ceased; the sanctuary was stained with blood. Soon, everything was engulfed in flames, thick smoke billowing up into the sky. Such fires and plumes of smoke had been rising uninterrupted across the material realm since yesterday—one after another, place after place, area upon area. From the Federation Security Bureau to the Imperial Secrecy Bureau, from the Four Kings of Mid-Continent to the countless fiends and monsters of the Thousand Islands, down to the Tianxin Society, Decaying Wind, Blood Eye, Wulou Temple... Every pair of bloodshot eyes honed their blades, hunting down every shred of a lead on the Evil Transmutation Cult. A ferocious sweep was unleashed; suspects were dragged out one by one, subjected to brutal torture, and interrogated: What's your surname, your name, your age, how many acres of land does your family own, what did your ancestors do for three generations— And most important of all: where the hell did that dog Lu Changsheng run off to?! They searched the highest heavens to the deepest underworld. Yet neither expanse yielded a trace. Lu Changsheng seemed to have evaporated into thin air, lurking in the shadows... mocking their futile efforts, quietly incubating his next offensive and the tempest to follow. Who knew how many had their composure shattered, how many burned with rage, how many wept? Amidst the sweeping turmoil, chaos reigned supreme in a fight to the death. Meanwhile, alongside the appearance of the Imperial Seal of the Realm and the heavy wounding of the Sower, a 'minor matter' completely outside everyone's expectations occurred that very same day. At the very moment Earth Guard Ellis set forth with sword in hand, the noble Emperor of the Empire was assassinated while enjoying afternoon tea at his imperial villa in the Imperial Capital. Shot through the heart, his life hung by a thread. Three minutes later, martial law was declared in the capital. Within an hour, the Secrecy Bureau scoured an area of a thousand li. Finally, three hours later, they determined the scene of the sniper: just outside a small city on the fringes of the Empire, atop the highest snow mountain in the material realm. Six thousand one hundred and six kilometers away from the villa. Amidst the howling blizzard and frost, the assailant had long vanished. Left behind on a velvet cloth laid atop a boulder was a vintage hunting rifle and a single spent casing. Along with a single feather of the White Owl, swaying in the wind. Nirvana! Before one wave could subside, another rose, followed by yet another. Time itself seemed to have turned alien in an instant. Watching the news, people stood dumbfounded, staring at one another in shock. They looked up blankly toward the sky. Was this still the world they had once known? Amidst bewilderment and hesitation, they could not help but wonder: Where would everything go from here on out? One week later. The same afternoon, under the same sunlight. Xinxiang Sanatorium. Bougainvillea beside the flower beds hung in vivid cascades, swaying gently in the breeze. Ji Jue sat in a wheelchair, holding a phone in his hand. After hesitating for so many days, he finally made up his mind and dialed that number. A brief dial tone sounded from the receiver. Soon, the call connected. From the other end came a warm, serene voice. "Ji Jue? How rare for you to contact me on your own. Is something the matter?" After hesitating for a long time, Ji Jue finally spoke: "Guardian... Lyu." "Hm?" Lyu Yingyue sounded puzzled. Ji Jue said, "Thank you." "Oh? Did I do another good deed?" The voice on the other end seemed to chuckle, asking curiously, "I heard your teacher broke your legs again recently, multiple times. It's rare to see her this angry; you really have terrible luck. No matter how much you flatter me, I can't plead your case for you. My hands are tied." "I..." Ji Jue opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. Amidst this overly long silence, he finally steeled his resolve and told her: "Besides me, this is also what someone else wanted me to tell you." "Thank you." He repeated it once more, "Thank you." Silence descended yet again. As if she had frozen. Yet it was impossible to tell whether she understood or did not. Only faint breathing could be heard, along with the quiet murmurs of an office and the clicking of keyboard keys. After a long time, when memories that stretched too far back finally reached their end, a soft sigh came through. "...Thank you for passing that along to me, Ji Jue." Lyu Yingyue said, "You don't need to dwell on anything. If anything, I'm the one who should be thanking her. After all this time, I thought... no, it's nothing." She fell quiet for a long while. Yet amidst the silence this time, a gentle chuckle seemed to drift across. "You did very well, Ji Jue." Lyu Yingyue said, "She will be proud of you." "I know." Ji Jue smiled as well. And so, following those brief words of care, came their farewell, and the call ended. It was as though nothing had happened. Yet in the quiet, leaning back in his wheelchair, he could not resist looking up, gazing at the afternoon firmament. A weight lifted from his heart. Amidst the green leaves, a bird spread its wings beneath the amber sunlight, soaring aloft into that boundless expanse of azure. A gentle breeze blew in from the distance. "What lovely weather." As long-absent fatigue welled up once more, washing over him bit by bit like warm sea water, Ji Jue closed his eyes and sank into a deep sleep. There was neither darkness nor fire in his dreams. Only brilliant sunlight.