Chapter 737: Lost the Way
Yan Liang pondered for two seconds. “Our casualties.”
“Core East, Nagging Mister, and Black Fish were dead. The first two died at Gao Yang’s hands with the resurrection pills rendered useless. Black Fish was killed by Lithe Snake’s self detonation and didn’t manage to escape the explosion, leaving only pieces of his body.”
“Veggie, Chaos Reflection, and Forest Crane were seriously injured.”
“Forest Crane had protected himself with wood elements and thus escaped death.”
“Veggie was shot by a sniper rifle, then died from exposure to the freezing poisonous mist after blacking out. She came back alive with the resurrection pill.”
“Chaos Reflection hid in a reflective surface and escaped the explosion.”
“None of the three are in danger of dying now. They have been injected with Medicine C. We’ll have to wait for Elder Vermilion Bird’s return for further treatment.”
“Elder Azure Dragon, Succubus, and Xiao Xin have lost consciousness after using the buffing medicine. Six Rime took them back to base.”
“Small Luo and Old Lion aren’t hurt much. They’re now looking for Rune Circuits...”
Growl.
Their conversation stopped when a wild-looking man riding a lion quickly stopped beside Yan Liang and Correcting Sickle.
“Found a Rune Circuit, Elder Yan Liang.”
Old Lion threw the Life Rune Circuit to Yan Liang. “It was thrown under a manhole in an attempt to hide it, it seemed, but my friends found it.”
Yan Liang took the Rune Circuit and closely inspected it. It was the real deal.
He pocketed it and nodded slightly. “Good work. Keep looking for the other Rune Circuits.”
Old Lion shrugged. “My friends have looked everywhere. This is the only one spotted. They can look again, but better not get our hopes up.”
“Look again,” said Yan Liang.
“Understood.” Old Lion rode the lion away. The lion growled once more to make orders to the mammals in the area.
“Let’s return.”
Yan Liang turned around. Correcting Sickle followed.
Yan Liang stayed silent the whole way back, dissatisfied with the results.
He had mobilized half of the Guild members with a perfect ambush and assault strategy all planned out and well-prepared. Still, they failed to kill Gao Yang. They didn’t even manage to strike a heavy blow on the core members of the Nine Scions. Moreover, they recovered only one Rune Circuit.
While Yan Liang didn’t lose this battle, he didn’t win, either.
Gao Yang would only get stronger after this. They would have a harder time in future fights.
Ha. Yan Liang laughed bitterly inside. The Divine Scion is blessed by God for certain.
...
Surnamed Li’s place, Sea View Tower, three o’clock in the morning.
Bam!
Colorless barged through the door to Surnamed Li’s bedroom. Surnamed Li was awake, sitting in her wheelchair with a blanket on her lap. She seemed lost in the night view outside the window wall.
“Perhaps your dream is incomplete...” Colorless still couldn’t accept it. “Just like the Crimson Tide. Your dream did turn out true, but it wasn’t the full picture. The end wasn’t included...”
“Gao Yang kills everyone. Does the ending matter to humans, then?”
Colorless had nothing to say to that.
“I can’t just sit around and do nothing, Colorless. I have to try to change fate, even if there’s only a one-in-a-billion chance for me to succeed. Otherwise, we’ll all be dead sooner or later.”
Colorless clenched her fists. She scoffed, still unable to accept her reasoning. “So you sold Chen Ying out just like that? The one who saw you as a mother?”
“She said that she would give everything for her goal,” said Surnamed Li.
“Her goal is to protect Little Tian!” Colorless could no longer contain herself. “Little Tian’s dead! Dead, you hear me?!”
“Just because of your dream, almost all members of the third team are dead! They are our companions! What did you say in the past? You said that all weak ones had the right to live, to choose freedom, dignity, and hope! We can become the sea! We can...”
Colorless couldn’t continue. Her eyes were red with fury. “You liar! Hypocrite! Wretched woman!”
“I choose humanity.” Surnamed Li’s gaze turned determined. “Little Tian’s dead, but more human children may have the chance to live yet.”
“You are the devil.” Colorless stared at her icily.
Surnamed Li broke into a smile. It was tired and bleak. “What are you waiting for? Do it. Do what you must.”
“Don’t think I won’t.” Colorless’ eyes glinted red dangerously. She could turn Surnamed Li into a stone statue in two seconds.
Surnamed Li let out a long sigh. “The devil will give you some advice before my passing.”
“Qilin’s a cruel man of ambition, but he may just be humanity’s only hope. Dragon’s a mad man. He doesn’t care about humanity or even the world. He’s a slave to freedom.”
“And Gao Yang is the Malediction.”
“I’ve made my choice. You’ll make yours. I hope neither of us regrets our decisions.” Surnamed Li closed her eyes and faced her death with open arms.
Colorless stared at her. Surnamed Li’s eyelashes were turning into stone and falling off, but that was the end of the psychic damage she inflicted.
Silence followed and lingered.
The anger and red light in Colorless’ eyes slowly dimmed.
Her shoulders sagged. “I won’t kill you. I’m in no place to judge you.”
Surnamed Li opened her eyes and looked at Colorless. “What is your choice?”
“I’ll stay in the Hundred Rivers Union. If Gao Yang really is the Malediction, I’ll do what I can in my way.”
“From now on, I’ll have no respect or goodwill for you. I’ll forever look down on and despise you, until my death or the end of time.”
Surnamed Li didn’t say or show anything on her face.
Slowly, she turned her wheelchair back to the window and the sparkling city outside.
A few seconds later, Colorless left without closing the door.
The room was silent again. Surnamed Li closed her eyes slowly. Ringing in her mind was a voice from a distant past. It refused to leave her alone.
“How about the fireflies? Will the fireflies that have lost their lights go home too?”
“Of course. Fireflies don’t lose their way at night.”