Chapter 966 - Full Circle
Hao Xuan had watched everything unfold from the beginning to the end but he still couldn't believe it. His identity token still showed Salo's mangled corpse with that sa confused expression on his face. He never understood what was happening to him till the end but not once did he bla it on Hao Xuan, even when Tian Zheng specifically told him it was because of him, which wasn't entirely false.
Hao Xuan's vision blurred from the tears that were collecting in his eyes. He didn't know what to say, what to do. And just like that, as if by the intervention of so great unforeseen force, the scene changed right in front of his eyes.
It was another flashback and this ti the lead was Salo.
He was standing at the doorstep of the village elder's ho watching as the old man gathered his things one by one.
"Now Salo, I have a very important mission for you. You have to stay here and protect the village while we are away, understand?"
Salo pouted and stomped his feet in indignation, "But why can't I go with you? I don't wanna stay back, it's gonna be so lonely without anyone else to play with."
The villager elder stopped what he was doing and sighed wearily.
"Salo, if I could bring you with I would but you need to be a grown-up okay? There is not enough food for everyone and you know how much you eat."
"I can eat less-I won't eat at ALL!"
"Alright fine, go tell Samus and his family that he can't go with us because you want to co along instead."
Salo froze mid-celebration.
"Fine...I will stay here," he murmured.
"Good boy. Protect the village, it is your duty. There are still so crops that haven't been harvested at the back so use them if you run out of food. You still rember how right?"
"Mhm," Salo replied without thinking. Of course, he didn't know.
Ti sped up and Salo was seen standing at the village entrance next, waving goodbye to all the families that hurriedly took their leave.
They had left him so food and there was a well for water in the village but that was it. In less than two weeks Salo had already finished all the food, even eaten the few ears of corn-like vegetables left on the farm.
He lived on water and insects for a few more days until that wasn't enough to satisfy him. He got food poisoning soon after and stayed cooped in one of the barns, not even venturing into any of the houses for protection from the elents.
He still believed they would co back for him.
The searing hot day and icy cold nights ca rolling one after the other. By the third day he was delirious, seeing things that weren't there.
Hao Xuan couldn't see what he was seeing but his incoherent mumbling gave a few clues.
"Angel...? An angel...has co for ? Where...?"
He was talking to the empty air, his mind concocting a fignt of imagination to make himself feel better.
"Okay...okay I will go..."
He sohow mustered enough strength to get up and hobble out of the barn. And just as he stepped out a loud explosion sounded overhand that grabbed his attention.
He looked up and saw a ball of fire shooting down from the sky, and inside it was a naked man with black wings.
"Angel...?!" he muttered in shock before stumbling into the nearby forest after it. (The scene was also first ntioned at the end of CH 432 'Arrival')
And that naked person shooting through the sky was Hao Xuan. It wasn't a re coincidence that day that had brought them together. Soone or sothing had guided Salo towards Hao Xuan.
Ti sped up significantly and showed all of their adventures together. If not for Hao Xuan Salo would have died that sa night so he considered Hao Xuan his savior, his guardian angel.
"Don't worry, you will be safe here. I promise," Hao Xuan had said the words sowhere along the way without considering their true weight and Salo accepted it as fact.
He followed Hao Xuan back to the walking city where they stayed for a long while. Hao Xuan was too busy to stay with him so Salo was usually alone most of the ti.
He knew Hao Xuan was doing a huge favor for him so he never asked for anything else. Day in and day out he would wait for Hao Xuan to co back just for that few minutes of conversation.
He would sit at the edge of the lake while humming a lody, satisfied with so little.
Only Jin Wang would sotis show up out of nowhere to play with him for a bit but that was it. So many days were spent waiting around idly but...at least he was alive.
And then seemingly out of nowhere a strange girl ca to visit him one night.
"Can you show around?" her words sounded clearly within Hao Xuan's ears. She would co and have a chat with Salo every other day, talking for hours on end about random subjects. She knew a lot more than him as was evident by her deanor and knowledge on various subjects.
They would trade stories with one another, lost in a little world of their own.
Hao Xuan could see Salo's face light up every ti she appeared. And even after they left the walking city she ca to see him one last ti.
"Hao Xuan is in trouble and he is asking for you. Will you co with ?" she asked.
"Mmm, I will go!" he agreed at once, leaving with her for the final ti.
***
The flashback finished and all Hao Xuan could do was murmur that sa sentence over and over again.
"I promised...."
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