Su Ming’an went to many places.
The changes in Pulaya were subtle, yet everywhere.
The taverns were no longer dark as before, and due to the strict control of the Royal City, human trafficking beca rare.
Beneath the city walls, the registration point for Soul Hunt was still crowded.
On the hillside, a monunt was erected for those who sacrificed during the sea monsters’ siege. The black tombstones dotted the entire field, people ca to lay flowers constantly.
By the coast, Su Ming’an saw steamships under construction and precise power generation devices, Pulaya seed to be on the brink of stepping into the Industrial Age.
The Church of Light still stood in the Fountain Plaza, many people ca and went, praying to the Cloud City God. Although the Cloud City was shattered, so people still faithfully believed that the deity had only left that city and was still blessing them sowhere.
Su Ming’an also saw many familiar people.
Since Lele never married, her mother and Lele lived together. The aroma of Te Ni Tea wafted from the windows, attracting many custors.
When Su Ming’an inquired, Lele said that when she was young, she t a man. That man had saved her grandmother Gerald, and then saved all of Pulaya. Ever since then, she suddenly didn’t want to marry, feeling that dedicating her entire career to Pulaya would be more aningful.
"I live happily, and that’s enough. The gossip from neighbors doesn’t bother , I don’t feel that one must marry and have children in life." Lele raised the basket in her hand: "Custor, would you like a cup of Te Ni Tea?"
"I don’t have money..."
"No worries, it’s on ." Lele smiled sincerely: "You remind of when I was young. Consider this cup of tea my treat. Pulaya’s scenery is beautiful, I wish you a smooth journey and safe travels in the future!"
Su Ming’an accepted the tea, thanked her, and left.
He saw the female pirate Eilina, who now beca a wealthy rchant in Pulaya. As an experienced captain, she thrived amidst the mariti trade boom.
He saw Kassan and Little Na living in a Soul Clan gathering place. Although their movent was limited, they seed to live happily, with love being a perfect addition to their lives, and a baby babbling in sweet talk.
He saw an elderly man with white hair, holding a cane like an English gentleman. The old man stood under the shade of locust trees in the outer city, gazing at the bustling crowd of Pulaya with a benevolent and peaceful expression.
When Su Ming’an passed by the old man, the elder seed to sense sothing, and whispered:
"... Is it you who has returned?"
The voice was hoarse but full of anticipation. The old man clutched a pure white mask in his hand, seemingly waiting long beneath the tree for soone to return.
"..." Su Ming’an did not respond and left slowly.
The old man quietly stood under the tree, adjusting his top hat. He raised his hand, comparing the pure white mask in hand to Su Ming’an’s retreating back.
"Although the face is different, the aura is very similar." The old man whispered: "... Welco back next ti, this is your world."
Su Ming’an went to the Royal City.
In the Royal City, a new queen elected through votes was discussing foreign trade issues with ministers. After the storm disappeared, Pulaya’s island trade was rapidly developing.
"The ships from the Yate Empire are about to arrive, ensure that the batch of Yate Stones counted in the treasury today is distributed to the Soul Hunts within three days, and make sure to protect the safety of civilians." The queen appeared dignified and kind, considering every action and word for the people.
Su Ming’an did not disturb the new queen, he left quietly, enveloped in Spatial Concealnt.
In all the corridors and art galleries of the Royal City, all portraits of the Tulip Princess had been smashed, as people attempted to erase all traces of her.
As Su Ming’an walked past the city walls, he heard voices from above.
"Everyone, today the Yate Empire will dispatch the ’Sea Pearl’ for trade. We must protect the queen’s safety, no slack is allowed, understood?"
The rich sunlight of Pulaya shone on their golden armor, their swords at the waist, tall postures, and determined eyes, all revealing them as qualified Royal City Knights.
The team shouted:
"Captain, we vow to defend the queen to the death, not giving the Soul Clan any chance!"
Su Ming’an gazed at these spirited youths on the city walls. He stood still for a mont, the sea breeze ruffling his black hair.
Three seconds later, he raised his hand, and silently left under Spatial Concealnt.
...
As evening approached, Su Ming’an subdued several street robbers and obtained so gold and silver. In a roadside tavern, he bought two jugs of wine.
He reached his final destination, the hillside.
The tombstones resembled a forest, scattered all over the hills of varying heights — so made of stone, so of wood, so draped in cloth, and even just a tilted cross, a tomb of clothes without a body, adorned with a few withered flowers.
Under the blood-red sunset, an upright stone pillar bore clear words. It stood at the forefront of the hill, like a declaration from the fallen:
[We hope,]
[the flas of war need not exist, pain and suffering dissipating in the wind. A world without war can also be here.]
[On this scarred land, the souls of ’us’ shall smile.]
...
Lifted eyes, there was nothing but dense nas and years.
Su Ming’an poured the wine in his hands down, spilling it on the land before a tombstone. The knight’s dal, shining with golden light, glead brilliantly before the stone.
He wove the flowers he picked along the way into a garland and placed it in front of a young girl’s tombstone. The poem on the stone was still clear, and around the land, many wildflowers blood in starry clusters.
He passed by many Soul Hunt graves, seeing many nas once familiar—Clifford, Aiske, Karocha, Deputy Minister Duoya, S-grade Soul Hunt Christie. Ed.
The lifespan of Soul Hunts is hard to extend; almost none of them pass away naturally, either sacrificed to severe soul injuries or lost in brutal nightti battles. Even young and beautiful Duoya, Su Ming’an still saw her na on the tombstone. Back then, she had intended for Shadow to be her boyfriend, but when Su Ming’an returned this ti, she was no longer there.
Su Ming’an looked at these cold nas, opened a flask of wine, poured the clear liquid onto their graves, and got up to leave.
He finally realized firsthand the extre realism of these instances. Even if he leaves, the ti in Pulaya continues ceaselessly. This is a civilization saved by his hand.
The sunset approached the hillside. He walked through the vast and magnificent cetery forest and suddenly saw a familiar figure.
The blood-red sunlight gradually shrank into a straight line, with that figure like a dividing line, splitting the sky and earth in half. Against the backdrop of the setting sun, that person gradually rged with it.
Su Ming’an hadn’t seen this person all day, and now he finally found him.
"Su Rin." Su Ming’an called out.
Su Rin did not look up, as if he had been standing there for a long ti, so locust flowers falling on his shoulders.
There was light in his eyes, different from his previously laid-back appearance; those eyes reflected the flowers and leaves, rather than the unchanging darkness.
He was rely standing there, as if integrated with the earth and sky around him. Sunlight and sea breezes favored his silhouette, and even the wildflowers and grasses, the land beneath his feet, were connected to his still standing figure.
If not paying attention, one might not even see his figure, only the widespread sunset and land beyond him.
At this mont, Su Ming’an’s breath paused slightly. He seed not to see an individual but the embodint of an entire island civilization. That figure, with the widespread sunset and tombstone forest, had a heart-stirring sense of harmony and unity.
"Su Rin." Su Ming’an stepped a few steps closer. He saw the light in Su Rin’s eyes. He knew why there was light in Su Rin’s eyes.
That was love.
The love in his eyes had transcended the boundaries of the human species, not fixed on any single person, yet had existed with him through long years and changes of era.
Su Rin’s beloved was Pulaya. When he t his beloved once again, it was like rging with this love again, inseparable from his soul.
After waiting for a while, Su Rin finally turned his head.
"Let’s go back." Su Rin spoke, his voice sowhat hoarse.
"Have you done everything you needed in Pulaya?" Su Ming’an asked. "My Ruler’s Skill can only allow us to stay here temporarily; once we go back, we’ll have to wait until the next rest to return."
"Yes, let’s go back." Su Rin said.
Su Ming’an looked at the tombstone in front of Su Rin, where there were so fresh flowers and rice wine, seemingly just placed by Su Rin. With the last trace of sunset vanishing, the sky gradually dimd, the sunlight on the tombstone moving from left to right, gradually fading away.
Through the sunlight, a small line could be seen on the tombstone.
[Resident Gerald Storans (287-368)]
...
Suddenly, Su Ming’an felt a pang of sadness.
He knew. Decades had passed, and it was unlikely that the elderly would still be alive.
Su Rin stared at the clear and bright rice wine in front of the grave, squatting down to smooth the petals of the slightly wilted daisies, placing them neatly before the grave.
"She would have been the sa age as this year." Su Rin lowered his gaze:
"... Let’s go, Su Ming’an."
...
[Late 20:00, Main God World District 12, Core Area, Central United Conference Hall]
A red carpet stretched from the door, reaching all the way to the plaza’s teleportation gate. A large banner hung in front of the Central United Conference Hall’s entrance, boldly stating, "Warmly Welcoming the Full Perfect Clearers to Participate in Discussions on Humanity’s Future."
On either side of the path were staff responsible for greeting and vehicles lined with bright vehicle bodies and garlands.
"On the afternoon of February 7th, the Human Self-Rescue Alliance announced the ’Full Perfect Clearer Rules Deduction.’ Minister Li Jianyi pointed out in the docunt that the wishes of Full Perfect Clearers may follow three fixed principles. The universe’s rules are self-contained; humanity’s limits may have been set."
"On the morning of February 8th, Dr. Xu Changying from the World Independence Association issued a report stating that the rule ’Full Perfect Clearers can make wishes’ follows a ’Conformal Cyclic Universe,’ and this rule is likely related to ’Pangala Return.’"
"On the afternoon of February 8th, Alliance Watch Group leader Abner delivered a speech, calling for all Full Perfect Clearers to unite and work together, to sound the trumpet of collective progress, gather positive and friendly energy, and complete a perfect year’s round of the World Ga."
"On the morning of February 9th, the Lighthouse Alliance declared it would continue to safeguard the highest interests of Full Perfect Clearers and the Peak Alliance, ensuring that the rights of each peak player are not infringed upon. They claim that if a wish conflict arises, they will prioritize the Lighthouse’s wishes, suppressing any factors that could lead to humanity’s extinction."
"On the afternoon of February 9th, the NPC Protection Association issued a statent, with Chairman Buzz declaring their support for Su Rin’s villa-destroying actions, believing that all entertainnt buildings should be dismantled, humanity should return to a warti state, and all entertainnt activities should be isolated."
"On February 10th..."
Inside the conference hall, the broadcast played the news.
Such major events, like statents from certain forces, or important reports from certain alliances, happen almost every day. The World Forum also has a dedicated news section just for these internal human organizational docunts.
Now, with the Full Perfect Clearers’ United eting comncing, this news flooded into people’s ears.
The live broadcast had long since started, with the United Group’s official live broadcast room hitting an audience of eight hundred million.
Since the end of the Ninth World, the number of Full Perfect Clearers dropped again, leaving just over sixty people remaining.
When Su Ming’an arrived, the entire venue was silent.
Lighting gathered on Su Ming’an in the front, with all the greeters, service personnel, recorders, drivers, soldiers, and Adventurer Players looking this way. It was as if an invisible spotlight clicked on at this place.
Reviews
All reviews (0)