Chapter 896: Chapter 893: "Big Brother.
It’s eight thirty in the evening.
Su Ming’an put on the Dream Patrol Helmet and entered the game "Louyue Nation."
Lv Shu was already arranged to stay in the guest room, the cloaked person was driven to the sofa, Su Luoluo rested in his master bedroom, while he himself sat in front of the desk. The old house, less than eighty square meters, accommodating four people, was indeed a bit crowded.
As it approached midnight, the Penglai Immortal Selection had entered a fever pitch, with major newspaper websites aggressively posting: "Shocking! The most likely people to ascend to Penglai Fairy Island are them!" "Predicting the final three winners in the Penglai Immortal Selection!" "Why hasn’t the First Dream Patrol family made any appearance?" among other hot topics.
Su Ming’an glanced at the Dream Patrol forum, where various private messages and posts nearly filled his computer. Various forces bombarded his inbox, seemingly with strong desires to recruit this "First Dream Patrol family."
Among them, Xin Yue from the Human Self-Rescue Alliance wanted to invite him. Li Yuxuan from the City Guardian Department also wanted to recruit him. Moreover, various countries, independent cities, the Union Government, and the military extended olive branches to him. Su Ming’an even saw an email stating "Old Day Church’s Vice Sect Hierarch · Xiao Ying", the content: "First Dream Patrol family, can we meet?" He wondered if this was genuine or fake. Regardless, he had no goodwill towards the Old Day Church, deeming them a bunch of madmen inexplicably bombing cities.
... Tonight, he first needed to finish the second Chapter of "Louyue Nation."
Su Ming’an ignored all the emails and pressed the "Start" button on the helmet.
The five senses gradually faded, white light covered Su Ming’an’s vision, and ancient scenes swiftly loaded before him. As Su Ming’an’s feet touched the ground, he returned to the outskirts of the Capital City, where it was already late.
A deep yellow round moon quietly hung between the old trees, the splendid glazed roof of the Capital City visible in the distance, smoke rising gently. A black-haired, green-eyed girl sat under the tree, leaning against the trunk, her beautiful face sketched by the moonlight, her eyes closed, breathing softly, appearing to be asleep.
"... Still waiting here?" Su Ming’an muttered to himself.
When he left the game in the morning, he had told Chao Yan to wait for him here, but he hadn’t had much hope for this. Yet, after a whole dozen hours, Chao Yan was still waiting for him here.
Chao Yan leaned against the trunk, dew on her body, her floral skirt full of leaf shards. As Su Ming’an approached, she opened her eyes like a wary wolf but quickly softened her gaze upon seeing him.
"You’re finally back." Chao Yan yawned, standing up.
"Did you... wait here all the time?" Su Ming’an asked.
"Yes." Chao Yan stepped closer: "This is the outskirts of the Capital City, where beasts roam. I am just a village orphan girl, I didn’t dare to wander around."
Moonlight spilled on her pale face, she blinked and smiled at Su Ming’an: "By the way, I have a gift for you."
"Ah?"
Chao Yan took a stalk of foxtail grass from behind her and handed it to Su Ming’an: "For you."
Su Ming’an looked at the stalk of foxtail grass, then at Chao Yan’s smiling face, filled with a lack of understanding— he really couldn’t comprehend the thoughts of this village orphan girl. Sometimes she was as compassionate as a deity, tolerating years of exploitation by greedy villagers, yet other times as cold as a demon, ignoring the villagers who died beside her, personally pushing aside their corpses.
Just like now, she suddenly gave him foxtail grass, her actions utterly illogical.
"Why..." Su Ming’an took the foxtail grass. It was truly just an ordinary foxtail grass, with nothing special, appearing like a small feather duster, quite ugly.
"Just wanted to give you a gift." Chao Yan chuckled: "Let’s go."
"Chao Yan, have we met before?" Su Ming’an still wanted to confirm this question. At their first meeting, her almost tearful expression was too odd. Moreover, the more he interacted with her, the more he felt a sense of familiarity.
Chao Yan hesitated in her steps, her black ponytail swayed slightly behind her, fluttering like a flag in the wind.
She parted her red lips briefly before quickly closing them, then curved into a perfect smile. Her floral skirt rustled in the night wind, like the sound of pigeons flapping wings.
She turned back, looking at him, her expression flawless:
"Perhaps we have met."
She blinked:
"... Maybe, in your dreams."
...
[Capital City Outskirts · Penglai Immortal Selection]
On the high platform, Princess Jing He was resting her cheek in her hand, gazing at the fighting stage.
"... It should be these three, right?" she said softly.
The Penglai Immortal Selection was already in countdown mode. The three final winners remaining on the stage were exactly as everyone had anticipated—
The first, a young man with black hair and red eyes. The tall youth had a detached gaze, standing on the stage with a Black Blade in hand. His blood-red cloak swayed like a banner, and his thick silver armor was etched with dragon head patterns. By just standing there, no one dared to challenge his position— the youth was Yi Zhongyu, General of Louyue, and a very renowned Dream Patrol family in the current era.
The second, a black-haired and blue-eyed girl. Her hair was styled in braids cascading down her back, dressed in sheer transparent red gauze, holding supple blood-colored ribbons, the ground at her feet filled with blood and shattered innards. Clearly, her enemies met tragic ends, evident in her penchant for slaughter and vile thoughts— this girl was Zou Yuqing, an Enchantress from the Demon Sect.
The last was a white-haired man wielding a longsword, his appearance extremely elegant, like a harmless neighborly big brother. But the longsword he wielded was covered in scars, clearly battle-worn, exuding a restrained killing intent.
"Looks like the candidates won’t change anymore." A handsome young man said: "There could be a final decision on the candidates already, I don’t want to sit here idly any longer."
"Second Brother, be patient until the time ends." Princess Jing He said.
The Second Prince shook his head: "Who can defeat those three? They are all Fourth Rank Talisman Family members, I truly can’t imagine who else in Jianghu would participate in the Penglai Immortal Selection. Those reclusive masters all understand, perhaps there’s nothing much to gain from Penglai Fairy Island, after all, I haven’t seen an Immortal with my own eyes, who knows if they exist? Don’t you think so, Big Brother?"
Xiao Jingsan wearing the Eldest Prince’s face, nodded while fiddling with the waist token in his hand.
His mind wasn’t on the Penglai Immortal Selection at all, now, the real Eldest Prince’s whereabouts were unknown, and the royal family’s scandal could be exposed at any time. If the State Preceptor had let the Eldest Prince escape at that time...
"The time hasn’t passed yet, let’s wait a bit longer." Princess Jing He said.
Beneath the high positions of the royal family was a large crowd of onlooking common people. They squeezed under the stage shoulder to shoulder, numbering over tens of thousands.
Since it was already nighttime, many fearful of "abnormalities" returned home. But many undaunted people remained there, wanting to witness the final results of the Immortal Selection. The three on the stage were already the final victors of the melee, if no one challenged them, candidates were about to be determined.
Yi Zhongyu looked up, gazing at tonight’s moonlight.
Zou Yuqing idly swung the ribbon in her hand, gently licking the blood at the corner of her mouth, exuding a charming yet dangerous aura.
The third white-haired youth then concentratedly lowered his head, gazing at the blade in his hand, fingers gently caressing the sword as if it was his lover.
The people held their breath in nervous anticipation, waiting for the countdown to the Penglai Immortal Selection to end, allowing candidate determination.
Just then, Yi Zhongyu suddenly spoke.
"Your Highness, Second Prince, Your Highness, Princess." Yi Zhongyu cupped his hands towards the high platform, as if he had something to say.
The Second Prince was slightly startled, not knowing what this General Yi was about to say: "Speak."
"—I have heard that the Royal Family has long imprisoned the true Eldest Prince, secretly conducting some unknown and shady dealings. I wonder if this is true?" Yi Zhongyu suddenly exclaimed loudly.
He deliberately did not mention the matter of "the Eldest Prince being an Eligible" to avoid putting the Eldest Prince in more danger. Instead, he only pointed out the issue of the doppelgänger.
Yi Zhongyu knew in his heart that since the first Dream Patrol Family’s possessed role in the present world was "Eldest Prince Su Shaoqing," he needed to help the Eldest Prince regain his identity. Unlike the outside rumors, he did not harbor hostility towards the first Dream Patrol Family. They were all Dream Patrol Families fighting for humanity, and regardless of the first Dream Patrol Family’s current worldly identity, he only wanted to help, not feel jealousy.
Yi Zhongyu’s words shocked everyone.
"You, you—!" The Second Prince stood up abruptly, as if his clothes were on fire, and Princess Jingjing also showed a look of astonishment. The multitude of people below the stage exclaimed, with rumors and gossip quickly spreading across the venue, growing increasingly intense like a marketplace.
"General Yi has been on the battlefield for many years, and has heard a lot of market rumors, but they cannot be true!" An old man quickly spoke, aiming his words at Yi Zhongyu.
Yi Zhongyu stood his ground: "If that’s the case, may I check the Eldest Prince’s face? I have mastered the ’Face Changing’ talisman of the ’Method’ path. If this Eldest Prince on the stage is not genuine, a touch will suffice for me to know."
Yi Zhongyu’s words made even the old man’s body tremble.
Xiao Jingsan squinted his eyes, revealing a dangerous look.
"Presumptuous! Yi Zhongyu! How dare you question the Eldest Prince; regardless of your merits, such impudence is unacceptable! Stand down!" The well-built Prime Minister stood up and berated Yi Zhongyu on the spot.
"Why the cover-up, afraid to be seen?" Yi Zhongyu remained unyielding, immediately shouting, showing a strong tendency to confront everyone who opposed him.
"You, you..." The Second Prince, pale-faced, glanced at Xiao Jingsan beside him and then at Yi Zhongyu on the stage.
"If you’re not guilty of being a thief, why can’t you face it?" Zou Yuqing added fuel to the fire.
"Presumptuous! The sky’s gone crazy!" The Prime Minister cursed angrily, seeing the increasingly chaotic situation below the stage, wanting to call the Royal Family’s protectors to suppress Yi Zhongyu and completely cover up the matter. However, he suddenly noticed the sky brightening—
—And at that moment.
"Swish—!"
A metal disc flashing dazzling blue light descended from the sky.
The edge of the disc was equipped with high-saturation LED blue lights, wildly flickering with the frequency of breathing, making people shield their eyes.
"Swish—swish—swish!"
The effect was extremely dazzling, like swords piercing into people’s pupils, akin to a continuously spinning UFO.
"What is this?"
"What kind of object is this? Why is it so bright?"
The sudden invasion of this high-tech metal product into the ancient stage resembled Godzilla stepping into a primitive village.
The people, shielding their faces, collectively backed away, fearing it was some terrifying talismanic weapon.
Amidst the flickering light, people saw—a young man with a high ponytail and black hair holding a dogtail grass, standing on the mechanical disc, his black long robe fluttering in the wind, sketching like an ink painting in the air.
As the mechanical disc slowly landed amidst the stage, everyone got a clear look at the youth’s face on the disc. In an instant, all eyes turned towards Xiao Jingsan on the high platform—
The two of them looked exactly the same.
At this moment, Yi Zhongyu’s previous shout of "The Royal Family has long imprisoned the true Eldest Prince" metaphorically stabbed into their hearts like an ice pick. Whether it was the common folk there to watch, or the various Jianghu figures, martial arts heroes, legitimate leaders, or those on the evil path, they all instantly understood that they were likely witnessing a terrifying truth.
"This..."
"Did I see it wrong?"
"Could it really be..."
The discussions exploded instantaneously, peoples’ faces mixed with shock and anger, with high and low voices spreading madly.
Yi Zhongyu looked at Su Ming’an on the mechanical disc, showing a friendly expression. Zou Yuqing covered her mouth and chuckled, finding the matter of the Royal Family’s double interesting. The white-haired youth stared blankly at Su Ming’an, tightly gripping the sword in his hand.
The Second Prince clenched his fists, weakly leaning on his chair. At that moment, he knew—everything was over.
Clearly, with no strength to even walk, the Eldest Prince, who was long bled and imprisoned—why was he driving such a peculiar disc and appearing here?
Why?
How did he manage to escape?
"Bang."
Su Ming’an jumped off the disc with Chao Yan, facing tens of thousands of gazes. Ignoring these stares, he looked at the various Royal Family members on the high platform, and directly walked towards them.
"...Big Brother."
As Su Ming’an passed by the third stage, the white-haired youth called out to him.
"...Mo Yan?" Hearing this familiar address, Su Ming’an instantly turned his head, looking at the white-haired youth.
The white-haired youth nodded, his face full of joy, raising the sword in his hand, which still bore the signature marks from the previous Sixth World: "Great, it really is Big Brother, we’re actually in the same..."
"Shh." Su Ming’an shook his head: "Wait until I finish dealing with this matter before we talk."
Mo Yan immediately nodded, looking very obedient.
Su Ming’an directly headed for the high platform, the Sword of Yarman raised, the sword tip aimed at the old Emperor on the platform, too scared to speak.
The Emperor stared at Su Ming’an, drawing closer. He never expected such a defenseless Eldest Prince to suddenly escape his grasp.
Su Ming’an’s sword blade pointed straight at the old Emperor’s direction.
"Get down."