Chapter 922: Chapter 919: "I’m Crying to Death.
"Clang!" The sound of metal clashing rang out.
Under the shining sun, a figure appeared, wielding a sword with one hand.
The wind lifted his robe and blew through his short black hair, his sword tip meeting Mizushima Kawa Sora’s long sword, blocking her strike.
"Damn, is that Su Ming’an?"
"Has the Number One Player arrived?"
The watching players stood up, disregarding order as they pushed forward. On the cross, Yamada Machiichi lifted his head, staring at the resolute figure ahead.
Finally, as the burst of light faded away, people saw the appearance of the newcomer—
The newcomer’s heroic brows and eyes exuded a sense of righteousness, as if all the light had gathered in his bright red pupils.
"Yi Zhongyu from Dragon City, requests to initiate a defense judgment." Yi Zhongyu sheathed his sword.
"Ah? It’s not the Number One from the Dream Patrol Family?" A large group of people were very disappointed.
"Yi Zhongyu! It’s Yi Zhongyu!" Someone shouted. Practically speaking, they were more familiar with Yi Zhongyu from the Dream Patrol Family than Su Ming’an.
"Yi Zhongyu, do you really wish to request a defense judgment?" an elder asked.
Yi Zhongyu guarded Yamada Machiichi, nodding: "Yes."
The deity once stated that the guilty could escape sin through defense. In other words, when someone faces a death sentence, if a renowned strong person is willing to declare war on a high-rank person and win, the sin can be lifted.
Yi Zhongyu fit this criterion by having the qualification to declare war against Mizushima Kawa Sora. If he defeated her, Yamada Machiichi could be spared from the death penalty.
Yamada Machiichi was stunned upon hearing this rule: "Is this also one of the rules of the Tenth World... It’s really unique, like a knight duel in the Middle Ages. But, this Yi Zhongyu, I don’t know you, why are you protecting me like this..."
This was a battle of life and death. If defeated, death was likely; Yamada Machiichi felt Yi Zhongyu didn’t need to fight so hard for him.
"You are someone the Dream Patrol Family cares about, right." Yi Zhongyu said, "I cannot tolerate the innocent being wronged. Before he arrives, I’m willing to protect you."
"Oh, indeed it’s because of Su Ming’an," Yamada Machiichi realized.
Yi Zhongyu stepped forward.
Under the camera in the sky, the angle shifted slightly downward, broadcasting his voice to households worldwide.
Countless people sat in front of TVs and computers, watching this judgment unfold. The internet was ablaze, with many aware that among those being executed, many were innocent, even ninety-nine percent, but their protests were futile.
Just as Mizushima Kawa Sora was about to swing her sword, Yi Zhongyu stepped forward first, preventing the first bloody toll from sounding.
"Moreover, I cannot tolerate the acts of the Union Government publicly killing innocent people," Yi Zhongyu’s voice was like metal:
"I cannot tolerate the complete invalidation of public will—this precedent being set."
"I cannot tolerate heroes being stained with infamy and executed while vile people occupy high places. I cannot tolerate pioneers bearing nonexistent sins, and pioneers losing their faith."
Yi Zhongyu raised his head high.
"Swish, swish, swish!" The guards on both sides immediately raised their swords, aiming at Yi Zhongyu to prevent any drastic actions.
"Therefore, knowing it to be impossible, I still act—for ideals and obsessions, I am willing to die." Yi Zhongyu said, "I hope my blood can awaken the consciousness of the masses."
Mizushima Kawa Sora chuckled.
She stepped forward, the golden circle hanging around her neck swaying slightly—only then did people notice the beautiful necklace adorning her neck.
The golden circle represented divine favor and blessing. It indicated she was favored by the deity, no wonder priests and soldiers listened to her.
"Yi Zhongyu from Dragon City, are you going to openly defy the deity?" Mizushima Kawa Sora looked down, the sunlight in her hair shimmering with a dazzling layer of gold.
"I do not intend to openly defy the deity, I just disapprove of your actions. Even if you possess the deity-given golden circle, it doesn’t mean your every word and deed is divinely guided," Yi Zhongyu said.
"Yi Zhongyu from Dragon City," Mizushima Kawa Sora merely asked again, "Are you going to openly defy the deity?"
"I’m not..." Yi Zhongyu said.
At this moment, he suddenly understood the meaning behind Mizushima Kawa Sora’s words.
—Yi Zhongyu from Dragon City.
She didn’t call him Yi Zhongyu but rather Yi Zhongyu from Dragon City.
He was a Dragon City native, with his entire family residing in Dragon City.
If he challenged Mizushima Kawa Sora today, even if proven the Demon Hunt Order was wrong, the golden circle around her neck would make numerous zealots resent Dragon City and implicate it.
The bearer of the golden circle, akin to a divine envoy, is being challenged on the first policy handed down by the divine envoy; even if Yi Zhongyu is correct, believers would feel he has offended the deity. Even if most people in the world are rational, Yi Zhongyu still offended the deity.
Yi Zhongyu wasn’t concerned about what would happen to him, but he cared about Dragon City.
"..."
His sword trembled slightly; despite being bathed in sunlight, he felt cold, a chill bone-deep, cold enough to make his lifelong passion begin to wane, cold enough to feel every gaze upon him like a blade edge. He bit his lip, a voice inside seemed to shout.
...Deity.
...Do you really care about humanity? If you don’t care, why have you continued to bless humanity for a thousand years? If you do care, why are you indifferent to humanity’s cries and life and death?
The woman wearing the golden circle stood atop the platform, once more raised her sword, aiming solely at Yamada Machiichi.
Yi Zhongyu still did not retreat, he simply silently moved and stood once more before Yamada Machiichi. Seeing Yi Zhongyu unmoved, Mizushima Kawa Sora shook her head: "I don’t want to slaughter human heroes, but if you insist..."
Rimu Sheng’s blade was drawn half an inch, Agnes pulled out her whip, ready to join the battlefield.
"I can only accept your defense judgment—" Mizushima Kawa Sora raised her sword high, her aura skyrocketing!
And as people’s eyes gathered, a voice suddenly echoed from the sky:
"—Today, we gather here."
Upon hearing that familiar voice, Mizushima Kawa Sora’s heart skipped a beat, her aura instantly withdrew. Soldiers and priests turned in unison, gazing into the distance. For a moment, the people’s heads shifted like flagwaving.
A roulette appeared in the high sky above the execution ground, Shadow deliberately styled his hair into a high ponytail, standing upon the roulette with laughter:
"—To celebrate our familiar friend Mizushima Kawa Sora and her lousy policy!"
People looked up, focusing on the proud figure in the sky.
Soldiers wanted to raise their swords against him but hesitated due to his identity with the Dream Patrol Family, not daring to strike. For a moment, no one spoke.
In an instant, this scene seemed to overlap with the moment the Eldest Prince of Louyue Nation descended— the young man with a high ponytail stood upon the roulette descending, and not a single person dared utter a sound. This strong déjà vu made people uneasy, as if creating a predetermined feeling of destiny.
...They seem to have seen this scene before.
...Or rather, many scenes in the game feel familiar to them, as if an invisible line of destiny is tied to their hearts.
"I’ve had a tragic life since I was young, my family life was tough. I have experienced many disgusting things. And the person who harmed me is Edward, whom everyone knows. Thankfully, I met Mizushima Kawa Sora," Shadow shouted loudly:
"Today, I want to congratulate Mizushima Kawa Sora, thank her for highlighting her tragic life, and I sincerely wish her that from now on, her life rots and stinks just like Edward’s!"
People were dumbfounded.
They were all ears, ready to hear something thought-provoking from the Number One Dream Patrol Family. The players had their notebooks out, ready to jot down the Lighthouse quotes, but what on earth is this?
What does it mean for life to rot and stink?
After Shadow finished the speech, he landed on the roulette and broke the hemp rope on Yamada Machiichi.
"You..." Mizushima Kawa Sora was somewhat startled.
The judgment of whether this was Su Ming’an or the Cloning Shadow concerned her future plans. If it was Su Ming’an, it would be too reckless. If it was the Cloning Shadow, then where was Su Ming’an himself?
"Weren’t you supposed to defend at the Judgment? I represent Yi Zhongyu in battle, fight me, Mizushima Kawa Sora," Shadow raised the Amber Knife, its tip glowing with white cross light.
—Indeed, he was under the instruction to be wild, to make a great ruckus! He couldn’t help but stir things up to see what medicine Mizushima Kawa Sora was selling in her gourd.
"Hmm...?" While raising the knife, Shadow paused slightly, he slightly felt that the Mizushima Kawa Sora on the stage seemed somewhat illusory, as did many people around him, but this feeling quickly disappeared.
"Since you’re here, hand over the Eye of the Old Days. I will immediately cancel the Demon Hunt Order and release everyone," Mizushima Kawa Sora shouted.
"Wow, you’re really too kind, I’m moved to tears." Shadow had no expression: "The Eye of the Old Days I got from the Louyue Nation, how can I bring it to the present world? Have you become mentally deficient? Or has your spirit been driven mad by your sister?"
"I know you definitely have it on you," Mizushima Kawa Sora said.
"I know you definitely have your life on you, give me your life, and I’ll give you the Eye of the Old Days right away," Shadow said.
Shadow’s words filled Mizushima Kawa Sora’s heart with a surge of frustration.
...Such a foolish sword, it must be the Cloning Shadow!
"You’re the Cloning Shadow," Mizushima Kawa Sora pointed out directly.
"Mmm mmm, everything you said is right, oh yes yes yes." Shadow knew you couldn’t reason with this kind of person, a person who has their own sense of justice: "In fact, as a clone, I can beat you, don’t you want to try?"
Mizushima Kawa Sora’s face was cold, and she slashed down with a sword.
In an instant, intense brilliance bloomed, like a burst of snow falling from the sky. People immediately retreated three feet, afraid of being affected.
In the footage, only the intertwining of black and white remained, and the scene of the air violently shaking, even the camera was continuously trembling.
...
"It’s really a big scene," Su Ming’an sat in the car, watching the livestream on his phone.
The carriage swayed, and the scenery outside the window quickly passed by. Su Ming’an, having finished his morning exam, sat in the school-assigned car. The venue for the afternoon’s Talisman test was outside the city, so he needed to take the car.
Sitting in the car, Su Ming’an watched the livestream, just in time to see Shadow creating chaos with the Union Government, scenes more exciting than movies.
On the phone screen, the bullet comments were going crazy:
[The Number One Dream Patrol Family really does look exactly like the Eldest Prince, huh?]
[I thought the Number One Dream Patrol Family was a serious person, but they’re actually quite cute, haha.]
[We need to beat that woman severely, what’s so great about being favored by a Deity?]
[She’s a Divine Envoy! What are Yi Zhongyu and the Number One Dream Patrol Family doing? What if the Deity gets angry?]
[...]
"Coming up to the city’s outskirts," the broadcast in the car announced.
Su Ming’an rested his chin in his hand, while other exam candidates were reviewing books. Only Su Ming’an lazily sat in the back row watching the livestream.
"Hey, Su, caught you slacking again," a voice came from the front row.
Su Ming’an looked up, seeing a pair of golden glasses on an elite face—wasn’t this the homeroom teacher Xia Jiawen?
"Skipping class is one thing, but watching your phone just before the last exam." Xia Jiawen turned his head, threatening: "I’ll confiscate it right away."
Having made the threat, he shoved a phone into Su Ming’an’s hand: "Just kidding, go ahead and play."
"I don’t need your phone," Su Ming’an said.
"The teacher didn’t tell you to play with this," Xia Jiawen chuckled, "I’m off on a business trip this afternoon and took an extra phone with me, help me bring it back to school after your exam, help the teacher do a small favor."
"Okay." Su Ming’an found this Teacher Xia quite interesting, had no airs about him. He recalled a previous chance meeting at the school gate: "Did you succeed in confessing to that female teacher?"
Xia Jiawen’s face immediately fell, scratching his head and looking a bit pitiful: "Next time... I’ll try harder next time."
"I knew you couldn’t pull off a suit with shorts," Su Ming’an felt it was as expected.
"Eh... eh? Is that the reason?" Xia Jiawen exclaimed, "The main thing is I gave my long trousers to a student, a student whose family only had one pair of pants and couldn’t wash them; once I knew about it, I gave him mine... you see, I’m wearing shorts today."
Su Ming’an paused, surprised it was this kind of story.
"Teacher Xia, what’s more important, confessing or the student’s pants?" Su Ming’an asked.
Xia Jiawen shook his head.
His expression became more solemn: "You guys are important."
"If I fail in confessing, it’s just one failure. But if you don’t have pants, it will affect the college entrance examination. Your future is far more important than my individual self."
"Does Teacher Xia really value us that much?"
"Yes." Xia Jiawen chuckled and turned back around: "You guys are the future."
The vehicle passed through the checkpoint, the barrier slowly lifted, and the students on the bus exclaimed with wonder—this was their first time leaving this locked-down city.
At the moment of exiting the city, Su Ming’an felt the Eye of the Old Days in his backpack tremble slightly, but it soon stilled.
The afternoon Talisman exam was held in a semi-open circular building. Candidates competed in pairs, with examiners watching from the side.
Su Ming’an straightforwardly went into Bright State and tackled, suppressing his opponent with Strength until they were pinned to the ground, leaving the examiners astonished.
At this moment, a large number of people wearing black vests suddenly arrived at the entrance.