Chapter 160 True Dragon: The Real Enemy (End) [VIP]
As daybreak approached, the boat successfully crossed Lake Oro and arrived at a dense forest on the outskirts of the southern city of the imperial capital.
There is a semi-abandoned tower building in the woods. The secret passage deep in the building leads directly to a secret base of the "Assassin's Order" in the imperial capital. It once allowed Luke, who grew up in the northern city, to glimpse into another world for the first time. Now it has become a symbol of the alliance between Alans and Xiao Yun and a temporary residence for the group after they escaped from the Grand Palace.
The slender black shadows unique to the "Assassin's Order" were already waiting in front of the tower.
They glanced at Yaris leaning in Xiao Yun's arms with their cobalt blue eyes exposed outside the black cloth, then looked at the dozens of people who followed Xiao Yun, nodded, and silently led everyone into the abandoned tower, through the long secret passage, and arrived at the mysterious mansion where the air was filled with the scent of herbs.
"Please choose the room you like."
The shadows said respectfully.
"Thanks."
Xiao Yun nodded politely and took Yaris to the bedroom on the upper floor.
After placing Yaris on the comfortable bed, he walked to the window and looked down through it, seeing raging flames burning all over the imperial city. The end of the fire was the palace wall where a huge gap was created by the golden dragon's collision.
"Countless people lost their lives because of this incident..."
Yaris leaned on the bed, muttering to himself.
Xiao Yun was silent.
"Are you worried about someone you know?"
“—Yes, I am worried about them.”
Xiao Yun said softly.
They were the cause of the fire and massacre that spread throughout the imperial capital, but now they are safely hidden behind high and solid walls, under the protection of the "Assassin's Order".
"On my first day in the Imperial Capital, I met a very kind and honest man at the South City Market. He opened his shop late at night to entertain homeless wanderers, to protect them from being captured by the 'Dragon Tooth Soldiers.' Whenever hungry people asked him for help, he would treat them with free food... But now... I feel powerless..."
"This disaster is not your fault."
Yaris said softly, "What's happening outside is part of the 'Imperial Capital Cleansing Plan' that He formulated."
"The Imperial Capital Cleanup Plan?"
"During that time, 'He' would come to me every day and tell me a lot while I was still asleep... including the 'Imperial Capital Cleansing Plan'... First, they would arrest Green Turban Army members who had infiltrated the Imperial Capital, then set fire to the city in the name of the Green Turban Army. Then, under the guise of suppressing the rebels, they would send the 'Dragon Tooth Soldiers' to cleanse all parties, stirring up hatred among the people towards the Green Turban Army..."
"Why do you do that?"
“For power.”
Yaris paused, then spoke slowly, "His empire is too vast, and he is a complete alien. Even though he confused dragon and loong, revered the golden dragon as the empire's spiritual totem, established a strict and harsh administrative system, and supplemented it with a vast mage network capable of monitoring the entire country, the empire still has numerous problems—and most of these problems are concentrated in the vast rural areas beyond the reach of imperial power."
"Yet he has also promoted the integration of politics and religion, suppressing all other religions within the country, and failing to address the shortcomings of grassroots governance through cooperation with local religions."
"Now, the Golden Dragon has awakened and is openly clashing with Him. If He fails to control public opinion in a timely manner, the lie He has carefully crafted over the past century, that He is the descendant of the Golden Dragon, will backfire wildly, further destabilizing the foundation of His rule and causing a massive crisis of faith."
Yaris's eyes sparkled and there was an interested smile on his lips.
"If the situation is so favorable, with a little guidance, within ten years, his empire will be full of rebellions."
"You seem very happy."
Xiao Yun said helplessly.
"The enemy's misfortune is our fortune."
"but--"
Xiao Yun paused: "This will lead to the deaths of countless people."
"Yes, countless people will die because of l..."
Yaris repeated slowly, his beautiful face revealing a deathly coldness: "He was able to successfully unify the Eastern Continent over a hundred years ago not only because he possessed great power, but also because the people living in this land were tired of the war that had lasted for over seven hundred years... People yearn for peace, even if the price of peace is enduring tyranny..."
(It is better to be a dog in prosperous times than a man in troubled times.)
Xiao Yun said silently in his heart.
"However, his rule did not bring true peace and prosperity to the land. Harshness and cruelty were everywhere. Moreover, he was an alien who fed on humans and had a lifespan so long that it seemed almost endless. So the people began to yearn for a new emperor. He had to be human, or at least—look human."
"So you bewitched Luke?"
"No, you wronged me."
Yaris looked up and said with a gleaming look in his eyes: "I didn't bewitch him, I just ignited the fire in his heart."
"you……"
Xiao Yun was speechless.
He felt that he was becoming increasingly helpless against Yaris.
"Okay, don't be angry, take this rare opportunity——"
Yaris's expression suddenly changed from smiling to serious: "Let's talk about some of the things we have always wanted to talk about but didn't know how to start."
"you mean--"
"Yes,
Yaris is so light that I decided not to run away anymore."
"--All right."
Xiao Yun walked to the bedside and held the slender white hand.
【from……】
Yaris thought for a moment and smiled palely.
[…I was the one who brought you into this world, attaching you to Lucien. The specific process and details—when you enter the ninth floor of the God Tower in the future, Lucien will tell you in person.]
[Wait a minute! Lucien will tell me in person? You mean Lucien is still alive?]
【The soul is still alive.】
[Then wouldn’t I become——]
He willingly gave up his body. He believed you had the ability to save me, and believed this was the only way for me to survive.
[…The only way for you to survive…in the end, in the end…]
Xiao Yun felt like a heavy burden was pressing on his heart.
[Once you enter the ninth floor of the sacred tower and see Lucien's soul and the nine jars placed there, you will naturally understand everything.]
【……】
Xiao Yun was silent.
In the morning light, Yaris looked calm, yet exuded a deep sadness that could not be described in words.
Lucien possesses a slight ability to rewind souls, allowing him to summon specific souls to the present world through the construction of an imaginary community. With his unwavering cooperation, we, using this ability to rewind souls as our core, have successfully brought you from your original universe to this world.
[At the beginning, I had strong concerns about you, because I couldn't be sure whether the soul we brought back after paying such a huge price was the one I had been waiting for... If it was wrong, all of Lucien's efforts would be in vain... So I temporarily placed you in the manor under the pretext of recuperating... I didn't dare to see you, I was afraid that my expectations would turn into complete disappointment the moment the answer was revealed...]
[The soul you want... The soul you want is...]
It's you.
Yaris looked at Xiao Yun with a smile.
【I……】
[Yes, the moment I officially met you, I knew you were you, the soul I had been waiting for.]
He smiled with the sincerity of a child.
The moment the answer was revealed, I felt a mixture of joy, regret, and boundless fear... For reasons I can't reveal right now, and to help you integrate into this world more quickly, I sealed your experiences and memories of your original universe. Lucien left some of his memories with you. The you created by L was both you and not you... What followed was a long series of lies, countless lies fabricated for the sake of one lie... Fortunately, the ending was happy... At least until now, everything is happy...
[Jaris, what are you and Lucien afraid of? What kind of past do you and I have?]
Those past events...
Yaris gave a wry smile.
"Until you have the ability to enter the ninth floor of the God Tower, I will not let you know about our past... I don't want to see the helplessness and despair in your eyes..."
"How could you do this! Not knowing anything only makes me angrier!"
[I don't mind you getting angry at me. Your anger seems more like pity to me...]
[Mercy...in the end...how can you...?]
"Anyway, I'm glad you chased me to the East Continent, delaying my death once again... I originally planned to reverse the magic circle he meticulously constructed, raising a final banner against my true enemy... but the price was that the entire East Continent was reduced to a sea of blood..."
[Who is the real enemy? Which one among the gods?]
[…Not just any one of the gods, but almost all of them.]
Yaris sighed softly.
[By the way, I still don’t know your name in the original universe.]
[Xiao, my name in the original universe is Xiao Yun. Xiao is my surname, and Yun is my given name, meaning cloud in the sky.]
Xiao… Shaw… turned out to be… a surname… This isn’t what I expected…
Yaris murmured, then he closed his eyes and gently stroked Xiao Yun's face with his hands, from his eyes to his nose to his lips and then to his chin...
[Compared to looking at you with my eyes open, doing this... this kind of caress... allows me to feel you more clearly...]
【Yaris……】
Xiao Yun held his hand.
[Tell me the truth, do you really still have your sight? ]
[Of course, I can still see with my eyes... But you are using Lucien's body after all. I want to see the real you... If you are willing to hold my hand and show me the picture in your mind, I will be even happier...]
I do.
Xiao Yun replied in a low voice.
[Ah... Xiao... Today might be the first time in my life... I'm truly happy to be alive in this world...]
He held Xiao Yun's hand with difficulty and whispered in an intoxicated manner as if singing.
[It's incredible... Just by holding your hand, I can feel the power, the blazing light and energy like a star...]
…
The sunlight shone into the room through the window. Xiao Yun, worried that Yaris's eyes would be hurt by the strong light, got up and pulled the curtains. Looking back, he saw the two little guys fighting fiercely under the headboard.
“…”
Xiao Yun speechlessly bent down and picked up the entangled "Tower Master" and the golden dragon. While trying to separate the precious dragon twins, he asked curiously, "What's going on?"
【I am the older brother! 】
"Tower Master" twisted his slender body and shouted.
【I am the older brother! 】
The golden dragon flapped its little wings in defiance.
"You guys are fighting just for such a small matter?"
【This is not a trivial matter! 】
The Tower Master and the Golden Dragon roared in unison.
“…”
Hearing the noise, Yaris raised his hand with difficulty and rubbed his eyebrows: "I am Xiao's brother now. As compensation, you will be Xiao Jin's younger brother in the future."
【Hello! 】
The "Tower Master" was so angry that his body was shaking.
The golden dragon also widened his eyes.
[Who is "Xiao Jin"! ]
"Xiao Jin is the new name I gave you."
Yaris said nonchalantly: "If you don't accept this name, I will support Xiao Hei as the older brother."
【……】
The golden dragon was obviously deeply shocked, and its golden scales stood up straight like an animal's fur.
[——Xiao! I strongly urge you to take care of your brother!]
"I am his own property, so why should I care about him?"
Xiao Yun let go and placed the golden dragon, which had just been named "Xiao Jin" by Yaris, on the bedside table.
"Furthermore, once you accept the name 'Xiao Jin', you will officially be the elder brother of the 'Tower Master'."
【elder brother……】
The golden dragon narrowed his black eyes and thought intoxicatedly for a while—
Since my current name is "Xiao Jin," its name must be changed to "Xiao Hei"... "Tower Master" sounds too imposing, not like a younger brother...
"no problem."
Yaris agreed casually.
The "Tower Master" was unwilling to accept such a humiliating name, but—
"Xiao Hei?"
Yaris smiled at it.
【Um……】
The "Tower Master" responded sullenly, turned around, curled up into a circle and sulked.
Neither Xiao Yun nor Yaris tried to coax it.
…
…
After eating the meal carefully prepared by Kelly and others, considering that Yaris was still very weak and could not withstand the bumps of the carriage, Xiao Yun decided to stay in the base provided by the "Assassin's Order" for half a month, and then accept the invitation to visit the Golden City.
"If possible, I want Xiao Hei's second eye back."
[I'm not Xiao Hei! I'm——]
[Brother, is your second eye in the Golden City?]
The Golden Dragon asked with concern.
"Alans said that Xiao Hei's second eye is currently in the Golden City. He invited us to stay there temporarily."
"Alans..."
Yaris gave a subtle smile.
Xiao Yun quickly grabbed his hand: "We are still living in the house he provided-"
"I know."
Yaris smiled brightly: "I just suddenly remembered something interesting."
“…”
Xiao Yun held his forehead.
Boom boom boom——
There was a knock on the door.
Then, Kelly pushed the door open and entered: "Mr. Johnny said that he has something very important to discuss with His Majesty in person."
"Please ask him to wait a moment. I——"
"Bring him to our room."
Yaris said with a smile.
Seeing this, Xiao Yun held Yaris's hand.
What are you going to do now?
[I suspect he wants us to help rescue the captured Green Scarf Army members.]
[——That’s indeed a possibility.]
Xiao Yun fell into deep thought.
At 1 o'clock, Johnny also walked into the room under the guidance of Kelly.
Seeing Yaris trying to sit up straight with the help of Xiao Yun and his attendants, Johnny's honest face showed a simple worry: "Are you, are you okay?"
"I'm sorry to have made you worry about me."
Yaris leaned on Xiao Yun and said weakly, "Thank you for your help."
"Without Lord Claude's help, I would have been captured by his men and thrown into prison long ago."
Johnny rubbed his hands, hesitation and distress flashing in his bloodshot eyes.
Seeing the middle-aged man's face, which was extremely haggard due to worrying about his companions, Xiao Yun suddenly felt sorry for him. "Kelly said you have something important to discuss with us in person?"
"Yes, I, I think..."
"What do you want us to do for you?"
Yaris spoke slowly in a hoarse, weak voice, his dark eyes, as bright as a night lake, staring at Johnny.
“I, I…”
Johnny lowered his head and stammered.
Xiao Yun couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he spoke for him, "Do you want us to help you rescue your companions?"
“Yes, yes…”
Johnny lowered his head in shame. "Master Claude saved my life twice, and he just escaped from danger. I, I shouldn't have asked such an excessive request of you, but... Master Claude! I, I, I..."
"There's nothing shameful about worrying about your fellow man."
Xiao Yun comforted Johnny: "We originally planned to..."
"younger brother!"
Yaris tried to raise his voice, and the painful sound brought everyone's attention back to him.
"Yaris..."
"I think we should help him as much as we can."
Yaris spoke gently, his intelligent eyes narrowed slightly, obviously thinking about a conspiracy.
Seeing this, Xiao Yun held his shoulders and said, "You've said a lot, aren't you tired?"
"I--"
"Lie down and rest, don't make me worry."
"All right."
Yaris muttered softly, obeying Xiao Yun's wishes. With the help of his servants, he slowly lay down and blinked his sparkling black eyes: "Will you sneak away from me while I sleep?"
"No, never."
Xiao Yun held Yaris's hand and signaled with his eyes that Kelly should take Johnny to the next room to wait.
"Mr. Johnny—"
“Oh oh!”
Johnny obediently followed Kelly out.
Xiao Yun looked at Yaris helplessly: "What are you planning?"
"Johnny is more honest than I expected."
"Then what?"
“Honest people rarely become leaders, but they usually don’t make enemies either.”
"you mean--"
"We'll help him, support him, and make him a beloved general in the Green Turban Army, second only to the Grand Chief... When Luke comes of age, he can go to the Green Turban Army and join Johnny. With Johnny's help, he can quickly rise through the ranks until he takes control of the Green Turban Army..."
Yaris grabbed Xiao Yun's hand and spoke excitedly.
"you……"
Xiao Yun sighed: "If you didn't think about these things all day, your health wouldn't be so bad."
"It's true that excessive calculation will accelerate the deterioration of my health...but..."
Yaris looked at Xiao Yun weakly and said, "It is even more unimaginable for me to live an ordinary and vulgar life surrounded by jewels."
"All right."
Xiao Yun whispered, looking at Yaris worriedly: "Have you made up your mind to push Luke to the position of Emperor of the East?"
"He will lose his throne sooner or later," Yaris said, "but if after his empire collapses, no powerful person stands up in time to complete the empire's second unification, the Eastern Continent will once again fall into division and war, and the people will suffer..."
“…What you said makes a lot of sense.”
"Furthermore, after a period of division, people will naturally divide the land into countless small countries based on factors such as mountains, rivers, and the main ethnic groups living in the area, rejecting greater unification and integration. The current situation in the Western Continent is the best example."
Yaris looked up at Xiao Yun with some sadness. "He completed the unification of the Eastern Continent and has maintained this unity to this day, even though his goal was to become a god. As the legacy of the Eternal Empire, I hope that on the planet Ella there will no longer be divisions between nations, ethnicities, or beliefs. Everyone will live under the same sky, share the same dream, and join hands to form a community with a shared destiny..."
"I see what you mean."
Xiao Yun lowered his head and kissed Yaris's forehead: "You want to rebuild the Eternal Empire, so that everyone living on this planet can form a community of shared destiny and work towards the same dream..."
"Yes."
Yaris looked up, his dark eyes sadly gazing at Xiao Yun. "Because of his ambition to become a god, the Eastern Continent has unexpectedly developed a foundation for a unified understanding. This is an invaluable asset that must not be wasted. As for the Western Continent, I believe you can do it... you can definitely do it... After the Eastern and Western Continents are unified, both sides will work together to eliminate the curse of the Death Desert. Ultimately, through the peaceful unification of the Eastern and Western Continents, the Eternal Empire, buried by the gods for six thousand years, will be reborn..."
"Yaris..."
Xiao Yun's eyes were a little moist.
"Xiao, whether or not you agree with my dream, your body and mine are both lives nurtured by Ella. We are Ella's children... I hope that one day Ella can break free from the tragic fate of being manipulated and played with by the gods, and decide its own future..."
Yaris didn't continue speaking. He gently stroked Xiao Yun's neck with his thin and weak hands and held his chin.
"You'll make my dream come true, right? Not only will you make my dream come true, but you'll make it even more beautiful and better than I could have imagined, right?"
"Yes, I will realize your dream and revive the Eternal Empire... You must also take good care of your health, and especially cherish your eyes, so that you can watch the dream become reality with me..."
"Uh-huh."
"Have a good rest."
Xiao Yun reached out and helped him lie down, putting his cold hands into the quilt.
"Soon...your dream will soon become a reality..."
"It's okay, I don't mind waiting. I know you're a man of your word."
Yaris reluctantly let go of Xiao Yun and smiled shyly: "Xiao, do you think I was childish just now? Like a child who hasn't grown up?"
"You did look a little childish just now, but—"
Xiao Yun lowered his head and kissed his forehead. "It is precisely because you possess such status, such a body, and such upbringing that you can have such pure and sincere dreams like a child's. That is why you are you, the one and only you..."
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