Chapter 23 Before the End (Part 1)
On the rooftop of the Royal Palace of Elysien, a former First Combat Weapon, who was forced into a corner by an inexplicable sock-throwing battle, glanced at the guardrail behind him and the vast crystal field below.
Beichen and his men who were chasing also followed to the rooftop. Feibai followed with an expressionless face, his amber-green eyes looking at Xiaxue's back with an indescribable complex look.
Xiaxue brushed off a piece of sweet date peel stuck on her hair and sighed helplessly.
"Alright, little aunt, you've let out enough anger. If you have anything else you want to throw at me, go ahead and smash it all. After you're done, it's time for me to leave."
Beichen curled his lips and handed over a clean towel.
"I'm venting my anger, but I still can't accept your reason."
"Are my thoughts so difficult to understand?"
"It's understandable... Actually, to be selfish, if I were in your shoes, I might have done something just as stupid as you. But even so, I can't deny the fact that it was 'stupid'. It's just that the blood of the rosy clouds..."
Beichen paused as he spoke, as if he was worried that his next words would hurt Xiaxue.
But she finally said:
"But, since you so desperately want someone to accompany you, then why didn't the previous contractors sign a life-sharing contract with them? Lian Cang still looks like he's in his twenties because Xing Ge gave him her life force, right?"
Xiaxue's face turned pale for a few seconds after hearing these words, but he quickly recovered and shook his head:
"If you sign a life-sharing contract with me, you can't predict how long you'll live. In fact, even though this body is over a thousand years old, it's still incredibly vibrant. If you hadn't all come together to kill me, I'd conservatively estimate I could have lived for at least a few thousand more. My contractors... they're so exceptional and so rational that none of them have the confidence to survive the passage of time—nor the confidence that they'll never tire of it. Therefore, they'd rather live a brilliant life as humans and then die... than stay with me."
After hearing this, Heihuo, Sujie, Xiangying and Yaye behind Beichen exchanged glances with each other.
It was done tacitly—with an expression of confidence, joy, and pride.
This interaction naturally caught Xiaxue's attention, causing his golden eyes to flash darkly with envy and unwillingness.
He leaned back against the rooftop railing.
"Sure enough, Theresa is the only one I will end up with."
"Xiaxue." Beichen frowned. "How can I dispel your idea? If smashing the fruit doesn't work, do I really have to smash the Star Spirit Cannon?"
"I'm afraid so."
The black-haired, golden-eyed Star Vein raised the corners of his mouth, revealing his usual regal smile.
"I know what I'm doing is wrong, so I accept your throwing of fruit and socks. However, you can't interrupt my actions. I will cooperate with the last Star Killer, and then turn the Red Spirit Turret on Wanzu. If you don't fall into the trap I've prepared and create new Wanzu, then the star spirit power circulation system of this world will probably collapse, but this has nothing to do with me. If the star spirit power disappears, people will lose their dependence on weapons and various spirit crystals and focus on developing technology again. If this continues, one day, human civilization will return to or even surpass the technology of ancient civilizations. I will assist them with all my strength, and then..."
As he spoke, a dazed look appeared on his face, and he looked up at the sky above his head with a wry smile.
"No matter how long it takes, she will come back eventually."
“…”
Beichen didn't reply. She knew that at this point, any words would be superfluous. Xiaxue had already made up his mind, and the resentment that had been suppressed for thousands of years could not be resolved with just a few words from her.
In silence, Xiaxue had already jumped onto the guardrail and stood firmly on it with his feet. The whistling wind blew his black hair and long black coat.
At first glance, I had a feeling that this person was a ghost that didn't belong to this world.
"Xiaxue, be careful—"
Beichen took a step forward and extended her hand, but she regretted it the next second - not to mention Xiaxue's sense of balance, with his skills, even if he fell from the roof of the palace, he probably wouldn't get hurt at all.
Seeing her like this, Xiaxue turned his back to the earth and laughed in the wind.
"I have a question."
"explain."
"If I said... if you had won the Latia Martial Arts Tournament by any means necessary and signed a contract with me, all the hardships you've encountered since then would have ceased to exist, and the apocalyptic crisis you're worried about might have been resolved a year ago, and I wouldn't have had to resurrect Theresa—if you had chosen me, your future would have been peaceful and comfortable—would you regret hearing this?"
This sentence made Xiang Ying behind Beichen suddenly nervous, but as if he already knew what Beichen would say, Yaye patted his shoulder with an understanding smile, indicating that he didn't need to worry.
Sure enough, Beichen shook his head gently and firmly.
"That future, no matter how beautiful and comfortable, doesn't have Xiangying. If I choose you, I'll regret it. Although I understand your millennia of loneliness, Xiaxue, I also want to ask you—when I was starving and freezing in the War Weapon Tomb and nearly killed by a low-level possessed Moon Messenger, was it you who warmed me, found me food, and risked your life to protect me? Was it you who, knowing I was a miko, never left me and was even willing to stay with me, willing to starve to death in Feinheim?"
Xiaxue was speechless.
"Even if not choosing you caused me to endure more setbacks and hardships, even if I had to sweat several times more... and endure more pain... but as long as it brings me Xiangying, it's worth it! Xiaxue... you who would sacrifice all your weapons and the life of the possessed Moon Envoy to change the times in exchange for Therese... can't you understand this?"
“…”
The Star Vein was silent for a long time before a somewhat bitter whisper came out of his throat.
"Even if you have to force me to revive Theresa, you still say this? Am I really that unattractive to you?"
Beichen was stunned for a few seconds with a complicated expression.
"...If Xiang Ying didn't exist in this world──perhaps you would still be attractive to me. After all, you're handsome and strong, and I used to blush at you. But..."
"But there are no 'ifs' in the world."
Xiaxue continued the sentence that Beichen had not finished.
"So, in the end, I only have one way left."
"There are actually many paths you can take...it's just that you are so stubborn that you have blocked all other paths."
"Well, I'm just that stubborn. After all, my earliest self wasn't a living creature... but a stupid satellite that only knew how to orbit Senagard in a fixed orbit."
"I will stop you. Absolutely!"
Beichen clenched his fists and announced loudly to Xiaxue.
"Be it Wan Zu, the Red Spirit Turret, the Star Killer—or you! I will solve all the problems, just wait and see!!"
A fighting smile appeared on Xiaxue's face, and a hint of murderous aura emanated from his body. He nodded at Beichen.
"Then I wish you good luck in martial arts."
"After I defeat you—just wait and see, I'll import durian from Feinheim and throw it at you!"
“…”
The corner of Xiaxue's mouth twitched - but after a few seconds he smiled with some relief.
Then, his body slowly fell backwards, and finally his center of gravity left the guardrail, and he fell over the guardrail with his back to the ground.
Beichen was startled and took a few quick steps to look outside the guardrail... but found that there was no one below.
(Qi) And then, Fei Bai on the side also took a few quick steps and jumped onto the railing.
Book) "Fei Bai..." Beichen called him in a somewhat complicated tone.
(Net) "Don't try to hold us back. Treat us as your true enemies, fight us with all your might, and protect our dignity."
Feibai looked down at Beichen who was lying on the ground looking up at him. He stretched out his hand as if he wanted to touch something. His hand extended forward and stayed there for a few seconds, but he soon retracted his hand. Then, as everyone watched, he also jumped off the guardrail - and then disappeared in a burst of spiritual crystal light.
On the big rooftop, only Beichen and a few others are left.
Looking at the vast land under the guardrail, Beichen was silent in the wind.
"Let's go back to the room."
Yaye whispered behind her.
Then, coincidentally, less than an hour later, Gu Yinyue, Yagad, Xifeng, Glenshe... as well as Su Mo, Ragnarl, Yizi, and the elites of the Night Cavalry, rushed back to Elysien with spirit crystals.
In the huge conference room, everyone exchanged information. After learning about Xiaxue's plan, everyone in the conference room fell silent for a long time.
In the end, it was Su Mo who spoke first.
"Turns out that mutated possessed Moon Envoy was from the Red Spirit Turret... I thought it was caused by Kasumi Blood."
"We thought you were the one at first. The timing with Ragnar's appearance was so perfect that it nearly killed Beichen."
Xifeng said coldly from the side.
Su Mo smiled bitterly, feeling a little aggrieved.
"Please, I clearly told Beichen that if she couldn't make it, she could come to me. How could I possibly ask someone to take her life? I know my limits very well. - Glenshe, stop it!"
As a result, he was explaining to Beichen seriously at the beginning, but before he could finish, Glen She, who was sitting next to him, took off the mask of Su Mo who was speaking with lightning speed and threw it in front of Beichen. This was not over yet. Before Beichen could understand what was going on, there were a few more clattering sounds, and a total of more than a dozen identical iron masks were thrown on the table in front of Beichen.
"Brother... what's going on?"
Beichen glanced at the pile of masks in some confusion, then glanced at Su Mo whose true face was revealed—he exclaimed in admiration, "He is indeed another handsome man."
"Souvenir. Su Mo's mask."
"I, I know this is Su Mo's mask...but why did you give me his mask, and why are there so many masks?"
"Aren't the body parts of wild beasts said to be valuable and precious? This thing regenerates quickly, so I peeled a few extra."
Su Mo's forehead veins suddenly jumped: "Although I am a great will, please don't treat me as a monster that can be stripped of materials, okay?!"
Xifeng squinted his eyes: "Is the mask also a body part?"
"And what's with 'regeneration'? Hey... I just took a new mask from Yizhi and put it on!" Su Jie twitched his mouth and pointed at Su Mo who was putting on the mask again in a rage.
Glenn She ignored the complaints and just stared at Beichen:
"Anyway, take it. Maybe it can be used as medicine."
“…Thank you.”
Beichen really wanted to say that the mask could not be used as medicine in any way, but in the end he had no choice but to hold back.
"so……"
Su Mo, with veins on his head, wanted to bring the topic back:
"The problem now is, if that Star Killer and the Red Spirit Turret team up with Kasumi-xue..."
"By the way, Beichen, speaking of souvenirs, I also brought some."
Gu Yinyue said in a deep voice, took out a piece of beautiful fur and handed it over somewhat embarrassedly.
"Ohhh—what beautiful fur... Now I have a new winter outfit. Thank you, Yinyue!"
"As long as you like it."
“…”
Su Mo's face turned even darker after being interrupted.
Ragnarl couldn't bear it any longer, so he stood up and cleared his throat:
"I think we should now—"
"So everyone brought souvenirs! What about Agard and Zephyr? You guys also brought souvenirs, right?"
Beichen looked at Yagard and Xifeng with sparkling eyes - but the latter did not reply - Yagard stared at the teacup in a daze with an expressionless face, while Xifeng looked at her with cold eyes, with a look of disgust as if to say "How dare you ask me for souvenirs".
"...Uh, Yagad, Zephyr, what's wrong with you?"
"Humph, what's wrong?" Xifeng sneered. "You still ask what's wrong? When Yagad and I were away, you signed a life contract with Xiangying, Shuangzi, and Yaye? Great, right? You've been away for just a while, and you've become so arrogant? You dared to do such a daring thing?"
...Oh no.
Now, not only Beichen, but Xiangying and Gemini also looked a little green in the face - angering Xifeng was no joke, and it was not a pleasant feeling to be sniped by pudding bullets wherever you went.
But Yaye raised his eyebrows and chuckled ghostly:
"Why are you so angry, Xifeng? I didn't say I wouldn't sign with you. Besides, don't you always say that damn Matcha is promiscuous and messed up? If you despise me so much, why not sign a life-sharing contract?"
"Humph, just because that woman is promiscuous, do you think anyone else would want her besides a bunch of idiots like us?
"I want it, I want it!"
Longyun raised his hand recklessly.
Bang bang bang bang bang! !
Less than a second after he finished speaking, he was forced into a corner by Xifeng's bullets and Naraka's bombing.
Xifeng straightened his hat expressionlessly:
"You can't touch a woman as immoral as that! You've seen how much of a jerk this woman is. If I don't keep her under control for a long time, who knows where she'll go next."
"…'Hmph, who said I don't want to sign a life-and-death contract? I won't allow her to mess with other men again. I want to be part of this life and death together!'…The above is the translation of that sentence."
Bang bang bang bang bang!
The linguist in charge of translation and the normal person Lahan were also forced to retreat to a corner.
Sumo and Ragnart felt a little stressed as their conversation was interrupted again.
"Beichen, please don't worry."
Seeing Beichen looking at Xifeng and then at himself with a pale face, Yagard spoke considerately.
"I know you're doing this to save Black Disaster Su Jie, so I won't act resentfully or jealously."
"Agard, the cup has broken into powder." Black Disaster reminded with cold sweat.
Upon hearing this, Yagard lowered his head and frowned in confusion.
"Hmm, that's strange... Is your wrist strength out of control? I'm sorry, everyone. I'll go change the cups."
After saying that, he stood up and walked to the wine cabinet on the side.
"...Ya, Yagad..." Xiang Ying muttered with a confused expression, "You're clumsy,...and the floor is broken..."
"Hmm... strange. After losing the control system, I can't control my power anymore."
Agard reached out to open the wine cabinet door with a somewhat depressed look—but with a crackling sound, all the glassware, along with the glass door, inexplicably shattered into small pieces—and then was crushed into powder by the high concentration of spirit particles.
So scary! This jealousy is terrifying! This is just unconscious jealousy. If it really explodes, the world will end, right?!
──Everyone’s face turned green, including Beichen.
"S-So... Yagad and Xifeng, don't be angry. It's really only because of Black Disaster Sujie that I couldn't wait for you to come back... If you are willing to sign a life-sharing contract, I would be more than welcome to do so—Wuwaha?!"
Before he could finish his words, Xifeng and Yagad rushed over and grabbed his hands at the same time - biting them and pressing them against each other's palms.
Then, in a flash, a new, solid and warm connection was established.
As this warm current surged between the two sides, the resentment surrounding Xifeng and the inexplicable jealousy pressure from Yagard gradually faded away.
"But even with the life-sharing contract, the physical problems of Black Disaster and Su Jie haven't been fundamentally resolved, right?"
Su Mo spoke.
"Yes, their bodies are still losing energy, but Beichen, your internal strength was quickly replenished. This isn't a long-term solution, is it?"
"Well," Beichen's expression became serious, "I'm also looking for a real solution."
"Maybe I have a solution that can completely solve this problem."
The corners of Su Mo's mouth curled up cunningly under his mask - upon hearing this, everyone's attention quickly turned to him.
Oh yeah! With the constant ridicule and mask losses from the people around him, Chiyue felt a bit self-destructive. Childishly, he made a V-sign in his mind – I told you guys to interrupt me, I told you guys to interrupt me, and now I’m acting well!
"But before that, shouldn't we discuss Senagard's most troublesome enemies?"
"Ah, that."
Beichen smiled without any sense of crisis.
Then she looked around the room and exchanged glances with everyone - after receiving everyone's approval, she raised her head and smiled boldly.
"...At this point, there's no need for any conspiracy or intrigue, right?"
Xiang Ying beside her nodded vigorously, gently placed his hand on the back of her hand, and smiled with the same fighting spirit in his eyes.
Then they both spoke together.
"Just go ahead and beat them down."
The Queen of the Wasteland and the First Weapon said this with a tone full of confidence.
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