Chapter 127 "We will sink into the long river of time together."
January 15th, afternoon, Tokyo, Japan.
"In other words..." Yuliu crossed his arms and stared at Anson Deer with his dark green eyes, "You suspect that the principal of Shangshi High School is the mastermind behind the Evolution Game?"
"I'm not sure." Anson Lu whispered, "I have investigated many clues in the past few days. I went to Iceland and also visited the Uesugi family in Japan. Almost... all the clues point directly to the principal."
It was almost dusk. After saying goodbye to Kamishiro Ruri in the afternoon, Anson Lu came to the intersection of Kamakura High School Station, where he met Yuliu.
The light blue waves hit the beach, making a soothing sound. There was a fence between the beach and the road. Near the fence, a JR train with a light green shell was parked on the track.
Yuliu was silent for a while, then asked, "Why... don't you tell Crow about these things?"
"He is very important, so we keep it a secret from him." Anson Deer said, "If... the two of us die because of investigating too deeply, then Crow will be one of the few people in the world who can lead mankind on."
"Not Lorenzo?"
"No, the existence of the crows is to prevent Lorenzo from going crazy in the future and letting things develop to an uncontrollable point."
"Indeed." Yuliu said meaningfully, "I can also see that there is something wrong with the captain of the law enforcement team."
"Let's not talk about these for now. After all, we are still alive." Anson Lu's eyes moved, "So, even though there may be a risk of death, do you still want to listen to me?"
The tide surged onto the beach, almost hitting the fence, but the fence was close at hand, yet seemed out of reach, and the tide receded back into the sea again.
"I'll listen." Yuliu said coldly, "Why not? It's better than being kept in the dark and being a lamb to be slaughtered."
"That's good."
"Are you scared?"
"I am scared." Anson Lu said in a deep voice, "I really feel insecure with such an unknown person around me. The more I try to figure out his identity, the more confused I become."
Yuliu observed his expression, "I can see that you are under a lot of pressure."
"No more nonsense." Anson Lu said, "So far, I have three clues about the principal's identity."
"Which three?"
"First, Asuka Uesugi has dragon blood in her body."
Two days ago, on January 13, late at night, in Tokyo, at the Uesugi family's mansion.
"If I remember correctly." The old man raised his head, and the figure of a young man was reflected in his cloudy eyes. "You are... Anson Lu, the world's number one."
"Master Uesugi, I just came to ask you something." Anson Lu wrapped his scarf tightly, his eyes shining. "I want to know why Asuka Uesugi has dragon blood flowing in her body. You know... when she had the ability to transform into a dragon, the evolution game hadn't even started yet."
"Haha, you are so rude." The head of the Uesugi family sneered and said slowly: "You should know how late it is now. If you want to see me, you should at least notify my servants first."
"I don't have the time. This is very important to me." Anson Lu said coldly, "If you can't answer me, then I might consider using force."
"Young man, you are courting trouble..."
"I don't care." Anson Lu lowered his voice. "I'll say it again, I don't care, but you do. If you don't answer me, I can do anything now."
"You look angry, what are you angry about?"
"It's none of your business."
"Young people nowadays are really hard to understand..." The head of the Uesugi family laughed.
"Answer me."
"I answered you, there is no need to be so anxious." The head of the Uesugi family said, "I heard someone say that you have an intuition, an intuition that can distinguish between truth and falsehood."
"Although I don't know who told you this, this information is very accurate. I can rely on my intuition to tell if you are lying." Anson Lu said coldly, "So, please answer me seriously and carefully, what exactly happened to Uesugi Asuka?"
"The person who told me that you have this trait is from your China. He said that he is just the principal of a high school." The head of the Uesugi family looked at Anson Lu and said slowly:
"And this person came to the Uesugi family once ten years ago. It was after that that dragon blood began to flow in Asuka's body."
Anson Lu stood there in a daze, his pupils contracted to the extreme.
Yuliu frowned, "Dragon's blood?"
Anson Deer said: "Yes, dragon blood. She was able to transform into a dragon before the evolution game began."
"Why..." Yuliu looked a little stunned.
"The head of the Uesugi family told me this..." Anseng Lu said slowly, "When Uesugi Asuka was seven years old, that is, ten years ago, an old Chinese man came to Tokyo and brought a girl with him. The girl only spoke a few words to Asuka, and after that day, Asuka had the ability to transform into a dragon."
Old man and girl...
Yuliu's expression became even weirder. "You mean... that old Chinese man is the principal of Shangshi High School?"
"The head of the Uesugi family didn't say it explicitly. He just said that he had an agreement with the old man." Ansenglu said, "But I can basically confirm that it was the principal... Because the principal told me before that in order to get Asuka Uesugi to join the Hell Lighthouse, the influence of the Uesugi family is more important than the interference of the US and Japanese officials, so he went to Tokyo in person to find the head of the Uesugi family."
"The principal you are talking about should not be a player, right?" Yuliu found something wrong.
Anson Deer nodded, "Well, he is obviously not a player, but he can enter and leave the city freely."
Yuliu took a breath, his thoughts suddenly in disarray.
"Then...what about the second clue?"
After a moment, he continued.
"It's about Yuri, the Icelandic girl from our union," Anshen said. "She has a condition called Anchase Syndrome."
"Anchache syndrome, a disease name I've never heard of..."
"This disease will cause patients to show clinical manifestations such as 'white hair', 'hypermia', 'emotional loss', etc...." Ansenglu said, "Most importantly, all patients with Anchache syndrome, without exception, died at the age of 18."
Yuliu's expression was stunned again, "What?"
"There have been three cases of Anchache syndrome. In addition to Yuri, the first two patients were named 'Kaki' and 'Rema'. After they became ill, they both showed the symptoms I mentioned."
"How did they all get this disease?"
"Like Yuri, the three of them developed Anchache syndrome one winter ten years ago."
"Ten years ago?" Yuliu said thoughtfully, "Isn't this the time you just mentioned when the old Chinese man went to Tokyo to visit the Uesugi family?"
"That's right. It was ten years ago. After that... old Chinese man brought a girl and talked to Asuka Uesugi for a few words, Asuka began to be able to transform into a dragon." Anson Lu nodded.
"You suspect there's a connection between the two?"
“It’s almost 100 percent related.”
Yuliu's thoughts were in a mess. "I don't know why you are so sure, but you keep talking..."
"I told you before that the first two patients with Anchache syndrome were named Khaki and Reema." Anson Lu said slowly, "Reema's family members are all dead, and so are Yuri's family members... Only Khaki, her father is still alive."
"So, you went to meet Khaki's father?"
"Yes, her father's name is Jeff." Anson Deer lowered his head, his dark hair covering his eyes. "A week ago, I went to Iceland to find him, and he told me something..."
It was the first time that Julius saw Anson Deer with such an expression.
"What did you say?" Yuliu asked in a low voice.
Anson Lu raised his head, with a confused light flowing in his dark brown eyes, "Ten years ago in the winter, a Chinese man came to Djupivogur, Iceland with a girl in a windbreaker."
As he spoke, his voice became hoarse.
Yuliu stood there in a daze.
This statement... is exactly the same as what the head of the Uesugi family said - an old Chinese man and a girl, a girl wearing a windbreaker? Who is that girl?
"At that time, Yuri was 7 years old, Reema was 16 years old, and Khaki was 17 years old." Ansenglu said hoarsely, "The Chinese man brought the girls and talked to them one by one. I don't know what the girls said, but after that, these three people...all suffered from Anchache syndrome."
Yuliu was completely stunned, his face full of confusion, "This..."
"A year after that winter, Khaki turned 18 and died." Anson Lu paused, then said, "Two years after that, Rema turned 18 and died."
Yuliu's face was solemn. According to this rule, this girl named Yuri would definitely die at the age of 18.
But Yuri was still young when he first became ill, only 7 years old, so he escaped the disaster...
But that was ten years ago...
Ten years later, Yuri is 17 years old. Before long, she may die like Khaki and Reema...
If all these things were caused by the principal alone.
Well, no wonder Anson Deer showed such a violent side...
"So, according to you, it was the girl brought by the Chinese man who caused Khaki, Reema and Yuri to suffer from Anchache syndrome?" Yuliu asked.
"Yes, Jeff told me that even if he told the authorities the truth, they would only think he was insane, because at that time, no one except him saw the old Chinese man and the girl." Anson Lu said, "And Yuri is the same, she doesn't remember talking to a girl at that time."
"So what impression does Jeff have of that Chinese man?"
"He gave me a picture. In order to remember what the man looked like, Jeff drew the general appearance of the old man." Anson Deer said slowly:
"I saw the painting, and Jeff wrote down the man's features next to the painting - he was about 1.85 meters tall, with white hair, a strong body, and his facial features were as hard as a male model."
"The person in the painting and the principal you mentioned..." Yuliu couldn't finish his words.
"Totally, just one person." Anson Deer interrupted him.
Julius was silent.
Since Anson Deer said so, what else could he refute?
"The clues are not clear yet, don't worry." Yuliu tried to calm Anson Lu's emotions.
Anson Lu scratched his head with his hands, his eyes wandering, and he murmured in a trembling voice:
"It's the principal... Why, why did he let Yuri suffer from this disease, and... who is the girl following the principal?"
His thoughts were so chaotic that they were about to explode.
For a week in a row, Anson Lu has been investigating related matters - but no matter whether it is Asuka Uesugi's past or Yuri's past, they are all closely related to the existence of the principal.
"Any other clues?" asked Julius.
"Jeff said that the girl used English, and she called the old Chinese man like this..." Anson Lu paused and said hoarsely:
"Chess master."
"Chess master..." Yuliu suddenly opened his eyes wide and shuddered for no reason, "Chess master?"
"Yes..." Anson Deer lowered his head, "Chess player."
"Is it related to your profession, former chess player..."
"Maybe." Anson Lu said, "In addition to the two clues of Uesugi Asuka and Yuri, I have one last clue."
"What is it?"
"I may have been responsible for the sinking of the Titanic in 1912."
"You're crazy..." said Yuliu.
"You don't understand."
Yuliu's voice was full of confusion. He took a deep breath and refuted forcefully: "That was in 1912, more than 100 years ago. How could it be you who caused it?!"
This time, Yuliu really suspected that Anson Lu was crazy and that was why he said such nonsense.
Anson Deer remained silent.
"That's enough..." Yuliu said coldly: "Anson Lu, do you know what you are talking about? I really doubt whether there is something wrong with your mind."
"It was the game system that clearly guided me and let me know this." Anson Lu said slowly:
"I brought the snow dragon that was about to land in Tokyo six months later to the Atlantic Ocean more than 100 years ago. It happened to collide with the passing Titanic at that time."
"This is absolutely ridiculous," said Julius, unable to bear it any longer.
"The Snow Dragon used a skill and created an iceberg, which intercepted the Titanic, leading to the famous sinking of the Titanic." Anson Lu ignored Yuliu's attitude and said in a tired voice:
"I told you... my intuition is like a superpower. It helps me tell whether something is true or false."
"so what?"
"My instinct... judged that this was correct."
Yuliu stood there in a daze, as if something was stuck in his throat, unable to utter a single word.
Before this conversation, he had done an experiment with Anson Lu - Anson Lu asked him to mix fifty lies and fifty truths in a hundred sentences.
Furthermore, Anson Deer uses his intuition to determine which statement is true and which is false.
The final result was that he guessed correctly without exception.
"You went back to 1912..." Yuliu said, "and you used a transfer method to bring the white dragon that would descend on Tokyo in the future to the Atlantic Ocean in 1912."
"Yes." Anson Lu confirmed again.
Yuliu said deeply: "My worldview is shattering."
"It should have been broken long ago. The evolutionary game started a month ago." Anson Lu said sarcastically.
Yuliu held his forehead with his hand, and after a long silence, he asked, "So, what is the connection between this incident and the previous two incidents?"
"This incident shows..." Anson Lu said, "At least in half a year, I will gain an ability similar to 'time travel'. Perhaps it is the effect of a chess piece."
"Then what?"
"Didn't I say before that Jeff heard the girl the principal brought to Iceland call the principal a 'chess master', which means a chess player." Anson Lu paused and sneered:
"Chess player...haha, most likely a former chess player."
"You mean, you will have the ability to travel through time in the future... and the principal is also a player, and he is most likely a player from the future, because he and you are in the same career sequence, so he also has the ability to travel through time?" Yuliu asked intermittently.
He could no longer keep up with Anson Deer's thinking.
"I mean..." Anson Deer raised his head, looked at the sky, and whispered, "Is there a possibility?"
"What?"
"Principal, it's me from the future."
At this moment, on the other side of the world, the North Pole.
In the hazy world of ice and snow, there stood two incompatible figures - an old man in a windbreaker, and a little girl in a dress.
"Ah, I guessed it. Should I say... As expected of your past self?"
The girl sat on an ice rock and shook her slender white legs.
"This is normal. I've revealed so many clues..." The principal lit a cigarette and said calmly, "Heh... He's a stronger version of me, so he should have figured it out."
"In short, according to my skill rules, you can no longer stay in this time and space."
"It doesn't matter. I have done what I should do."
The girl asked in confusion: "So, what can the three chess seeds you brought to the child change?"
"That is the future of mankind." The principal took a deep puff of cigarette. "I no longer have a future, but he does. And unlike me, this time the chess player of the past is no longer fighting alone."
"Well, think about it carefully. Not only did you bring him a lot of companions, but you also brought him the ability of 'super intuition'." The girl poked her chin with her finger and said casually:
"Indeed, this time Anson Lu is completely different from you who lost to the white dragon thirty years ago. You are no longer the lonely dog who died and knelt in front of the graves of all mankind and cried bitterly..."
The principal puffed out smoke and said unhappily, "How can a chess piece say that its master is a stray dog?"
"You didn't smoke before, chess player."
"Cigarettes and alcohol are good things. At that time, I hid myself too deeply. I was alone and didn't trust anyone. I was only 17 years old, and I took on the responsibility of saving the whole world alone."
The principal looked up, his hollow eyes reflecting the winter sky that looked like thousands of ice cubes. "But it's different now. At least he is no longer alone."
"I think you were more attractive before. The boy who faced the Tokyo Dragon alone is dead now."
“I’m old too…”
"It's time for you to go to the coffin, Anson Lu. There is no place for you in the future. After all, the world line has changed. There will no longer be an old guy like you."
"It's so touching..." the principal said, "You were the only one to accompany me before I died, but at least you were the chess piece that accompanied me the longest."
"How annoying! I'm about to die, but you're still treating me like a pawn."
"Oh, I can't treat you as my lover... You have to remember that you were just a pendulum at the beginning."
"Yes, yes, yes." The girl tilted her head and said:
"Tell me, can Anson Deer save the world this time? Or will he be like you, with full of ideals, but be trampled by the white dragon into an old man with dull eyes who can only survive?"
The principal fell weakly on the ice, and the outline of his body gradually became blurred.
"I have been on the run for long enough..." he whispered, "For more than twenty years, until that white dragon flattened the entire world, I have been on the run."
The girl said quietly, "There's no need to run away. Ever since it lost the war, that dragon has been endowed with an aura that no one can stop. It's destined to evolve... until it's big enough to devour the entire world."
"No matter how this ends..." the principal said softly, "at least he is no longer alone."
"You are so naive. Is it more important to stop being lonely than to save the world?"
"I just learned to feel sorry for myself... At that time, I was just a 17-year-old kid. No one understood me. I was just a lone wolf, a loner."
"Isn't there still me?"
"Just be a good chess piece."
"Tsk, that's right. That's why Anson Lu is different from you now. He has started to change. He no longer simply treats chess pieces as chess pieces. And you, old man, are really too cold." The girl said lightly.
The principal sighed and smiled self-deprecatingly, "It's nice to have friends. The days of youth are gone forever."
The girl jumped off the ice rock and lay down next to the principal. The two of them sank deeper and deeper into the white world.
She suddenly asked:
"If you hadn't killed Urushihara Ritsu at that time, would the world line have progressed in the same way?"
"At that time, I only trusted myself and acted on my own. From the moment Urushihara Ritsu tried to get close to me, he was destined to be killed by me." The principal said in a calm tone:
"Now, at least that kid trusts me, so he also has the ability to trust others - this is something I learned decades after the destruction of the world, and I... taught him in three months."
"As expected, you know yourself best." The girl smiled, "In such a short period of time, my past self has come to trust you."
"I know what he needs."
"A bit cunning."
"What's the big deal? You're just lying to yourself, not to others."
"Don't quibble. He and you are two different beings."
“…”
“………”
“…………”
"I'm tired. I won't argue with you this time." The principal said, "Good night, Sisdoriya."
"Good night, Anson." The girl closed her eyes with a faint smile on her lips, "We will... sink into the long river of time together."
January 15, night, a hotel in Tokyo
Anson Lu lay on the bed, staring at the phone screen in silence.
On the screen, he sent nearly a thousand messages to the principal, but the old man did not reply to any of them and disappeared for a week as if he was dead.
Suddenly, an email came, which was sent on time.
[Principal: Make good use of the 'Future Bluebird' chess piece. This is a gift I brought to you from the future. Also, you must complete the 'World Rescue Team' chess set.]
Anson Lu's face twitched slightly. He typed a line of words and pressed the send button hard.
[Anson Deer: Where the hell are you? You've been hiding from me for days, old man. You still have a lot of things to explain to me! ]
One minute passed.
There was no response, the second hand of the clock was ticking...
Ten minutes passed.
There was no response, and the second hand of the clock turned many circles...
An hour passed.
Still no response, the clock's hour hand turned a full circle...
The time has come to midnight, and it is now January 16th.
"Ding." A message alert sound came from the mobile phone.
Anson Lu was startled, suddenly opened his eyes and looked at his phone.
Another scheduled email.
——【Principal: Anson Lu, happy eighteenth birthday. 】
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(End of this chapter)
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