Chapter 45: Paradise (2)
"You said you wanted to confer upon me the title of 'Marquis of Heavenly Works,' placing me in charge of the Ministry of Works." A cold, mocking smile played at the corners of Mo Li's mouth. "Then may I ask, was this great honor 'created' step by step with my own hands and wisdom? Or was it 'awarded' to me by you, as it is now?" She gazed at the splendid yet ridiculously fake world before her, at the wooden-faced civil and military officials who could only repeat praise and admiration. "I understand." She slowly withdrew her hand, her eyes becoming resolute. "What I, Mo Li, desire is 'dignity' based on 'facts' and 'merits,' not this... unearned, illusory 'glory.'" "I—don't—want—such a cheap reward!" With her last word, the entire magnificent hall shattered like a mirror with a crash. The scene shifted again. Li Ge found herself standing in a warm, sunlit courtyard. Precious herbs dried on the medicine racks. A familiar figure sat at the stone table in the middle of the courtyard, smiling at her. It was her sister. "Ali, you're back." Her sister's voice was filled with health and vitality. Her eyes were no longer empty, but shimmered with tenderness like the stars in the sky. "Sister..." Li Ge's body began to tremble uncontrollably. "Look, I'm all better." Her sister stood up, spun around in a circle, a smile of unconcealable happiness on her face. "It's all thanks to you. You succeeded, Ali, you found a way to save me." "I..." Li Ge's eyes instantly filled with tears. "Don't try to be a ghost doctor anymore." Her sister stepped forward and gently took her hand. "That path is too difficult. Look, I'm better now. You don't have to touch those dark things anymore, you don't have to deal with those ghosts anymore. Let's just stay here, drying herbs and chatting together like we used to when we were kids, okay?" Li Ge looked at her sister's warm hand, felt the real warmth, listened to that familiar voice, and her heart nearly melted. This was the scene she had spent her entire life, even descending into the ghost realm, hoping to achieve. She nodded, almost agreeing. "No," she murmured coldly in her heart. She slowly raised her other hand, placed it on the back of her sister's, and closed her eyes. She carefully channeled her ghost doctor's energy into her sister's body. Warm, healthy, and full of vitality. Without...
"You said you wanted to confer upon me the title of 'Marquis of Heavenly Works,' putting me in charge of the Ministry of Works." Mo Li's lips curled up into a cold, mocking smile. "Then may I ask, was this great honor 'created' step by step with my own hands and wisdom? Or was it 'awarded' to me by you, as it is now?"
She looked at the magnificent yet ridiculously fake world before her, and at the civil and military officials who were like wooden men and could only repeat praise and admiration.
"I understand." She slowly withdrew her hand, her eyes becoming incomparably firm. "What I, Mo Li, want is 'dignity' based on 'facts' and 'merits', not this... unearned, illusory 'glory'."
"I don't want such a cheap reward!"
As she uttered the last word, the entire magnificent hall shattered like a mirror with a loud crash.
The scene changed again.
Li Ge found herself standing in a warm, sun-drenched courtyard. Precious herbs lay drying on the medicine racks. A familiar figure sat at a stone table in the middle of the courtyard, smiling at her. It was her sister.
"Ali, you're back." My sister's voice was full of health and vitality. Her eyes were no longer empty, but shining with gentle light like the stars in the sky.
"Sister..." Li Ge's body began to shake uncontrollably.
"Look, I'm fine now." My sister stood up and turned around in a circle, a happy smile on her face that she couldn't hide. "It's all thanks to you. You succeeded, Ali, you found a way to save me."
"I..." Li Ge's eyes turned red instantly.
"Don't be a ghost doctor anymore." Her sister stepped forward and gently took her hand. "That path is too hard. Look, I'm fine now. You don't have to touch those cold things anymore, and you don't have to deal with those ghosts anymore. Let's just stay here and dry herbs and chat together like we did when we were kids, okay?"
Li Ge looked at her sister's warm hand, felt the warmth, listened to the familiar voice, and her heart nearly melted. This was the very scene she had spent her entire life, even if it meant falling into the ghost realm, hoping to experience. She nodded, almost agreeing.
"No." Her own voice sounded coldly in her heart.
She slowly raised her other hand and placed it on the back of her sister's hand, then closed her eyes. She carefully inserted her ghost doctor's energy into her sister's body.
Warm, healthy, full of life. No problems.
but……
"Where's your 'soul'?" Li Ge suddenly opened her eyes, staring intently at her "sister" in front of her, her voice hoarse with shock. "Your body is perfect, your aura is perfect. But where's your 'soul light'? Why... I can't feel the unique 'light' deep in your soul?"
"Sister"'s smile froze for a moment.
"Every life, no matter how weak, has a unique, indelible 'soul light' deep within its soul." Li Ge looked at her, his eyes becoming incomparably sad, yet incredibly clear. "That is the final mark that proves a 'person's' existence. To save you, I practiced forbidden techniques, destroying your soul light and turning you into a living dead. This is a debt I will never be able to repay."
"So," she slowly broke free from her "sister's" hand, "a perfect 'fake' without a 'soul light,' no matter how realistic or warm she appears... she is not my sister. And I will never give up my 'path'... which, though lonely, is incredibly real, for a false illusion."
As she finished her words, the entire warm courtyard melted silently like ice and snow.
Finally it was Chu Yun's turn.
He found himself standing in the martial arts arena of the Evil Suppression Division. The flames and screams of thirteen years ago had disappeared, replaced by the sound of reading aloud and the rhythmic sounds of drills.
His father Chu Jiang was standing in front of him with a relieved smile on his face.
"Yun'er, you've done well." Chu Jiang patted his shoulder. "You've completely mastered the Taiyi Qi and found two reliable companions. The 'hub' and 'key' of the Evil-Suppressing Seal are now in place."
He pointed to the side of the martial arts arena, where Li Ge and Mo Li were standing, looking at him with a smile.
"Look," Chu Jiang said, "We have thwarted the Shadow Pavilion's conspiracy. The bad guys in the Tianshi Mansion have also been cleared out. Under your leadership, the Evil Suppression Division has ushered in unprecedented glory."
"Now, it's time to complete your final mission." Chu Jiang's eyes became extremely solemn. "Go, child. Go to the sealed place and return the last 'Source' to its place. Then use your body to complete the 'Return to Origin Method' and become the new 'Suppressing Dao Instrument', protecting this world forever. This is your destiny, and also... the supreme honor."
Chu Yun quietly looked at the "father" in front of him, looking at the scene he had once most desired and feared. He did not feel angry, nor did he struggle.
He simply asked calmly, "What about me?"
"What?" "Father" was stunned.
"After I've done all this, where is 'Chu Yun'?" Chu Yun looked at him, his eyes clear and sharp. "Was he just a name, engraved on the merit tablet of the Evil Suppression Division for future generations to admire? Or was he just a legend, passed down from generation to generation by storytellers?"
"This is not something you should consider." The "father" frowned, "This is your responsibility."
"No." Chu Yun shook his head. "This is not my responsibility. My responsibility is to protect. But the object of protection is not just this 'world'."
He turned around and looked at Li Ge and Mo Li, who were also illusions and smiling.
"My responsibility is to protect them. To protect the 'future' where the four of us can live together, where we can see tomorrow's sunrise together. I will no longer be bound by the fate of the 'past'. Nor will I abandon these... real 'comrades' around me for a vague 'glory'."
"So," he turned around and took one last look at the stunned "father," "put away this ridiculous heroic script of yours. I have the final say over my own life!"
With his declaration filled with powerful self-will, the illusion of the entire Evil Suppression Bureau collapsed.
The three of them returned to the empty, huge wooden house. They all successfully used their willpower to overcome the deepest desires and fears in their hearts.
And just as the scene before them completely stabilized, a voice filled with endless sadness and loneliness, without any emotion, rang out from the deepest part of the cabin:
"Why...why...won't you stay...with me?"
The real nightmare has appeared.
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