Chapter 1141: Authority

Lamb Room, underground sixth floor of the Millenium Tower, nine o’clock at night.

Fluorescent lights cast a sterile glow across the medical ward. On the bed lay a middle-aged man in a patient gown, his chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. An IV dripped steadily into his arm, while monitors tracked his vital signs through a web of sensors.

A woman in a long white coat sat beside him on a swivel chair, chin propped on her hand. Her phone rested in her lap, and she swiped the screen periodically with a bored look on her face. Every few minutes, she would check his pulse, fingers lingering on his wrist just long enough to confirm his condition.

The man was Gao Xin, Gao Yang’s uncle.

Eight hours earlier, at one in the afternoon, Gao Xin had orchestrated a meeting with Gao Yang, Envy, and Pride. Now he lay comatose—the result of his gambit.

After the death monsters departed, Gao Yang and his companions had evacuated with Gao Xin. After thorough consideration, they decided to find another hideout.

They'd only stayed at Spectres' Mansion because the death monsters hadn't known if the awakeners had returned to Li City. Now that Wang Zikai and Gao Xinxin knew, Gao Yang had chosen to relocate everyone to a place neither knew. While Envy and Pride couldn't harm awakeners until the Three Double-Hours of Heavenly Tribulation, that wasn’t the case for other death monsters.

The underground sixth floor was Gao Yang’s pick. It’d toppled in an explosion, but the Heavenly Way had repaired it. It made for a good base.

Of course, it was only safer in comparison. They still had to rely on Chen Ying’s Sensory, Gao Yang’s Absolute Defense and Spatial Migration, and Wandering Tune’s Portal as insurance.

Gao Xin survived with Vermilion Bird’s emergency aid. Then he was moved to a simple ward. Just to be safe, Vermilion Bird personally stayed at his bedside.

Her index finger froze mid-swipe as she detected a surge in his vitality. She looked up to find Gao Xin's eyes open.

“Mr. Gao Xin, how are you feeling?” Vermilion Bird spoke in a gentle, polite tone.

“Um, much better...” Gao Xin said weakly and unevenly. “Where...am I?”

“Our base,” Vermilion Bird said. “A safe place.”

“And you are...?”

“Vermilion Bird.” She looked at him openly. “Gao Yang’s companion.”

Gao Xin’s tired eyes lit up. “You’re...Elder Vermilion Bird of the Qilin Guild?”

Vermilion Bird broke into a smile after a pause. “That was before. Qilin Guild is no longer around.”

“It’s, it’s gone?” Gao Xin asked in surprise.

“A lot happened,” Vermilion Bird said simply. “Anyway, others are now leading the awakeners, your nephew being one of them.”

“Leader...” Gao Xin chuckled. “That kid has made it big.”

“Mr. Gao Xin, we have a lot to ask you. But you’re still weak. You should rest more.”

“Miss Vermlion Bird...”

“I’m Xia Li. You can call me Xia.”

“Xia, you’re...close to Yang Yang, aren’t you?”

Vermilion Bird didn’t immediately respond. She was wondering why Gao Xin asked that.

“Yang Yang trusts you, doesn’t he?”

“I believe so.” Vermilion Bird nodded. “Or he wouldn’t ask me to watch over you.”

“Good...Yang Yang trusts you, then I will too...” He struggled to sit up.

Vermilion Bird quickly went up to him. “Your energy pathway has suffered severe damage. Although I’ve repaired it roughly, it’s better that you don’t move, or it’s going to be painful.”

Gao Xin grimaced, already feeling the consequences. He stilled, steadying his breathing. “There’s something I have to ask of you, Xia. Please give me a promise first.”

Vermilion Bird was going to ask him what it was, but when she met his teary eyes, she nodded and vowed, “I promise you.”

...

Mouse Room, ten o’clock in the morning the next day.

The awakeners gathered for a meeting led by Gao Yang, Vermilion Bird, and War Tiger. Among them sat a new face: Gao Xin.

They had a lot to ask the new awakener—or an unaffiliated awakener who had been hiding for a while.

After brief introductions, Vermilion Bird cut to the heart of the matter. “Mr. Gao Xin, I hope you’re ready for our questions.”

“Ask away. But you may be more casual with me. Outside of Sir Monkey, I am the oldest here. Just call me Uncle Gao—” Gao Xin paused, then he corrected himself, “Call me Uncle Xin.”

Vermilion Bird nodded. “First, thank you for intervening yesterday, Uncle Xin. Things would’ve been dire without Judge.”

Gao Xin sighed in resignation. “Little Kai...is too strong. There was no other way. I had to improvise.”

“You handled it well, given the situation,” War Tiger said with a smile, stroking his chin. “But not perfect, unfortunately. Aren’t you able to define your own rules inside the domain? Why didn’t you change the definition of a duel? For example, you could’ve made it so that we could all attack him while he couldn’t fight back.”

Gao Xin smiled bitterly. “I could, but the price would’ve been great. If I had done that, I would be a pile of ash now.”

𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

“Oh, right.” War Tiger put on an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Uncle Xin. I didn’t mean to suggest your death.”

Gao Yang remembered the turn-based team match Clear Mirror had arranged. “The more the definition of fairness is twisted, the greater the price the Talent user must pay.”

“Yes.” Gao Xin nodded. “That is true fairness. Pride and Envy—Pride, especially—has too powerful an authority.”

“What do you mean by authority?” Nine Frost asked the question on everyone’s mind.