Chapter 1213: Adult

Gao Yang wasn’t looking at Hong Xiaoxiao, but at the chibi doll version of her on her backpack.

Realizing that, Hong Xiaoxiao explained, “Uncle Xin told me to carry it. Said it was for good luck. It worked. Our team got out without—”

She swallowed the word “sacrifice”.

She had wanted to share some good news, but then she remembered that Gao Yang had just killed his own sister. Her memories of Gao Xinxin surfaced in her mind. She bit her lips and lowered her head, her eyes reddening.

Eyes empty, Gao Yang extended his hand to Hong Xiaoxiao.

Hong Xiaoxiao took it, thinking he was going to replicate her Talents. The hand was freezing cold.

Gao Yang shook his head. “The doll.”

“Oh...right.” Hong Xiaoxiao quickly let go to detach the doll and hand it to him.

Gao Yang stared at the doll with cool eyes. It wasn’t until the arrival of the Three Double-Hours of Heavenly Tribulation that he noticed the rule-based power restricting him getting weaker. He had been too preoccupied with the fight with Envy to give it much thought.

It was when he killed Gao Xinxin that he finally realized that the power was gone.

Once Judge was activated, the restriction wouldn’t have lifted unless the judgment was over...or the user had died.

“Little Hong, this is Uncle Xin.”

The doll suddenly started speaking, shocking everyone. Its mouth opened and closed while it spoke in the voice of a typical animal character in cartoons, its marble eyes shimmering with a magical glow.

“The first time I saw you, I knew you were a blessed child who would come out of the danger alive, so I chose to leave my last words with you.”

“I will die on the twentieth. Such is the price of Judge. The restriction won’t immediately be lifted, though. Pride will be prevented from joining the fight immediately. You can deal with the other death monsters first. Miss Vermilion Bird knows and would’ve made the arrangements accordingly. I trust her to get things done correctly.”

“When you hear this, the restriction will have been lifted. Gao Yang no longer has to abide by the rules. You can all go after Pride together.”

“Haha, it’s a bit of a cheat, ain’t it? But I’ve paid the price. Don’t think too much of it. There is no place for honor on a battlefield, right?”

“Oh, say sorry to Gao Yang for me. I’ve listened to the words his parents left for his ears only. Sister-in-Law said it perfectly: fate has its own plan. Haha, I could never put it so elegantly.”

“And relay him another message.”

“Yang Yang, you’re an adult now. Adults don’t have to be successful, but they should learn to take care of themselves.”

“That’s it. I’m going now.”

The doll’s mouth closed, and its eyes dimmed. It turned back into a simple spoon with a puff.

Hong Xiaoxiao bit her lips with tears streaking down her face. Liao Liao and Old Seven fell silent.

Gao Yang stared at the spoon, as if his facial muscles had lost the ability to create any expression. He handed the spoon to Hong Xiaoxiao. “Keep this for me.”

“Okay!” Hong Xiaoxiao nodded seriously and put the spoon into her backpack.

“Report, Liao Liao,” Gao Yang said.

“Understood.”

Liao Liao summarized the “fight” with Sloth. Gao Yang listened without making a comment.

Then a car appeared from a distance, zigzagging across the rubble cluttering the road before stopping before them. The doors in the front and the back opened at the same time. Zhang Wei, White Dew, and Raven Shark got out.

“Where’s Sister Xia?” Liao Liao asked immediately.

“Don’t worry. She’s asleep in the car.” Zhang Wei managed a bitter smile. “We haven’t lost anyone, but Sister Xia used a triple buff.”

“Good!” Hong Xiaoxiao sighed in relief. Another good news.

“Sister White Dew, your report,” Liao Liao asked for Gao Yang’s benefit.

“Have Zhang Wei do it,” White Dew said tiredly. “He’s the main contributor this time.”

Zhang Wei took a few seconds to start his report on the elimination of Lust. He skipped the details of the dating game.

As soon as he finished, Adept Horse descended from the sky with Chen Ying.

Lowering Chen Ying to the ground, Adept Horse scanned the group and looked up at Gao Yang, saying in an anguished voice, “I’m sorry, Captain—”

“Not your fault,” Gao Yang cut in. “Report.”

Adept Horse nodded after a moment. “Yes, sir.”

Chen Ying had been in a numb silence since she woke up. Adept Horse had to do the briefing. He suppressed his personal feelings and tried his best to be objective. “Conclusion first. Greed’s dead. Nine Frost and Harvest Song sacrificed...”

Hong Xiaoxiao’s head rang. She couldn’t hear another word out of Adept Horse’s mouth.

She had lost many companions since joining the Nine Scions, but she never expected the always reliable, dependable, and composed vice-captain to be gone. A feeling of surreality and sadness overwhelmed her. She broke down in tears once more.

Liao Liao’s chest tightened, too, but she forced herself to take in every detail. The fight wasn’t over. It wasn’t yet time to mourn. She couldn’t miss any information.

Halfway through the report, Liao Liao asked, “Wait, why didn’t Harvest Song hide in a hidden weapon when Nine Frost detonated himself?”

Adept Horse shook his head. “I don’t know. Perhaps Greed’s occupation of her fate hadn’t completely released her. Perhaps...” He trailed off.

“She didn’t want to,” White Dew said.

Silence followed.

Many of them were surprised by how readily they accepted the speculation. Harvest Song had planned her own ending, and she had been moving toward it quietly, with resolution, needing no pity or understanding and without explaining to anyone.

She had had a lonesome sort of love, and she parted from this world without regret. That was all there was to it. That was the Harvest Song they knew.

Soon, Adept Horse finished the report. They all turned to Chen Ying, the woman sitting on the ground with a pale face and unfocused eyes. She looked like she had lost her soul.

“Chen Ying...can’t fight now.” Adept Horse turned to Gao Yang, waiting for him to make a decision.

Gao Yang tossed him a Black Gold ring. “Put this on her.”

Without a question asked, Adept Horse did just that. Chen Ying’s blank eyes widened suddenly. The memories Dr. Jia had modified recovered. She doubled over at a violent angle, retching with a hand seizing her throat.

“Ah...gah...”

A distorted sound mixing anguish and pain tore out of her throat. It cut everyone like a dull blade. Their collective silence felt like a trial for themselves.

A minute later, Chen Ying stopped retching. She didn’t shout or scream in pain, and she didn’t shed any tears.

She overcame the first wave of crushing grief and destruction with impossible resilience, like a fish bone stubbornly staying in an esophagus despite being washed by half a bottle's worth of vinegar.

She slowly stood up and wiped her mouth. Then she tied her messy long hair into a ponytail, looking up at Gao Yang.

“I can still fight, Captain.”