Chapter 741: Dignity

Dolphin Inn, North Harvest.

The morning saw a rare sunny day, but the snow hadn’t melted. The bay town was still pelted in silver-white.

The train rattled along the rail with few pedestrians on the street. The passage of time seemed slower here.

Going through the official waterway, Raven Shark followed a ferry to Island Nation and reached the northern coast of North Harvest, arriving an hour before Qilin and Vermilion Bird did.

He was instructed not to make a move of his violation. There could be people protecting Gao Xinxin, and he must avoid alerting them.

Standing in an alleyway diagonally across from the Dolphin Inn, he had a damp gray cape around him, keeping his head covered. His bare feet were red from the cold.

With his slim figure and slightly hunched back, his gaze downcast, he looked like a homeless teenager with a mental issue who had come out of a facility somewhere and would soon get frozen to death. Those passing by threw him sympathetic glances. Some even came up to him and asked if he needed help. However, Raven Shark didn’t know the language of Island Nation, and he stood silent like a wooden doll.

The pedestrians left him alone then, pitying his condition.

Raven Shark shook. He missed the sea. It was much warmer in the water, and he was much freer there with friends swimming and playing with him.

Speaking of which, North Harvest’s sea was great. While the explorable area was small, it was entirely different from Naldives’ sea.

If only there weren’t the mist, he would be able to go to the real ocean. He wondered what he would find there...

“Hey.”

Someone was talking. Was she calling for him?

Raven Shark blankly looked up to see a pair of black square-toe dress shoes, followed by slim calves in white socks, a dark checkered skirt, and then a brown coat with horn buttons. The chest area protruded a little...

Raven Shark stopped dragging his gaze upward for a moment. Elder Vermilion Bird had said that it was impolite to stare at someone’s chest.

He forced himself to quickly look much higher to see a fine woolen scarf and then a fair, cute face of a girl with twin tails. Her cheeks were a little red, and her big eyes were clear and bright. It was Gao Xinxin.

She carried a stuffed paper bag. “The innkeeper said that you didn’t know Island Nation’s language and seemed like you were from Li City.”

Raven Shark was dumbfounded. The target of his surveillance sought him out.

I was made! It doesn’t make sense. I’ve been keeping such a low profile. I never even talked to anyone.

“There are socks, pants, and a cotton shirt inside, as well as bread and bottled water. Here, you should have the bread while it’s warm.” Gao Xinxin handed him the paper bag. “You’ll collapse if you don’t warm yourself up.”

Gao Xinxin and the owner of the Dolphin Inn had long noticed the poor homeless boy. Worried that he wouldn’t make it tonight, they discussed it and decided to give him what they could afford to give.

Raven Shark accepted the bag on autopilot and took the warm chocolate bread out. He had a bite. It was flavorful and sweet, the texture fluffy.

“Is it good?” Gao Xinxin asked with a smile.

Raven Shark nodded. He remembered Vermilion Bird telling him that he should say thanks in such situations.

He slowly looked up. “Thank...”

Swoosh

. A figure suddenly flashed to Raven Shark’s side. Then a fist collided with his face. He flew off his feet for a few meters before falling on the snow-cushioned ground.

The piece of bread flew out of his agape mouth along with the word “you”.

Wang Zikai had gone easy on him. Raven Shark would at most suffer from a swollen cheek for two days. He would be fine.

Gao Yang had instructed him to not kill any member of Team Vermilion Bird. The boy looked malnourished and fragile, so Wang Zikai only used a little of his strength.

“Wang Zikai?” Gao Xinxin was surprised and delighted, a little confused, too. “Why, why are you here?”

“No time to explain. Get into the car!” Wang Zikai grabbed Gao Xinxin.

“Huh? Again?!” Gao Xinxin remembered something similar happening before.

Wang Zikai looked around. There wasn’t any car in the area. He thus lifted Gao Xinxin onto his shoulder.

“Hey, what are you doing?! Put me down...”

Wang Zikai rushed into the alley and leaped between walls, soon disappearing from view.

...

Dolphin Inn, ten minutes later.

Heavenly Dog had come through the official channel in the air with Fly. He had arrived ten minutes before Qilin and Qing Ling’s group to pick up Gao Xinxin quickly—he set out as soon as he got Gao Yang’s note. He didn’t even have the time to ask War Tiger for permission.

Dressed in a long black down jacket with a pair of black headphones around his neck, he talked to the owner of the inn in a lazy stance, his hands in his pockets.

“You’re here for Liu Shirui?” The owner eyed Heavenly Dog warily. “Who are you to her?”

“A friend.”

“A friend?” The owner gave him a once-over. He looked quite handsome and would make a good couple with Gao Xinxin. “Ha, you’re her ex, aren’t you?”

“Huh?”

“Stop acting, boy. You’ve really broken the girl’s heart. Now you regret it and find your way here.”

“Ah...right.” Heavenly Dog was in a hurry, so he played along. “I’ve once loved in the purest sense, but I didn’t treasure it. Only after losing her did I...”

“Alright, alright. Tell that to her.”

“Where is she?”

“She’s just gone out. She should be in the area. Wait a minute...”

Heavenly Dog flew out of the inn without another word.

The owner lost consciousness at the sight, collapsing on the recliner behind the counter.

...

Twenty minutes later, on the coast behind the Dolphin Inn, Qilin and Vermilion Bird had been talking to Raven Shark for a while. Raven Shark said that a blond boy had suddenly shown up and knocked him out with a punch, taking Gao Xinxin with him.

Qilin looked at the gray sea, deep in thought.

“As expected, the Nine Scions were responsible for the train cars decoupling,” said Vermilion Bird. “They arrived earlier and took her away.”

Qilin nodded, having come to the same conclusion.

“Do we give chase? They may not have gotten far.”

“We do.” Qilin glanced at Raven Shark. “You’ll go by the sea.”

Raven Shark had been staring at Vermilion Bird’s chest, seemingly hesitant to say something.

“Raven Shark?” Vermilion Bird noticed his strange reaction.

Raven Shark finally looked up at her.

“Did you hear us? You’ll go by the water,” Vermilion Bird said. “Head to the station in Zone D now and see if you can spot them. Remember, don’t get too close if you find the Nine Scions. You can’t win. Wait for us to arrive.”

Raven Shark remained still.

“Go!” Vermilion Bird raised her voice.

Only then did Raven Shark turn around and run to the sea, soon vanishing into the water.

“Let’s go.”

Qilin turned around. Vermilion Bird followed him.

They took the earliest train back to Zone D. Qilin had been quiet the whole way, while Vermilion Bird went through the different possibilities.

“We won’t make it to the train station in Zone D in time, but to take Gao Xinxin back to Li City, they’ll have to go by sea or catch a flight at the airport. That’s where I think they’re taking Gao Xinxin anyway. You can have Azure Dragon and Yan Liang intercept them.”

Vermilion Bird sighed. “It’ll still be difficult, though. They have Nainai and can disguise Gao Xinxin.”

“That won’t be possible,” Qilin said.

“Why?”

“Nainai didn’t come with them this time,” Qilin said with certainty.

“How do you know?”

Qilin smiled faintly. “Because Nainai was with Gao Yang and almost got killed by Yan Liang.”

Vermilion Bird’s heart skipped a beat. “Almost”. So they were still alive.

“Yan Liang and Azure Dragon stayed behind to go after Nine Scions?” Vermilion Bird asked nonchalantly.

Qilin nodded and fell silent.

He leaned against the wall and tipped his head up slightly, seemingly keeping his eyes shut to rest.

Vermilion Bird stopped talking, too.

They rode the shaking train for a while. The scenery outside flashed through, and clear sunlight flitted across their faces every once in a while. Time seemed to slow to a crawl.

Half an hour passed. They were a few minutes from reaching the terminal station.

Qilin opened his eyes then and said calmly, “It’s all too much of a coincidence thinking back. You just found Gao Xinxin, and they came to take her away. They even rode the same train with us.”

“Yeah.” Vermilion Bird felt a little guilty.

Qilin sighed. “Why didn’t you leave, Vermilion Bird?”

“Huh?” Vermilion Bird didn’t catch on immediately.

“Yan Liang and I both gave you an out,” Qilin said in a regretful voice. “But you stayed. Again and again.”

Vermilion Bird fell silent.

“You chose to stay while you’re leaning toward the Nine Scions. Why?”

She didn’t say anything.

“You knew you were under Yan Liang’s watch, didn’t you? So you put on an act for us but tipped the Nine Scions off, letting them whisk Gao Xinxin away beforehand.”

She kept her mouth shut still.

“Gao Xinxin isn’t as important as you think, Vermilion Bird,” Qilin said with a wry smile. “Gao Yang would sacrifice himself for Gao Xinxin, but not the entire Nine Scions.”

“How did you know?”

“Because I’m a leader, too,” Qilin said. “No matter the cause, someone who becomes a leader must have made up their mind. When arriving at the crossroads of fate, we will know what decision to make. It’s almost like...a divine revelation.”

Vermilion Bird paused for a moment.

Then she suddenly relaxed and smiled with understanding. “So this is a test on me?”

Qilin nodded. “You betrayed me, Vermilion Bird.”

“

You

betrayed us.” Vermilion Bird met his eyes. “You were brainwashed by Yan Liang and have been leading everyone to a path with no return. I stayed to stop you from repeating the same mistake! Stop, Qilin. Stop going after our kind!”

“Xia Li.” Qilin slowly turned around to gaze at Vermilion Bird with gentle eyes. “There’s something you’ve failed to understand. Yan Liang wasn’t the one who chose this path. I was. He’s only been helping me dutifully to turn in his answer sheet.”

Vermilion Bird was stunned.

Answer sheet!

Yan Liang’s a pride monster?!

Suddenly, many of his cryptic words made sense to her, and Vermilion Bird came to a terrible realization.

Her voice trembled. She could no longer afford to think about the other passengers in the train car. “Qilin, you...you never even intend to open the Gates...”

Qilin’s expression remained impassive.

“You’re never going to open the Gates, do you?! I guess right! The Divine Scion is the key to opening the Gates, and you want to stop us! You never want to open the Gates!”

“All I do, I do for humanity.” Qilin lifted his hand, and all the passengers on the train collapsed without making a sound.

“No! You’re doing it for yourself! You selfish lunatic, Qilin! What are you planning...”

Vermilion Bird couldn’t continue. She forgot what she was going to say. In fact, she had forgotten how to speak or do anything else.

Faint green spots appeared in Qilin’s green eyes under the glasses. He had activated the skill derived from Brain Formatting—Brain Fibrosis.

In three seconds, Vermilion Bird became a late-stage Alzheimer's patient with the most critical condition. The brain damage was impossible to repair. She had turned into a blank slate who could breathe, or someone in a vegetative state but remained active.

He retained her basic control over her body so that she wouldn’t lose control of her bowel, too. It was the shred of dignity Qilin left her, and his last demonstration of mercy to an old friend he had known for years.

Ring.

The train arrived at the station.

Qilin rose to his feet and walked out of the train with his cane. He was the only one to disembark.

The other passengers were all unconscious and in varying postures. Vermilion Bird alone sat on a bench with a dropping head, her open eyes dim and unblinking. She breathed quietly.

That was her only purpose in life now—to breathe.