Chapter 245

In the overly long lethargy and sleep, the long dream seemed to have come to an end.

Tong Shan's eyelids flickered, and he opened his eyes.

He saw the afternoon sun outside the window; in the outpost, human voices were noisy.

"Oh, the plant has woken up?"

A face covered in scars and wrapped in gauze leaned out, grinning—it was Ji Liu, winking: "Actually, you've been in a coma for twenty years; it's twenty years later now. Don't you think so, Little Xue?"

"Ah, yes, yes, yes!"

Ji Xue in the wheelchair nodded frantically, beaming: "The doctor said some parts were damaged too severely to be saved, so they helped you cut them off... Brother Shan, you're already a beautiful girl!"

Tong Shan's lips opened and closed with difficulty, his voice as thin as a thread: "You..."

"Hmm?"

Ji Liu froze, signaled Ji Xue to find the doctor, and leaned in: "What's wrong? Where are you uncomfortable?"

Tong Shan's voice was as thin as a thread: "You... are sitting on my oxygen... tube..."

Ji Liu looked down in horror, only to find that it was empty under his butt.

He turned back to look at Tong Shan, only then seeing the mischievous smile at the corner of his mouth.

He couldn't hold it back anymore and burst into laughter.

"Welcome back, Brother Shan!"

He bent down and gave him a forceful hug.

The chaos lasted for a little while. After the colleagues' visits and the doctor's examination ended, he finally relaxed and heard a crisp knock on the door.

"Sorry, I was in a meeting just now, I'm a bit late."

She waved the flowers she had just snatched from the conference room, tossed them into the vase, and sat down: "I didn't expect you to wake up after only sleeping for two days. How is your condition?"

"A bit... unable to exert strength."

"Matrix damaged, sin-transformation pollution—normal."

Lu Yingyue sighed: "If Lady Lou hadn't arrived early, you would probably be dead already...

You really should have heard her scolding Tong Ting at the time; your fourth uncle's face turned green, and he couldn't even talk back. Hahaha, it's the first time I've seen him so disheveled."

Tong Shan smiled reluctantly, but in the end, he couldn't help but ask:

"How is Quancheng?"

"It has returned to peace; Tao Gong's lifelong wish can be considered fulfilled.

In these few days, the traces of sin-transformation have almost disappeared. It is said that scavengers have already appeared in the surrounding area; the bolder ones have already started thinking about climbing over the isolation net to make a fortune.

I'm afraid that before long, after the Security Bureau's sentries withdraw, many survivors who escaped from Quancheng back then will move back, right?

The fellow-townsmen associations all over Haizhou are mobilizing people and seeking support. However, there are still some sin-transformation residues, and the events of that year are not far off, so it's still hard to see results.

In another ten years or so, after everyone forgets the past, new settlements will appear. In a few decades, the prosperity of the past might be restored a little."

Lu Yingyue paused and sighed with emotion: "It's just that by then, it might not be called Quancheng anymore, right?"

"But, what about the past?"

Tong Shan asked softly: "What about Tao Gong's sacrifice? Is that also to be forgotten by people?"

"Tao Gong doesn't care."

Lu Yingyue patted his shoulder: "There is too much suffering in the human world, so people must learn to forget. Otherwise, they won't be able to move forward under the heavy burden of the past."

Tong Shan was silent for a long time.

"Many things could have been avoided."

He said: "If... if the Federation had been earlier... no, if the Central City had been earlier... since they can control the Heavenly Overseer, why couldn't they make a decision earlier?"

"Decision?"

Lu Yingyue couldn't help but shake her head again, "Sometimes, making a painful decision only requires the courage of one person, but sometimes making a decision requires the unity of the masses.

What's more..."

She paused and couldn't help but show contempt and mockery: "If those old things could really control the Heavenly Overseer, why would the Federation have split to this extent?"

The Federation was founded four hundred years ago and has continued to this day. Through so many years of ups and downs, its brilliance and prosperity seem even greater than before, but has the internal division and wavering ever stopped?

One round of reshuffling after another, one struggle after another, presidents changing one after another, factions crowding onto the stage one by one.

As of now, it has long since become unrecognizable.

It has been over a hundred years since anyone has been able to obtain the recognition of the Federation's true supreme power—the 【Heavenly Overseer】.

If one cannot achieve unity, cannot integrate the states of the North, and reorganize the Federation, it is destined to be impossible to get a response from the Heavenly Overseer. But if one cannot get the recognition and support of the Heavenly Overseer, it is absolutely impossible to reorganize the Federation and achieve unity.

This is a vicious cycle tangled by countless knots.

Just like the 【Earth Defender】 of the Empire.

The two matrices that serve as instruments of Supreme Good can now only be left vacant, sealed in the armory, and used as a facade and deterrent when necessary.

Who knows what a huge price had to be paid for that brief appearance earlier.

Unless it's a matter of life and death, how could the masters in the Central City spend such a huge sum for this borderland that doesn't know the big picture?

"Recently, many people have been saying that the Tian Yuan Bai Lu itself is a constant cycle and reincarnation of the world. After the four-hundred-year Tian Yuan era passes, perhaps the Bai Lu's wilderness era is about to arrive."

She sighed at length: "Rest well, Secretary Tong. There are many complicated matters in Yacheng, and there are still a bunch of troubles ahead."

Lu Changsheng was dead.

But Lu Changsheng's death was just the beginning.

Sometimes a tragic warning will deter snakes, insects, rats, and ants, but sometimes the bloody price will only awaken more ambitious people.

One Lu Changsheng died, but who dares to say that a hundred or a thousand Lu Changshengs won't emerge?

He has already proven with his own body that black and white are not immutable, and the rules of the present world are not unshakable.

From now on, who knows how many ambitious people lurking in the darkness waiting for an opportunity, and how many chaotic people who claim to be righteous and orthodox, will swarm onto the stage.

The troubled times will be long and agonizing.

This world is like firewood piled high and dangerously, but the one thing it doesn't lack is sparks. One day, when the flames roll and spread, who knows how many beacon fires will cover the sky.

The Federation, the Empire, the Central Plains, the Thousand Islands... everyone has long been impatient.

"By the way, let me tell you one last piece of good news."

Before getting up to leave, noticing Tong Shan's melancholy, Lu Yingyue turned back and told him: "Ji Jue has been found."

Tong Shan stared in astonishment.

He subconsciously wanted to get up, but he didn't climb up and fell back down. Ignoring his disheveled appearance, he asked hurriedly: "Where is he? Nothing happened, right? What's his condition? How is he?"

"He's right next door to you. However, his condition can't be called optimistic."

Lu Yingyue shook her head with regret: "I don't know how long he was tortured in Jian Yuan's workshop before. Now that he has luckily escaped, his spiritual quality is overdrawn, his body is severely wounded, and his soul is on the verge of shattering.

It is said that when the search and rescue team found him in the ruins, he was already dying from blood loss. After emergency treatment for so long, he has just left the danger period and hasn't woken up yet."

As she spoke, she reached out and pressed Tong Shan back onto the bed, finally patting his shoulder: "When you feel better, go see him."

The door closed gently.

In the silence, Tong Shan turned his head and stared blankly at the sunlight outside the window.

After a long time, he chuckled.

Relieved of a heavy burden.

Click, click, click, click...

On a long journey, one can always hear the sound of wheels hitting the tracks, but strangely, it doesn't feel annoying. After getting used to listening to it, one feels at peace.

It's like crossing the road step by step, heading toward the distance.

The afternoon sun poured in from outside the window, carrying the fine disturbance of watermarks and dust, pure and clear, gilding everything with a golden edge.

Everything seemed to be immersed in memories, in that eternal, gentle light like amber.

Unchanged.

"And then? And then?"

She rested her chin on her hand and asked with a smile: "What happened next?"

"Then, ah, then it was amazing!"

Ji Jue came back to his senses and continued: "I immediately stood up, pointed at his old nose and scolded him, saying that the old thing was truly shameless, and that I represented the Embers, represented Tian Yuan, and today I was going to get rid of you, this great scourge!

Then that guy named Jian Yuan was immediately so scared that he sat on the ground and cried, kowtowing and begging for mercy, saying something about high purines and not having served democracy, and wanting to kowtow to make me his godfather—so shameless, I kicked him to the side with one foot.

It's a pity he ran too fast, and I couldn't chop off his dog head with one slash...

And what Evil-Transforming Sect, what great sins—they were all useless, and after kicking them twice, they all ran away. There was no difficulty at all!"

"Too amazing."

She applauded in admiration, filled with joy and happiness.

No matter how absurd and bizarre the things Ji Jue said were, she gave him her trust without hesitation, gently stroking his hair: "You've really worked hard."

"It was just a small matter, how could it be considered hard work?" Ji Jue laughed, "Besides, there were so many people helping me."

"You've made many good friends."

"Hmm."

"Although there seem to be a few too many pretty girls..."

"There are quite a few men, too."

"It would be better to have fewer, right?"

"Mom..."

And so, she laughed again.

Embracing him, her long hair like water, flowing under the sunlight, radiating brilliant light, so beautiful.

Until a long time later, when the sound of the tracks hitting stopped abruptly, the city in the distance approached, and the scene in front of him changed from the desolate wilderness to houses, with tall buildings and skyscrapers in the distance.

A voice came from the broadcast: "Approaching station, terminal station, Yacheng. Passengers getting off, please prepare..."

"Wear more clothes."

"Hmm."

"Take care of your body, don't get into a mess again."

"Hmm."

"Study hard, but you're already very good at studying, so give yourself a break."

"Okay."

"Find a girlfriend soon?" She leaned in affectionately and rubbed his cheek: "When two people are together, you won't be lonely, and no matter how big the matter is, you won't be afraid."

"Hmm."

Ji Jue lowered his head, listening silently.

Ignoring the platform that was gradually arriving and the departure bell urging him again and again.

After a long time, he finally gathered the courage to raise his eyes to look at her.

She was also looking at him, as if waiting for a long time, filled with expectation and encouragement.

Ji Jue said: "Mom, I'm leaving."

"I know."

She raised her palm, stroking his cheek, her fingertips gently brushing over every scar, feeling the gradually changing contours, nostalgic yet relieved.

"Have you decided where to go?"

"Not yet."

Ji Jue hesitated, looking at her: "Do you think I can continue to move forward?"

"Of course."

She nodded decisively, without hesitation.

"Traveling is like this, right? There's always a time when you'll be tired. If you can't think clearly or find a direction, just sit down and have a good rest."

She reached out her hand for the last time, a light embrace: "If you're ready, continue on a new path, gather your courage and move forward, don't worry, and don't be afraid."

Ji Jue closed his eyes, embracing her.

Until she let go and took a step back.

Smiling, looking at him.

Ji Jue was stunned for a moment, subconsciously wanting to reach out and touch her, but she stood where she was, holding his hand, so gently.

"Time to set off, Ji Jue."

She said: "Don't let your train wait too long."

In the distance, the sound of a whistle came.

Ji Jue stood before the door, turned back, and looked at the figure waving at him in the carriage. She was looking at him, gazing with expectation as always.

For a moment, he couldn't control himself anymore, wanting to turn around and rush over, embrace her, and tell her that it didn't matter if he didn't set off, that he could stay here forever.

But she was looking at him.

Slowly shaking her head.

So solemn and determined.

Until he finally took the first step forward.

Amidst her blessed laughter.

Outside the carriage, the sunlight was like a waterfall, rushing in.

Swallowing everything.

Ji Jue opened his eyes.