Chapter 1272: Ong Falos 3.3 (313)

"But it's not that I can't understand her, A'ermin."

Compared to A'ermin, after learning that Sai Nie E Si was preparing a massacre, Ai Lun's expression was much more stern.

"Understand? Ai Lun… what are you saying?!" A'ermin reached out to grab Ai Lun's collar, but San Li stopped her.

"A'ermin, even if Sai Nie E Si doesn't kill them, they'll fall into endless infighting, purges, and slaughter." Ai Lun's gaze was cold; he slowly spread his palms, "I've always thought... if you want humanity to unite, the best way is to establish a powerful, unbeatable external enemy."

"What do you mean?"

"I actually understand Ai Lun's view," Rang Jiang leaned in, "These days the humans inside our walls stay united because of the giants, right? A'ermin, if there were no giants, no existential threat, would humanity split into multiple factions and races and kill each other?"

"This..." A'ermin hesitated for a moment and did not answer.

Ai Lun pressed his palms together, as if gripping something invisible, "If Sai Nie E Si kills eighty—no, ninety percent of the humans under the Eye of Dawn and Dusk, Sai Nie E Si would become the greatest threat to the Sky People. Do you think the remaining people would set aside all barriers and become more united than ever before?"

——

"Lu Nai Bi Si, Suo La Bi Si, you..."

"The memory vanished," Feng Jin stared blankly at the two winged beasts beside her.

"Yes, we served as Sai Nie E Si's executioners. That day, countless Sky People fell from the dome of the Eye of Dawn and Dusk, swallowed by golden lava. They spent their whole lives praying to the sky, but their devotion never earned them wings of salvation."

Xing: "Sai Nie E Si... seems like a different person."

Bai E, delighted: "After learning everything she's been through... I only feel regret... but I cannot condemn her choice."

Feng Jin inhaled deeply, stepping forward from the weight of history: "If this is the true face of history, then the fusion of Sai Nie E Si and Ai Ge Le... could it also be to spare the world from catastrophe?"

Lu Nai Bi Si: "After touching the spark, Sai Nie E Si not only understood the Titans' fear, but also saw their indifference. Ai Ge Le never coveted mortal devotion; the rise of Sky Civilization was merely the result of the Sky Children acting on their own. The so-called 'Huanxiang Instrument' that myths say the Titans gave to the Sky Children was actually a mortal invention."

Suo La Bi Si added: "Disillusioned with humanity, Sai Nie E Si began to yearn for divine aloofness. She sent me and Lu Nai Bi Si to the earth to seek the rumored forbidden art that could fuse human and Titan souls into one."

Bai E was somewhat surprised: "Did Professor Ke Xia's Alchemy... actually have such an effect a thousand years ago?"

"Sai Nie E Si, who sentenced the Sky Children to death, abandoned her humanity—if this is the path she chose, then I and my ancestors... whose ancient wish are we truly guarding?!"

Lu Nai Bi Si looked toward the nearby memory crystal: "The final fragment of history lies ahead. Go fetch it, Miss Feng Jin. Like the Sai Nie E Si of that time, you too must take this step."

——

Genshin Impact.

"the Traveler, I just thought of a place..."

"Paimon, me too. By the way, we aren't thinking of the same place, are we?"

"You, you speak first…!"

"I thought of that island shrouded in thick fog, He Guan. And the flesh-and-blood jar we found there earlier..."

"Ahhh—! Traveler, stop talking!"

Paimon darted behind the Traveler; every time she recalled investigating the truth about the thunderbirds on He Guan Island with A'ru, and dealing with the island's ghosts, Paimon felt creepy.

Ying, deep in thought, lowered her head: "Coincidentally, Ai Ge Le is also a giant bird that can command thunder, and likewise is indifferent to human actions. Millennia ago, the people of He Guan also independently created legends about thunderbirds, even began sacrificing live humans... and ultimately were wiped out."

"Travel... the Traveler... are you saying there's a certain coincidence between these seemingly different civilizations?" Paimon pressed her chin with a small hand, thinking seriously, "For example... ah, I get it! Those giant bird deities from the heavens that command thunder are all indifferent to humans!"

"Eh hey—what's..."

A sudden, unannounced voice rang out behind Paimon, carrying the scent of Cecilia flowers on the wind.

"Waaah—!!"

Paimon flailed backward like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, spun around, and clutched her head with both hands, eyes wide as the wandering bard who had appeared out of nowhere.

"Street performer! How can you walk so silently? You scared me!"

"Ah, that can't be blamed on me," Wen Di laughed slyly, "Who made Paimon think so deeply that she didn't even notice the wind passing by? Anyway, I think I just heard an interesting topic—are you discussing Ai Ge Le?"

Ying nodded: "To be precise, we're discussing those deities indifferent to humanity—are there similar Archons from the Archon War era?"

Wen Di looked around left and right, making sure no one else was nearby, then lowered his voice slightly: "Of course there are. Since there are Archons friendly to humanity and willing to sacrifice themselves, there are also Archons weary of humans and poor at dealing with them."

"Ai Ge Le... would be the latter, right? It's not a deity truly close to humans, just imagined as such," Wen Di paused, then continued, "I suspect the other two pillar Titans of Ong Falos share a similar temperament; they too are plagued by Heichi, are preoccupied with themselves, and cannot answer humanity's pleas."

——

"Abandoned humanity Sai Nie E Si... are my ancestors of the Dim Light Courtyard truly the bloodline she left behind?" Feng Jin slowly closed her eyes, as if urging herself, "The truth will soon be revealed. No matter what... I will not shirk my mission. Hui Bao, will you stand by my side?"

"Face history head‑on, then challenge the gods!"

Feng Jin resolutely nodded, lifted her hand to touch the memory crystal, and saw a woman kneeling on one knee appear before her.

"That is..."

"Great Sai Nie E Si, I beg you to spare this humble life!" The woman clasped her hands, her shoulders trembling, "I have never harmed anyone... your punishment, born of anger, is far too harsh for an innocent like me!"