Chapter 1299: with translation of chapter title

After Bai'e opened his eyes again, he found they were already in the Life Courtyard.

Mimi let out a long sigh: "Ah, a hair's breadth..."

Bai'e reminded: "We're far from the time to relax... that Fire Stealer is versed in all kinds of trickery; even Wandi might not be able to restrict its movements." Saying this, Bai'e lowered his head in self-reproach: "I never expected to leave him alone on the battlefield twice... but now is not the time to think about that."

"TiBao didn't come along... Is she planning to stay above to help Wandi?"

Suddenly, a shrill cry came from the Life Courtyard; many people were seen inside a rainbow-colored barrier, outside of which Heichi monsters glared hungrily.

The three quickly dealt with the monsters; seeing the crisis lifted, the panicked citizens huddled together, repeatedly thanking them.

"Th... thank you, Lord Bai'e!"

"The one to thank is someone else. Those Heichi constructs just now couldn't break through this barrier... this energy feels familiar, similar to Fengjin's healing light art... just much stronger."

Danheng's eyes flickered with a hint of joy: "Looks like she succeeded."

"... Mm." Bai'e replied softly. He glanced back at the Dawn Cloud Cliff, then at the countless eyes before him filled with anticipation and hope. He took a deep breath and shouted to the crowd: "Citizens! I and my companions cannot stay long; before reinforcements arrive… please do not step beyond this barrier even half a step—this is the divine trace left by Fengjin as she became a Demigod… please believe in her conviction."

A lady clasped her hands devoutly: "Miss Fengjin, have you also become a Demigod like Lady Aglaea…? We understand… before you return, Lord Bai'e, we will never leave her protection."

"I… will not make false promises." Bai'e's voice paused slightly, a faint bitter smile flitting across his face like a wind‑rippled water surface, then instantly calming.

"Perhaps I cannot return here in the short term… but even if I cannot have it all, I will surely make a choice that does not betray my mission."

——

Attack on Titan

If it weren't for Safair, Wengfalusi would have faced such a calamity seven hundred years ago?

This means that if it weren't for that lie, Wengfalusi would have been destroyed before the golden descendants Bai'e, Wandi, and Fengjin were even born…

Looking at the dense corpses of Heichi constructs on the ground, Armin couldn't help but suck in a cold breath; these monsters were as frightening as giants suddenly appearing within the walls, and the manner of their arrival——

Armin lifted his head to gaze upon the fire rain that obscured the sky and blocked the sun.

Could the Dawn Machine be containing countless Heichi monsters?

A machine that brought light to Aohema, yet upon shutting down it burst forth a surging Heichi… Armin first felt that the truth of Wengfalusi's survival might be closely tied to the Heichi they despise.

Just as the walls that humanity relies on hide Titans, could the Heichi that embodies destruction and the Dawn Machine that symbolizes protection be separated by only a thin wall? Or… perhaps someone behind the scenes is actually using the Heichi?

Laigushi? The Great Lord of Annihilation? Or perhaps that envoy who has yet to appear?

——

Along the way, the group again encountered the master artisan Hatonusu, who conveyed to Bai'e a crucial piece of information: "The Core of Creation… Lady Tining, is waiting. KefaLe's fire seed is safe… she said."

"Lady Tining…"

Faced with the Heichi constructs pursuing from behind, Hatonusu resolutely decided to stay behind to buy time for Bai'e's Recreation of the World.

Although reluctant, Bai'e still decided to first go find Tining and regroup.

"Hatonusu said Lady Tining has news of the fire seed—indeed… Miss Safair has not failed her mission!"

The group arrived at the Golden Descendants' Bathhouse; Danheng looked around and found no one there.

He looked up at a nearby pillar: "These floating architectural structures are here too…"

"Those buildings… people can sense… their memories are fading." Mimi said worriedly.

"Buildings… have memories too?"

Mimi nodded: "Well… the substance of memory is preserved among all things in Wengfalusi. Even a single brick or tile retains many traces of the past."

"There are no trapped citizens here, nor any sign of Heichi constructs… we have no reason to linger. Let's go downstairs… the Bath Palace is not far off."

Several people took the elevator down to the next level; seeing the empty bath pool, Danheng frowned: "The bathhouse's water is conveying sorrow and despair in a way I can't quite grasp… I have a vague bad feeling."

Just when they were a single step away from the entrance to the Core of Creation, the Fire Stealer suddenly appeared out of nowhere!

"It— they've caught up!"

One, two, three… in an instant the Fire Stealer, together with its clones, surrounded them completely!

"Could it be… Wandi…"

"Tch…" Bai'e gritted his teeth, drew his longsword, and prepared to fight them to the death here.

"Bai'e, take Xing and rush to the Core of Creation. I'll stay here to hold it off." Danheng raised his hand to block it, then slowly stepped toward the Fire Stealer before them.

"Danheng, you…"

"Don't hesitate, Bai'e—you still bear the mission of Recreation of the World." Dan Heng turned his head to look at Xing, "I don't know if there are still any clones of the Fire Thieves ahead... Xing, stay by Bai'e's side, just in case."

——

Luo Xiaohei War Chronicles

"Senior sister, I already no longer dare to imagine Bai'e's feelings at this time."

"Xiaohei was counting his fingers in his arms, he lifted his head to look at Lu Ye, 'Within a day, suddenly experiencing so many farewells, he, he might already...'"

"Lu Ye reached out and rubbed Xiaohei's head, his fingertips passing through his soft black hair: 'He's probably getting numb by now. Today has simply happened too much; even he himself hasn't realized that he has to say goodbye to so many people today.'"

"However, does the dimming of the Dawn Machine mean the world is heading toward destruction? This is perhaps too..." Lu Ye strained to search his mind for a suitable adjective, "... too sudden, right?"

"The Dawn Machine went out, and she thought it was merely Aohema falling into eternal night, people losing light, simply shifting from eternal day to eternal night. This would not affect Aohema's defenses; people might initially struggle to adapt to the change in light, but at least they would not face this kind of life-or-death crisis."

"But... as things stand now, the flickering of the Dawn Machine is directly tied to the fate of Weng Faluos, and it's not just living things that are affected—buildings and bodies of water are beginning to be affected as well."