Chapter 176: Yukong's Diary, Leaving Everyone Speechless===GLOSSARY===

After returning to Sichen Palace, when Xiaoying relayed the information provided by Jingyuan, the girl's eyes instantly showed a hint of sorrow.

"Whenever the past is mentioned, she either changes the subject or pretends not to see." Qingni took a deep breath, her fingers unconsciously tightening the hem of her skirt, "I can roughly guess that some of my mother's past experiences are an eternal wound that can never heal. So after I became sensible, I never dared to ask again."

"Genius also has its share of luck and misfortune..."

Walter nodded in agreement: "Yes, Yukong doesn't want you to bear her empty reputation. Moreover, on the battlefield of life and death, talent and fame are actually meaningless."

Qingni's eyes lit up: "You mean she recalled the pain of losing her dear friend, which is why she won't let me fly? The more talented I am, the more she fears, fearing I will repeat her tragedy?"

Walter dared not presume Yukong's thoughts, but suggested the mother and daughter have a good talk. However, before that, Qingni wanted to first confirm some of her mother's past, searching her diary in the filing cabinet.

After some searching, Qingni quickly found the exchange diary of Yukong and Caiyi, and the diary's contents gradually turned her face pale.

……

Past——

Yukong suddenly embraced Caiyi from behind, her fingers playfully pinching Caiyi's cheeks.

"Hey!" Caiyi was startled, almost jumping up, turning around to see her, her eyes instantly lighting up: "You scared me to death!"

Yukong smiled, showing a small row of teeth, her blue hair tips swaying gently in the morning breeze: "Caiyi, we two are going to be partners!"

"Oh, thinking about having to cooperate with the defeated rival from the race feels a bit awkward, hehe, no way, who called military orders as firm as mountains?"

Caiyi's face flushed red instantly, she let out a soft hum: "The previous record doesn't count, that was because of Guangyuan..."

"Hehe… I knew you'd use Guangyuan as an excuse—alright, we're about to go into battle together, finally we can clear those border‑disturbing Abundant Folk, so, cough cough…" Yukong deliberately cleared her throat, quickly circled to Caiyi's side, "Let's do an interview, Miss Caiyi, are you nervous?"

"Not at all!"

"Great! Very confident!" Yukong's clear voice rose a few pitches, she suddenly grabbed Caiyi and spun them around, their uniforms spreading like wings, "We agreed, we will become the strongest flight officer duo!"

A gathering whistle sounded in the distance, Yukong pulled Caiyi and started running: "Hurry up, partner! The first mission can't be late!"

"All right, Yukong, slow down—" Caiyi was pulled staggering, yet couldn't help laughing, the flight officers' barracks almost filled with their laughter.

Frieren——

"This is Lady Yukong's past?" Filien stared wide‑eyed, unable to believe the lively fox‑girl in the light curtain, "Truly worlds apart..."

Yes, at that time Yukong's eyes still held light.

Fuli also couldn't help sighing, young Yukong was like a freshly sharpened small blade, sharp and full of spirit. Although we now know what she will later endure… but thinking of that once bright girl worn down into today's weary, document‑burdened state, we still feel regret.

Seeing Yukong's smile in the light curtain, Fuli finally recalled that since Star came to the Immortal Vessel, Yukong has never truly opened her heart to laugh.

Yukong's helm‑station this radiant, flower‑like smile… truly feels unfamiliar.

"However, Lady Fuli, have you noticed that Caiyi looks like Qingni? Whether it's their hair or eye color." Filien suddenly said from the side.

"... Hmm? Really seems so, could Yukong not be Qingni's birth mother?"

Past——

The sunset slanted through the room, Yukong pushed open the half‑closed door, seeing Caiyi curled up in the corner. Guangyuan's photo lay on her knees, the smiling couple in the picture already soaked by her tears.

A drop of tear fell on Guangyuan's flight officer uniform in the photo, the dark stain resembling a fresh blood spot.

"Caiyi, back then… Guangyuan must have been very proud." Yukong knelt beside her, hesitated for a long time, not knowing how to comfort, simply placing her hand on Caiyi's trembling hand.

Caiyi's shoulder shuddered violently, finally releasing a sob suppressed to the extreme—that sound seemed squeezed from the deepest chest, filled with heart‑rending pain.

"Caiyi..." Yukong reached out to pull her into her embrace, feeling her whole body tremble violently, like a reed about to snap in the wind.

The setting sun like blood, the last gleam crept over the edge of the frame on the wall.

In the photo Guangyuan laughed while pinning the Immortal Vessel Ace Flight Officer insignia on Caiyi, his fingertip still resting on her uniform collar, the gilded insignia glowing faintly in the dusk. At this moment, the same light shone on Caiyi's pale face, that insignia already clutched in her palm, the metal edge biting deep into her flesh.

Red Eyes——

"This is war." Najieta shook her head with a solemn expression, "Unavoidable."

She has seen such scenes more than once. A newlywed wife weeping for her fallen husband, an elderly mother staring at her children's death notices… during her time as a general in the Empire, she witnessed far too many… she thought that seeing such scenes again would not stir her heart.

"Ah..." She no longer felt like smoking, Najieta simply stomped out the cigarette she had just lit under her foot.

Tazimi lowered his head with a heavy face, trembling all over, saying nothing. Since joining Night Raid, he has always acted with his companions, never having stood from an ordinary soldier's perspective to view a war.

Upon hearing Caiyi's despairing sob, he only felt as if someone were gouging his heart with a blunt knife, that heart‑rending pain making him unbearable.

"Just as Caiyi, Guangyuan and others would pursue victory even at the cost of their lives, we must win a war like this." Najieta gazed deeply at Tazimi.

"Within the Empire, there must surely be many like them suffering torment; our task is to ensure they never cry again."

Najieta took a deep breath: "... Even if many die in this process."