Chapter 3: The Strongest Sentinel, Liu Ming: Great, We’re Dying Together…

“I never imagined that in the final moments of my life, I’d be dying with you.”

Yun Zhou murmured, his voice thick with a mix of despair and tears. He was so distraught he didn’t notice the dark expression on Liu Ming’s face behind him. “We haven’t reached that point yet, have we? What, you’re a Sentinel and you’re going to surrender before me, a Guide?”

Yun Zhou’s fur bristled again, his silver-gray tail and ears seemingly shrouded in a layer of mist. “Liu Ming! What exactly do you want? We’re already in this miserable state, and you won’t even let me vent a little?”

Liu Ming tightened his arm around Yun Zhou’s neck. Although he was only trying to steady himself, it looked more like he was trying to strangle him.

“Snap out of it, Son of the Devil.”

Yun Zhou’s entire body stiffened. His eyes, which had been vacant and helpless just a moment ago, saw their pupils contract instantly. Those golden eyes held a terrifying rage, no longer looking human, but closer to an Anomaly.

Liu Ming had used the nickname that caused Yun Zhou to be the subject of constant gossip and harassment behind his back at the Tree Tower.

But Yun Zhou had no time to be angry, because Liu Ming spoke again quickly.

His blood-red eyes darkened as he stared fixedly at the Scorching Ghost before them, the culprit behind his grandfather’s Mental Landscape¹ collapse. “It’s coming for you.”

Indeed, a Guide’s mental power possessed a sensory capability far stronger than a Sentinel’s. Even without releasing his Spiritual Body, Liu Ming could sense the Anomaly’s emotions.

Excitement, exhilaration, grief, and… a trace of indescribable submission.

When facing Yun Zhou, the Scorching Ghost made no move to attack at all. Everything it had done was merely to trap them here.

“Coming for me?! No way! This is a high-sequence Anomaly! We’re doomed!”

Yun Zhou let out a miserable cry, forgetting his anger. Carrying Liu Ming on his back, he turned to flee, only to have his path blocked again by a suddenly rising curtain of fire. He was forced to stop in his tracks.

Despite being in a life-or-death crisis, Liu Ming seemed completely unconcerned, even somewhat leisurely. He hopped lightly off Yun Zhou’s back and looked at the Scorching Ghost, which was watching them playfully from a short distance away. He rubbed his chin. “Sorry, you’re the only one who’s doomed. After all, I have my family’s trump card protecting me.”

Yun Zhou, showing his Sentinel professional ethics, stepped between Liu Ming and the Scorching Ghost. He gripped the telescopic Vajra Pestle² at his waist, his tone one of exasperated helplessness. “Tell me, if I really just left you here and ignored you, what would you do?”

Liu Ming smiled. “You can’t get rid of me. If you prepare to run away like a coward, I’ll drag you down with me even in death, so we can be buried together in the Scorching Ghost’s flames.”

Yun Zhou: …Why does that sound a little romantic, damn you!

Du Shui’s helpless shouting came from outside the wall of fire: “Stop arguing in there! Given the situation, hurry up and find a way to get out!”

Yun Zhou nodded. “Got it, Du Shui! I’m looking for a weak spot in this fire wall right now. When the time comes, we’ll coordinate from inside and out and punch right through it.”

The corners of Liu Ming’s and the Scorching Ghost’s mouths twitched simultaneously: Was he… plotting out loud?

The Scorching Ghost clearly didn’t want to waste any more time. It summoned countless flames and lunged toward Yun Zhou… or rather, toward Liu Ming beside him.

“Disrespect… betrayal… die…”

The Scorching Ghost emitted a strange, clear voice mixed with giggles and eerie roars – it was actually fluent human speech!

Liu Ming’s brow furrowed. His hand reached behind him, ready to save himself if Yun Zhou didn’t act.

Fortunately, that shadow moved even faster than he had estimated.

“Holy crap! This Anomaly can talk!”

Yun Zhou’s eyes widened. He lunged in front of Liu Ming, his mental power descending with the sharp, rustling light of snow from a high plateau. The snowy white merged with the fiery red, then instantly shattered.

The beautiful, exquisite long-handled Vajra Pestle accurately parried the Scorching Ghost’s attack. Yun Zhou stared blankly at the Scorching Ghost’s arm, which had mutated into something like an insect’s limb, completely surprised that he had actually blocked an attack from a Sequence 35.

“Am I actually this awesome?”

He murmured to his Vajra Pestle.

“Why…”

The Scorching Ghost tilted its flaming head in confusion. It even withdrew all the surrounding flames just so it wouldn’t hurt Yun Zhou.

Its fire was becoming incredibly dim due to doubt or some other reason.

“You… why don’t you kill him? Are you really going to let this person who challenges the Wheel of Fortune continue to live in this world?”

The Scorching Ghost asked with genuine sincerity, looking at Liu Ming, who stood behind Yun Zhou with an unreadable expression.

…

The atmosphere suddenly turned silent.

Yun Zhou spoke up, a head full of question marks. “What else would I do?!”

He looked at the Scorching Ghost the same way Liu Ming looked at him. “Why would I kill my classmate?!”

Yun Zhou pointed at the slightly disheveled Liu Ming behind him. “Even though he has a foul mouth, loves to mock people, and looks down his nose at everyone every single day-“

Liu Ming impatiently slapped him on the back. “Are you going to save me or not?”

Yun Zhou nodded hastily. “Saving you, saving you! Liu Ming, don’t interrupt me, let me finish: Even though he’s very annoying, if you want me to kill him, I still can’t do it!”

He stood firmly in front of Liu Ming, arms spread wide. The Vajra Pestle in his hand reflected the firelight with an ancient bronze glow, and his golden eyes mirrored the Scorching Ghost’s hideous face.

“If you’re coming for me, then just come for me.”

Yun Zhou said each word with deliberate emphasis.

Liu Ming could feel his fingertips trembling uncontrollably.

This idiot Yun Zhou didn’t seem to be acting out of hypocrisy… everything he said seemed to be because he truly thought that way.

Now, this guy was standing in front of him – the young master who constantly looked for trouble with him – while their enemy was a Scorching Ghost as high as Sequence 35.

Realizing this, Liu Ming felt his head buzzing.

Does such a person really exist in this world…?

Yes, because Yun Zhou was standing right in front of him, saying the foolish words, “Just come for me.”

But… how was that possible?

Liu Ming felt himself losing the ability to think.

The Scorching Ghost was equally shocked.

“I… will not… hurt you, even though… you haven’t arrived here yet.”

Scorching Ghost’s voice no longer shrieked or giggled; it had grown faint, almost weak.

“I only came to… tell you… the prophecy is true.”

Liu Ming shuddered, quickly looking up at the bullet chat floating before him.

He remembered that specific prophecy from Y009. It was said that among the students of Tree Tower Academy, two individuals would lead humanity to victory in the war against the Anomalies.

Unfortunately, the descriptions of those two people didn’t resemble Liu Ming in the slightest, so he hadn’t bothered to pay attention to it afterward. He hadn’t expected the Plot Strings to have such a design.

【Hahaha, I’m dying. Both sides are giving total nonsense answers. But since Yun Zhou is protecting this little young master so much, it looks like the young master is taking the sidekick route!】

【That’s good, that’s good. I’m actually quite a fan of his looks. Hurry up and fall for Yun Zhou’s personal charm!】

【Am I the only one who’s annoyed? Why does this arrogant guy get to be covered by Yun Zhou!】

【As expected, I still think this kind of cannon fodder villain should just die. By the way, what was that prophecy?】

【It was a message from Y009 seen back when they were tracking its activity. It said two Corrector students from Tree Tower Academy would lead humanity to a total victory over the Anomalies. Heehee, but how is that possible?】

At the same time, Du Shui’s joyful cry came from outside the wall of fire: “Principal! You actually came in person! Quick, save Yun Zhou!”

As if finally fulfilling a long-held wish, Scorching Ghost burst into laughter. “The prophecy is true! The Son of the Devil!”

Bang!

Someone outside the sea of fire pulled a trigger.

An incredibly exquisite black bullet pierced through the curtain of flames, accurately boring straight through Scorching Ghost’s chest. In that instant, a terrifying pressure exploded. Even Yun Zhou and Liu Ming, despite the latter’s immense mental strength, were forced to hunch over and drop to their knees.

That was a bullet infused with mental power. Its owner had to be an incredibly powerful Sentinel, possessing an overwhelming dominance that extinguished all of Scorching Ghost’s flames wherever it passed.

“The Son of the Devil… is the true savior who will lead you incompetent humans to defeat the Anomalies! Hahaha! Even if you defeat us, it will only be through the power of this Son of the Devil. In the end, there is no difference!”

The struck Scorching Ghost began to crack and crumble, yet it continued its frenzied speech, seemingly indifferent to its shattering body and dying flames.

Bang! Bang!

Two more gunshots rang out.

Scorching Ghost’s body completely shattered, exploding into fragments of burning flame that scattered across the ground before Yun Zhou and Liu Ming.

The Anomaly that had been so arrogant moments ago vanished in an instant.

Simultaneously, something else fell from the sky.

“Are those… feathers?”

Yun Zhou looked up blankly.

Black feathers drifted down. The moment they touched the ground, they turned into shimmering black stardust, crumbling and vanishing.

Outside the fire curtain, which had dwindled to a faint flicker, a woman with a casual smile walked past Du Shui. She wore a uniquely tailored black uniform with an elegant yet deadly pleated skirt. With one hand, she lowered her gun; with the other, she adjusted the black uniform cap on her brow, revealing beautiful eyes framed by wavy, waist-length hair.

Black, somber eyes.

The Principal of Tree Tower Academy, the highest institution for training Correctors; the leader of humanity; the Council Chairman of the Seven-District Council, the supreme governing body of the seven districts; and the strongest Sentinel, the strongest Corrector – Black Swan.

“Yes, that’s the Principal’s mental power.”

Liu Ming’s response was flat and indifferent.

He lowered his gaze, the wariness in his eyes intensifying because of Scorching Ghost’s words.

An Anomaly… a Sequence 35 Anomaly chose to escape from the World Tree’s prison tonight just to deliver a message in front of Council Chairman Black Swan: “Yun Zhou, the Son of the Devil from the Seventh District, is the key to eliminating the Anomalies.”

What was Scorching Ghost’s true goal? Even if its words were true, why would an Anomaly help humanity find the correct “Savior”?

And if its words were false, what sinister purpose lay behind pushing the protagonist, Yun Zhou, into the eye of the storm?

Liu Ming glanced at Yun Zhou. The idiot was still grinning foolishly at Principal Black Swan.

The person at the center of the vortex knew nothing of it, and the bullet chat even thought this was a good thing.

【The wolf cub finally got noticed by Lady Black Swan! Great! The wolf cub can finally start living the good life!】

【What’s with the expression on Young Master Liu next to him? I’ve wanted to start cursing for a while now. Why is he always such a buzzkill? He just can’t stand to see our wolf cub doing well, can he?】

Liu Ming pursed his lips. There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world; every gift came with a hidden price tag. But no matter how he looked at him, Yun Zhou didn’t seem like someone who could afford that price.

Liu Ming suddenly realized something: Yun Zhou was the protagonist, so… he shouldn’t die, right?

If he died before Liu Ming could save up enough to break the Plot Strings, then even with the Misunderstanding Value System, Liu Ming wouldn’t be able to change the destined script on his own.

Translator’s Notes