“A ‘Magician’ monkey-man…?” Yan Zhichun frowned in confusion.
“Yes, the Magician,” Zheng Yingxiong nodded. “You do know him—after all, he’s friends with ‘Karma.'”
“Why does this kid talk so strangely…?” Yan Zhichun gave Zheng Yingxiong a puzzled look. “What do you mean by ‘Karma’…?”
“I don’t need to know your names,” Zheng Yingxiong continued. “For example, the moment I met you, I knew you were ‘Soulstealer.’ This ability should be useful to you. You really do need me.”
Yan Zhichun froze for a split second. She could tell this boy had something special about him.
It was true that she was indeed “Soulstealer,” but her mastery over her “Echo” was so refined that even the Great Bell couldn’t detect her. Yet, this little boy had seen through her in an instant.
A faint spark of realization flickered in Yan Zhichun’s mind. She quickly bent down and asked,
“Little one, how did you know about our ‘Echoes’?”
“I can smell the scent on you,” Zheng Yingxiong replied. “Everyone has their own unique scent, and what you call ‘Echoes’ also have corresponding names. Distinguishing the scents on each person is my ability.”
Like he was in an interview, Zheng Yingxiong eagerly explained himself to Yan Zhichun.
Yan Zhichun narrowed her eyes slightly. Identifying “Echoes” through scent? She had never heard of such a bizarre ability before. But now… wasn’t this exactly what they needed?
She turned to glance at Jiang Ruoxue, as if about to say something, but Jiang Ruoxue didn’t catch on.
“Uh… that look in your eyes…” Jiang Ruoxue blinked. “Zhichun… you want to recruit this kid? At a time like this…?”
“Yes…” Yan Zhichun said. “Joining the ‘Extremists’ now is practically suicide… but even suicide requires choosing a comfortable tool, right?”
Jiang Ruoxue frowned and thought for a moment before speaking. “Zhichun, I’m not trying to oppose you, but can you tell me what exactly the ‘Extremists’ plan to do when they all gather…?”
“We…” Yan Zhichun hesitated.
“Why do we need a little boy who can identify ‘Echoes’ to join us?” Jiang Ruoxue pressed.
Yan Zhichun remained silent for a long time, still unwilling to say, “We’re going to destroy the Great Bell and the screens.”
After all, according to Bai Yang’s words in “Silence,” if the higher-ups found out about this plan, they would undoubtedly intervene. The existence of the screens and the Great Bell benefited them, and they wouldn’t allow such destruction.
Even if Qi Xia claimed that Qinglong was on their side, she still wasn’t willing to gamble.
Qinglong might be on Qi Xia’s side—but would he stand with the “Extremists”?
Even if Qinglong could guarantee Qi Xia’s safety, that didn’t mean he’d protect every “Extremist.”
If anything went wrong, everyone close to her—Jiang Ruoxue, Zhou Mo, Old Sun, Aunt Tong—would die.
The stakes in this gamble were too high.
Yan Zhichun had met Qinglong once. That lunatic didn’t seem like someone who could be reasoned with… He made decisions entirely based on his whims.
“I can’t say,” Yan Zhichun replied. “Ruoxue… but I truly have my reasons. The entire ‘Extremists’ are about to enter a state of deafness and blindness. This child will be the ‘light’ for all of us. It’s practically the ‘Trolley Problem’… If he joins, we might survive, but he will die. What would you choose?”
Jiang Ruoxue fell silent for a moment before turning to Zheng Yingxiong.
Yan Zhichun, too, knew the dangers of this decision. She crouched down, placing her hands on Zheng Yingxiong’s shoulders. “Kid, I need to explain the situation to you first. If you still want to join the ‘Extremists’ after hearing it, I’ll respect your choice.”
“No need to explain,” Zheng Yingxiong shook his head. “The worst that can happen here is disappearing. I’ve been prepared for that for years.”
“You—”
“‘Soulstealer,'” Zheng Yingxiong called out. “I saw you enter Qi Xia’s room earlier… Is this organization connected to him?”
Yan Zhichun didn’t answer, only studying Zheng Yingxiong with an inscrutable gaze.
“Your scent tells me I’m right,” Zheng Yingxiong continued. “You might not understand my resolve. He is your ‘master,’ and he is the one I’ve chosen as mine. I’m willing to bow to him and carry out his plans, even if it means dying on this path. No matter how terrible this place is, there are people I must save—and a ‘heaven’ I long for.”
Yan Zhichun blinked, then turned to Jiang Ruoxue. “Is this kid always like this?”
“Don’t call me a kid,” Zheng Yingxiong said. “I’m a hero. I’ll protect everyone.”
The brief self-introduction left Yan Zhichun torn between laughter and exasperation.
“Zhichun, he’s more mature than you think. He’s the ‘Seed’ from ‘Jade City,'” Jiang Ruoxue explained. “He’s endured despair none of us have experienced.”
At the mention of “Seed,” understanding dawned on Yan Zhichun.
“No wonder the Magician spoke to you like that… You carry the hope of an entire city,” Yan Zhichun nodded, then asked seriously, “Kid, what’s your ‘ultimate goal’?”
“My ultimate goal is to free this ‘prison,'” he said. “If possible, I want everyone to return to the normal world. No matter who they are… I don’t want them to suffer here anymore. For this goal, many people around me stayed behind, but they used their last strength to push me forward. So I’m destined to die on this path.”
“Good…” Yan Zhichun nodded. “From now on, you’re an ‘Extremist.’ Our goal is to protect this place. The passphrase is ‘Long Live the Extremists.’ Normally, you’d use it to identify other members, but that won’t be necessary now. You’ll meet them soon.”
Zheng Yingxiong stared at Yan Zhichun for a long time before finally saying, “Okay.”
Just as Yan Zhichun was about to end the conversation, she seemed to remember something else. “Hero, you said your memories have been preserved for a long time… How long is that?”
“Over ten years,” Zheng Yingxiong replied. “But I can’t remember exactly. At first, I had no concept of time, so I didn’t keep track.”
Hearing this, Yan Zhichun’s brow furrowed. “Then… do you remember anything from about twelve years ago?”
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