“We can’t control anything…”
Yan Zhichun spoke with a hint of helplessness. “Whether it’s Tianlong, Qinglong, or Qixia… we can’t influence their schemes. But as I promised before… I’ll do my best to help the ‘Extremists’ find the ending they deserve.”
“Zhichun, don’t put too much pressure on yourself,” Jiang Ruoxue sighed. “We’re all independent individuals. You don’t need to take responsibility for us.”
Yan Zhichun nodded with a complicated expression, then quickly snapped back to reality and turned to Zhou Mo. “This isn’t the time to worry about Tianlong anymore… the battle above must be raging… We need a large number of ‘ants’ here to join the fight… Tell him I need to strategize—we have to kill all the ‘Celestials’ in one strike.”
“Got it.” Zhou Mo directed some people to check on the wounded ‘Extremists’ while the ‘Ant King’ rallied the scattered ‘ants.’
Aunt Tong couldn’t stand by any longer. After explaining the situation to Yan Zhichun, she immediately ran toward the exit. Yan Zhichun quickly ordered Old Sun and Old Deng to follow and provide backup.
By now, there were no combat-ready ‘Earth-level’ fighters left at the ‘cargo hold’ entrance. The only allies remaining were Old Lü and the Human Monkey, standing side by side, facing the blinded Earth Rat and several ‘Human-level’ fighters. Both sides seemed wary, neither making the first move.
After all, striking now would mean death—and none of them wanted to die.
“Kid…” Old Lü turned his head. “You should leave too… no need to throw your life away here.”
“Uncle… I can’t move,” the Human Monkey replied. “Can you?”
“Hell, I can’t either…” Old Lü coughed a few times. The Human Monkey noticed blood seeping from the mouth of his pig-headed mask.
A mere ‘Human-level’ had endured several minutes of beatings from an ‘Earth-level’—it was a miracle he wasn’t dead already. Even if he had an ‘Echo,’ it wouldn’t have helped much.
“Kid… I’m dead tired… At my age, I can’t keep up with you…”
The Human Monkey took off her mask and tossed it aside. Old Lü saw that one of her eyes had been gouged out in the chaos, and one of her legs was badly twisted.
“We’re about the same, huh?” the Human Monkey chuckled.
“You’re still better off than me,” Old Lü laughed weakly. “I’m shaking from exhaustion. Even when I used to sell socks at my stall, I never got beaten up like this.”
“The past? Why didn’t you fight back then?” she asked.
“Ha… You’re a smart kid, so you wouldn’t understand the struggles of folks like me…” Old Lü shook his head and leaned against the wall. “If someone picks a fight, you take a couple of punches and it’s over. But if you fight back, you might end up having to pay for it.”
“And they didn’t have to pay for hitting you?”
Neither of them paid attention to the enemies in front of them. In their final moments, they just kept talking.
“Pay? Give me a few hundred for medical bills, then beat me even worse next time?” Old Lü let out a dry laugh. “I had to sell socks to make a living. If I got beaten so badly I couldn’t stand, everything would fall apart. Life’s like that—sometimes you just have to endure the bullying. Bear with it, and the days pass.”
“So that’s how it was,” the Human Monkey nodded. “So… you’re ‘Hardening’…”
“Exactly,” Old Lü grinned. “When I found out I had ‘Hardening,’ I was over the moon! No matter how badly I got beaten, I wouldn’t collapse—I could always set up my stall…”
His voice gradually weakened. “Ah… I’m too damn tired… Kid, I’m gonna sit for a bit.”
He slowly slid down the wall, coughing violently.
“But this time… they hit way too hard… These youngsters don’t know their own strength… What if they kill someone… *cough*…”
Old Lü lowered his head, trying to reach around to rub his aching back, but his chubby arms couldn’t quite reach.
Slumped in the corner, he wore a bitter smile—as if he’d been through this many times before.
“Uncle, you’re dying,” the Human Monkey said flatly. “Any last words? If I survive, I’ll pass them on.”
“Last words?” Old Lü shook his head. “Quit scaring me, kid… I’m fine… Don’t let this fool you—I’m sharp when it counts. My back’s got plenty of padding, so I can take the hits… Look at yourself, though… Your damn eyeball’s hanging out…”
“Yeah, I’m probably dying too. But I studied medicine,” the Human Monkey said. “Uncle, you’ve been coughing up blood—your organs must be shredded.”
“I know my own body…” Old Lü’s voice grew weaker, as if even he didn’t believe himself anymore. Then he added, “Besides… I don’t have any ‘last words.’ I boarded this ‘train’ to save people… and I did… I’m satisfied…”
The Human Monkey sighed and sat down beside him, tossing her pen aside.
“You’re satisfied, but I’m not. What a shame…” She shook her head. “Thought we might actually make it out this time… Why is trying so hard never enough…?”
“Hey, kid… Don’t talk like that…” Old Lü tried to comfort her but coughed violently again, his mask splattered with fresh blood.
He quickly tore it off, blood spilling onto the floor.
Gasping for air, he coughed for a long while before finally catching his breath, his eyes full of sorrow. “Ah… People are so fragile… Even a little bump can cripple or kill you…”
“We didn’t get ‘a little bump.’ Does a little bump knock out an eye?”
As she spoke, the Human Monkey spat out a mouthful of blood—mixed with bits of organ tissue.
Just then, the remaining ‘Human-level’ fighters began to move. Exchanging glances, they slowly advanced toward the two dying figures.
Whatever these two were up to, the heads of ‘rebels’ were the perfect ticket for promotion.
Old Lü knew his time had come. Another brutal beating awaited him, but he was too exhausted to even open his eyes.
He heard footsteps approaching, voices calling his name.
He heard a man say, “Stop bullying them.”
For a moment, he even felt the weight in his heart lift.
But his eyes remained shut.
“Old Lü…” Aunt Tong sat beside him, holding his hand like comforting a weary child. Then, in a voice soft with sorrow, she said, “It’s alright… Sleep now… Once you’re asleep… your ‘sins’ will be repaid… You won’t have to blame yourself anymore…”
“Xiaochan…” Old Lü’s lips barely moved. “I’m so tired… Wake me up early… Can’t miss setting up the stall…”
“Alright… Alright…”
Tears streamed down Aunt Tong’s face. Amid the dazzling battle between ‘Original’ and ‘Puppet,’ they held back their grief as they bid farewell to Old Lü and the Human Monkey.
In the final moments, she hadn’t even had the chance to ask the name of the one-eyed girl.
What had she been holding onto?
What kind of ‘karma’ had she carried?
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage