Chapter 1799: The Curtain Falls on Ruoshui

Chen Ling was silent.

He watched Wen Ruoshui with his own eyes, bit by bit, turn from a young man into a decaying old man. It was as if his entire life had been drained away by time, and in the end, only a weak shell remained.

Among the Nine Sovereigns, Wen Ruoshui was definitely the most low-key. He didn't like to speak when there were many people, and his presence was the lowest, but his contribution to humanity was the greatest... In a sense, he had saved humanity six times.

He saved humanity six times, not because of how powerful he was, or how miraculous he was, or to prove himself...

All of this was simply because of his kindness.

Because of his kindness, no matter which world it was, and no matter which generation of Red King found him, he would always be willing to sacrifice himself to become humanity’s final line of defense. In restart after restart, he always made the same choice.

Watching Wen Ruoshui’s life drain away rapidly, veins bulged on Chen Ling’s neck. At this moment, countless thoughts and impulses flashed through his mind, but in the end, he rejected them all...

Wen Ruoshui was right; to fight for a future, he must remain clear-headed at all times.

"Director Chen..." Wen Ruoshui’s withered hand gripped Chen Ling’s wrist tightly.

He lay on the ground, and even though his life was about to dry up, his eyes remained moist and persistent. As if using his last bit of strength, he spoke with difficulty, word by word:

"Save... hu...man...ity..."

As his voice fell,

Wen Ruoshui’s hand slid down powerlessly.

Strands of light fell from the gaps in the base. In the dim light, the figure in the theatrical robe sat alone beside the aged corpse, like a silent statue.

Chen Ling did not shed tears. He was no longer the green Heart 6 of the past, but the Red King of this generation. The burden on his shoulders was too heavy, and he was already a pillar for too many people... How could the Red King shed tears so easily?

His moist eyes were his farewell to the first old friend to depart in this world.

After an unknown amount of time,

his chapped lips parted:

"『I see the sky weeping』,"

"『I hear your voice』;"

"『I smell longing blooming in the thorns』,"

"『I come from the direction of the sunset』..."

……

"This is..."

Outside the Ruoshui Base, everyone stood frozen.

They looked back at the Ruoshui Base, where a mournful and melodious ballad was rising, echoing over the entire Ruoshui Prison.

This ballad seemed to have some kind of magic, making everyone who heard it feel at ease instantly...

It was like a farewell, and also like a dirge.

"It's Lord Red King..."

"What ballad is Lord Red King singing...?"

"I don't know, but it sounds so peaceful, and... a bit sad?"

Whether they were Dusk Society members or Fire Usurpers, everyone was immersed in the ballad. The grey-white world had completely enveloped the domain, and in the desolate silence, only the ballad lingered melodiously.

"『The earth and rose-red are your bed』,"

"『Frost, snow, and the setting sun are your heavy makeup』;"

"『I will weave hope into dancing kapok flowers』,"

"『Until the rocks remember the fragrance of flowers』..."

Li Laide gently took off his black hat.

A complex emotion that couldn't be described appeared in his gaze as he looked at the base...

For some reason, Li Laide could feel more emotions from this ballad. It was like tasting a red wine brewed by his master himself; as the liquid went down his throat, a sense of sourness and heaviness rushed toward him.

Gradually, he became somewhat entranced.

What...

exactly is this?

"『Oh, weeping person』,"

"『Please gently close your eyes』;"

"『When the dusk falls on the darkest era』,"

"『I will promise you the morning glow and the blue sky』."

As the last line of the ballad fell, desolate silence enveloped everything once again.

Faint roars of Calamities came from outside the bare outer wall, as if foreshadowing the end of it all. This human domain, which had existed for hundreds of years, would eventually be completely submerged in the long river of history with the departure of Lord Ruoshui.

At the same time,

in the grey-white world, a figure wearing a theatrical robe with red patterns on a black background walked slowly out of the Ruoshui Base.

In his palms, he seemed to be holding three things, a pair of cinnabar-like earrings swaying silently in the wind... The moment he appeared, everyone present looked at him, their gazes filled with respect.

Chen Ling’s eyes clearly reflected the final appearance of this domain. After an unknown amount of time, he spoke slowly:

"Let's go..."

"It's time for us to leave."

……

Chengtian Domain.

Imperial Palace.

Heavy snow continued to fall silently, having accumulated on the eaves of the windows before anyone noticed. Eunuch Zuo pushed open the silent door of the Imperial Study, walking into the room with a few flakes of wind and snow from outside...

He was like a taut string that finally relaxed, a hint of weariness appearing in his brow.

He took a deep breath and bowed respectfully toward the front:

"Your Majesty."

"Lord Ruoshui’s domain... has completely disappeared."

The thin curtains swayed silently in the breeze. The figure sitting behind them was startled, a complex look also appearing in his brow.

He gently placed the brush in his hand onto the brush rest to the side, and after a long silence, spoke calmly:

"I know..."

"Have the refugees from Ruoshui Prison been arranged?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, all refugees have been arranged properly." Eunuch Zuo smiled. "Tonight, everyone can have a good night’s sleep."

"...Hmm."

"Your Majesty, there is one more thing." Eunuch Zuo hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Lord Wei did not return to the capital as ordered... However, he sent his only adopted son to the Chengtian Domain."

"Wei Chen was loyal throughout his life, exhausting his efforts for humanity... Let him stay in his hometown in peace. You pass on my imperial decree: treat his clothes and hat as his body, bury Wei Chen with honors, and treat him with... the rites of a Duke." Ying Fu paused for a moment.

"As for his adopted son... arrange a position for him in the court."

"In the future, if he performs well, promote him further. If he is like those other arrogant children of the so-called noble families... you know how to handle it."

"This servant understands." Eunuch Zuo immediately replied.

"How is the progress of those 'quasi-Dukes' who have been reborn?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, only three have yet to return to the position of Demigod. They have all recovered to the peak of Tier 8... However, they were all Demigods in the past and have histories sufficient to prove themselves through the Divine Path. It is only a matter of time before they prove themselves again and return to being Demigods." Eunuch Zuo calculated.

"If nothing goes wrong, within half a year, the number of Demigods in our Chengtian... will be a truly terrifying number."

"Hmm, you may withdraw."

Eunuch Zuo bowed again and turned to leave the Imperial Study.

The curtains fluttered. Ying Fu seemed tired, waving his hand gently, and the thick snow clouds above the Chengtian Domain gradually dissipated... He stood up, took one last look at the calligraphy practice on the table, and turned to leave.

A gentle breeze rolled in from the open window, causing the calligraphy practice held down by the inkstone to rustle. Four neat and clean characters were reflected upon it:

——【The Highest Good is Like Water】.