82. Do you know Ji Qiming
“Look, there are so many seashells here!”
The cheerful voice of Wei La echoed in the deserted abandoned town. Several Aberrations surrounded Wei La, some circling around her, others lying down for a rest. It was a remarkably harmonious scene.
Not far away, Wei La saw Ji Mingzhu and Huo Zai coming out of the house. She stood up, waving the colorful seashells in her hand at the two.
Huo Zai waved back with a smile, acknowledging her, while Ji Mingzhu managed a forced smile.
“They seem friendly,” Ji Mingzhu remarked.
Ji Mingzhu looked at the “Aberrations” around Wei La, the former old humans, with an indescribable sadness in his eyes. “I always thought they lacked reason.”
“Most of them do,” Huo Zai said calmly, putting down his hand. “It’s been many years since the old humans became Aberrations. Most of them have lost human memories and reason, becoming creatures resembling beasts. Only a few of the old humans regained the ability to think in the long years.”
Ji Mingzhu asked, “Like you?”
“I’m one of them.”
“Are you… an Aberration or a human?”
“What do you think?”
Huo Zai smiled, “Of course, I’m an Aberration. Although I’ve always thought of myself as a human, under the rules of this world and in the eyes of all present humans, I am an Aberration, their enemy. The invaders from outside robbed us of our homeland, our culture, and… our identity. The most pathetic thing is that we are still treated as unwelcome guests, driven away and slaughtered. Isn’t it ironic?”
Ji Mingzhu lowered his head, saying nothing.
“After becoming Aberrations, the old humans become more and more like the original Aberrations, not only in terms of reason, appearance, but also some special abilities,” Huo Zai said. “Like me, my ability is disguise. Whether it’s the former Huo Zai or the current Wang Wen, this appearance is my disguise, and my true self… even I have long forgotten.”
Ji Mingzhu recalled the twisted and swollen flesh beneath Huo Zai’s wounds when they fought in the underground control room.
“Disguise is a very tiring thing,” Huo Zai said lightly. “I like looking in the mirror, yet I also hate it. The person and identity in the mirror are not the real me, but the real me is unacceptable to others. But compared to disguise, I’m more afraid that one day, like other old humans, I’ll forget my true self, forget the hatred, and become a true beast.”
A Ruminant Hound walked out from the corner, approached Huo Zai, and affectionately rubbed against his body.
The Ruminant Hound is the lowest-ranked entity among the aberrations, with an extremely petite body within the entire aberration population. The whining it emits sounds like a baby’s cry, and often, hearing this sound gives people a creepy feeling.
Looking at the obedient Ruminant Hound, which resembled a large dog, Ji Mingzhu’s mind conjured a dreadful speculation.
Seeing Ji Mingzhu’s change in expression, Huo Zai quickly guessed what he was thinking.
“You’re right.”
Huo Zai stroked the rough skin of the Ruminant Hound and said, “The existing aberrations are all transformed from old humans, and the Ruminant Hounds… they were babies from the old era.”
Huo Zai was unaware that the person in front of him, Ji Mingzhu, was a genuine old human who had survived through the long passage of time from the old era. Therefore, upon seeing Ji Mingzhu’s reaction, he merely felt that the other person, like the Vera family, was one of the rare individuals in the current human population who empathized with the predicament of the aberrations.
Ji Mingzhu surveyed his surroundings, looking at aberrations perched in the small town. Their bodies were grotesque and hideous, emitting a dangerous aura that made people fear and keep their distance.
However, these… were unmistakably his own kind.
Like Ji Mingzhu, they were vibrant humans who had long lived on this land, with parents, children, and some were even newborns babbling.
A disaster turned these vibrant humans into irrational monsters, witnessing their once homes being occupied and themselves being driven out into the wilderness. Not only did they struggle for survival in harsh conditions, but they also had to watch their own kind being slaughtered by invasive aggressors.
Ji Mingzhu had killed many aberrations.
In the battle where Jin Qing was kidnapped just after waking up, he piloted the Aeria Raider and killed many aberrations. Following the aberration tide and the subsequent cleanup…
He thought he was fighting to protect others, but in reality, he wasn’t protecting his own kind. The enemies he targeted were his compatriots.
Ji Mingzhu’s emotions were indescribable, a surge of complex feelings overwhelmed him – sadness, regret, and even immense hatred.
He recalled something Tian Ji had said before.
The core council member of the Netherworld Organization, with the code name “Qiming,” once piloted the Phoenix Redeemer and killed countless civilians, to the extent that the blade was dyed crimson.
Did he, when he woke up for the first time, also learn the truth of the matter?
Perhaps, during his first awakening, he wasn’t brainwashed by the Netherworld Organization, but he, knowing everything, launched retaliation against the existing humans…
“Are Wei La and the others also old humans?” Ji Mingzhu asked.
He noticed that his voice had become somewhat hoarse at some point.
Huo Zai shook his head, “No, the Wei La family is not. They are also new humans.”
At first, Huo Zai’s identity was not the deputy minister of the Thunder Division. He was just an aberration wandering outside the capital city.
Like other aberrations, he lived in the wilderness like a beast until one day he awakened his memories, gaining a special camouflage ability.
“I was filled with thoughts of revenge when I first entered the capital. I wanted to kill all the new humans who took over my homeland.”
Huo Zai seemed to reminisce about his past self, his eyes full of nostalgia. “Unfortunately, with my strength, I couldn’t achieve that. After killing some people, I was chased by the Calamity Control Bureau several times, almost dying in the city. It was during this process that I learned a lot of things, including the formidable power of the Sky City, something I couldn’t contend with.”
“So, did you establish Feibo?”
“No, I didn’t establish Feibo.” Huo Zai shook his head. “I just joined them.”
“Who is the founder of Feibo?”
Ji Mingzhu asked, “Can Feibo control aberrations? Is it a special ability of some aberration? Is the true controller of Feibo an old human?”
Huo Zai looked at Ji Mingzhu and smiled, “Do you think I would tell you?”
“…”
“After joining Feibo, I found another way to subvert the Sky City and seek revenge against new humans.”
Huo Zai continued, “So we staged an accident, I took over Huo Zai’s identity, became the deputy minister of the Thunder Division in the Calamity Control Bureau. It was also during this process that I met Wei La’s grandfather. He was a historian, unlike other new humans, he didn’t harbor much animosity towards aberrations.”
In many respects, new humans and old humans were almost indistinguishable. Whether it was because they originally were very similar or because the complex society derived from the identity of “human” eventually evolved into a similar form. Except for the difference in real identity, new humans also had classes, good and bad individuals, and the inherent flaws of humanity. In the long time since Ji Mingzhu woke up, he hadn’t even found any clues.
In this process, Huo Zai and Wei La’s grandfather became friends, and because of his identity as a historian, Wei La’s grandfather came into contact with many hidden histories. Even because he knew too much, he brought trouble to himself. So, Huo Zai secretly sent them out of the satellite city and settled them in this abandoned town.
“People have their own standpoints, and because of different perspectives, their attitudes towards things vary.”
Huo Zai said, “Wei La and her family are among the few new humans I’ve seen who can make me ignore standpoints. They are kind enough, even after knowing my identity as an aberration, they did not antagonize me just because they were beneficiaries.”
Among new humans, there were good and bad people, and of course, there were kind ones too.
But once they knew the truth, how many people would willingly give up everything they had now? When they realized that the current satellite city, technology, and even culture did not originally belong to them, would they be willing to hand over this world to old humans?
The answer was obvious.
“As for you, Ji Mingzhu.”
Huo Zai looked at Ji Mingzhu and said, “During my time in the Calamity Control Bureau, I always thought that you were different from other new humans.”
Ji Mingzhu was stunned, “Me?”
“Yes.”
Huo Zai said, “If we set aside our positions, I would be willing to be friends with you. Unfortunately, you are a Titan pilot serving the Calamity Control Bureau. Although we are both within the Calamity Control Bureau, we defend different things, our positions are different, so it’s natural that we can’t stand together and chat like we are now.”
“But things are different now,” Huo Zai paused and continued, “You are wanted by the Calamity Control Bureau, at odds with the Netherworld Organization. The whole world has no place for you to stay, hiding everywhere like a stray dog. Now, can you understand our position?”
“…”
“Setting aside positions, your piloting skills have impressed me.” Huo Zai didn’t mind Ji Mingzhu’s silence and said, “If you are willing to join Feibo, I believe we could become quite good friends.”
Ji Mingzhu exhaled softly, “Before I answer you, I want to know the answers to some questions.”
“Go ahead.”
“When were you born?”
“Are you referring to the old era?”
“Yes.”
“We use the Tianyuan Calendar now; the old human calendar has long been discontinued. I was born before the Tianyuan Calendar in the old era. According to the years at that time…”
Huo Zai reminisced for a moment, “2058.”
The year Ji Mingzhu won the championship was in 2057.
In other words, Huo Zai was born after he had entered his deep sleep.
Ji Mingzhu asked the second question, “Do you know… Ji Qiming?”
82. Do you know Ji Qiming
“Look, there are so many seashells here!”
The cheerful voice of Wei La echoed in the deserted abandoned town. Several Aberrations surrounded Wei La, some circling around her, others lying down for a rest. It was a remarkably harmonious scene.
Not far away, Wei La saw Ji Mingzhu and Huo Zai coming out of the house. She stood up, waving the colorful seashells in her hand at the two.
Huo Zai waved back with a smile, acknowledging her, while Ji Mingzhu managed a forced smile.
“They seem friendly,” Ji Mingzhu remarked.
Ji Mingzhu looked at the “Aberrations” around Wei La, the former old humans, with an indescribable sadness in his eyes. “I always thought they lacked reason.”
“Most of them do,” Huo Zai said calmly, putting down his hand. “It’s been many years since the old humans became Aberrations. Most of them have lost human memories and reason, becoming creatures resembling beasts. Only a few of the old humans regained the ability to think in the long years.”
Ji Mingzhu asked, “Like you?”
“I’m one of them.”
“Are you… an Aberration or a human?”
“What do you think?”
Huo Zai smiled, “Of course, I’m an Aberration. Although I’ve always thought of myself as a human, under the rules of this world and in the eyes of all present humans, I am an Aberration, their enemy. The invaders from outside robbed us of our homeland, our culture, and… our identity. The most pathetic thing is that we are still treated as unwelcome guests, driven away and slaughtered. Isn’t it ironic?”
Ji Mingzhu lowered his head, saying nothing.
“After becoming Aberrations, the old humans become more and more like the original Aberrations, not only in terms of reason, appearance, but also some special abilities,” Huo Zai said. “Like me, my ability is disguise. Whether it’s the former Huo Zai or the current Wang Wen, this appearance is my disguise, and my true self… even I have long forgotten.”
Ji Mingzhu recalled the twisted and swollen flesh beneath Huo Zai’s wounds when they fought in the underground control room.
“Disguise is a very tiring thing,” Huo Zai said lightly. “I like looking in the mirror, yet I also hate it. The person and identity in the mirror are not the real me, but the real me is unacceptable to others. But compared to disguise, I’m more afraid that one day, like other old humans, I’ll forget my true self, forget the hatred, and become a true beast.”
A Ruminant Hound walked out from the corner, approached Huo Zai, and affectionately rubbed against his body.
The Ruminant Hound is the lowest-ranked entity among the aberrations, with an extremely petite body within the entire aberration population. The whining it emits sounds like a baby’s cry, and often, hearing this sound gives people a creepy feeling.
Looking at the obedient Ruminant Hound, which resembled a large dog, Ji Mingzhu’s mind conjured a dreadful speculation.
Seeing Ji Mingzhu’s change in expression, Huo Zai quickly guessed what he was thinking.
“You’re right.”
Huo Zai stroked the rough skin of the Ruminant Hound and said, “The existing aberrations are all transformed from old humans, and the Ruminant Hounds… they were babies from the old era.”
Huo Zai was unaware that the person in front of him, Ji Mingzhu, was a genuine old human who had survived through the long passage of time from the old era. Therefore, upon seeing Ji Mingzhu’s reaction, he merely felt that the other person, like the Vera family, was one of the rare individuals in the current human population who empathized with the predicament of the aberrations.
Ji Mingzhu surveyed his surroundings, looking at aberrations perched in the small town. Their bodies were grotesque and hideous, emitting a dangerous aura that made people fear and keep their distance.
However, these… were unmistakably his own kind.
Like Ji Mingzhu, they were vibrant humans who had long lived on this land, with parents, children, and some were even newborns babbling.
A disaster turned these vibrant humans into irrational monsters, witnessing their once homes being occupied and themselves being driven out into the wilderness. Not only did they struggle for survival in harsh conditions, but they also had to watch their own kind being slaughtered by invasive aggressors.
Ji Mingzhu had killed many aberrations.
In the battle where Jin Qing was kidnapped just after waking up, he piloted the Aeria Raider and killed many aberrations. Following the aberration tide and the subsequent cleanup…
He thought he was fighting to protect others, but in reality, he wasn’t protecting his own kind. The enemies he targeted were his compatriots.
Ji Mingzhu’s emotions were indescribable, a surge of complex feelings overwhelmed him – sadness, regret, and even immense hatred.
He recalled something Tian Ji had said before.
The core council member of the Netherworld Organization, with the code name “Qiming,” once piloted the Phoenix Redeemer and killed countless civilians, to the extent that the blade was dyed crimson.
Did he, when he woke up for the first time, also learn the truth of the matter?
Perhaps, during his first awakening, he wasn’t brainwashed by the Netherworld Organization, but he, knowing everything, launched retaliation against the existing humans…
“Are Wei La and the others also old humans?” Ji Mingzhu asked.
He noticed that his voice had become somewhat hoarse at some point.
Huo Zai shook his head, “No, the Wei La family is not. They are also new humans.”
At first, Huo Zai’s identity was not the deputy minister of the Thunder Division. He was just an aberration wandering outside the capital city.
Like other aberrations, he lived in the wilderness like a beast until one day he awakened his memories, gaining a special camouflage ability.
“I was filled with thoughts of revenge when I first entered the capital. I wanted to kill all the new humans who took over my homeland.”
Huo Zai seemed to reminisce about his past self, his eyes full of nostalgia. “Unfortunately, with my strength, I couldn’t achieve that. After killing some people, I was chased by the Calamity Control Bureau several times, almost dying in the city. It was during this process that I learned a lot of things, including the formidable power of the Sky City, something I couldn’t contend with.”
“So, did you establish Feibo?”
“No, I didn’t establish Feibo.” Huo Zai shook his head. “I just joined them.”
“Who is the founder of Feibo?”
Ji Mingzhu asked, “Can Feibo control aberrations? Is it a special ability of some aberration? Is the true controller of Feibo an old human?”
Huo Zai looked at Ji Mingzhu and smiled, “Do you think I would tell you?”
“…”
“After joining Feibo, I found another way to subvert the Sky City and seek revenge against new humans.”
Huo Zai continued, “So we staged an accident, I took over Huo Zai’s identity, became the deputy minister of the Thunder Division in the Calamity Control Bureau. It was also during this process that I met Wei La’s grandfather. He was a historian, unlike other new humans, he didn’t harbor much animosity towards aberrations.”
In many respects, new humans and old humans were almost indistinguishable. Whether it was because they originally were very similar or because the complex society derived from the identity of “human” eventually evolved into a similar form. Except for the difference in real identity, new humans also had classes, good and bad individuals, and the inherent flaws of humanity. In the long time since Ji Mingzhu woke up, he hadn’t even found any clues.
In this process, Huo Zai and Wei La’s grandfather became friends, and because of his identity as a historian, Wei La’s grandfather came into contact with many hidden histories. Even because he knew too much, he brought trouble to himself. So, Huo Zai secretly sent them out of the satellite city and settled them in this abandoned town.
“People have their own standpoints, and because of different perspectives, their attitudes towards things vary.”
Huo Zai said, “Wei La and her family are among the few new humans I’ve seen who can make me ignore standpoints. They are kind enough, even after knowing my identity as an aberration, they did not antagonize me just because they were beneficiaries.”
Among new humans, there were good and bad people, and of course, there were kind ones too.
But once they knew the truth, how many people would willingly give up everything they had now? When they realized that the current satellite city, technology, and even culture did not originally belong to them, would they be willing to hand over this world to old humans?
The answer was obvious.
“As for you, Ji Mingzhu.”
Huo Zai looked at Ji Mingzhu and said, “During my time in the Calamity Control Bureau, I always thought that you were different from other new humans.”
Ji Mingzhu was stunned, “Me?”
“Yes.”
Huo Zai said, “If we set aside our positions, I would be willing to be friends with you. Unfortunately, you are a Titan pilot serving the Calamity Control Bureau. Although we are both within the Calamity Control Bureau, we defend different things, our positions are different, so it’s natural that we can’t stand together and chat like we are now.”
“But things are different now,” Huo Zai paused and continued, “You are wanted by the Calamity Control Bureau, at odds with the Netherworld Organization. The whole world has no place for you to stay, hiding everywhere like a stray dog. Now, can you understand our position?”
“…”
“Setting aside positions, your piloting skills have impressed me.” Huo Zai didn’t mind Ji Mingzhu’s silence and said, “If you are willing to join Feibo, I believe we could become quite good friends.”
Ji Mingzhu exhaled softly, “Before I answer you, I want to know the answers to some questions.”
“Go ahead.”
“When were you born?”
“Are you referring to the old era?”
“Yes.”
“We use the Tianyuan Calendar now; the old human calendar has long been discontinued. I was born before the Tianyuan Calendar in the old era. According to the years at that time…”
Huo Zai reminisced for a moment, “2058.”
The year Ji Mingzhu won the championship was in 2057.
In other words, Huo Zai was born after he had entered his deep sleep.
Ji Mingzhu asked the second question, “Do you know… Ji Qiming?”
