Chapter 104: Death
"Jiang Hong, when are you returning to school?" Jin asked in a video call.
"Soon, I've bought a ticket for the day after tomorrow," Jiang Hong replied while eating fried noodles at home, enjoying the meal heartily. No matter how lavish the school cafeteria was, it couldn't beat the taste of home-cooked food, "Is there something important?"
Jin said, "Yes, something very important. I’ll show you over the video."
"Huh?" Jiang Hong saw everyone gathered in the auditorium for a meeting.
After their internship, all students received news that Yinghuo was approaching Earth.
The Magical Artifacts teacher, Huo Ran, had specially prepared a PowerPoint presentation, even drawing the comet's trajectory. He called students from all grades to explain Yinghuo's path and the origins of the demon seeds.
Jiang Hong: "..."
At home, Jiang Hong quietly watched the video, listening to Huo Ran's voice coming through.
"...Students, in the coming days, as this planet continues to approach Earth, there will be frequent surges in the Earth's energy lines," Huo Ran continued, switching to two world maps, one of the Mesozoic Pangaea and the other of the modern Earth.
"Pay attention," Huo Ran added, "Look at the shape of the ancient continent. Doesn’t it resemble a fetus curled up in the womb? Here is its heart... located in the ancient Eurasian continent."
Indeed, it did resemble a human embryo. Jiang Hong thought.
"Just like the distribution of human body blood vessels," Huo Ran pointed out on the PPT with a laser pointer, "The interior of the Eurasian continent is where the Earth's energy paths are most concentrated, the 'heart' of the world fetus. This area mostly covers the territory of modern-day China. Freshmen and sophomores haven't studied Geomancy yet, but Feng Shui has briefly mentioned it, so I'll explain it here."
"...Therefore, the areas where disasters and secondary disasters occur in the world will be most frequent around our region. It can be anticipated that the near future will be very tumultuous. Everyone should be mentally prepared..."
"Also, due to the shortage of exorcists, our school's students may be dispatched to assist with some emergencies. But remember, it's crucial to keep this confidential from ordinary people... especially on the internet..."
Just then, Jiang Hong's mother arrived home, and he quickly muted the video.
"You're studying geography, huh?" Jiang's mother commented. "Why haven't you turned on the lights?"
It was drizzling today, and the dusk outside was humid and dim. Jiang Hong stood up to switch on the light, but his mother turned toward the door, saying, "Come in, Jiang Hong is right here."
Lu Xiu came?! Surprised, Jiang Hong headed to the door, but the person outside said, "No, I won't come in and disturb. Just need to ask Jiang Hong something and I'll leave."
"An... Boss?" Jiang Hong was completely shocked when he heard this voice! An Jie came to Chongqing?
Standing outside was indeed An Jie, dressed in a white T-shirt, black shorts, AJ sneakers, and wearing black-framed glasses. He looked just like one of Jiang Hong's classmates, not at all like his superior.
"Just passing through Chongqing," An Jie said casually, "Came to check on your place and ask some questions."
Jiang Hong's mother, startled upon hearing her son call him 'Boss,' quickly said, "Ah haha, are you his superior? I thought you were one of Jiang Hong's classmates! I was wondering why I hadn’t seen you before. So young, haha!"
Jiang Hong hurriedly invited An Jie inside, but An Jie insisted on not entering, saying, "I have a flight back to Beijing at 9:40. Walk with me for a bit?"
"Sure... okay! Just a moment!" Jiang Hong rushed to turn off the video and change his shoes. Meanwhile, he heard his mother chatting warmly with An Jie at the door, mostly saying things like "Jiang Hong must have troubled you," to which An Jie replied, "Jiang Hong has been excellent, helping us solve many major issues, he could even be described as 'outstanding.'"
"Ahaha," Jiang's mother laughed awkwardly, just like Jiang Hong, and said, "Oh, what use could Jiang Hong be? I know my own son best. If it wasn't for you all taking care of him like a big brother, it'd be good enough if he didn’t cause trouble!"
An Jie said, "Although he occasionally gets into trouble, hmm, this assessment is quite fair."
"Let's go, hurry up!" Jiang Hong, red-faced, arrived at the door.
"How are you talking to your superior?" Jiang's mother said, "Drive him to the airport! Here, take your father's car."
An Jie hurriedly said, "No need, I have a ride, goodbye, Auntie!"
An Jie naturally bid farewell to Jiang's mother and left the neighborhood with Jiang Hong.
The second-in-command of the Exorcist Committee actually came to my house for a visit! This is too surreal.
Jiang Hong thought it over and knew An Jie must have something important to discuss.
Indeed, An Jie glanced at him and asked, "I heard that at the Holy Land, you entered Kun's dream and learned a lot about Yinghuo's secrets?"
Jiang Hong replied, "Um... the specifics should have been reported by the Principal and the big boss, right?"
He wasn't sure how detailed Cao Bin's report was, but Chen Zhen was also there, and with the two highest authorities of the exorcist systems present, the information should be comprehensive. He also had to admit that Chen Zhen's insistence on bringing Cao Bin into the dream was a very correct decision.
"Yes," An Jie replied, "The report was as detailed as possible, but I still want to ask you some questions that might solve the doubts I've had deep in my heart for a long time. It's a personal matter, I suppose. You should know I'm not from this world?"
"Ah?" Jiang Hong said, "What... do you mean? Second boss, don’t tell me you are... that?"
Outside the neighborhood, surrounded by darkness, Jiang Hong suddenly felt a chill down his spine, his hair standing on end.
"What are you thinking?" An Jie met Jiang Hong's startled gaze and placed his hand on the back of Jiang's neck, his palm warm.
"Oh, I'm fine..."
"You, as an exorcist," An Jie couldn't help but admonish, "are so afraid of ghosts. Don’t you think it's a disgrace? They're just ordinary lower spirits!"
Jiang Hong: "I really am scared, but why do you keep choosing paths without streetlights, boss! You're not planning to do something to me, right?"
An Jie: "That’s something you should ask your neighborhood about, why are there no streetlights!"
Fortunately, all the streetlights suddenly lit up, and Jiang Hong finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"You... you continue," Jiang Hong said. "Wait, you’re not from this... world? Where do you come from? A higher realm?"
Jiang Hong regained his composure and looked at An Jie curiously, thinking: Are you a god?
An Jie didn’t answer, lost in thought.
"In any case, you can understand it as, not from Earth," An Jie replied. "As for my homeland, I can't tell you. It's not that I don’t want to clear your doubts, but I can't describe it. Also, due to dimension crossing when I arrived on Earth, much of my original memory was lost."
Jiang Hong then asked, "Could it be that you are an alien?"
Aliens, wow! That would be sensational! Contact with extraterrestrial life? Given that this world already has exorcists and supernatural beings, aliens actually seem quite normal.
"My homeland was destroyed by Yinghuo," An Jie said. "This is the valid information I got from my memories. I might be the only survivor."
Jiang Hong hummed in response. It must be a sad thing. He couldn't imagine what it would feel like to be the sole survivor of humanity, wandering alone on a foreign planet.
An Jie's tone was rather flat as he said, "You don’t have to feel sorry for me. Initially, we didn’t have emotions like yours. We didn’t cling much to life or death, nor had much hope for the continuation of our species. It was only after living in this world for a long time that I started to learn some of these emotions from you."
"Um... okay." Jiang Hong initially wanted to comfort him but then realized An Jie might have come to terms with it and decided not to mind An Jie's seemingly detached behavior.
"Regarding the inside information about Yinghuo," An Jie said, "can you tell me again?"
"Of course!" Jiang Hong replied. "But... um, I need some proof, it might be a bit presumptuous, but second boss, can you prove that you are really you?"
An Jie replied, "You are smart and cautious. I can tell you one thing: they can't replicate me because Yinghuo's mirror replication method doesn't work on me. Because of this, I am the ‘anchor’ for everyone in the Exorcist Committee. As long as I'm here, by my confirmation, we can verify if others are real."
Jiang Hong was slightly surprised but reasoned that if An Jie were an alien, perhaps Dark Chen Zhen's cloning method indeed wouldn't work on him.
"You can verify if you want," An Jie continued. "During the anniversary night of Cangqiong University, you took me back to your dorm and we took a Tmall Genie speaker."
"Ah, okay," Jiang Hong responded.
While this didn't entirely prove An Jie hadn't been replicated, it at least reassured Jiang Hong a bit.
An Jie added, "You can also call Chen Zhen or video call him now."
Jiang Hong then video-called Chen Zhen, who seemed busy but still answered. Stepping out of a meeting room, Chen Zhen asked, "What's up, Jiang Hong?"
Jiang Hong asked, "Can you confirm if he's real?"
Having previously encountered Dark Chen Zhen, Jiang Hong knew the contact in his phone would connect directly to the real Chen Zhen, making the possibility of error negligible.
"An Jie has always been real," Chen Zhen said. "We've found that Yinghuo cannot replicate him. However, I must say, An Jie, it’s risky for you to be out with Jiang Hong without any exorcists nearby."
An Jie replied, "People from Chongqing's Exorcist Committee are following us, don't worry. We won't be long."
Chen Zhen then ended the video call. An Jie gestured, asking if it was okay.
"Chen Zhen has always been highly regarded by you all," An Jie noted.
"Yes, that's true," Jiang Hong said. "Though he always seems to have a lot on his plate."
"Being in that position," An Jie said, "is tough for anyone. Despite our apparent contradictions, only he can lead the exorcists forward. No one else could do it better than him."
Jiang Hong then relayed the details of his dream to An Jie, exactly as he remembered.
An Jie listened in silence, occasionally nodding, but never interrupting Jiang Hong, until he mentioned Kun's sudden attack, and Jiang Hong noticed a government car parked by the roadside.
An Jie and Jiang Hong walked over to the car, where the driver was already waiting by the door.
"That's pretty much it," Jiang Hong concluded.
"Hmm," An Jie responded, "most of it aligns with Chen Zhen's account."
It was time for them to part ways.
Yet An Jie hesitated, prompting Jiang Hong to offer, "Shall I take you to the airport?"
An Jie replied, "You go back. That's enough, don't make your parents wait too long. When will you return to school? We can meet again at Cangqiong University. Here, take this as a token of my gratitude."
He removed a silver-white ring from his finger, saying, "This is from my homeland, which I brought to Earth..."
"This isn't right!" protested Jiang Hong. "It's your keepsake."
"Keep it," An Jie insisted. "It's not of much use to me anymore."
For some reason, Jiang Hong had been feeling odd these days, as if every encounter was a farewell, just like Lu Xiu said, "Cherish the time together." Perhaps this was just the normal course of life, a realization he was only now truly grasping.
"I'll take you," Jiang Hong insisted.
"Thank you," An Jie replied, joining him in the car.
The official car veered out of the residential area, speeding towards Jiangbei Airport.
"Did you remember anything?" Jiang Hong asked.
"Some things, but they are quite vague," An Jie responded.
Jiang Hong thought to himself: Amnesia cases do have similarities, just like Old Sun often says.
"I don’t even know what my original world was like," An Jie continued, "perhaps during the transit, most of my memories were extracted as energy and consumed. I only remember when Hyakux appeared, it was like a virus, magnified countless times, hovering above our world."
"So, it is a wanderer star," Jiang Hong remarked.
An Jie: "Perhaps? But our world didn’t have a pathway to the external cosmos. To put it simply, it wasn’t spherical."
"Oh…" Jiang Hong mused, "Not spherical? Was it flat then? No gravitational pull to stop things from falling off?"
"Based on the information you’ve received," An Jie said, "we can somewhat complete some critical points. Since Hyakux comes from space, our world must also be a planet plagued by it. Hmm… but I think my homeland was more like a Klein bottle."
"Can you go back then?" Jiang Hong wondered, thinking maybe An Jie longed to return home.
"I always thought I was a resident of Earth," An Jie added, "Over time, the Commission for Exorcism studied ancient civilizations, considering the existence of 'predecessors,' a civilization from 150 million years ago."
"But there are no remains of such an ancient civilization in the modern world, right?" Jiang Hong inquired.
An Jie hummed in agreement, "A cataclysm 150 million years ago caused the separation of the original continental plates. Perhaps it's one of the reasons that civilization was completely wiped out. But it's not important anymore… Now, I realize I'm indeed not from Earth, not a predecessor, hmm, thank you, Jiang Hong."
Gazing through the transparent car roof at the dimly lit starry sky, An Jie said, "My homeland, it should be among the stars."
Jiang Hong said, "I think you might be able to return, but only if we defeat Hyakux."
An Jie said, "I have one last question, Jiang Hong. I noticed something in your story that Chen Zhen didn't mention in his report. I don't know if this was a mere coincidence or if 'it' chose to reveal itself only to you. Since no one else knows about this, please keep it between us."
Jiang Hong: "Huh? What is it? Was there something omitted?"
"The child holding the light sphere," An Jie said, "Has he appeared elsewhere?"
Oh, right! Jiang Hong immediately remembered the child appearing at the last moment when the dream collapsed. But why hadn’t Chen Zhen mentioned him? Did it mean that neither Chen Zhen nor Cao Bin could see the child?
Who was he?
Prompted by An Jie's question, Jiang Hong was filled with curiosity. The first time he saw the child was also in a dream, on the eve of the rebellion in the Holy Land. The child was curled up, clutching a glowing sphere, seemingly asleep. And at the end of the dream, he looked at Jiang Hong, and then…
Suddenly, the car fell into a deathly silence. The next moment, An Jie sensed danger, swiftly turning around to shield Jiang Hong's head with his arm.
"Watch out!" An Jie shouted.
Their official car was struck violently. Before Jiang Hong could react, his body was hurled into the air, then yanked back into the seat by the seatbelt.
On the highway, a speeding car rear-ended theirs, flipping their vehicle over the divider and crashing into roadside trees. A fireball whooshed through the air, striking the front of the car!
"Lu Xiu…" In the last moment, Jiang Hong called out Lu Xiu's name.
His voice was faint; he didn’t even know if Lu Xiu could hear him. Then the car disintegrated mid-air, spilling a sea of fire from the fuel tank.
Both An Jie and Jiang Hong's seatbelts broke, and they were flung out. An Jie spun in mid-air to catch Jiang Hong, pulling him close as they crashed into the ground. Jiang Hong's vision went black as his brain shook violently inside his skull.
Nauseated and struggling to stand, An Jie pulled him up, barking, "Run!"
But in that dark night, a figure appeared.
Jiang Hong's eyes alternated between clouded and clear as he struggled to discern the figure. Anjie, however, began to drag him away in an escape.
Then, people from all directions chased after them, shouting, "Minister!"
The figure was just a flash.
Suddenly, several blood sprays burst forth. The exorcists who came to rescue were killed in one strike!
Anjie immediately stopped, turned to face the shadow, his right hand glowing with the light of casting a spell, and said firmly, "Let Jiang Hong go. Chasing him is pointless."
The shadow kept closing in. Jiang Hong continuously shook his head, trying to take out the Omnibook to see the true face of the person in front of him, but Anjie held down his hand.
The shadow did not speak, and a flash of light streaked by.
"Anjie—!" Jiang Hong's blood froze instantly.
Anjie’s body exploded into a sky full of silver blood, like a galaxy scattered across the night sky, his chest pierced through. Then, he lifted his head, looking up at the sky.
"Anjie—!!!" Jiang Hong yelled with all his might.
In his final moments, Anjie extended his finger and gently touched the back of Jiang Hong's hand.
With a "hum" sound, water gathered around Jiang Hong, and Lu Xiu appeared!
A flash of silver-white brilliance twinkled as Lu Xiu appeared, instantly unfurling the Windflower Sword. The shadow shifted instantly again, evading Lu Xiu’s strike. Lu Xiu, in a sword-drawing stance, advanced without releasing the sword. The shadow retreated and then abruptly soared twenty meters into the air, with Lu Xiu closing in rapidly.
Draw the sword!
This was Lu Xiu’s third sword strike, gathering the strong lights of heaven and earth, illuminating the entire Chongqing like daylight. Trees and mountains cast huge shadows, creating the illusion of a sun in the night sky!
The shadow retreated again! This time, it teleported nearly a hundred meters in the blink of an eye. As Lu Xiu swung his sword, the intense light transformed into a massive revolving halo, whistling through the air!
In the final moment, the shadow vanished with a "boom."
Lu Xiu's strike missed, and he swiftly turned to fly towards Jiang Hong on the ground.
Kneeling, Jiang Hong held An Jie tightly, shouting anxiously, “An Jie! An Jie!”
An Jie slowly closed his eyes, a faint smile on his lips, as silver blood continued to seep from his body, soaking the ground. Then, his body emitted a white light.
“Not yet… not yet…” An Jie's trembling hand reached for the silver ring on Jiang Hong's finger, trying to rotate it.
But nothing happened, and An Jie’s hand eventually lost strength and fell to the ground.
His body gradually turned into a cocoon in the white light, and then countless silver butterflies emerged, soaring into the sky.
Chapter 104: Death
"Jiang Hong, when are you returning to school?" Jin asked in a video call.
"Soon, I've bought a ticket for the day after tomorrow," Jiang Hong replied while eating fried noodles at home, enjoying the meal heartily. No matter how lavish the school cafeteria was, it couldn't beat the taste of home-cooked food, "Is there something important?"
Jin said, "Yes, something very important. I’ll show you over the video."
"Huh?" Jiang Hong saw everyone gathered in the auditorium for a meeting.
After their internship, all students received news that Yinghuo was approaching Earth.
The Magical Artifacts teacher, Huo Ran, had specially prepared a PowerPoint presentation, even drawing the comet's trajectory. He called students from all grades to explain Yinghuo's path and the origins of the demon seeds.
Jiang Hong: "..."
At home, Jiang Hong quietly watched the video, listening to Huo Ran's voice coming through.
"...Students, in the coming days, as this planet continues to approach Earth, there will be frequent surges in the Earth's energy lines," Huo Ran continued, switching to two world maps, one of the Mesozoic Pangaea and the other of the modern Earth.
"Pay attention," Huo Ran added, "Look at the shape of the ancient continent. Doesn’t it resemble a fetus curled up in the womb? Here is its heart... located in the ancient Eurasian continent."
Indeed, it did resemble a human embryo. Jiang Hong thought.
"Just like the distribution of human body blood vessels," Huo Ran pointed out on the PPT with a laser pointer, "The interior of the Eurasian continent is where the Earth's energy paths are most concentrated, the 'heart' of the world fetus. This area mostly covers the territory of modern-day China. Freshmen and sophomores haven't studied Geomancy yet, but Feng Shui has briefly mentioned it, so I'll explain it here."
"...Therefore, the areas where disasters and secondary disasters occur in the world will be most frequent around our region. It can be anticipated that the near future will be very tumultuous. Everyone should be mentally prepared..."
"Also, due to the shortage of exorcists, our school's students may be dispatched to assist with some emergencies. But remember, it's crucial to keep this confidential from ordinary people... especially on the internet..."
Just then, Jiang Hong's mother arrived home, and he quickly muted the video.
"You're studying geography, huh?" Jiang's mother commented. "Why haven't you turned on the lights?"
It was drizzling today, and the dusk outside was humid and dim. Jiang Hong stood up to switch on the light, but his mother turned toward the door, saying, "Come in, Jiang Hong is right here."
Lu Xiu came?! Surprised, Jiang Hong headed to the door, but the person outside said, "No, I won't come in and disturb. Just need to ask Jiang Hong something and I'll leave."
"An... Boss?" Jiang Hong was completely shocked when he heard this voice! An Jie came to Chongqing?
Standing outside was indeed An Jie, dressed in a white T-shirt, black shorts, AJ sneakers, and wearing black-framed glasses. He looked just like one of Jiang Hong's classmates, not at all like his superior.
"Just passing through Chongqing," An Jie said casually, "Came to check on your place and ask some questions."
Jiang Hong's mother, startled upon hearing her son call him 'Boss,' quickly said, "Ah haha, are you his superior? I thought you were one of Jiang Hong's classmates! I was wondering why I hadn’t seen you before. So young, haha!"
Jiang Hong hurriedly invited An Jie inside, but An Jie insisted on not entering, saying, "I have a flight back to Beijing at 9:40. Walk with me for a bit?"
"Sure... okay! Just a moment!" Jiang Hong rushed to turn off the video and change his shoes. Meanwhile, he heard his mother chatting warmly with An Jie at the door, mostly saying things like "Jiang Hong must have troubled you," to which An Jie replied, "Jiang Hong has been excellent, helping us solve many major issues, he could even be described as 'outstanding.'"
"Ahaha," Jiang's mother laughed awkwardly, just like Jiang Hong, and said, "Oh, what use could Jiang Hong be? I know my own son best. If it wasn't for you all taking care of him like a big brother, it'd be good enough if he didn’t cause trouble!"
An Jie said, "Although he occasionally gets into trouble, hmm, this assessment is quite fair."
"Let's go, hurry up!" Jiang Hong, red-faced, arrived at the door.
"How are you talking to your superior?" Jiang's mother said, "Drive him to the airport! Here, take your father's car."
An Jie hurriedly said, "No need, I have a ride, goodbye, Auntie!"
An Jie naturally bid farewell to Jiang's mother and left the neighborhood with Jiang Hong.
The second-in-command of the Exorcist Committee actually came to my house for a visit! This is too surreal.
Jiang Hong thought it over and knew An Jie must have something important to discuss.
Indeed, An Jie glanced at him and asked, "I heard that at the Holy Land, you entered Kun's dream and learned a lot about Yinghuo's secrets?"
Jiang Hong replied, "Um... the specifics should have been reported by the Principal and the big boss, right?"
He wasn't sure how detailed Cao Bin's report was, but Chen Zhen was also there, and with the two highest authorities of the exorcist systems present, the information should be comprehensive. He also had to admit that Chen Zhen's insistence on bringing Cao Bin into the dream was a very correct decision.
"Yes," An Jie replied, "The report was as detailed as possible, but I still want to ask you some questions that might solve the doubts I've had deep in my heart for a long time. It's a personal matter, I suppose. You should know I'm not from this world?"
"Ah?" Jiang Hong said, "What... do you mean? Second boss, don’t tell me you are... that?"
Outside the neighborhood, surrounded by darkness, Jiang Hong suddenly felt a chill down his spine, his hair standing on end.
"What are you thinking?" An Jie met Jiang Hong's startled gaze and placed his hand on the back of Jiang's neck, his palm warm.
"Oh, I'm fine..."
"You, as an exorcist," An Jie couldn't help but admonish, "are so afraid of ghosts. Don’t you think it's a disgrace? They're just ordinary lower spirits!"
Jiang Hong: "I really am scared, but why do you keep choosing paths without streetlights, boss! You're not planning to do something to me, right?"
An Jie: "That’s something you should ask your neighborhood about, why are there no streetlights!"
Fortunately, all the streetlights suddenly lit up, and Jiang Hong finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"You... you continue," Jiang Hong said. "Wait, you’re not from this... world? Where do you come from? A higher realm?"
Jiang Hong regained his composure and looked at An Jie curiously, thinking: Are you a god?
An Jie didn’t answer, lost in thought.
"In any case, you can understand it as, not from Earth," An Jie replied. "As for my homeland, I can't tell you. It's not that I don’t want to clear your doubts, but I can't describe it. Also, due to dimension crossing when I arrived on Earth, much of my original memory was lost."
Jiang Hong then asked, "Could it be that you are an alien?"
Aliens, wow! That would be sensational! Contact with extraterrestrial life? Given that this world already has exorcists and supernatural beings, aliens actually seem quite normal.
"My homeland was destroyed by Yinghuo," An Jie said. "This is the valid information I got from my memories. I might be the only survivor."
Jiang Hong hummed in response. It must be a sad thing. He couldn't imagine what it would feel like to be the sole survivor of humanity, wandering alone on a foreign planet.
An Jie's tone was rather flat as he said, "You don’t have to feel sorry for me. Initially, we didn’t have emotions like yours. We didn’t cling much to life or death, nor had much hope for the continuation of our species. It was only after living in this world for a long time that I started to learn some of these emotions from you."
"Um... okay." Jiang Hong initially wanted to comfort him but then realized An Jie might have come to terms with it and decided not to mind An Jie's seemingly detached behavior.
"Regarding the inside information about Yinghuo," An Jie said, "can you tell me again?"
"Of course!" Jiang Hong replied. "But... um, I need some proof, it might be a bit presumptuous, but second boss, can you prove that you are really you?"
An Jie replied, "You are smart and cautious. I can tell you one thing: they can't replicate me because Yinghuo's mirror replication method doesn't work on me. Because of this, I am the ‘anchor’ for everyone in the Exorcist Committee. As long as I'm here, by my confirmation, we can verify if others are real."
Jiang Hong was slightly surprised but reasoned that if An Jie were an alien, perhaps Dark Chen Zhen's cloning method indeed wouldn't work on him.
"You can verify if you want," An Jie continued. "During the anniversary night of Cangqiong University, you took me back to your dorm and we took a Tmall Genie speaker."
"Ah, okay," Jiang Hong responded.
While this didn't entirely prove An Jie hadn't been replicated, it at least reassured Jiang Hong a bit.
An Jie added, "You can also call Chen Zhen or video call him now."
Jiang Hong then video-called Chen Zhen, who seemed busy but still answered. Stepping out of a meeting room, Chen Zhen asked, "What's up, Jiang Hong?"
Jiang Hong asked, "Can you confirm if he's real?"
Having previously encountered Dark Chen Zhen, Jiang Hong knew the contact in his phone would connect directly to the real Chen Zhen, making the possibility of error negligible.
"An Jie has always been real," Chen Zhen said. "We've found that Yinghuo cannot replicate him. However, I must say, An Jie, it’s risky for you to be out with Jiang Hong without any exorcists nearby."
An Jie replied, "People from Chongqing's Exorcist Committee are following us, don't worry. We won't be long."
Chen Zhen then ended the video call. An Jie gestured, asking if it was okay.
"Chen Zhen has always been highly regarded by you all," An Jie noted.
"Yes, that's true," Jiang Hong said. "Though he always seems to have a lot on his plate."
"Being in that position," An Jie said, "is tough for anyone. Despite our apparent contradictions, only he can lead the exorcists forward. No one else could do it better than him."
Jiang Hong then relayed the details of his dream to An Jie, exactly as he remembered.
An Jie listened in silence, occasionally nodding, but never interrupting Jiang Hong, until he mentioned Kun's sudden attack, and Jiang Hong noticed a government car parked by the roadside.
An Jie and Jiang Hong walked over to the car, where the driver was already waiting by the door.
"That's pretty much it," Jiang Hong concluded.
"Hmm," An Jie responded, "most of it aligns with Chen Zhen's account."
It was time for them to part ways.
Yet An Jie hesitated, prompting Jiang Hong to offer, "Shall I take you to the airport?"
An Jie replied, "You go back. That's enough, don't make your parents wait too long. When will you return to school? We can meet again at Cangqiong University. Here, take this as a token of my gratitude."
He removed a silver-white ring from his finger, saying, "This is from my homeland, which I brought to Earth..."
"This isn't right!" protested Jiang Hong. "It's your keepsake."
"Keep it," An Jie insisted. "It's not of much use to me anymore."
For some reason, Jiang Hong had been feeling odd these days, as if every encounter was a farewell, just like Lu Xiu said, "Cherish the time together." Perhaps this was just the normal course of life, a realization he was only now truly grasping.
"I'll take you," Jiang Hong insisted.
"Thank you," An Jie replied, joining him in the car.
The official car veered out of the residential area, speeding towards Jiangbei Airport.
"Did you remember anything?" Jiang Hong asked.
"Some things, but they are quite vague," An Jie responded.
Jiang Hong thought to himself: Amnesia cases do have similarities, just like Old Sun often says.
"I don’t even know what my original world was like," An Jie continued, "perhaps during the transit, most of my memories were extracted as energy and consumed. I only remember when Hyakux appeared, it was like a virus, magnified countless times, hovering above our world."
"So, it is a wanderer star," Jiang Hong remarked.
An Jie: "Perhaps? But our world didn’t have a pathway to the external cosmos. To put it simply, it wasn’t spherical."
"Oh…" Jiang Hong mused, "Not spherical? Was it flat then? No gravitational pull to stop things from falling off?"
"Based on the information you’ve received," An Jie said, "we can somewhat complete some critical points. Since Hyakux comes from space, our world must also be a planet plagued by it. Hmm… but I think my homeland was more like a Klein bottle."
"Can you go back then?" Jiang Hong wondered, thinking maybe An Jie longed to return home.
"I always thought I was a resident of Earth," An Jie added, "Over time, the Commission for Exorcism studied ancient civilizations, considering the existence of 'predecessors,' a civilization from 150 million years ago."
"But there are no remains of such an ancient civilization in the modern world, right?" Jiang Hong inquired.
An Jie hummed in agreement, "A cataclysm 150 million years ago caused the separation of the original continental plates. Perhaps it's one of the reasons that civilization was completely wiped out. But it's not important anymore… Now, I realize I'm indeed not from Earth, not a predecessor, hmm, thank you, Jiang Hong."
Gazing through the transparent car roof at the dimly lit starry sky, An Jie said, "My homeland, it should be among the stars."
Jiang Hong said, "I think you might be able to return, but only if we defeat Hyakux."
An Jie said, "I have one last question, Jiang Hong. I noticed something in your story that Chen Zhen didn't mention in his report. I don't know if this was a mere coincidence or if 'it' chose to reveal itself only to you. Since no one else knows about this, please keep it between us."
Jiang Hong: "Huh? What is it? Was there something omitted?"
"The child holding the light sphere," An Jie said, "Has he appeared elsewhere?"
Oh, right! Jiang Hong immediately remembered the child appearing at the last moment when the dream collapsed. But why hadn’t Chen Zhen mentioned him? Did it mean that neither Chen Zhen nor Cao Bin could see the child?
Who was he?
Prompted by An Jie's question, Jiang Hong was filled with curiosity. The first time he saw the child was also in a dream, on the eve of the rebellion in the Holy Land. The child was curled up, clutching a glowing sphere, seemingly asleep. And at the end of the dream, he looked at Jiang Hong, and then…
Suddenly, the car fell into a deathly silence. The next moment, An Jie sensed danger, swiftly turning around to shield Jiang Hong's head with his arm.
"Watch out!" An Jie shouted.
Their official car was struck violently. Before Jiang Hong could react, his body was hurled into the air, then yanked back into the seat by the seatbelt.
On the highway, a speeding car rear-ended theirs, flipping their vehicle over the divider and crashing into roadside trees. A fireball whooshed through the air, striking the front of the car!
"Lu Xiu…" In the last moment, Jiang Hong called out Lu Xiu's name.
His voice was faint; he didn’t even know if Lu Xiu could hear him. Then the car disintegrated mid-air, spilling a sea of fire from the fuel tank.
Both An Jie and Jiang Hong's seatbelts broke, and they were flung out. An Jie spun in mid-air to catch Jiang Hong, pulling him close as they crashed into the ground. Jiang Hong's vision went black as his brain shook violently inside his skull.
Nauseated and struggling to stand, An Jie pulled him up, barking, "Run!"
But in that dark night, a figure appeared.
Jiang Hong's eyes alternated between clouded and clear as he struggled to discern the figure. Anjie, however, began to drag him away in an escape.
Then, people from all directions chased after them, shouting, "Minister!"
The figure was just a flash.
Suddenly, several blood sprays burst forth. The exorcists who came to rescue were killed in one strike!
Anjie immediately stopped, turned to face the shadow, his right hand glowing with the light of casting a spell, and said firmly, "Let Jiang Hong go. Chasing him is pointless."
The shadow kept closing in. Jiang Hong continuously shook his head, trying to take out the Omnibook to see the true face of the person in front of him, but Anjie held down his hand.
The shadow did not speak, and a flash of light streaked by.
"Anjie—!" Jiang Hong's blood froze instantly.
Anjie’s body exploded into a sky full of silver blood, like a galaxy scattered across the night sky, his chest pierced through. Then, he lifted his head, looking up at the sky.
"Anjie—!!!" Jiang Hong yelled with all his might.
In his final moments, Anjie extended his finger and gently touched the back of Jiang Hong's hand.
With a "hum" sound, water gathered around Jiang Hong, and Lu Xiu appeared!
A flash of silver-white brilliance twinkled as Lu Xiu appeared, instantly unfurling the Windflower Sword. The shadow shifted instantly again, evading Lu Xiu’s strike. Lu Xiu, in a sword-drawing stance, advanced without releasing the sword. The shadow retreated and then abruptly soared twenty meters into the air, with Lu Xiu closing in rapidly.
Draw the sword!
This was Lu Xiu’s third sword strike, gathering the strong lights of heaven and earth, illuminating the entire Chongqing like daylight. Trees and mountains cast huge shadows, creating the illusion of a sun in the night sky!
The shadow retreated again! This time, it teleported nearly a hundred meters in the blink of an eye. As Lu Xiu swung his sword, the intense light transformed into a massive revolving halo, whistling through the air!
In the final moment, the shadow vanished with a "boom."
Lu Xiu's strike missed, and he swiftly turned to fly towards Jiang Hong on the ground.
Kneeling, Jiang Hong held An Jie tightly, shouting anxiously, “An Jie! An Jie!”
An Jie slowly closed his eyes, a faint smile on his lips, as silver blood continued to seep from his body, soaking the ground. Then, his body emitted a white light.
“Not yet… not yet…” An Jie's trembling hand reached for the silver ring on Jiang Hong's finger, trying to rotate it.
But nothing happened, and An Jie’s hand eventually lost strength and fell to the ground.
His body gradually turned into a cocoon in the white light, and then countless silver butterflies emerged, soaring into the sky.
