Lin Qiye's knife pierced the ghost face, but that was not the reason for the Ghost Face King's painful roar.
What truly made the Ghost-Faced King let out such a heart-wrenching wail was Lin Qiye's eyes. Under that scorching golden light, the Ghost-Faced King was like a candle melting in flames, rapidly dissolving.
Although the golden light only appeared for a moment, it was enough to completely kill the already dying Ghost-Faced King.
Finally, under Lin Qiye's gaze, the ghost face completely solidified into a wrinkled, semi-solid object, and the ghost face disappeared without a trace.
At the same time, Lin Qiye felt a warm current slowly flowing into his body through his hand holding the knife.
He frowned slightly, stepped on the demon-faced body beneath his feet, and drew his straight sword.
After thinking for a moment, he bent down and picked up the pale ghostly mass. Only to feel the world went black, and he almost fell to the ground if Lin Xin Chen hadn't landed in time and let him lean on her shoulder.
"Careful...." Lin Xi Chen whispered to Lin Qiye as she supported him; there was no need to ask for details. A mere glance around was enough for her to realize what had transpired within the barrier moments ago. Unfortunately, she had lacked the strength to shatter the barrier and come to their aid sooner.
Seeing the body of Zhao Kongcheng—the man who had chatted with her while they cooked—Lin Xi Chen felt a heavy weight settle in her heart.
Old Zhao had told her he knew she was a Lucifer agent but had never reported it to his superiors. He had surmised that Lin Qiye also kept quiet because he didn't want to implicate her.
Zhao Kongcheng had made no demands; he had simply stood by her side, making casual conversation and cooking together.
Her emotions grew even more complex; she felt pity for Zhao Kongcheng, yet struggled to make sense of that feeling, given that the man was, after all, a stranger.
A stranger who had saved their world...
Despite the support of the Starry Night Dancer, Lin Qiye's physical strength was greatly depleted after such an intense and dangerous battle. Most importantly, the two uses of the Seraph's Eye completely drained his already limited mental energy, making it difficult for him to even walk.
As Zhao Kongcheng said, with his current level of cultivation, facing the Ghost-Faced King would only lead to his death.
If the Night Watchman hadn't severely injured the Ghost King first, and if Zhao Kongcheng hadn't sacrificed his life to cripple the Ghost King, without the support of Lin Xi Chen, even with the Seraph's Eye and [Starry Night Dancer], he still wouldn't have been a match for the Ghost King.
This is the mythical creature that descended upon this world.
This is "Chuan".
Rain streamed down his face as he staggered toward Zhao Kongcheng's corpse, stepping through puddles of blood.
He walked to the body and slowly sat down.
"I told you long ago, being a hero isn't so easy." Lin Qiye looked at the already cold Zhao Kongcheng and muttered to himself, "You risked your life here, fighting to the death, but how many people even knew?"
"Did you know that even now, just miles away in the city center, the city is still ablaze with lights and bustling activity?"
"They sing karaoke, they enjoy hot pot at restaurants, they have sex in hotels, they eat popcorn at movie theaters..."
"And you, and you!"
"But they could only die here silently."
"They would never know that in this torrential rain, a man with a knife had taken down a mythical creature! Nor would they know that they could be carefree and happy... because someone had sacrificed their life for them."
"Is it really worth it for you to do this?"
Lin Qiye stared at Zhao Kongcheng's pale face, seemingly waiting for his answer.
Unfortunately, he was destined never to speak again.
Lin Qiye continued, "Do you think I'm afraid of dying?"
"You're wrong. I'm not afraid of death at all."
"Do you think a child who has seen angels since childhood, gone blind, and locked up in a mental hospital would still have any reverence for death?I have tried to end my life countless times in the darkness, but the light has saved me time and time again."
"The light that saves me is not those so-called 'people' who rush about in the city chasing their desires and complaining about the injustice of the world...!"
"They're my family." Lin Qiye's hand trembled as he grasped Lin Xi Chen's, offering reassurance as he felt the stream of warm tears fall onto his hand.
Lin Qiye looked up at the dark night sky and slowly spoke:
"Since all living beings have not saved me, why should I risk my life to protect these 'living beings'?"
"Therefore, I do not wish to be a Night's Watchman."
Lin Qiye turned his head, his gaze falling on the low house in the heavy rain, a hint of confusion appearing in his eyes.
"But, I'm the kind of person who can't stand owing favors to others."
"You saved my whole world."
"What...can I do for you?"
Lin Qiye paused for a moment, then continued, "I know that you Night Watchmen have good benefits. Even if you die, your wife and children will receive the best treatment. Not to mention your funeral arrangements, the Night Watchmen will definitely make sure you have a dignified funeral..."
"You don't lack money, and neither do I."
"So, how am I supposed to repay this enormous favor?" Lin Qiye sat there blankly for a long time, then turned to look at the low houses in the distance...
In the rain, his fists slowly clenched.
Then, it loosened its grip weakly.
As if he had made up his mind, he used the knife to support himself on the ground, struggled to his feet, and muttered to himself:
"In my life, I, Lin Qiye, only feel guilty towards four people: my aunt who has worked tirelessly for me for ten years, my cousin who has been dragged down by me for ten years and my little sister, who has endured a painful and miserable past since childhood...."
"And you, who saved the lives of my family of four."
"You saved my whole world."
"In exchange, I'" Lin Qiye and Lin Xichen spoke in unison; they exchanged glances, their resolute eyes conveying that even if one tried to dissuade the other, both were determined to become Night Watchmen.
"We will protect your world for ten years."
"Ten years later, whatever the circumstances, we will have no connection with the Night's Watch, and we will have no connection with 'all living beings'."
"We will still return to this home and continue our original life."
"Is this deal... fair enough?"
Lin Qiye looked down at Zhao Kongcheng lying in a pool of blood. He was just lying there quietly, as if he were asleep.
"Since you don't object, it's settled then."
Lin Qiye planted his straight sword in the ground, faced one direction, and knelt down.
There, in the rain, was an ordinary low-rise house.
"Auntie, Xiaoqi and Xiaochen is leaving. Please forgive us for leaving without saying goodbye."
"Because I'm afraid that if I go back... I'll never want to leave again."
"I've heard the Night Watchmen are well-paid. In the ten years I've served them, the allowance I've given you and your son has been enough to live comfortably. In ten years, the Lin siblings will give you the best life you can ever have... We will repay your kindness in raising us seventy years from now."
Lin Qiye knelt in the rain, water droplets falling from his hair and moistening his eyes. Lin Xi Chen was not much different from Lin Qiye; the corners of her eyes reddened, and she clenched her hands so tightly that they drew blood.
They bent down and kowtowed several times, their foreheads resting on the ground for a long time before slowly raising it.
They slowly stood up, glanced at the low house one last time, and pulled out the straight sword from the ground...
He turned and left....
"Xiangnan! I've arrived at the old residential area, where is Old Zhao?!"
In the pouring rain, a woman wearing a dark red cloak, soaked to the bone, stood in the street, carrying a long black box on her back, bending over and panting heavily.
"In the open space two buildings in front of you." Wu Xiangnan's voice came through the earpiece. He paused, his voice slightly suppressed, "Hongying...you need to be prepared."
"What preparations?"
"We lost contact with him a few minutes ago, and Old Zhao's emblem location hasn't changed for several minutes..."
Hongying's pupils suddenly contracted, her body trembled slightly, and then she shot out like an arrow, rushing forward!
"Don't talk nonsense!! Maybe, maybe he's just tired..." Hongying gritted her teeth, her voice already trembling with tears.
"Hongying..."
"Don't speak!!" Hongying roared.
"Hongying! Old Zhao's emblem has been repositioned!"
Upon hearing this, a light immediately appeared in Hongying's eyes!
"I knew it, I knew it... He wouldn't die so easily! Where is he?"
"He's moving slowly, he... he's getting closer and closer to you."
Hongying was startled and subconsciously stopped in her tracks, her gaze falling on the corner not far away.
The dull rumble of thunder echoed in the distant clouds, and the rain poured down like a curtain of water, obscuring her vision.
In the dim light, two figures slowly walked out from the rain.
He was a boy and the others was a girl
The girl had a sword held tightly in her hands.
While the boy was holding a man's corpse in his arms.
He stopped in his tracks, and with all his might, roared out!
It's like announcing to the whole world!
"—Juniors Lin Qiye and Lin Xi Chen bid farewell to General Zhao Kongcheng on his triumphant return!!!"