“So you’re not. “

So who the hell are these guys? Yang Zicang never imagined he’d suddenly encounter people like this—where did these things even come from? Their words even carried a hint of disdain for the “Council. “

“Wanting both a new world and to preserve everything from the old one—where’s the good fortune in that? “

Yang Zicang struggled to calm his emotions. Even with the “Gaze-dispelling Sword, ” facing someone who could alter the surrounding “Sub-Ether Field, ” he couldn’t guarantee nothing bizarre would happen.

He snapped coldly at the one calling himself “Joshua “:

“I don’t believe there are that many people in this world whom you’d bother trying to change their choices through such casual chat. How did you come to find me? Oh… ” Yang Zicang thought of what he’d done earlier, fixing his gaze on Joshua. “Is it because the protest wave I stirred up has completely twisted this world’s historical course, so you’re here to warn me? “

Joshua looked at ease, strolling two steps while leaning on his cane. “You could say that, but it’s not the main reason. “

“Heh. If you’re just here to be cryptic, then I’ll take my leave. “

“After all, on this continent, even without our effort, the outcome is already beyond humanity’s power to change. ” Joshua said in a loud voice. “We couldn’t care less about a major shift of two or three months. As for your wish to leave, be my guest… “

Joshua’s robe emitted a faint, wispy mist that required careful scrutiny to see. Faced with Yang Zicang’s probing words, he showed no intention of detaining him, as if he had just dropped by for a quick hello.

“What exactly do you want? You came specifically to find me, just to say these few lines? “

“Well… since you don’t plan to leave, I’ll continue, ” Joshua said, planting his wooden staff on the ground. “You may not believe it, but making the choice to stay is already the miracle that fate has shown. “

The corner of Yang Zicang’s eye twitched.

-｛Distributor Loki Tata Mingqi indicates ‘look up admiringly.’｝

The other party glanced at Yang Zicang.

“Ha, truly worthy of being the person who kindled the spark to ‘pierce through the labor trade ideology.’ Even though you followed the arrangements of fate and stayed, you still managed to alter some newly born tracks of destiny. Though… only by a negligibly small margin. “

“I’ll give you ten more seconds. “

“The same words again: give up this futile endeavor and join us. Ants, even if they dig moats in swarms, at best are only a slight nuisance to a speeding chariot. “

“That truly is… the joke of the ages. ” Yang Zicang let out sword Qi, diffusing outward, neutralizing the continuous surge of emotional energy traits.

“Alright. My task is just a tiny bit away from being done. Trying to see you was, to be frank, something I didn’t relish either, ” Joshua said, the look of pure disgust spreading across his jade-carved features until it almost seemed tangible—almost as if the conversation until now had been a chore that he could barely suffer through.

Yang Zicang sensed a faint, somber presence.

“Stubborn souled fool… Here’s one last piece of advice. In a few days, you’ll pass by a certain place called the ‘Village of Complete Spirit’. I urge you to linger there a while. “

“What happens if I stay? “

“If I told you, wouldn’t you just try to change it? “

“Then why tell me at all? ” asked Yang Zicang, his tone inscrutable.

“Hmph, ” Joshua let out a cold smile, devoid of any warmth. “If you don’t go, on the other hand, I’d be quite pleased to see that. Because on the true Track of Fate, Concie Village never existed at all; it’s merely a parasitic tumor attached to the new Track of Fate. “

The man, leaning on his cane, walked deeper into the shimmering fluorescence. “If you don’t go, it will simply be erased by history, that’s all. “

“If my absence aligns with history, then why tell me at all? Could it be that you’re actually worried I won’t stop there? “

The towering figure in the grayish-white overcoat seemed to pause for an almost imperceptible moment within the mist. “Did you not wish to know about ‘The Science and the Era of the Century?’ ” the man retorted, speaking of seemingly unrelated matters instead. “You will meet someone there. Otherwise, you will miss out on this grand spectacle. “

“When did I ever say that? ” Yang Zicang’s eyes flickered with rage that had long been suppressed by a myriad of affairs. Every time he tried to quell it, it would be stirred up again, ignited anew.

The man who had now stepped fully into the smoke moved onward, leaving behind only a distant, ethereal whisper:

“This very act of coming to meet you today is, in itself, a part of the new fate. It’s just that, compared to the first time I held expectations, I no longer hold any hope for you now. I am merely going along with the trajectory of fate to have this meeting with you. “

“What? ” Yang Zicang, gripping the “Gaze-dispelling Sword, ” trembled violently, as if struck by lightning.

He pinched the name card, ｛Trajectory Master｝ trait flashing, his steps like an illusion as he chased after at high speed.

All around was thick smoke, with not a trace of anyone else, as if the other party had never existed.

He halted his stride, looking up at the towering illusory buildings or the short, deformed civilian houses around him, his heartbeat pounding. The holy sword in his hand couldn’t help but press against the ground, and the spreading blade’s energy ripples carved waves in the ceaselessly surging stream of specialty energies.

｛-Radiance: ｛Suspicion｝, ｛Astonishment｝, ｛Denial｝, ｛Truth｝, ｛Deception｝, ｛Resistance｝, ｛Investigation｝, ｛Departure｝!｝

……

He Yishu and Karl waited anxiously for a while, a strip of rock shaped like a sword that could be bought for a few pitiful iron coins at a carpet shop clutched in their hands, as they slowly walked out from the corner of a dark alleyway.

“Are you alright? “

Seeing that this man had suddenly changed his expression, He Yishu and a slightly frightened Karl approached him. It felt as if they had both returned to the very first day they met this man—that same indifferent look that took nothing in the world into his eyes was back on his face.

“What’s wrong, Chief? “

“Nothing. ” A smile appeared on Yang Zicang’s face, and the aura emanating from him softened considerably. “What’s the situation over there? “

At the end of the street lay the Foglanders’ rental quarter, and at that moment, two more horse-drawn carriages arrived.

Karl pursed his lips. “These people got scared by the squad that tried to arrest you with the Decree of Fenne, plus they heard some news about ‘Wondersteed City’ being massacred. So now they all want us to escort them and get them out of here. “

“Chairman, maybe we shouldn’t just walk right over. If you show up, it’s definitely going to cause a big mess over there. “

Yang Zicang pinched the bridge of his nose and rubbed it.

“I can still do a little makeup job. Yishu, what about you? “

“I’m okay too, but Karl… “

Karl let out a sigh. “Where the hell am I supposed to get something like that? By the way, Chairman, is that thing in your hand really the Gaze-dispelling Sword? “

The group turned and headed toward the other side of the street.

He Yishu also noticed the sword, surprised that in reality, it was just a rather clumsy-looking rock carved into the shape of a blade.

“Should we just leave White Violet City directly? “

Yang Zicang turned his head to glance back at the Fog Mist Rent Zone.

After a moment of deep thought, he said, “This time… I might actually need to go, take on this escort mission. “

……

Fog Mist Rent Zone. Early morning. Warm rays of sunlight spilled over the streets and rooftops, spilling onto the varied clothing of the bustling crowd.

A man with conspicuously broad shoulders, dressed in a long black overcoat, was leading a girl of about sixteen or seventeen through the thick of the crowd. Under the gatekeeper’s instructions, he placed his hand on a stack of scripts printed in an indecipherable script, and took an oath.

“Alright, it’s valid. You two, go on in. “

The man walked into the Fogfolk Settlement with heartfelt gratitude, while Lianna turned curiously back to watch the next person press a hand on a book and take their oath.How strange, yet how awesomely solemn an entrance rite!she thought to herself. She figured it was only fitting for a place where the hero’s fellow townsfolk gathered.

Once through the entrance, the pair discovered that the entire hall was packed with people—no fewer than a hundred. This rattled Lianna, who had thought victory was all but guaranteed.

“Dad…” Clinging to his hand, she timidly asked, “Is it always this busy in here?“

Ebiser wasn’t sure what was going on himself. He grabbed hold of someone and asked, “Excuse me, sir… what’s the meaning of all this?“

When he’d last come here, there hadn’t been this many people. And back then, there were still plenty of Fogfolk around.

“Everyone’s here looking for the hero,” a passerby answered.

“Everybody senses the danger. They want the hero to help them escape from this place. Eh… I reckon the border’s going to be sealed off any time now.“

Lianna’s little face instantly lit up with surprise.