Chapter Thirty-Four: Yao Gazes into the Distance

"I came here this time, only because of you." Emilia looked at Xia Yan, her gaze earnest. "Xia Yan, why don't you join us?"

Because they were alone, she no longer called him ‘human’, but addressed him by name. Yet Xia Yan didn’t realize what an honor it was to be addressed by a pureblood by one’s own name.

He did not reply; confusion still clouded his eyes. Himself? To have a pureblood come to him personally—not to kill him, but to recruit him?

"I'm not of the Demon Clan," Xia Yan said.

"What does that matter?" Emilia replied without hesitation. "Xia Yan, did you know? Humanity should have been the strongest force, yet now, in terms of the number of gifted individuals, they are the weakest."

He understood the implication in her words.

"The reason," Emilia continued with a smile, "is that humanity’s gifted are too scattered. In the territories of the five great races, a large portion of the humans with abilities have sworn allegiance to us. After all, that's where they were born, where their families and brothers live. Humans are different from the other races—they are freer; they can choose where they belong!"

"So, Xia Yan, will you not join my side?"

Xia Yan frowned. "Why me?"

"You are special, extremely special. I don’t know to what degree your genes have mutated," Emilia said seriously. "But I value you more than anyone else. If you join us, I can promise to nurture you with everything I have, at least develop your brain potential to nearly one hundred percent."

"And if I refuse?" Xia Yan looked at her.

Emilia stepped toward him, and with each step she took, Xia Yan retreated, until he was backed into a corner with no way out, and she drew near. Their bodies pressed together, faces so close they could feel each other’s breath.

At that moment, Xia Yan could not avoid her gaze. Looking into the eyes of the pureblood girl before him, he had to admit—she was beautiful, radiating an irresistible allure, a beauty that transcended all others, stirring the soul to trembling.

"Xia Yan, you shouldn't refuse me," Emilia said with a smile. "Why do you think I spared that girl, and even helped her remove the dangers in her mind?"

Xia Yan frowned—so it wasn’t out of kindness, but to recruit him!

"Xia Yan, why refuse? My promise is a great boon!" Emilia was puzzled. "I can’t think of a reason for you to turn me down!"

"I am human. That is reason enough," Xia Yan replied.

"Perhaps you are not," Emilia said with a strange smile. "Your genes are unique; that bizarre healing ability of yours could even mean you are a pureblood of the Angel Clan."

"I am human," Xia Yan bit out, unconvinced that a pureblood of the Angel Clan would have the Demon Clan try to recruit him. Besides, purebloods of any race awaken their bloodline at birth.

"Very well," Emilia finally relented a little. "Perhaps in your eyes, those in power are always lofty, bloodthirsty monsters. But I am not that sort of person."

"I have no wish to bully the weak, to use my strength against someone as insignificant as you," Emilia continued slowly, "but in any case, I cannot let you go easily. After all, you killed two of my kin."

Xia Yan could only sigh helplessly.

"Xia Yan, you must really want to kill Ai You, don’t you?" Emilia suddenly asked.

He looked into the pureblood's eyes, realizing there was no point in lying, and nodded. Ai You, the director, was the source of all evil—she had to die. But he was too weak.

The chasm in strength meant it would always be him who died, not her—unless he was given time, much, much more time.

As if reading his thoughts, Emilia said, "Xia Yan, I will give you time. Let us make a pact—one year from now, you will go to Demon Clan’s District Two and challenge Ai You to a duel. If you win, you live; if you lose, you die."

Xia Yan was confused. Why would a pureblood offer such terms? Not killing him was already a rare mercy.

"But it will be difficult. I am certain your chances of defeating Director Ai You in a year are less than one percent," Emilia smiled. "It’s almost certain death, Xia Yan!"

"But now, you cannot refuse me. Absolutely not. If you do, I’ll kill you here and now," Emilia narrowed her eyes. "Answer me, Xia Yan: yes or no?"

To go alone to the Demon Clan—certain death. Even if Ai You was killed, countless others would tear him to pieces. And a year was far too short to surpass Ai You in strength.

But as Emilia said, there was no longer any reason to refuse.

"I agree," Xia Yan finally nodded.

"Good," Emilia smiled. "Remember, Xia Yan—if, in a year, you don’t go to the Demon Clan, I will come and kill you myself. Unless you’re confident enough to escape a pureblood’s pursuit!"

With that, she tore open the space before her and vanished, leaving Xia Yan alone in the empty laboratory, as if nothing had ever happened.

...

The next morning, at seven o’clock, outside Gu Yue’er’s house.

Xia Yan pressed the doorbell. The door opened quickly, revealing Gu Yue’er in her pajamas, her face clouded with sorrow and stained with tears—she had clearly cried for a long time. On seeing Xia Yan, her tears fell again like rain, making her appear even more forlorn.

She didn’t know where she found the strength, but she flung herself into Xia Yan’s arms, nearly knocking him over.

"Thank goodness, thank goodness!" Gu Yue’er’s voice was hoarse and numb, nearly inaudible, as her tears kept falling…

Only after a long time comforting Gu Yue’er did she finally break into a smile, her eyes shining with a gentle radiance.

Though she had lost her abilities, her brain’s development hadn’t regressed, but she could never again become a gifted one. For Gu Yue’er, perhaps this was a blessing—her smile attested to this. Freed from her burdens, she felt light and happy, no longer forced to shoulder the title of ‘Death God’ and bear everyone’s blame.

Gu Yue’er wanted simply to be an ordinary girl, someone who need not bury everything in her heart, who could smile freely whenever she wished.

"Yue’er, what are your plans for the future?" Xia Yan asked, concerned.

"Hmm…" Gu Yue’er pursed her lips and smiled softly. "I want to transfer to a regular school and, in the future, do what I love."

"I see…" Xia Yan sighed gently.

"I’m actually grateful to that person," Gu Yue’er said with a smile. "Losing my abilities isn’t a bad thing. My brain was stimulated and may suffer worse aftereffects in the future, but for now, they’re gone. Besides, I’m finally free, Xia Yan!"

The heavy pressure gone, Gu Yue’er was truly happy.

"Yue’er, as long as you’re thinking that way, I’m relieved," Xia Yan said with a smile.

"Xia Yan, you have so much yet to do," she said. "Perhaps you will set out into a broader world, travel farther than ever before. But please, never forget—behind you, there will always be a Gu Yue’er supporting you, always and forever…"

"Yes," Xia Yan replied with a smile.

From then on, their roles were completely reversed—one was a normal human, the other gifted. Just as when they first met months ago, but now their positions had swapped.

And for Gu Yue’er, this was the life most suited to her.

...

Fuxiang City, Special Zone, Sin Prison Headquarters.

"Visiting a prisoner? No way, not without the proper paperwork." Xiao Si looked at the middle-aged man in blue before him. "Our Sin Prison only handles the release of prisoners, not visitations."

"Release?" The man in blue started. "How much does it cost?"

"Two million," Xiao Si replied at once. "That’s the official price. It includes one vial of gene serum and the processing fee."

Two million credit points was an astronomical sum for most people, more than they could ever hope to earn.

"What? That much?" The man was stunned—how could he possibly have so much money? "Brother, please, just let me visit them. I miss them so much…"

"No, it can’t be done. Visiting is not allowed here," Xiao Si sneered. "Go on, leave. What are you hanging around for if you have no money? Get lost as far as you can."

The man’s face darkened as he left, helpless.

A few more people approached—members of merchant families, somewhat better off. Xiao Si’s tone was a bit more polite, but only just.

After asking some questions, these people began to waver—two million credits was simply too much for them.

When a single credit could buy three breakfasts, two million was indeed a king’s ransom.

"Could we at least see him for a moment?" asked one of the women.

"No, that’s the rule," Xiao Si shook his head.

"Please, young man, this is just a token of our gratitude." A middle-aged man handed over a special credit card from the Federal Bank—a non-reloadable card with a fixed value of a thousand credits.

Xiao Si accepted it without a word and nodded. "Visits are not allowed, but I can pass a message to the prisoner for you, and if he has anything to say, I’ll let you know."

"Is that all?"

"Of course, that’s all," Xiao Si replied.

In the end, Xiao Si ran a quick errand, passing a few words between both sides.

To pay for a release or not—they hesitated. It was just too expensive.

"If you’ve got no money, get lost. If you’re broke, don’t hang around here," Xiao Si grumbled again.

"You…!" The middle-aged man who had offered money looked furious.

"I’ve done all I can for you. If you don’t have money, don’t stay here," Xiao Si replied indifferently. He had grown used to this attitude over the years.

As a guard at Sin Prison, an employee of the Earth Federation, his status wasn’t low. What could these people do to him?

He was arrogant, self-important, and looked down on these people. Why come here with no money?

Dare hit me? I’m an employee of the Earth Federation. Even if I stick out my face, what can you do?

So Xiao Si was always this conceited.

"Hmm? Why are there so many people here today?" he muttered, as two more arrived.

To be precise, two kids—a boy and a girl, both in their teens, not yet adults. Why would they come to Sin Prison? Playing house?