Chapter 111: We All Have a Bright Future

"Feeling better?"

"Yes." Chen Zi'ang, lying on the hospital bed, offered a weak smile. "Thank you, Rio. I really thought I wouldn't be able to save this arm."

"You almost didn't." Rio Hozekaze stood by the bedside. "Don't thank me; thank Xia Qingyu. Her mastery and understanding of occult knowledge are so profound that our Intelligence Division is becoming almost redundant."

Ever since Countermeasures Section 6 was reorganized into the 5th Intelligence Department, the intelligence group had been elevated to a full division, standing on equal footing with the Field Operations Division. However, Rio didn't feel much joy, as Xia Qingyu hadn't brought her along for this raid on the Ghoul King's Divine Kingdom. Logically, the Intelligence Division should have been involved—and she had been dying to study the Divine Kingdom herself.

"Sigh." Chen Zi'ang sighed. "Believe me, Rio. It's a good thing you didn't go."

"Was it that dangerous? I didn't see any casualties on your end," Rio said, sounding skeptical.

"No casualties?" Chen Zi'ang joked. "What about me? Am I just some expendable resource?"

"I'm not surprised you got hurt," Rio replied coolly. "You're the kind of fool who loves to charge ahead alone, carrying all the danger on your own shoulders... Oh, Suzune is here."

Tsukimiya Suzune poked her head into the ward and beamed. "Are you feeling better, Senior? I've come to visit you."

"I even made you some chicken porridge~"

The young woman trotted over, bowl in hand, and quickly placed it on the bedside table. She then instinctively brought her fingers to her mouth with watery eyes, seemingly having burned them. Seeing her clumsy behavior, Chen Zi'ang couldn't help but laugh.

Rio watched quietly from the side, thinking that if this were the Chen Zi'ang of the past, his first reaction would have been a polite "thank you" or "you shouldn't have gone to the trouble." Their relationship had clearly warmed up without them even realizing it. Was this what people online called "more than friends, but not yet lovers"? It was quite interesting.

***

I hate you.
But perhaps.
It is myself I hate.

In a blurred dream, she saw the scenery outside the window slowly moving downward.

"Qingyu, why are we discussing business on a Ferris wheel?" Chen Zi'ang asked, puzzled.

"This material contains political secrets, and I prefer not to be monitored," Xia Qingyu explained, handing him the documents while gazing calmly out the window. She was, in fact, an expert at lying.

"So this 'Ecological Protection Act' is basically impossible to change, isn't it?" Chen Zi'ang sighed after reading the documents.

"Yes," Xia Qingyu replied. "Because it is tied to our admission eligibility for the Star Trade Alliance, and Takamagahara absolutely cannot afford to lose its trading status."

"Under the crushing wheels of the era, most people are nothing more than dust. Nishikawa Mie is neither the first nor the last."

"I understand. Thank you." Chen Zi'ang handed the materials back to her.

"Why the thanks between us?" Xia Qingyu smiled. "If you're willing to learn more, I can give you a deeper briefing, such as why the Elves insisted on drafting such radical legislation."

"Oh? And why is that?" Chen Zi'ang asked, curious.

"Let's go over there to talk about it." Xia Qingyu didn't answer, instead pointing toward the distant carousel. "The air here is a bit stifling."

"Do you like carousels?" Chen Zi'ang gave a teasing smile. "I never thought the serious and shrewd Prosecutor Xia would enjoy such childish rides."

"Don't you dare tell anyone," Xia Qingyu feigned indignation.

*It isn't the carousel I like, but rather...*

She was, in fact, an expert at lying.

Time passed. Xia Qingyu, who had been slumped over her desk, slowly awoke from the fragmented remnants of her dream. She leaned back in her chair, head bowed, eyes fixed on the play of light and shadow on the floor, seemingly lost in a state of melancholy reflection. She sat there in silence for the entire day.

***

Xia Zili had fallen asleep at her computer. On the screen was a nearly completed composition, ready to be sent to the studio for orchestration. The piece was titled "Hero."

Xia Zili wanted to be a hero.

She dreamt of a superhero movie she had once seen, where the protagonist, an ordinary man, stood before his office window watching a massive explosion caused by a villain. In the reflection of the glass, the protagonist began a cool transformation. However, the reflection quickly morphed into her mother's blood-stained face.

That familiar, affectionate face wore a look of desperate madness, whispering as if in a trance:

"No, you don't."

"I want to be a hero," Xia Zili insisted.

"Zili, you don't want to be a hero." Her mother's smile grew exaggerated, her mouth stretching almost to her ears, revealing a horrific, gaping wound.

"I..." Xia Zili wanted to refute her, but felt an inexplicable fear.

"It's okay." Her mother reached a blood-soaked arm through the window and gently pulled her into an embrace. "It's okay."

"You just need to remember..."
"And then, undo all of this..."
"Start by becoming a hero..."

Xia Zili jolted awake from her dream, instinctively kicking the desk, and immediately clutched her toes in pain, tears welling in her eyes. But soon, she raised her hand in disbelief.

From the tips of her slender fingers, tiny seeds were being expelled from her skin. The bottom of the seed sprouted four small hooves, and tiny buds emerged from the top. It stepped steadily onto her finger and began to perform a sticky, joyous dance. At the same time, the name of the seed surfaced in her mind:

[Black Larva]

***

In the Governor's office, Shidi finished reading the incident report with a look of relief.

"Nishikawa Mie is finally dead... I suppose that's the end of it, then?"

"To be precise, there is still some cleanup work to be done," Song Mingyuan said, beaming. "There are still sporadic cases of infected individuals appearing within the city."

"However, the source of the spread has been severed, so we can basically announce to the public: under the wise guidance of Governor Shidi, the crisis has been overcome, the disaster resolved, and the national state of emergency is officially lifted effective immediately."

"Good, good," Shidi laughed heartily. "I'll have a few extra drinks tonight."

"Don't drink too much, Governor," Song Mingyuan reminded him. "Tomorrow you must meet with the special envoy from the Federation, Mr. Trauch Krubli."

"Oh, right." Shidi's expression quickly soured. "So those arrogant Elves are going to be pointing fingers in my face again, aren't they?"

"Mingyuan, remind me: what exactly is the background of this envoy?"

"You only need to look at his surname," Song Mingyuan smiled. "He is a High Elf from the illustrious Krubli family. This family controls the lifeblood of the Federation's alchemy industry and is one of the most powerful old-money noble houses in Elf society. Furthermore, the Krubli family and the Bahkt family are long-term, comprehensive allies, and the Aegilaos sector, controlled by the Bahkt family, is the primary destination for Takamagahara’s foreign exchange exports."

"I get it." Shidi felt dizzy from all the Elven names, but having undergone political training, he quickly grasped the point. "So, he has a powerful background and cannot be offended?"

"Absolutely not," Song Mingyuan said meaningfully.

***

The living room lights were off, save for the news playing on the television. Takano Seiko sat in silence on the floor, staring blankly at the only source of light in the room.

She had already deleted all her friends and sent letters of disownment to all her relatives. This way, no matter what horrific crimes she committed later, they would not be implicated.

The television screen finally went dark, leaving only Takano Seiko's eyes visible in the gloom.

They were glowing with a faint, eerie light.