Chapter 725: Citywide Ascension

I am free.

Siwei Jiejie also counted the remaining family members; there were only fifteen hundred left. The continuous civil war had cost us nearly three-quarters of our family, and the survivors were undoubtedly the most deranged among us. Perhaps this was what Jiejie meant by... the method she had in mind.

But she broke her promise. She didn't let me ride my bicycle freely and run wild, or shout at the top of my lungs, or do all the things an eight-year-old would want to do. Instead, she kept me by her side, like a "mascot" in this city, a hero so useless it was beyond words.

My daily routine didn't change at all; I just continued judging all the subjects. But Siwei Jiejie forbade anyone from talking to me. Every night, I was alone in my room. It was more comfortable than before, but my heart felt even heavier. Everyone was too busy to pay attention to me. I had no idea what they were up to, only that they were planning something in an organized way. I saw people coming and going every day, but I couldn't figure out what they were busy with.

Siwei Jiejie began to use her "Zhiyu" extensively to solidify her rule. She claimed she could heal everyone's pains, whether internal or external, and declared herself the true "Shenü." She promised to show "divine miracles" when the time was right, and the people believed her, making her their only hope.

A week later, in the middle of the night, Siwei Jiejie came to my room. It had been nearly a month since we'd spoken, ever since she became the ruler here.

"Yingxiong."She gave a bitter smile and stepped inside.

"Jiejie..."I croaked out.

"Yingxiong ah, it's been so long since I talked to you. How are you?" she asked. "Do they deliver your three meals on time?"

I just kept my head down and didn't say a word.

"Won't you talk to me?" She walked further in, pulled up a chair, and sat down. There was something odd about her scent.

It suddenly reminded me of when Wancai was still around; he used to come into our room just like this, insisting on chatting.

"Jiejie, is this the 'method' you mentioned?" I asked.

"No, of course not." She shook her head. "I told you, Yingxiong, I need to wait for an opportunity."

"That opportunity... hasn't come yet?" I asked gloomily.

"It's coming soon, just a little more time." She replied. "We'll be liberated soon."

"Is that so..." I slowly lifted my eyes to look at her. "Jiejie... you smell just like Wancai now. I've finally figured out what that scent is called."

"Oh? Is that right?" She smiled slightly. "What is it?"

"It's 'lies.'" I said. "Jiejie, your scent tells me you're lying... You don't have a way to liberate me, and you don't even want to."

"Oh..." She nodded silently. "So you can tell when I'm lying now?"

"Yes..."

"So you've grown up, Yingxiong." She said. "When did you stop calling him 'Wan Bobo' and start calling him 'Wancai'?"

I didn't know the answer to that. I only knew that Guyu Gege was still my brother, Siwei Jiejie was still my sister, and everyone else wasn't even people anymore.

"Yingxiong, I've always said I love everyone in this world. If possible, I'd even sacrifice myself to cure this city's illness." She said. "But unfortunately, even that chance is gone now, so I'm just doing what I can."

She spoke casually about herself, but my thoughts were a mess. Was her idea of "what I can" turning into a "Shenü" and ruling this place?

"By the way, did you know? For a long time among my friends, I had the nickname 'Li Guanyin.'" She chuckled lightly. "I'm that kind of troublesome person—I have to help with anything I see, whether it involves me or not. Isn't that interesting?"

She was laughing, but I stayed silent.

Then she told me about her childhood, her school days, and her romances, but her scent remained heavy—she was lying the whole time.

Why was that?

"...In the end, I broke up with that boy, heh." She sniffed. "It's for the best, though. Getting away from a scumbag means I don't have to be such a saint anymore, right?"

Lies.

"Yingxiong, if you ever truly get free, just fly away as far as you can." She changed the subject. "No one in this world can hold you back. Go ride your bicycle in the wind, shout in the streets, play and run as much as you want, and do anything your heart desires. Feel the freedom here."

"Freedom..." I murmured the word expressionlessly, and it felt bitterly ironic.

This damned place doesn't even let you escape in death... How could I ever be free?

"Oh, right." Siwei Jiejie added, "The 'Happy Prince' has another ending I forgot to tell you. Do you want to hear it?"

I shook my head silently: "No."

"Hmm, I figured as much. Get some good sleep tonight..." Jiejie stood up and smiled at me. "Remember, every day from now on is a new one."

Watching her warm face as she left the room, I felt like I'd lost something.

But looking at the "Happy Prince" as a whole, he'd already lost everything he could.

Including the swallow.

The next day, that sun like a gun barrel rose into the sky, and I was woken by the heavy footsteps in the building. I opened my eyes, still not sure what was happening, and peered out the window to see a large crowd leaving the office building.

They formed an orderly column, with Jiejie at the front.

What was going on...?

They didn't stop by the "Xingguan"; instead, they headed further away, probably toward the "Shenlong."

Were they all going to pay respects to the "Shenlong"? But usually, people went there freely—why were they in formation this time?

A strange feeling stirred in my heart, but I couldn't pinpoint the problem.

"The hero is awake, eh?" An auntie came into the room, holding a steamed bun made from "Qingxiang." "Come and eat."

"Where are they going?" I asked.

"Oh, you should congratulate them." The auntie smiled. "The 'Shenü' has found a way to escape this place, so she's leading them to the ascension site. They're the first group; we've left a small part behind for the second batch later."

"Ascension...?" I slowly widened my eyes. "How are they going to ascend...?"

"I don't know the details." The auntie said. "But the 'Shenü' explained that the real answer isn't worshiping the 'Shenlong'—it's entering the 'Shenlong's palace."