431 I Am Sincere! (2/2)

”I see.” Constantine nodded, seeming to ponder something. ”Go to sleep. Talk with me tomorrow.”

”Huh?” Charles froze but quickly cheered. ”Ah! Okay, okay! What would you like to talk about? Should I prepare for it?”

Constantine smiled and turned around to return to his bed. Charles gaped for a long while. Not receiving a reply, he went back to his bed in confusion.

No matter what…his spy plan was about to succeed?

-

The next morning, it was colder than before as the winter progressed. Water vapor froze, creating beautiful ice flowers on the steel walls of the Sacred City. The people wore thick wool clothing, looking fat and swollen. Mr. Hu was the same. He added a thick cloak and stood rubbing his hands in the cold wind.

People passed before him in front of the Sacred City train station. He stood on the steps outside the crowd and gazed into the distance. Beside him, the worried Eunuch Zhao pressed quietly, ”Mr. Hu, let's go. The one in charge has urged me many times. If you don't leave now, you'll miss the afternoon ship.”

”Wait a bit more.” Mr. Hu chuckled softly. ”Just a bit more.”

Soon, quick footsteps sounded. A young man in black walked through the frost. His white hair tumbled down his shoulders with a metallic shine.

”Sorry, I'm late.” Ye Qingxuan looked apologetic. ”Something happened last night and I slept too late.”

Mr. Hu nodded. Seeing Ye Qingxuan's empty hands, he realized, ”You don't plan on returning?”

”Yes.” Ye Qingxuan nodded. ”I won't go back for now. There are still many people I care about here. I have to make sure they're safe.”

Mr. Hu fell silent. He studied the young man before him. After a long pause, he patted Ye Qingxuan's shoulder. ”It's alright. It's good that you've made your decision. I won't force you. These things can't be forced.”

A bell rang again. It was nine o'clock.

”Time to go. If I still don't go, they'll come hurry me again.” Mr. Hu glanced at the station behind him and looked away. ”It's great that you can come see me off.”

”Safe travels,” Ye Qingxuan said.

Mr. Hu smiled. He took a few steps back and bowed in farewell. His cloak fluttered in the wind like a stork's wings.

”I do not know when we will meet again.” He gazed at the young man with affection. ”Please take care.”

Ye Qingxuan nodded. He stood and watched as Mr. Hu turned and disappeared in the crowd. After a long while, he sighed sadly.

”Take care, sir.”

-

The train station was packed. Mr. Hu looked back, unwilling to leave. He could still see the young man standing in place and could not help but feel sad. Perhaps he was getting old. When he had traveled hundreds of thousands of miles with his teacher as a young man, he was not as weak as now, fearing farewells. But then his steps halted. His senses told him that something was coming.

It was as if the entire world had silenced and everyone's movements slowed. Under his blazing golden eyes, he could see even the smallest speck of dust. He looked up and studied every face that passed him. Finally, he looked to the front. There was a traveler snaking through the crowd. He seemed to have come from far away but did not have any belongings. He only had a ragged robe. His hair was messy and unruly.

Sensing Mr. Hu's eyes, he looked over. After a second of thought, he smiled. His features were plain but Mr. Hu's eyes changed. They burned hotter and seemed to condense into tangible murderous intent. Every pore on his body was trembling with the thirst to fight and kill. For some reason, he wanted to put in his all and throw away all caution to fight with this man he had never seen before.

Under his black robes, his fists clenched. His muscles pulled taut as he tried to push down his urge. For the first time in his life, he wanted to…kill someone without any reason.

The traveler did not seem to realize. He just smiled and brushed past. Mr. Hu instantly sank into a daze. But in his daze, his gold eyes finally broke through the disguise. He saw a figure with one hundred hands and one thousand eyes extend from the body, covering the sky. Instantly, the earth shook and the atrium broke. Fire covered the world.

Mr. Hu froze in place. Sweat rolled down his body and his face paled. After a long, long time, he started walking again. He finally saw the confused Eunuch Zhao.

”M-mr. Hu, what happened?” he asked. ”Are you sick? Please don't scare me.”

”No need to worry.” Mr. Hu smiled wryly. ”Perhaps…this is fate?” He looked back at the large city. Perhaps fate truly existed, weaving all their lives, cruelly placing the young man in the center of all storms and vortexes.

Ye Qingxuan, take care. There are no longer safe places.

-

At the same time, a bedraggled traveler grabbed the quiet young man standing before the station.

”S-sorry.” In broken language, he asked, ”Excuse me, this…place, go, how?”