659 So Be I (1/2)

”So… Lord Supreme Cloud, say, should I continue to hang on to this inconsequential life of mine… or should I just die to make things easy?”

Until now, Wu Ying's voice had remained calm; his eyes were cold. Seeing that Yun Yang made no move to answer, he asked again before muttering to himself, ”Frankly speaking, if I were you, I wouldn't allow my enemy to continue living. No one knows what will happen in the future; the potential for trouble is limitless. A moment of leniency could become a lifetime of regret in the future. The safest approach would be to thoroughly uproot the hidden threat.”

Yun Yang sniggered and said, ”Whatever you may say, you still wish to stay alive. Whatever your aim may be, you still want to keep living. Are you not afraid of provoking me?”

”Who in this world wouldn't want to stay alive when they've come to a point when they must die?” Wu Ying replied indifferently.

”That's right!” Yun Yang felt an incredible fury rage within him as he cried, ”You're absolutely right! Who in this world wouldn't want to stay alive when they are about to meet death face to face?”

His voice rumbled ominously as he growled, ”My brothers – even when they came to their final moment in the battle at Tianxuan Cliff, would they not have wanted to live as well?”

He spat the question out like a thunderbolt.

Wu Ying stood frozen on the spot, as still as a statue.

”Throughout these seven years, the millions of heroic souls who've sacrificed themselves in the battlefield to protect the empire... Despite not having any regrets when they perished in the field, wouldn't they have wished to stay alive instead?” Yun Yang pressed on, taking a menacing step forward and glared at Wu Ying.

Wu Ying stood his ground in stoic resignation.

”Which one of them isn't patriotic and loyal? Which one of them isn't a pillar of the country? Which one of them isn't a faithful official? Which one of them isn't a passionate soldier? Which one of them isn't a man of Yutang– a true-hearted man who bled and fell for Yutang?”

”Are you the only capable one? Who among these brothers were incapable?”

Yun Yang's gaze was unforgiving; his breathing was ragged and harsh as he advanced upon the stationary man, step by step.

Wu Ying remained riveted to the ground, allowing Yun Yang, who was approaching, to spray spit all over his face.

”You asked me to speak frankly; we shall speak frankly then. Everyone wants to stay alive – everyone who has brothers, comrades, wives and children, parents and families!”

Yun Yang's words were singularly sharp. ”nonetheless, they've chosen death – they've gone to fight for their country without holding themselves back!”

His gaze was akin to a bloodstained saber that was trained on Wu Ying's face. ”As someone who has brought ill to the empire and its people, as someone who conspires against the state, what right do you have to say that you want to stay alive?”

A sense of loss flickered in Wu Ying's gaze. He seemed a little dazed when he murmured, ”I… I didn't want to… keep on living forever… I – I just wanted to… stay alive for a few more years… As long as I see the Four Seasons Tower fall… it's enough… Is this too much to ask for?”

He seemed to be arguing with himself, but his voice grew weaker. Finally, he shut his eyes and said, ”When that day comes, I'll list down my sins and bid farewell to this world as I embrace my death. Supreme Cloud need not do anything by then; Wu Ying's head will be placed on a platter and presented to you.”

He then opened his eyes to look at Yun Yang only to be rewarded with the latter's cold gaze.

For some reason, Wu Ying could not bear to face that gaze. He shifted his vision forlornly and shut his eyes for a long time without moving. He then spoke hoarsely, ”It's only human nature if Lord Supreme Cloud finds it hard to feel at peace. You can do it now – it's a life that is destined to be doomed anyway. It doesn't matter whether it's sooner or later. This old man doesn't have much invested in this world, but pleading for my life right now would be too hypocritical!”

There was a violent twitch on his face as he mumbled, ”God knows what one did… Even when the sin committed is recompensed later, it doesn't suffice. In truth… I have always wanted to redress my country and my people all these years… the reality is that it was for my personal selfish reasons to make amends…”

”Lord Supreme Cloud is right. There really isn't any reason for me to stay alive.”

”No matter our conscience, our initial intentions, too many great men have died because of the two of us. Bi Zhongliu's died, why am I trying to live so hard? What if I have thousands of reasons and justifications? They're mere lies I deceived myself with… My self-deception has actually become a habit throughout these many years – I really thought that I could redress the sins I've committed!”