Chapter 074 Sea King – “He pledged allegiance to the God of Darkness.” (20/20)
Trigger Warning
Pet Death – brought both me and editor to tears. Not recommended to read this chapter in public if you are sensitive about this topic.
The official announcement came at just the right time.
And as it happened, Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu had just gotten their marriage certificate. As soon as they posted it, no further explanation was needed. Everyone knew exactly what their relationship was.
StarNet immediately exploded.
“This has to be a joke, right? Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu? How’s that even possible?”
“Holy crap, is this the same Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu I’m thinking of? Are they really not just people with the same name?”
“Students from the pharmaceutical departments at Kalandi College and Siming Teji University, hurry! I can’t wait to see your reactions, hehehe!”
“Aaaahh! My idols are together!”
“Is this really not an April Fools’ joke? Is this really not a prank?”
“I don’t believe it, I don’t believe it! Is this something the Association required?”
“How could that be? The Association definitely treats them like treasures. There’s no way they’d force them to do this.”
“Aaaahhh! How come there wasn’t a single hint? When did they start dating? How did they suddenly end up getting married?”
Online reactions ranged from shock to skepticism to delight, but in the end, they all boiled down to one question: When exactly did these two start dating?
And at that moment, those in the know stepped forward. Finally, finally! They had the chance to speak up!
God only knew how agonizing it was to see those “facts” every day—claiming that Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu had a terrible relationship—and not being able to refute them or reveal the truth!
Now they could finally speak up. Come on, let’s all immerse ourselves in the couple’s “absolutely beautiful love story.”
“They’ve been together for a long time. They’re even living together and have a cat. The three of them are happy and content.”
“You know Brother Xu—he’s never been one for using a smartbrain, but he went out of his way to learn how to use SkyNet just for Shi Jingge, so he could buy his boyfriend gifts.”
“And the gifts he bought were all these weird things like #GiftDeliveredToYourDoor, #CanWeGetMarriedTomorrow#. Honestly, I think Shi Jingge’s an angel for putting up with it.”
“Don’t even get me started. They even go on dates and are planning a honeymoon!”
At first, the man didn’t quite grasp what Shi Jingge meant, but soon enough, he received the news.
Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu had actually gotten married!
Absurd! Absurd!
How dare his son decide the most important matter of his marriage without his father’s consent?
But before he could do anything, the familiar security guard appeared before him once again.
He was about to explode. Once would’ve been bad enough, but a second time?!
How dare Ye Mingxu?!
“I’m here to see someone,” the man said coldly, then knocked on the door across the hall.
On the other side was Zhao Jiangcheng, Ye Mingxu’s teacher. If he couldn’t find Ye Mingxu, seeing Zhao Jiangcheng would have to do.
But no matter how long he knocked, no one answered the door. His expression grew even more grim.
The security guard said timidly, “I haven’t seen Teacher Zhao come back these past couple of days.”
Zhao Jiangcheng had known this day would come. If he couldn’t take him on, surely he could avoid him? Hiding in the pharmacy of the Pharmacists’ Association—could the Wen family really track him down there?
As for his fiancée, she was away on a business trip right now to clear time for their upcoming honeymoon.
But the head of the Wen family didn’t know that!
The man’s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot.
Just then, Lin Yiwen strolled leisurely down the stairs, pausing on the last two steps to look down at the two men below. That gaze insulted the head of the Wen family, but he quickly realized it was Lin Yiwen, the youngest son of the Lin family.
“Young man from the Lin family,” he greeted him first, nodding slightly though his tone carried a hint of arrogance.
Lin Yiwen smiled and turned to the security guard, speaking politely, “Can you call the police? It’s late at night, and a stranger is threatening me. I’m afraid for my personal safety.”
The head of the Wen family snapped, “You dare?”
Lin Yiwen raised his arm and tapped his smart bracelet a few times. “Do you think I wouldn’t?”
The head of the Wen family was utterly furious, but he was genuinely afraid that if Lin Yiwen actually called the police, it wouldn’t just be a matter of losing face—it would be like having his dignity torn to shreds and trampled into the dirt!
“I’ll definitely go have a word with Old Lin another day,” the head of the Wen family ground out through clenched teeth.
Lin Yiwen replied politely, “Feel free to stay as long as you like. Just remember to get a visitor’s pass before you come over. Don’t get kicked out again. It’s embarrassing. You had better think twice before coming. Goodbye.”
Ignoring the head of the Wen family’s murderous glare, Lin Yiwen turned and headed upstairs. The sound of his shoes echoed in the head of the Wen family’s ears, only making his expression grow even more grim.
“Oh, right.” Lin Yiwen paused in his tracks. “Shi Jingge isn’t just my student—he’s also my business partner, a shareholder in my company, and someone the Lin family protects. The head of the Wen family targeted us first; it’s only natural for the Lin family to strike back, isn’t it? You can’t treat the Lin family like a soft target, someone you can just trample on at will, can you?” Lin Yiwen continued on his way, but at the curve of the staircase, he glanced down.
The head of the Wen family’s expression was truly hideous. He’d probably lost all the dignity he had left in this lifetime right here.
He really had it coming.
Lin Yiwen felt a sense of satisfaction.
The shock and mixed emotions he’d felt after seeing Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu go public gradually faded as the head of the Wen family’s expression grew increasingly grim.
Oh well, the kids are grown up now; they’ll always have their own minds. The heavens will rain, and the kids will get married. There’s no stopping it.
Oh, what had he come down here to do in the first place? He couldn’t remember.
All he wanted to do now was go back and get some sleep. Might as well order a fancy meal to celebrate.
With that in mind, Lin Yiwen opened his smart bracelet and tapped on the couple’s official announcement again. Many famous figures had already reposted it and sent their congratulations, even that bastard Zhao Jiangcheng had sent his best wishes.
If he didn’t send his too, wouldn’t he seem too stingy?
Especially compared to Zhao Jiangcheng. He absolutely couldn’t let Zhao Jiangcheng outshine him!
Lin Yiwen’s eyes narrowed with determination. Just as he was about to repost, he spotted a comment:
[Holy shit, holy shit! I just remembered! Ye Mingxu shopped at my store! It was that set that makes your partner want to marry you. Basically, a wedding ceremony with little wooden figures. I’d felt a while back that the names Ye Mingxu and Shi Jingge sounded familiar, but at the time, everyone around me was talking about them, so I didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t until someone just mentioned the gift that I remembered—Ye Mingxu bought this wedding set from my store! They’ve been together for a long time and wanted to get married for ages!!]
This comment instantly sparked curiosity among countless people, with replies surpassing a thousand in just a few seconds.
Lin Yiwen’s hand, which had been typing out a congratulatory reply, suddenly froze.
……Is Ye Mingxu a little lacking in the common sense department?
Although this news was shocking, as insiders gradually provided additional details, people were able to piece together a beautiful and romantic love story in their minds.
Especially since the two attended Kalandi and Siming Teji—two schools that had been at odds for ages—this added a layer of fairytale magic, and their shippers sprang into action that very night.
Moreover, the details provided by insiders all focused on the time after they’d gotten together; their dates and gifts were indeed sweet, but the events leading up to their relationship left endless room for imagination, prompting people to speculate, analyze, and create all sorts of fanfiction.
Ever since the official announcement, Ye Mingxu had been keeping a close eye on online reactions. When Shi Jingge went to sleep, he lay in bed beside him, scrolling through the comments.
Because he’d been paying such close attention, he actually managed to track down the CP fans’ main hub.
From then on, a whole new world opened up to him. So much so that later on, he even started coming up with all sorts of new tricks.
Shi Jingge grew increasingly puzzled by this. Not long ago, Ye Mingxu had been such an innocent little cutie, and even though he’d since become a bit less innocent, he’d still been quite green around the gills. How had he suddenly become so adept without any guidance?
In the end, the Wen family hadn’t given up on Ye Mingxu after all.
It couldn’t be helped. The Wen family was now declining day by day. Having finally produced someone like Ye Mingxu, who would be willing to let him go?
Moreover, Ye Mingxu had developed the Delay Potion, and since the Wen family was a lineage of mecha warriors, a group particularly prone to mental energy backlash, their demand for the potion was obvious.
Furthermore, since Ye Mingxu already discovered the Delay Potion, he might be able to develop other potions in the future. With such a prized asset, it was hard for others to even establish a connection with him; and now that they’ve finally managed to forge a relationship, who would be willing to let him go so easily?
But Ye Mingxu simply ignored the Wen family!
Initially, the Wen family had focused their attention on Shi Jingge, only to find that Shi Jingge was even more unyielding than Ye Mingxu!
Moreover, Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu were currently at the peak of their prestige, while the Wen family’s past incident was truly disgraceful. If they attempted to manipulate public opinion, they would likely face backlash and this feud would be set in stone.
The Wen family didn’t want to risk that.
After much deliberation, they decided to set aside this “family” connection for now and focus on discussing a partnership instead.
But how could Ye Mingxu possibly agree to negotiate with them?
The head of the Wen family said with a grim expression, “If you let personal feelings cloud your judgment, you won’t go far!”
Upon hearing this, Ye Mingxu raised an eyebrow. “Haven’t I already surpassed your achievements?”
With that, he walked off, leaving the head of the Wen family practically choking from rage.
The Wen family found themselves with no other choice but to turn to Shi Jingge. They were cold-hearted and self-serving—they couldn’t even show mercy to a child—so why on earth would Shi Jingge give them the time of day?
He wouldn’t even grant them a meeting; his attitude was crystal clear, leaving them absolutely no face.
The head of the Wen family seethed with rage. It was indeed difficult to take action against Ye Mingxu—mainly because they couldn’t actually find anything on him, and they were afraid of dragging the Wen family down with him—but Shi Jingge was a different story altogether.
That post smearing Shi Jingge was still up on the Kalandi College forum, ready to be dug up and dragged through the mud at any moment. Although the earlier posts had been debunked, the last one, the one about his relatives, still caught the Wen family’s attention.
So, the Wen family specifically sent people to that remote little planet to make contact with Shi Jingge’s relatives.
Before making contact, they first gathered information about Shi Jingge. Their cover was flawless: they posed as journalists seeking to learn about Shi Jingge and write articles about him, claiming they wanted to help people better understand him and inspire more people with his deeds.
They painted a grand picture and used highly skilled rhetoric; quite a few people were taken in by their deception and provided them with numerous details about Shi Jingge’s deeds—and those relatives were naturally among them.
After learning the details of what had happened back then, the Wen family felt these relatives could be exploited. They didn’t actually intend for these relatives to destroy Shi Jingge completely; their goal was simply to humiliate him, stir up public opinion, and teach him a lesson, all while restoring the Wen family’s dignity.
But what they didn’t expect was that every single one of the Shi family’s relatives flatly refused!
Even the families who hated Shi Jingge the most turned them down!
The Wen family offered a generous deal: all they had to do was cause a little trouble, and in return, the Wen family would help their children transfer to a medium-sized planet, allowing them to leave this remote planet behind. Wasn’t that what they’d always wanted?
This offer was undoubtedly tempting.
The Wen family was also very skilled at pinpointing people’s motivations. After presenting their offer, they were the first to take their leave, and as they walked out, they whispered among themselves, “There are so many Shi family members. If they refuse, there are plenty of others who will be willing. It doesn’t matter.”
These remarks were spoken in hushed tones yet loud enough for the others to hear, a subtle psychological nudge. After all, Shi Jingge was bound to face this situation eventually; if they didn’t step in, someone else surely would. Why not help their own child secure a better future?
Once this opportunity was missed, it wouldn’t come again.
This would ease their sense of guilt and lower their psychological defenses, making them unable to resist giving in.
But…
Just then, his child came home from school, beaming with joy and calling out, “Daddy, Daddy!”
He snapped out of his reverie and looked up. “Why are you so happy?”
His child’s eyes sparkled as he looked at him. “Do I really have a big brother who’s a real hero? All my classmates say I’m the hero’s little brother, and that I’ll be a little hero too someday!”
He smiled and nodded slightly. “Mm-hmm.”
“Daddy, when is this big brother coming back? When can I see him? Can I play with him? Can he help me with my homework? Everyone in my class is so jealous that I have a big brother like that!”
The child tugged at his arm, his eyes shining brightly.
The father knew full well that Shi Jingge wouldn’t be coming back, but he couldn’t bear to dash his child’s enthusiasm, so he simply nodded.
The child spun around excitedly, almost jumping for joy, which made him ask, “Sweetheart, if someone were to hurt this big brother, would you be sad?”
“Of course!” The child’s eyes widened, and he declared firmly, “He’s a hero!”
The child’s innocent voice tugged at his heartstrings, and he asked gently, “What if it were… Daddy?”
The child froze, and after a long moment, cautiously said, “Daddy, don’t hurt my big brother, okay? Please, Daddy. All my classmates say he’s a hero. How could anyone hurt a hero?”
That’s right—how could anyone hurt a hero?
Shi Jingge, who developed the delaying-healing treatment and saved so many lives, was indeed a hero in a sense.
He was selfish. He wanted his child to leave this remote planet and have a bright future, so he’d schemed against Shi Jingge’s family. He knew he was wrong, and sometimes he felt ashamed, but for his child’s sake, even if he despised himself every night, he would indeed keep doing it.
But things were different now. Even the child’s maternal grandfather was using the Delay Potion; it was the potion that had saved his life. He couldn’t possibly enjoy the benefits others provided while secretly stabbing them in the back, could he?
He picked up his son and kissed his cheek. “Mm-hmm. We’ll do whatever you say, sweetie. Let’s protect the hero, okay?”
The child nodded vigorously and shouted, “Okay!”
Afterward, he reached out to the others; they were all in a state of both excitement and hesitation.
Ultimately, it all came down to the Wen family’s argument: “If you don’t do it, someone else will.” That phrase had truly eroded their psychological defenses.
But if no one did it, wouldn’t that argument be meaningless? Yet how could they guarantee that everyone would hold back? It was just empty talk—who would believe it?
What if someone agreed verbally but then took advantage of the situation?
So, in the end, they chose to approach Shi Jingge.
If they told Shi Jingge all of this, wouldn’t that stop anyone from doing it? It would also let them curry favor with Shi Jingge and mend their relationship. After all, they hadn’t acted very honorably back then.
The process of contacting Shi Jingge, however, was extremely convoluted. But in the end, they managed to get in touch.
They explained the situation to Shi Jingge and received his thanks. It was both a resolution and a relief. They finally felt a sense of weight lifted from their shoulders.
The next day, the Wen family received a firm refusal from every member of the Shi family.
They were completely baffled. The way the Shi family members looked at them was as if they were looking at evil spirits—they wouldn’t even open the door for them!
Being turned away by Shi Jingge was one thing, but for people from a remote planet to dare to shut them out as well?
The Wen family was unusually furious.
But their anger didn’t last more than a few minutes before Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu launched a powerful counterattack against the Wen family!
Some of the Wen family’s private scandals were exposed. And they were exposed one after another. Before one scandal could be cleared up, another would surface!
Naturally, the Wen family didn’t dare stay any longer and hurried back home. Soon, chaos erupted within household.
Shi Jingge was quite amused by this turn of events.
At that moment, the four of them—Shi Jingge, Ye Mingxu, Zhao Jiangcheng, and Lin Yiwen—were gathered together eating hot pot.
Zhao Jiangcheng and Lin Yiwen still couldn’t stand the sight of each other; they refused outright to sit together, instead wedging themselves between the young couple, which earned them a very resentful glare from Ye Mingxu.
Zhao Jiangcheng had initially felt a bit guilty, but seeing Lin Yiwen sitting there haughtily and upright, scooping up slices of meat at lightning speed, his guilt vanished instantly, and he threw himself into the scramble.
“So, did the Wen family really think we wouldn’t do anything?” Shi Jingge asked, incredulous. “Did they really think we’d just put up with their harassment and threats without retaliating? That we’d simply take it?”
“I think,” Zhao Jiangcheng said, speaking up first, “those people are just arrogant. They think that if you dare to ignore them, if you dare to shut them out, it’s like stomping on their faces. That’s the biggest ‘revenge’ you could possibly take against them.”
With that, Zhao Jiangcheng shrugged. “These old-fashioned, insular families have always had the same mindset. They’ve never known how to adapt.”
“Families like the Wens are rotten to the core. You might think they’re thick-headed, but in reality, they’re just arrogant.”
“If you were someone else—say, if you weren’t from some remote planet but came from another prominent family—you couldn’t imagine how much they’d regard you. If you told them to get lost, they’d read a dozen different meanings into it. Do you believe that? If you don’t believe me, ask your teacher.”
Shi Jingge looked at Lin Yiwen, who nodded silently.
“That’s just how the Wen family is. I have no idea how their minds work.”
Shi Jingge nodded in complete agreement.
Indeed, wasn’t that the truth?
Back then, they exiled their own child and even tried to kill him, all because they saw no talent in him. Ye Mingxu was so young at the time. Who else could have done such a thing?
And then, when they later discovered the boy had achieved great success, they actually came seeking him out with such eagerness, acting as if they were doing him a favor. It practically made one want to crack open the man’s skull to see what on earth was growing inside!
Was that something a human being would do?
While the Wen family was in disarray and severely weakened, Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu had launched two new potions. It was only then that the Wen family realized Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu were simply not people they could afford to cross.
But what could they do?
They’d already crossed them and paid the price; all they could do from then on was steer clear of them.
But would simply staying out of their way really work? No one knew.
Later, perhaps spurred on by Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu, Zhao Jiangcheng finally walked down the aisle with his fiancée.
The wedding was a grand affair. It was said that Zhao Jiangcheng had begun planning it years earlier, and every detail of the ceremony symbolized his love for his wife.
Throughout the ceremony, the smile never left Zhao Jiangcheng’s face. This man, who was always calm and serious in front of his students, was grinning foolishly that day, much to the surprise of many of them.
Eventually, it was Xiao Bai who started having problems first.
It had been surgically altered into a two-tailed cat and had also been abused; its body was already frail, so surviving for ten years was a miracle in itself.
In the final days of its life, Xiao Bai refused to stay at the animal hospital. It licked Shi Jingge’s hand, rubbed against Ye Mingxu’s arm, and meowed weakly, begging them to take it home.
“Mrow~”
After seeing the determination in the little cat’s eyes, Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu silently took it home. Ye Mingxu drove, making a point of going very slowly.
The little cat yawned lazily, lying in Shi Jingge’s arms. Noticing Shi Jingge’s somber expression, he struggled to extend his front paw and gently pawed at his chin. Shi Jingge looked down at it, the corners of his eyes slightly red.
“Mew~”
Shi Jingge tugged at the corners of his mouth, as if trying to smile, but couldn’t quite manage it. Instead, he silently rubbed the cat’s head. Xiao Bai tried to stand up, and when Shi Jingge reached out to help, he flicked his tail nub and let out an unhappy meow.
Shi Jingge let go, but still didn’t dare to move too far away. Xiao Bai clung to his shirt and slowly climbed onto his shoulder.
But he simply didn’t have enough strength anymore, and afraid that extending his claws might scratch Shi Jingge, he hesitated, only to slip down. Fortunately, Shi Jingge reached out just in time and gently guided him safely onto his shoulder.
When Xiao Bai was still small and hadn’t fully grown, he loved nothing more than perching on Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu’s shoulders. He could rub against them anytime, anywhere, or rest his head against them. This intimate closeness made Xiao Bai feel very secure.
But later, Xiao Bai grew up. Not only did his body shoot up in stature, but he also weighed over twelve pounds. Since both Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu were on the slender side, their shoulders simply couldn’t accommodate Xiao Bai. When Xiao Bai perched on them, his belly would get squashed, making him very uncomfortable, so he gradually stopped doing so.
Now, with Xiao Bai perched on Shi Jingge’s shoulder like this again, even though his belly might be a bit squished, he no longer felt any particular discomfort. After all, he’d been feeling miserable lately.
Just like when he was little, Xiao Bai nuzzled against Shi Jingge’s neck and stuck out his tongue to lick his chin, like he’d done when he was a fluffy kitten, comforting Shi Jingge.
It was as if he was telling him, ‘I’m not truly gone; I’m just returning to a time when I was much, much smaller. You must keep waiting. Only then will we see the sunlight again together, and be reunited.’
If Xiao Bai hadn’t comforted him like this, Shi Jingge might have been able to hold back, but once Xiao Bai did, Shi Jingge finally couldn’t hold it in anymore. He tilted his head back, his red and swollen eyes glistening, as if tears were about to fall at any moment.
Xiao Bai froze for a moment. He had only meant to comfort him.
Shi Jingge wrapped his arms around Xiao Bai, pulling him into a hug. He buried his face in Xiao Bai’s back. Xiao Bai gently tapped Shi Jingge’s thigh over and over as if that alone could soothe him.
After a long while, Xiao Bai heard Shi Jingge’s muffled voice, “Xiao Bai…”
His voice was hoarse, muffled, and trembling deeply. In that instant, Xiao Bai felt a bitter, sour sensation, something akin to a sense of grievance, well up in its heart.
He felt terrible and he didn’t know why. The physical pain he felt at the hospital couldn’t compare to how he felt right now.
He could only curl up closer in Shi Jingge’s embrace and gently lick away at the palm of his hand.
…Don’t—Don’t be sad.
In the driver’s seat, Ye Mingxu felt his fingers tremble slightly, and the corners of his eyes turned red. He took deep, ragged breaths, as if trying to suppress the emotions surging within him, but he simply couldn’t hold them back. He could only keep his gaze focused on the road, refusing to look at what was happening beside him, but a single tear slid from the corner of his eye and fell onto his leg.
Finally, they arrived home.
Once inside, Xiao Bai seemed to perk up a little. He refused to let Shi Jingge or Ye Mingxu pick him up, instead trotting ahead on his own, meticulously inspecting every corner of the house, leaving no nook or cranny unexamined.
His tail nub remained held high, just as it had been the very first time he walked through the door, though his pace had slowed to a crawl. He briefly laid down in every cat bed, touched every toy, and tasted a little bit of all the food, then slowly made his way up to the bed in the master bedroom.
He took three attempts to get up and steadfastly refused any help from Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu. He curled up between the two pillows on the bed and meowed twice at Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu; the two of them hurriedly climbed into bed and laid down on either side.
“Meow~”
The cat stretched his paw and tapped Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu’s arms. Then the two held hands and placed them in front of Xiao Bai. The cat rested his paw on top of their hands. The three limbs lay together, as if in some kind of solemn promise. Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu’s eyes grew even redder.
Xiao Bai meowed softly, looking weak and listless. His eyes slowly closed, and his breathing grew shallower, but in his final moments, his eyes were still fixed on the couple.
…Take… Take good care of each other…
I’m leaving first…
…But we’ll… we’ll meet again.
Don’t be sad…
They didn’t know how much time had passed.
Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu didn’t dare move a muscle.
Until the final sound of Xiao Bai’s breath ceased completely.
Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu’s stifled, trembling sobs rang out in that dimly lit room with the curtains drawn, a sound that broke hearts.
Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu said their goodbyes to their Xiao Bai first, and later, Shi Jingge had to say goodbye to Ye Mingxu.
Ye Mingxu’s body had inexplicably grown weak; no amount of potions or energy supplements could help. Perhaps it was due to his childhood deep in the mountains, which had left some hidden ailment in his body.
“Xiao Ge.” Ye Mingxu struggled to raise his hand and gently stroked Shi Jingge’s cheek. “I’m sorry.”
Shi Jingge’s lips twitched slightly as he gazed at Ye Mingxu in a lost daze, forcing a smile but it looked even more painful than his tears.
“What do you have to apologize for?”
“When Xiao Bai left, I promised myself I’d make sure I never went before you. I didn’t want you to feel that kind of pain again,” Ye Mingxu said slowly, his voice wavering. “But… I failed. I’m sorry. I promised I wouldn’t leave you; you promised me you wouldn’t leave me either. In the end though, it was me who left you.”
Shi Jingge closed his eyes. “You fool. I’m stronger than you think. You—go join Xiao Bai in another world and wait for me.”
“Okay,” Ye Mingxu seemed to want to smile, but he didn’t have the strength. “Xiao Bai and I can wait a little longer. It’s all right.”
His consciousness was already fading, his voice coming in fits and starts, but the look in his eyes as he gazed at Shi Jingge remained as gentle as ever.
Shi Jingge said softly, “Mm-hmm.”
The hand resting on his temple finally slumped limply. So this must be what it felt like to be the one left behind.
Shi Jingge clasped Ye Mingxu’s hand and closed his eyes.
On that day, the entire Federation was plunged into mourning.
The two foremost pharmacists in the world, Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu, who had made countless contributions to the entire galaxy, departed this world one after the other on that very day.
Several social media platforms turned their backgrounds gray. Countless people spontaneously lit prayer lanterns in their honor. They hoped that in their next lives, the two would find happiness, joy, health, and longevity.
On the day of the funeral, crowds lined the streets and alleys, walking alongside the procession, simply to see them off on their final journey.
Shi Jingge and Ye Mingxu had saved countless lives. They would live on forever in the hearts of those they saved.
System 111 looked up at Shi Jingge floating in the sky and whispered: [Congratulations, Host. The world’s rejection level has dropped to 0.]
[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully completed the mission and earned the world’s recognition.]
Still a rejection level of 0, still that golden glow of merit—and in this world, the glow was even more intense than in the previous two.
If the rejection level weren’t limited to 0, System 111 felt it might even have gone negative.
System 111 was beginning to grasp the crux of the matter: why, before encountering the Host, had no one ever truly reduced the world’s rejection level to 0 and earned that small world’s genuine recognition?
The key must lie in this aura of merit. Why?
Because the aura of merit appeared precisely because the Host had done countless things in that small world—changing the fates of many people and saving countless lives—which is why they earned it.
Once one possesses the golden aura of merit, how could they fail to gain the world’s acceptance? This was what set this host apart from all previous hosts.
Previous hosts would only fulfill tasks related to their original selves; they never truly did anything to change the world or benefit it. That was why lowering the world’s rejection level below fifty was such a difficult feat, which was why System 111 believed it would never drop to zero.
Because no one had ever done it before.
Until Shi Jingge appeared.
This host was truly a very, very good person. So, seeing him sad, System 111 began to feel sad as well.
System 111 originally wanted to bring up the old suggestion, urging the host to seal away those memories, but then it realized that Shi Jingge would never agree.
However, the Host had already experienced three worlds, and carrying the memories of all three was truly a grueling burden. It wanted Shi Jingge to temporarily set these memories aside—even if just once, even if just to find a moment of relief.
So what should be done?
Unless… it found a special world.
System 111 searched and searched, and it actually found one. Moreover, this world was actually quite suitable for its host.
System 111 glanced at the golden glow of merit radiating from Shi Jingge and made up its mind.
【The next world is about to open.】
【However, due to its nature, the Host’s memories will be temporarily sealed. They will be automatically unlocked once the Host completes this world.】
【Likewise, because of this world’s unique nature, the Host will be granted special compensation in the form of a “golden finger,” and the rewards earned upon completing this world will be doubled.】
【Does the Host wish to open this world?】
After a long silence, just as System 111 was about to assume Shi Jingge would refuse, it heard a weary voice:【Go ahead.】
System 111 was delighted:【The “golden finger” will be activated once the Host enters the new world, granting you certain choices. Now, the spatial jump begins.】
——- ——- —— —–
Shi Jingge arrived in a new world.
His memory was a bit hazy; many things were shrouded in a fog, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t recall anything. Thinking about it also gave him headaches.
He wasn’t one to torture himself, though. If he couldn’t remember, so be it. After all, he still remembered all the information about the mission.
Just then, System 111’s voice suddenly rang out:【World Rejection Level: 100.】
【Your mission is to reduce the world’s rejection level toward you to 50 without going OOC.】
【Within this world, the Host may obtain two “golden fingers.” You may request them from the System at any time.】
Shi Jingge nodded and began to absorb the original host’s memories.
This was a Western fantasy world where magic existed. On their sixth birthday, every child had a chance of entering a separate realm. There, they would encounter their companion spirit beast, and the magical power within them would awaken.
The companion’s level determined their innate talent, while its attributes determined their path. For example, if their companion was a Tier 1 Wind-attribute spirit beast, they might eventually become a Tier 1 Wind mage.
But that was effectively their limit. If the child wanted to become a Tier 2 Wind Mage, they’d have to help their companion advance to become a Tier 2 Wind-attribute spirit beast. However, if their companion was already a Tier 2 Wind-attribute spirit beast, did that guarantee the child would become a Tier 2 Wind Mage?
Of course not.
Simply put, their companion determined their threshold. Whether they could reach that limit depended on their own efforts, and once they’ve reached it, they must first help their companion break through their limit.
No one knew precisely where the spirit beast realm lay, nor how it came to them; but everyone understood that a person had only one chance in their lifetime to enter—on the day of their sixth birthday.
If they did not enter then, it meant they were just ordinary, lacking both physical strength and magical power, and unable to learn spells. Therefore, mages who possessed companion beasts were rare. And among them, the most precious were, of course, the Light Mages who possessed companions of the Light attribute.
This was because, alongside spirit beasts, there also existed shadow beasts.
Shadow beasts were beings of darkness; they often possessed terrifying corrosive abilities. Upon death, they turned into a pool of black oil that spread outward, corrupting everything around them, and even assimilating any living creature it corrupted.
While all mages could kill these shadow beasts, they were powerless against the oil they left behind; only Light Mages could purify it.
Furthermore, during combat with shadow beasts, if a mage was struck and bled, they risked being assimilated into a monster that knew neither hunger nor thirst, feared no pain, and possessed neither reason nor thought.
Here too, only Light Mages could restore them to their former selves.
Many years ago, the entire continent joined forces to drive the shadow beasts from this land and seal the terrifying Dark God away forever in the Abyss. Everyone lived peacefully thereafter, but no one noticed that the number of light-elemental spirit beasts was steadily decreasing, and those that did appear were all low-tier.
By the time the previous generation of Light Mages had passed away, everyone realized that not a single high-tier Light spirit beast was left—it was already too late.
Soon after, even mid-tier Light spirit beasts ceased to exist.
The banished shadow beasts, lurking in the distant Deepwood Forest, cast covetous glances their way. It was then when the Order of the Eternal Light emerged, and the person possessing the highest-ranked light-elemental spirit beast became the Holy Son.
He was the most important person on the entire continent and the one most worthy of protection.
Thanks to the efforts of the Order of the Eternal Light and the Holy Son, although shadow beasts continued to appear sporadically, they never managed to mount a significant threat.
That was, until a few decades ago, when the shadow beasts rose in revolution. The Holy Son at that time was powerless to stop them. Although his companion spirit beast was the strongest among third-tier Light-elemental spirit beasts, it was, after all, merely low-tier.
In the end, he, his companion, and many Light Mages along with their companions sacrificed their lives to leave a barrier behind for the continent, buying time for humanity.
They placed all their hopes on the next Holy Son. That was the original owner of Shi Jingge’s body.
Because at that time, at the age of six, he had entered the Spirit Beast Realm. And his companion spirit beast was a Tier 6 Light-elemental spirit beast—a Blessed Spirit Beast.
Spirit beasts from the first to third tiers were considered low-tier; those from the fourth to sixth tiers were mid-tier; and those of the seventh tier and above were high-tier.
The Blessed Spirit Beast was the strongest Light-elemental spirit beast among all mid-tier spirit beasts. So everyone believed that as long as he and the Blessed Spirit Beast were given time to grow, they would inevitably lead the entire continent in driving those despicable shadow beasts off this land!
They went to their deaths filled with hope.
But…
They had placed their hope in the wrong person.
The original host harbored no love for this world, not even the slightest fondness for his own companion spirit beast.
Why?
Because the Blessed Spirit Beast was a sixth-tier Light-elemental spirit beast, yet the original host was still only a first-tier Light Mage!
Over the years, he had tried to advance to the second tier countless times, only to fail just as many times. He blamed the Blessed Spirit Beast for being useless, venting all his anger and resentment to it.
After yet another hopeless attempt to reach the second-tier Light Mage rank, he turned to the Dark God.
The very same Dark God from the legend, the one sealed away in the Abyss.
—————————————
Author’s Note: A new world has begun~
Shio here: So I have taken liberties and chosen to use a few different descriptor words for the next arc. Mostly for balancing purposes etc Light~Dark/Shadow instead of Light~Demonic. This is a personal choice that I feel works better in a western elemental arc. Like most it does seem to lean into the Light=Holy/Healing and Dark= Evil/Corrosive worldviews ( I am only a few chapters ahead of you guys currently so this may change)
Editor: Krone
Proofreader: Choux_choux
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Allshipper On CM Chapter 17