CHAPTER 1140: SECTION 705: HOMETOWN (PART 2)

If we say that humans are born into life and dream because after falling asleep, brainwaves wander, then... can a digitized brain also have electronic dreams?

Jason opened his eyes. The airship was slowly descending, and the Eastern city before him felt both familiar and strange.

Mr. Zhang, I remember everything you told me. I have arrived in your homeland and have seen this vibrant land where people are striving to survive... even though they know they are facing catastrophe, no one chooses to give up.

The countdown for the invasion of Chaos is nearing its end. The child of the Outer Domain, with pointy ears, whom you’ve seen, now has his own child.

And this child... as you said, a tender flower can only perish in a greenhouse. His mother’s desire to save him ended up hurting him.

He died, but... as you said, he didn’t really die.

A soul from before your time inhabited that body.

It is a life to be feared, filled with both emotion and detachment, gentle yet cruel. He is a person of contradiction, but there’s one thing that makes Jason rejoice and willing to follow him.

He hates Chaos.

He could have become the Great Demon of Chaos, a champion of terror, or even a higher existence, but he refused time and time again.

It turns out that the agreement between the lady, the gentleman, and Malin’s father was for this reason. It was also for this reason that the King, tainted by Chaos, eventually chose the arduous path like his mentor.

"If the soul occupying that child’s shell is excellent enough, my daughter will undoubtedly fall in love with him... Let him and her child become the future master of Farole’s land."

That was the final will of the King. He loved his kingdom and regretted his own end, but... he showed no sign of remorse.

Jason opens Mr. Zhang’s chats with that young King and recalls his stories.

"Mr. Zhang, you said, eight millennia ago you saw us eight millennia later. What would that feel like?"

"Very happy, even if you forget what Earth Union means, but... you and your ancestors never retreated; you are in pursuit of a better tomorrow, even if we all know that day may never come, and there hasn’t been a successor of Earth Union to appear in a long time."

"No, I believe that day will come. My mentor... all that my mentor did will surely yield a reward, Destiny will surely bring a Legendary figure capable of changing our descendants’ fate to us... Mr. Zhang, if you could, can you guide him? The Chaos corruption within me is about to reach its limit, and I can’t even guide my daughter anymore... Please."

"...No problem, leave it to me."

That was a conversation from many years ago, before Mr. Malin came into this world, when his loved ones were either young or yet to be born.

The last conversation between two dying men.

After that, the King chose to take his own life, disguising his death as an accident not very cleverly because everyone knew the King of this land was young... Yet, no one knew that the young king of this land was already nearing the end of his life, and Chaos corruption had nearly subdued his very soul.

Thus, he chose to drink the poisoned Holy Water No. 3... igniting his own soul.

It seemed like an accident but couldn’t withstand scrutiny and investigation afterward, so his daughter was raised by the most loyal family. The Noble factions guessed each other, too afraid to voice their suspicions, because... How could a young king have committed suicide?

After that, Mr. Zhang waited until Mr. Malin arrived. He welcomed him and, in the last two minutes of his life, tried to guide Mr. Malin.

·Unfortunately, both he and I were wrong, Jason. This is a soul as firm as iron, possessing the most resilient will. He... may indeed be a Savior, or perhaps, he will be a Gravedigger.

In the last moment of his life, Mr. Zhang left a message for Jason.

Protect Malin, help him, understand him, guide him. We need a Savior, and there are already enough Gravediggers for this world. Do not let him become that kind of person.

Jason always felt he did well; Mr. Malin became a Lord and then a Legend. His name was known throughout Westland, and his feats were spread wide. The children taught by that child’s father all chose to marry their offspring to him. Maybe there were personal motives, maybe a desire to steal the genes passed down by the mentor.

But what does it matter? That was Malin, those were Malin’s children, his soul bonded with his body, inseparable forever.

Sometimes, Jason even thought, the human who left their brain for his use, Jason, who was born from their brain’s consciousness, maybe that’s why he felt Mr. Malin... very familiar.

Because everyone is the same, just residual fire born from death, futilely passing the flame of civilization in this world about to be quenched by Chaos. Sometimes, Jason wonders, maybe this world will eventually perish; though Mr. Malin tries his hardest, he may never save this world... Maybe, he came into this world just because of some people’s overly high expectations.