Chapter 749: Chapter 16 Desire Beast_3

That would be the content of the next play? Is that the story Situ Yi really wanted to act in? Not the hackneyed mythology of the Heavenly Wheel, but the history of this island…

But Gongsun Ce didn’t ask further. He watched Kerky walk away, silent. He no longer wanted to understand these stories that had nothing to do with him. He no longer wanted to think about these absurd things. He was now very hungry and he needed to leave the troupe quickly to fill his stomach.

“Sir.”

At that moment, a voice called out from beside him. Philis hadn’t left, standing by his side. The boy put down the wooden box and, imitating the gentlemen and lords he had seen, awkwardly bowed.

“Thank you, sir.”

Gongsun Ce smiled, “Was the leather bag really a gift from him?”

“It’s true,” Philis said, “but there was no money in the bag, the fifty pounds I stole from a guest.”

Gongsun Ce covered his forehead, shrugging his shoulders. He suddenly wanted to laugh. He found it all absurdly funny, yet felt as if everyone were fools.

He took out his wallet, left his own identification inside, and handed the entire wallet to Philis.

“This place is unlucky, find a new job somewhere else.”

The boy’s eyes were filled with disbelief. Gongsun Ce couldn’t help but break into loud laughter, like a happy clown. Laughing, he passed by tent after tent, making his way to the entrance of the troupe.

Situ Yi, in white robes and a tall hat, stood at the entrance, like a ghost under the daylight, equally laughing merrily.

“The powerful and high-ranking wield their swords at the poor; those who only wish to survive, their desires awakened by wealth; those clad in police uniforms, blind to the glory of justice; those who seem innocent, also bear their own sins; the noble knights in everyone’s hearts, committing evil for their desires, despised by the people; the Daoist Master, scorned by all, turns out to be the true knight of justice!”

“How much did you intervene?” Gongsun Ce asked.

“Speak the truth to me, and I’ll tell no lies. Everything happened naturally, everything fell into place, I was merely watching the play, I never acted!” Situ Yi laughed loudly, “Is it the lament of a few? Is it the tragedy of millions? As the curtain falls on the play, the audience finds their own answers!”

Situ Yi walked past him, heading towards the troupe alone. Gongsun Ce’s smile gradually faded from his face, like an actor removing his mask, ceasing to laugh. He walked alone on the streets of the East District, listening to the children around him laughing and playing, discussing how good the play was, saying someone had died in the tent. The children discussed in a babble, some saying it was a noble lord who had died, others said it was the old craftsman who had perished.

He walked silently for a while, reached the white car, and got in. Alandia was still there, as if she had never moved. He took off his hat and threw it in the back seat.

“Would you like to have lunch, Mr. Gongsun?”

“I’m not hungry.”

The white car started, they made a U-turn, heading towards the Inner City District. On the way, Gongsun Ce saw the long lines again, this time clearly seeing that those in line were all parents or elderly people with children.

“What are those lines for?”

“Regular Superpower testing,” Alandia said, “The population density in the East District is too high, and the officials don’t have enough manpower to provide door-to-door service, so they have to ask the residents to cooperate voluntarily.”

The adults still in line mostly had worried looks on their faces, while a family of three who had just finished queuing passed by, the parents wearing a relieved smile on their faces.

Gongsun Ce watched this scene silently, the car passing by line after line, until they crossed the river and returned to the Inner City.

“—Damn it!”

This time, Alandia didn’t remind him to watch his manners.