Outside the Giant Stone City, Melvin and his family held a simple funeral for their youngest son, Kishu.

He didn't invite many people, nor did he make a big fuss to publicize it. After all, his youngest son was indeed not a good person, which might evoke memories for some.

Although no one cares about their family matters anymore, past experiences still made him cautiously keep a low profile.

Standing in the snowy ground, Lala lowered her head with a complex expression, burying her nose in her scarf.

Alyssa stood beside her, silently communicating with the tombstone with her eyes closed.

Her parents, elder brother, sister-in-law, and others also stood likewise in front of the tombstone.

It's not only those chosen by spiritual energy who can connect with the deceased.

As long as the missive is from the heart, the words can still be conveyed to the other side, even if they cannot see each other.

The few present could all "see" him, except for one complete outsider.

His name was Meng Jie, originally named Meng Qi, who had been a researcher at the Union Academy of Social Sciences and the principal of Mammoth University, now teaching at Camp 101, and also a friend of Melvin.

He didn't plan to attend the funeral; he only came by for courtesy after coincidentally visiting Giant Stone City at the time.

After praying in front of the youngest son's tombstone for a long time, Melvin folded his hands and looked toward Meng Jie standing beside him, nodding sincerely and saying,

"Thank you."

Meng Jie politely smiled.

"You're welcome... I don't remember doing anything worthy of your thanks, really don't deserve it."

"You're too modest."

Melvin looked at Alyssa standing ahead, his most cherished younger daughter, paused for a moment, then said,

"There are words I've always wanted to say to my youngest daughter, but standing as a failed father, I truly don't know how to start. Thank you for that project matter. It might need an outsider to speak those things. Hopefully, that hero's story can bring her some inspiration."

He didn't want to dampen her enthusiasm, but ultimately, the world is not simply black or white.

She still has much to learn, including staying calm, being cautious...and more.

Meng Jie smiled modestly and spoke gently,

"You misunderstood, I only did it out of academic research purposes."

"Really?" Melvin smiled indifferently, "Then let's just say it's that."

He could feel the kindness from the professor, which slightly changed his impression of the Poluo people.

They are increasingly difficult to sympathize with in the Alliance.

Of course, it's the same elsewhere.

In this era where both Welch and Bugra people can find redemption, making oneself muddy yet indignant and outraged is not easy.

Yet strangely, when they appeared alone, they instead became normal.

Even extraordinarily excellent.

Perhaps, this is part of the unique nature of that land.

"Please don't think too much, I truly only did it for academic purposes...Of course, seeing his shadow in your daughter is indeed true."

Meng Jie slightly nodded, looked at the tombstone in the distance, thought for a long time, and spoke with a conversational tone,

"Perhaps it's inappropriate to mention this matter on such occasions...I researched your history, and the family tree you provided, discovered a peculiar phenomenon."

Melvin raised an eyebrow gently.

"Oh? What did you find?"

Meng Jie raised two index fingers.

"The nobles of Giant Stone City can basically be divided into two types based on the source of power and the ways of acquiring the Black Card, one is attached to 'chips' for new noble, and the other is attached to 'Black Card' for old noble. Your family and Sid's family are just two typical examples, standing at the top of two pyramids respectively."

Melvin smiled faintly as if he heard an interesting joke.

"Giant Stone City has always had only one pyramid and only one king, and that person is Sid. As for my ancestors, they were merely the technical bureaucrats selected by them, or rather their professional butlers."

This butler is hereditary, but not immune to elimination.

Such as the nameless guy replaced by List, who again turned into a civilian.

Even if he cashed in many chips with the Black Card.

"I know, Giant Stone City indeed has only one king as you said, but what I want to compare here is not the weight of chips and the Black Card, but the 'weight' of people."

Melvin's eyes showed a bit of interest.

"Oh?"

Meng Jie nodded slightly, continued in a chatty tone,

"From a purely academic perspective, your family and Sid's family are actually two very vivid control groups. The following words are not meant to offend...Based on the historical documents and data I've reviewed, your family actually lacks true idiots, just makes different choices when facing various problems. Sid, however, is another matter; his family also had their moments of glory, but later generations were each bad in their own ways and foolish in their own distinct manner."

Specific time nodes seem to have occurred after the status of the "Black Card" was confirmed.

Melvin glanced at him, self-deprecatingly smiled.

"...I'm not even sure if you're praising me or criticizing me."

Meng Jie shook his head and directed his gaze towards the rough tombstone, speaking with an apologetic tone,

"Neither, it's merely a pure academic discussion... Perhaps I shouldn't have discussed this with you personally."

Melvin, however, didn't mind too much, while lowering his eyebrows in prayer, casually replied,

"No matter, if my data can provide you comfort, then I've done something meaningful at the end of my life."

"It's more than comforting," Meng Jie smiled looking at the old man, "At the very least, your research data made us see the hope of walking out of the long night—"

"Isn't that just comforting?" Melvin casually replied, "If you count the hope of dawn on the irreversible mistakes made by the devil's descendants, you'll either wait in the long night forever or greet new devils after the old devils die."

He's now seen why these clever people collectively become incredibly foolish.

Meng Jie stared at him, silent for a long time.

Suddenly, for a moment, he seemed to have aged significantly, let down his shoulders wearily.

"Perhaps...but who can say what will happen in the future...what if there's a turning point?"

Melvin glanced at him, thought long and hard, ultimately ended the topic kindly, offering a noncommittal answer.

In such a sorrowful moment, there is no need to add meaningless sadness.

"Perhaps."

Many years later, only future generations can tell them what happened.

…

On the third day after the birth anniversary in the first year of the New Era, Triumph City held a grand wedding.

The groom was the Battlefield Atmosphere Group, and the bride was Penny, daughter of the Centurion Bennott.

Contrary to the expectations of the Old Soldier, upon knowing his daughter was taken away, Bennott did not angrily duel with him; instead, he blessed them both.

Not just Bennott.

Including his friend Coleway, including the Legion Leader of Imperial Guard Rezer, and many others whose names he could not remember, all sent their blessings.

At the end of the wedding, Bennott held his hand, speaking in an unprecedentedly serious and solemn tone,

"...you are a true warrior. Your loyalty, bravery, compassion, kindness, and generosity are impeccable, even recognized by Marshal Julius."

"As Penny's father, I have no more demands of you, just hope that you share all those many beautiful things with my daughter, just as you had shared them selflessly with so many."

"Dad..." Penny's eyes gleamed with emotion.

The Battlefield Atmosphere Group gripped his hand tightly.

"I promise, I will take good care of her."

Relaxing the serious expression, Bennott's face showed a smile, gently nodded.

"It's all up to you now."

Though the words no longer carried any regrets or reluctance, the Old Soldier realized the old man wasn't letting him off the hook so easily.

On the wedding night, he was pulled into drinking several barrels of alcohol, nearly sent off on the spot.

According to Bennott, how could a son-in-law of the Welch Alliance not drink?

But even after saying that, Bennott himself was a drunkard, collapsing onto the Table after just a few drinks.

These civil officials really can't handle it.

The ones who truly drank the Old Soldier under the Table were his good brother, Coleway, and those comrades with whom he had faced life and death together.

The Old Soldier thought they would blame him for deceiving them, but the truth was quite the opposite.

Especially Coleway, who was deceived the most.

Rather than being upset over the concealment of his identity, this guy held his shoulder with a face full of reluctance.

"Safe travels... mate, we'll miss you."

A young man from the Imperial Guard also put his hand on the shoulder of the Battlefield Atmosphere Group.

"Come back and visit often."

A Ten Thousand Leader, probably too drunk, mumbled.

"I should go be an officer with the Alliance too, and then resign once I become a Leader. That way, it's fair."

Another Ten Thousand Leader sitting nearby laughed, saying.

"Impossible, isn't it? The Welch Alliance isn't an Alliance, where would Leaders come from?"

"Really? I heard they were planning on creating one... something about learning from our experience."

"Who cares, starting from a soldier is always possible, right?"

Listening to these rowdy guys, the Battlefield Atmosphere Group felt touched but still put his hand on their shoulders.

"Stop talking nonsense, live well. There won't be many battles to fight in the days ahead."

They all had their families, and lived their own lives in Triumph City.

If he really brought them all to the City of Dawn, he wouldn't know how to settle them down.

"Hahaha, these guys are just drunk joking around. Truly ask them to give up their status and ranks here to start over as recruits elsewhere, and they wouldn't want to."

Coleway laughed heartily, patting the Old Soldier's shoulder forcefully.

The Old Soldier returned a helpless smile, but felt in his heart that the look in their eyes wasn't just joking.

If he really wanted to take Coleway back, he feared he would follow without a second thought.

Not just him.

Many here would do the same.

"Take care, my good brother..."

He raised his glass to clink with Coleway before tilting his head back and drinking it all in one go.

Just as he was about to start another round, a heavy cough sounded from behind them.

"How long do you intend to keep the bride waiting? Or are you planning on holding another ceremony?"

Penny, wearing her bridal gown, stood with her arms crossed, smiling at the back of the Battlefield Atmosphere Group's head.

Realizing they were infringing on a couple's moment, the group of big men at the dining Table felt a little embarrassed and quickly found excuses to slip away.

The crowd scattered from the dining Table, heading to other Tables, leaving only the Battlefield Atmosphere Group and Penny.

Realizing he drank too much, the Battlefield Atmosphere Group awkwardly scratched his head.

"Sorry..."

Hearing the apology, Penny raised her eyebrows with a smile.

"Sorry?"

The Old Soldier instantly understood her glance, knowing she wished to hear something less reserved.

Though a bit embarrassed, faced with her expectant gaze, he could only brace himself.

Before the wedding started, he had heard Penny talk about the customs of the Welch Alliance—

After receiving the blessings of everyone, he had to carry her from the banquet to the bridal room.

A true Warrior would not let his wife's feet touch the ground, or be laughed at by others for a whole year.

That's how it went.

Chugging down the rest of the half glass, the Old Soldier's face as thick as a city wall turned red, and, amidst Penny's little startled cries and giggles, he scooped her up in his arms. Then, to cheers and applause, they vanished from the wedding like a whirlwind.

It was truly like a whirlwind, arriving swiftly and departing just as hastily.

No hesitation.

"That guy... truly is a real Warrior," a civil official who drank too much gestured, "I thought he was hiding something, so he stayed here drinking non-stop."

Another civil official beside him also nodded with difficulty, speaking with admiration.

"Indeed, unlike the old man of her family, I remember he slept till dawn that time."

The customs here were indeed different from other places; this bunch of muscleheads jokingly didn't even consider the honor of the former Leader and current ministers.

Perhaps hearing the murmurs of these jerks in his dreams, Bennott, who was sleeping at the Table, suddenly got angry, hitting the Table with his fist and straightening his old bones.

"Who the hell are you talking about! Stand up... duel!"

The civil officials quickly zipped their lips, coughed, and changed the topic, pretending nothing happened.

Bennott just shouted for a while before being dragged back by Penny's mother by the ear.

"You old fool, you still dare talk about dueling! Aren't you ashamed!"

"You don't understand..." Bennott muttered a few words, perhaps feeling guilty himself, eventually staying quiet.

"Too fast, I didn't even see," a bearded officer rubbed his drunken eyes, muttering, "Did that guy drive a truck into the hall?"

That would be cheating, right?

This silly question quickly got him a side-eye, and the Ten Thousand Leader nearby mocked him.

"Are you drunk, how could a truck be driven into the hall? I clearly saw a motorcycle."

"Pffft—!"

"Ugh!"

"There's no way a motorcycle could be driven in here! I think you're the one who's drunk!"

The symphonic music playing in the hall gradually changed from warm to thrilling.

The couple had already gone to their own world with everyone's blessings, and the rest of the time belonged to the guests present.

They'll eat big chunks of meat, drink heartily until the deep night or even until dawn.

Long ago, they had already received their deserving reward, living a happy life with their families, and now what's remained unfinished is finally complete.

"Cheers to our Pangolin!"

Nobody knows who started the first sentence, soon the entire banquet hall echoed with the same words.

It was their heartfelt blessings to the comrades they once fought alongside—

"To Pangolin!"

"Cheers!!!"

The boiling enthusiasm was like the fiercely burning flames in the hearth, overshadowing even the sunset hanging in the sky.

The night story might be more blissful and endless than anyone had imagined...