CHAPTER 1036: CHAPTER 1033: WILD GEESE RETURNING OVER THE VAST SEA

Under the blue full moon, flames danced in the pure white Holy City, where blood intertwined, the brilliant red and silent blue converged.

Explosive lights resounded in the night, illuminating the earth.

The scent of burning yellow paper, the clash of sword and blade, the flow of medieval magic... Knights of the Holy City clad in armor, clergy in white robes, modern technology-equipped special forces, ancient generals protected by talismans, long-haired, flowing swordsmen... For a moment, it was hard to distinguish which era this war belonged to, as if different epochs had fractured here.

Noel sat atop the highest bell tower of the Holy City. A white dove rested in his palm, and the blue rose ribbon adorned on his top hat fluttered in the wind, brushing past his deep blue eyes.

Beneath the bell tower lay a battlefield stretching beyond the horizon. The spark that ignited this war was the "Immortal’s Talisman - Expansion" that Su Ming’an had the black cat deliver.

He said — starting from the Holy City, burn this talisman to gather the special medicine in the sky, and it will brew a rain that will awaken history, covering the entire world.

The bewilderment in people’s eyes will be cleared, and they will — gradually remember that era of flowers and freedom, the nightingales that perished in the steel jungle — they once belonged to the vibrant forest of the past.

[Decades ago, a beautiful bird inhabited the world.]

Noel stroked the feathers of the white dove, overlooking the war.

"Woo—"

The night was silent, the horn sounded.

Led by the Human Self-Rescue Alliance, the red-haired vice alliance hierarch Zhai Zichong was at the forefront, followed closely by Xin Yue and Commander Li. The duke Christina of the Ahsente Kingdom led the troops in the rear. Li Yuxuan and Shangqing infiltrated underground, responsible for the subterranean battlefield.

"Will the deities really not come back?" Yamada Machiichi pressed his earpiece, shouting amidst the overwhelming sound of artillery fire. His entire body was covered in armor, acquired through points in the Ruined World to exchange for the Spirit Cat mecha.

"No! Su Ming’an said they won’t! Trust him!!" came Isabella’s nearly desperate voice from the other side of the earpiece. The battlefield was so noisy, it was almost hard to hear clearly.

"Lu! Can we ascend? We need to get both the special medicine and the Immortal’s Talisman in the air, then activate the rain expansion device, and only then—" Alger’s voice said.

"Escort them—" Lu’s voice was also muddled and unclear.

The blue moonlight caressed the Holy City with compassion, the knights and priests of the Steam Age — and countless Holy Alliance Army, firmly holding the line. The faces of the knights were covered under iron armor, cold and resolute.

[—This land beneath our feet, before being reduced to steel and concrete, was their ancestral home for generations.]

Members of the Dream Patrol Family, Yi Zhongyu, Bu Xiuwei, Qiu Gui, Yang Qiulu, and Mu Tianrui were enveloped in the light of talismans, they were the vanguards of the battlefield.

[—They chirped, sang, and even when hunted, they sang with hoarse throats.]

Xiao Ying led the people of the Old Day Church here; although people did not welcome them, they were indeed a formidable support force.

Next was the vast group of players — surprisingly, the players were the most enthusiastic in this war. Lu’s organizational abilities were indeed powerful. Leading players Eli, Agnes, and Boris’s Lighthouse Church brought a formidable group of NPCs along.

[Until—They were hunted to extinction. We became the last "nightingales." When everyone else is unable to sing, our throats still voiced.]

The army from Louyue Nation. Commanded by General Yi, led by the esteemed swordsman, they had but one reason to join the battle — to fight for the Eldest Prince.

Mo Yan, along with members of the Ancient Martial Families, was responsible for protecting the flanks.

Finally, from the Huo Muli’er Nation, Hei Que held the Sword of Destiny. Although he hadn’t met Su Ming’an this cycle, upon hearing people were charging into the Holy City, he came as well.

Back when Su Ming’an was investigating the Ark Project, Noel and Yamada Machiichi, amongst others, were acting silently. They didn’t shine during the Tower period because they were biding their time, pulling strings among major forces.

When Su Ming’an declared the divine war on the sixth night, they were already prepared to start the war at any moment.

"Su Ming’an stands alone at the front, dangerously confronting the deities directly. We can’t just wave glow sticks." This was what Yamada Machiichi said on the sixth day.

"We give up the First Tower, the Second Tower. Use this time to contact factions willing to support the Old Gods." This was what Isabella said on the sixth day.

Though Su Ming’an seemed solitary, in truth, he left his presence in every faction.

The Human Self-Rescue Alliance had the title of Fire Transmitter Tang and people already defiant towards the deities. The City Guardian Department had the Li Yuxuan family, determined to retrieve history, and Su Shize’s subordinates, Fire Transmitters. The Old Day Church had Xiao Jingsan and Xiao Ying, as well as Xia Jiawen. Even the Holy Alliance Army and Church had the Goddess Alice and Knight Wendell, and even Alger mixed among them.

The Central Research Institute had Lin Yunting and Isabella. The Mercenary Alliance had Yuanyuan. The Ancient Martial Families had Yi Zhongyu and Mo Yan. Then there was Blanche of Ahsente, Hei Que of Huo Muli’er Nation, the diplomat Lu of the Ni Yi Democratic League, Boris’s Lighthouse Church... Even the scattered players around the world each had backing forces.

Su Ming’an’s investigations were not in vain. The progress of the Dream Patrol, the Ark Project, the story of the Fire Transmitters, the Old Gods’ mythology... had long provided him with a solid foundation to start the war. This was why Chao Yan believed — this truly was the best cycle.

When Mizushima Kawa Sora’s blade pointed at Su Ming’an the instant.

—People’s artillery fire surged towards the Holy City.

Noel sat on the bell tower, watching the chaotic war — it was indeed chaotic. The steam age’s swords and magic, Louyue Nation’s magical treasures, modern tanks and bullets, all mixed together.

The battle neared a white heat, yet he still did not act.

In these days, it was he who led the various factions, one could say the achievements all converged to him. Yet at this moment, he felt confused.

"Am I... me?" He couldn’t confirm this answer.

He looked at his ten fingers, puppet threads moved like arms commanding fingers, as if he had used them countless times. However, he couldn’t confirm whether he truly was himself, or rather... Noel.

Golden hair, blue eyes, elegant demeanor with a blue rose, wisdom and a good reputation... these constituted Noel’s traits. Yet, when he approached the black cat earlier, the black cat retreated warily.

...As if Su Ming’an had instructed the black cat in advance to be cautious of Noel.

As if Su Ming’an believed, this Noel was not Noel.

"..."

Noel silently watched the white dove soar high, as a moon-white light rose in the sky — three angels descended with judgment, obstructing people’s steps.

"—The coordinates are locked in the sky. A person or a team is needed to escort the special medicine and Immortal’s Talisman up." sounded people’s voices in the earpiece.

"—Can’t remote methods be used?"

"—No. It’s too volatile, needing a strong escort to ensure it isn’t intercepted. Moreover, the rain needs some time, and if the Immortal’s Talisman is taken by the enemy midway, the rain will immediately stop."

"—Hei Que, the leader from Huo Muli’er Nation, has provided us with bombs, said to be a long-prepared destructive weapon. Once ignited, most of the Holy City would be engulfed in flames."

"—In that case, just need to deliver the special medicine, then ignite the bomb, and the Immortal’s Talisman won’t easily be taken short-term." Isabella’s calm voice resounded.

"—This requires sacrifice. Executing this plan means the one escorting the Immortal’s Talisman up will also be blown up."

"—Every second involves sacrifice, it is inevitable, we can only make haste."

"—I can pilot the Spirit Cat to go up." Yamada Machiichi’s voice was calm: "The Spirit Cat has the ability to ascend, and I personally should have enough combat power. There’s no other choice, you help me hold off the angels."

"—Yamada Machiichi, don’t go, the Peak Alliance can’t lose you." Isabella’s voice.

The earpiece buzzed with noise. Noel suddenly chuckled softly and leaped from the bell tower.

Yamada Machiichi was holding a bomb, preparing to drive the Spirit Cat into the air. His hair was disheveled, and his body was covered with burn marks.

"Let me." Noel supported him: "Your combat power isn’t enough."

In this all-or-nothing plan, the higher the escort’s combat power, the better.

He ignored Yamada Machiichi’s plea, pushing him aside and almost self-destructively sat inside. At that moment, he realized he probably wasn’t the real Noel, as the real Noel wouldn’t act so impulsively. Then what was he?

On the first night, he descended gracefully in the Flowing Fairy Skirt, inviting his best friend in memory for an adventure. He had once killed a fake Yamada Machiichi in the Experimental City of the First Tower.

—At that time, he saw that Yamada Machiichi was fake, he was happy, and thought himself smart. But he hadn’t realized, he too could be fake. He never expected that his words could also be pre-constructed by deities.

"Noel, you can’t go. If you die, the points with such high weight..." Yamada Machiichi was full of confusion.

And Noel stretched out his hand, across the glass screen of the Spirit Cat, touching Yamada Machiichi’s nose tip.

He squinted his eyes, with deep sea-like eyes forming a line.

"Fake. It’s all fake." Noel laughed: "Appearance can be disguised, voice can be adjusted, memory can be implanted, strength can be embedded, you all—maybe you’re all fake. You selflessly help Su Ming’an—but what’s driving you isn’t your real emotions, but implanted passion and love. Maybe none of us... is real."

"What are you talking about?" Yamada Machiichi knew his intelligence difference with Noel was significant. But he truly didn’t understand these words.

Noel just waved his hand.

"If I die and no equipment drops, then I’ll know who I am." Noel smirked: "The enthusiastic, fearless, passionately curious adventurer, such a character setting—dying to live only to understand the answer to a question. Yamada Machiichi, tell me—would the real Noel do this? Do I momentarily possess freedom?"

Yamada Machiichi gazed at him blankly.

At that instant, the Spirit Cat launched.

Facing the recorder, Noel slowly raised his hand, making an "ok" gesture. At the same time, he blinked his right eye and slowly smiled.

In his memory, this meant—[No need to save me].

Even if the Spirit Cat gets destroyed, the recorded images would remain for Su Ming’an to see.

Was it a signal?

Perhaps.

Maybe it was just a result observed by the deity, or maybe this signal had another meaning, but he was likely not Noel, so he wasn’t sure.

He gazed out the window, the blue moon was silent, the flames shot straight into the sky. The Milky Way watched over him, moonlight caressed his full head of golden hair, the scenery outside the glass particularly gentle.

He touched the puppet threads in his hand. He had long known the answer to the question. It was just that the emotions ingrained in his heart told him—don’t act as this "Noel" anymore.

You will leave him confused, you will make him doubt, you will make him unable to trust even the encoded messages.

He was the last nightingale, but you were not, you were the trap crafted by the deities... silencing the nightingale completely.

Free and proud flying birds, even as counterfeit products, ought not to accept being subject to others.

When the Spirit Cat ascended to the top, all the noise disappeared.

Noel hugged the bomb tighter in his arms before the recorder.

"I remembered a memory, that feeling has become very vague. After all, it’s an implanted memory, not something I’ve experienced personally." Noel spoke lightly:

"In the memory, someone much like me once said, he would never die for the greater good because he is a flying bird."

"I am also a flying bird, Su Ming’an. Even if I don’t know who I was before becoming ’Noel,’ the memories in my mind of being with you tell me, flying birds belong in the sky."

"I tell you with my death—I may not be the real Noel. Please remember—others might also not be themselves, even if they don’t know this."

"Though the probability is infinitely low, if you discover that I truly am the real Noel... you can revert and save me. But if I’m not the real Noel..."

Flames burned in his hand.

"Just remember, there was a flying bird, who died in the sky."

The red-rimmed eyes shed tears, the golden-haired youth at the cold recorder laughed alone.

"...For it also forgot its name, age, appearance, family, and[history]."

When the first firelight burst on the Spirit Cat, the first drop of rain fell from the sky.

The flying bird to its dying breath yearned for the forest once described by the Old God’s mouth.

Imagining stepping into the sunlight-dappled forest, green leaves hanging low, flowers blooming, traversing mountains and streams, lifting one’s head to see springtime peach blossoms landing on one’s shoulders.

The brilliant fire exploded, pieces of iron crashing to the ground, the Spirit Cat shattered into fragments.

"Swish swish swish—"

Raindrops fell a second time, a third time, a fourth time.

The iron pieces smashed down a second piece, a third piece, a fourth piece.

In the end, the Spirit Cat completely vanished in the flames.

Raindrops connected into lines, lines compressed into a thick rain surface, then with a loud "wham—" a torrential downpour fell from the sky, covering the entire land.

Su Ming’an looked up. The last thread of moonlight lingered on his forehead, then softly slipped and fell.

Rain drenched him entirely at that moment.

Blood and water slowly flowed into the earth along the Black Blade piercing his heart, like the return flow of the vast sea.