Chapter 344 - Three Hundred Forty-One:

Chapter 344: Chapter Three Hundred Forty-One: "If Daylight Never Comes"No... I have no intention of slaughtering the residents of Pulaya to extinction."

Su Ming’an looked down at Aelas below, "It’s just that I need to protect Gerald, nothing more. It seems that you, the leader of the Soul Hunter Faction, are unwilling to release someone, so I have no choice but to turn against you."

For Su Ming’an, the Soul Hunter Faction was just a more convenient means to kill members of the Soul Clan.

If it hindered him from completing an S-grade mission, then changing to a different faction was also an option.

Right now, all conditions were perfect, something that would be impossible under normal circumstances.

First of all, under ordinary conditions, Archilev and Sevya would never ally, only Su Rin could summon them together.

Secondly, it was rare for the leader of the Soul Hunters to come alone to such an isolated place at dead of night.

Furthermore, Boris’s sacrifice strategy had drawn away the other knights and believers. Without these spies around, Su Ming’an could easily take control of Aelas.

Su Ming’an took a step forward, looking down at the Soul Hunter leader below.

"Put out the flames on Sherrod’s body," he said.

Aelas let out a bitter laugh and opened his palm, the flames on Sherrod’s body disappeared in an instant.

The screams stopped, and Sherrod collapsed on the ground, falling unconscious.

The church was silent.

Su Ming’an glanced around.

An empty church, an unconscious Soul Hunter, and the isolated and unsupported leader of the Soul Hunters, Aelas.

Apart from Sherrod, no one would know why Aelas died.

Just as he was about to give the order to kill the other party, Sevya spoke up:

"Father, Aelas can’t die for now."

"Why?" Su Ming’an turned his head.

"In Pulaya, there is a secret known only to those of us in the ruling class. That is... the ’equivalent’ principle I once told you about," Sevya said, "Strangely, over the past few decades, whenever the Soul Clan or the Soul Hunter Faction faced a major crisis, the other side would also inexplicably face a crisis. Or, to say, if one side suffered a loss, there would soon be some form of compensation... This has caused us to remain in a stalemate, with neither side able to get the better of the other."

"So, if you kill Aelas, it’s possible that a new, stronger leader will quickly emerge on the side of the Soul Hunters," Sevya went on, "Therefore, I think it’s better to spare Aelas’s life rather than have him die. To avoid any uncontrollable situations arising."

Listening to him, Su Ming’an fell into thought.

He wasn’t hesitating over whether to kill Aelas, but the "equivalent" principle mentioned by Sevya reminded him of something very interesting.

The more he thought about it, the more he began to realize something.

"Plus, father, there’s something I must remind you of," Sevya looked at the old lady beside him, "This... human woman, is a failed product of the human body experiments conducted by Cloud Church. Even as a failure, she still made an agreement with the Pope under the witness of the Cloud City God. If you decide to protect her, it would be as if you’re challenging the dignity of Cloud Church, and you could possibly face the wrath of a god..."

"Can that god descend upon Pulaya?" Su Ming’an asked.

"There hasn’t been a precedent so far," Sevya replied, "But I’ve heard that the Pope has a spell for communicating with the god. Furthermore, if your ultimate decision is to go to Yun Shang City, you must not offend that god..."

Su Ming’an had also thought of this.

That was precisely why he did not dare to be too excessive, to the point of wiping out all of Pulaya.

That god of Yun Shang City... to say that He is kind and merciful is one thing, but He definitely belongs to the lawful camp.

Otherwise, He wouldn’t have descended a Defense Barrier decades ago and blessed the Soul Hunters, maintaining the stability of Pulaya.

If Su Ming’an were to truly ally with the Soul Clan and wipe out all the Soul Hunters, who knows what kind of sinister end the game mechanism would inflict on him.

He was increasingly understanding the progress of the World’s game instances.

He frowned and sank into thought.

But just then, an aged voice slowly came through:

"...Never mind, young man."

Su Ming’an turned his head.

On the side, an elderly lady with white hair was watching him.

"There’s no need to go to such lengths for me," she said softly. "Though I don’t know why you can command the Soul Clan’s leader, you’re a good lad in my eyes. You deserve a bright future. Why should you give up everything your grandfather has built for an old thing like me?"

"Su Rin wouldn’t care about such fame," Su Ming’an said.

The old lady cracked a smile.

Her teeth were neat and starkly white, not at all like those of an elderly person about to lose them.

That reminded Su Ming’an of the first time he had met her.

Back then, when she smiled, it was with a set of neat teeth, just like those of someone in their prime.

...Perhaps from that moment on, there had already been signs indicating she was no ordinary human.

She smiled, her steps shaky as she approached him and took his hand.

"Maybe your grandfather doesn’t mind," she continued. "But what about Sherrod? He’s an exceptionally good Knight of Light; what has he done wrong?"

Su Ming’an understood this point.

If Aelas died here, the Sherrod who was with him would undoubtedly be under suspicion.

"Sherrod... I’ve watched him grow up, he’s a good kid," she said, with her emaciated hand full of vein-like worms covering Su Ming’an’s hand.

Under the dazzling golden light, the old woman looked gaunt and haggard.

Her voice remained kind and gentle, like a babbling brook, as if it had never changed:

"Sherrod, he has been clamoring since he was a child, saying he wanted to be a Church Knight.

"I’ve watched him train, watched him study, watched him get up early in the morning to run and swim, watched him grow taller... He has no parents, the Church is his family, he’s taken pride in being a Knight his whole life, regarding honor as his life...

If not for tonight’s event, he should have been up for an honor evaluation at the Royal City after the Maritime Banquet was over, he might have even been promoted to an Honorary Knight of the Royal City... That’s been his life’s goal.

He made one mistake this evening, and I made one with him. Now, for the sake of your futures, I cannot make another..."

"What’s wrong with fighting for one’s own survival?" Su Ming’an responded to her.

The old lady’s brows and eyes curled up.

She smiled contentedly, as if she had seen an exceptionally fine child.

"But it’s no longer necessary, child," she said. "You don’t need to exhaust your prospects for someone whose life has reached its end."

...Life reaching its end?

Su Ming’an paused for a moment.

Then, he looked down at Aelas on the ground.

"Su Rin," Aelas said, looking at him steadily, "why do you think we use the word ’recycle’ for her?"

...Recycle.

It’s only for items that have reached the end of their usage period and can’t be used anymore that the word "recycle" is used.

And for a life...

Su Ming’an looked at the elderly woman in front of him, old and frail as if she were made of paper.

"I should have died a long time ago; I’m well aware of my illness," she said.

"It’s just that, I thought I had to wait for my old man to come back... before I voluntarily took part in this experiment.

"All the other subjects were strong and healthy prisoners... but they all died, and only I, a frail failure, lived on. Although I didn’t gain the Strength of the Soul Clan... it was enough to extend my life."

But now, the life that has been barely clinging on must also come to an end.

Just yesterday, the old man sent word, telling me there’s no need to wait for him anymore.

We had agreed before that if his time came and he couldn’t descend, then he would let me know. It seems now... he’s probably already waiting for me over there.

I see that Lele has grown up, and I’ve aged, unable to work or see the needle clearly, Jiajia’s illness also requires resources from the Soul Hunt. Instead of letting me continue to live and suffer with my family, and have the Soul Hunt be wary of me... it’s better to let me go, so I can go see that old man in heaven..."

She looked up, her cloudy eyes shimmering with a silk-like luster:

"In this lifetime... I’ve seen the prosperity of Pulaya, I’ve watched over the years, Jiajia and Lele have grown up, I have no regrets. Su Rin’s child, you’re a good lad, so is Sherrod. Don’t trouble yourselves over me, do what you must do.

...When one gets old, the time to depart comes, and that’s about it."

"There’s no such thing as a time to go or not to go," Su Ming’an said. "Nobody is supposed to die at a certain age."

Gerald reminded him of his grandmother who had passed away when he was four.

Back then, his grandmother was also holding his hand, lying on the sickbed, speaking to him in a low voice.

She told him to be obedient, to be good, to bear with his mother, saying that his mother was just upset about things outside, and it would be fine after some patience. Without her to protect him, and his father being away all year long, he should try to stay in his own room as much as possible.

He remembered, enduring it, bearing with that woman, until he couldn’t stand it anymore.

...But before he turned four years old, the way his grandmother protected him, gave him candy, told him to go to his room, he remembered it all the time.

In front of him, Gerald, her face marked with old age spots, was speaking softly to him.

In his pocket, there was still a bag of unfinished sticky rice candy.

"Do you still remember what I told you, child?" she said softly, "In this life, it’s not necessary to pursue something, just to look back on this life without shame.

During one’s lifetime, one gets answers to their questions about themselves.

My answer has already come, he told me there’s no need to wait anymore.

What about you... have you found your answer, Sherrod’s answer?"

Su Ming’an slowly started to remember.

Back then, why did Gerald insist on chatting with him even after the departure time she had agreed with Sherrod?

The answer was simple.

No one forced her to keep him engaged in conversation.

...It was simply because she didn’t want to go herself.

He recalled what she had said before.

He had already understood.

Early on, when he saw the wandering Knights of Light, when he saw Su Ming’an, she had already prepared.

Knowing that he wanted to become Soul Hunt, she specifically said these words, told him to consider carefully, to be mentally prepared.

Thus, so he wouldn’t be overly emotional when he learned of her death later and do something rash.

...Even for a stranger who had just returned, she could be this tender.

The old lady was such a gentle person.

She clearly hadn’t done anything wrong.

"...You chose to come back on your own, didn’t you?" Su Ming’an looked at her.

In response to his gaze, Gerald slowly nodded.

No one forced her.

There were no Soul Hunters on the ship forcing her to come down. Because her son was a sacrificed Soul Hunter, even if she chose to escape, the Soul Hunters would probably turn a blind eye for the sake of her son, reluctantly accepting it.

...She came voluntarily after considering Sherrod’s future, thinking of what he would have to sacrifice to send her away.

Perhaps she once promised Sherrod to go on the ship, to live on no matter if it meant leaving her roots, she was determined to survive.

But upon receiving that letter unexpectedly, she didn’t wait anymore.

...She couldn’t wait any longer.

...She came back on her own.

"Take me back," she said. "From my chest, take out the mutated Heart of the Soul Clan, gift it to the Pope, there won’t be a stain on Sherrod’s record. Hopefully, Lele and Jiajia won’t be burdened by me. They still have a future, they shouldn’t be forced to leave Pulaya and wander the seas...

Su Rin’s child... you’re a good lad, the Deity won’t blame you.

Please fulfill my wish."

After saying these words.

She clutched the photo in her hand and bowed her head.

She kissed the blurred face of the man in the Soul Hunter uniform.

Silver hair fluttered by her face, like frost formed from an overnight snow, brushing across her brown-spotted cheeks. At the moment of closing her eyes, her face softened with tenderness, like a young girl who had just fallen in love.

The weight of her kiss was incredibly light.

Like snowmelt from a mountain, morning dew rolling down, a dragonfly touching water, like a Believer kissing the holy scripture.

Moments later, she raised her eyes and her lips slowly separated from the photo.

Years sedimented in her eyes, locking in the long passage of time.

In those eyes rimmed with white, there was now a watery brightness, as clear and bright as the sky meeting the sea.

Beneath her eyes, a pair of dark bags looked as if brimming with long-held back tears.

...This was for her, the "best possible" happy ending.

If daylight had not appeared,

she should have been used to enduring and waiting.