Chapter 412: Fall

Chapter 412: The Fall

The Divine Kingdom was falling.

At first, it was a gentle tremor, as if the cold had caused an involuntary shiver, then it began to press down inch by inch. Every drop of moisture in the air gathered, and the faint mist coalesced into a force as vast as a river or sea.

The refugees from the Divine Kingdom that day had mixed feelings; they felt extremely dry at one moment and abnormally damp the next.

Liao Xianglin was just one among the many fleeing the Divine Kingdom. Her home was remote, and with rumors spreading recently, many nobles had already fled. Some realized the Divine Kingdom was no longer safe when Zhu Ning attacked, preferring to seek refuge in distant areas.

Liao Xianglin did not come from a prestigious family, so no one informed her to leave. She followed the crowd, only thinking of seeking shelter when the ground beneath her feet began to shake.

That day, the servants of the Divine Kingdom seemed to have conspired to betray their masters, fleeing in chaos and disarray, like infants suddenly deprived of their guardians.

Trampling incidents, chaotic injuries, and servants taking the opportunity to kill their masters for revenge, releasing years of pent-up hatred.

Chaos, nothing but chaos.

But Liao Xianglin stopped fleeing, staring blankly in a certain direction.

"Hey! What are you doing!" Her cousin grabbed her arm, and only then did Liao Xianglin realize she was heading towards the Lu family, the opposite direction of the shelters.

The anomaly came from the Lu family. The classical Lu family manor, with its highest roof adorned with a spire, saw servants scattering like insects from under a flipped stone. The spire of the Lu family, brittle like chocolate, snapped easily.

"I..." Liao Xianglin couldn't articulate whether it was some form of mental contamination or instinct. She suddenly thought of Lu Yuan, Liu Yu's daughter, who should still be at the Lu family estate.

The Lu family was the first to collapse. Was she hurt?

Liao Xianglin thought of a face similar to Liu Yu's, of their meetings in the studio, of their smiles, of their shared talent for painting, which exuded a unique madness.

For some reason, the deceased Liu Yu seemed to come alive, repeatedly reminding Liao Xianglin of trivial details of daily life.

Now these details converged, shouting, reminding Liao Xianglin that Liu Yu had once been a living person.

Liu Yu had truly lived, leaving behind a daughter.

"I... I'm going to find someone," Liao Xianglin said.

Her cousin thought she had lost her mind, shouting, "That's the Lu family!"

Her words spoke volumes; everyone knew what the Lu family meant. She might have been saying that whatever happened, it was none of their business.

Or perhaps, something had happened, but it was the predetermined fate of the Lu family women.

Compared to the Lu family, what were you? You didn't even have the right to attend the funeral.

As they struggled, another boom echoed from afar, signaling another collapse, like a drumbeat urging Liao Xianglin on.

Everyone was insignificant before this force, especially frail natural humans.

In such extreme circumstances, it was unwise to daze off. Liao Xianglin suddenly became resolute, perhaps realizing what she needed to do, finally making up her mind.

"I'll just take a look," she said dismissively, moving against the flow of people.

Her cousin tried to hold her back, but Liao Xianglin slipped away like a fish, quickly swallowed by the chaotic crowd, leaving her cousin pushed aside by the angry mob.

Liao Xianglin found it difficult to move forward, pushing through layers of people. As she ran, everything around her was collapsing, and some people were already dead.

She was running against death, yet her steps grew firmer, step by step.

Liao Xianglin's mind became simpler, as if she had become young again overnight. She remembered how Liu Yu used to pull her along, running without any destination.

Running was a luxury for Liu Yu, as noble etiquette forbade such impolite behavior. Only at her own home could she catch her breath, finally escaping those decaying rules. Sometimes, they would run just for the sake of it.

Liu Yu's stamina far exceeded Liao Xianglin's. When Liao Xianglin couldn't keep up, Liu Yu would turn back to pull her along.

Now, Liu Yu's hand seemed to still be pulling her, helping her push through the dense crowd, even if it was just one more meter.

Liao Xianglin's clean dress became dirty, and she had long lost her shoes, but her steps never faltered. She hadn't considered the exact meaning of her actions—was she going to save Lu Yuan?

If Lu Yuan was already dead, she would be walking to her own death.

If this was caused by Lu Yuan... Liao Xianglin pondered this possibility. She was Liu Yu's friend, and even without explicit words, she could guess what Liu Yu represented, despite her own avoidance.

As she ran, the answer came to her. She wasn't going to save Liu Yu's daughter; she wanted to witness.

When Liu Yu died, the Lu family wouldn't let her attend the funeral, so she saw nothing.

What about now? Regardless of the outcome, even if it meant her own foolish death, Liao Xianglin wanted to witness it, to see the world with her own eyes, not through others' accounts.

Fewer people were around, as they were farther from the shelters and closer to the Lu family.

Everyone sought safety, and this was the source of danger.

Liao Xianglin saw the glass windows of the Lu family estate shatter, bricks peeling off. She was shocked, as if she had run not to the Lu family manor but to the foot of a volcano.

Years of pent-up anger, once unleashed, were unstoppable, and the force continued to press down.

Liao Xianglin was on a rapidly falling rock, thrown off balance by the weightlessness, unable to stand and falling again, unable to get back up.

She was so small before the collapsing old world, just as she had imagined, witnessing the fall of the Lu family—the fountains in the garden, the towering arches, the house's spires, the beautiful botanical gardens, and the intricate, elegant carvings on the buildings—all crumbling like a line of dominoes.

Liu Yu had once complained to her, "Don't you think the Lu family is so tacky?"

Liao Xianglin paused, and Liu Yu stuck out her tongue, "Really, so tacky."

Liao Xianglin hesitated at first, then joined Liu Yu in her complaints, and they giggled together. The Lu family wasn't ugly; it was simply outdated, designed solely to convey authority and expense.

Now, all of that was shattered. Liao Xianglin wondered what Liu Yu would think if she were here. She probably wouldn't clap but would yawn and say it was boring.

Liu Yu had no interest in the Lu family, whether they prospered or perished, she did not wish to give them even a glance.

Shattered glass fragments grazed her body; Liao Xianglin's arm and thigh were pierced, pain assaulted her, and this time, Liao Xianglin could no longer stand up.

Yet she continued to witness, not daring to blink, for she saw a shadow in the collapsed house.

Amidst the ruins, a young girl wore a strapless nightgown, her entire body dyed red with blood, as if she wore a bright red coat over her nightgown. Her long hair was wet, like that of a mermaid, the ends dripping with thick, sticky blood.

She seemed to be the source of a walking disaster, leaving destruction wherever she went.

Her eyes were so sharp, her features so familiar, and the moment Liao Xianglin saw her, she blurted out, "Niannian!"

The girl walking through the ruins stopped, casting a glance toward the source of the voice.

Liao Xianglin's heart raced as if it would explode, suddenly remembering when Liu Yu had lain beside her on the same bed.

"If I had a daughter, I would name her Niannian."

"Why?"

"Because Niannian has Yu in it."

"You're so old-fashioned."

Liao Xianglin and Liu Yu laughed together. Since Niannian couldn't be used directly as a name, the girl was eventually called Lu Yuan, but Liao Xianglin always remembered the moment Liu Yu named her Niannian.

Niannian has Yu!

How old-fashioned, yet Liu Yu loved it. When Liao Xianglin called her, it was as if she were calling her friend, and the one she called was Liu Yu.

The Liu Yu who died unexpectedly, whom she never got to see one last time.

Niannian stopped, barefoot, her feet worn and bloody, like a newly born demon, and Liao Xianglin was the first human she saw after her birth.

Niannian tilted her head, covered in Lu Yao's blood, her father's blood, the hot blood felt heavy on her, as if she were wearing an overly thick coat.

Killing was easier than she imagined; at first, she held a knife, but later realized the blade was just a tool, and she could kill with a mere raise of her hand.

Niannian examined her hands, ten fingers encrusted with dried blood. Such powerful hands, once possessed by her mother, but taken away by others.

The aftereffects of killing still coursed through her, making her uncontrollably excited, even wanting to destroy the world.

She harbored rebellious thoughts; Liu Yu died for the survival of all humanity, and she believed this so-called great cause was another murderer of her mother.

There was no end to the journey of revenge; the avenger killed one person after another, the direct killers, accomplices, bystanders, and finally the whole world.

Those who killed Liu Yu, those who killed Zhuang Lin, she remembered the list of avengers.

Teacher Qi must have chosen the wrong person; entrusting the responsibility of saving the world to someone like her, a madwoman, would ultimately lead to the death of all humanity.

At this moment, seeing Liao Xianglin, her heart was numb, feeling no ripples, as if looking at someone from another world.

The woman who fell got up, fragile and devoid of any psychic ability, possibly drawn here because Liu Yu had planted a seed in her. Could Liao Xianglin have been mentally contaminated?

Niannian found her somewhat pitiful, like a tool, wound up and unable to stop.

But Liao Xianglin kept running, limping on one leg, determined to come even if she guessed that Liu Niannian was the true culprit behind the fall of the Divine Kingdom.

The deafening sounds almost drove people mad; Liao Xianglin fell and got up again, not her fault, as the current crisis exceeded her comprehension.

The energy supply pipes below malfunctioned, the defensive walls were all destroyed, and the First Military District, suspended below the Divine Kingdom, urgently sought safety, trying to escape the shadow of the Divine Kingdom like a spacecraft.

The speed was not fast enough, and the land of the First Military District collided with a corner of the Divine Kingdom, the immense force tearing apart the defensive walls of the First Military District.

High-speed friction sparked flames, the Divine Kingdom enveloped in fire, falling like a meteor.

The mission of the First Military District was to protect the Divine Kingdom, but now they were desperately trying to escape from it. The defenders fled, and in Su He's view, it was a grand performance.

It didn't have to be effective, just very interesting.

Su He watched all this through the cameras; his years-long wish fulfilled by others, the feeling was quite subtle.

Psychics jumped off the First Military District like dumplings, always better at surviving than the citizens of the Divine Kingdom. Unfortunately, the native humans of the Divine Kingdom suffered.

However, at this moment, probably no one cared about those wealthy, extravagant people; money lost its power instantly, and no one was willing to waste their life saving them.

As the Divine Kingdom rapidly fell, crushing the First Military District beneath it, this might be the largest man-made accident in human history, generating an unpredictable impact upon landing.

The humans in the Second District entered underground shelters; whether the shelters' strength could withstand the impact and whether the surrounding areas could endure the aftermath remained uncertain.

Like throwing a pebble into water, the ripples could be fatal.

Liu Niannian didn't care, nor did she want to think; she coldly observed everything, humanity had released the demon with their own hands.

Suddenly, she fell into a gentle embrace; Liao Xianglin hugged her, not strongly but warmly, just like her mother's embrace.

"Niannian," Liao Xianglin whispered softly.

She thought Liao Xianglin would say much more, perhaps something like what Lu Yao would say: "I will protect you," or asking her to stop.

Liu Niannian didn't trust these words; no one could protect her except herself.

Liao Xianglin gently held her, letting out a childish sigh, "I found you."

Liu Niannian suddenly felt like crying, as if a lost child had been found, the long-awaited embrace of Liu Yu finally made up for the years of absence, bridging time and space to hug her.

It turned out that Liao Xianglin was just looking for her, with no demands, no lengthy lectures, no accusations, only the joy of finding her.

"I found you."

Liu Niannian remembered playing hide-and-seek with Liu Yu, finding her in the wardrobe and shouting dramatically, "I found you!"

She recalled Liu Yu taking her out to explore the commoner districts, picking her up from school, drawing for her, and driving her away from the human survivor zone until they reached the edge of the northern wall with a loud crash.

The message Liu Yu left before her death was too complex; Liu Niannian had to patiently decipher it, trying to decode the hidden meaning, wondering over and over again, "Does Mom really love me?"

She found examples to support her belief, then counterarguments to refute them, oscillating endlessly between love and indifference.

Mom loves me.

In Liao Xianglin's embrace, Liu Niannian understood that whether Liao Xianglin was a puppet of Liu Yu, driven by mental contamination or personal will, didn't matter as much.

Liu Yu's last painting was of a lighthouse. She didn't say anything, but if she wanted her daughter to follow her destiny, she should have stopped at Utopia.

But she painted beyond Utopia, depicting a world's end she herself had never reached.

I hope you can go further than I did.

The roar suddenly ceased, as if the director had muted the film at its climax, leaving a vacuum-like silence, where only the audience held their breath.

The Divine Kingdom, transitioning from rapid descent to deceleration, faced a greater challenge. For a floating island, slowing down required more force to support it than falling did.

The shadow of the Divine Kingdom softened, the potential energy decreased, and it almost came to a halt, gently descending after crushing the tallest buildings in Zone Two.

Boom—

The background music, which had vanished, restarted, the roar exploded, the eardrums throbbed, and the hearts of the audience trembled as the land of the Divine Kingdom overlapped with Zone Two, landing like a feather.

This metaphor seemed strange, as such a massive object had crushed all the buildings in Zone Two, how could millions of tons feel like a feather?

Yet, that was the reality—the Divine Kingdom landed very gently, completing its descent.