Chapter 93

Chapter 93

Jianlan Shalke felt the wind of the snowfield.

For the living, this phrase signifies an ill omen, a premonition of death. But for a revenant, there is nothing more joyful than feeling the wind of the snowfield.

It means everything is about to end.

Whether it's pain or anything else.

But these things are hard to believe, even for Jianlan himself, who saw them with his own eyes. It took him a long time to accept them.

For example, yesterday he seemed to see Tadansa with black and white patches on his face.

No way! Even in the toughest times, when Tadansa met him to discuss plans, he would tidy himself up, trying not to bring the smell of urine and feces.

Tadansa with black and white patches on his face, as if he had applied lady's perfume... hilarious, how could he have imagined such a thing!

What? What do you mean? Not imagination?

Of course, it's imagination! Tadansa is hiding in the cave; how could he appear by the fields of the Dark Sea Cave?

Jianlan's soul laughed, even as he felt himself being torn apart.

Tearing him apart was this thought—

Do you know what you saw wasn't an illusion?

Nonsense!

Tadansa has returned, he came looking for you!

Bullshit!!!

How could that be? First of all, Tadansa doesn't have the ability to infiltrate the Dark Sea Cave.

As someone who taught Tadansa some combat skills, Jianlan knew better than anyone the limits of his friend's abilities. There was no way Tadansa could return to the Dark Sea Cave; he couldn't get past the numerous checkpoints and guards.

Tadansa is in the hiding cave.

Along with other escaped slaves, they are also in the hiding cave.

In the cave, they only have the crude oxygen generator and freshwater purification system Jianlan installed.

Oh, and the broken submarine Jianlan picked up and repaired, without even a functioning alchemical battery.

They will starve to death in the cave.

Tadansa too, Tadansa will starve to death.

"——Aaaaaaaaah——!!"

Jianlan's soul, within his former body, let out a scream that no one could hear.

If only he hadn't left so hastily, if only he had installed the alchemical battery on the ship before leaving. If he had, he might have fixed the ship, not minding that it would break down soon after... Ultimately, why did he come to the Dark Sea Cave relying on his merman abilities, without bringing a single ship?

Is it so difficult for a mechanic to carry a submarine with him?

If he had brought a ship, he could have taken Tadansa and the others back to land directly!

Guilt, regret, remorse...

Pain! Pain!! Pain!!!

Jianlan's soul was almost torn apart by these emotions. It took him a long time to struggle out of the pain, only to realize he hadn't noticed when Tadansa had left.

Was that really Tadansa?

Even though he had already called that figure by name in his heart—despite the fact that the figure had a life aura—Jianlan was still confused.

His confusion was resolved the next day.

Following the necromancer back to the necromancer's home, Jianlan saw Tadansa walk in boldly with two people he didn't recognize.

The second unbelievable thing happened: one of the two people Tadansa brought, an elderly man who looked like a Butterly merman, turned out to be a professional Bellringing Frost Crow.

After returning to Sapphire City, he reported his actions to his superior, who said they would support him in rescuing the slaves from the Dark Sea Cave... Could it be that the support followed closely behind him and has already reached the hiding cave?

Is this professional Bellringing Frost Crow the support sent by the Court of Judgment?

How... How could this be...

Golden Hammer, are you protecting me? So there are still such good things in this world?

The cold wind blew over him, the snow froze him, and even when he had to fight the lovely Miss Wolf, Jianlan still felt pain, but he sensed a sign. He knew it was coming to an end.

The cold gradually numbed everything, even the pain and curses were frozen.

He could no longer perceive the outside world. In the past, he never knew that being unable to perceive the outside world could be such a joyous thing?

Satisfied, Jianlan sank into darkness, awaiting complete release.

He didn't know how long he waited, but for the frozen Jianlan, it was just a moment. Suddenly, he heard a voice again.

"Jianlan, Jianlan," someone called, "wake up."

Light pierced through the darkness with the voice, and Jianlan opened his eyes to find himself sitting in the pilot's seat of the submarine he had used to come to the Dark Sea Cave.

...What... What is going on?

Dream...?

Can souls dream too?

Jian Lan raised his head in confusion, looking around at the control panel with its various dials beeping and Tadansa sitting beside him.

Ah, the voice that called him was Tadansa's.

"You couldn't enter my side without transforming into this form, huh?" Tadansa said.

"What?" Jian Lan didn't understand.

"Never mind," Tadansa looked curiously at the control panel, "Are we almost to Sapphire City?"

"Huh?" Jian Lan hadn't noticed that when he glanced at the control panel earlier.

The mermaid mechanic re-examined the gauges, confirming their direction and depth, then adjusted the radio to pick up a weak signal.

"We're almost there, about ten kilometers away," Jian Lan replied, "A bit further, and you should be able to see other submersibles."

"I see." Tadansa closed his eyes and lowered his head, seemingly trying to calm his excited yet anxious heart.

Seeing his hands tightly clenched together, Jian Lan comforted him, "Don't worry, I've already told the team leader about your situation. She agreed to apply for a pardon from the Chief Judge. Besides, back then, which case of yours..."

Jian Lan spoke with enthusiasm.

Given the somber atmosphere, he shouldn't have used such a cheerful tone to comfort Tadansa, but Jian Lan couldn't help it; he was happy to be able to tell Tadansa these things, things he thought he would never be able to share.

Wait? Thought?

Jian Lan was momentarily dazed, but he didn't even notice his own daze.

Although he encountered some dangers on this trip to pick up Tadansa and the others, thanks to the Golden Hammer, he safely brought these tormented people back to civilization. Wasn't that worth being happy about?

But... but...

Something was wrong.

What was wrong?

Confused, Jian Lan began to think, but no matter how much he thought, he couldn't figure it out.

Until Tadansa urged again, asking, "Are we almost there?"

Distracted by his thoughts, Jian Lan glanced at the gauge readings on the control panel.

"Yeah, yeah, at this distance, I should send a signal to the port..."

Jian Lan adjusted the radio again, sending the signal for approaching the port. Then he sat dumbfounded in the pilot's seat.

After a while, he suddenly asked, "Who are you?"

The person questioned seemed surprised, "How did you see through my disguise?"

"..." Jian Lan jumped up from the pilot's seat, pointing at "Tadansa" and shouting, "Is this what you call a disguise? Even if you're a shapeshifter, don't underestimate the Intelligence Department!"

"Oh, sorry," this "Tadansa" actually apologized, "To make the reflection have the same function as the real eye, I need to continuously output magic power, so I can't focus on the disguise... Can't you go faster and get to Sapphire City sooner?"

What nonsense? Jian Lan didn't expect to be scolded instead, and he still didn't quite understand what this "Tadansa" was saying.

"Shut up!" Jian Lan was already drawing his gun, "Who are you? What do you want to do in Sapphire City?"

But "Tadansa" wasn't afraid of the gun.

He only sighed and explained, "Judge Jian Lan, it's not that I want to go to Sapphire City, but you want to take Tadansa and the others back to Sapphire City."

Jian Lan frowned, his puzzled expression likely to make many women fall in love at first sight.

This time, "Tadansa's" words were easy to understand, but Jian Lan still felt like he didn't understand.

"Your wish," this "Tadansa" continued, "Your regret... I didn't expect that to achieve... you, it would take so much effort."

"Tadansa" deliberately blurred a few key words, making Jian Lan even more vigilant.

He quietly lifted his hand, turned the rudder, and changed direction.

Not exactly quietly, given they were alone in the cockpit, he did this right under "Tadansa's" watchful eye.

"Tell me your purpose," Jian Lan's heart was filled with a sense of tragic determination, "And where is the real Tadansa? Otherwise, you'll never reach Sapphire City! You can't drive the ship, can you! I can tell!"

"Tadansa": "..."

"Tadansa": "I understand."

"Tadansa": "Tadansa is in my hands. If you don't want anything to happen to him, return to the normal course to Sapphire City now."

Never expected this move, Jian Lan took a step back, staring at the man.

He had confirmed it! Although this person had the ability of a shapeshifter, he was definitely an enemy!

Especially when this person deliberately used a strange tone, elongating the phrase "you moth is in my hands," he became even more certain!

"Tadansa isn't my moth..." Jian Lan sat back down in the pilot's seat, using his Intelligence Department skills to try to extract information, "Why a moth? I've never kept moths, do you keep such rare insects as pets?"

"I'm just helping you and your friend set up a father-son scenario." The person with an unknown true identity answered in a way Jian Lan couldn't understand.

Jian Lan felt a surge of anger, turning the rudder again, and continued, "Once we reach Sapphire City, don't think you can escape the pursuit of the Court..."

"Uh-huh, uh-huh." He heard "Tadansa" answer dismissively, then saw him close his eyes again, seemingly resting.

Since you've shown your weakness, don't blame me for being ruthless. Jian Lan thought, contacting the port again via radio to have the staff notify the Court of Judgment to send people over.

After doing all this, Jian Lan also began to feel anxious, eager to return to Sapphire City as soon as possible.

As if in response to his mood, the last few kilometers seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.

The well-prepared port allowed their boat to dock directly, and in no time, the boat was moored, with the cabin door and passage valve successfully connected.

The cabin and passage doors opened simultaneously, and they climbed up the ladder, "Tadansa" leading, followed by Jian Lan.

Upon climbing out of the passage, Jian Lan was relieved to see that his colleagues in the judges' uniforms had already surrounded "Tadansa," who was the first to emerge from the passage.

But "Tadansa" showed no signs of nervousness, only asking, "Is this Sapphire City?"

"You have entered the jurisdiction of Sapphire City!" one of Jian Lan's colleagues immediately shouted, "Drop your weapon! Raise your hands in front of your chest!"

"Tadansa" turned to look at Jian Lan.

"Alright," he said, "See, we're back."

Back?

Jian Lan still didn't understand, exchanging puzzled glances with his colleagues.

Just as they were exchanging confused looks, Jian Lan suddenly noticed that these colleagues who came to help all looked exactly the same.

They had the same ash-gray curly hair, the same gray ear fins, the same facial features, and the same bewildered eyes.

They... looked exactly like Jian Lan!

Crack! A sound of shattering glass came from nowhere! The scene of the port passage was riddled with countless cracks, shattering and scattering.

Along with it, the lights of Sapphire City, the pedestrians in the elevator, and the countless reflections of Jian Lan on the mirrors all scattered.

Jian Lan frantically searched for "Tadansa." Turning around, he saw only a young man with a blurred face but clear heterochromatic eyes standing beside him.

"You... I..."

The memories that had been sealed off suddenly returned to Jian Lan's mind.

He remembered Tadansa's sudden return to the Dark Sea Cave, the sudden appearance of the Bellringing Frost Crow professional, and himself frozen in the Snowfield Wind. He couldn't help but say:

"I have—"

"Don't say it."

The young man with the blurred face said.

He interrupted Jian Lan, then grabbed his arm.

With this grab, they appeared on countless mirrors until the young man suddenly pushed him hard.

Jian Lan fell backward, and the other versions of him on the mirrors disappeared, leaving him alone.

Then, he fell into the light.

After a moment, having quickly sorted through his memories and fully regained consciousness, Jian Lan realized he hadn't fallen into the light.

It was the candlelight illuminating the sharp blade of a dagger, and also illuminating himself, inexplicably present on the blade!