None of You Get to Live

The mighty, unfathomable River of Origin flows towards an unknown, deep, and dark land.

Within the dense and thick flow of liquid elements, explosions and roars erupted continuously, water splashed, elements surged, and beneath the calm surface, terrifying behemoths clashed, with fragments of flesh and blood occasionally surfacing only to be quickly assimilated and annihilated, the intense aftershocks flowing on.

"Madman!"

The furious sound waves roared beneath the water's surface.

The swarm of silver locusts transformed into sharp spikes, relentlessly attacking and besieging the ferocious beast beneath the water.

The Aberrant Dragon's roars and howls tore at the river.

At this moment, Cuixisi' entire body was submerged in the river, swimming swiftly along the River of Origin. He wanted to find the Chamber of Ascension to receive the ascension promised to him by the gods, but this process was full of difficult trials, because a madman from Cathay was relentlessly pursuing him, biting and chasing him like a mad dog.

The metallic spikes formed by the Grewind Swarm were incredibly sharp, and enhanced by the mysterious elements, they were even faster and sharper. This continuous attack could not cause Cuixisi any real damage, because the terrible injuries would be instantly repaired by the pure liquid elements around her—but the pain could not be shielded.

Such suffering is akin to being slowly and repeatedly tortured to death.

"This makes absolutely no sense!"

Cuixisi roared, "Human! You're wasting your time!"

"It makes sense to make you suffer more before you die."

Human voices seemed both near and far.

Two figures darted and chased each other swiftly through the vast, rushing river.

They didn't know how long they had been swimming, the depth and length, or where they were. After all, below the surface, visibility was meaningless; all around was bright purple. They were simply moving forward with the river, chasing and fighting, nothing more.

Belief, will, protection, ambition... everything gradually dissipates in the constant pursuit and tearing, leaving only the purest, most fundamental, and sole purpose.

Cuixisi wanted to reach the end, to reach the Chamber of Ascension granted by the Dragon God, and to complete his ascension.

This was his sole purpose, for which he abandoned his dignity, his pride, and the glory of being a dragon, and ruthlessly turned against his companions; he had nothing left.

The so-called restoration of the dragon race's glory is now nothing but empty and laughable rhetoric.

Ultimately, it's only thinking about itself now; it's given everything and wants a result.

Kang De... wanted an answer.

A Xing's fall into the river was the final straw that broke his defenses. Before that, he had been lost in weariness and sighs for a long time. The fate of the Fire Thief, the whispers of the Sound of Doomsday, and the series of coincidences—all of this made him doubt whether his life so far was a pre-arranged script. He had resolutely rejected the gift of the Sound of Doomsday; that terrifying and great thing had told him that fate could not be changed. So he saw the outline woven by fate, layer upon layer, like a net.

No matter how much he struggles, it's pointless to entangle him in this mess.

Just as the Sound of Doomsday delivered the Grewind Swarm to him, he had resolutely refused, believing he could control his own destiny... but now, he has finally chosen to accept it.

It's like fate.

Just as he had also received this gift from the demon, the mysterious elements swirled and cleansed him. He could easily perceive every fluctuation and characteristic of this mysterious substance. He even suspected that this energy was completely harmless to him, even without the Extraction of the Power of the Fire Thief... just like the Grewind Swarm.

These are all gifts from the Sound of Doomsday.

It wanted to fulfill its mission... to lower the Veil of the setting sun.

So these gifts, whose prices were already marked, were prepared.

And they knew that these gifts would eventually end up in Kang De's hands.

Now, it all means nothing.

Because he accepted it, he resigned himself to his fate, he accepted it, and now all he wants is an answer.

He believed the answer lay at the end of the river.

A Xing.

Please tell me, it was all worth it.

You have to say it that way.

After all, you left a seed here many years ago, and many years later we met. Now I've come here, and you've returned. If all of this was planned, then it must have meaning. You wouldn't just disappear like this; you must be waiting for me, right... right...?

I won't blame you. Even I couldn't resist, so how could you?

I just want you to live.

After all, having accepted those disgusting insects and this Magic Creature, I've followed its predetermined fate as it wished... It should at least give me this much face, right?

All I want is for you to live.

Otherwise...

"Don't stop me! Human!"

Kang De relentlessly pursued Trissis like a leech, leaving Cuixisi utterly disoriented. Her flesh was ripped away, her body pierced, her scales torn, and her limbs severed. This Cathayan, like a tireless mad dog, commanded his swarm to tear at her relentlessly, even though it was all in vain.

Cuixisi went from anger to rage, and from rage to terror.

Because he realized that the other party was slowly turning into a pure and ferocious beast.

Like him, the other person was also yearning for the end of this river, also searching for something.

If this Cathayan cannot find what he wants, he will undergo the most insane and deadly transformation... and that moment will be his most desperate and terrifying doomsday.

Counterattacks are futile, because the opponent's methods are far superior.

Cuixisi dared not even stop, for if she slowed down even slightly, Kang De would command the swarm to cut off the mighty River of Origin and banish it to that terrible alternate dimension.

So the Aberrant Dragon sadly discovered that, as powerful as he was, he was chosen by the Dragon God and was about to receive the blessing of ascension. At this moment, facing the final obstacle on the path to ascension, he had to use words to make the other party back down.

"Cathayan Kang De! There's no point in chasing me! Do you know how much meaningless time we've wasted here? Do you know what strategies and plans I've prepared!"

His previous spies and arrangements were his proudest work. After realizing the threat posed by the Cathayan, he was already prepared to gain the upper hand from the outside.

The original plan was to, upon achieving a resounding victory and facing Kang De's despairing gaze, meticulously explain his carefully laid plans, allowing this formidable enemy to enjoy his final moments of agony.

But now, he even has to proactively reveal the plans he's currently undertaking in order to distract the other party or even make them back down, because he really has no other choice.

Cuixisi shouted, "You saw Aocheweier's corpse! And Laishite's! You saw Luzi after the sacrifice! He committed suicide before your eyes! And Hadekongte, apart from Wei'insi, all the other dragons are still alive! They have been reborn, offering me their purest loyalty, and serving me alongside me in the Dragon God's grand plan!"

"Do you know that at the moment the River of Origin trembled and awakened, they all revived as well! I commanded them to return to the surface along the path they came from, to act as vanguards and messengers, to announce to the world your conspiracy, greed, and sins. They will provide the most perfect testimony: the mission discovered ancient ruins and divine substances underground, which you wanted to monopolize, so you ruthlessly slaughtered the dragons!"

"Their mission is to continuously spread chaos and hostility, putting Goth under immense pressure and surrounded by enemies, thereby forcing external forces to breach your defenses and allowing the elite and powerful of various races to penetrate, be elevated, and be used for our purposes! So, do you understand the current situation?"

The Aberrant Dragon roared, "Are you going to waste time here with me, or return to the surface to face the questions and challenges from all nations and races? Not to mention, the dragons will definitely intervene. And if they do, the elves and the empire will not stand idly by. These short-lived creatures have always loved to play dirty tricks; they prefer to let their enemies fall into chaos rather than rashly intervene from the outside. Can you imagine the pressure Goth is under!"

"Do you know what foolish things the nations, wary of the Forbidden Spell, will do because you've remained hidden from the outside world? Are you sure you want to stay here and waste your time with me pointlessly?"

"Retreat, Kang De!"

"Let me undergo the ascension ceremony, let me complete my ascension, let you resolve your problems, and then we'll have a fair battle, the outcome entirely in the Dragon God's will!"

Cuixisi shouted, "This is better for all of us! At least better than now!"

He felt he had used 100% of his speaking skills to the fullest extent.

But the response was simply a cold rejection.

I think things are fine as they are now.

The raging silver spikes parted the waves, bursting forth in a barrage.

I can't understand it. I absolutely can't understand it.

Even as Cuixisi fell into depravity and corruption, her actions and thoughts veering towards madness, she still couldn't comprehend Kang De's way of thinking. She roared, "Aren't you going to care about Goth? You can't kill me! Just as I can't kill you! We don't know when this road will end, but Goth can't wait any longer!"

"Your friends, your wife, those you care about, those you fight for, those who trust you—they will be isolated and helpless. Without your help, how can they withstand the pressure and even attacks from other nations! In that situation, those who continue to trust and support you will be in an even more dire situation! Even within Goth's own ranks, there will be criticism and opposition! Think about what will happen then! Are you sure you want to stand by and watch all this happen? Bloodshed, death, Goth reduced to ruins—it will all be meaningless to protect him..."

Kang De's hoarse laughter interrupted Cuixisi's speech.

"So what."

The voice of the Fire Thief echoed beneath the chaotic river.

"What, so..."

"A Xing is inside."

"What's inside...?"

The Fire Thief's laughter grew increasingly chilling.

"If I leave now, and you take the opportunity to create distance, reach the end ahead of time, and kill A Xing, what should I do? I will kill you at all costs to vent my anger. I will kill every dragon, at all costs. My actions will surely be criticized, feared, and uneasy by the nations. They will be hostile to me, attack me, and then I will fight them. That's exactly what it wants!"

The whispers of the Curtain Closer continued.

"But Tina and the others are on the surface! If I chase after you to the end and save A Xing, but it's too late when I get back to the surface, Goth is destroyed, and Tina and Hong San are dead, what am I supposed to do? Of course, I'll raze the Empire, Twilight Moon, the Council, Dragon Island, and everything else! That's what it wants too!"

The voices of the Earthlings grew louder and louder, and their laughter turned into maniacal laughter.

"Or rather, both! I chased you to the very end of the origin, and saw the dead A Xing; I returned to the surface, and saw Goth reduced to ruins—this is still the result it wanted!"

"That's what you call fate, you know? That's what fate is! It's not about a predetermined outcome, it's about not knowing what choices will lead to that outcome!"

"Which one is the script? Which one is the destiny it speaks of? There has to be a reason for me to lower the Veil of apocalypse. If this is the reason, then what am I supposed to do?!"

"How should I choose!"

"What can I do? What choice can I make? A Xing has one life, Goth has many lives, it's simple, right? But I don't want to choose! What do you want me to say? What do you want me to do? I'm desperate too! I fucking don't want to choose! I shouldn't have come to this shitty world! I shouldn't have stayed on this planet! If you ask me what to do, then I only have one answer left!"

Kang De's voice transformed into a hysterical roar, unleashing a torrent of furious howls from the mysterious elements.

"You all should just give up and live!"

A violent explosion erupted underwater, the bursting air bubbles propelling an unparalleled force that surged and churned. The massive Grewind Swarm, like schools of silverfish, gathered and dispersed underwater, protecting Kang De as he pressed forward relentlessly.

The ribbons binding the Veil are slowly loosening.

"I just addressed Princess Tina as 'Mistress'."

In Danfeng Lucerne, at the former Cathay Embassy, at the manor that Hong San had established, he walked in front of the orderly military formation and spoke to a group of familiar faces.

Do you know why?

"Because she's on our side."

"When I selected you to enlist, I already foresaw the situation you would face today. His Highness's great cause and ambitions will inevitably encounter countless obstacles. In the foreseeable future, we will face more responsibilities, pressures, and even sacrifices. You should have been mentally prepared for this."

"Now, it is our turn to repay His Highness's kindness."

"We will engage in actual combat today."

Today, Danfeng Lucerne is under martial law. The entire Gladiolus Legion has been mobilized to block the streets and enforce the curfew. The terrified and panicked people peek through their windows and see strangely shaped alchemical war chariots roaring through the streets, with soldiers carrying unusual weapons either following behind or sitting on the chariots.

The Gladiolus Legion's cavalry blocked off the streets, Valentan Guards Legion carried out their mission. Rumbling infantry fighting vehicles smashed through the elegant, tall gates and stormed into the quiet manor. Shouting and issuing ultimatums, they were refused. Then, the Shilka Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun followed, their horizontally fired quadruple 23mm shells weaving a long river of Flame, imbued with mysterious elemental magic, slicing through the four-story magnificent building from left to right.

Magical defenses, elemental shields, and Dou Qi aura shields were all reduced to dust.

"Criminal charge: Treason."

In the busiest tavern street of the commercial district, a modified green tank roared past, flattening the wooden sheds and clearing a wall. Drunkards, spies, and even the owner, trembling and crying loudly, were dragged to the wall. Hong San waved indifferently.

Four groups of Valentan Guards Unit Guardsmen set up.50 heavy machine guns.

What are we doing?

The gathering at the noble manor was completely wiped out. Amidst the blood-soaked corpses, facing the trembling questions of the old nobleman, Hong San calmly said, "His Highness fought countless battles for Goth, killing hundreds of thousands of Twilight Moon's troops and servants, in exchange for Goth's independence and peace. You didn't see the mountains of corpses; you only saw His Highness's kindness, compassion, and benevolence, so you harbored illusions and contempt. Therefore, I..."

He pressed the rifle in his hand against the other man's forehead.

"Let me show you the knife."

Following the rumors and turmoil, Teldrassil's response exploded like a blazing fireball. Faced with questioning, reprimands, and discontent, the ancient family that had ruled Goth for centuries responded with brutal repression.

The waves seemed to be suppressed by bloodshed, but the undercurrents were even more turbulent, and the conspirators were brewing a second wave of counterattack.

A giant dragon has officially entered the Goth Sea.

Then came an imperial warship.

Before long, the fleets of various nations that had been sailing in the waters off Goth entered the area.

The coastal defense fleet of Azure Waves Province did not intercept them.

The encirclement of Goth is tightening.

Kang De and Cuixisi reached the end of the River of Origin amidst a bloody battle.

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PS1: Sigh, we've finally managed to get back to the original outline... Do you know what the outline we made before was about? The mysterious element is highly infectious and corrosive. The initial spread occurred when those two named scout mages encountered a flock of birds, and then gradually spread to the Survey Corps, even the capital of the Azure Waves Province, and even to other countries through trade routes. This is the reason why the various nations' fleets pressured and besieged Goth in the original plan. They claimed that Kang De leaked the Magic Creature, and then came all sorts of foreshadowing...

PS2: The outline for this part of the story was completed last year.

PS3: In the months since the Lunar New Year, I've been watching the news so much that I almost peed my pants.

PS4: What else can I do? I can only drastically reduce the price... Okay, let me finish this part first, and then I'll tell you all about my thought process...

PS5: My thought is that being a slow writer isn't entirely a bad thing. (Looking into the distance)