They Want to Kill Us All

"Dinner's ready." Ina poked her head in from outside the warehouse, looked at the girl inside, and gave her a somewhat unnatural smile. "Tachibana... right?"

Ju looked up at Ina, hesitated for a moment, then nodded and followed her out.

Outside the warehouse, Jie La Er had set up a small table with a few loaves of bread he had just bought, but they weren't very fresh and looked a bit hard.

"These are all we can buy," Ina explained softly. "The people outside have lost their focus on their work... they're a bit too excited."

Ju pursed her lips and didn't say anything, but she still understood what Ina meant.

After the resolution to Execute Lyra God, Lyra fell into a state of extreme ecstasy.

It feels like I've been suppressed for many years, but today I finally feel independent.

And so the revelry began. People spontaneously put down their work and started to celebrate wildly. The hardened bread on the table was the best proof of this. Normally, selling such bread would not be in accordance with the rules.

But now, with Lyra dying, the rules that bind them like chains will also cease to exist.

"I had planned to buy them from somewhere farther away," Ina said to Jie La Er, "But the Gear Train has stopped running, so these are all I can buy."

Jie La Er shook his head and said softly, "It's alright, as long as there's food."

Compared to the problems we face now, the poor quality of food is the least of our worries.

Ina gave a soft "hmm" and then put the bread in her mouth. The dry, hard texture suddenly made her feel a little dazed.

When was the last time I had a meal with my father?

She couldn't quite remember.

Ina tried to recall, and remembered that it was ten years ago, when she had decided to join the emerging Devil Squad to find the truth, and had her last dinner with her father.

The atmosphere at home was already very bad... No, to be precise, Ian couldn't come back, it wasn't home anymore. They didn't say a word to each other at dinner, and Ina left Jie La Er after finishing the hard piece of bread in her hand.

And that departure lasted for ten years.

Thinking of this, Ina couldn't help but look at Jie La Er again. His expression, which was even more aged and tired than it had been ten years ago, made Ina's heart clench.

"What's wrong?" Jie La Er noticed the unnatural look on Ina's face and put down the bread to ask.

"No...it's nothing." Ina took a deep breath. "I just, um..."

She suddenly turned her head and looked at Ju, who was quietly chewing to the side, making almost no sound.

"Ju," Ina called Ju's name softly. When Ju looked up, she asked gently, "Would you like to leave here with us?"

Ina's words left Tachibana looking somewhat bewildered. "Leave here?"

"Yes." Ina nodded. "To be precise, it's about leaving Lyra and going to live somewhere else."

"Other places?"

"Yes, like Rhine, like Holy Sound... anywhere is fine."

Ina spoke softly.

Her meaning was clear: she was willing to go anywhere as long as she could leave this place.

"I'll take care of you from now on," she added.

Ina originally thought that Tachibana would agree quickly. After all, Tachibana had been alone for so many years, and now she finally had someone to accompany her. Logically speaking, there was no reason for her to refuse.

To Ina's surprise, after hearing her words, Tachibana did not immediately agree, nor did she show any joy on her face. She simply lowered her head silently, finished the bread in her hand, said "I'm full," got up and left, returning to her cramped warehouse.

This left Ina completely bewildered. She turned to Jie La Er and asked, "Does she hate me?"

"Of course not."

"Then why didn't she agree?"

"It's not that she disagrees," Jie La Er said. "She just doesn't know how to accept it. She's been here for too long and is used to living alone. It's hard for a child her age to accept a completely new life right now."

Jie La Er's words surprised Ina even more. She hadn't expected that Jie La Er, a grown man, would understand the nature of Tachibana, a little girl who seemed so aloof.

Ina was about to ask Jie La Er how he did it when she realized Jie La Er was looking at her. This suddenly brought back a memory that flashed back to many years ago when she hid behind her brother and cautiously peeked out to look at Jie La Er, who was very young at the time, who had come to say he was taking them away from the orphanage.

In that instant, she understood something, and then couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"It seems I gave you my experience," Ina said softly. "Was I such a difficult child before?"

"Not really." Jie La Er smiled, a rare sight for him. "It's just that you are much harder to approach than your brother, since back then you only trusted him."

"...Yes," Ina said, "But I should accept you soon, right?"

"It's not that fast," Jie La Er said. "It'll probably take about half a year."

Is it that long?

"Certainly."

Ina teased, "You remember it really well."

"There's nothing I can do," Jie La Er said calmly. "The time it took to get you to accept me was like an eternity, and of course I remember it vividly."

Ina smiled even more broadly.

As she laughed, she felt tears welling up in her eyes, but thankfully she managed to lift her head in time, preventing anything inappropriate from disrupting this precious family atmosphere.

Jie La Er tactfully steered the conversation back to Tachibana.

"That child is different from you," Jie La Er said. "Back then you had Ian, but she had nothing and had always been alone. I think that eating with other people was probably a first for her... or at least one of the few times she had experienced it."

"Yeah..."

Ina turned her head and looked at the small warehouse. Ju was already lying on the bed, and she didn't know if he was sleeping.

Then, as if she had made up her mind, Ina turned back to Jie La Er and said, "Leave it to me."

"What?"

"I said, give that child to me," Ina said softly. "I will make her accept me the way you accepted me."

Jie La Er laughed, "Do you really have that kind of patience? A girl like her is not easy to get close to."

"Hmm... I feel like you're complaining about my past self while also looking down on my present self?" Ina raised an eyebrow. "Really, in your eyes, am I really that worthless?"

They exchanged another laugh.

It's been a long, very long time since I've felt this way.

Ina thought to herself.

Then she looked at Jie La Er again and asked very seriously, "So, you agree?"

"What?"

"Don't ask questions you already know the answer to, Father," Ina said, emphasizing each word. "Do you agree to leave Lyra with me?"

Jie La Er was silent for a moment, then asked, "After leaving Lyra, where do you plan to go next?"

"Like I just said, Rhine, Holy Sound ... anywhere is fine," Ina said. "Nowhere is worse than here, as long as we leave here. Whether it's you, me, or that child... we all need a new life, we all need a new life."

Jie La Er saw determination in Ina's eyes, and he knew that Ina was very serious.

But he didn't answer immediately. Instead, he slowly and carefully finished the bread in his hand, leaving nothing behind, before speaking slowly.

"Can."

Before Ina could even be happy, Jie La Er spoke again.

"But we'll have to wait until after tomorrow."

Ina's pupils narrowed slightly. Even though she guessed the reason, she still couldn't help but ask, "Why?"

"I've spent my whole life here," Jie La Er said, pointing to the ground beneath his feet. "No matter what, I want to see how it ends."

Ina also fell silent.

She knew very well how dangerous it would be to stay here.

But she also knew that once Jie La Er made up his mind, it wasn't so easy to change it.

"Okay." After a brief hesitation, Ina nodded and said, "But you have to promise me one thing."

"What?"

"This city is no longer your concern," Ina said, emphasizing each word. "You can only be an observer; whatever happens, you cannot interfere. After witnessing its end, you must leave... Is that alright?"

Seeing Ina's incredibly serious gaze, Jie La Er nodded slightly. "Okay."

Hearing Jie La Er's promise, Ina breathed a slight sigh of relief.

She looked up at the darkening sky, put down the half-eaten bread in her hand, and hurriedly got up.

"Since I'm leaving tomorrow, I'll go back and get some things," Ina said. "I can't just leave empty-handed."

Do you want to withdraw money?

"Not only that." Ina shook her head, somewhat hesitantly, "There are also some... things belonging to my brother."

Jie La Er nodded. "Okay, then go and come back soon."

"Um."

Ina was about to leave, but Jie La Er called her back.

"Etc."

Ina turned around and looked at Jie La Er with a slightly puzzled expression. "What's wrong, Father?"

Jie La Er pointed expressionlessly to the half-eaten bread on the table. "Finish your dinner."

A distinct look of surprise flashed across Ina's face, but she smiled after a moment.

"Good."

After Ina's figure disappeared from sight, Jie La Er spoke softly, "You're back, aren't you?"

"Um".

"Is everything done?"

"That's right," Bai Wei said lazily. "Tomorrow, all you have to do is go to that place and retrieve my tongue, and your deal with me will be complete. Don't worry, there's no danger on this trip; I've already dealt with the risks, but you have to wait until tomorrow."

"I see."

Jie La Er still remembered his deal with Bai Wei.

Bai Wei helped him find the truth, and he helped Bai Wei find his tongue.

Now, Bai Wei has completed his part, and only Jie La Er's part remains to be completed.

"What will tomorrow bring?" Jie La Er asked.

"It will end with the most appropriate conclusion."

Bai Wei said calmly.

Jie La Er cast his gaze into the distance, where fireworks were constantly tearing through the darkness beneath the sky, which should have been gloomy.

But after a brief period of brilliance, it quickly faded into silence.

People were celebrating that night.

They celebrated the coming of the New God and the passing of the Old God.

"The most suitable... ending?"

"Damn it."

A Gear Train slowly came to a stop on the tracks.

It has not yet arrived at the station.

This greatly displeased the passengers on the train.

"What the hell?" they cursed. "Why did it stop?"

"Is the Lyra God in that ditch dead? Why can't the car move?"

"It shouldn't have anything to do with Him, right?"

"How can it not matter? Isn't this old, broken-down train something He left behind?" the man muttered. "It's an outdated thing, long since obsolete."

People grumbled and complained, almost completely forgetting that even a day before, they hadn't had such a big problem with the Gear Train, and were even proud that Lyra had such an excellent train.

But everything changed after today's referendum.

People realized that all of this was just a means for the Lyra to keep them at bay, a fence to confine them.

Naturally, there's no good attitude towards such a fence.

In just one day, everything changed dramatically.

"Let's get off the bus."

"Damn it, how do I open this door? I can't pry it open."

Several men tried to open the train doors.

But just then, the train slowly started moving.

"Huh? Why is it moving again?"

"That old thing really is unreliable."

They continued cursing, then sat down again and waited for the train to arrive at the station.

But soon they realized something was wrong.

"Wait, is this car going faster and faster?"

The train is accelerating.

Accelerate.

It is accelerating.

People discovered that the Gear Train had suddenly accelerated to a speed it had never experienced before.

It sped along the track, the rapid rotation of gears emitting blinding flashes of light, and the piercing noise tormented everyone's ears.

"What's going on?!"

"Hey, hey, hey, why is this car going faster and faster?"

"Look ahead! Look ahead!"

Everyone looked ahead, and then, without prior agreement, they all revealed expressions of horror.

Because ahead on the tracks, there was another train parked, and the people on that train were staring in astonishment at the train chasing after them.

At that moment, people realized what was about to happen.

But they didn't have time to stop it, not even time to jump out of the car, and could only watch helplessly.

The two trains collided suddenly.

"Boom!"

The roaring, enormous flames engulfed nearly a hundred lives.

But it was covered by fireworks under the night sky in the next second.

People are still celebrating.

"What happened?"

In the Fifth District tower, You Li walked briskly down the corridor, accompanied by his adjutant.

Just now, his adjutant reported some startling news to him.

Bishop Wei Sen of the Fifth District was extracted from the Thought Amber.

The bishop, who had been away from Lyra for ten years, has also returned.

"When did this happen?" You Li asked.

"Just half an hour ago." The adjutant was also very nervous. "We had long thought he wouldn't come back, and no one had been guarding him. After Bishop Wei Sen came out of the Thought Amber, he climbed out of the Thought Hall by himself, and that's when our people found him."

"You climbed out?"

"Yes," the adjutant said. "Bishop Wei Sen's mind is confused. He doesn't know what year it is and just keeps repeating the same sentence."

"What did you say?"

During their conversation, the two arrived at the entrance to the Thought Hall. The adjutant said with a wry smile, "Go and listen for yourself."

You Li pushed open the door and immediately saw Bishop Wei Sen, who was being supported by several Devil Knights, with disheveled hair and still looking crazy.

They look like they just stepped out of an asylum!

You Li immediately walked towards Bishop Wei Sen: "Your Bishop, Your Excellency..."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Wei Sen raise his head, his bloodshot eyes filled with anger and terror.

"What happened?! What on earth happened?!" Wei Sen shouted at You Li, "What happened to Lyra?! What have you done?!"

"Your Bishop, this is truly..."

You Li keenly realized that Wei Sen's change might be related to the referendum this morning. Just as he was about to explain to him, he heard Wei Sen roar wildly as if he had lost his mind.

"What the hell have you bastards done?!"

"Why, our Lord..."

"You want to kill us all?!"

You Li froze.