My Home

"Boundless Void Domain?"

"A Forbidden Zone that could isolate the inside from the outside, preventing our battles with enemies from affecting ordinary people. The Night Watchmen in every city were equipped with three signboards capable of deploying the Boundless Void Domain, each controlled by one person. Since people like us generally didn't take part in direct combat, we were also called 'watchers.'"

Lin Qiye raised an eyebrow. "So you're basically the lookout."

"...If you don't know how to talk, then talk less." Zhao Kongcheng rolled his eyes.

"You said there were three ways to obtain a Forbidden Zone. What's the last one?"

"The last one is a gift from a god, which is your situation." Zhao Kongcheng's expression turned solemn. "Some gods grant a portion of their power to humans they have chosen, making them their agents in the human world. Forbidden Zones bestowed by gods are also called 'Divine Zones.'"

"However, while gaining power, the agent also receives instructions from the god. Some are told to destroy human society, some to protect it, and some to help the god search for something... In short, a god generally has only one agent, and that agent represents the god's will."

"Most of the dozen or so God's Agents who have appeared so far are agents of Evil Gods attempting to destroy humanity's new order and return the world to chaos. They formed an organization of their own called the Ancient God Church."

"There are also agents of benevolent gods, but their numbers are extremely small. As for how many agents the neutral gods have, we have no way of knowing."

Zhao Kongcheng stood and walked over to Lin Qiye. Staring into his eyes, he spoke slowly and clearly:

"Lin Qiye, what instruction did Michael give you? Which side do you... belong to?"

Lin Qiye's eyes were filled with confusion. "I don't know. He didn't say."

Lin Qiye was telling the truth. Back then, Michael had merely glanced at him from afar atop the moon, and then he had fainted. The other party really hadn't said a single word!

Zhao Kongcheng frowned. "He said nothing at all? You never heard His voice in your mind either?"

"No, really, I didn't!"

Zhao Kongcheng scrutinized Lin Qiye suspiciously for a long time, as if trying to spot any sign that he was lying. Only after a while did he look away and slowly sit back down.

"Based on our speculation, Michael should belong to either the neutral or benevolent camp. Otherwise, we would have killed you already. But... since He gave you a Divine Zone, why didn't He say anything?"

"What exactly did He want to do?"

Lin Qiye frowned slightly. "I don't know what He wants, but even if He gave me an instruction, I wouldn't do it. I don't want to get mixed up in this messy business. At worst, I'll just give these eyes back to Him."

As he spoke, he stood up. "If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving."

Without waiting for Zhao Kongcheng to speak, he turned and went to open the door.

"No! Wait!!" Zhao Kongcheng abruptly stood up and blocked the doorway, staring at Lin Qiye. "You're leaving after asking your questions? What about me?"

"You? You can keep getting worked up here by yourself." Lin Qiye answered seriously.

"No, what I mean is... aren't you going to ask about me? Who am I?" Zhao Kongcheng felt genuinely exhausted talking to this kid.

"What does who you are have to do with me?" Lin Qiye continued opening the door.

Zhao Kongcheng grabbed the doorknob. "Why do I know so much? What kind of organization is behind me? What are we doing... Aren't you curious about any of that?"

"Not curious."

"Why?"

"According to the logic of movies and novels, once I learn you people exist, I'll only have two choices." Lin Qiye held up two fingers. "Either I join, or I become someone who can never leak the secret, like getting killed, locked up, brainwashed..."

"...Watch less TV, for fuck's sake!" Zhao Kongcheng was speechless. "Besides, you don't even understand us. How do you know joining us wouldn't be a good choice?"

Lin Qiye raised his brows. "So even if I learn about you and choose not to join, I won't be in danger?"

"Of course not! We're basically soldiers. At most, we'll have you sign a confidentiality agreement. Everything you said is complete nonsense!"

"Then I can listen." Hearing that, Lin Qiye sat back down.

Zhao Kongcheng sighed. Talking to this kid for a few minutes felt more exhausting than spending an entire day staking out a target.

"In 1922, after our expedition team discovered the first Mythical Creature, Leviathan, Dragon of Chaos, Great Xia's upper ranks urgently established a military organization prepared at all times for Mythical Creature invasions. It was called the 139 Special Biological Response Team."

"At the time, our technology was relatively backward, and we knew nothing about the world before us. So the so-called Special Biological Response Team was merely for show and wasn't of much use at all."

"Later, as time passed, we observed more and more Mythical Creatures, attempted to establish contact with some of them, and discovered the secret of Forbidden Zones. We began training specialized combat personnel."

"As we uncovered more and more Forbidden Zone users, we discovered that because their appearances were random, we couldn't bring every one of them under the military's authority. Thus, the 139 Special Biological Response Team gradually transformed into a special organization that was half military and half civilian."

"Now, we call this special organization... the 'Night Watchmen.'"

Lin Qiye looked thoughtful. "So your purpose is to protect Great Xia from the encroachment of those evil gods?"

"More accurately, from all Mythical Creatures."

"What's the difference?"

"Of course there's a difference. I already told you that the appearance of Mythical Creatures is random and has nothing to do with the strength of their power. So the Mythical Creatures that descend aren't just those mighty gods people know well. There are also weaker creatures that exist only in rural legends or minor tales. The Ghost-faced Man you encountered last night was one kind of rural horror legend."

"Mythical Creatures that don't possess world-ending power but can still affect human society are collectively called 'Mysteries.'"

"I see." Lin Qiye nodded. No wonder the thing he had encountered last night had seemed somewhat familiar. It had originated from rural stories in the first place.

"So, we're soldiers too—soldiers who protect our homes and defend our country! We exist to prevent the people of Great Xia from suffering. Isn't that noble? Isn't that cool?!" Zhao Kongcheng began trying earnestly to persuade him.

"Very noble. Very cool. I respect you very much, truly." Lin Qiye's expression became serious. He was not joking; genuine respect could indeed be seen in his eyes.

A smile gradually appeared on Zhao Kongcheng's face. "Then you..."

"I'm not going."

"..." Zhao Kongcheng's smile instantly froze. "Why?!"

"I can't leave." Lin Qiye's eyes were full of seriousness. "I still have many things to do..."

"What could be more important than protecting your home and country?!"

"I have an aunt and a cousin." Lin Qiye looked out the window, his expression extremely calm. "My aunt isn't old, but for A Jin and me, a useless burden, she has worked day and night in the factory, year after year for ten years. Now, her body is almost giving out..."

"She's a very stubborn person. Even when she rubbed her neck until tears came out while sitting on a stool in the living room, she stubbornly insisted she was doing yoga and that it was good for her health..."

"I sat right across from her. She thought I couldn't see."

"She lived too carefully, and too wearily."

"My cousin is smart and filial, but unfortunately... he's still too young to shoulder this family."

"I still have many things to do."

"I need to earn money to support the family. I need to buy my aunt and cousin a big house. I need to make sure my aunt never has to return to that dark factory to suffer again!"

"I need to put my cousin through college. I need to let him and my aunt live good lives together!"

"For these past ten years, they never gave up on me, this burden. Now that I'm finally better, how could I abandon them?"

"You're noble and great. If circumstances allowed, perhaps I would join you..."

"But right now, I only want to stay steadily by their side..."

"To protect this home."