Su Chen said quietly, "Did you see that? The lights of Heaven Dou City are brighter than ever before. Your sacrifices were not in vain. This land and its people will continue to live on in peace. We will carry on your beliefs. We will continue to uphold your protection."
The night wind swept past, and the leaves outside the window rustled as if responding to his words.
Under the same night sky, in another part of Heaven Dou City, a little girl sat on the steps of a small courtyard, gazing at the stars above.
"Grandpa, is it true that Lady Qian Renxue and the others became stars?" The little girl turned around and asked the old man sitting behind her.
The old man smiled and gently patted the little girl's head. "It's true. They became the three brightest stars, watching over us from the heavens forever."
"Then can they see us?" the little girl asked again.
"They can," the old man said. "As long as they live in our hearts, they can see us."
The little girl nodded, then shouted at the sky, "Lady Qian Renxue! Commander Zhao Feng! Lady Lin Mo! Thank you! I'll grow up properly! I'll protect this land just like you did!"
The childish voice echoed across the night sky, traveling far, far away.
Above them, the three stars suddenly flickered at the same time, as if responding to the little girl's call.
Time flowed like water, and before they knew it, another year had passed.
The atmosphere on Martyrs' Memorial Day remained solemn and reverent, but the sorrow had gradually faded, replaced by a warm and steadfast strength. People no longer merely wept and mourned. Instead, they began thinking about how to pass on the spirit of the Heroic Martyrs.
The imperial