After the Lord of the Abyss Awakens - Chapter 37.2

Luo Jie was glared at by the two cats again and replied, “It’s nothing. I’m just very happy. Really, Brother Xiu, it’s so good that you’re still alive.”

There’s nothing better than this. Knowing this before I die, I can die without regrets.

“I made you all worry. I didn’t expect it either back then. It happened too suddenly.”

Xiu Si still remembered their panicked looks when they all turned to him at the last moment.

He had always disliked making others worry, yet that accident had caused everyone to worry about him for so long.

Really, he didn’t know how to make up for it.

Luo Jie shook his head, “No, don’t mind it. Accidents are something no one wants to happen. It’s good that you’ve come back safe and sound.”

Xiu Si smiled faintly and changed the subject, “Tell me about yourself. How does it feel to be the world’s hero?”

Luo Jie paused, his eyes showing a hint of vicissitudes. Countless memories surged in his mind simultaneously, with all flavors of life – sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy. In his youth, he had received supreme honors and worldwide acclaim. In his old age, he was highly respected and educated countless students.

There were too many things. Looking back, it was dazzling, but in the end, it all came back to the starting point.

Those days when the seven of them adventured together.

Coming from the same world, they viewed each other as family in this alien world where they had no one.

Sharing joys and sorrows, journeying together.

Luo Jie felt at peace in his heart and slowly said, “Being a hero isn’t bad.”

A hint of surprise flashed in Xiu Si’s eyes. Because back then, Luo Jie had often complained about being transported to another world, sometimes muttering some dark words that even scared him.

Now it was… different.

That’s right. People always change.

“It’s just too tiring.”

Luo Jie suddenly seemed to return to the past, starting to complain, “Really too tiring. I can’t keep up.”

For the world’s hero to show such a dejected appearance, if people knew about it, who knows how shocked they would be.

Xiu Si was unsurprised, as Luo Jie had often complained before. He casually said, “You too, aren’t you at retirement age? Why do you still need to come out of seclusion?”

“…I have no choice. I can’t let go.”

“But you can’t keep leading the children forever.”

As a father of twenty-some children, Xiu Si’s words were very persuasive.

Although he didn’t seem like the type to lecture children, education inevitably involved some lecturing.

Luo Jie couldn’t help but smile, the heavy stone in his heart finally lifted, feeling unprecedentedly relaxed.

Xiu Si suddenly thought of something, “Everyone outside thinks you’re dead. Can you finally break free now?”

“Yes.”

Luo Jie lowered his eyes, thinking to himself that when a person dies, they naturally retire.

His fleeting expression was caught by Inpos.

Inpos remained silent, lowering his head to draw circles on the drawing board.

At this moment, Xiu Si’s expression suddenly turned serious, “By the way, do you know the cause and process of this incident in the Aust Empire?”

Luo Jie: “I know the basics, but there are some parts I still don’t understand.”

Xiu Si then told Luo Jie everything he knew.

Luo Jie’s eyes changed, and he remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking, “So that’s how it is. The former king actually abducted and ate the child of an otherworld god.”

He had lived for so many years and seen much, but this was the first time he had heard of such a thing.

That mad king had actually gone to such an extent. Forget about an otherworld god, anyone would want to kill the entire world out of anger for such a thing.

Xiu Si: “Yes, I learned about this by accident. I don’t know if others know, or if the truth is buried underground, unknown to the entire empire.”

Luo Jie lowered his eyes, thinking, “They probably don’t know. At least Her Majesty and the current high-level officials don’t know. Those who knew were probably killed long ago.”

“Is that so.”

Xiu Si pondered. He didn’t mention that the otherworld god’s child was currently with him, recovering in the system box. Because he felt that the otherworld god wouldn’t want others to know about their child’s situation.

“Hmm, I’ll handle this matter.”

Luo Jie’s expression was solemn. He then said, “It’s already late. I’m glad to see you again, Brother Xiu.”

As he spoke, he slowly stood up, casting a long shadow on the table.

For some reason, his appearance made Xiu Si feel uneasy, reminding him of the phrase “a spent arrow.”

Especially since Xiu Si had noticed his increasingly pale complexion since their reunion.

Xiu Si: “Are you leaving?”

“Yes, I still have things to do.”

Luo Jie looked at Xiu Si, his gaze sweeping over the two cats behind him, seeming to express gratitude.

“Being able to see Brother Xiu one last time, knowing you’re safe and sound, is enough for me.”

Inpos’s paws tightened slightly on the drawing board.

“Are you alright?”

Xiu Si also stood up, almost speaking out about the oddness he sensed.

But Luo Jie shook his head, saying they’d meet again if there was a chance in the future.

His eyes were both young and old, overlapping, complex and profound.

Xiu Si was silent for a few seconds, “If you have any problems, just tell me. Although I don’t have much ability, my luck should be considered good.”

The evidence was that he hadn’t died when falling from the continent into the abyss, nor when falling from the abyss into who-knows-where, and had even safely revived in the end.

Luo Jie looked at him, not knowing where to begin. “No special abilities,” yet able to mobilize all Abyss Lords with a single word, plus the Gods of Light and Darkness. If the God of Rankings were to start a ranking, their Brother Xiu might well top the comprehensive list.

However, Luo Jie glanced at the two cats again and said meaningfully. “Brother Xiu, you’re not ordinary. You’re one of the seven world-saving heroes. How could you be ordinary? How could you have no abilities?”

Xiu Si hesitated, wondering if Luo Jie had also noticed that he seemed to have awakened some cheat ability. He himself didn’t know what this cheat ability was.

Luo Jie smiled faintly. “Pay more attention to your surroundings. You might discover unexpected surprises.”

His implied targets immediately bristled, their cat eyes widening.

“The surroundings, huh.”

Xiu Si was completely oblivious to this but made a note of the reminder. Luo Jie’s words reminded him of something. As he walked him to the door, he asked, “By the way, do you know how to repair a system malfunction?”

Luo Jie had some experience with this question, but not much. He replied, “Mine recovered automatically. System magic is said to be a very special magic, self-contained, like life itself. It generates itself. As long as the host doesn’t die, it can recover fully.”

Xiu Si pondered: “I see. But do we have to wait for natural recovery?”

Luo Jie thought for a moment, “Not necessarily. System magic is a type of magic, so you can try to find a magician to repair it. But system magic is ancient and complex, a very unusual and unique magic. Ordinary magicians can’t repair it. If you’re looking for someone, you’d need to find a magician at least at the level of Matros or Sister Ye to have a chance of successful repair.”

Xiu Si was delighted, because wasn’t Matros his nominal teacher?

The solution was within reach!

“No need to rush. You’ve just come out of the abyss. Taking it slow is no problem at all.”

Luo Jie turned, almost disappearing into the night.

“Anyway, I’m glad we met again. Goodbye, Brother Xiu.”

“Mm, see you later.”

Luo Jie took one last look at the antique shop, noting its name.

After bidding farewell to Luo Jie, Xiu Si still felt somewhat melancholic. He had worried if the other might have forgotten him, but upon meeting, he realized Luo Jie had remembered all along.

Luo Jie had changed somewhat. Previously, he cared a lot about others’ opinions, was observant of people’s reactions, reluctant to express himself, and would change himself for others. Now he was mature and steady, adept, making it hard to see his true thoughts. He had also gained a bit of killer instinct, unconsciously exuding pressure in his actions, full of the unique authority and aura of a hero.

Time and environment had changed him, but his essence should remain unchanged.

“…I hope he’s alright.”

Xiu Si reminisced for a few minutes when suddenly the delayed system voice sounded.

[Congratulations! You’ve gained 200 achievement points!]

[Congratulations! You’ve gained the blessing of subspace! You can freely enter and exit subspace without being affected by spatial rules. You will be immune to the effects of spatial storms when entering and exiting subspace.]

Xiu Si was surprised. 200 achievement points? The value had suddenly increased. Of course, it was best used for upgrading.

He looked again at the small light body in the box, confirming that the little one’s vital signs were normal and slowly recovering.

Good, after a busy day and meeting an old friend, he’d use the remaining time to level up.

After saying goodbye, Luo Jie immediately went to the palace to find Anna.

When Anna first saw him, her expression was shocked, but after a few seconds, she returned to calmness, as if she had always known Luo Jie wouldn’t die.

Luo Jie didn’t say any unnecessary words, directly telling her about Xiu Si’s discovery.

Anna went from calm to frowning deeply, her hands on her dress trembling slightly. After a long while, she said, “I knew he was heartless, but I didn’t expect him to be mad to this extent.”

Luo Jie spoke frankly, “The matter is over now. Telling the public won’t cause panic. Let’s announce the cause and process of this series of events to all citizens, to the whole world. They should know the truth.”

This was undoubtedly a major scandal.

Anna nodded without any hesitation, “Alright, I’ll give the order tomorrow, and have Helen and the others prepare the information.”

“Besides that,” Luo Jie only mentioned the key points, saying, “There are still unexplained aspects behind the former king’s actions. How did he know that eating a god’s infant could level him up, gain divinity, and even form a godhood?”

This wasn’t something just anyone would know. Luo Jie himself had only just learned about it.

Was it the mad king’s own idea, or was it “suggested” by someone? There was a big difference between these two possibilities.

Anna wasn’t without clues. She pondered for a few minutes, sorting out some intelligence, “Brother wasn’t a mad king from the beginning. He changed dramatically when he was 28 years old.”

Luo Jie knew about this too.

There are two types of madmen: those born mad, and those who go mad later. Some gradually go insane, others suddenly change.

The former king belonged to the sudden change category, with a great inconsistency in personality before and after.

As for the root cause, Anna could only think of it being after that religious order moved in.

“The Church of Dawn. Brother changed after they came.”

Anna added, “Brother was an extremely anxious person. Once he lacked confidence or felt insecure, he would fall into extreme anxiety. So he pursued power more than ordinary people and wanted to build an absolutely safe empire. Back then, when I married into a foreign country, I didn’t know the specific situation, only hearing some vague rumors. After the Church of Dawn moved in, they gained Brother’s deep trust. Even the current prime minister was ordained as a priest of the Church of Dawn. Not just the prime minister, more than a third of the empire’s officials were ordained as members of the Church of Dawn. When the otherworld god raged and bathed with blood the imperial city years ago, most of these people died. The Church of Dawn now has only a few people left.”

Luo Jie frowned. He realized he might have been focusing on the wrong point all along. What he should really be concerned about wasn’t the descent of the otherworld god, but the people who caused the otherworld god to descend. He was getting old, even his thinking power was declining.

Anna continued to recall. “I didn’t know about the situation in the Aust Empire for several years. By the time I learned of the great changes in the country, it was already two or three years later. By then, he had completely changed his personality, as mad as one could be. After the otherworld god’s descent and bloodbath, most of the intelligence was erased. There are many things we can’t investigate anymore.”

Luo Jie fell silent, muttering, “The Church of Dawn, huh? We’d better investigate them. They shouldn’t be simple.”

Anna nodded, saying seriously, “I was just planning to do that.”

To face and settle accounts with the empire’s deeply sinful past.

Luo Jie looked at her strands of white hair and her face that had aged five years in just a few days. He was speechless for a moment, finally saying, “Don’t tell others that I’m alive. For future matters, you all do your best.”

Anna watched Luo Jie leave, standing by the window for a long time. Suddenly, her body trembled, and blood seeped from her lips.

The otherworld god’s curse had disappeared, but not completely.

“Anyway, let’s do what we can for now.”

She sat at the desk and began writing tomorrow’s documents.

On a dark and windy night.

Luo Jie stood on a tall building, looking down at the twinkling lights of the imperial city.

Perhaps his final burst of energy was ending. He suddenly swayed, almost unable to stand.

At this moment, a meow sounded behind him.

Luo Jie turned his head to see the cat transform into a human. Black mist spread, and an androgynous youth walked out.

Inpos’s expression was cold as he said, “As the world’s hero, do you really want to die like this?”

Luo Jie looked at him and suddenly said, “Humans have lifespans.”

Inpos: “If you want, you could easily become undead.”

“A life without an endpoint is hard to find meaning in.”

“But you shouldn’t die like this.”

They faced off inexplicably.

Luo Jie realized why he had come.

Inpos was also frank. “Don’t die. Hold on for a few days. I’ll go find Buer. With her medicine, you can surely live.”

The Abyss Lord Buer was well-known for being extremely skilled in healing, with countless magic potions at her disposal.

Inpos continued. “It’s not for you, it’s for our father. If you die, Father will be sad, so we want you to hold on for a few more days for Father’s sake.”

How willful and domineering. Luo Jie was speechless for a moment and could only nod, “I’ll hold on for a few more days.”

Only then was Inpos satisfied.

It was the first time Luo Jie had seen an Abyss Lord act so humanely. Finding it novel, he was about to speak when his gaze happened to sweep over the church building next door.

Suddenly, he widened his eyes, thinking of an extremely crucial matter. He urgently asked, “Inpos, is the antique shop where Brother Xiu is staying called Xilin’s Antique Shop?”

Inpos nodded, “Yes, that’s right. It’s lent to Father for temporary stay by a priest called Xilin.”

Luo Jie blurted out. “Xilin is a member of the Church of Dawn.”

Inpos was completely bewildered. So what?

Meanwhile, late at night.

Morax was dozing off and was carried back to the bedroom by Xiu Si.

Xiu Si checked the number of his children, confirmed it was correct, and was about to go to bed when he suddenly wondered if he had locked the outside door.

He thought he had, but maybe he hadn’t.

Uneasy, he walked out of the bedroom and went to the door in the dim light.

Then unexpectedly, as soon as he touched it, the door opened.

Looking up, he saw Priest Xilin standing outside, travel-worn and wearing a coat.

The other squinted his eyes, a smile spreading across his lips.