Chapter 109 – When the Roses Bloom (27)
◎ A New Journey (End of Mu City Arc) ◎
“Have you ever considered staying in Shaye?”
Zhang Ci had a calm nature, and his true thoughts were hard to discern from his surface demeanor. He seemed to mention it casually, yet it felt as if he had contemplated deeply. No one knew exactly what he was thinking when he uttered those words.
Song Ke didn’t react immediately, blinking blankly. “Huh?”
Before she could reply, a member of V587 exploded. Zhang Ci seemed to be poaching in front of them. No, it was beyond that; it was like he intended to tear down the entire wall! Song Ke was not only the captain of V587 but also the backbone that held everyone together. If she was taken away, the team would disperse in minutes!
“No way!” Xu Xing was the first to speak out, his curly hair standing on end. “She belongs to us!”
“What ‘belongs to you’? She’s been like a little sister to us since childhood!” Mo Yan retorted with defiance.
“But she enjoys being with us now!” Xu Xing’s voice cracked with frustration.
“You said ‘enjoys.'” Mo Yan, wrapped up tightly, caught the loophole in his words, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “When you’re done playing, you always return home. Without the martial arts school, Shaye is our home.”
Mo Yan brought up the weighty notion of “home,” leaving Xu Xing momentarily at a loss. He quickly looked around for support. However, Lu Xiaoyu had an amused expression, seemingly enjoying the spectacle. Su Cha, with his perennially calm demeanor, showed no emotional fluctuations. Lin Youyou covered her red lips, smiling faintly, clearly indicating she had no intention of getting involved. Fang Zhixu… better not hassle him when he’s in a bad mood.
Xu Xing looked eagerly at Zhuang Qingyan sitting in the wheelchair. Why wasn’t he saying anything? Whenever he tried to get close to his sister before, Zhuang Qingyan would threaten him fiercely. Now, when someone else was about to take his sister away, why was he staying quiet?
Not only Xu Xing but even Fan Yiwen and others who were aware of the situation sensed something amiss. Even though this “Little White Face” was now confined to a wheelchair, let’s not forget, he was a master at never taking a loss.
Zhuang Qingyan didn’t rush to express an opinion. He absentmindedly pinched Song Ke’s finger and suddenly said, “Song Ke, my leg hurts.”
Song Ke immediately grew tense, massaging his leg. “Where does it hurt?”
“On the left side, um… a bit more to the left,” Zhuang Qingyan lazily directed her. “It seems it needs a bit downward pressure too.”
“Ah, you’re pressing too hard.”
“S-sorry. I’ll be gentler.”
“Okay.”
Song Ke massaged and kneaded aimlessly, resembling a diligent daughter-in-law tending to chores. The others gradually understood the situation but felt powerless to comment. If Zhuang Qingyan truly had a leg issue, Dr. Fang stood nearby; there was no need for Song Ke to intervene.
This wasn’t about a leg ache; it was a statement of authority from the insufferable “Little White Face”!
As Zhuang Qingyan helped Song Ke fix her fallen hair, he glanced unexpectedly towards a man at the door.
He smirked, leisurely starting, “Upon reflection, since everyone involved is here, it’s better to clarify some things. Child brides, a custom originating from the old civilization, should have been abolished long ago. Brother Zhang, by using this to retain someone, do you think Song Ke is an easy target?”
What child bride? She already said she was not a child bride. Song Ke got angry, pinching Zhuang Qingyan’s thigh hard. However, he remained unfazed; his leg nerves had long ceased to transmit pain signals. It took Song Ke a moment to realize: This liar!
“Child bride is just a joke; it’s not real,” Zhang Ci’s tone remained calm, but the next moment, he uttered something astounding, “However, I’ll oversee Song Ke’s affairs.”
The members of the martial arts school were dumbfounded. After joking for over a decade, Zhang Ci was taking this seriously?
Rita felt a pang of bitterness and couldn’t help but ask, “Zhang Ci, what do you mean?”
“Propose! Hurry up and propose!” Mo Yan shouted, eager to stir things up.
Fan Yiwen smacked his head, covering Mo Yan’s mouth, leaving him to mutter incomprehensibly.
Zhang Ci remained silent, his gaze lowered.
When Song Ke had first arrived in Yue Mountain, she was like a skinny little monkey. Zhang Ting had pitied her and arranged for her to celebrate birthdays with Zhang Ci. They’d sit side by side in front of a cake, awkwardly blowing out candles. Over the years, they’d continued this tradition. People joked that Zhang Ci had picked up a child bride, and because neither of the involved parties bothered to explain, it gradually became an unspoken truth.
Zhang Ci’s emotional attachment, be it romantic or not, was rather weak. He didn’t have grand feelings for Song Ke; he simply felt responsible for taking care of her. In fact, everyone in the martial arts school was his responsibility, but with Zhang Ting no longer around… his personal sense of responsibility towards Song Ke might have been a bit stronger.
“It’s too dangerous for her to follow you,” Zhang Ci said.
Assassinating Nai Kang, resisting Punk’s explosion, everything Song Ke does now feels like walking on a tightrope.
“Is it safe to stay by your side? Brother Zhang is too confident,” Zhuang Qingyan stood firm.
“Song Ke is from Yue Mountain, we will all take care of her,” Zhang Ci calmly retorted.
“Please, Brother Zhang, understand this clearly. Song Ke belongs to no one; she is free. What right do you have to control her?” Zhuang Qingyan sneered.
“I am her senior brother. If she wishes, I can be something else, but no matter my identity, I am more qualified than you,” Zhang Ci’s dark eyes gazed firmly, sharpness evident. “You ask about my identity, then what about you? What role do you play in her life?”
Zhuang Qingyan froze: “…”
What role did he have? What was he to Song Ke? Zhuang Qingyan, who had always been a good with words, was unusually silent.
In the end, Song Ke was his chosen golden thigh, while he, himself, was merely picked up by her… an outsider. He indeed had no right to control her.
Seeing the atmosphere deadlocked, Song Ke stepped forward voluntarily and seriously told Zhang Ci, “Senior brother, I won’t stay for now. There are things to be done.”
She aimed to heal Zhuang Qingyan’s leg, attend the finals of the Throne Race Competition, fulfill Lin Youyou’s wish, and if there was a chance later, she wanted to visit District B… When all settled, she might return to Shaye.
After listening, Zhang Ci stayed silent for a while and didn’t force her, “Alright, whenever you come back, Shaye will always be your home.”
“Yes, little junior sister, Shaye will forever be your home!” the senior brothers and sisters exclaimed.
“Mm!” Song Ke nodded happily. She knew they were her strongest support.
*
Before leaving Shaye, Song Ke deliberately sought out Zhang Ci. “Senior brother, Master has… something for you.”
Before her eighteenth birthday, Zhang Ting had given two gifts, one of which was to be passed on to Zhang Ci through Song Ke. Unexpectedly, after that day when they descended the mountain, a solar storm struck, and doomsday arrived, temporarily shelving this matter. After a gap of more than half a year, she and Zhang Ci finally met under convoluted circumstances.
Song Ke had already opened and examined her own gift, a quaint-looking medallion for tranquility, cold to the touch with a unique material that resisted water and fire. Although she didn’t understand why Master gave her this, she kept it carefully.
Zhang Ci opened the plastic bag, revealing a transfer agreement inside. Zhang Ting had transferred all his movable and immovable property, as well as ownership of the Yue Mountain Martial Arts School, to Zhang Ci. He was a strict master but not a qualified father, their relationship constantly eroded through repeated disputes, yet it never entirely vanished.
Zhang Ci ran his fingers over the thin pages, remaining silent for a long time.
Now, with Shaye needing extensive reconstruction, this money was like a timely help, enough to support him for a long time.
“By the way, Bai Ruotong wants to ask for your help,” Zhang Ci said.
Concerning Zhang Ting’s death, Zhang Ci had always harbored doubts. Based on memories retrieved from Tun Qin’s mind, a team in uniforms had killed Zhang Ting. During this time, Bai Ruotong had questioned the personnel at the base to ascertain the origin of these individuals. The backgrounds of the members in Song Ke’s team were complex, and she wanted to inquire if there were any clues.
After listening to Bai Ruotong’s description, Song Ke shook her head. “I don’t know.”
Bai Ruotong shrugged in disappointment.
Song Ke silently added the latter half of the sentence, “…Zhuang Qingyan definitely knows.”
In her mind, Zhuang Qingyan, the omniscient information hub of the Alliance, knew everything.
The three found Zhuang Qingyan and met Zhang Ci again. Both acted as if nothing had happened. Based on the information Bai Ruotong provided, Zhuang Qingyan casually sketched a fierce vulture on the screen.
“Is this the pattern?”
Bai Ruotong nodded excitedly. “Yes! Exactly the same.”
Zhuang Qingyan frowned. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure, I directly extracted it from Tun Qin’s memory. He saw the vulture pattern with his own eyes,” Bai Ruotong said.
“You are familiar with these people,” Zhang Ci keenly noticed.
“Not exactly familiar, just heard about them,” Zhuang Qingyan said. “They come from Vulture, your Master’s death is not simple.”
Vulture Section Six, nicknamed the “Vulture” Unit, was the Alliance’s highest intelligence agency, primarily tasked with openly or secretly gathering various intelligence. They also engaged in investigations involving subversion, assassinations, explosions, and other activities.
Why would the Alliance’s intelligence agency find Zhang Ting and even kill him? What secrets did Zhang Ting hold?
This matter seemed shrouded in dense fog, becoming increasingly complex. Song Ke looked worriedly at Zhang Ci.
Zhang Ci closed his palm, calmly saying, “Thank you. I’ll investigate the rest.”
…
Song Ke stood at the lookout tower, gazing down.
In the distance, a dark mass of people crossed the lifeline, facing the roars of the undead outside the iron fence as they slowly made their way toward Shaye. This time, it wasn’t an army attacking Shaye but rather people fleeing with their families to seek a new life. The entrance to the base was bustling with activity, and nearby cities like Xiangang and Emerald City had become part of Shaye, merging into one city.
The situation in Mu City was rapidly changing. Among the three warlords, only one remained. Mu Qin was currently overwhelmed, while Park Jae-woo’s methods were adept at cutting through chaos. Not only did he limit the warlords’ power, but he also abolished the deformed hierarchical system. Soon, new administrators would take their positions. However, faced with the chaos and decline of Mu City and the burgeoning and increasingly forceful Shaye, no one could predict the future.
Inside the base, the liberated Rose Army girls spontaneously gathered, placing flowers at a pristine statue. Holding hands, they sang distant local ballads. The statue had a sacred and beautiful appearance, with a plaque underneath that read: “In memory of the strongest Rose, Ayao. She led us in resisting an unjust fate.”
Irene stood quietly behind the crowd, holding a cannon in one hand, watching.
Lin Youyou patted her shoulder. “Hey, Irene, we’re getting ready to leave and wanted to bid you farewell. What are your plans now?”
“I plan to return to Ferrara and continue participating in the finals,” Irene initially wore a serious expression that gradually softened. “But I won’t push too hard anymore because my wish has been fulfilled. See you in the finals. Even if we’re friends, I won’t hold back. That’s the pride of a mercenary.”
“We won’t either. See you in the finals,” Lin Youyou grinned.
Samuel patrolled the base with his torso exposed, his python tattoo vividly displayed, yet nobody feared him. Children gathered around him, enviously wanting to touch him.
Lin Mo and Lu Qiu were both engrossed in different activities. One was entangled with Lu Xiaoyu, learning mechanical skills, while the other followed Fang Zhixu eagerly, almost thirstily absorbing his teachings. They were among those who couldn’t bear to see V587 leave.
Chatterbox Kansu sneakily glanced at Marie with every opportunity, mumbling to himself, “You don’t look anything like your sister. Of course, your sister is cute too, but I think… I think you’re prettier…”
“What do you want?” Marie stared at him guardedly.
“I mean, you, you’re very brave. I admire you!” Kansu stumbled over his words.
As Kansu spoke, he blushed, awkwardly scratching his head. “Uh, do you want to come play in the tunnels with me?”
Marie’s face still bore scars, and her mouth was swollen, but her eyes sparkled. “Sure, my grandpa loved talking about tunnel warfare!”
Song Ke enjoyed the breeze, observing the diverse scene below.
Zhuang Qingyan’s wheelchair stopped beside her. “Reluctant to leave?”
Song Ke shook her head. “I’ll come back.”
“Song Keke,” Zhuang Qingyan called her name, smiling gently. “After the surgery, let’s talk. There’s something I want to tell you.”
