Scourge Messenger

Chapter 280 I’m not willing to give in
That was a brilliant attempt to persuade him to surrender.

First, she repeatedly asked for my name to show she valued me, then she launched a sudden attack, and finally, in the name of righteousness, she offered a perfectly timed way out. Her approach was straightforward and honest, yet so persuasive, like a home-cooked meal that could win over most people and give hungry travelers a place to go.

Anyone with a normal heart would have been persuaded by her, but unfortunately, the one lying on the ground was Yan Shiyi, and the one controlling him was Yan Qing. After walking for six days and six nights to fight his way here, justice and hope could no longer fill his stomach.

"You mean, only if I surrender and join the State of Qi, and from then on turn over a new leaf and benefit the world, can I be a true hero?" Yan Qing said with a smile.

"This is not my opinion, but the world's opinion," Ying Rushi said slowly. "I only know that destroying secret realms, breaking through thousands of troops, and dying in the land of falling rain and raging torrents is not the mark of a hero."

"Everything you've said is based on the premise that I didn't kill Ying Le," Yan Qing said. "If I could kill Ying Le, wouldn't I be a hero?"

Before Ying Rushi could answer, Ying Le's bell-like laughter rang out: "Of course! If you can kill me, you will be a great hero, a great hero, the savior of Qi! Countless young girls will vie to present flowers to you!"

“But the problem is,” Ying Le’s smile faded, “you can’t kill me.”

"Shut up." Although he was suppressed and unable to move, Yan Qing's tone was indifferent, as if he were the supreme emperor: "I'm not talking to you, and you are not worthy to listen to my reasoning."

Ying Rushi tensed up instantly, her body stiffening and turning slightly to block Ying Le's view as much as possible. However, Ying Le wasn't angry. Instead, she stuck out her tongue like a mischievous little girl: "Hmph, fine, I won't tell you then. I don't want to talk to you either."

"Because I didn't kill Ying Le, everything I did was wrong?" Yan Qing ignored her and continued, "Because it didn't blossom and bear fruit, it shouldn't have sprouted in the first place?"

“You’re doing it wrong.” Ying Rushi avoided the topic of Ying Le and said calmly, “You shouldn’t drag so many people into your righteous cause.”

"What kind of justice are you expecting, Prince Lanling?" Yan Qing found it somewhat amusing: "Is it a dashing swordsman who runs to the palace of Nevernight City, beheads Ying Le with a single sword, and then leaves without a trace? Or is it a high-ranking commander who summons the Thirty-Six Armies to purge the court of corrupt officials, forces Ying Le to abdicate, and peacefully transitions power? Or is it like you say, serving this tyrant Ying Le hand and foot, waiting until she gets tired of it and relinquishes power before having a chance to uphold justice?"

"What you expect is less justice and more charity. You expect a powerful figure to descend from the sky and solve all your troubles. This person could be someone else, or it could be Ying Le, because you know you cannot resist Ying Le's Foundation Establishment power, so you have never thought of resisting... In your view, if you cannot resist, you should choose to submit and lie low, protect yourself, and wait for the right opportunity, right? Justice must prevail, and if it cannot prevail, then as you said—you will only be a sinner who will be infamous for ten thousand years."

"This is truly the justice of the victor taking all, and it suits you perfectly, Prince Lanling."

Ying Rushi's lips turned deathly pale, and her body swayed slightly, but her hands still gripped her weapon tightly. Yan Qing then noticed that her face was extremely haggard, as if she hadn't slept well for days and nights. Yet, it was this very person who seized a fatal opportunity in mid-air and defeated the leaping 'Yan Eleven'.

"Isn't that right?" After a long silence, she asked softly, her tone even a little weak. The moment she said it, Ying Rushi regretted it. She shouldn't have accepted the other person's words... nor should she have been so weak.

“Yes.” But Yan Qing’s answer surprised her: “This is indeed the right path. When faced with a powerful opponent that you cannot defeat, submission is the only correct choice. To insist on fighting is just wasting your life. Only by living can you have infinite possibilities. In any case, even if you are not here, someone else will submit to the tyrant. But if you are in a high position, you might be able to do some good things. It is better than handing over the world to the demons and monsters you hate.”

"You did nothing wrong."

Ying Ru stared blankly at the Yaksha mask she had suppressed. Suddenly, her haggard face radiated a brilliant light, and golden datura flowers seemed to bloom in her pupils. A great sadness and bitterness welled up in her nose. She tried to suppress this indescribable tremor, but her eyes were still overwhelmed by this surging emotion, as if the green mountains were shrouded in a thin mist.

She silently removed her defensive barrier, letting the cold rain soak her entire body, as if only in this way could she cool the fire in her heart.

But she couldn't say anything, and she couldn't show any expression.

She could clearly feel Ying Le staring at her, as if countless sharp swords were pointing at her vital points, as if demons were licking her soul. This was her reality: a world in turmoil, a path filled with ghosts and monsters, immense pressure suffocating her, a world where she felt utterly alone, treading on thorns in the pouring rain, stumbling and cautiously moving forward, not knowing what awaited her at the end of the road.

Except for a few days when she returned to the Thieves' House, she felt like she was living in the deep sea, where even breathing was incredibly difficult. She was very sleepy in bed but couldn't fall asleep. Every time she woke up, she felt a slight sense of loss, as if she would never wake up again, which would be more reassuring than seeing the sky of the Never-Sleeping City.

But in the end, she chose to face this cruel world and take on her own responsibilities.

Because she was a member of the Ying family, a member of the Qi state's royal family, and the Prince of Lanling, Ying Rushi!
But now, hope surged within her desolate heart, like the sun rising over a grave.

She finally met someone who understood her, someone she could walk alongside.

"Nonsense." Ying Rushi took a deep breath: "The Qi court is a place of clear skies and bright sunshine; how could there be demons and monsters?"

"Just say so."

"Hand over the token, abandon the darkness and embrace the light, and submit to His Majesty. This is your only way to survive," Ying said. "His Majesty appreciates talented individuals, and Qi has plenty of places for you to showcase your abilities. It's not impossible for you to even destroy the secret realm to gain power. The world is vast, and besides Qi, there is also Zhou and Liang. With Qi as your backer, you will surely go further."

"You possess the potential to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, a peak unattainable by mortals. During your third transformation, you can only act recklessly like this, but if you achieve Foundation Establishment, your every word and action will influence millions, even the entire nation, and the Central Plains will be changed because of you... Are you willing to die like this?"

"Are you really willing to hand the world over to someone else like this?!"

Towards the end, Ying Rushi couldn't even suppress her turbulent emotions. It wasn't so much a question as a rhetorical one. These past few days, every time she fell asleep, every time she woke up, every time she saw something unbearable, she would ask herself this question—Are you resigned to this?

I can not be reconciled.

The world shouldn't be like this, the State of Qi shouldn't be like this, and I shouldn't be like this either. So I must live on... until I have the ability to change all of this, until I am able to change all of this!
Even if it meant getting blood on their hands and living in constant fear, they had no regrets.

Doing good deeds to the best of my ability is the path I should take.

“Yan Shiyi, if you destroy the secret realm and then retreat to the mountains, you can find refuge anywhere in the Central Plains with your abilities; even if you insist on assassinating me, you can sneak into the vicinity of Nevernight City. I have always enjoyed traveling, so ambushing me is not difficult.” Just then, Ying Le suddenly said, “But you insist on marching towards Nevernight City in a grand manner, deliberately diverting the Qi Kingdom’s forces. If the Zhou and Liang Kingdoms take this opportunity to launch a large-scale attack, the border towns will be in trouble.”

"Little kitty, you're doing this to get my attention, aren't you?" She picked at her nails, a half-smile on her face. "You probably think that with you as a target, I won't be interested in killing the thirty-eight great clans, right?"

Yan Qing did not respond; he had said he would not speak to Ying Le.

“Actually, there’s no need for all this trouble. I can grant your request,” Ying Le said with a smile. “As long as you are willing to submit, this purge can be stopped immediately, and all ongoing orders will come to an end. To me, this is just a trivial matter.”

Ying Ru turned around in surprise, only to see Ying Le also resting his chin on his hand, looking at her with a face full of elder's doting affection.

“Xiao Ru has never asked me for anything in her life,” Ying Le said. “Since she wants you to surrender so badly, I hope she can get her wish.”

(End of this chapter)