Love, Gun, Cupid

Lin Jiade's first reaction was to retrieve the kapok tree, but at that moment, he felt a tightness in his chest, as if chains were tightening around his heart, reminding him to pay attention to reality.

The heaviness in his chest distracted him, causing him to land awkwardly. His legs, especially his knees, bore the full force of the impact.

After a few seconds of numbness, the intense pain in his left leg told Lin Jiade that without the cushioning of the meniscus, his improper landing motion had caused his left leg to wear down to its limit.

Engaging in strenuous exercise will increase his risk of joint deformities, and in the later stages, he may even need total knee replacement surgery.

The culprit behind all this was the woman in front of him, Kapok, who had been shot in the left knee. Her impulsive act had dug countless pitfalls for herself and for Lin Jiade's future.

Seeing Lin Jiade's pained expression, Mu Mian sighed. Her retribution was not over yet. With no one to rely on for help, she could only wait to die.

"Why did you suddenly launch an attack?" Lin Jiade asked, pressing his knee.

Chapter 126 Lin Jiade's Choice (Part 2)

The young man was just trying to buy some time to give his knees a break, but to his surprise, the Virgin Diana replied seriously, "The goddess welcomes men who like women and women who like men, but does not welcome any gender other than male or female, or any abnormal sexual orientation."

"So, what are you going to do with her?" Lin Jiade asked.

"According to tradition, after crippling her hands and feet, she was tied to the entrance of the temple, given no food or water, and left to bask in the sun until she died of thirst."

"But that's a method used to punish women who have not been chaste."

Diana the Virgin gave him a strange look: "You harbor anger toward her, anger that would put you to the test against the King of the Forest, yet you are defending the object of your resentment."

"It's because you attacked suddenly..."

Diana the Virgin explained, "So you were worried about your situation? Please rest assured, the previous attack was just to separate you from this person. After all, arrows don't have eyes, and Mr. Lin is an honored guest here."

"Distinguished guest? Me?"

"The Moon Goddess has issued a divine decree: you are the new King of the Forest."

Lin Jiade was stunned: "The new one, but I didn't break the golden branch, nor did I challenge the real-life King of the Forest?"

"He died of old age. The previous King of the Forest died ten years ago, which was his first year in office. Ten years ago, not only us, but even the Goddess herself were hoping for a qualified candidate to come forward."

The succession to the King of the Woods may appear to be a series of murders and a rapid turnover of power, but sometimes there are significant gaps between two Kings of the Woods. Challengers not deemed capable of succeeding to the King of the Woods are then used in ancient and traditional rituals.

Lin Jiade realized that if the King of the Forest died ten years ago, then all those who challenged the King of the Forest in the last ten years had died in... sacrifice.

It was not that the King of the Forest sacrificed himself to Diana through a series of murders, but rather that the strongest became the King of the Forest, while the rest were sacrificed to Diana at the altar.

Blood sacrifices have been explicitly forbidden by the Celestials, yet Diana has continued to perform them in the Empire for nearly two thousand years…

This time, Lin Jiade was sweating with fear. He had learned some incredible core secrets, but he would rather not have known.

"The Moon Goddess loves the pure, but as we all know, humankind is both great and defiled. Therefore, the protector that the Moon Goddess intends to bless must follow the example of the ancient Assyrian kings and find someone to replace herself, to transfer the defilement, and thus become a person of formal purity, so that she can be accepted by the Moon Goddess as her divine protector."

"I see. Sacrifice is meaningful not only to the moon goddess, but also to the sacrificer himself."

Lin Jiade looked at the Kapok tree, then shifted his gaze back to Diana the Virgin. The latter said, "Wouldn't it be better to use the person you hate as a sacrifice? If you're worried about the person's family retaliating against you, there's no need to worry at all, because you will possess the power of the King of the Forest."

If you cannot bring yourself to do it due to morality or emotion, we would be happy to do it for you, to offer it as a sacrifice, to cleanse your defilement. You only need to open your arms and embrace the moonlight.

“What if I don’t want to do that?” Lin Jiade asked.

“If you refuse to offer sacrifice, it is tantamount to refusing to be the King of the Forest. You will no longer be our honored guest, but will become a ritual sacrifice like the previous challengers.”

"So I only have two paths: sacrifice the kapok tree to become the king of the forest, or we both become sacrifices together," Lin Jiade said. "The kapok tree is the champion of this year's professional title promotion competition in the First Continent. If she dies here, it will cause a huge uproar."

Diana, the Virgin of the Vest, bluntly stated: "Some people would be happy for you to die here. You both have enemies who will help us clean up the mess. This is not a threat; kicking someone when they're down is human instinct."

Why go through all this for someone who harmed you? Even if you feel this person doesn't deserve to die, as long as you don't take action, you can comfort your conscience. This isn't a difficult decision; it's saying goodbye to the past and moving towards a brighter future.

However, this was a difficult decision for Lin Jiade, because he wanted to save Kapok and leave this place together. He was determined, but another voice in his heart was stopping him, using similar words to those of the Virgin Diana in front of him.

His body was also affected; his left leg became dull and numb, the fear of death made his palms sweat, and his throat became dry.

The cuckoo's teachings lingered in his mind. He remembered Cupid telling him to retaliate against every mistake the kapok made, making her pay a heavy price to remember them. He remembered her saying that his and the kapok's affinity had dwindled to only 20 points, making them not even friends anymore.

However, he was unwilling to accept it. In the virtual space, the stimulation from the earth peach made him realize that he actually cared a lot about the cotton tree. He broke the contract between them, but the invisible thread still connected them.

"The kapok tree is mine, whether I love it or hate it, it's mine!" he said excitedly. "I decide what's mine, and you're not allowed to touch it!"

“But you can’t even take a step,” said Diana the Virgin.

Lin Jiade lowered his head, hating his body terribly. He clearly wanted to move, but his body stood stiffly in place, unable to move, as if his body had a will and made the right choice to seek advantage and avoid harm, to embrace a bright future.

"Is his obsession with Kapok really that deep? Yes, Jasmine was Lin Jiade's first love, but Kapok knows that's not the case."

Du Juan, who was watching the battle, saw everything Lin Jiade did, and she only looked at Lin Jiade. She raised a finger, and a snake coiled around her fingertip, tightening around Lin Jiade's heart. The chains that rendered him immobile released pink energy within Lin Jiade's body.

A sense of relief suddenly filled Lin Jiade's heart. He believed that he had done his best. How could a novice magic researcher like him change the current situation? If he forced his way in, he would only increase the number of sacrifices by one.

Moreover, he no longer needs to worry about how to handle his relationship with Kapok; he can reasonably let go of his hatred for the dead and express his love in his memories...

Lin Jiade unconsciously touched the celestial weapon he was wearing. Wei Ying's teachings, her fierce swordsmanship and figure entered his thoughts.

If Wei Ying were here, what would she say to me? I imagine she would patiently tell me to follow my heart and be an upright swordsman.

So how could I possibly have such a despicable thought?!

The presence of the reed warbler roused Lin Jiade from his comfort zone. The raging aura shattered his calm, and he took a step forward, but his body refused to obey.

He is a swordsman who fights with his bones and muscles, destined to forge ahead. Anything that stands in his way will be crushed.

Guided by instinct, Lin Jiade reached for his chest and slowly pulled out the pink chain. With each pull, he felt more pain, as if the chain had become a part of his life and he was murdering himself.

But these chains weren't his; he only depended on them. The aura they represented had caused him pain, pleasure, and submission, but now, he chose to rebel.

So he used his sword to cut the chains, freeing himself from their restraints and striding forward. The broken chains coiled like snakes in his footprints, illuminated by the moonlight and rustling in the wind, as if the night were gently mocking the disillusioned chains.

In just a few seconds, Du Juan's expression shifted from calm to anger. Her control over Lin Jiade was her most confident asset, but just now, her confidence shattered with the breaking of the chains.

Du Juan was very familiar with this scene. Not long ago, she had instigated Lin Jiade to break the contract with Kapok. Now, it was her turn to become the new victim.

Ironically, she introduced the reed warbler to antagonize the kapok tree, but the reed warbler's teachings and gifts gave Lin Jiade the ability to break her own chains... However, the reed warbler's actions were all at her behest and tacit approval, so how could she blame the reed warbler for this?

Du Juan mocked Mu Mian for shooting herself in the foot, but as it turned out, she did the same foolish thing. This wasn't the first time she'd been thwarted by Lin Jiade; there were always strange factors that ultimately caused her to fail.

She glanced at her old friend sitting next to her, and Diana returned the smile as if to say, "See? You don't understand people's hearts."

Du Juan's hair fluttered, each strand carrying the phantom of a snake. She raised her finger, and on the screen, broken chains rose like snakes, aimed at Lin Jiade's back.

No matter how strong Lin Jiade was, he couldn't possibly stand up to Du Juan directly. But Du Juan hesitated to make a move. Watching Lin Jiade dragging his injured leg as he ran, she sighed, slowly lowered her hand, and the broken chain fell to the ground.

"Fine, I'll let you be smug for a while. This is your reward for defying me," Du Juan muttered to herself.

“Not a very wise decision, but a wise way to cut your losses,” Diana commented. “Lingard is unstoppable. If you try to stop him, the goodwill you’ve cultivated in your heart will quickly vanish.”

Du Juan shrugged: "Now that I've met you, I no longer need his favor. After all, my investment in him was solely for the purpose of meeting you."

Diana's pupils shifted, from a full moon to a half-moon: "I'm sorry, you lost the bet. I won't tell you any information, and you must continue your investment in him."

"Yes, his resistance annoyed me to some extent. I'll feel uneasy if I don't make proper arrangements for him when I get back."

Dujuan's pouty expression drew a chuckle from Diana, who said, "No wonder you're so eager to find me; your method of usurpation is incomplete."

Right now, you've been assimilated more than you've assimilated, which is why you appear so...naive, but rather cute.

On the screen, Lin Jiade, freed from his chains, moved with light steps. Diana, the Virgin of the Vest, approached Lin Jiade, only to see him throw his weapon. She dodged to the side and saw Lin Jiade's weapon break the arrow shaft stuck in the thigh of the cotton tree.

Perhaps inspired by Lin Jiade, or perhaps moved by him, Mu Mian hardened her resolve. She screamed, pulled the arrow embedded in her flesh, threw it aside, and it transformed into a sword that flew into Lin Jiade's hand.

"It's up to you now..."

Kapok only said this one sentence, and then she didn't respond. Lin Jiade, holding the broken sword, faced Diana the Virgin. He slashed at her sword with one strike, then returned, and with the next strike, faster and stronger, crashed into the same spot.

"A new path of swordsmanship..."

Diana's words were drowned out by Lingard's storm of attacks. His anger stemmed from the rage of what had been taken from him. Unintentionally, he replicated Xinghai's sword path. The swordsmanship that was almost impossible to imitate back then, he could now imitate to some extent.

As the fight went on, the joy of battling a powerful enemy replaced his anger. Lin Jiade suddenly remembered how Mu Mian had told him about the confusion and loneliness of contemporary swordsmen in a lonely tone.

For most extraordinary individuals, this was an era of paradise; for swordsmen, it was an era of abyss.

Besides the fact that the development of the times has rendered swordsmen obsolete in terms of their function, Lin Jiade believes that under the modern superhuman training system that focuses on operation, swordsmen lack opponents to wield their swords against and can only fight imaginary enemies. Day after day, even if they acquire superhuman skills, they can only waste their days.

Lin Jiade has always respected his opponents, and now he cherishes every opportunity to fight: first the Reed Warbler, then the Starry Sea, next the King of the Forest, and finally the Kapok.

The young man did not yet have his own swordsmanship. Every move he made came from others and reflected their thoughts and ideas. Therefore, while wielding the sword, he also experienced the feelings of his teachers.

The reed warbler is ethereal, the starry sea is profound, and the king of the forest is deep. When Lin Jiade replicated the sword-wielding movements of the kapok tree from his memory, all he felt was regret.

The sword of regret pierced Diana's body, but she was unharmed. She smiled gently, and a door opened between him and Diana.

Diana the Virgin stepped aside: "This is the way back."

"Why?" Lin Jiade asked.

"The goddess is satisfied, and so am I."

"?"

"A sword is more honest than a person. From your sword, I sensed how strong your desire to take your companions away was, and how strong your attachment to them was. Which do you love more, the sword in your hand or the sword you hate?"

Lin Jiade looked down at the cotton tree and shook his head: "I don't know, but I know very well that whether I love or hate her, I can't live without her. She must live in my world."

Diana, the Virgin of the Moon, smiled but did not answer. Lin Jiade recalled the celestial weapons and left with Kapok. As he stepped onto the door, he suddenly felt someone hug him from behind, and heard a cold voice in his ear.

"Remember to keep tonight a secret."

He turned around, but there was nothing behind him.

With some doubt, he passed through the door and returned to the athletes' lounge at the competition venue. He took out the Amanda Stone from the kapok's pre-prepared luggage, performed a ritual, and chanted incantations to nurture the kapok with energy.

When Mu Mian woke up, she switched back to human form and collapsed to the ground. Lin Jiade reached out his hand, which she grabbed and then let go of, shrinking back to her chest.

"I'm sorry," she said.

Lin Jiade glanced at the time: "Fortunately, only a few minutes have passed, and the awards ceremony will begin soon. We can talk about the rest later. Let's keep our experience at the Temple of Diana to ourselves."

Their eyes met, and Mu Mian avoided Lin Jiade's gaze. Perhaps out of guilt, she felt that Lin Jiade's eyes were bright and piercing, as if moonlight were mixed in with them.

She grabbed him and stood up, then hid in a corner to change into new clothes. Just then, a staff member called Mu Mian. Mu Mian kept turning back to look at him, and only after Lin Jiade nodded did she pat her cheeks and follow the staff member away.

As she closed the door, Lin Jiade's calm expression crumbled. He sat in the chair, clutching his left knee, his face deathly pale.

He gasped for breath, took out a painkiller and swallowed it. After the medication took effect and the pain subsided, he took out his phone and dialed Jasmine's number.

Jasmine's excited voice popped out: "Lin Jiade, congratulations on winning the match! Your last few moves against the King of the Forest were really cool... Hey, are you listening?"

“I’m listening, Jasmine.”

"Lin Jiade... are you alright?"

Lin Jiade looked up at the night sky. Tonight, the moon was just a hazy halo, but the full moon was reflected in his eyes.