Love, Gun, Cupid

Although she can be loosely called a musician, she doesn't have the kind of fervent spirit that musicians have, where when inspiration strikes, they can stay alive in the studio with coffee and work for three days and three nights straight, dedicating themselves to art.

When she woke up the next day, she angrily pounded the bed, rang the doorbell, and soon her personal assistant came in and dressed her with precise but lifeless movements.

These life assistants are descendants of impoverished families in Brilliant City and the surrounding area. As a way to care for them and to serve as a warning to those who come after them, their children will be sent to vocational schools to become skilled professionals serving the upper class.

They signed long-term contracts with the Hehuan family that were almost equivalent to indenture, allowing the three members of the Hehuan family to arbitrarily assign them marriages, while the offspring born to the life assistants remained life assistants... This was slavery without any explicit written rules.

Hehuan wasn't interested in them. After all, her reflections didn't include destroying her own family's foundation. Her reflections were for better maintaining her privileges in society. However, she was more open to class mobility, welcoming people from lower classes to come to her class through hard work and opportunity, forming partnerships and climbing higher together.

With the adults in the family out on business, Hehuan's father couldn't be reinstated to his original position immediately, but with a little maneuvering, there were other lucrative positions available.

Since she couldn't find an opportunity to persuade her father, Hehuan simply went out and drove to Hart's house. The two families didn't live too far apart, only a two-hour drive.

The Hart family lives in a castle on the outskirts of the city—a modernized building that only resembles a castle on the outside. Local superhuman parents would scare their children by saying, "If you don't behave, we'll send you to a castle full of vampires."

Children are naturally afraid, but after they grow up and watch a few movies, read comics or read novels, when others mention vampires, their reaction is, "Is that even possible?" Driven by curiosity, a weird fetish, or an expectation of a gothic romance, every year, some reckless people come here to explore.

When Hehuan arrived nearby, she saw the servants of the Hart family, along with some of the sisters of Kapok, driving away the naughty children. Both sides were extraordinary beings, and for a moment the air was filled with colorful light. However, they tacitly avoided affecting the visitors' vehicles, allowing Hehuan to drive safely into the parking lot.

"Hehuan?"

The one who received Hehuan was Dongkui, one of Kapok's sisters. Kapok's parents were no longer alive, or rather, it made no difference whether they were alive or not. The neurotic couple had now handed over the household affairs to their offspring.

"I've come to see you all. How are you?" Hehuan asked.

"As you can see, we carry the blood of chaos and strife, but the kapok tree commands us to be still as water, so we are forced to find release in the struggle against thieves."

After having someone heat up a cup of milk for Hehuan, Dongkui asked, "So, what news has Kapok brought you this time?"

Hehuan smiled awkwardly: "Nothing else, I just came to bury Di Tao as a member of the family."

Even if the ground peach betrayed the kapok tree?

"If you understand this much, you will also know that Di Tao eventually died at the hands of others, and according to the rules of your Hart family, she can still be buried in the Di Tao family."

"Where's the bell?"

"She has been rescued, but her energy reserves and organs have been damaged. However, the doctor has concluded that she has no hope of being promoted to the top-level professional title in her lifetime. Let Mumian focus on recuperating first, and we'll talk about other things later."

Kapok has promised to give her sisters a place to belong, even if it's a place that may not satisfy them.

Dongkui chuckled sarcastically: "It seems that after experiencing a life-or-death crisis, our hateful yet lovable sisters have changed their ways."

“Everyone who experienced it firsthand is changing, even though I only went through half of it and the end.”

Dongkui didn't rush to speak, but instead instructed people to erect a new cenotaph in the family cemetery, and to use magic to carve Ditao's name and birth and death dates on it. Hehuan then silently offered flowers to Ditao, bidding farewell to her deceased friend.

"Are you and her that close?" Dongkui asked.

“We’re not exactly good friends, but Di Tao is very important right now. She’s someone I’ve met before, a symbol of the past. And now, I’m saying goodbye to someone I’ve met before, and also saying goodbye to my past.”

Hehuan turned around, her black hair gently blowing in the wind. She smiled innocently like a child, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

“Dongkui, I’m giving up being a musician. From now on, I will return to the stage as an extraordinary person, as a member of my family,” Hehuan said.

Dongkui paused for a moment, then said, "If even you are like this, then it seems understandable that Kapok has changed."

Hehuan nodded: "Yes, it was an incredible, crazy and almost unrepeatable story. I started out as the villain, but fortunately, the ending wasn't too bad."

Dongkui extended her hand: "It seems we need to get to know each other again."

Hehuan reached out and shook her hand, and also copied the Hehuan family's account book from this period. It contained records of noteworthy events that occurred in January and February, written in a secret language passed down through generations of the Hart family.

Hehuan drove away, feeling refreshed as if she had shed a burden. When she got home, she took out the broken violin and the fragments of the bowstring that had been sitting in the corner and looked at the dusty surface of it.

Hehuan only went to the neighborhood to collect fragments of her weapon after Lin Jiade's team went to the holy land and she couldn't cope with the pressure of Weiying's silence. She was just collecting them and had no intention of repairing them at the time.

When she returned home, the reed warbler was gone. The mimosa became even more agitated and hastily packed it into a box for safekeeping. Now, when she looks at these souvenirs of her past battles, her feelings are quite different.

Hehuan put on work gloves, carefully picked up a fragment, wiped it with a silk cloth, and its surface reflected the sunlight.

“Let’s start fixing things as the first step in this new life,” she said.

Epilogue VI

Under the watchful eyes of several law enforcement officers, Wei Ying signed her name and took a portion of her body—three strands of hair—and incorporated it into her testimony to show that she was responsible for the accusations against her.

“You’ve gone mad, Reed Warbler. This is an internal matter of our Celestial Realm, yet you’ve helped a mortal defeat your sister… no, the first-class sinner Pallas Athena. This is an insult to the Celestial Realm and to our family.”

Looking at her parents, who were usually indifferent to her but had recently said more to her than they had in the past five years combined, Wei Ying coldly replied, "She murdered my brothers and sisters, and all you care about is saving face?"

"Of course we support your just execution, but it's better to do it in a more dignified way. Wei Ying... don't go out during this time, and don't show your face outside."

The reed warbler flew through the wall and returned to her room. As her mood changed, the scenery in her room changed. Suddenly, she sat under the wooden corridor, watching the drizzle ripple in the pond in the courtyard. The plaintive sound of a violin pierced through the rain, as if the rain was talking to her.

Every drop of rainwater contains her memories, and the rainwater gathered in the pond connects those memories, recreating the scene after she witnessed Lin Jiade shatter the azalea's energy core.

Lin Jiade destroyed the azalea's energy core, but celestial beings are not beings that will die if their energy core is destroyed—because they have more than one energy core.

Destroying the azalea's energy core is equivalent to hitting the azalea on the head three times, temporarily paralyzing her. The azalea will wake up again within a day, entering a period of relative weakness, but still beyond the reach of ordinary people.

So she restrained the cuckoo and brought the other back to the celestial realm. She tried to contact her parents, but the irresponsible couple were out having fun. In utter disappointment, the reed warbler reported the situation directly to the authorities.

She explained the situation truthfully, which caused a huge uproar. The inhabitants of the Celestial Realm were defeated by humans, just like when ordinary people in the Empire browsed the news and came across a story about a young woman being knocked down on the spot by a crazed teddy bear in a pet store, suffering a concussion.

Given the Celestial Realm's strong sense of superiority over the Empire, any news that fails to demonstrate this superiority but instead suggests the Celestial Realm's potential failure will fuel the arrogance of its inhabitants.

For their own benefit, unscrupulous media outlets drastically altered the facts when disseminating information on their platforms. For example, Wei Ying was portrayed as a key figure on Lin Jiade's side, and Du Juan was said to have spent most of her energy fighting against her sister. However, in the news, Wei Ying was depicted as someone who reported her sister for betraying her own family and then got involved afterward.

Besides, the news about Gladiolus's forbearance and betrayal at the last moment, the support from the Ice Cave with part of the Moon God's authority, Jasmine's harassment of Azalea, Azalea's own underestimation and recklessness, and how Azalea could have crushed her opponents 100% if she had chosen to run away at the last moment and returned to recuperate... all of this was missing from the news. Only the headline "Humanity defeated and humiliated a Cupid's son" and the vague description of the process remained.

However, this also allowed the slow-moving celestial law enforcement to take over and handle the matter with extremely high efficiency. Meanwhile, the Reed Warbler couple, who were having a great time playing in the Tentacle Forest on a planet that was gradually being devoured by monster girls, finally returned in a hurry.

They weren't concerned about the reed warblers, but rather about how they would be implicated in the incident. During questioning by the commissioners sent by law enforcement, they kept shirking responsibility, claiming they were outsiders.

Although they were indeed outsiders, the reed warbler was still deeply saddened when they expressed themselves so bluntly, indicating that only the cuckoo in the family had any feelings for her. However, the cuckoo was Pallas Athena, a "time traveler" who murdered her brothers and sisters and even usurped one of their identities, plotting in the empire.

By reporting Du Juan, she was essentially reporting her last loving relative. Without a doubt, Du Juan would be destroyed, even though she was Pallas Athena, an ancient being twice as old as the current ruler of the heavens.

But antiquity in the Celestial Realm does not equate to privilege. On the contrary, antiquity is a symbol of decline. Every young resident has the obligation and the pleasure of destroying those old beings whose days are numbered, sharing their energy, and thus strengthening themselves.

Athena should have died 2000 years ago, but she extended her life by 2000 years using forbidden methods not permitted by the heavens. Therefore, she should be put to death. Even if the heavens' top lawyers and public relations groups worked hard on this case, they could not change Athena's fate.

Athena's fate was sealed, but Wei Ying's future became uncertain: she was estranged from her parents, and the pressure from public opinion caused people around her to distance themselves from her, including her school, Mars High School, which subtly indicated via email that they could issue Wei Ying a graduation certificate, but did not want her to appear at the school again.

Some people would be overjoyed to be able to get a diploma without going to school, but Wei Ying actually quite liked school because there were peers there to talk to. She was a child who was afraid of being alone, and loneliness would grab her and make her feel extremely uncomfortable once she was alone and the environment was quiet.

Moreover, even if she gets her diploma, she will still be stuck at the university entrance exam. Like the top universities in the Empire, the universities in the Celestial Realm consider not only the applicant's written test scores, but also their past honors and experience, talents, social activities, family background, etc., to calculate a comprehensive score, and then admit students from top to bottom according to the score.

After this incident, Wei Ying's resume will likely be ruined. No one will want to hire such a troublesome person, and the same goes for decent jobs. She will even have fewer options for odd jobs.

“You always say, ‘Even if your intentions are right, there’s always a better solution,’” Wei Ying muttered. “What better solution could there have been back then? Call the police and wait? By then, my sister would probably have dealt with all the rebels, consolidated her power, and destroyed the evidence.”

Or should I erase the memories of all the mortals present after I've dealt with my sister's matter? My fight with my sister was already incredibly intense; I could only barely survive by shrinking to the size of a slime until I could bring her back to the teleportation point and return to the Celestial Realm. Where would I find the energy to erase the memories of humans?

Reed Warbler lacked the ability, but she could have asked other celestial observers active in District 18, or even the Empire's supernatural management agency in District 18's capital, for help. However, she didn't want to, subconsciously rejecting these options, because she didn't want the memories associated with her to fade away.

The law enforcement agencies took care of her sister's matter. Under pressure from public opinion, Athena could not escape death. Sure enough, two weeks later, she saw the news that Athena had been executed.

The murderer who killed her brothers and sisters was finally brought to justice. Reed Warbler felt a few seconds of comfort at first, but then she turned into Picasso's famous painting "The Weeping Woman"—her heartbroken state made her appearance abstract.

Once the anger towards the long-lived person who breached the contract subsided, people began to condemn the reed warbler in public opinion, as this person had caused the heavens to lose all face. The principle of not washing one's dirty laundry in public is a basic common sense in every world. It may not be illegal, but those who wash their dirty laundry in public will certainly incur people's anger.

Exhausted from crying, the warbler closed her eyes in her room, set a timer, and entered a dormant state. However, instead of entering the social network of dreams connected by the celestial inhabitants, she directly invaded Lin Jiade's dream.

(When I was young and foolish)

My lover left me to become a rock star.

He told me not to worry.

The smile on his face reassured me.

Like her, Lin Jiade in the dream was also listless. "The Other Side of Heaven" was playing on repeat. The young man's life was obviously not easy. He was a little surprised when he saw Wei Ying, and then patted the spot next to him.

"I'm sorry that Du Juan was executed. She didn't actually die in the early morning two weeks ago, but I couldn't bear to ruin your celebratory atmosphere, and I was also sad, so after collecting the remaining parts of my sister, I returned to the Heavenly Realm and reported her."

Wei Ying said, "This is probably the fastest verdict in the heavens in the last 100 years. It skipped most of the legal procedures and deprived the prisoner of the last six months of life that is customarily left after the death sentence is pronounced... She is probably really dead."

“Teacher Yang… no, Iphigenia too,” Lin Jiade said. “Because the other ringleaders are all dead, she took the blame for the last majority of the crimes.”

I tried using the Empire's rewards to separate Teacher Yang from the monster's body, but the specialist told me that, currently, this unproven technology carries certain risks, and even if Teacher Yang's soul were extracted, the identity of Yang Xuemeng would be revoked, and she would never appear in the form I knew.

“Lin Jiade…”

"Jasmine is now in court, and I can sense her embarrassment and pain as she fights for the inheritance as Ragnar's daughter."

It may take one to two years for Gladiolus's body to be reconstructed, and how the Empire will hold her accountable remains to be seen.

Kapok was severely injured in the battle, and her plans may have to be postponed for two years as she recuperates and recovers to her original condition.

I forgave Hehuan because she didn't follow through, because I was already tired and numb. But Hehuan didn't forgive herself. Every time she spoke to me, she would carefully watch my expression and try her best to please me. If I didn't respond, she would be as anxious as a frightened rabbit. We had a good relationship, but we were no longer friends.

Ice Cave... Ice Cave. She's a deer now. She remembers me. When she hears me call her name, she'll nuzzle up to me affectionately. But she's no longer a magical girl. She won't fawn over me anymore. She'll just look at me with those gentle, moist, and bright eyes.

As for myself, you see, my right knee has also been replaced with the same artificial joint as my left. There's not a single good piece of flesh on my left arm, and even after healing, I'll need several sessions of cosmetic magic to fade my hideous scars. And I shattered the weapon you gave me; without a sword, I'm afraid I can hardly be called a swordsman.”

Lin Jiade took a deep breath and said to Wei Ying, "Finally, there is our shared trouble. Please take a look."

The young man pointed to his chest, and Wei Ying's gaze focused on the spot where he was pointing. There, the "alternative death" talisman that Du Juan had given to Lin Jiade was still in effect.

Her eyes widened in surprise, and she screamed, "This is impossible!"

“It’s not just my amulet; I can sense that the marks I’ve placed on others still exist, which means that the cuckoo is still alive.”

"The executioners in the heavens are professionals; they are taught from birth to execute their guilty brethren."

"Even the best plans can have flaws, can't they? And based on the bits and pieces of information I have, Du Juan seems to be considered a... senior figure in the Heavenly Realm?"

"Yes, she possesses a long lineage, even greater than the one currently leading the Celestials, but in the Celestials, old age is not an advantage... at least not in terms of power."

"If you don't know, then how could I possibly understand?" Lin Jiade's gaze towards Wei Ying gradually dimmed. "I really did beat Du Juan, didn't I?"

"Ah."

"But it's only slightly better than failure, right?"

"If you fail, you'll regret trying to win. But I'll be in a terrible situation."

"Wren..."

“I have nowhere to go in the heavens. I made a foolish mistake, and there’s no going back. The outcome is irreversible. I’m thinking about what kind of new life I want to live.”

Want to come over here?

Lin Jiade's invitation was already on the tip of his tongue, but he stopped himself. He was currently injured and in a position of being taken care of, so he had no time to take care of Weiying. On the contrary, if Weiying moved into his house, she would be dragged into a bunch of troubles.

However, Wei Ying's loneliness was written on her face. When viewed from the side, the outline of her eyebrows and eyes was somewhat similar to Du Juan's, making Lin Jiade nostalgic for his naive and foolish days and the happy times he spent with Du Juan.