The Envoy of Abundance from Onphalus

　Russell was amused by him and reached out to ruffle Jin's short, dark gray hair as usual: "Guess which star god's messenger I am?"

　The abundant power flowing from his fingertips seemed to give Jin's hair a warm glow. "You are a person blessed by the Apothecary, so the word aging has nothing to do with us. Make a wish, as if to celebrate that we have spent another cosmic year together in peace and happiness."

　Jin felt Russell's hand rubbing against his head, tilted his head slightly to avoid it, and muttered softly, "Sir, I'm not a child anymore..."

　"what!"

　Russell laughed even harder, withdrew his hand, and looked at him with the tolerance of an elder looking at a junior. "In front of an old guy who has lived for hundreds of billions of years, anyone under 30,000 years old is a child. Make your wish now!"

　Jin glanced helplessly at Russell, then finally closed his eyes. His long eyelashes cast faint shadows beneath his eyes.

　The observatory was silent except for the faint crackling of the burning candle. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes, his gaze unusually determined, and gently blew on the candlelight.

　Whoosh—the candlelight went out immediately.

　Almost simultaneously, Jin picked up the knife and fork beside him and, with clean and efficient movements, devoured the delicate little cake in a few bites, leaving a little cream on the corner of his mouth.

　"You made your wish so quickly, and you're eating so fast too?"

　Russell chuckled and handed him a tissue. "You don't need to tell me what your wish is. But..."

　He changed the subject, his tone softening, and said, "Jin, you've been traveling with me through the stars for quite some time now, always fulfilling your duties. Your hometown... though you don't remember it, I remember it was a very beautiful place. As your... well, employer? friend? I don't think I've ever given you any decent compensation."

　Russell gazed at the glittering starry sky outside the porthole, a hint of longing in his eyes: "In the new world I envision, I want to create a piece of land that belongs to your homeland for you."

　"Restore it to its most beautiful state as described in the books. Then you can live there and feel the warmth that home could have originally had."

　His tone was sincere, and this was one of the most precious gifts that the Abundance Envoy could ever imagine.

　However, no sooner had Russell finished speaking than Jin suddenly stood up! He hadn't even had time to swallow the last bite of cake when, in his haste, he grabbed Russell's sleeve with such force that Russell could feel the undeniable determination in his grip.

　"gentlemen!"

　Jin's voice carried an unusual urgency and a hint of barely perceptible panic. His golden eyes were fixed on Russell. "Don't send me away! I won't leave! I'm not going anywhere!"

　Russell was taken aback by his intense reaction, but then he realized what was happening and his heart softened when he saw the almost stubborn tension in Jin's eyes.

　He gently patted the back of Jin's hand that was gripping his sleeve, the force gentle yet leaving no room for refusal: "Let go, let go, why are you using so much force? Who said I was going to kick you out?"

　He sighed helplessly, his tone softening further: "Silly child, what I mean is, I'll create a hometown for you in the new world as a memento, a place you can go back to visit anytime, a place to rest, an anchor point that belongs to you."

　"Do you understand? It's like... like having a fixed port in the sea of ​​stars."

　Jin stared intently at Russell's hand gripping his sleeve. Though he loosened his grip slightly, he didn't let go, stubbornly shaking his head: "No. That's not home."

　"why?"

　Russell was puzzled. "Are you worried that the portrayal won't be accurate? That's alright. You can tell me what your dream hometown looks like, and I'll try my best to recreate it. Even if you're not satisfied, I can recreate it until you are..."

　"gentlemen,"

　Jin interrupted him, his voice low but clear, "Ever since you pulled me back from the edge of nothingness, my memories have only contained you, this Shenzhou, and the journey I took with you through the stars."

　“My hometown in the past…is a complete blank to me. No matter how perfect the place you create for me, it is still an unfamiliar landscape and a cold model to me.”

　He paused, his golden eyes flashing with a pure and unwavering light. "Where you are, that is my home. Because you... are my family, the meaning of my existence. To protect you is my only wish. I will do everything in my power to make it happen!"

　These straightforward and passionate words even gave Russell, a seasoned envoy, a jolt. Looking at Jin's young face, etched with earnestness and determination, and noticing the smear of cream still on his lips, he felt both moved and amused.

　"You……"

　Russell's voice carried a barely perceptible hoarseness. He reached out again, this time not to ruffle Jin's hair, but to gently wipe the cream from the corner of Jin's mouth with his fingertips, the gesture carrying the intimacy of an elder. "Are you trying to make this old man cry by saying such sentimental things?"

　He smiled casually, "I am the dignified Envoy of Abundance. Nothing in this universe that could kill me has yet been born. Why would I need you to risk everything to protect me? Don't worry."

　Seeing that Jin still had a stern face and a stubborn look that said "I've made up my mind," Russell completely gave in and surrendered with a smile: "Fine, fine! Whatever you say! You can just stay with me and be my inseparable bodyguard."

　“Perfect timing. I’m too lazy to deal with those troublesome small fry usually, so I’ll leave it to you.”

　He shook his head helplessly, his gaze drifting into the distance with a hint of nostalgia. "Sigh, your stubbornness is exactly like that of a little guy I know..."

　"Who?"

　Jin immediately pressed for details, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

　Russell smiled but didn't answer directly: "One... the crown prince of Suspended Peak City, named Medmos. He's also the kind of person who's stubborn and won't give up until he hits a brick wall."

　He stood up and patted Jin on the shoulder. "Alright, your birthday is over. Go do what you need to do. Don't just stand here with me."

　As Jin watched Russell turn and walk toward the control panel, he looked down at the empty cake plate and a barely perceptible smile curved his lips upward.

　He picked up his gun and silently stood not far behind Russell, like the most loyal shadow, his golden eyes quietly gazing at the endless sea of ​​stars before him. Wherever the Master was, that was home.

　……

　Chapter Seventy-One: The Best Farewell

　Onpharossotria, outside the city.

　The sacred white stone steps of Ohma gleamed in the sunlight. Bai'er and Xilian were preparing to step into this land of existence to explore the legendary Sotria, the "Land of Existence" founded by the eternal Titans.

　Xi Lian walked with light steps, her eyes full of curiosity, like a bird leaving its nest for the first time. Such a sight could not be seen in the Ai Li Secret Pavilion. Naturally, she was filled with curiosity about the surrounding scenery.

　"I've heard that the walls of Soteria are cast in amber gold using protective power? I'd really like to see how they differ from the Wall of Abundance..."

　Xi Lian's voice carried her usual elation.

　"maybe,"

　The young Bai'e responded, but his gaze swept over the magnificent outline of the holy city and looked towards the distant wasteland, carrying a hint of imperceptible heaviness, "The creations of the Titans always have a deeper meaning."

　Just then, a figure seemed to step out from a rift in time and blocked their way.

　The same silver hair, the same deep eyes, yet etched with the marks of time and weariness. He stood there, like a broken statue weathered by countless battles.

　Xi Lian's smile froze instantly. She subconsciously took a half step back and gripped Bai E's arm tightly beside her: "...Xiao Bai?"

　Young Bai E tensed up, instinctively shielding Xi Lian behind him, and stared warily at the stranger who looked almost exactly like him but exuded an endless sense of vicissitude: "Who are you? How come you look exactly like me?"

　The weathered Bai E did not directly answer his younger self's question; instead, his gaze passed over the young man's face and landed on Xi Lian.

　His eyes held a complex mix of emotions, like a turbulent sea of ​​stars—longing, guilt, and an inescapable pain. His voice was hoarse, like the grinding of sand: "I am you, Xi Lian… and 'me'. Time is running out, listen to me…"

　His words, like a cold hammer, shattered the afternoon tranquility of the Holy City, laying bare the cruel truth of the re-creation, the Iron Tomb's conspiracy, and their own fate as perfect models kept in captivity before the two.

　The air seemed to freeze. Young Bai E's face was deathly pale, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white from the force.

　"You...you're lying, aren't you? How could this be? How could this be?"

　The color drained from Xi Lian's face. She stared blankly at the weathered Bai E, then at the young Bai E beside her. Finally, her usual liveliness was replaced by a deep astonishment: "So... the turning point we've been waiting for is... Russell, who will be our teacher in the future?"

　Her voice trembled slightly, as if she had grasped the only light in the abyss of despair.

　The weathered Bai E nodded silently, the heavy affirmation almost crushing his young self.

　"That's not quite right, because Professor Russell has already been expelled by that guy named Gus. He was afraid of Professor Russell's power."

　They then asked all sorts of questions, and this novice could answer them all. He even knew their little secrets and personal private matters.

　At this point, what Bai E said was essentially true. If so, wouldn't the final outcome be far too cruel?

　Xi Lian took a deep breath, trying to calm her turbulent emotions. She suddenly bypassed the young guard and walked straight to the weathered Bai E, looking up at his face, which was etched with hardship. Her clear eyes held no fear, only inquiry: "So, Xiao Bai."

　She asked with unusual calm, as if discussing a trivial matter, "In all the cycles you've gone through... killing me was also a necessary part of the plan, wasn't it?"

　This question, like a sharp blade, pierced through the cold indifference that Cang Sang Bai E had feigned.

　His lips trembled violently, and a suppressed sob escaped his throat, but he couldn't utter a single word. In the end, he could only nod very slowly and heavily.

　It was as if that head weighed a ton. Each nod was like repeating the act of wielding a butcher's knife.

　"I see... So it's through me that we complete the cycle of eternal reincarnation?"

　Xi Lian let out a soft breath, a relieved smile even appearing on her face, as pure as the first snow.

　"Then please let me walk quickly, preferably without feeling any pain, okay? I'm very afraid of pain. You know that, right?"

　Her tone was as relaxed as if she were discussing what to have for dinner.

　"Do not!!"

　Young Bai E could no longer bear it. He rushed forward, grabbed Xi Lian's shoulder, and turned her towards him.

　His eyes burned with anger and defiance. "I will never let this happen! What a load of bull! What reincarnation! There must be another way! We..."

　"noob!"

　Xi Lian interrupted his fierce resistance, her voice low but unusually firm. She broke free from his grasp, instead opening her arms wide and tightly, tightly embracing his trembling body, pressing her cheek against his violently heaving chest, "Listen to me, listen to me..."

　Her voice came through the fabric, carrying a comforting warmth, "If Professor Russell could achieve such miracles, why can't we? Because we are his students! We, like him, deeply love this world, deeply love every grain of sand in Onphalus!"

　"Because we love this world, and because it is suffering terribly, we cannot stand idly by. Don't you agree, Little White?"

　She raised her head and looked directly into the pain churning in the young man's eyes: "I know it hurts, it hurts so much I can't breathe. You miss me, and I miss you too."

　"But look around us,"

　She pointed to the creatures struggling to survive in suffering beneath the holy city, manipulated by Lycus like puppets, "Aren't their pain and despair heavier than our parting?"

　"This world needs heroes, it needs someone to shoulder this heavy fate and break those damned chains!"

　"And you, Xiaobai. You are the savior chosen by fate. So take my share and go see the world I love, and protect this world I love."

　Xi Lian released the embrace, took a step back, and her gaze shifted between the young and the weathered Bai E, finally settling on the young Bai E's face, which was filled with resistance.

　She reached out her cool fingers and gently brushed away the stubborn tears that refused to fall from the corners of his eyes. Her smile was gentle yet sorrowful: "So, promise me, don't cry for my departure. If you feel sad... then firmly remember the instructions of that Professor Russell, and like a rock, hold fast to the creation of the world until the day he returns."

　"This is the best farewell for me."

　After saying that, she resolutely turned and walked towards the weathered Bai E, who held a cold ceremonial sword. To his astonishment, Xi Lian tiptoed and gave him a warm, brief embrace.

　She seemed to be embracing the same tormented soul from countless reincarnations: "Thank you, another Little White. Thank you for everything you've done for Onpharos, even though it's so heavy."

　"You must have been in great pain when you killed your own Xi Lian. I understand the pain of loss."

　She stepped back, closed her eyes, her long eyelashes casting soft shadows on her face, and her voice was as calm as a still lake: "Now, do it. Please... hurry."

　……

　Chapter Seventy-Two: All the Bets Bet

　At the headquarters of Interstellar Peace Corporation, the morning light from Pierpoint shines through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the cold metallic sheen of the Strategic Investments Department office.

　Jade gracefully swirled the amber liquid in its glass, while the holographic screen silently played the final report on the Tsigania incident—an image of the Market Development Department's outpost being uprooted and transformed into a bizarre forest.

　Ultimately, experts concluded that an unknown secondary disaster destroyed the entire base. However, the specific nature of the disaster remains unknown.

　"Oswaldo has kicked a hornet's nest this time, a titanium alloy hornet's nest."

　The adjutant, who was in charge of jade, commented in a low voice.

　"iron plate?"

　Emerald chuckled softly, her fingertips tracing the emerald-gold figure on the screen—the Abundance Envoy [Huai Xiu].

　"That's a walking stellar bomb. Condemn him? If Oswald had any brains, he'd keep his mouth shut tighter than a black hole."

　As Russell had predicted, Interstellar Peace Corporation maintained an eerie silence regarding the Tzigania incident.

　There was no statement of condemnation, no diplomatic protest, and not even a symbolic internal investigation was launched.

　Oswald Schneider, the head of market development, has even more unusually disappeared from public view. It's worth noting that when he previously faced similar treatment, he always threatened to wage war against the other party.

　Behind this silence lies a cold calculation of interests. To publicly condemn an ​​envoy of abundance who enjoys the dual renown of being both redeemer and judge throughout the world, and whose moral standards are near-perfect?

　That would be tantamount to admitting, without being asked, the numerous crimes committed by the market development department.

　If both sides stick to their own version of events, do you think the people in the universe believe in Bertrand Russell, who single-handedly reversed the overall rating of abundance, or Oswald, the head of the market development department who committed numerous evils, leaving behind pain and tears wherever he went?

　Moreover, the cost of making an enemy of [Huai Xiu] far exceeds expectations.

　In the field of interstellar medicine and humanitarian aid, the title of Physician of Compassion is a more prestigious credential than the Celestial Black Card.

　This organization, united by Russell's ideals, has a membership as complex as the stars themselves—humans, immortal beings, silicon-based life forms, energy beings…

　In short, anyone who is willing to accept the abundant philosophy of compassion is a compassionate healer and can ask him for the sealing wax of a compassionate healer. Become a newcomer on this path.

　Their only common ground was their absolute loyalty to Russell's creed: the good are blessed, the evil go to hell.

　"A doctor? Ha!"

　A mid-level security guard at a company who had previously worked with the compassionate doctors complained with lingering fear during an internal meeting, "Some of them can't even prescribe cold medicine! Their medical skills are precisely to permanently cure those scum who cause suffering—with bullets or abundant vines! Simple, efficient, and thorough!"

　Russell was unconcerned about this and even publicly praised it. In his view, eliminating villains was like removing a lesion, a higher level of compassion.

　Curing a person's illness is only the most basic way to relieve their suffering, but where does the suffering from their illness come from? Most of the time, it is not a natural disaster, but a man-made one.

　What makes this organization most terrifying is its chilling cohesion and retaliatory mechanism. If any official member wearing the Compassionate Sealant Seal personally bestowed by Russell were to meet with misfortune, all the members of the organization in the vicinity would swarm like enraged bees, following the invisible "aura."