He changed Tiwat

Eliminating Dainesreb was only one part of the Abyss Order's plan, while the Abyss Order's true purpose remains hidden in the thick black fog.

Holding the bouquet of Intiwat in his hands, Han Fulai murmured to himself, "If we could know what happened when he came here, perhaps many questions could be answered."

The instant he uttered those words, the Intiwat in his hand suddenly emitted a seven-colored light, and then all the sounds around him disappeared, including his own breathing!

Han Fulai immediately realized what had happened, because he had experienced it once before. A few hours earlier, when he faced the "Wishing Stone," he had also experienced something similar, when he heard the "Wishing Stone" announcing a seven-day countdown.

What will it be this time?

Just as Han Fulai was wondering, a scene appeared before his eyes. The scene was dim and yellowish, like an old movie, but he recognized the person in the scene—Traveler Kong!

The background of the scene is the camp they are currently in. In the scene, Kong Ge is kneeling on one knee and bowing to offer the "Intivat" to the dead Hilichurls in front of him.

At this moment, another figure appeared beside the flight attendant. Judging from his attire, he seemed to be an apostle of the abyss. He asked, "Your Highness, have you finally agreed?"

Han Fulai had heard that deep, muffled voice before—it was the same tone spoken by the Abyss Apostle he and Jiang Xue had encountered near the Wishing Stone.

"...Being overly focused on the great cause of fighting against 'Heavenly Principles' has made us forget the mission of 'restoring the country'." Kong's voice was very pleasant, with a bright and youthful quality, but it also contained a sense of indifference and detachment that was not typical of a young person.

Of course, if we're talking about age, Sora is probably over 500 years old.

Kong's gaze was fixed on the bundle of "Intiwat" on the ground, as if he were mourning for those Hilichurls.

Then, Kong stood up and turned around. His gaze seemed to pierce through the dim screen and meet Han Fulai's eyes.

“Indeed, I shouldn’t have been so indecisive,” he said.

Chapter 209 Reweaving All Fates (Bonus Chapter 5/20)

"The 'device' is almost complete and awaits your command, Your Highness," the Abyss Apostle's voice rose.

"How confident are you?" Kong looked at the Abyss Apostle.

The Abyss Apostle's voice hesitated slightly: "Theoretically feasible, perhaps..."

"Forget it, even if there's only a one percent chance..." Kong shook his head gently, "Aren't we the same? We're already in the abyss."

"For them, it's better to return to the 'cycle' sooner rather than live without dignity. Don't let them continue to bear...those unfounded sins."

"Your decision is a blessing for the Order." The Apostle of the Abyss placed his hand on his chest and bowed deeply.

Sora took one last look at the Hilichurls, then strode into the darkness, never to look back.

"Brother Fulai!"

Jiang Xue's voice suddenly rang in Han Fulai's ears. Han Fulai came back to his senses and found that Jiang Xue had been holding his shoulders at some point.

"What...did you just see?" Dain asked.

Han Fulai's silence went unnoticed at first, but then he stood there absentmindedly for almost a minute, holding the bouquet, and didn't respond even when Jiang Xue called him a few times. That's when Dai Yin realized something was wrong.

The cause of this phenomenon, of course, was the bouquet of "Intiwat" in Han Fulai's hand.

Kong is a "Descendant," and so is Han Fulai. Their special identities may have some special connection—that's the only conclusion Dain could draw.

In short, Han Fulai's behavior just now seemed to suggest that he had seen something they couldn't see.

Han Fulai gently shook his head. Just like hearing the voice of the "wishing stone," this feeling was like communication only in his consciousness; it was as if he were watching a movie in his own mind. After such an experience, there would be a certain degree of mental fatigue, making one feel dizzy.

He held up the bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"Perhaps I saw the memory of this bouquet of flowers."

Next, he described in detail the "movie" he had just watched to Jiang Xue and Daines Reeb.

"The 'device' mentioned by that Abyss Apostle, could it be...?" Jiang Xue looked in the direction of the "clock tower".

“That should be the mechanism.” Daines Reeb stroked his chin and nodded.

“Just as you said, he mentioned ‘restoration of the kingdom.’ What the ‘Abyss Order’ is doing in this ruin is probably related to ‘restoration of the kingdom,’” Han Fulai added.

Dainesreb's eyes darkened: "It seems the Order plans to use that mechanism and fountain to 'purify' the curse on the Hilichurls, hoping to restore them... and thus lay the foundation for the restoration of Kanria. After all, without 'citizens,' there can be no 'nation.'"

"...But the chances of success are very slim." Han Fulai recalled Kong's mention of "one percent hope."

“Hmph, utterly foolish. There’s not even a one percent chance.” Daisreb turned around and looked at the motionless Hilichurls not far away. “I should have said that as someone who has coexisted with the curse for five hundred years, no one understands better than me… There is absolutely no redemption. The curse is irreversible. Forcibly removing the curse will only bring pain and nothing else.”

"Therefore, the next move of the 'Abyss Order' can be determined," Han Fulai said.

“…Just like you said before.” Daines Reeb’s voice was somewhat displeased, but this displeasure was not directed at Han Fulai, but at himself.

That's the unwillingness to jump into a trap even when you know it's ahead.

But this resentment is meaningless. Even if Daines Reeb had a hundred more chances to choose, he would still jump into this trap.

Because he is Daines Reeb, the "Sword of the End," he is here to save his people, and... his travel companion.

...I really want to reach the end of the journey with him.

if you can.

"It's alright. There's nothing wrong with our plan. Even if they do activate that mechanism, what we're going to do won't change." Han Fulai put away the bouquet of flowers and comforted Dain.

“I understand, ally.” Dain had his back to Han Fulai, so that he could not see his expression.

"I'm just reminding myself to stay clear-headed, reminding myself—those people are no longer human. Clinging to this and investing too much emotion will only make me sink deeper and deeper...and eventually, like them, I'll sink into the mire of hypocrisy."

Dain's blue eyes gazed at the Hilichurls in the firelight.

“Actually, investing emotions isn’t necessarily hypocritical.” Han Fulai took two steps forward and patted Dai Yin on the shoulder, and the latter, unusually, did not reject such physical contact.

“There is an old saying in Liyue: ‘A gentleman judges by his actions, not his intentions.’ Even if it is hypocrisy, if one can maintain it for a lifetime, then it is true goodness. In my opinion, Mr. Daine, you are undoubtedly a truly kind person.”

“I don’t need comforting.” Din glanced at Han Fulai, but quickly added in a low voice, “...but thank you.”

Han Fulai simply smiled.

“Right now, more important than my life, or simply stopping the Abyss, is that I absolutely cannot allow the Abyss to trample on the will of Hafdan and the others with such arbitrary actions.” Dain’s tone was calm, but it carried a chilling undertone.

If the old Hafdan had heard Dain's words, he would have realized that the captain was angry.

"This is the path I have chosen, and I will certainly stop the 'Abyss' from plotting. Whether it is 'restoration of the kingdom' or... 'the weaving of fate'."

"Then, reweave all destinies."

Before Dayn finished speaking, a golden light suddenly appeared before his eyes, so bright that he couldn't open them.

The entire ancient civilization site was enveloped in that golden light, just like a blazing sun rising from the bottom of an abyss!

The source of the golden light was the direction of the "Clock Tower".

Bathed in golden light, the previously motionless Hilichurls suddenly reacted—as if they had been burned by the "sunlight." They began to writhe, some banging their heads on the ground, others rolling around in agony.

They're here! Dainesreb felt the burning sensation in his body and knew that the "Abyss Order" had already launched their plan.

He recalled what Han Fulai had said to him when they were at the "Clock Tower"—

"After leading us away from the 'Clock Tower,' they will proceed to the second step. They will activate that mechanism, which I suspect will create a wide-area effect, causing excruciating torment to all those in this ruin who are afflicted with the 'curse of immortality.' And you, upon discovering your fellow countrymen being tortured, will certainly not remain indifferent and will inevitably rush to that mechanism to try and stop them—in other words, 'walk right into their trap.'"

"At the same time, the Abyss Order will arrange for people to separate me and Senior Jiang Xue from you."

"And we will play along."

Daines Reeb touched the "key item" that Han Fulai had given him before, and lowered his body.

Then, he transformed into a blue phantom and rushed straight toward the "clock tower".

Chapter 210 You're the one doing all the talking, but I'm the one doing all the fighting.

The sudden golden light blinded Han Fulai, but since his physique was different from that of ordinary people, he quickly adapted to the change in brightness.

For him, it was like suddenly turning on the light in a dark room. In a way, the Abyss Order's "lighting up" saved him the effort of finding his way in the dark later.

But for those Hilichurls, this "light" was undoubtedly a nightmare.

Dain had said that the pool had a "purifying" power, but the curse would corrupt the human body, even "replace" it. If he actually jumped into the pool, his corrupted body would be purified before the curse was cleansed, resulting in death.

Those Hilichurls who died here turned into black mud and merged into the darkness, clearly because their bodies were "replaced" by a curse. The same applies to those "dark shells" that have lost their minds.

The Abyss Order activated a mechanism that amplified the power of the pool, allowing its power to radiate throughout the ancient ruins along with the light. The effect was exactly what they were seeing—the Hilichurls were being tortured and suffering immense pain.

Under the radiation of the "purification" power, the bodies of those Hilichurls who had already been "assimilated" by the curse were also being "purified"... This is a more euphemistic way of saying it, while the blunt way of saying it is - slow slicing.

The curse within these Kanriyan survivors was gradually purified, and their bodies slowly disappeared. The golden light that filled the ruins was like an all-pervasive dagger, tearing these Kanriyan survivors to pieces.

Even without purification, these Hilichurls will soon die, but at least their death will be less painful. If these Hilichurls could speak human language, they might already beg Han Fulai and the others for a quick death.

The Hilichurls let out incoherent growls, but Han Fulai couldn't understand their language. However, he could understand what Jiang Xue was saying.

Jiang Xue said, "We're here."

Han Fulai turned his head and saw a blue figure standing in front of him.

Deep within the ruins of an ancient civilization, far from the Hilichurl camp, lies an upside-down palace.

The palace, which belonged to the ancient civilization itself, has mostly collapsed, and most of the furnishings have long since decayed over time, leaving only a stone throne with one half cracked.

Ye Mingxiang, dressed in the armor of the "Black Serpent Knight," sat regally on the throne.

His helmet had been removed, and his entire face was bathed in golden light, like a solitary king bathed in the morning sun.

Stroking the armrest of the throne, Ye Mingxiang murmured to herself, "This is the king's seat... It's not very comfortable to sit on."

"But sitting is always more comfortable than standing."

He closed his left eye and used only his right eye to look around.

It wasn't because the golden light was too dazzling, but because his left eye was almost blind, so there was no difference between it being open or closed.

Throughout history, those who have sat in this position have ultimately been abandoned by all. I wonder... if I can get used to it?

Unlike the Hilichurls outside, although they were all afflicted with the "curse of immortality," the purifying power did not have a significant effect on Ye Mingxiang—perhaps due to his bloodline.

The power flowed through the chair into his body; it came from fragments of souls throughout the entire ruins.

Due to the geological changes in the ley lines of the Abyss of Laminaria, the souls that pass away here cannot actually enter the "cycle" and can only wander in these ruins.

But now, these souls have a new destination, heading towards the bloodline of kings, becoming the king's sustenance... and power.

"The setup is complete. Now... all that remains is to wait."

Ye Mingxiang closed her other eye, leaned her head back in the chair, and drifted into a deep sleep.

The Abyss Apostle, dressed in a long blue robe, stood before Han Fulai and Jiang Xue.

They had already met twice in just a few hours.

Of course, for Han Fulai, this number should be three times.

"Your Highness's will must be carried out, and I will eliminate any interference at all costs," the Apostle of the Abyss declared.

"Well, before we take action, can I confirm what you're doing?" Han Fulai asked calmly.

He knew very well that the Abyss Apostles were there to delay their journey to rescue Daines Reeb, and he also knew that they wouldn't mind killing him and Jiang Xue right here.

So, in order to delay the inevitable, the other party would probably be willing to talk to him a few more times.

Given their desire to kill them, the other party probably wouldn't mind leaking a little information, since dead people generally don't talk.

"To fulfill our great mission!" The Abyss Apostle's voice rose considerably when he mentioned the word "mission," "This time we must thoroughly... eradicate the curse that torments the people."

“I think you should know that what you are doing now is torture for them.” Han Fulai gestured with his eyes to the suffering Hilichurls.

The Abyss Apostles, however, remained indifferent to this.

"How can foolish mortals know the grace of the abyss? With that device, the purification power of the pool water can be increased tenfold or a hundredfold... The people will surely be saved!"

Han Fulai shook his head. "To borrow someone else's words... you've ruined your brain from chanting scriptures; you're practically a dead man now."

His provocation was clearly successful.

The Abyss Apostle raised his arms high, dark energy swirling above them before flowing down his entire body. Within seconds, the Abyss Apostle was enveloped in a layer of black armor, and his aura became several times stronger than before.

Simply put, the Abyss Apostles have turned evil and become stronger.

"I am the harbinger of the abyss, shattering all armor and defenses and the hearts of unbelieving heretics, unleashing my destiny's punishment upon the carefree fools!"

"So you're preparing for war? Very well." Han Fulai's expression turned solemn.

"The Laminariat belongs to Liyue, and everything within it is Liyue's national property, including this ancient civilization ruin. The actions of the 'Abyss Order' clearly endanger the safety and livelihood of Liyue's citizens and infringe upon Liyue's national interests. Therefore, they should be punished according to law..."

Han Fulai waved his hand with a rather dashing air.

"Commander of the Thousand Rock Army, let's go!"

"...You're the one doing all the talking, but I'm the one doing all the fighting."

Jiang Xue rolled her eyes at Han Fulai, already gripping the Thousand Rocks Ancient Sword in her hand. Of course, she knew Han Fulai was no match for her right now.