Advancing would mean loss, and everything requires a price. To move forward, one must stand on the shoulders of predecessors.
But Bai Cha did not want to lose. She disliked charging into battle and hated taking risks. She preferred holding her mother's hand, swinging gently on a park swing, or sitting on her father's lap, watching the scenery outside the window, bathed in sunlight that streamed into the study.
She enjoyed watching her brother adjust his gold-rimmed glasses while working, then reading books on the tatami. Bai Jin would always curl up beside her, wagging its tail and nudging its large dog head forward for a pet, its tail a blur of motion behind.
Then, everything changed.
The park became ruins, and her mother and father would never return. The sunlight in the study now fell upon her, and she was the only one sitting in the chair.
It shouldn't have been this way. So, she became a warrior, protecting Bai Ze behind her like a caged canary, clearing away any hardships herself.
But Bai Jin passed away. For a dog, he had lived a long life. Then Bai Ze died, and she was left alone. The Bai family mansion was too vast, and the echoes of her footsteps filled her with loneliness and fear. Her movements became lighter and lighter, until even Bai Cha doubted her own existence.
So, she stopped. She became lost in memories, disguising herself as a mountain to hide any tell-tale signs, and truly became a steadfast rock guarding the land.
But she refused to advance. She became stagnant, following her parents' path, believing that by preserving everything, nothing would change, and no one would have to sacrifice. She would handle everything herself, thus forging a formidable reputation.
However, this was impossible. Eternity could stretch time infinitely, but each juncture was fragile. Relative stillness could never reach the end; only by moving forward could one escape mistakes and reach their desired destination.
So, she left. She decided to sacrifice herself to correct the errors and break through this impasse.
Humans are individuals first, then belong to the world. Love yourself, then love the world. Before her amnesia, Bai Cha only loved the world; after her amnesia, Bai Cha only loved herself. Now, the two personalities, nearly fractured, finally merged.
"Fake, all of it is fake, merely your own delusion. Love is deceit, a tool that fellow called Earth uses to bind you!"
"Does that matter?" Bai Cha hummed lightly, a genuine look of nonchalance on her face. "If it's deceit, then as long as it can fool me for a lifetime, I'm willing to be bound."
"After all, we agreed to start moving forward."
The pink figure kissed Bai Cha's lips. The pink crystal flower suddenly shattered, a crack appearing in its surface. Pink energy overflowed. Faintly, Bai Cha heard Freya's triumphant laughter.
Athena stood by, suddenly realizing that the pink crystal armor also suited Bai Cha remarkably well.
Bai Cha was not a sweet-looking person, yet the pink crystal armor lent her a touch of youthful charm, or rather, made her appear more vibrant and captivating than ever before.
"Chacha, say that again, won't you? I really love hearing it."
Bai Cha's spear shimmered with brilliant light. Behind her, the phantom of the pink maiden forged Bai Cha's divinity. This time, heaven and earth heard the melody of the goddess of love.
"Chacha, you love me, don't you?"
The goddess of love's kiss was soft and dreamlike. It landed on the Dragon Mother's defense, causing a violent impact. The defense shattered instantly, a massive fissure opening up.
"Yes, I love you. How could I not?"
You are the first person I ever loved, my Princess Moonlight.
The spear, carrying the seeds of life, bloomed with dazzling radiance. This throw utilized all of Bai Cha's strength. Bai Cha could see the extreme power, laced with chaos, exploding within the Dragon Mother. She saw the seeds of life taking root, sprouting, rapidly taking over and parasitizing. She saw the figure behind her collapsing from exhaustion.
In that moment, Bai Cha and Freya drained all their strength to shatter the Dragon Mother's outer shell.
But it was alright now. Everything was over.
When Bai Cha carried Gu Mingze back to the surface, Gu Mingze was almost a dead fish. The situation was resolved more smoothly than expected, but everyone looked at the cracked crystal flower on Bai Cha's necklace, none daring to speak.
Bai Cha officially resigned. She had already been on leave, but out of hope, no one had informed the amnesiac Bai Cha. Now that Bai Cha had recovered her memories, no one had the courage to ask her to stay.
Su Qing and Li Rong's wedding was set for a month later. For this, Bai Cha and Lucifer postponed their travel plans with Ye Feng. Within this month, under Bai Cha's reorganization and suggestions, Country Z regained its authority. Light and Shadow were merged into the direct departments of the Neutral Faction, abolishing their factional distinctions.
The people of Shadow didn't care; they were directly subordinate to the Neutral Faction. It was just that at that time, for some unknown reason, the Neutral Faction had pushed them into factional conflict with Light.
Ultimately, the Light faction suffered the greatest losses, directly losing its independent factional power. Mo Ziye supported this decision.
As for the group imprisoned, Bai Cha decided on lighter sentences for a few, while the rest were dealt with according to the law—exile for some, death penalty for others. Shadow would henceforth be managed by the military, bringing an end to the struggles and power division.
The merfolk landing experiments were proceeding steadily. The successfully gene-modified merfolk were not yet perfect, with many maladaptive phenomena that would require gradual adjustment later, but it was evident that this future was not far off.
Gu Mingze sat on his small balcony, where a corner of sunlight fell. He could feel the curse within him slowly being purged as Bai Cha advanced the merfolk landing experiment, and he could sense the faint soul within the mer-pearl.
"You've worked hard." A faint voice emanated from the mer-pearl, resonating with Gu Mingze. Gu Mingze's eyes widened in disbelief.
"I'm sorry."
This time, Gu Mingze heard it clearly. The mer-pearl shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.
Finally, Gu Mingze smiled, revealing his teeth, just as he had when they first met, a foolish, silly grin.
Bai Cha couldn't resist Gong Yuechen's pleas and accepted a nominal title as an instructor, promising to occasionally lend her support. Shadow returned to its original business, but this time adhered to normal working hours, refusing exploitative overtime.
Evil dragons still roamed. The Dragon Mother's death did not mean the gradually degenerating dragons would reform. Furthermore, many beasts mutated after bathing in dragon blood. Shadow remained busy, though far better off than before.
Humans adapted quickly. After the world-shattering war, everyone quickly returned to normal life.
New recruits previously under Shadow were directly absorbed by the Neutral Faction into the military's Shadow department. As a nominal instructor, Bai Cha made an appearance at the first talent selection event to honor Gong Yuechen's request.
Children came one by one. Bai Cha, along with several members of Shadow, sat in a row, examining the pulse and bone structure of children who were either nascent dragon riders or had voluntarily undergone gene-enhancement surgery.
"However."
"However."
"...However."
Gene-enhancement surgery was not for everyone; any physical issues could be fatal. Bai Cha rested her chin on her hand, listlessly touching the outstretched little arms. It was rather dull.
It was the third day. She wondered if it would be another day of no breakthroughs.
"Hello there, please be sure to pass."
A little girl hopped over, her voice sweet and somewhat familiar. Bai Cha paid no mind, not even lifting her eyelids, and placed her hand on the little girl's wrist.
Upon touching, Bai Cha's brow furrowed. The little girl's physical condition was excellent. Her chubby little hand, appearing to be only two or three years old, met the requirements of a seven or eight-year-old child in all aspects. Could she be a prodigy?
Bai Cha finally looked up and froze.
It was an afternoon, the sunlight perfect. The lingering rays of the setting sun made the short pink hair shine brilliantly. The little girl before her, more exquisite than a doll, smiled sweetly, her pink pupils reflecting Bai Cha.
"Who... are you?" In an instant, Bai Cha was captivated. Memories she thought were buried surfaced, and she believed she would never see such a beautiful girl again.
"I don't have a name. I've traveled a long way to find this place, as it's the last place recruiting children." The little girl blinked, looking somewhat mischievous. "I have no family and no money, so I came to try my luck."
"...Then congratulations, you've hit the jackpot." Bai Cha lowered her head, quickly hiding the emotions in her eyes.
Perhaps she missed her too much. How could a three-year-old girl be her? Freya had completely dissipated three months ago in the battle. No matter how you calculated, one month couldn't equal a year.
Although the artifact of the goddess of love was shattered, her statue remained. Bai Cha thought she could take her there later.
Another day ended. Even Bai Cha appeared somewhat weary. After saying their goodbyes, Bai Cha and Lucifer started walking back together. Midway, Bai Cha sensed someone following them. When she turned, it was the little girl from earlier.
"Is something wrong?" Bai Cha asked. The subsequent process was not Bai Cha's responsibility; she was only responsible for selection.
"I want to follow you, can I? Because I'm so cute, will you take me in, please?" The little girl tugged at Bai Cha's skirt, smiling sweetly. She was beautiful, and her smile dazzled Bai Cha.
"Please take me in. I'm very well-behaved. As long as you teach me, I'll do housework and training." The little girl looked at Bai Cha, acting cute.
Should she refuse?
Perhaps she should. This was a new seedling, and according to protocol, they were to be handed over directly after selection. However, looking at those pink eyes, Bai Cha ultimately couldn't refuse.
"No name?" Bai Cha asked.
"Mm-hmm!" The little girl nodded vigorously.
"Then I'll call you Chang Ning from now on." After speaking, Bai Cha continued walking forward. Chang Ning paused for a moment, then immediately realized she had been accepted and happily followed Bai Cha, hopping along.
Taking in another child was simple. As long as Chang Ning behaved, taking her along on their future travels was not out of the question. Without Bai Cha needing to remind her, Lucifer made the necessary arrangements.
As if from a long period of wandering, Chang Ning's small face was smudged with dirt, and her clothes, from an unknown source, were also a bit tattered. After Lucifer took her to change clothes and bathe, she was completely refreshed.
Ye Feng stared at the little pink girl for a long time. He cast a meaningful glance at the diligently working Lucifer, smiled softly, and turned back to his room.
Bai Cha seemed truly exhausted. When Chang Ning arrived at Bai Cha's study, Bai Cha was lying on a chair, fast asleep. At some point, Bai Cha had begun to sleep soundly, especially when she was at home. Even in her sleep, a smile played on her lips.
With a father and a lover, perhaps there were regrets, but there could be no better ending than this.
Chang Ning sighed softly, gently stroking Bai Cha's face, and smiled. She climbed onto Bai Cha's chair and placed a soft kiss on Bai Cha's forehead.
"Sweet dreams." Chang Ning climbed down from the chair and turned. Lucifer stood at the doorway, pushing a meal cart, his stunned expression suggesting he hadn't recovered from his shock.
"Shh, don't disturb her. She's resting." Chang Ning chuckled lightly, raising a finger.
"And this is a secret. Don't tell her, because... you wouldn't want her to be taken away, would you?"
This would suffice.