The Reasons for the Change

For a fleeting moment, Sima Le felt a pang of sympathy.

In the desolate lands of the Vermillion Bird Kingdom, for someone to reach the Martial Lord rank at just seventeen years old was nothing short of a prodigy among prodigies.

However, upon witnessing the savagery in Lyte’s eyes and the dark-attributed energy swirling around his form, that thought quickly dissipated.

“A mindless beast, is it? Truly befitting an Imperial Royal.”

Sima Le scoffed, retrieving a button from an inner pocket of his clothes and pressing it.

Soon, an armor piece flew from deep within the cargo hold, which he caught with his right hand.

Immediately, his entire arm was covered by the disassembling, transforming steel armor, morphing into a massive mechanical arm.

“This armament was acquired from your elder brother… I am now at the peak of the Martial Lord rank.”

“Roar!”

As if deaf to his words, Lyte let out a feral howl and lunged at Sima Le, only to be sent flying by a single punch.

But immediately, Lyte, acting as if nothing had happened, charged again.

Even though he had just spat a mouthful of fresh blood.

“How terrifying… truly, the vile bloodline of the Empire.”

Sima Le shook his head, his right arm gathering power before unleashing another punch.

Sima Le harbored a deep loathing for the Empire.

This was no lie.

How could he possibly harbor any affection for an Empire that had shattered his homeland and brought tears to the eyes of those he cherished?

Rather, for ten years, not a single day passed without him wishing for the Empire’s destruction.

Yet, this world was illogical.

The good die young, while the wicked endure for millennia.

The more he wished for the Empire’s demise, the better it seemed to fare.

Conversely, the Kingdom, despite its outward appearance of prosperity, had even seen the revered Lady Hai Zhu depart from this world.

Of course, he once possessed the resolve to pursue what he knew to be impossible.

And he had once done so.

However—

“Let me tell you a secret: my imperial father has lived for over a century.”

Practicing magic did not grant longevity.

Not even a Battle Lord could achieve it.

The sole exception in this world was the Eternal Body.

Yet, he had never imagined that the rumors in the Kingdom were merely rumors.

While those in the Empire were true.

He despaired.

Yet, he did not surrender to despair.

Much like how most people work not out of affection for their tasks.

He had to survive.

He had to join the Empire.

He had to betray the Kingdom.

Even if it meant sacrificing what he held dearest!

“Die!”

Seeing Lyte at his last gasp, Sima Le unleashed a killing blow.

But it missed its mark.

His punch had been predicated on Lyte attacking him.

However, Lyte’s initial move was merely a feint.

Those savage, dazed eyes regained their clarity in an instant.

Then Lyte lunged towards the ground.

Sima Le’s hastily redirected punch only landed with sixty percent of its force on Lyte’s body.

Lyte was sent flying once more.

No, it would be more accurate to say he deliberately allowed himself to be thrown.

For at the end of that trajectory, a red-haired youth awaited.

****

The moment the blond youth collapsed, he lost consciousness.

Yet, the object he had clutched tightly in his hand fell before Xie Shenhong.

Slowly, he crawled forward, taking the Scarlet Twin Pistols into his grasp.

Xie Shenhong gazed at the injured Lyte, recalling the smile he had displayed just before he hit the ground.

It was a smile of profound trust.

“How utterly foolish. Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited for this day?”

Xie Shenhong sneered, leveling his pistol at the unconscious Lyte.

Indeed, this was the perfect moment to kill Lyte, the sinner who had brought ruin to the Kingdom.

Xie Shenhong could distinctly sense that Lyte’s body was utterly devoid of magic.

Be it the light-attributed magic that symbolized the dawn’s radiance.

Or the foul, dark-attributed magic that promised boundless calamity.

Lyte had expended it all.

He was now merely an injured man, his physique only slightly superior to that of an ordinary person.

A single shot could end his life.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Xie Shenhong fired four shots without a moment’s hesitation.

Lyte remained utterly still.

As if unaware he had just brushed shoulders with death.

“Seriously, why wouldn’t you dodge?”

Xie Shenhong cried out hoarsely.

His four shots had anticipated every possible escape route Lyte might take.

The moment Lyte attempted to evade, he would be hit and die.

Yet, Lyte lay there feigning sleep, as if he knew Xie Shenhong would not kill him.

No—

“Damn it, why is there such an idiot?”

At this point, Xie Shenhong had no choice but to concede.

Lyte could not possibly be faking it.

He was simply an upright, noble, pure, sincere, passionate, and utterly good-hearted fool—a complete idiot.

Xie Shenhong’s numerous assumptions about Lyte had all been wrong.

His tears, no longer held back, surged forth.

“Why… why would you help someone like me!” Xie Shenhong cried and cursed simultaneously.

Yet, he knew the reason.

Lyte had told him long ago.

He wanted to become good friends with him, to make him happy.

But alas—

“Fighting side-by-side? Providing support? What good is any of that when you’re unconscious!”

He had already been incredibly fortunate!

Upon transmigrating to this other world, he had found family in Nangong Yan and Duanmu Yun, a compliant and sensible younger sister at home, and even at school, classmates who, despite knowing he cross-dressed, still respected and adored him.

As someone who should have been scorned as a magicless individual, he had fortunately encountered a Kingdom that valued human rights.

Due to his knowledge of Earth’s technology, he had been regarded as a genius researcher, living a life free of want… and even after losing everything, he had been reborn!

He truly had been lucky enough!

But why!

Even the enemy he had believed to be utterly wicked turned out to be such an honorable gentleman, one who would fight to this extent to protect him and uphold their promise!

Why?

What exactly had he been doing all these days?

He had vowed to change a tragic future, yet how had he ended up constrained by that very future, unable to even distinguish between good and evil?

What exactly was he running from?

Why did he constantly agonize over his own usefulness?

Why didn’t he tackle the problem from the very beginning!

****

As Xie Shenhong approached, Sima Le spoke.

“If you cannot bring yourself to do it, I can.”

“Shut up!” Xie Shenhong wiped the tears from his face, declaring angrily.

“So, you’ve abandoned your revenge?” Sima Le, aware that Xie Shenhong was an orphan, assumed he had been moved by Lyte’s self-sacrificing rescue and had thus forgotten his hatred. “How utterly naive. You saw that power of his, didn’t you? The very existence of the Imperial Royal Family is a sin.”

At the word ‘naive,’ Xie Shenhong flinched slightly; by the time Sima Le finished speaking, he had already regained his composure.

More precisely, he was forced to calm down.

For there were more pressing matters at hand than succumbing to despair or self-reproach.

“I have no complaints whatsoever.”

“Huh?”

Sima Le paused, slightly taken aback, and it took him a moment to realize Xie Shenhong was answering the question he had posed earlier in the banquet hall.

He couldn’t help but chuckle.

“How could that be? Someone like you…”

“I’ve never considered myself exceptionally intelligent, nor have I ever looked down on others or pursued fame and status… Rather, I would prefer it if others could succeed without my involvement.”

“So… you voluntarily requested to be transferred from an important position?” Sima Le began to understand.

“Precisely. They are all true geniuses, merely limited by their perspectives, scope, and a lack of tailored guidance.

Now that I have guided them through the initial stages, the best outcome is for a dull-witted individual like myself to no longer be necessary.”

“So you don’t believe it’s unjust to be looked down upon?”

“Indeed. I find no fault with Deep Sea Crimson’s selection system; if anything, the fact that I still have a chance to join, and the immense care I’ve received, is already far too much.”

“Do you know what kind of personality you possess?”

“An inferiority complex.”

Sima Le burst into boisterous laughter.

“To think that the renowned Crimson Hawk would be such an insecure individual, someone who holds themselves in such low regard!”

After his laughter subsided, Sima Le’s expression turned stern.

“In other words, you will not betray the Kingdom.”

“That’s right.”

The elites Sima Le had brought with him all shared a common trait: arrogance.

Due to their arrogance, they harbored discontent, and thus would not hesitate to betray the Kingdom.

Xie Shenhong, however, was different.

He harbored an inferiority complex, believing the Kingdom had already bestowed more than enough upon him.

“I won’t let you simply walk away. However, if you are willing to provide sufficient information, I can guarantee your safety and that of the Imperial Prince over there… Don’t be so quick to refuse.

You are of great significance to the Kingdom, and surely you wish to repay it, no?

Then do not squander your life here for nothing.”

As Sima Le spoke, he displayed his mechanical arm.

It was as if he were informing Xie Shenhong that his previous techniques were now useless.

Resistance was futile.

It would be better to preserve his useful body and return to the Kingdom another day to repay those debts of gratitude.

However—

“You seem to have misunderstood one crucial point. While I may appear to be humble, in truth, I am primarily arrogant.”

“Arrogant?”

“I have always believed it is my responsibility to protect and improve the Kingdom.” Xie Shenhong let out a self-deprecating laugh, “Even if I demean myself time and again in my own mind, this sense of responsibility has never wavered.”

“No, I believe that’s an excellent sentiment, just as Lady Hai Zhu once said… ‘The rise and fall of the world is the concern of every common person.'” Sima Le said with admiration, “Young man, I find myself liking you more and more.

I will help you conceal the matter of the Imperial Prince, and I will do everything in my power to ensure you can return to the Kingdom in the future… The Kingdom needs you.”

“Thank you, but I do not require your assurances.” Xie Shenhong took out a golden pocket watch, observing the hour hand’s position on its face, “What I require is to apprehend you and resolve this incident.”

Sima Le burst into laughter once more.

“Don’t misunderstand, I’m not laughing at your arrogance; I’m pleased that my conjecture was correct… You’re planning to transform into the fake Hai Zhu next, aren’t you?”

This was, in fact, not difficult to deduce.

Considering Xie Shenhong’s series of actions, his willingness to attend alone indicated that he had been entirely confident of victory from the outset.

In the Kingdom, only one entity could confidently claim to defeat a Martial Lord with the Empire’s backing.

That was the imposter Hai Zhu, whose strength was merely at the Combat Lord rank.

Given that the imposter was highly likely to be someone closely affiliated with the Duanmu and Dongfang families, the answer became immediately apparent.

“Alas, we considered this very possibility from the moment we began planning this operation!”

Sima Le produced a switch button from his left hand and pressed it.

Instantly, the ship’s interior was enveloped by an eerie sound wave.

“Transform.”

Ignoring Sima Le’s words, Xie Shenhong silently transformed into a blue-haired, crimson-eyed maiden.

To Sima Le, however, this was an even more foolish move than relying on the Scarlet Twin Pistols in combat.

The Empire had long since unearthed magical automata similar to the fake Hai Zhu from ruins.

They had also developed numerous countermeasures—such as the interference wave he had just activated.

It could not only prevent magical automata from functioning properly but also cause excruciating headaches for those at the Combat Lord rank.

His own safety was entirely due to the anti-interference device embedded within his right mechanical arm.

But Xie Shenhong possessed no such device… Indeed, the moment she transformed into the blue-haired, crimson-eyed maiden, she became immobile, closing her eyes in place as if struggling against something.

“It’s over!”

To prevent any further complications, Sima Le immediately charged forward, raising his mechanical arm high.

He intended to shatter the automaton with a single blow.

He would crush the Kingdom’s last illusion, forcing them to confront reality and seek a practical solution, just as he had.

Of course, Xie Shenhong would not die if the automaton was destroyed; she would merely revert to her original form.

But by then, everything would be entirely at his discretion—

Boom!

The confident punch shattered everything in its vicinity.

“How… how could this be?”

Yet it failed to even tear a corner of her garment.

The imposter had merely raised a single finger, blocking his most potent attack.

“Do not be so impatient.”

The blue-haired maiden opened her eyes, which blazed like fiery embers, “Your turn will come shortly.”

“Is the power insufficient?”

Sima Le swiftly retreated several steps, adjusted the interference device’s power to maximum, and then charged towards the blue-haired maiden once more.

This time, however, he couldn’t even get close to her.

An aura of extreme cold enveloped his body, and before he fully registered it, his lower half and his right mechanical arm were frozen solid, transformed into ice sculptures.

Concurrently, he realized what the blue-haired maiden was doing.

The entire Lihuo Ship, a colossal vessel weighing tens of thousands of tons, was lifted into the air, rotated halfway, and set on a course back to its original direction.

“That’s enough.”

Sima Le stared blankly at the blue-haired maiden, who had accomplished all of this with such effortless grace.

This was not something an automaton could achieve.

This was not something a Combat Lord could do so casually.

This was not something an imposter could accomplish.

“Why?” he cried out, his voice choked, “Why only now do you…”

With a gurgling sound, he spat out a large mouthful of blood.

It wasn’t that Hai Zhu had done anything to him; rather, the blood oath he had sworn with the Imperial Prince earlier had been triggered.

He had failed.

And the consequence of failure was nothing but death.

Hai Zhu, realizing this, dispelled the ice from him and supported him, attempting to provide aid.

“It’s no use… Lady Hai Zhu…”

In his dying moments, Sima Le thought of many things and understood even more.

“Beware the Empire… they will surely strike…”

“Please, do not underestimate yourself any longer… You have already done more than enough for the Kingdom…”

“Forgive me… I yielded to despair on my own accord… And also, thank you…”

Sima Le smiled, the light fading from his eyes.

The Lihuo Ship’s power core exploded.

Someone, remotely manipulating it, detonated the Blazing Flame Talismans hidden within.

The flames were quickly extinguished, and the vessel continued its course towards the royal capital’s port.

Alas, no matter how they investigated, the mastermind could not be found aboard the ship or in the nearby waters.

“I am sorry to have disappointed you.”

Xie Hai Zhu gazed at Sima Le, speaking softly.

She understood she should feel relief, or perhaps joy, that the situation had been resolved.

She knew she ought to feel sorrow, or perhaps contempt, for his foolishness.

Yet, her heart remained utterly unmoved.

She merely acted in accordance with her identity as the Saintess, doing what needed to be done.

The current her was nothing more than an emotionless ‘automaton.’

****

‘Where was he?’

‘What about Shenhong?’

‘And Sima Le?’

‘Damn it, how could he have passed out at such a crucial moment?’

In the darkness, Lyte incessantly chastised himself.

As his senses began to return, he perceived that he seemed to be lying on a sofa.

His head was cushioned by something soft and yielding… Wait, was that a thigh?

‘A lap pillow?’

‘Is it Shenhong?’

‘Were they captured?’

‘No more rocking of the ship… have they already reached Imperial territory?’

Lyte eagerly opened his eyes, and what met his gaze was—

“Awake, my knight?”