Chapter 61 Exposure

I wish to alleviate your burdens.

Should my current strength prove inadequate to share your worries, I vow to strive for greater power, until I am strong enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with you in battle.

I will not merely boast of this intention, nor will I ever grow complacent, thereby letting your hopes falter.

Though Lyte never articulated these thoughts, Xie Hai Zhu perceived them acutely.

Concurrently, a profound realization dawned upon her.

As long as Lyte remained by her side, she found herself incapable of committing acts that would disappoint everyone, even if such acts were solely for her own survival.

For such actions would undoubtedly bring sorrow to Lyte.

Hence, her only recourse was to—

“To be honest, I find myself equally concerned about Shenhong,” Xie Hai Zhu confessed, her playful smile vanishing, replaced by a look of profound worry. “You know how that child tends to overthink things and get caught in their own head.”

The most effective method to mislead someone is to weave a tapestry of both truth and falsehood.

To effectively redirect another’s focus, one should proactively engage them in a discussion about matters closest to their heart, rather than oneself.

As anticipated, Lyte subtly dropped his formal ‘lord-vassal’ demeanor, rising slowly from his seat.

“Indeed, ever since his encounter with Captain Li Tianming today, Shenhong’s demeanor has been markedly amiss,” Lyte conceded, a furrow in his brow. “Lady Hai Zhu, could it be that we have erred in our judgment?”

A thought sparked within Xie Hai Zhu, and she promptly posed a question:

“Do you not wish for Shenhong to recover his memories?”

“I am uncertain,” Lyte admitted, shaking his head slowly. “In theory, amnesia is an affliction that demands treatment, yet Shenhong’s visible distress is truly heartbreaking. Moreover, to halt our course now seems almost impossible, for Shenhong has most likely already become aware of our intentions…”

“As for the answer to this conundrum, I believe we ought to re-evaluate our premise from the very beginning. Why do you assert that regaining his memories would be a beneficial outcome?”

“Why, that is, of course…” Lyte began, a series of grand-sounding justifications almost escaping his lips. Yet, upon closer reflection, he found himself utterly speechless.

The reason was quite simple: when analyzing the situation without the crucial knowledge that Xie Shenhong was, in fact, Xie Hai Zhu, the act of restoring Xie Shenhong’s memories held little true significance.

“The glory, identity, and elevated status associated with the Crimson Hawk mean nothing to Shenhong, that child,” Xie Hai Zhu calmly articulated, analyzing her own thoughts with an unwavering expression. “Indeed, one might even say that possessing such accolades, disproportionate to what he perceives as his current abilities, would only serve to distress him.”

“Shenhong is hardly unsuited for them…” Lyte countered, a hint of helplessness in his tone.

This was not to imply any lack of conviction on Lyte’s part; rather, he simply understood that Xie Shenhong was precisely the kind of person who would harbor such thoughts.

“And as for the myriad relationships that past memories might rekindle, if that child were to discover a significant divergence between their present self and their past, would they not, in fact, experience profound unease?”

…

“Naturally, if you were to undertake actions in opposition, or even find yourself in conflict with those who champion this cause, that outcome would assuredly be far from what Shenhong desires to witness.”

“Lady Hai Zhu, are you suggesting that I remain entirely passive?” Lyte inquired, comprehension dawning upon him.

“Indeed. If my intuition serves me correctly, that child is likely contemplating how best to feign the recovery of his memories, all to set everyone’s hearts at ease. Under such circumstances, do you not agree that quietly observing, or perhaps even subtly cooperating with him, would represent an exceptionally prudent course of action?”

“But…”

“I understand that this approach might appear to presuppose Shenhong’s inability to recover his memories, perhaps even bordering on a passive evasion of reality. However, consider this carefully: five years have elapsed since Shenhong suffered his amnesia. Is it truly possible for him to recall everything? And if he does, will he genuinely find happiness in those recovered memories?”

Truth be told, Xie Hai Zhu herself harbored a quiet hope that she might recall her past, given the prevalent trope in many transmigration narratives where a transmigrator can access memories lingering within the original host’s soul.

Regrettably, however, across five—no, nine long years—not a single instance of such memory recovery had ever transpired.

While the golden pocket watch contained fragments of past memories, their scarcity was utterly insufficient for her to convincingly impersonate the original owner.

The earnest endeavors of Li Tianming and his companions were, in essence, all in vain. Therefore, she resolved to at least prevent Lyte—who, though ignorant of the full truth, nonetheless treated her with profound sincerity—from becoming further entangled in this doomed enterprise.

Indeed, her initial inclination had been to reject this entire undertaking.

Yet, humanity, being a peculiar species, often finds that even when one’s own initial impulse is to refuse, a resolute rejection from another will inexplicably ignite a rebellious desire to act contrary.

Thus, she embarked on a circuitous path, presenting a thorough analysis before allowing Lyte to arrive at his own conclusion.

However, should Lyte remain steadfast in his resolve, she had a contingency.

“Should your worries persist, you might consider cooperating with Shenhong initially, and then apprise me of the situation.”

Her strategy was to encourage Lyte’s active participation in the matter, ensuring he received positive reinforcement along the way.

Whether this subtly constituted an act of informing the true individual involved was, of course, an entirely separate matter altogether…

“I understand,” Lyte affirmed. “I shall keep you informed of the developments.”

‘If it is possible, please also relay to me the perspectives of Li Tianming and Dongfang Qinglong…’ Xie Hai Zhu inwardly mused, suppressing the immediate urge to voice these words aloud, instead offering a serene, smiling nod.

“Then I shall entrust this to you.”

Lyte bowed deeply before her.

“My sincerest thanks, Lady Hai Zhu.”

His gratitude was for her, in her guise as Xie Shenhong.

Yet, the profound gratitude etched upon his countenance conveyed the impression that he, rather than anyone else, was the true beneficiary.

It was precisely because Lyte possessed such a selfless nature that Xie Hai Zhu arrived at this decision: to never squander the kindness others extended to her, but rather to ensure their good fortune.

Concurrently, she resolved to project an outward appearance of being equally blessed.

****

The following day, as footage of the initiation ceremony was leaked and rapidly disseminated, Xie Shenhong found himself encircled by his classmates the moment he stepped back into the classroom.

Initially, the students’ curiosity centered on Xie Hai Zhu’s strikingly different demeanor. However, those who had viewed the entire video soon uncovered another, more unsettling detail:

“Wait, where did Princess Shenhong make her appearance on stage?”

“Princess, why were you absent from the ceremony?”

“This is outrageous! They actually barred a magic-less individual from the stage!”

While Xie Shenhong naturally felt a surge of satisfaction that someone would champion his cause, this revelation simultaneously implied that rumors of his supposed disfavor within the knight order would inevitably sweep through the entire school.

Seizing a moment when Lyte was occupied elsewhere, Xie Shenhong sought solitude in a secluded corner of the school, only to find himself, predictably, encircled by a group of students.

“I heard you weren’t even deemed worthy to attend the initiation ceremony? Truly, you live up to your reputation as a worthless magic-less individual!”

“This is the inevitable fate of those who rely on connections!”

Four boys, their faces contorted with smug disdain, showered him with insults that barely constituted personal attacks, effectively shattering his intention to leverage this encounter as an opportunity to demonstrate his ability to resolve crises within the school.

Upon deeper reflection, however, it stood to reason: with the backing of the Duanmu family and his ostensible status as an official member of the Deep Sea Crimson, even in the school’s most secluded corners, it was inconceivable that anyone would dare to physically assault him.

“You… are you looking down on us?” The leader of the group growled, his temper flaring the moment he noticed Xie Shenhong’s momentary distraction.

“My apologies,” Xie Shenhong murmured, lowering his head. He knew better than to utter a retort so overtly mocking as to suggest he had, in fact, overestimated their capabilities.

Regrettably, however, when one person harbors animosity towards another, every action, no matter how innocuous, is inevitably perceived as a transgression.

Moreover, the group’s initial intention had been to provoke Xie Shenhong into striking first through a barrage of insults. Yet, witnessing his unwavering indifference throughout, their patience finally snapped. They surged forward, clearly intending to escalate the confrontation—

“Hiyah!”

At that very instant, a young girl descended abruptly from the sky, landing with surprising grace between Shenhong and the four menacing boys.

“In broad daylight, several grown men dare to bully a defenseless young woman? I absolutely will not permit it!”

No sooner had the words left her lips than the girl channeled her energy, unleashing a torrent of wave magic that sent the four boys sprawling through the air.

“Yay!”

Turning back to Xie Shenhong, the girl flashed a triumphant peace sign and beamed, “Sister Shenhong, are you alright?”