The Fall of Legends

Though no concrete evidence existed, Qing Shui Ling Yin was almost certain that the issues with her memory stemmed, in all likelihood, from the previous live experiment.

Yet, why was it only Ming Yu whose memory fragments had been stripped away?

A profound confusion coiled in her heart.

She moved to the other side of the hospital bed, took the vase from the windowsill, removed the faded bouquet, and replaced it with a fresh arrangement of white lilies before returning it to its spot. A delicate floral fragrance diffused throughout the ward.

Once this was done, Qing Shui Ling Yin stood by the bed, her gaze sweeping over Ming Yu’s ashen face before settling on the adjacent electrocardiogram. The fluctuating line, though faint, remained steady.

She pulled a chair over, seating herself opposite Little Nightingale. Silently, she gazed at Ming Yu on the bed, her turbulent emotions gradually settling into a calm.

****

In the Apricot Grove ward, Seti sat up from his bed, leaning back against the headboard. His left arm was in a cast, and a faint, long-unseen hint of joy touched his rugged, chiseled face. Chainsaw stood by his side, peeling fruit for his mentor.

The chief physician arrived upon hearing the news. After a thorough physical examination, he confirmed that the Chairman was in no serious danger and nodded to them.

“Mr. Seti, you only need a few days of rest before you can be discharged.”

“Is that so? You’ve worked hard.”

“No, it is not us who have worked hard, but you.” The old doctor stroked his grizzled beard, chuckling softly. “Had you not risked your lives to protect Pharos, this place would have long since become a desolate ruin. We, too, would have been devoured.”

“Mm-hm.”

Seti’s expression remained unchanged. He simply responded with a soft hum, then, as if remembering something, looked towards the doctor beside his bed. “How is the silver-haired girl doing now?”

“She… her life is not in danger, but she will certainly be left with a disability. She may never stand again, destined to live out the rest of her days in a wheelchair.”

“That serious?” Seti frowned slightly.

At his words, the old doctor sighed. “Yes, we’ve encountered cases like hers before. Despite possessing extraordinary self-healing abilities, with all external injuries mending on their own, she cannot recover from internal damage. Not only are there signs of various organ failure, but the lower part of her spine is severely damaged. The transverse spinal cord injury has led to low-level paraplegia, causing her to lose sensation and motor function in her lower limbs.

“We speculate that her symptoms are likely an external manifestation of her genetic disease worsening. In a matter of months, or at most three to five years, the genetic disease will claim her life.”

The old doctor shook his head helplessly, expressing both sympathy and regret for the legendary girl’s plight. In recent days, batches of citizens had surrounded the hospital, vying to catch a glimpse of the hero who had saved Pharos from peril. Alas, that individual was gravely ill and unable to receive anyone.

Thinking of her exceptionally beautiful face, the doctor couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. In the not-so-distant future, she might quietly fade away in some forgotten corner.

Live as brilliantly as summer flowers; die as serenely as autumn leaves.

****

Upon the calm sea, a sharp, towering spire stood tall.

On the platform at its apex, Ming Yu sat on the edge of the perimeter wall, occasionally swinging her dangling ankles. Her gaze stretched towards the boundless blue, her heart as still as water. This was her second time in such a place.

The last time, Ming Yu and the phantom of Jörmungaṇḍr had fought here, and the unexpected arrival of the night mist had revealed to her that this was her mental world, her consciousness space. Here, the concept of time stretched infinitely. Their previous battle had lasted for days, yet only a fleeting moment had passed in the outside world.

Ming Yu suddenly lowered her gaze, staring at a pure white speck of light in her palm, silently sensing the thread-like aura within it. Under her guidance, White Feather had completed the first step of ‘Ouroboros Rebirth.’ Its soul had broken free from the shackles of its physical body and was now housed within her consciousness space.

Next, she needed to quickly prepare a suitable material vessel for it, one that could carry its past before its soul was extinguished. However, a problem arose. The White-feathered Sea Eagle species was already on the brink of extinction; it was, in fact, the last of its kind.

After prolonged deliberation, Ming Yu, basing her thoughts on the principles of ‘Ouroboros Rebirth’ and her own understanding, managed to find a feasible solution. If she couldn’t find a White Feather Sea Eagle, then she would have no choice but to opt for an alternative method: using a cross-species vessel to carry White Feather’s soul.

Ming Yu extended her index finger, gently touching the ball of light. Wisps of psionic energy coiled around it, slowly permeating its interior. While preserving its memories, she would thoroughly transform White Feather’s essence into a human form. After that, she would find a way to use her own somatic cells for reproductive cloning to create a healthy human vessel for White Feather.

Each shared experience of life and death had left an indelible mark on her heart. White Feather’s mournful cries seemed to echo in her ears, and the image of its dying vow to return remained vivid.

“White Feather, once you return to the real world, I’ll treat you to seafood again,” Ming Yu whispered softly, her eyes calm.

At her fingertip, the ball of light trembled imperceptibly.

****

Night had fallen.

After leaving a bento box for Little Nightingale, Qing Shui Ling Yin rose and left the ward, intending to return to her studio to continue her work. Not long ago, an elderly doctor had visited the ward, informing them of Ming Yu’s condition.

Little Nightingale remained silent as always, while Qing Shui Ling Yin suddenly recalled the archived project: ‘Treatment Plan for Genetic Diseases.’ It now occurred to her that this project must have been initiated specifically for Ming Yu.

A few months, or at most three to five years…

Qing Shui Ling Yin instinctively looked at her loved one on the bed, unable to imagine her reaction if the adjacent electrocardiogram were to flatline. Time waited for no one; she had to return immediately.

The knowledge system of biomedical science was incredibly complex. Even with Qing Shui Ling Yin’s astonishing talent, it had taken considerable time and effort for her to fully master it. According to the research logs, she had personally participated in that live experiment precisely to overcome the obstacles in treating Ming Yu.

Qing Shui Ling Yin’s idea was extreme. If Ming Yu were to leave her due to the flaws of a genetic life, then she would rather preserve her short-lived fiancée in the form of a digital life. Whatever the cost, even if her research invited disaster, she would not hesitate.

Rather than letting Ming Yu’s consciousness remain trapped within this ailing body, it would be better to forge an entirely new path for her survival.

She couldn’t help but curve her lips, a hint of madness staining her eyes.