Justice, it is said, is not defined by those who save, but by those who are saved. For the rescued, the rescuer embodies justice itself.
From the very first day of her police academy training, Ke Yiyi had been taught a fundamental truth: the purpose of a police officer was to resolve others’ troubles, not to create them. Yet today, despite no longer serving as an officer, she had undeniably become a source of profound trouble.
One defining characteristic of the Independent Observation Corps was their uncanny speed in arriving at any incident. Like common townsfolk eager for a spectacle, the observers themselves were not immune to the allure of watching others stumble.
The ancients often quipped that ‘governing a great nation is akin to cooking a small fish,’ a maxim that still held some truth today. However, it remained unclear whether the lofty dignitaries who so eloquently expounded on statecraft ever truly grasped the notion that ‘they themselves were merely chefs.’
Lan Xifang had arrived. She surveyed the scene before her, listening to Xuanji Star’s explanations, her face betraying not the slightest flicker of emotion.
Such was the nature of diplomatic discourse at times: even when in the wrong, one had to project an air of unruffled composure. To show any sign of panic would only embolden the opposing party, making them cling even more stubbornly to their position and forcing oneself into a passive role.
On the Southern Dipper Star’s side, Fifth Column was present in person, standing detachedly, his eyes vacant as he observed everything unfolding before him.
At times, he exuded the aura of a phantom, rendering his thoughts utterly inscrutable. While his actions were invariably mundane, his unique status transformed every ordinary gesture into an elusive enigma in the eyes of others.
Meanwhile, Polaris’s Cui Wei stood beside the girl, a broad smile gracing his face. To outsiders privy to the full story, placing the girl near a Polaris individual, notorious for their depraved acts, seemed exceedingly perilous. However, given the current circumstances, keeping her near Xuanji Star might prove even more dangerous—at least, this was the prevailing sentiment among observers well-acquainted with Xuanji Star’s clandestine dealings.
Upon seeing Ke Yiyi return with the Xuanji Star observer, Cui Wei subtly assessed their expressions, and immediately, a calculation formed in his mind. In his line of work, reading people was a fundamental skill; a mere glance at someone’s face was enough for him to discern their true intentions.
He narrowed his eyes, gazing at Lan Xifang. She, in turn, subtly shifted her gaze, acknowledging his look with an unperturbed calm before turning her attention to Ke Yiyi.
“I apologize for causing everyone trouble.”
“Causing trouble is not the issue; the true issue is how to resolve it.”
“I will resolve it myself.”
Ke Yiyi began to walk towards the girl, while Fletcher, who had been trailing closely behind Lan Xifang, watched Ke Yiyi’s retreating figure with a frown.
His concern wasn’t that Vega would suffer from entanglement in this affair, but rather that Ke Yiyi might compromise with the other party. As a former police officer, she was inherently predisposed to finding solutions.
“Resolve it yourself? Light of Shell City, is it truly appropriate to make decisions on behalf of others?”
Ke Yiyi halted, her gaze shifting to Cui Wei.
Cui Wei let out a cold snort, his eyes sweeping over the assembled crowd. The smile vanished from his face, replaced by a stern expression as he spoke.
“Justice is not something that appears or disappears at someone’s whim; it resides within the heart of every individual.”
“Though you were once a mere police officer of Vega, your willingness to step forward today, without regard for borders, to aid an innocent girl who has suffered abuse, has already allowed those present to judge Vega’s moral standing. This is far beyond what certain sanctimonious hypocrites, who endlessly preach benevolence and morality, yet secretly seek to downplay serious matters and resolve minor ones, could ever achieve.”
As Cui Wei spoke, he cast a sidelong glance at Man Changpo, a dismissive sneer curling his lips, as if he were observing a maggot squirming in the dirt.
Man Changpo, however, merely looked at him from the corner of his eye, his expression as placid as ever, devoid of any emotional tint.
He then turned his head to Ke Yiyi, hoping she would remain impervious to external influences and make a decision beneficial to all.
“Perhaps someone will tell you that such incidents are mere anomalies, not widespread phenomena, that there are always rotten apples everywhere, and one cannot generalize about everyone.”
“Or perhaps they’ll claim to support your actions, offering a compromise ‘for your own good’ to feign solidarity.”
Cui Wei’s gaze at the Xuanji Star delegation grew increasingly audacious, verging on outright arrogance.
“Naturally, such methods will involve appeals to reason, leveraging connections, and even veiled threats.”
“Light of Shell City, this world is far more treacherous than you perceive.”
“Many will stop at nothing to achieve their objectives.”
“They will appeal to reason, stir emotions, tempt with gain, threaten with power, and even invoke righteousness…”
“When you attempt to save someone, you must understand one truth.”
“Salvation is never defined by the savior, but by the one being saved.”
“When you find yourself spun in circles by a barrage of varying arguments, why not ask the person you intend to save what it is they truly desire?”
“The saved are not lambs, but living, thinking individuals who should not have their decisions made for them.”
“She has the right to decide her own fate, and others have the right to respect her decision.”
“Once you commit to saving someone, you should not abandon them halfway. If you choose to save, then save to the very end. If you intend to discard, then never pick them up in the first place.”
At Cui Wei’s words, Ke Yiyi felt a jolt within her, her gaze fixed on him in astonishment.
She could scarcely believe such righteous words would emanate from the mouth of a Polaris individual, notorious for their wickedness…
The various observers present exchanged glances; some held amusement, others offered affirmation, some wavered, and still others met the situation with cold indifference.
Yuliga nodded with a smile, murmuring something to Selena beside her, while Selena remained vigilant, her hand resting on her sword hilt, keenly observing her surroundings.
Fifth Column, meanwhile, maintained his silence throughout, standing there like a ghost, seemingly oblivious to everything around him.
Cui Wei cast a sidelong glance at Fifth Column, regarding him as one might a corpse that refused to decay.
“Aren’t certain academies always championing human rights? They constantly accuse us Polaris of trampling human rights, yet why are they silent today? Hmph! Does this underage girl before us not count as a human being?”
He stared at Fifth Column with a mocking expression, knowing full well that Fifth Column would not retort, which emboldened his brazenness.
“Didn’t get enough to eat this morning to have the energy to speak? Well, you should eat more! The bento boxes here are a specialty, you simply must try them!”
Mid-sentence, his gaze shifted to the Xuanji Star contingent. It was unclear whether his words were meant to mock Southern Dipper Star or satirize Xuanji Star—though the final remark was clearly a jab at Xuanji Star’s ‘Ten Days of Snowboat’ incident.
“Every life deserves respect, and every individual has the right to determine their own destiny. This is explicitly stated in the World Alliance’s regulations. Although this girl is a minor, if her guardians consent, she cannot be considered an exception.”
Yuliga raised her hand, speaking loudly. In that instant, all eyes turned to her.
The Xuanji Star observers, though maintaining their composure, felt a surge of disgust. They hadn’t expected anyone to ‘kiss Cui Wei’s dirty feet’ like this.
A Xuanji Star officer gestured for Man Changpo to approach. Man Changpo glanced around, then quickly walked over. The officer whispered something into his ear, then pointed to a man and a woman in the crowd. Man Changpo nodded, and the officer swiftly retreated.
“The Uranus-Neptune observer just mentioned that ‘if the girl’s guardians consent, she also has the right to decide her own destiny.’ In that case, let her guardians speak!”
Man Changpo’s gaze swept towards the Xuanji Star side. No sooner had he finished speaking than a man and a woman stepped forward from their ranks. As the two emerged, Ke Yiyi distinctly saw the girl’s body tremble—they were clearly her parents.
Both the man and the woman wore Dragon Blade insignias on their chests, clearly identifying them as Xuanji Star government personnel. Cui Wei, upon seeing those ‘dog tags’ on their chests, could even discern their exact standing within the government.
The two said little else, merely emphasizing that they were the child’s parents and would not permit anyone from outside Xuanji Star to interfere in their family matters. They vehemently denied any accusations of abuse, claiming such allegations were baseless fabrications, a pretext used by others to slander Xuanji Star. Their words escalated the entire issue from a private domestic affair directly to the level of Xuanji Star’s internal politics, heavily implying Vega’s interference in Xuanji Star’s sovereign affairs.
Cui Wei felt his ears were about to grow calluses. Xuanji Star had been rehashing these same few phrases for decades. Given how these two endlessly repeated themselves, serving as a director in Worldly Affairs City was a waste of their talent. They could easily be sent to Xuanji Star’s interior and at least become a minister—for ministers, like directors, were only capable of spouting nonsense.
Ke Yiyi cast aside her distracting thoughts, focusing on the girl before her. She slowly knelt, gazing into the girl’s eyes as she asked.
“Are you absolutely certain you wish to leave Xuanji Star?”
The girl looked at Ke Yiyi, then turned her head to gaze at the pair referred to as ‘parents,’ then at the Xuanji Star delegation, then at her surroundings, before finally returning her gaze to Ke Yiyi.
Indifference, hostility, persuasion, pity… a myriad of emotions were vividly displayed on the faces of the assembled crowd.
“Child, make your own choice. Fear no one.”
The girl looked up at Cui Wei. He stood with a gas tank hoisted over his shoulder, smiling as he looked towards the Xuanji Star delegation.
“No one can dictate your thoughts. Once you’ve made your choice, no one can stop you. Those who disagree will first have to contend with the hundred catties of explosives in my hands.”
His tone gradually chilled. The Xuanji Star delegation exchanged uneasy glances; Cui Wei’s words carried an undeniable undercurrent of threat. Yet, as long as he didn’t physically act, he couldn’t be deemed in violation of the Independent Observation Corps’ regulations. The difficulty with these rules lay precisely in this: a violation was only a violation if it was demonstrably committed. Mere intent to violate did not constitute a breach.
“Be careful, Xiaozhi. Polaris people are all desperadoes.”
An observer drew close to Man Changpo, whispering a warning not to get too near.
“I don’t believe he’d truly dare to cause trouble here.”
“That’s because you don’t understand the extent of their madness…”
Man Changpo looked up at Cui Wei, meeting his gaze directly, utterly devoid of fear.
From the corner of her eye, Ke Yiyi caught sight of Man Changpo, noting his fearless expression. ‘He truly remains as unyielding to authority as he always was,’ she mused.
Sensing Ke Yiyi’s gaze, Man Changpo instantly adopted a genial expression, signaling with his eyes for her not to create further complications.
Ke Yiyi met his gaze… his eyes seemed to speak volumes.
‘An appeal to reason… as if to say, ‘This is an internal Xuanji Star matter; you shouldn’t be involved.”
‘An emotional plea… as if to say, ‘If you can’t trust others, can’t you at least trust me?”
‘A temptation of benefit… as if to say, ‘Even if you don’t consider others, you should at least consider yourself!”
‘A veiled threat… as if to say, ‘You wouldn’t want to embarrass Vega, would you?’ ‘
‘An invocation of righteousness… as if to say, ‘We, Xuanji Star, are an academy that values reason and upholds justice. We will protect the innocent and never condone evil.”
‘No… this isn’t right!’
The harm Xuanji Star inflicted upon Vega during the World War was real and undeniable, not merely the work of a small faction…
The tens of millions of corpses were irrefutable proof, an undeniable reality.
She abruptly lifted her head, her gaze locking with the girl’s eyes.
“Have you made up your mind?”
The girl stared into Ke Yiyi’s slightly trembling eyes, nodding firmly.
“Yes, I have. I want to leave Xuanji Star.”
Her voice was soft, yet every single person present heard it clearly.
This matter could no longer end peacefully.