The Price of Ignorance

“Wu Liyun, do you understand what he’s saying?”

Liu Yu inquired through her communicator to Wu Liyun on the other end.

[I’m afraid my knowledge is too shallow to grasp the boss’s… eccentric ideas.]

Oh yeah!

The girl cheered softly in her heart. Even Wu Liyun, a top student, couldn’t understand him. What did that prove?

It proved she wasn’t illiterate!

Ever since her educational background had been exposed, Liu Yu had gained a new point of attack from Villy. Whenever the two clashed, Miss Villy would immediately call her a ‘vocational school girl,’ infuriating Liu Yu, yet leaving her unable to retort.

While her last memories before arriving here truly stopped at junior high, her actual age was…

The girl counted on her fingers, calculating the time, and ultimately arrived at a startling realization. ‘Wow, I’m around 30…?’

‘How could that be?! No, no, an age without memories doesn’t count! I can’t accept my lost youth just vanishing like this!’

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…”

[What’s wrong? Liu Yu, what happened?]

Wu Liyun’s anxious voice came through the communicator.

“Nothing, I was just blown away by the wind.”

Liu Yu replied calmly. She was currently caught in a hurricane, swept into the sky by Titan’s lengthy discourse. To return to the ground, the girl tapped the [Shadow] on her body, conveying her will not to be swept away.

Understanding its master’s intent, the [Shadow] began to flow, creating a spatial barrier around her. The ferocious winds outside could no longer affect the girl.

Seizing this opportunity, Liu Yu landed back on the ground.

“Wu Liyun, are you ready?”

[Don’t worry, I won’t miss.]

“Good, then act on my command.”

Ducking under an unknown, terrifying beam of light, Liu Yu channeled the [Shadow]’s power and charged directly at Titan.

“To think you could reach me? It seems I’ve underestimated you.”

“I didn’t understand a single thing you just rattled on about, but—”

The girl rushed before Titan, “Since you’re so confident, then you’ll have to get past me first!”

A Shadow Blade materialized in Liu Yu’s hand, aimed directly at the Bloodkin’s chest, and thrust forward.

“I will show you…”

Titan swung his fist, destructive power contained within the blow.

“It ends now!”

“Wu Liyun, now!”

“Wh-wh-what?!”

‘My power is dissipating… Why is this happening?’

As his armor receded, the red-haired youth’s face, filled with confusion and bewilderment, was revealed. He maintained his punching stance as Liu Yu’s sword pierced straight through him.

“Splat!”

“And to think I cautiously probed so many times, only to find you truly knew nothing,” Liu Yu scoffed. “How pathetic and lamentable. The so-called leader of the Bloodkin, could you simply be a puppet, manipulated by others?”

In just a few more seconds, the [Shadow] would completely devour Titan, bringing an end to this battle.

“Uh… uh…”

“Seeing you look so ignorant and naive, allow me to give you a parting gift of words, to help you rest in peace. How about that?”

The [Shadow] continuously extended outward from his chest, consuming him.

“The power of a Gem can nullify another Gem’s power. Everyone but you must know that, right?”

The girl sneered, “So, a fool who can’t even earn a shred of trust should just die obediently. Perhaps there’s a place that will accept you there. As for your life and the Gem, I’ll take them… What is this?!”

For some unknown reason, starlight once again enveloped Titan. His half-devoured body rapidly regenerated under crimson fluctuations.

‘This is support from the Gem?!’

“Wu Liyun, Wu Liyun?”

Liu Yu called out her companion’s name, but received no response. ‘Damn it, did something happen to him? Why now, of all times?’

‘Hmph,’ she thought. ‘It seems I’ll have to abandon this operation for now. I need to check on Wu Liyun’s safety first. Although he’s also Bloodkin, he’s barely a friend I know. If he dies here for no reason, I’d still be sad for a minute.’

The girl made up her mind and was about to withdraw her sword and leave…

“Hmph… Hmph… You are far too dangerous, so—”

Titan lightly tapped the girl’s shoulder with a hoarse, unpleasant voice from his still-recovering throat, “You must be removed first.”

[Teleportation target confirmed…]

[Crimson Roar…]

[Artificial Cosmic Prison…]

[Teleportation… initiating…]

“I don’t have time to deal with you right now… Wait, what are you tryi—”

Before she could even finish her sentence, Liu Yu vanished without a trace, leaving only Titan, who had just escaped a life-or-death crisis and was gasping for air.

[Teleportation complete…]

“It seems Lord Titan has won.”

Not long after, a familiar voice suddenly echoed, and simultaneously, crimson ripples swept through, transforming the entire world once more. The boundless high-dimensional space melted away like ice and snow, revealing the original appearance of the skyscraper.

The instigator of it all stepped leisurely before Titan.

A blue and white jacket, a face etched with a hint of weariness, and… the red Gem he continuously toyed with in his hand, all revealed the identity of the newcomer.

“Uncle, you’re truly persistent. Even after being rejected, you still pursue so relentlessly. You know, people who are too persistent won’t be liked by girls.”

“Ah, well, it’s a direct order from above. As a grassroots employee like me, naturally, I have to work overtime to ensure my superiors’ tasks are completed. It’s all because my business target is too stubborn, causing my progress to be stuck at square one. I truly hope you young fellows can empathize with the hardships we middle-aged men face.”

The two conversed like thugs and salarymen who had coincidentally met on the street, lighting a cigarette and chatting idly.

“Haven’t you achieved your objective?” Titan asked.

“Oh? You mean this…” The uncle pinched the red Gem between two fingers and sighed.

“Alas, the order from above is to retrieve everything. So, I’m sorry, but I’ll have to take the rest.”

As his words fell, the relaxed atmosphere between them instantly became tense and confrontational. ‘As expected, it will come to a fight.’

Titan’s heart was as still as water, his expression unchanged. Chongyun had arrived sooner than he anticipated. Although he had fully recovered to his optimal state with the Gem’s support, the information he had received from the girl forced him to re-evaluate the unfolding situation.

“Why can you use the Gem’s power? That should only be usable by Bloodkin.”

At least, that’s what The Doctor had said.

“Nothing is impossible in this world. If I had to explain it, it’s simply that we’ve gone further than you, stand higher, and see more broadly. What you consider impossible is merely a problem we’ve long since overcome.”

“Technological… gap?”

Titan muttered with a frown. It was like the disparity between a cosmic civilization soaring through the stars and an earthbound civilization confined to a single corner; their understanding of the Gem was far inferior to Chongyun’s.

“You could interpret it that way.”

Chongyun nodded, “I dislike pointless battles, so if you simply hand over the Gem you possess, our agreement can still stand.”

“What is your objective?”

“Still trying to pry information from me at this point?”

Chongyun chuckled, “However, if it helps you willingly relinquish the [Blood of the Fallen God], I don’t mind chatting for a bit.”

“Blood of the Fallen God… that is!?”