A New Beginning, A Lingering Farewell

After two years of treatment, Qing Shui Ling Yin slowly regained her lost memories. Little Nightingale, too, was gradually recovering from the after-effects of her psionic awakening. Yet, Ming Yu’s physical condition showed no signs of improvement.

For some inexplicable reason, their visits grew increasingly infrequent, and their gazes held an unfamiliar quality that troubled Ming Yu.

****

The Genetic and Mechanical factions of the Azure Sea United Nations, once operating independently, had now united. Bound together by the powerful rise of the Psionic faction, they had become a formidable force, actively participating in various academic conferences.

Ming Yu recalled that Qing Shui Ling Yin had integrated into those circles over a year ago, thanks to her exceptional talent. It seemed Qing Shui Ling Yin had found her own path and no longer needed Ming Yu’s guidance. Little Nightingale was currently pursuing higher education, and Ming Yu doubted she could offer any assistance in that regard.

As for White Feather’s genetic carrier, with Qing Shui Ling Yin’s help, Ming Yu had recently obtained an embryo cultivated from her own somatic cells. Crucially, any potential disease-causing genes had been excised from the very beginning. The experiment had spanned two arduous years, finally yielding results.

Ming Yu had fused White Feather’s soul into the cells, which had now formed an egg-sized embryo. It rested within an artificial uterus, awaiting the day of its full maturation. White Feather would return safely, but Ming Yu feared she would lack the strength or time to prepare a grand seafood feast for it.

Everything proceeded according to the predetermined plan, and so too did the trajectory of her own life. As death approached, she often succumbed to melancholy and a flurry of wistful thoughts.

“Luna, do you want to go home?” Ming Yu murmured softly, stroking the little white cat’s head.

Upon hearing her, Luna blinked its glistening, limpid eyes. “Meow~”

“Then let’s go. I’ll take you home.”

Ming Yu paused, retrieved her communication device, and dialed Major General Angoroo.

[Esteemed Lady Ming Yu, how may I be of service?]

“Please send me back to the Old World. I have important matters to attend to.”

[This… I’ll need to request permission, but it should be fine.]

“Oh, and please keep this matter a secret from Little Nightingale and Qing Shui Ling Yin.”

After two years confined to a wheelchair, Ming Yu had nearly forgotten the sensation of walking. She felt like a bird with broken wings, unable to reclaim her former self. During this period, her mindset had undergone a profound transformation. Through various subtle signs, Ming Yu harbored a vague premonition.

Just as Jiang Chen had mutated due to his genetic illness years ago, she too might transform into an inhuman monster. Having accomplished all that she could, it was time to return to Pharos and await the reaper’s scythe.

****

Old World, Pharos Outer City

At Ming Yu’s request, the transport ship activated its stealth program. Only its tail flames flickered in the distance, resembling a falling meteor.

Pharos Fortress’s Port 16 was typically reserved for small and medium-sized vessels. Ming Yu rubbed her temples, propelling her wheelchair forward, following the flow of people off the deck and returning to the maritime fortress that held all her memories.

Near the alley entrance, Chen Xin, the owner of the pet café, stretched lazily as she stepped out of her shop. A silver figure suddenly appeared in her line of sight, causing her to freeze and instinctively rub her eyes. She recognized the stunning silver-haired woman before her. It was this woman who had once spent tens of thousands of points to purchase a Ragdoll cat, allowing Chen Xin to make a hefty profit.

Before she could approach for a closer look, someone nearby gasped aloud: “What the hell! Are we seeing ghosts in broad daylight?”

“What? Ghosts? No, wait, huh?”

“There was no one there just now, right?”

The café owner was about to speak when she suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. The silver-white figure inexplicably vanished from the spot. It seemed as if everything had merely been a hallucination.

Ming Yu’s sudden appearance had indeed startled a few individuals. However, before their shock could spread and cause a commotion, she utilized her psionic abilities to alter their perception. She disliked being scrutinized like a specimen under a microscope.

Ming Yu traveled leisurely along the road, observing the familiar surroundings. It felt as though she had returned to many years ago, when she and her old comrades had come back from the sea, dreaming of a glorious retirement. If given the chance to return to the past, Ming Yu would surely step forward and tell them that the days after retirement might prove even more arduous.

She glanced at her legs, which had remained motionless for two years, suppressing the irritation that surged within her. Then, she accelerated her pace. She passed her former home, walked by the Church Academy, and entered the long-abandoned Church Orphanage. Neither the guards nor the nuns and children inside noticed her presence.

Ming Yu arrived before a familiar building, and the wheelchair beneath her began to transform. It reshaped into metallic prosthetics, similar to power armor, allowing her consciousness to control her lower limbs and move freely.

Pushing open the ancient door and ascending the dust-laden steps, she made her way to the narrow attic. This was the place in the orphanage closest to the starry sky. Ming Yu waited patiently until nightfall, gazing at the brightest star.

A sudden night wind arose, scattering her long silver hair. Her consciousness began to blur, her soul feeling as though it might detach from her body and drift away with the wind.

****

Capital Social Sciences Academy, Psionic Research Institute

After two years, the psionicists who had signed a death pact here, wagering their lives to venture into the Void, were once again reunited. Their faces showed little change, but the leader on the throne was new. It was no longer the venerable Augu, leader of the Psychokinesis School, but a golden-haired maiden with an ethereal aura.

Over the past two years, Little Nightingale had grown taller, her figure developing, and her already beautiful face had blossomed into a captivating, peerless beauty. All the psionicists stared at her, their eyes devoid of worldly emotion, filled only with unparalleled fervor.

Today, the “Great Immortal” would lead them once more to conquer the Void.

Little Nightingale lowered her beautiful eyes, within them shining specks of starlight. Her vision was no longer pitch black, but it was still obscured by a thick, gray mist, preventing her from seeing clearly. However, for Little Nightingale, whether her sight recovered was irrelevant. She was here because Ming Yu’s body was failing, and she could do nothing but place her last hope in the elusive gods.

If the Eternal King could grant her infinite life, then surely they could also save Ming Yu, who was on the brink of death. To achieve this, she needed to harness their collective power, ascend to the Void once more, journey to the Eternal Temple, and implore the gods for their strength.

Behind her, Augu and the others smiled with relief, their eyes gleaming with a shared yearning for the Void. Those who had experienced psionic power found it difficult to resist the allure of the Void, much like a wandering traveler struggled to resist the warmth of home—even though they knew the Void was not a spiritual haven, but a perilous graveyard for souls.

Upon the high platform, Little Nightingale faced those fervent gazes. She bravely suppressed her timidity, continuously chanting ‘Ming Yu’ in her heart, and spoke softly into the microphone:

“Everyone, please join me on this expedition.”

“Initiate the breach into the Void.”