Little Oswald was briefly checked over by two guards. Neither the notebook nor the newspaper raised any concerns, while the pastry received a more careful glance.
However, since common poisons were utterly incapable of killing a Fogfolk, and the inspection revealed no trace of any medicinal substances, the guard—clad in ornate, silver-embroidered striped trousers—gave ordinary thumbs up soon after gently squeezing the young worker’s earlobe and nape. With that, they allowed this cheerful, chattering group of common city folk to pass.
Suddenly, the little black dog yipped and dashed off towards a small mound of earth near the entrance. Milena and the others stopped and turned to look at it.
The sudden halt made a nearby young man dressed as a worker, who was waiting to enter, tense up with nervousness. Then, both guards shifted their gaze, inspecting him carefully from head to face.
“Anda, hey!” called Milena, dressed in a shirt and trousers with a small skirtlet.
The dog stopped and turned, tail wagging. He had spotted another small dog nearby among the crowd. But that grimy little white dog had already scurried back into the thick of the crowd after catching wind of Anda’s bark and everyone’s turning footsteps.
“Miss Milena, are you familiar with him?” the guard asked, pointing at the young man dressed as a worker.
“This young Mr. Wald is a diligent and kind person.“
“I really admire Chairman Yang. These pastries are made from the rations we friends saved up, as a gift for the Chairman to taste.“
Seeing that the two stern guards were only suspicious because of his slight nervousness, the sixteen or seventeen-year-old young man quickly composed his expression. Even ordinary guards here shouldn’t be underestimated; he had been too careless. Was this the end of the mission?!
Suddenly, a boy’s figure appeared in the distance. _”Hey, everyone, why are you living out here?!
“Kim Christ, waving over there,” shouted the young man waving his hand over there.
“Hey, it’s Edgar!“
“You’ve come to Havenzyk too!” Several people rushed over.
Seeing Oswald standing there with a look of envy and slight loneliness, the two guards exchanged glances. The shorter one nodded and said to young Wald:
“Wait here. I’ll go find someone to notify the Chairman. If he’s willing to let you in, then we’ll let you through.“
The sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth, who had originally thought his mission had failed, was taken aback inwardly. But this time, he immediately, in a prepared manner, used his long-term training to suppress any instinctive reaction of surprise, leaving only the purest performance of a ordinary young man.
“Thank you so much! I’d be overjoyed if I could meet the Chairman.“
……
Milena and the others, chatting and laughing happily, followed the newly-arrived person and walked into the inner courtyard.
The guard in riding breeches found a tall, broad-shouldered, hard-haired man among the entourage wearing the black coats of House Goas on the other side.
Oswald, watching all this, was calming himself down.
He watched as the short guard pointed at him and said something to the guard within the courtyard, who clearly possessed extraordinary power.
Would he successfully get in?
If he did, could he truly come face to face… with that man?
At the thought of that man’s face, a sense of reverence welled up within the young boy.
Until a day ago, that name, which was practically on everyone’s lips every day, had still been his superhero.
But suddenly, everything changed.
Annoying. He didn’t want to think about that. The young lad forcibly suppressed his memories.
Beside the distant guard, the Four-ringed light flickered and dimmed in the gaze of the Goas guardsman watching the frail, worker-like youth standing alone by the gate.
“Hmm, he is indeed an admirer of our president. However, there’s a problem with the admiration shifting to memories from last night. Perhaps I used too much force; he snapped out of it and suppressed his drift.“
“Any hostile intent? Well, I’ll just deflect him back.“
“Wait, what is it that he’s carrying?” The Goas guardsman asked.
“A journal that he claims is a gift for Chairman Yang Buchen. I took a look; it’s a travel log from a member of the Hellfire Sect two hundred years ago.“
“A notebook from the Hellfire Sect? So it’s a piece of antiquity. I’ll see what I can do to relay this to Chairman Yang Buchen, after all, those Fogfolk are the most keen on gathering odd and strange pieces of information. ” The man said with a hint of admiration, “Sometimes they really do stumble upon some peculiar things, huh. Keep an eye on him. “
At the entrance.
The young man in the gray-blue hat watched but didn’t see the guard return until the men and women who had led him in, along with the little dog, had all disappeared from sight.
……
Inside the elegantly decorated, bustling conference room, faint wisps of fragrance drifted through the air.
“Chairman Yang, would you have some time to speak with us alone later? ” The two individuals in military uniforms asked from beside him.
“I’m afraid not; my schedule is very tight, and I still have some other places to visit. “
“If there’s anything you need help with, Chairman, please let us know. It just might be something we can assist with. “
He glanced at the group of people chatting around him, smiled, and said to the person in front of him, “There are some people I’m looking for, but I’m not sure if they’re here in Black Wenzyk. “
Suddenly, a tall figure made their way into the venue and approached Yang Zicang: “Mr. Chairman, some friends of yours are waiting outside. Additionally, there is a young admirer of yours who wishes to see you. “
Within the stateless relief refuge zones of the World Ark, at least a portion of the nearly two hundred thousand refugees must feel grateful towards me, Yang Zicang thought. It was only natural to occasionally encounter situations like being treated as a minor idol.
But normally, people like that would just refuse outright.
“An admirer, oh? Who is it? “
“A boy named Oswald. He said he has a two-hundred-year-old antique notebook from the Hellfire Sect, something like a diary. “
Yang Zicang raised his brow slightly. The conference hall was bursting with the sound of conversations and the soft clinking of glass teacups. Just as he was about to speak, the thin-faced female reporter pushed up the glasses on her high-bridged nose and said in a low voice, “President, should I collect it on your behalf? “
“An antique from the Hellfire Sect arriving at a time like this, ” Yang Zicang mused, his emotions hard to read.
Has Boboli’s investment not yet dissipated?
Or perhaps, because someone has invested in ‘Unveiling the Future,’ Lady Luck has smiled upon me once again?
“No need to collect it on my behalf. Let him in. “
……
Outside the courtyard, Oswald stood silently by the iron gate.
The noise from the distance reached his ears as if muffled through a layer of water. His fingers lightly touched the edge of the wooden box containing the pastries, his breathing calm and soft.
He had to maintain the demeanor of that boy worker—yearning for the attention of his beloved hero, yet laced with a nervous fear of rejection.
But deep in his chest, that tightly wound string was always on the verge of snapping.
Still not coming? When will it be over? Am I going to die…?
Finally, a guard, pressing down on the pistol holster at his waist, walked over: “The president is willing to see you. Congratulations, kid. “
In that instant, Oswald felt an overwhelming sense of relief, as if his very heartbeat was almost forgotten!
The inner courtyard was crowded and filled with a mix of voices, but amidst the same hustle and bustle, the people’s demeanor and atmosphere carried far more ease and laughter compared to the noise of the refuge area. He had never seen so many people with such upright postures.
“Little Vald, you’re finally in here. “
But he noticed that Milena and the others, also country kids like him, appeared quite at ease here.
The little dog was playfully struggling in their arms. Hearing Vald’s voice, it turned its tiger-like, mischievous little head to look, its gaze mainly fixed on his pastry box. “Yes, I waited for a bit. Oh, would you all like something to eat first? “
“No need, let’s wait until Classmate Yang comes out to share together. ” A figure jogged over from the end of the corridor and whispered a couple of things. His heart suddenly began to pound.
He had actually been granted an audience immediately! It was going too smoothly!
Indeed, this book, destined from its beginning to fall into Chairman Yang’s hands, had truly re-strung the strings of fate’s trajectory.
He turned back and apologized to the curious Milena and the others: “I’m sorry, I need to go in first. “
“Huh? ” The group looked a bit puzzled as they watched the boy’s back follow the guiding attendant toward the other end of the corridor.
The long corridor was covered with a brand new red carpet. On the walls hung photographs spanning from the establishment of the World Ark to the present day. There were pictures of the first batch of refugees being resettled, group photos of the founding members of the Three Great Families and the Mist People’s Association, record shots of the walls and crowded conditions within more shelters, and then the black-and-white airships flying over the major cities of the world…
Oswald, walking among them, finally managed to avert his gaze with difficulty.
All of these were the achievements of a man named the White Violet Hero.
Standing upright in the shadow by the door of the meeting room, a guard from the Goas family gave him a faint glance.
“Please wait a moment. Two dignitaries have just entered. “
“Yes, sir. “
He obediently stood before this final door, the one that would decide the ultimate fate of both himself and that Mist Person.
Behind the door was the spacious assembly hall, a mix of Yang Zicang, along with dozens of people from various families and members of different social strata from all over the world. In there was the very human who had changed the course of the future!
He had remembered him before out of admiration. But now, it was for…
The door with a glass window was suddenly pulled open, and the clearer hubbub surged out, sharpening his thoughts.
“Please, come in, ” said a woman in a long skirt with a gentle smile. It was the first time someone in such attire had opened the door for him, and it was clear she was merely one of the attendees of the meeting here.
“Thank you. ” He stepped inside.
Yang Zicang was engaged in light conversation with a group of high-level executives. The man’s back was straight and tall, the light from the conference hall’s lanterns falling on his shoulders—this was the giant who, in the eyes of the public, was changing the world. Oswald spotted him at a glance, and his chest tightened suddenly.
Guided through the crowd, the young man in workman’s attire bowed his head silently, licking his dry, cracked lips. The atmosphere in the hall was too heated—unnaturally so.
— The shattered future of the world will ultimately be protected by me.
“Little Wald! Over here!” the lady in front whispered, guiding him closer to Yang Zicang. Smiling at the man surrounded by several key figures, she said, “This kid is the young man from the shelter camp who gave us the pastries!“
Oswald stood hidden in the edge of the light and shadow, watching Yang Zicang turn around and notice him—the hand clutching the wooden box, his gaze gradually growing still as he approached. He tightened his grip on the box slightly.
In that moment, a flash of reverence appeared in his eyes.
He spoke softly: “Chairman Yang… I, I’ve brought some specialty delicacies from our people. I hope you’ll like them. Uh, and also an antique book preserved by our family.“
He presented the wooden box, along with the notebook, with both hands.
“Thank you very much for your kindness.” Yang Zicang reached out to take the food container, then his eyes fell on the ancient leather-bound notebook, which, despite many stains, was still relatively well-preserved.
“What a sensible and fine young man.” Amid the surrounding commotion, someone near the two of them murmured in low praise.
Yang Zicang flipped through it and saw that it really looked like a travel diary of a former Hellfire Sect member. He couldn’t help but feel suspicious in his heart once again.
He felt the pendant on his chest; at that moment, the voices of all the Appraisers fell completely silent.
Perhaps it was just an ordinary event, unworthy of their interest. However, wasn’t his return this time precisely to find information about the Hellfire Sect among the refugees?
Yang Zicang looked up at the male student standing a few steps ahead of him.
It was too coincidental. But what if it wasn’t a coincidence?
Gripping a newspaper with some excitement, the man said, “Our compatriots wrote a letter of thanks, and it was published in the newspaper! May I read it aloud to you? “
The people around all looked at the child with amusement. Under the man’s gaze, Yang Zicang laughed without concern and replied, “Of course. “
Oswald’s chest suddenly filled with courage. Slowly unfolding the newspaper, under the waiting, smiling gazes of the people around him, like a brave loner facing a demon down, he stared do-or-die at the article in the center of the paper.
“In the night and day when we were at our most desperate, when even the sun began to be shrouded by dark clouds… “
“When even the clear sky could no longer be trusted… Our White Violet Hero… “
“Woof woof! “
Yang Zicang’s body stirred slightly. More commotion came from the entrance, and amidst all the noise, a little black dog came running swiftly. Spotting Anda, Yang Zicang immediately quickened his pace and trotted over, “Yo, is that you, Little Warrior Anda! “
“In the face of our era, the president of our World Ark… before the embodiment of disaster, ” Oswald saw Yang Zicang’s figure quickly walking away and moving behind him, his reciting tone faltering, “stands up… and steps forward. “
“What an adorable little dog. ” The people around couldn’t help but add exaggerated praise when they saw Yang Zicang paying so much attention to the puppy. Noise fills the air.
A trace of bewilderment crossed Oswald’s eyes. Did he even hear that last sentence? Besides, I haven’t finished reciting yet.
Although many people have seen this poem, if no one understands that it describes not the past, but the future, then the anchoring will have no effect at all.
“You’ve gained a whole lot of weight. “
He turned his head to look at that big-brother-like man lifting the medium-sized black dog; the puppy’s legs were kicking wildly. So noisy, these people… A few flickers of anger flashed across Oswald’s face.
Of all times!
He looked at the puppy that was staring back with its tongue out… No! I have to complete this mission!
“President Buchen. “
Oswald turned completely to look at the young man walking towards Milena and the others with the dog in his arms. Yang Zicang stopped and looked back from amidst the crowd.
Someone nearby shouted at him, “Young man, the President’s time is precious. ” But Oswald stood completely still, clutching the newspaper.
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