In City 21, Shendai Yunluo, still in his white hunting attire, sat at the memorial service. Everyone else wore black suits, making him stand out.

Shendai Jing Yan, one of the ten attendants, approached him. His hair was so thin you could see his scalp. He sized up Shendai Yunluo, openly stating, "He's quite a specimen."

Shendai Yunluo smiled, replying, "Thank you for the compliment."

Shendai Jing Yan turned expressionless and walked to the front row. "You deliberately let Xu Linsen go. The family won't easily forgive this. From today, you're no longer a beneficiary of the family trust."

Shendai Yunluo remained seated, his smile unchanged.

The memorial service began. A large photograph of Shendai Qianchi was displayed at the front, showing a kind and amiable expression completely different from his actual personality.

Shendai Yunluo chuckled to the person beside him, "Don't you think it's strange? He was so gloomy and terrifying in life, yet they use such a gentle photo after his death. Is this the legendary "two-faced' thing?"

A young family member sitting beside him trembled, too afraid to speak.

Watching the insincere performances of everyone, Shendai Yunluo murmured, "I'd rather be back in City 22, having a drink. I wonder if the Black Swan restaurant's glass windows are fixed... No, he should have left and won't be coming back."

He saw Shendai Yun Cang hurry past, followed by the entire faction belonging to the Yin-Yang Master—a significant force within the family.

Although Shendai Qianchi was dead and the head family held the greatest power, the Yin-Yang Master wouldn't disappear.

For nearly a thousand years, power had shifted between these two factions, and everyone was used to it.

Shendai Yun Cang, having passed by, turned back, looking down at Shendai Yunluo. "Follow me. I'll give you what you deserve."

Shendai Yunluo pondered, then smiled. "What I deserve? Even I don't know. How can you give it to me?"

Shendai Yun Cang nodded and continued to the main seat.

Shendai Yunluo clasped his hands in his sleeves, sensing something odd but unable to pinpoint it.

The memorial service was long and tedious, a trial for the younger generation.

It lasted from morning until dusk.

At sunset, Shendai Yunluo left first, boarding his Class B airship, the "Yunluo," to return to City 22.

Shendai Yunxiu and Shendai Kongyu were kept behind and led to the back of the memorial hall.

They stopped before a black curtain and stood respectfully.

From behind the curtain, someone softly spoke. "Shendai Yunxiu, are you willing to temporarily act as Shendai Jing Cheng's councilor?"

Shendai Yunxiu bowed. "Although Councilor Jing Cheng was abducted, I believe he'll return. Head of the family, please keep the position for him."

Other councilors behind the curtain whispered, "Indeed, Head of the family. We can use political leverage to get Councilor Jing Cheng back. We can return the mining rights obtained from the Qing Family years ago."

But the Head of the family said, "This time is different. He won't be coming back."

The Head of the family's voice was old but firm, naturally commanding.

No one knew how he knew so certainly that Shendai Jing Cheng wouldn't return.

The Head of the family continued, "It's settled then. Shendai Yunxiu will take over Jing Cheng's projects and affairs. Also, Shendai Jing Yan, retire. Your position goes to Shendai Yun Cang."

Behind the black curtain, Shendai Jing Yan was silent for a long time before saying, "Understood."

Shendai Yunxiu knelt outside the curtain, performing a formal prostration: "Thank you, Head of the family, for your grace."

"Go. The Federation is facing turmoil; the family needs young people like you."

...

...

In the wilderness, Yang Yang, holding Qing Chen and Zhang Mengqian's hands, arrived at a production base.

Yang Yang curiously asked, "Is this the place where Shendai Yunhe brought you before?"

"Yes," Qing Chen nodded.

The production base was abandoned, buildings damaged, producers all killed by Shendai Yunhe and his people. The Federation wouldn't send people to cultivate and repair it until spring.

Qing Chen hung Shendai Yunhe on the wall, then, together with Yang Yang and Xiao Mengqian, dug up the frozen corpses from the soil and buried them further into the wilderness, erecting tombstones.

Otherwise, the Federation would throw them away to feed the wolves.

Shendai Yunhe said from a distance, "Even though I can't see, I can guess where this is. So you brought me all this way to atone for them?"

Qing Chen glanced at him without speaking.

Shendai Yunhe continued, "Or do you want to use these innocent, dead bodies to make me sincerely repent? To break me from the inside? Don't fantasize. My heart is as solid as a rock."

Qing Chen said, "Don't overthink it. I just want you to pay for their lives."

Shendai Yunhe sneered, "Are you going to take me to the lake where the film crew was stationed and the cave where you hid, and bury all the bodies? But do you remember, if you hadn't hidden in that film crew, they wouldn't have died."

Qing Chen was silent for a moment. "I won't avoid this issue. You're right; they were ordinary people, without any desire for power. I killed them. If they were power-hungry people, I wouldn't feel guilty, but facing these people...I am truly guilty."

"Then atone with death. Die with me?" Shendai Yunhe laughed madly. "Otherwise, how can you get their forgiveness? Just with a light apology?"

Qing Chen calmly said, "No need. I'm not that sentimental. I'll do what I can, change what I can, and move forward."

"Hypocritical," Shendai Yunhe said, "But don't worry, your identity is now exposed. You'll Face[-] relentless pursuit from the Shendai Consortium. Because the Shendai Head of the family really loved his son, Shendai Jing Cheng, and without killing you, the Conglomerate's Face[-] will be lost."

Shendai Yunhe continued, "When you sit back in the PCA intelligence bureau, someone might suddenly plant a bomb, boo, and you'll turn into fragments. Or, you might attend someone's invitation, drink a glass of wine, and be poisoned. Countless poisons can kill A-Class Metahumans in this world."

Qing Chen smiled, "No need to remind me."

Shendai Yunhe was right. Qing Chen's revenge was satisfying, even capturing the ten attendants. But the consequences were severe: Daybreak would Face[-] the fury of a giant.

From then on, all Daybreak members had to be cautious.

Qing Chen had to create new strategies for Daybreak.

...

...

After burying the bodies at the production base, Yang Yang took the two to the cave where they had hidden.

Zhang Mengqian and Yang Yang wanted to help dig graves, but Qing Chen refused.

He personally buried the bodies, gnawed by wolves, one by one, and carved tombstones for them.

Zhang Mengqian looked at her boss curiously. "Boss, let me help you dig."

Qing Chen shook his head. "Digging myself makes it more memorable. Mengqian, everyone makes mistakes in their lives. But the mistakes we make must help us become better people. Remember that?"

"Remembered," Zhang Mengqian nodded.

Qing Chen said, "Go make a fire and cook with Yang Yang. Tonight, I'll teach you cultivation, and give you an intensive course."

Zhang Mengqian suddenly asked, "Boss, is it the cultivation Zhunti Method that Lao Luo and the others used?"

"Yes," Qing Chen nodded.

Zhang Mengqian stood beside the grave Qing Chen dug, hesitating. "Can I not learn this?"

Qing Chen looked up at him, "You can't take another path."

Zhang Mengqian stubbornly said, "Then I'd rather not take any other path."

Qing Chen shook his head, "As you wish."

"Okay," Zhang Mengqian ran off into the sunset.

Qing Chen collected all the bones and sat beside the graves, carving tombstones in the sunset, with the names of everyone in the film crew.

Shendai Yunhe lay on the cold ground nearby, suddenly saying, "It's time to kill me, right?"

Qing Chen nodded, "Yes."

Shendai Yunhe was silent for a while, sighing. "This time, I don't want to fight back. Killing you won't solve the problem with that girl. To be honest, previous Force field Awakened Ones would become loners. One day, their world would only contain Force fields, and not themselves. In their eyes, people are no longer people but simply Force fields. Are you ready for that?"

Qing Chen stopped carving, looking at Shendai Yunhe. "What are you talking about at this time?"

"It's not about breaking your spirit, it's stating a fact," Shendai Yunhe said calmly. The two blood holes on his Face[-] looked gruesome. "My mother was a servant of the Shendai Consortium, with a 999-year labor contract. Who knows why they need such a long contract. Shendai Jing Yan raped her and gave birth to me. Although I carry the Shendai surname, I'm inferior wherever I go."

Qing Chen said, "I'm not very interested in your background."

Shendai Yunhe continued, "Later, I joined the Federation's army, wanting to make something of myself. I trained hard, charging ahead in small-scale wars, killing the most Wildlanders, sending my salary back home. I tried my best to curry favor with my superiors. He liked cherries, so I took my troops to the wilderness to pick them for him. He complained about the lack of women in the camp, so I went to the wilderness to find them, cleaned them, and delivered them to his bed. I massaged his legs, gave him shoulder rubs, and washed his feet. One day, I received a call, saying my mother had hanged herself at home. When I went home and saw my salary untouched, I suddenly awoke... isn't it ironic?"

Shendai Yunhe went on, "I was lucky, too. I awakened as a B-Class right away. Back at the army headquarters, I rose quickly, later finding out Shendai Jing Cheng was promoting me. During a military exercise, I killed my superior, then awakened as A-Class again... Life is so ironic."

Shendai Yunhe felt the sunset on his skin. "It's evening, right? Sometimes, I'm not sure what I lived for. When I first joined the army, I longed to become a high-ranking official, but even reaching A-Class, I still pretend not to know Shendai Jing Yan is my father, and that he did that to my mother."

Qing Chen, "Why are you telling me all this?"

Shendai Yunhe, "It's more like I'm saying it to myself."

Qing Chen thought for a moment. "It's those experiences that make your fighting instincts stronger than anyone else's."

"What's the use?" Shendai Yunhe sighed. "Come on, I've said all I need to. Do it."

Qing Chen didn't hesitate and raised his black sniper rifle.

Shendai Yunhe smiled bitterly, "So cautious... I guess you'll reach the top one day, only someone like you is qualified."

He said so much, unsure whether he was trying to lower Qing Chen's guard or give his dying words. But it didn't matter. Qing Chen wouldn't give him another chance.

Qing Chen shook his head, "Sorry, I'm not interested in that kind of power. I just want to change some things."

Boom!

Qing Chen fired, piercing Shendai Yunhe's heart.

The sun set behind the mountains, the winter's red glow still burning in the sky.

An eagle flew overhead. Qing Chen would call Shendai Yunhe a tyrant, and this tyrant's life had ended.

...

...

At midnight, on the long street of City 10, Qing Chen walked with a bouquet of lilies.

He arrived at a residential building in District 6 and stopped before a door.

Qing Chen placed the flowers in the corridor and left five gold bars.

He knocked on the door and turned to leave.

This was the address of Zhang Wenqi's mother.

Zhang Wenqi was the Qing Family intelligence officer Qing Chen met on the airship to A02 base, who tried to destroy the engine and was later tortured by Shendai soldiers.

Finally, fearing endless interrogation, he shot himself.

At the time, Qing Chen asked Zhang Wenqi about his regrets.

He said he was probably too young to have any regrets.

But Zhang Wenqi had one wish: that Qing Chen would give his mother flowers.

Inside, a middle-aged woman lay on the bed in a daze. She heard the knock, and, as if possessed, ran to the door.

But the silent corridor was empty.

She looked down at the pure lilies and gold bars, covering her mouth and weeping.

At that moment, she felt a light breeze pass by, blowing into her house.

She turned to the moving curtains, thinking her son had returned.

Downstairs, Qing Chen looked at the time.

Return to the spirit.

The world fell into darkness.