EnCoffin Me Chapter 99
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 99
“This is just the first step,” Zhen said. He had managed the Pupil account for years and was practically the face of the conservation center. He knew exactly how things worked behind the scenes.
“I'm sure more negative stories about dark creatures will gradually come out. In the end, there will probably be one event capable of shaking the current dark creature protection system.” At this point, Zhen looked up at Alexio. “But Xixi, they seem so confident, and yet I can't imagine what kind of event could possibly shake the protection system that's been in place since the start of the new era.”
The worst kind of news they could release would be about dark creatures hurting or even killing people. It wasn't that Zhen disrespect human life, but in his view, stories like that, in the face of the overwhelming tide of light across the world, simply could not shake the protected status of dark creatures.
Alexio gave a slight nod, agreeing with Zhen's assessment. If he hadn't gone through everything on the northern front, he probably wouldn't have figured out the Holy Temple's hidden trump card either, but now he knew.
“Let me ask you something,” Alexio said. “Why are dark creatures protected?”
“To… to maintain the balance between light and darkness in the world,” Zhen answered. Then, a realization hit him. Zhen looked at him in disbelief. “Don't tell me the Holy Temple found another way to balance light and darkness? But isn't that what we've been doing all along? They… the three pillars of darkness…”
Seeing Zhen was close to losing it, Alexio didn't keep him guessing any longer. It wasn't surprising Zhen hadn't figured it out. Anyone with even a bit of empathy wouldn't have thought the Holy Temple would go that far.
They planned to sacrifice the bodies and freedom of dark creatures in exchange for the rest of the population undergoing transformation.
After Alexio finished explaining, Zhen was speechless for a long time. It was all so absurd, and yet, disturbingly plausible.
As long as dark creatures were sacrificed, the Holy Temple's plan would work. That was all it took, just the dark creatures. Once the plan succeeded, there would no longer be a privileged class like the current dark creatures. Everyone could live on in a world flooded with light, maybe even live quite well.
Zhen couldn't refute the plan, but he felt sorry for the dark creatures caught in it.
“Xixi, I... this plan is feasible, I have to admit that.”
“Yes, but it's only feasible, that's all,” Alexio said, a hint of mockery in his smile. “Stick to your stance, Zhen. There's nothing shameful about dark creatures wanting to live freely, and there's nothing shameful about being disgusted by this plan. Who decided that the few must be sacrificed for the many?
“Ten thousand years ago, the Holy Temple's specialty was also finding this so-called ‘last resort.’ But now, with the option of reviving the three pillars right in front of them, why go for something so extreme and complicated?” The mocking curve of his lips deepened. “It's nothing more than a desire for power. To gain power, they have to take the most treacherous path, eliminate every enemy, and in the end, crown themselves the one and only noble savior… I've had enough of the Holy Temple's little schemes.”
With those words, the gloom in Zhen's chest suddenly cleared. He wrinkled my nose in mock disgust.
“Shameless.”
“……” Okay, a sharp assessment.
“Xixi, can you do a flower hand gesture for me? Over my head.” Zhen leaned in close to Alexio. Just like how he had looked at Lucy that day, Zhen saw that Alexio was brimming with courage. Even in hell, Alexio would probably stroll through with effortless grace, right?
His dreams had been getting more frequent. He had visited Noah about it. Noah said his brain activity did increase during sleep, but even after taking sedatives and trying various treatments, nothing had improved. Zhen didn't let his caretaker or Noah tell anyone about it.
Alexio looked at him. Seeing no one else around, he awkwardly tried a few times and managed to do a few flower hand spins.
In the end, he flicked his hand above Zhen's head like he was shaking off water.
“By the way, I've always been curious about something.”
“What is it?” Zhen asked immediately. “Is it about me?”
“Mm. Ten thousand years ago, I never visited Beizhu City of the eastern faction. I don't really know much about them, so I've been wondering. How did you, a zombie, become the imperial son? Was it a matter of inheritance?”
“Ah, that.” Zhen laughed. “I never saw it happen myself, but the succession of the imperial son is usually guided by the xuan bird, the one on my back.
“According to legend, when an imperial son dies, they become a xuan bird, which then flies to the next heir and attaches itself to them. In my case, it's a bit unusual. Zombies pass on their lineage through zombie blood. I was born from the remnants of blood after the firestorm, a new generation zombie from the previous era. I was originally kept in a stone coffin for protection, but one day, the xuan bird landed on it.”
Alexio imagined the scene and thought it sounded kind of romantic.
“The xuan bird chose you.”
“Mm, but it couldn't get in, so it chirped anxiously outside.”
“……”
Even if the bird really was the former heir, that stone coffin had made things unnecessarily difficult for it.
Zhen spread his hands. “And that's how I became the imperial son. But I stayed in the stone coffin under protection and treatment for my body. It wasn't until the past decade or so that I finally came out. During all those years, there was a stand-in heir. By the time I emerged, it was already a democracy. I never got to enjoy a single day of imperial treatment. I became a mascot right away.”
That really was unfortunate.
It was already past the official closing time of the conservation center. Zhen went with Alexio to the cafeteria to grab some snacks, then waved goodbye to him.
“I'll keep an eye on things on my end. Don't worry, Xixi.”
He was always reliable, so Alexio wasn't too concerned. But after watching him disappear around the corner, Alexio narrowed his eyes and sent a message to his own caretaker, Ellie.
【Alexio: Ellie, can you get in touch with Zhen's caretaker? Ask if anything unusual has happened lately. I don't think his mental state is very good.】
【Ellie: Got it!】
Alexio hadn't even reached home before Ellie quickly sent back the results. Since it was Alexio who asked, Zhen's caretaker didn't hold back much and also shared her own concerns with him.
After shutting off the lightbrain, Alexio sat in thought for a while. He recalled the few times the lunatic had looked at Zhen with that unusually complex expression. He must know something.
After all, ten thousand years ago, the lunatic had been to Beizhu City.
Zhen's caretaker glanced behind the curtain. The small lump under the blanket looked like it was sleeping peacefully, but the monitor showed unusually active dream patterns. She sighed. Those dreams probably weren't pleasant. Otherwise, Zhen wouldn't sit in silence each morning for so long before finally managing a smile. She felt sorry for the child and could only hope Alexio would find a way.
Deep in the dream, Zhen nearly believed he had relived someone else's entire life.
In the dream, a xuan bird landed on a swaddled infant. From that moment, the child's verdant single-character name was discarded. With tears and fear, the parents sent the baby away, who was then taken into a heavily guarded palace.
At five, the child opened his domain. At ten, he began attending council meetings. By fifteen, the heir had already become the nation's pillar.
This heir's domain was so powerful that once released, not even a flood could shake Beizhu City's peace. The city had become a carefree utopia, a peach blossom spring where nothing was left to fear. The imperial son would protect them all, the people believed. They wept with gratitude, yet took it all for granted.
But even an heir chosen by the xuan bird could die.
A shadow began to fall over the city. The stronger the domain became, the more reluctant the people were to let the imperial son go. The heir was kind to them and promised to live as long as possible, to avoid danger, and to stay within the safety of the palace walls. He made those promises, but his heart still wandered. When a breeze stirred the curtains in the palace, he would wonder where it came from, how many lands it had crossed, how many interesting people it had seen.
But he couldn't leave. He was the imperial son. He had to live up to the people's expectations.
The people racked their brains and finally came up with a way to trade a brief sacrifice for long-lasting peace—
The elixir of immortality.
Those who were sacrificed felt joyful. The alchemists chanted softly as they worked. The attendant delivering the medicine was in tears, kneeling as they offered the red pill to the imperial son—
【Please, take the medicine.】
Take it for the people. Take it for Beizhu City. Take it for the lasting prosperity of the eastern faction. Take the medicine!
One deep red pill after another brought a millennium of glory to Beizhu City. The imperial son sat atop a towering throne, an emblem of a pair of xuan birds glinting behind him like precious pearls. He felt dazed, his throat filled with a nauseating metallic taste.
He wasn't taking medicine. He was swallowing human lives!
But those who were sacrificed didn't mind. The people didn't mind. As the one benefiting from immortality, how could he dare to mind?
【May you reign for a thousand autumns.】
The officials bowed to him.
【Long live the imperial son.】
The people bowed to him in prayer.
What could the imperial son say? The distant winds no longer brought any new word. He sat in a stunningly beautiful courtyard, draped in luxurious robes and threaded silk, his eyes half-closed.
All he could do was listen to court officials recite scattered news from beyond Beizhu City.
In the dream Zhen had today, the imperial son sat behind the curtain while the official stood in the courtyard, reading aloud the reports.
【And so, the vampires began moving into the city in large numbers. Of course, to go along with the second-generation vampire Theo's game, they concealed their identities. On the surface, it looked like nothing had changed in the royal capital, but in truth, it had already been hollowed out.】
The imperial son listened. As the tragic story unfolded, he could already foresee its even more tragic end.
【However…】
The court official had used a turning point.
【That young king was successfully transformed into a vampire. After the second generation vampire ended his game and left, he began to relentlessly slaughter the invading army within the city.】
The imperial son's eyes snapped open. Slowly, he lifted his head and stared straight at the official reading the report.
And then? What happened to the young king?
The official showed clear disapproval. The young king's actions obviously went against the values upheld by the people of Beizhu City.
【After allowing all the ordinary citizens to leave the city, the young king set it ablaze, reducing it to ruins.】
The imperial son's heart trembled. Once again, he seemed to hear the wind blowing from far away. He had never known that someone could possess such unwavering determination and courage, willing to destroy everything to embrace a new beginning.
He envied this dazzling courage.
【Your Majesty?】
The official, mistaking his silence for anger, immediately grew cautious.
【Perhaps… such wicked stories should no longer be read aloud?】
Mist rose in the air, the trees thick and green. The imperial son lowered his gaze.
【No.】
【Tell me more of them.】