Zhong Qing (Cherish) - Chap 55
Chapter 55 – Chinese Bellflower (1)
The artillery fire from the Imperial aircraft ship tore through the darkened borders of Olympus, and the other side activated its first level of defence. The firepower momentarily was on par with that of the Empire, and the light trails of missiles formed a dense net. Qin Yun piloted his aircraft, dodging the debris falling from the sky
Shen Zhuofan and Lin Dongliang each led a team, while Chen Xiao took his own Star Thief member to act with Tristana. The artillery fire above Olympus was concentrated, and the land was not much better. The three groups were forced to separate and could only rely on communication devices to keep in touch.
“This place is ridiculously big.” There was some noise around Shen Zhuofan, and Lin Dongliang couldn’t help but ask him, “Where are you?”
Shen Zhuofan, “It seems like a sewer? I don’t know… I just encountered a group of patrols and killed them.”
Tristana complained, “It’s uncomfortable where I stay. It’s so cold without anyone.”
Chen Xiao’s voice came with a playful tone, “You’re cold? Then how about we dance together to warm up?”
Qin Yun really didn’t know what to say to these two people who kept flirting with each other even when they were on the battlefield. He had a map in his hand, but as Shen Zhuofan said, this place was so big that he might not be able to figure it out even if he looked at the map.
“I have to find someone to ask.” Qin Yun muttered to himself. He scanned the surroundings and leapt onto the roof, grabbing onto the electric poles along the road. Not far away, a group of patrol soldiers passed by, and Qin Yun squinted to see Breaux among them.
Shen Zhuofan shuttled in a giant steel pipe that resembled a sewer. He encountered many patrols. He tried to hide from those who could, but he had to fight quickly for those who could not. In the end, the further he walked in, the more problems he discovered.
“I think I seemed to be in an ammunition storage.” Shen Zhuofan hid in the junction interface. From where he was, he could faintly see the internal structure. Thousands of conduits were densely arranged, leading in uncertain directions.
Lin Dongliang pondered, “There are rumours that there are bombs buried under Olympus, and if they explode together, they can destroy half the planet.”
Shen Zhuofan didn’t answer. He turned on the flashlight and studied the map. His eyes slowly moved up along the conduits, and he said with a stern expression, “Maybe… that’s not a rumour.”
Lin Dongliang: “?”
Shen Zhuofan: “I seem to have found the lead.” He whispered, “It leads to the laboratory above ground.”
Breaux blocked the door of the laboratory. The sentinel beside him was hypnotised, but Qin Yun was still standing unscathed in front of him. The whites of the guide’s eyes turned a faint golden colour. Breaux’s face changed greatly, and he subconsciously pushed the button on the lab’s doorknob.
“…” Qin Yun frowned and looked at Breaux, who was protected by an unknown transparent material. The other person’s expression relaxed, and he even said proudly and provocatively, “No matter how strong your mental power is, you can’t penetrate this.” He reached out and knocked the transparent inner cover smiling sarcastically, “It seems you can’t enter the laboratory.”
Qin Yun said nothing. He silently opened the bag on his shoulder, then pulled out a huge high-energy cannon and easily carried it on his shoulder.
Breaux: “…”
“I can help you try it.” Qin Yun showed a humble smile, “Is it strong enough?”
The tip of the Dragon Scale sword pierced Kyle’s chest. Moschery breathed heavily, one eye glaring normally while the other, the dragon eye, was a bloody mess
Zhongyan lay on the ground. It whimpered, and tried to get up but failed.
There was almost no intact part of the dragon’s wings. At the last moment, Kyle’s mental power turned into a dagger and stabbed into one of Zhongyan’s eyes.
Bixi fell not far away. She spent all her mental energy to restrain Kyle. If it hadn’t been for her, Kyle’s last blow would have been more than just the Emperor’s eyes.
Moschery staggered and knelt beside her, hugging her into his arms.
This was what Qin Yun saw when he came in. He spent almost all his energy to steady himself and took his mother from Moschery’s arms with trembling hands.
“Little Bixi.” Qin Yun called softly. He stroked the other person’s silver hair scattered around her ears and pressed his forehead gently against Bixi’s cheek, “Little Bixi…”
Bixi’s pupils had lost focus, and the silver eye whites were like inorganic cold light. Her spiritual link, Black Pearl, had shattered into pieces of crystals and slowly rose up, finally spiralling and disappearing in mid-air.
Shen Zhuofan’s voice in the communication device was very anxious, “You can’t touch Helu’s body… He is connected to the fuse underneath. It will explode immediately if it is moved. Moreover, the bomb is set for a time. Even if it is not touched for half an hour, it will also detonate the bomb.”
Moschery closed his eyes, took a deep breath and gave the order, “You all retreat outside the safety line, and we will find a way out on our own.”
Shen Zhuofan’s expression was worried. He hesitated for a long time and then made a military salute as if he had made up his mind, “No matter what, please come back safely.”
Bixi was lying in Qin Yun’s arms; her breathing was weak, and she no longer had the strength to speak much.
“My little guy.” Bixi sighed, “Don’t cry.”
Qin Yun’s eyes were red, but he didn’t cry. Moschery hugged his shoulders from behind.
Bixi smiled softly, “Put me next to Helu.”
Qin Yun shook his head, “I can’t leave you here.” He spoke with difficulty, “We can’t take Helu away. How can we leave you behind again.”
Bixi: “I would die if you bring me back anyway. It would be better to let me die beside him.”
Qin Yun didn’t speak. He tightened his jaw, always showing a refusal.
Bixi’s eyes were gentle, lingering carefully over Qin Yun’s facial features as if she wanted to remember them forever.
“I want to accompany him at the end.” Bixi patted Qin Yun’s hand and looked at Moschery, “This can be considered a joint burial, no?”
Qin Yun watched Moschery carry Bixi to Helu’s side. His Majesty the Emperor picked up the sealed tube that fell on the ground and handed it to the latter’s hand.
Bixi smiled and said thank you.
She lay on her side, stretched out her arms with difficulty to hug Helu’s body, her long silver hair spread on the other person’s chest, and carefully held the sealed tube hidden in Helu’s heart.
Qin Yun finally lowered his head and kissed his mother’s forehead, and the Chinese Bellflower badge Moschery gave him peeked out from his collar.
Bixi stared at the pattern on it for a while, then stretched out her hand to tuck it into Qin Yun’s collar.
“Go.” She pushed her son’s hand and said calmly, “If you don’t leave, you won’t be able to leave.”
The aircraft was too far away, and there were less than ten minutes left before it was too late to reach it. Zhongyan was too injured to carry the two people, so Moschery could only take it back into the realm of consciousness.
Qin Yun summoned Ishtar, and he helped Moschery sit on it.
“Where are you going?” The Emperor grabbed Qin Yun’s wrist, “Come up together!”
Qin Yun said anxiously, “I’m going to get the aircraft. I’m afraid it won’t be able to fly with two people.”
“It can.” Moschery insisted, “It’s too late, let’s go together.”
The two confronted each other for a while, and in the end, Qin Yun still succumbed to the gaze of Moschery. He gritted his teeth, mounted Ishthar’s back, and shielded the Emperor in front of him.
The unicorn spread its white wings, raised its front hooves and let out a neighing sound.
Qin Yun couldn’t help but turn around and take one last look at the two people on the experimental table. In a place he couldn’t see, Bixi took out a pendant from her neck. The pattern on it was unmistakably a purple-blue Chinese Bellflower.
Ishtar ran so fast that Qin Yun could even see the airflow swirling under its wings.
“Fly…” Qin Yun shouted, “Fly, Ishtar!”
The unicorn’s golden spiral horn burst with dazzling radiance, and Ishtar, like a white lightning bolt, tore through the black curtain of the night. A tremendous explosion echoed behind the two, and a surging tongue of fire swept upward, narrowly licking the unicorn’s mane and tail in a perilous dance.
Qin Yun used his whole back to protect Moschery in his arms, resisting the spattering sparks. The Emperor turned back and kissed the other person’s lips, and Qin Yun’s cold tears fell on his face.
Explosions were heard one after another, and in just a few seconds, Olympus had been reduced to a sea of fire.
“Bixi also has a Chinese Bellflower badge given to her by Helu.” Moschery said suddenly. He lowered his head and kissed the tears on Qin Yun’s face carefully, “She always thought it was just a graduation medal, but in reality, it was my father’s unspoken admiration.”
Moschery said, “There are many ways to love, and what belongs to them is silence and protection.”
Qin Yun hugged Moschery tightly. He looked at the dimming fire of Olympus in the distance and seemed to see purple-blue Chinese Bellflowers dancing in the flames.
Chinese Bellflower flower’s words——
Eternal love, hopeless love.
The author has something to say:
Legend has it that the blooming of Chinese bellflowers represents the return of happiness. However, some people can seize happiness, while others are destined to miss it. Unable to grasp it, they also cannot retain the flower. Therefore, the bellflower carries a dual meaning — eternal love and hopeless love.
So I let Bixi take the loss… Sorry for the abrupt change, but I think what I wrote is still okay, not too cruel…
Notes:
Little Bixiii, waaa why author making me cry for the rest of the series waaa °(°.◜ᯅ◝°)°
