Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 269: Chapter 236 Closure_1

The ”Requiem for the Dead”, which escorted all Souls to their final rest, resounded mightily here, and the ”Doomsday Scripture” that brought final judgment and redemption climaxed in this performance.

Amidst the chorus and resounding call of countless voices, the Creator’s power underwent a Metamorphosis within the melody, with numerous laws violently colliding in the invigorating rhythm, emitting blinding light.

In Huai Shi’s hands, the knife and Axe had already taken on intangible forms from their physical shapes.

The naked eye could no longer discern their outlines.

Because endless lightning erupted from within them, contorting the air and sight, piercing every pair of eyes, compelling one to bow their heads, unable to look directly at the majesty of God.

It was as though judgment had descended.

Descending upon the tip of the young man’s index finger.

Countless frenzied bolts of lightning continuously burst forth, lashing at everything in the mortal world, and with his advance, tore everything asunder with irresistible force.

The day of thunderous wrath had arrived!

”This Power is indeed a miracle, you’re even stronger than I imagined!”

Above the Sky Dome, the Prince clutched his still-burning Sword Blade, his face illuminated by lightning, and yet his emerald eyes brimmed with pleasure and anticipation.

The celestial horse neighed, as countless feathers burst from its wings, conjuring hurricanes and carrying the unquenched light, plunging downwards with the Prince’s roar.

A single straight line traced out from the void.

In the roar, the stage lamented, violently quaking.

The Thunder and light collided, illuminating the faces of the two men.

Those identical expressions of thrilled smiles.

Huai Shi took a deep breath, roared, and swept lightning across, splintering the descending Sword Blade, raising the knife, and cutting.

CRASH!

A Lion Head Shield emerged from the Prince’s arm, withstanding the onslaught of the lightning, even as strands of golden hair were turned to cinder in the coursing electricity.

”You don’t mind, do you?” Behind the Shield, the Prince laughed heartily, ”I really thought I wouldn’t need it. Had I known, I’d have brought a Long Spear instead.”

”That’s my line...”

Huai Shi gazed into the Prince’s eyes, his eyebrows arching slightly, ”After all, it looks quite valuable.”

BOOM!

The Drummer exerted himself!

From the close quarters, the Sword Blade suddenly vibrated, slashing inward two more inches deep, cracking a fissure above the Lion Head relief.

Immediately after, the Prince’s Broken Sword flicked up the Axe Blade, sweeping towards Huai Shi’s neck.

As Huai Shi blocked, the celestial horse whinnied, its iron hooves flailing, but then, as the lightning flashed, it was sent tumbling back with a cry.

Its wings fractured.

As if smitten by divine wrath, the bolts pummeled its body, instantly shattering both its defenses and shell, internally dissolving the celestial horse’s Power.

Critically wounded!

The feathers of light fell to the ground, swiftly Melting away.

The lamenting White Horse struggled, lifting its head, rubbing affectionately against its master’s arm, sorrowfully dissipating.

The Prince got up awkwardly from the ground, as if wanting to stroke its mane one last time, but hesitated, withdrawing his hand.

The hand holding the sword trembled slightly.

Silently, he watched it depart.

After a long while, his downturned gaze lifted. He took a slow step back, took one last look at where the White Horse had vanished, turned around, and walked toward the young man holding lightning.

”Come on, Huai Shi!”

He whispered softly, raising his Broken Sword and shattered Shield, ”Let us put an end to this lengthy night.”

”Ah, I was thinking the same.”

Huai Shi watched him quietly, and for some reason, his smile had faded, his hands gripping the Thunder and weapons forcefully, as they scorched his palms and arms with a sizzling sound.

”Quickly.”

He stepped forward and whispered softly, ”Soon, I will free you from this nightmare...”

In that instant, the roar of the Prince and the Mountain Ghost echoed.

From the stage that was riddled with scars.

Amidst the wails of the burning, falling canopy, lightning and light collided, thundering.

There was no chance for any clever tricks or deceitful reprieves, no space to retreat or dodge. Amidst the grandeur of the chorus and the clash of melodies, light and Thunder broke forth from their hands.

Knives, swords, Axes, and Shields lifted in powerful resonance, embodying their ferocity and majesty through pure Power and speed.

Hacked, blocked, pierced, and attacked again...

The confrontation was displayed in the most brutish and straightforward manner right here.

With roars and bellows, shards of knife and sword scattered. The Shield crumbled asunder. Huai Shi howled, suppressing the darkness and the agony of his Soul, as the Axe Blade slashed downward!

CRASH!

The Sword Blade slipped from his grip, flying backwards.

But the Prince did not panic; instead, he clenched his fist, stood firm from the haziness, took a step back, forcibly straightened up, and then, with all his might, launched one final ”Offensive” at his opponent before him.

Just a hair’s breadth away.

Under the Lock Chain’s restraint, the shattered Iron Fist was but a sliver away from Huai Shi’s face, an unbridgeable gap.

Huai Shi took a step forward.

Bumped into him.

The Sacrificial Knife penetrated the Prince’s chest, emerging from his back.

And so, the resounding bell echoed from the Vault of Heaven; in the boom, a grand proclamation spread in all directions.

Behind the curtain, the Teenage Girl’s lamentation abruptly ceased.

Before the witness of all spectators, amidst countless shocked and sorrowful gazes.

——The outcome was decided.

”It’s over, Lord Prince.”

Huai Shi whispered in the Prince’s ear, ”The long journey and adventure ends here.”

He said, ”You can rest now...”

”Is that so?”

The Prince laughed hoarsely, ”We’ve only just met, and it’s already time to say goodbye? What a pity...”

He tumbled down in a heap.

Huai Shi steadied him, leaning him against the shattered elevator platform, wanting to say something, but felt his palm grasped tightly.

The pale hand smeared with sticky blood, the once handsome Prince held the wrist of the young man standing before him, his eyes still as gentle as before.

”Congratulations, Huai Shi,” he gasped softly, ”you have defeated me, and from now on, you are the new Prince.” He paused, then asked with difficulty, ”But... what kind of Prince do you want to be?”

”Truth be told, I haven’t really figured that out yet.”

After a long silence, Huai Shi scratched his head, unsure how to respond, ”But I think, as happy as I am, I must be a joyful Prince, right?”

For some reason, the Prince couldn’t help but laugh out loud, amidst violent coughing, ”Haha, sounds... cough cough... quite unreliable...”

”Yeah, I also feel that I’m quite unreliable.”

Huai Shi sighed, ”A shameless fellow like me, what right do I have to be a Prince? If I end up as a Cowherd or working in a KTV, would you think less of me?”

”By then... would you still treat us monsters with the same equality?”

”Perhaps.”

Huai Shi shook his head self-deprecatingly, ”Who knows, by then no one might like me anymore... Look, even the most popular personas cool off over time.

Once I’m past my prime, perhaps I really will have to rely on everyone’s charity.”

”So, will you go and save innocent people?”

The Prince choked up, looking at his face, ”Will you continue to uphold Justice and... extend a helping hand to those who seek your aid?”

”Hard to say.”

Huai Shi gave a bitter smile, ”After all, sometimes I can hardly support myself, let alone others. First things first, right?”

But his hand was gripped even more tightly by the Prince, with such strength as if he was afraid of him running away or disappearing.

In the dimness, the Prince uttered hoarsely, his eyes filled with hope.

”Then, will you still become... a Hero?”

”Of course, I will.”

Huai Shi nodded earnestly, ”A person always needs something to strive for, right?”

”That’s good... That’s really good...”

As if a wish had been fulfilled, the Prince whispered with a smile of relief, ”Do not go... gently into that good night, Huai Shi... Don’t be like... like us...”

An icy metal object was pressed into Huai Shi’s hand.

With his last bit of strength, disregarding the boy’s astonishment, the Prince placed his broken ”Sword” between his fingers, forcing him to grip it tightly so it would not slip away.

This was the final legacy.

”Farewell.”

He bowed his head to the young man, ”Lord Prince...”

Huai Shi stood frozen in place.

As the sound of the bells slowly faded, the once Prince smiled and gradually turned into light, rising to the sky, melding into the dazzling neon above the Paradise’s dome, vanishing from sight.

At that instant, an illusionary glow emerged above Huai Shi’s head, sketching out a resplendent crown, solemn and noble.

From the stands, including Little Cat, the numerous Owners of the Great Mob from Xiematai stood up in unison, bowing their heads to the new Prince, placing their hands over their chests in salute.

From now on, he would be the new Prince.

As another proclamation bell rang out, all the audience members gradually dispersed, returning to their original places.

And with their departure, the air was left with streams of pure Source Substance, condensing into fine crystals, much like gems.

The huge, golden piece of Amber was a gift from the Joyful Framework. The enormous black gemstone was a legacy of the Owners of the Great Mob. The countless tiny colored diamonds were the Source Substance remnants left by the Sublimators.

Then, they all fell into the bag in Little Cat’s hands.

”A perfect performance, a perfect curtain drop, Huai Shi, you alone achieved a great feat that only you could.”

Little Cat looked down at the countless Source Crystals in the bag and finally let out a sigh of relief, ”Otherwise, who knows how long it would have taken to gather so much joy and Sorrow left by the audience...”

”So, this was all part of your planning?”

Huai Shi looked up at him, uncertain whether to be angry or grateful, ”You arranged everything with such a crafty plan, just to make me take part in this stage play?”

”This is also what Paradise wishes.”

Little Cat calmly replied, ”I believe that the Prince would also agree with my decision... Come to my office later, I’ll be waiting for you there.”

Without waiting for Huai Shi to react, he hurriedly left with the bag of magnificent gems.

Leaving Huai Shi alone to face his own questions.

In the silence, Huai Shi turned his head and looked towards the curtains hanging in front of the orchestra pit, just a step away.

But for some reason, he dared not step forward, hesitating, afraid of facing a disappointing outcome in the end.

At last, Huai Shi mustered the courage to lift the curtain, and then... he saw that mocking and arrogant face, with eyes cruel and fierce.

Yup, a hand-drawn Fly Brother meme, nailed right onto the doorframe, almost lifelike.

”That Miss looks quite shy.”

Uncle Fang, who had been waiting for a long time in the now deserted orchestra pit, sighed, ”Not knowing what to say to you, she hesitated for a while and then quietly ran away... I had the intention to keep her here a bit longer, but this doesn’t seem like the place for conversation, so I was truly powerless.”

After a long silence, Huai Shi, with a wry smile, lifted the meme in his hand, as if he could glimpse the mischievous expression the Teenage Girl had while drawing it.

”You really got me there, Lily...”

He shook his head, no longer speaking.

Unsure whether to rejoice in her existence or to feel the loss of her departure.

”Ahem.”

Uncle Fang coughed softly, breaking into Huai Shi’s contemplative mood, ”However, before she left, I gave her Stone Marrow Pavilion’s phone number and your contact information.”

Huai Shi stood frozen in place, incredulous.

”...Uncle Fang?”

”Hmm?” the butler looked up, ”Is there something you wish to ask, young master?”

Unable to help himself, Huai Shi grabbed his hand, tears streaming down his face.

”Are you an Angel!”

The old man did not speak, just smiled with reserved pride.