Pillar of Yita

”Over there, can you see it?” Fang Hong pointed and asked the others. ”That figure, it looks like it’s watching us.”

”But we can’t see anything, and if you talk about shadows, there’s an abundance of people here. Which one do you mean, Brother Ade?” Tianlan said, confusedly looking in that direction.

”Lead us there,” Miss Hilveld whispered.

Fang Hong nodded.

Atira cautioned from the side, ”Be careful, Ade.”

The hollow phantom stood still, releasing a hollow sigh only when Fang Hong approached.

”…The cycle of illusion sometimes may not be such a bad thing.”

”Illusion? Madam, what do you mean?”

The voice began to change its tone, growing more mature. ”Be wary of the people around you.”

Fang Hong was taken aback, ”The people around me?”

The voice grew shriller, ”Because those who pretend to love you will deceive you, false hopes will one day turn into a venomous curse to aid me, for we are alike.”

Fang Hong furrowed his brows; what kind of nonsense was this? He gestured, and the Clockwork Fairy flew off the Magic Guided Reactor’s rails with a buzz, piercing through the figure.

The phantom shattered.

”Calm down, Ade,” Atira walked up, taking his hand, ”What is it?”

Fang Hong described what he had seen.

Upon hearing this, Miss Hilveld’s eyebrows rose.

She turned her head back, her azure eyes reflecting the moon’s silverglow, and asked softly, ”Do you believe its words?”

Fang Hong scoffed. ”How could I believe such nonsense.”

”But it might not be without reason—”

”Miss Hilveld?”

The noblewoman smiled mysteriously. ”Have you forgotten? I also didn’t tell the truth.”

”So, will Miss Hilveld harm us?”

She was startled by this question, lifting her head, somewhat surprised to look into Fang Hong’s eyes. But the seriousness on the young man’s face left Miss Hilveld momentarily flabbergasted, and then she burst into laughter.

Fang Hong replied indifferently, ”I also didn’t tell the truth, did I?”

As for the latter part of the sentence, there was no need to say more; it was a secret shared within the group. The noblewoman tilted her head and smiled faintly, her gaze sincere and bright.

Behind Hansen, the scholar who had been quietly listening to their conversation spoke up rarely, ”Deception carries no good or evil intentions; it is but a sign of distrust. Young fellow, where in this world does unprovoked love exist? Those who feign love for you are often plotting your demise.”

”What do you mean by that?” Fang Hong gave the man a cold glance and asked.

From the beginning and up to a moment ago, he had felt something off about this person. If he hadn’t been Hansen’s employer, Fang Hong would have thought about parting ways with him already.

The scholar smirked mysteriously, ”One day, you will come to realize.”

”That’s why people dislike you, always so suspicious,” Tianlan frowned and retorted without mincing words.

”Little brat,” the scholar glanced at her, not stooping to argue.

Tianlan rolled her eyes in frustration.

”Brother Ade, look over there!” Gita suddenly grabbed his hand and said.

Fang Hong then shifted his attention and turned his head subconsciously.

The phantoms on the square suddenly began to change. People’s shadows stirred as if encountering some ineffable entity far away, scattering in all directions as they fled. Shrill screams and cries, piercing as claws on glass, rang incessantly.

The group stood among the chaotic figures, as if surrounded by a rushing river.

The sense of an impending disaster returned to Fang Hong’s heart. Strange voices, mixed with wailing, seemed to congeal into a hateful curse—

”Kill it.”

”Kill that malicious woman.”

However, the crowd parted to reveal a clearing where the phantom realm had changed.

In the clearing stood three vague figures; the slender one, who had been present moments before, stood between two taller shapes, seemingly engaged in a fierce argument.

But their mouths moved with disjointed speech, and Fang Hong could only catch snippets of the conversation.

”…It’s a conspiracy, my brother.”

”…I am almost certain.”

”…someone has concealed... the key...”

”…it was the data from that time...”

”…and, the key person who disappeared, I will definitely find him.”

After saying these words, the slender shadow passed by the two figures and started walking towards Fang Hong. Everyone was frozen, unable to move, watching her pass through all of them as if she were insubstantial.

She stopped next to Fang Hong, leaving behind a phrase, ”Why not take it with you?”

”It?” Fang Hong was startled.

Her mouth moved as she said, ”...Leave this place.”

Fang Hong wanted to say more, but the figure had already passed through him and vanished.

Ahead, the two larger figures were also fading away.

But Fang Hong saw one of them suddenly lift his head and say, ”Father...”

”Let her go—” the stooped figure replied.

The two turned away, like the closing of a play, disappearing like smoke.

The phantoms in the square finally dispersed, and in the darkness ahead, it seemed as if some enormous entity was approaching.

The heavy footsteps pressed upon everyone’s hearts.

”Leave this place...” the voice called out again.

The group hesitated, and then more layers of phantoms appeared in front of them.

There was a figure.

A girl stood not far away, silently watching Fang Hong. Although her features were indistinct, one could feel the sadness and anger in her heart as if it resonated with their own. She raised her hand and threw an object far to land at Fang Hong’s feet.