The King of Curses

Chapter 60: As Far Away as the Stars and Moon
"The King of Equality..."

Before Cen Dongsheng could say two words, he saw the other party shaking his head slightly.

"Just call me Yi Qingyan."

She raised her finger, and the invisible blade drew across the ground, carefully writing those three words -

"Qing is this Qing...Yan is this Yan."

Yi Qing Yan.

Cen Dongsheng took note of it silently.

"...Miss Yi."

"Ah."

"Thank you. If you hadn't shown up in time, my colleagues and I would probably have died in this place."

Yi Qingyan looked at the little girl whose hand he was holding. She had been in the basement for several days and her body was dirty. Her pair of clear black and white eyes were staring at him without blinking.

Such a look appeared in the eyes of a little girl in her early teens, in a town full of dead people...

She had seen it countless times and knew exactly what was going on without having to ask.

Yi Qingyan smiled and looked at Cen Dongsheng.

"You chose to stand up in order to save the ordinary people here. Fighting against a curse-forbidden master who is stronger than you, you are prepared for the possibility of death, right?"

Cen Dongsheng was startled and quickly explained:
"No, no, no, we just wanted to save the people and leave. We decided to use the forbidden items in our hands to take a gamble. We haven't reached the point where we are determined to die..."

"Haha, of course I know."

Contrary to the image in most people's minds, King Pingdeng Yi Qingyan is not a difficult person to communicate with.

On the contrary, she is polite to strangers and does not look at people differently because of their status or strength; she loves to laugh, treats people gently, and has an outstanding temperament.

If you meet someone who doesn't know her, they might just think she is a beautiful and easy-going young girl.

But Cen Dongsheng's memory is not so bad that he would forget what happened a few minutes ago.

Whether it was the astonishing scene of her chopping people in half and shattering space, or the bloody smell of the human head Jingguan that still lingers in my nose...

"You came here just to say thank you to me?"

She tilted her head and looked behind him.

"But your colleagues don't seem to have any intention of coming over."

"...Please forgive me." Cen Dongsheng said. "They are afraid of you."

Yi Qingyan shook her head.

"No, I know what they're thinking. It's normal for them to be afraid of me, but it's rare for someone like you to take the initiative to approach me. Aren't you afraid?"

"Because you helped me... I mean, this time you not only saved me and my colleagues, but also saved the survivors of this town and killed the Nine-Child Ghost Mother and the people of the Ghost Mother Society."

He told it like it was.

"I am a victim of 'Ghost Soldiers Passing Through the Border', and the Ghost Mother Society is most likely the culprit of that incident. You have avenged those victims."

"..."

Yi Qingyan did not speak any more. Her slender eyebrows were beautifully frowned, as if she was lost in some kind of thought.
Seeing that she suddenly didn't respond, Cen Dongsheng could only stand there awkwardly; when he was thinking about whether he should say goodbye and leave, she finally spoke.

"Wait a moment."

Cen Dongsheng blinked. He didn't move yet.

"By the way, I don't know your name yet. Is your name..."

"Cen Dongsheng. Dong of winter, birthday of birthday."

"Cen Dongsheng, Cen Dongsheng... Okay, I'll remember it."

Yi Qingyan nodded, she twirled her hair that fell on her shoulders with her fingers and asked hesitantly.

"I have a question for you. What is that 'Demon Child', what is that 'Nine-Child Ghost Mother', what is that 'Ghost Mother Society'... who are these?"

The famous King Pingdeng looked embarrassed at this moment.

"I'm sorry, I just tried to recall it, but I still can't remember it."

Cen Dongsheng was stunned for a moment.

He didn't expect that the other party was actually entangled in this, and suddenly felt a little amused.

That's right! After all, there are so many people or ghosts who died in her hands. It's hard to rank the so-called Ghost Mother Society and the so-called ancient demons.

However, this reaction made her image more vivid and diluted some of the nervousness and awe in his heart.

Actually, if I think about it carefully, I was just too excited just now, so I wanted to take the initiative to communicate with King Pingdeng...

I feel that just having the courage to say these few words to the other person is worth bragging about to my colleagues when I go back.

"Actually, it's the man you just killed, and his companion," he explained.

Yi Qingyan let out an "Oh" and showed an expression of sudden realization.

"So, that big stupid bird hiding in the cave is the 'Nine-Child Ghost Mother'."

Big silly bird...huh?

Cen Dongsheng gave a wry smile. Perhaps she was the only one who would make such an evaluation.

"Yes," he said, "since the Nine-Child Ghost Mother is dead, the Ghost Mother Society will also fall apart. So--"

"not enough."

But Yi Qingyan shook her head at this moment.

"It's not enough to just tear them apart. The scum will just continue to cause trouble if they flee in all directions. The Ghost Mother Society, huh... I've got the name in mind. I'll kill them all, leaving no one alive."

She had always seemed nonchalant ever since she came on stage; this was the first time she showed a serious expression, and unexpectedly it was about this issue.

"……Thanks."

Cen Dongsheng didn't know how to react at this time, and could only thank him dryly.

"No need. I just wanted to find a reason to kill someone."

Yi Qingyan waved at him and seemed ready to leave.

But at this moment, Cen Dongsheng suddenly felt a pulling force on his hand.

"Wait……!"

The little girl pulled her hand out fiercely, as if she wanted to dislocate her arm. He could only let go and watch her run towards King Pingdeng.

"Wait a moment!"

"Big sister, can I follow you?"

The little girl grabbed Yi Qingyan's sleeve, raised her head and asked timidly.

"Oh why?"

"My parents are dead. The people who killed them had companions... Will big sister kill them? If so, I want to be with big sister..."

The childish voice reveals extremely vivid emotions.

The little girl living in a small town didn't know much about the "Equal King Ghost Mother Association". She only knew that the woman in front of her could help her get revenge.

Even as a child, she was able to understand topics such as life, death, and hatred; that tragic night made her mentalities mature quickly.

Cen Dongsheng's palms clenched and unclenched unconsciously. He wanted to call the child back, but swallowed the words back.

King Pingdeng smiled, she didn't seem surprised, and stroked the little girl's hair.

She stopped and looked at Cen Dongsheng.

"What do you think?"

"……what?"

"Cen Dongsheng, you saved her. I think you have the right to decide whether she stays or goes."

The young man did not answer immediately. He looked at the little girl, who was looking at him pleadingly.

——Let an ordinary little girl in her early teens follow the King of Equality, whose journey has been filled with mountains of corpses and seas of blood, to seek revenge?

Anyone with a normal brain would find it hard to agree with this. "I... may be asking a question that may be presumptuous, but I don't know if I should ask it..."

Although Cen Dongsheng said this, his eyes made direct contact with King Pingdeng for the first time.

This shows that he is very serious now, but before this, he deliberately avoided Yi Qingyan's sight.

...There's no way, the mental pressure is just too great.

"Just ask."

Yi Qingyan's smile was still gentle.

"I know that King Pingdeng has no intention of cultivating power and subordinates, but if this child chooses to follow you, will you protect her?"

"of course not."

Her answer was crisp.

"Like this child, there are more than one person around me who follows me out of hatred or something like that. And I have never made any promises to them."

Yi Qingyan said this and looked down at the little girl again.

"Did you hear that, little sister?"

The child blinked, with an expression that seemed to understand but not quite.

"If you want to follow me, the journey will be very hard and dangerous. I won't protect you. Of course, you don't need to serve me in the future. We are just fellow travelers on the same road."

King Pingdeng leaned down slightly, looked into the little girl's eyes, and explained patiently, word by word.

"Of course, among those who follow me, there are some who have similar experiences as you. They may take care of you as a minor out of sympathy. I will tell them in advance... This is the only thing I will do. So, do you still want to come with me even if this is the case?"

"I……"

Before the little girl could answer, Cen Dongsheng walked over and said:

"Think about it again, little sister. If you come with me, not only can we go to the most prosperous and safest city in the world, but the ruling bureau also has a welfare institution that provides an educational environment for orphans who have lost their parents and family members due to supernatural disasters such as ghosts, sorcerers, etc. If you are found to have the qualifications to become a curse master, there will be a teacher to train you; if not, it doesn't matter, no matter what, you will live a more stable life there than before..."

He spoke in great detail, even to the point of being nagging, although the man was not good at speaking and did not know how to persuade a little girl who had lost her parents to change her mind.

Maybe it’s because he is an orphan. If someone says, “Orphans cannot understand the pain of losing a loved one,” he will be speechless.

But Cen Dongsheng still seriously wanted to convey his feelings to the child, hoping that she could go with him.

The little girl stared at him, looking at the big brother who saved her at the critical moment, and hesitated for a moment.

"The Ruling Bureau... Really? You are from the Ruling Bureau."

King Pingdeng seemed a little surprised.

She fell into deep thought, and the smile on her face unconsciously faded.

When she said this, Cen Dongsheng suddenly felt that the atmosphere around him changed all of a sudden——

The young man's muscles were subconsciously tensed and he felt waves of pain at his nerve endings. This was a primitive reaction of the human survival instinct that was activated when faced with a crisis.

At this moment, even the wind stopped flowing.

The sound of the wind in my ears and the chirping of insects at night all disappeared, and everything was silent.

Cen Dongsheng froze.

This reaction, could it be that she has something against the ruling bureau...? !

……No.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh.

Just as Captain Feng said, they have all received special knowledge training and understand the deeds of their ancestors. As long as they have heard about what King Pingdeng did, they will understand...

It's hard to imagine the King of Equality having no problem with anyone except ordinary people who really lack social status.

He had to prepare for a fight, even though it was pointless.

He knew very well what his most likely fate would be. He would probably lose his head before he could react...

……

Looking at the young man in front of her who was facing a formidable enemy, Yi Qingyan seemed to come back to her senses and she blinked.

The momentum quietly dissipated, and the solidified wind began to flow again.

"…Sorry, I suddenly remembered my opponent and got a little serious."

"'opponent'?"

Cen Dongsheng took a deep breath and asked tentatively.

"Do you mean... Director General?"

"'The Philosopher King'. That's what you usually call her, right?"

"Were you acquainted with her?"

"I don't know you. If we really knew each other, we would definitely turn hostile to each other and fight to the death. If that were the case, there's no way you wouldn't know."

"..."

In other words, they either don't meet at all, or if they do meet, they will definitely fight and make a huge mess?

Cen Dongsheng didn't know whether he should be glad that such a thing had not happened yet.

But he himself felt it was unrealistic to say that the two would never have the chance to meet each other in their lives.

From this perspective, the current generally peaceful social state is in a precarious balance.

"Why do you think the director is your opponent?"

"From the way she behaves, I can tell that she has a personality that is totally incompatible with mine."

King Pingdeng's attitude was very frank.

"The Philosopher King is the kind of person who is arrogant enough to call himself a god, isn't he?"

He was speechless.

"They are the type who think, 'Because I am superior, and you are weak, pathetic, and stupid, so let me save the world.' I hate people like this the most."

"I... have never met the Director General." Cen Dongsheng replied, "I only know that if it weren't for her, I wouldn't have the stable life I have now."

"Is that so? Then don't bear a grudge against me when I chop off her head one day."

King Pingdeng smiled slightly.

“——But that’s impossible.”

Cen Dongsheng could only remain silent.

During the conversation just now, there was a moment when he felt as if he could understand what the girl in front of him, who was a few years younger than him, was thinking.

He was very close to King Pingdeng, so close that he could touch him.

It was not until this moment that he clearly realized that it was just an illusion.

The distance between them is very great. This is not about strength or status, but the beliefs of the two people and the way they look at the world.

The true King of Equality is as far away as the stars in the sky and the moon in the water to an ordinary person like him who just wants to survive and live a good life.

"Okay, little sister, it's your turn to make a decision."

She bowed her head again.

"I, I still want to go with my big sister..." The little girl thanked Cen Dongsheng, "I'm sorry, and...thank you for saving me, big brother."

"how?"

Equality Dynasty He raised his eyebrows, seeming a little proud.

"..."

Naturally, Cen Dongsheng couldn't say anything to stop it.

Without saying goodbye or trying to keep her, she took her hand and walked towards the end of the woods.

He stood there in a daze, watching the two people leave and quickly disappear into the night and mist...

(End of this chapter)