Arknights' Lock of Heaven

Do you know how many times she comes to see me in a day?

"No way, the Yan people really dare to do this?" Xia Yu's eyes widened upon hearing this. "Don't they know what I did in Kazimierz?"

He couldn't understand it at all.

Logically speaking, it's normal for these vested interests not to be praying every day that they won't be able to find their way to their doorstep, so why would anyone think...?

How can they win me over like this?

“Because you claim to be from the Yan Kingdom,” Nian said with a complicated expression.

"Fallen leaves return to their roots; wealth and honor without returning home are like wearing brocade at night. Throughout history, how many people who have achieved great fame have not returned?"

"Besides, you look like you have lofty ambitions..."

“They think you’ll go back sooner or later,” the young voice said. “It’s just a matter of time; there’s no way to avoid it.”

"Therefore, making plans in advance is their style."

"Don't underestimate those guys. People who can support a large family have a long-term vision."

"Having dealt with them for so many years, I already know it."

Nian sighed, her tone tinged with bitterness.

"I'm so envious. I haven't received the same treatment as you all these years."

"Those old guys keep threatening me, huh."

Upon hearing this, Xia Yu suddenly realized what was going on.

It is not surprising that the people of Yan held such thoughts.

If I could really go back, I wouldn't hesitate at all.

But Yan Kingdom...

It can be a beautiful hope hidden in one's heart, or it can be a place one never sets foot in.

Xia Yu didn't want to destroy some memories from her past life.

Therefore, he always avoided setting foot on the land of Yan.

Longmen, that place is really open, and also... familiar.

After that, Xia Yu left the eastern part of the continent and came to Letania and Kazimierz.

In this world, everyone has something hidden deep in their heart that they don't want to be touched.

This is roughly how Yan Guo is understood in the Xia language.

He knew this would not be his hometown.

But a touch of melancholy still lingers within it.

“You can make up whatever you want,” Xia Yu patted Amiya’s back, who was still coughing, and said to Nian, “Make up whatever you want.”

"As long as it's not too outrageous."

"Tsk, I'm relieved to hear you say that," Nian smiled slightly.

"To be honest, these people are really annoying, sigh."

"Then just ignore her," Xia Yu rolled her eyes at her. "What can she do to you?"

Based on his understanding of Nian, Miss Jingzhe must be completely helpless against Nian.

"If we ignore it today, can we ignore it tomorrow?"

"Can we keep ignoring them?"

Nian said in a muffled voice, "I don't have your strength, nor your elegance. That's the Yan Kingdom, a country that once defied the heavens and fought against the gods."

"Who would dare to mess with those celestial masters who are clearly just ordinary people but are all incredibly eccentric?"

"Besides, I still have a lot of troubles to resolve in Yan Country, and I will eventually have to go back. It wouldn't be right to just leave people hanging."

She also faces the issue of being 30 years old, and in this regard, she and Da Yan are on the same side.

It's not good to offend them now.

Even though I have the best option right now, having more friends means having more options, so there's no need to fall out, right?

"Moreover, the problems in Yan Country are becoming increasingly serious."

The young man said in a low voice, "The commotion at Si Suitai is getting bigger and bigger, and the pressure on the Northern Frontier is also increasing."

"They are also eagerly seeking change."

"Perhaps you feel that after your rampage in Kazimierz, the Yan Kingdom will generally reject your existence."

“I don’t know where you learned about Yan Kingdom from, but I can assure you that things aren’t as bad as you think.”

"If you are willing to go back, your enemies will definitely be most of the court."

"But my friends are scattered all over the world."

Do you know which country had the widest news coverage of the Qasimir Incident?

Nian said seriously, "Unless it's Ursus, which is right next door, the common people of Ursus, apart from those in high positions, don't care that much about these things."

"Not Columbia, nor Victoria..."

"It's Yan."

"Although some people tried their best to suppress the news, most of what happened in Kazimierz was still reported back to Yan Kingdom."

"Do you know how much of a storm that the deeds of those who were hanged, and the news of their hanging, caused in the land of Yan?"

"They don't know that you did this, so now the name of the Wuzhou Alliance has resounded throughout the Yan Kingdom."

Nian looked into Xia Yu's eyes.

"Kill corrupt officials, eliminate wicked bureaucrats, punish powerful and tyrannical officials..."

"If you really know this country, you'll know that you're famous there."

“So,” Xia Yu chuckled, “that’s why so many people are getting restless, right?”

He lowered his head, concealing his gaze, and said calmly, "If my methods weren't so astonishing, so untouchable, and still within their comprehension, then I imagine countless schemes and plots to trip me up would already be on their way."

"And now, because of my methods, it seems that the royal princess is preparing to 'marry down'."

Xia Yu gave a mocking smile.

"That would be an honor."

"Yan Kingdom... is ultimately different from Kazimir."

Nian sighed.

“There, people can live and work in peace and contentment. It is a time of peace and prosperity, the economy is booming, and public security is very effective. There are not many injustices.”

"Compared to the various countries of Terra now, it can be described as a paradise."

"Perhaps," Xia Yu said ambiguously.

Perhaps, in the eyes of someone like Nian, the current state of Yan is relatively peaceful.

But for Xia Yu, feudal dynasties? Heh.

Differences in values ​​led to different perspectives between the two.

Indeed, compared to other countries, Yan Kingdom is truly peaceful.

How many people dream of living this kind of life?

Peace and joy.

Many people yearn for it but cannot obtain it.

All I can say is that Terran right now is truly an era of competition to see who's the worst.

Xia Yu was born in the late 1990s in his previous life. To be honest, his understanding of the Cold War came entirely from textbooks and various reading materials.

Perhaps when the elderly recall that era, what they remember most vividly is the poverty of life, the shadow of war, and the weakness of the nation…

But in his view, the Cold War might really be called a golden age. Of course, his view may be very shallow, since he did not actually experience that era.

Given the overarching context of a power struggle between two ideologies, at least back then, people weren't competing to see who was worse, but rather in a competitive arena.

The competition is about who is better and more outstanding.

You advocate democracy, I shout for freedom. Countless colonies were liberated, past imperialist hegemony was dismantled, and countless inventions that influenced the progress of civilization appeared at that time: the computer, the first human expedition into space, and then the moon.

The names of Gagarin and Armstrong are destined to be recorded in history.

Perhaps their original intentions in making these choices were not noble, but they did indeed take a big step forward for human civilization.

Then, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, everything was over, and this once great country was completely reduced to a state of utter disarray.

Then, America's golden age came to an end, and capitalists suddenly realized that, because they had no rivals, they did not have to give up real profits in order to raise the banner of morality and freedom.

In the past, an American's job could support a family of five plus a dog.

Now, keep dreaming.

The world has entered an era of decline.