Reversing Falsehood and Preserving Truth: All Gods and Gods Are in My Hands

A month passed in the blink of an eye. The air in Zhongzhou City was still filled with a crisp and pure scent. The streets were bustling with traffic. The steam from the breakfast stalls, carrying the aroma of fried dough sticks, spread out. The white steam from the steamers rose in wisps, intertwining with the outlines of the buildings in the distance. The gloom that had previously shrouded the city was completely gone.

When Lu Yu got up, the soft-boiled egg on the dining table was still steaming, with the edges of the egg white gleaming with an enticing golden hue and the yolk wrapped around the warm, soft yolk.

"Eat slowly, Mom will take you to the exam hall in a bit."

His mother, Lin Hui, handed him warm milk, her fingertips gently wiping his forehead with a familiar warmth. "I'll make you some pork ribs after the exam to help your brain recover."

Father Lu Jianming carried the exam bag, its stationery neatly arranged: "Relax, just do your best."

"It's just the final exam, not the college entrance exam. I can ride my bike there myself."

Lu Yu bit into the soft-boiled egg, the warm yolk melting on his tongue, a comforting warmth spreading through his heart.

In the past month, he was no longer the boy who needed to hide behind Liu Jing. He practiced the fusion of the two paths in the morning and spent the night in the Ten Thousand Paths Hub honing his array path. The responsibility on his shoulders made him quietly shed his immaturity.

The three-day final exams flew by. As the bell rang for the last subject, English, the setting sun cast its rays obliquely onto the answer sheet, and the shadows of the sycamore leaves swayed gently, much like the dappled sunlight in a sports meet group photo, so tender it was almost dreamlike.

As Lu Yu walked out of the examination hall, he saw Zhao Lei rushing towards him, waving his arms, with two black Shouzhen Bureau cars parked behind him: "Lu Yu! Let's assemble!"

As the car drove past the repair shop on the street corner, Lu Yu subconsciously turned his head to look—

Old Zhou has disappeared again, and that's where Liu Jing once wielded her sword. The scent of sandalwood seems to still linger in the air, as if he never left.

Upon arriving at the entrance of "Gongxi Facai Security Company", Lu Yu took a deep breath and placed his hand on the head of the lucky cat.

The power of reality surged gently from the fingertips, precisely resonating with the energy imprint inside the lucky cat. "Wishing you prosperity! Wishing you prosperity!" a cheerful mechanical voice rang out, and the lucky hand waved rapidly. The side wall slowly slid open, revealing a familiar metal door.

This was the first time he had opened the door himself without Liu Jing's guidance.

Inside the Shouzhen Bureau's underground base, pale blue light strips cast a soft glow, making the avenue patterns on the walls even clearer.

Everyone lined up to wait. Senior Li sat in a wheelchair, his face still pale, but his eyes were as firm as iron. Shen Che was dressed in a black outfit, with a short blade at his waist gleaming coldly, exuding a calm aura. Director Qin Mu stood at the front, the dark patterns on his black uniform flowing under the light, revealing an unquestionable majesty.

In the center of the venue, two guardians from the Yanjing headquarters, dressed in gold-trimmed uniforms, stood solemnly, holding several exquisite wooden boxes in their hands. Their clothes fluttered without wind, and their aura was as calm and steady as a mountain.

"Quiet." Director Qin Mu's voice was deep and powerful. "Today, a special representative from the Yanjing headquarters will present awards to those who have performed outstandingly during the Central Plains crisis."

The Headquarters Guardian stepped forward and slowly opened the first wooden box: "Lu Yu, Su Wan, Zhao Lei, and Chen Mo, although you have not been granted the status of Guardians, you have made outstanding contributions by actively working together to protect nearly ten thousand teachers and students, breaking through illusions and fighting against executors. You are hereby awarded the First-Class Enlightenment Badge."

Four circular silver badges were taken out, with delicate star trail patterns on the edges, and the "Enlightenment" character in the center shimmering with a faint golden light, while the surrounding shimmering silver lines resembled a swirling galaxy.

Lu Yu took the badge, his fingertips touching the cold metal.

Zhao Lei clutched the badge, grinning to reveal a set of white teeth, but his eyes were red-rimmed: "This thing is way more valuable than a gold medal at the sports meet!"

Su Wan pinned the badge to her lapel; its silvery sheen reflected in her eyes, which held a tender longing within.

Chen Mo placed the badge in his palm, pressed it lightly with his fingertips, and a hint of gentleness flashed in the insightful vertical lines in his eyes.

Comrade Li Cangyan.

The headquarters guardian opened the second wooden box, and the shield-shaped gold-inlaid jade emblem of the Vast Ocean came into view—the gold wave patterns flowed as if alive, the black jade was warm and translucent, and the two characters "Vast Ocean" were ancient seal script, vigorous and powerful.

"To slay a high-level executor in the process of evolution, you risked a permanent drop in your own cultivation level, once again unleashing the power of creation to nip the extreme threat in the bud. You are hereby awarded the Level 4 Vast Ocean Badge and appointed as the Special Operations Squad's Honorary Instructor for Life."

Medical staff pushed the wheelchair forward, and Senior Li raised his hand to accept the badge. His thin fingers gripped the cold jade, and his gaze swept over everyone present: "I am unworthy to accept this badge. Comrade Liu Jing's sacrifice is the key."

The air fell silent. The Headquarters Guardian opened the third wooden box and slowly took out a hexagonal gilded badge. Six pale gold crystals shone brightly under the light, and the "Blazing Sun Breaks Illusions" relief in the center was lifelike, with the gilded sun seemingly about to overflow with light—it was the Blazing Sun Badge awarded to Liu Jing.

"Comrade Liu Jing, with her own soul, invoked the purification spell to protect the people of Zhongzhou. Her achievements are outstanding." The voice of the Guardian of Truth at headquarters was heavy with suppressed emotion. Qin Mu stepped forward to take the badge on her behalf and gently placed it on the specially made commemorative base. "A third-level Blazing Sun Badge is hereby awarded to her as a tribute to her heroic spirit."

Lu Yu looked up abruptly, the golden light stinging his eyes, and his nose instantly stung with tears—he would return that medal to Teacher Liu sooner or later.

Su Wan's shoulders trembled slightly, and tears slid down her cheeks, dripping onto the Qiming badge and spreading out tiny wet marks.

Zhao Lei clenched his fists, his Adam's apple bobbing as he tried to hold back his sobs, but his shoulders trembled uncontrollably.

Chen Mo's fingertips turned white as he, along with all the other guardians present, bowed deeply to the badge, their movements precise and solemn, paying tribute to her martyrdom and her protection of world peace.

"Comrade Shen Che." The headquarters guardian turned to the man in black, "You reacted swiftly in the crisis, led the team to restrain the executors, and worked together to break the deadlock. You are hereby promoted to Deputy Director of the Central State Branch." He handed over an antique brocade box. "This is a 'Fragment of the Soul Lamp,' originating from the 'Shadow Soul Lamp,' a magical artifact of the Greek goddess Hecate. It has a certain compatibility with your Shadow Hunting Dao and can help you comprehend and cultivate. You need to develop its specific abilities yourself in conjunction with your own Dao."

Shen Che took the brocade box. The moment he opened it, a cold, eerie blue light emanated from it. The fragments were irregularly rhomboid in shape, their surfaces engraved with fine runes. Touching them, one could feel a faint tremor of the soul, as if they automatically attracted the surrounding shadows. He raised his hand in salute, his voice as steady as iron: "I will certainly not fail your trust."

Finally, the headquarters' guardian looked at Qin Mu, his expression grave: "Your department bears serious responsibility for this crisis—the fragments of a divine artifact were stored undetected in a crowded public place for years, and you failed to develop an emergency plan in time after discovering the cult's activities, leading to their collusion with high-ranking executives and nearly causing a major disaster." He took a deep breath, his tone resolute, "After deliberation at the headquarters meeting, Comrade Qin Mu is hereby suspended from duty and placed in seclusion to quickly stabilize his Breakthrough Realm, attempt to break through to the Unity Realm, and master the power of the Eight Stars. If he fails to achieve this within five years, he will be dismissed from his post!"

Qin Mu paused slightly, a flicker of emotion crossing his eyes. This punishment was clearly a weighty expectation. He slowly nodded, his voice firm: "As you command."

After the award ceremony ended, the crowd gradually dispersed. Lu Yu, holding the Blazing Sun Badge, walked slowly towards the cemetery on the back hill.

Liu Jing's tombstone stands among evergreen pines, its greyish-white stone clean and unblemished. Lu Yu gently places the Blazing Sun Badge before the tombstone, his fingertips brushing against the cold, gilded surface, as if he can still feel the lingering warmth of Liu Jing's presence.

Su Wan stood to the side, her voice as soft as the wind: "Teacher Liu, we've been awarded badges."