I'm in Mota, and they all want me to confess my feelings!

“That pilgrimage ship…” Xia Kong shook his head with a bitter smile, “is basically a one-way street with no return. But the most ironic thing is that there are people on board who genuinely believe that as long as they sincerely repent, they can return to Raguna again.”

Duanmu Yan stared at the flickering light in the girl's eyes: "So, you plan to go and rescue those people alone?"

“How is that possible?” Xia Kong shook his head slightly, the hair between his antlers swaying. “You saw it yourself, I couldn’t even handle three priests from the religious order. Because my resonance ability is almost useless in battle.”

"then you……"

"That's because I wanted to sneak into the pilgrimage ship."

"why?"

"Because the religious order had no intention of letting them live."

"What do you mean?"

Xia Kong's voice suddenly turned somber.

She cautiously looked around, and only after confirming it was safe did she lean forward and whisper to him at very close range.

You should know about the Fools' Theatre Company, right?

"Yes, of course I know."

“I’ll let you in on a secret—” Her breath brushed against his ear, “Everyone in the troupe was once exiled by the religious order.”

"Really?" Duanmu Yan feigned surprise at just the right moment. Although he already knew, he pretended to be hearing it for the first time.

“Of course.” Xia Kong sat up straight again, picking up the small bread that had been neglected for so long. “Unfortunately, this matter eventually reached the ears of the higher-ups in the monastic order. How could they tolerate these blasphemers continuing to exist? So…”

Duanmu Yan picked up the thread: "They're planning to destroy the Fools' Troupe?"

“Of course not. The Fools’ Troupe is all over the world, and the monks can’t catch them even if they want to.” Xia Kong looked out the window, his gaze becoming distant. “The monks plan to eliminate the Fools’ Troupe at its source.”

"At the source? What do you mean?"

"Because the troupe was made up of exiled people, they were a huge obstacle for the religious order. Every person exiled was like sending new strength to the troupe. Therefore, the higher-ups of the religious order came up with a very vicious plan."

Xia Kong paused for a moment before continuing.

"They intend to secretly execute everyone during their exile."

Duanmu Yan was stunned for a moment: "What did you say? No, how did you know?"

"You might not believe it, but the cultivation society isn't a monolithic entity. This plan faced opposition from some people, which allowed the news to leak out quietly. However, because it involved so deeply, no one dared to openly stop it."

Duanmu Yan's expression turned completely somber.

If Xia Kong's words are true, this is no ordinary persecution, but a meticulously planned massacre.

"How exactly should it be carried out?" His voice unconsciously lowered.

Xia Kong raised his eyelids, the antlers casting dappled shadows under the lamplight: "They planted a time bomb in the hold of the pilgrimage ship. Once the ship sailed out to sea, out of sight of Laguna..."

She paused for a moment before saying, "Illustrated ⊙ Billion Chess Passes Away (V) Jiuxia Temple."

"The entire ship, along with everyone on board, will sink to the bottom of the sea in the explosion."

A bird's chirp suddenly broke the silence inside the room.

"..."

Would religious orders really go to such lengths to consolidate their rule?

How can Laguna be governed while surrounded by these insects?

Duanmu Yan was silent for a moment, then took out a terminal from his pocket: "No, this is a matter of life and death. I need to inform the Second Miss about this. We must move those people to a safe place before the bomb explodes."

"Eh, Second Miss?"

Upon hearing this title, Xia Kong was slightly taken aback and blinked.

Could the second young lady he was referring to be Koleta?

If that's the case, then could this person in front of me be the one that Koleta mentioned, the one who needed her assistance?

Before Xia Kong could voice his doubts, he saw Duanmu Yan pick up the terminal and go outside.

"Ugh... I'm so sleepy. What happened, Cat's Eye Stone?" A soft, sleepy voice came from the other end of the communication.

"Second Miss, I have just received important information..."

Duanmu Yan recounted the conspiracy surrounding the pilgrimage ship, including the information provided by the antler-haired girl—though her name was omitted.

After hearing the whole story, Koleta's sleepiness vanished instantly: "I understand. I'll notify the Fools' Troupe to prepare for the rescue. You be careful on your end too, and stay safe."

"Well, I see."

After hanging up the call, Duanmu Yan let out a soft sigh of relief.

With the Second Miss coordinating the Fools' Troupe's assistance, it certainly put people at ease.

But since it was a matter of great importance, he still needed to go and confirm it in person to feel at ease.

—Although he didn’t know where this sense of responsibility came from.

He turned and went back into the store, only to find Xia Kong staring at him in a daze.

"What are you looking at so intently?" Duanmu Yan walked up to her and gently waved his hand in front of her eyes.

"Ah! N-nothing!" Xia Kong snapped back to reality, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.

Seeing that she was unwilling to say more, Duanmu Yan did not press her further.

"I'm planning to go check it out myself, do you want to come along?"

"Hmm!" The girl immediately stood up, almost knocking over the teacup on the table.

"Then let's go."

Duanmu Yan turned and walked towards the door, but suddenly stopped.

He turned to the side and gave her a faint but sincere smile.

"I almost forgot to introduce myself—I am Duanmu Yan, nice to meet you."

Volume 1: Chapter 161 Just a Passing Kamen Rider

Because of Xia Kong's identity, they are temporarily unable to return to Laguna City.

After all, what just happened must have caught the attention of the religious order, and they might be searching the entire city.

For Duanmu Yan, this didn't matter.

After all, he did not reveal his true identity, so the religious order could not possibly suspect him.

Therefore, Duanmu Yan planned to board a gondola and catch up with the pilgrimage ship.

If possible, defuse the bomb before it explodes.

"Come up."

Duanmu Yan nimbly leaped onto the gondola, but when he turned around, he saw Xia Kong still hesitating on the shore, staring at the swaying gondola, unsure of where to land.

He sighed softly and reached out his hand to her: "Take my hand."

"Good, good."

Xia Kong hurriedly grasped the hand offered by him, and with his strength, took a big step forward, finally wobbling as he stepped onto the gondola.

The boat swayed gently with her movements, creating ripples on the water.

Duanmu Yan took out his terminal and glanced at the time: "The pilgrimage ship should have already set sail. If the religious order doesn't want their misdeeds to be discovered, they'll probably wait until the pilgrimage ship is far away from Laguna before detonating the entire ship. Although we don't know the exact time, we'd better do it as soon as possible."

"Mmm," Xia Kong responded softly, but her gaze remained fixed on Duanmu Yan's profile.

Such focused staring naturally attracted attention.

Duanmu Yan turned to meet her gaze: "Is there something on my face?"

Xia Kong gently shook his head: "No."

"Then why are you staring at me?"

“I’m just a little curious.” Her emerald eyes held the faint light where the sea met the sky, and her voice rose and fell gently with the swaying of the gondola. “Why are you so concerned about this? Logically speaking, the lives of those people should have nothing to do with you. Moreover, if the religious order finds out about this, it will definitely cause trouble for you.”

"What kind of question is that?" Hearing the girl's question, Duanmu Yan replied matter-of-factly, "Do you need a reason to save someone? As for the cultivation association..."

"Although it's a tricky problem, as long as they don't find out, isn't that enough? I don't believe that the cultivators on this vast ocean could possibly know that it was me who did it."

Xia Kong rested his chin on his hand, his antlers gleaming warmly in the sunlight: "I never expected Mr. Duanmu to be such a free and easy person. Just like a knight in a legendary tale—brave, upright, and unwavering in his loyalty."

"Stop, stop, stop," Duanmu Yan quickly raised his hand to interrupt, "The first two words are passable, but the last one... please spare me."

The sea breeze gently brushed against Xia Kong's forehead as she tilted her head and said, "Why can't it be unwavering loyalty?"

"For no reason." Duanmu Yan coughed lightly. "In short, saving people doesn't need any reason. I did it because I wanted to. As for knights or anything like that, it's not that mysterious."

He suddenly changed the subject, his gaze falling on the musical instrument she carried: "By the way, aren't you a bard? Since this is the perfect time for our voyage, could you sing me a song?"

"Now?" Xia Kong's fingertips lightly touched the strings, and a few clear notes leaped into the sea breeze.

A sunny smile spread across her face.

"In that case, let me tell you the legend of the knight who cut through the waves and fought against the giant sea creature."

……

……

As dusk settles, the last rays of light at the horizon fade away.

On the deck of the pilgrimage ship, people knelt with their heads bowed on the cold wooden planks.

The biting sea breeze, like an invisible blade, scraped across their cheeks, taking away the last trace of warmth from their skin.

This is a ship abandoned by the gods, carrying a group of souls banished by fate.

What they call blasphemy might just be a careless sigh on a sunny afternoon or a thoughtless question in the dead of night.

However, religious orders never listen to explanations—in God's name, words themselves are original sin.

When the trial came, even the sea breeze carried a biting chill.

"Gods, please forgive my sins..."

As dusk settled, the salty sea breeze carried intermittent prayers that drifted across the deck.

At first, there were only sporadic whispers, but gradually, they spread like a tide.

More and more people bowed their heads, clenched their hands in the cold wind, and begged for forgiveness from the god who had never shown them mercy.

However, not everyone chose to give in.

"Enough! There are no gods! Can't you see that? It's all lies from the religious order!"

The young man, who had been huddled in the corner, suddenly raised his head and covered his ears with both hands.

The prayers that rose and fell were like sharp needles piercing his mind, making him tremble all over.

He finally couldn't bear it any longer, staggered to his feet, and screamed at the gray sea.

"If God truly exists, why does He turn a blind eye to us? If He truly has mercy, why does He remain deaf to the suffering of the world!" His voice tore through the twilight, burning in the wind. "Where was He when I knelt in the streets to pay for my mother's medical bills? Where was your God when my caravan was plundered by pirates, and my brothers' blood stained the decks?! Where was He?!"

As the last word tore through the sea breeze, the young man seemed to have all his strength drained away, and he collapsed heavily to his knees on the deck.

The long-suppressed sobs finally burst from her chest, breaking into hoarse whimpers in the twilight.

The people on the deck remained silent.

Those hunched backs resembled a school of frozen fish, having lost even the strength to move their eyes.

Whether God exists or not is no longer important—when the iron clamps of fate choke a person, faith is nothing more than the last straw a drowning person can grasp.

until--

"well said."

The clear voice cleaved through the twilight like a sharp sword, startling the seabirds perched on the mast.

Everyone looked up at the same time.

Suddenly, a figure appeared at the bow of the ship, his clothes fluttering in the salty sea breeze.

He stood with his back to the fading sunset, his face hidden in shadow, only his eyes shining like quenched stars.

There has never been a savior.