pdf-ebookys Chapter 484 We're Back! (Page 12)
Chapter 484 We're Back! (Page 12)
Cangnan City.
The afternoon sun shone through the sparse clouds.
The rain lazily fell upon this weathered yet still tranquil city.
The streets were bustling with traffic and pedestrians hurrying along.
The sycamore trees along the road cast dappled shadows, and the air was filled with a mixture of fried food and faint car exhaust fumes—ordinary, noisy.
Yet it is filled with the tranquility of everyday life.
At the head of the Peace Bridge, that familiar two-story building with its old "Peace Office" sign stands quietly on the street corner.
It's as if time has never left a trace here.
"Squeak-"
The wooden door of the office, with its slightly chipped paint, was gently pushed open, and the brass bell on the lintel rang out with a crisp yet somewhat muffled sound.
Leng Xuan and Si Xiaonan stood side by side at the door.
Leng Xuan was still dressed in an inconspicuous black casual outfit.
His posture was as upright as a pine tree, and his face was stern.
However, his brows betrayed a hint of weariness from the long journey, as well as a complex expression that was almost a mixture of trepidation and longing for home.
Si Xiaonan stood beside him, her face still somewhat pale.
But those eyes, once filled with despair and madness,
Now, however, it seems to have been washed by a clear spring, regaining its former clarity and vibrancy.
But deep in his eyes lies an indelible sense of vicissitude.
She was wearing a plain-colored long dress with a knitted cardigan over it, looking like an ordinary college student, except for the occasional fleeting glance in her eyes.
It will reveal that she is no ordinary woman.
The office's interior remains unchanged, with familiar, worn-out wooden furniture.
A faint scent of dust, paper, and instant noodles floated in the air.
Everything overlapped with the scenes in their memories, as if they had only left yesterday, rather than experiencing that earth-shattering upheaval that transcended life and death and overturned the divine kingdom.
Behind the counter, a young man with messy hair and black-rimmed glasses was slumped over the table.
It emitted a steady and loud snoring sound, with a suspicious trace of drool hanging from the corner of its mouth.
It was Su Zhe who stayed at the firm.
Leng Xuan's gaze swept across the empty living room; the places that once belonged to Hong Ying and Wen Qimo were now empty.
His eyes darkened slightly.
He walked slowly to the counter, looked at Su Zhe who was sleeping soundly, and a faint, nostalgic smile appeared on his lips.
He raised his hand and tapped his knuckles lightly twice on the wooden counter.
knock!knock!
"Um...who is it...I'm off work...I'm not taking any more cases..." Su Zhe mumbled sleepily, reluctantly raising his head and pushing up his glasses, which had slipped down to the tip of his nose, his eyes still blurry with sleep.
I stared blankly at the two unfamiliar "visitors" in front of the counter.
"Hello? Who... are you looking for?" He rubbed his eyes, his voice still heavy with sleepiness.
Leng Xuan looked at him, his voice calm and unwavering, revealing no emotion: "Who is the captain of Squad 136 now?"
Su Zhe was taken aback by this seemingly nonsensical question.
He answered subconsciously:
"Captain? It's Captain Gan Yangyu..." He looked at the two extraordinary-looking but travel-worn men and women with suspicion.
I feel like I've seen him somewhere before, but I can't quite place where.
He subconsciously added, "Are you... also Night Watchmen? Do you need to speak with Captain Gan? Do you need my help to make contact?"
"Gan Yangyu..."
The moment I heard that name,
Both Leng Xuan and Si Xiaonan trembled almost imperceptibly.
The last faint glimmer of hope in their eyes, a hope they themselves might not have even noticed, was abruptly extinguished.
It turned into a bottomless, cold disappointment and...emptiness.
not him.
Ultimately... it wasn't that familiar name.
Along with that dashing figure who loved practicing shooting, that figure who always wore a gentle smile... they all seem to be gone now.
And the captain.
Squad 136... is no longer the Squad 136 they remember.
The world has changed dramatically, and things and people are no longer the same.
Leng Xuan did not answer Su Zhe's question again, but simply shook his head very slightly.
He gave Si Xiaonan a look.
Si Xiaonan pursed her lips, a hint of tears flashing in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure and nodded gently to Leng Xuan.
Without any hesitation, the two turned around simultaneously, silently walked to the door, pushed it open, and went out without saying another word.
He didn't look back.
"Huh? You guys..." Su Zhe looked at the two figures suddenly leaving, even more puzzled.
He rubbed his eyes hard, staring at Si Xiaonan's back for a long time, feeling that the girl's profile was strangely familiar... Suddenly, he remembered something.
His face suddenly changed!
"Wait! You...you're Si Xiaonan?! And that one just now...was that Leng Xuan?! You're back?!" He jumped up from his chair and rushed to the door, trying to stop them.
But when he pushed open the office door and rushed to the street, the afternoon sun shone brightly, and cars and people were coming and going.
Where have those two people been?
They were like two shadows that quietly blended into the crowd, appearing suddenly.
They left without a sound.
Su Zhe stood blankly at the doorway, staring at the empty street. After a long while, he murmured to himself, "It really is them... They actually came back... But... why..."
……
The Night Watchmen Martyrs' Cemetery is located on the outskirts of Cangnan City.
Far from the hustle and bustle of the city, this place is built against the mountain, surrounded by lush pines and cypresses, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.
Rows of neat black marble tombstones, like silent guards, stand quietly in the afterglow of the setting sun, each tombstone engraved with a name.
A list of birth and death dates, and... a brief yet weighty record of achievements.
Buried here are the heroic souls who sacrificed their lives to protect this city and this land.
Leng Xuan and Si Xiaonan quietly appeared at the entrance of the cemetery. They walked up the clean stone steps step by step, their steps light and slow, as if afraid of disturbing the peace of the place.
Finally, they stopped in front of a relatively concentrated group of tombstones.
Familiar tombstones came into view.
The cold stone carvings have frozen vibrant life, as well as that era intertwined with passion, laughter, tears, and sacrifice.
The golden rays of the setting sun bathed the tombstones, casting a warm yet heartbreaking glow on the names.
Leng Xuan and Si Xiaonan stood side by side in front of the tombstone, like two statues, remaining silent for a long time.
A gentle breeze blew, causing Si Xiaonan's skirt and hair to flutter.
The wind also ruffled the stray hairs on Leng Xuan's forehead. The cemetery was so quiet that only the rustling of the wind through the pine forest and... the heavy, suppressed breathing of the other two could be heard.
Si Xiaonan slowly squatted down, extending her slightly trembling fingers to gently, again and again, trace the cold inscriptions on the tombstone.
It's as if they want to feel that warmth and touch from the past again through this method.
Tears silently streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto the dry ground before the tombstone.
A small, dark dot spreads out.
Leng Xuan remained standing, his posture upright like a pine tree, but his eyes were uncontrollably reddening.
He clenched his teeth, his jawline taut, his gaze sweeping over each tombstone in turn.
Those scenes of fighting side by side, those everyday banter, those moments of entrusting each other with life and death... flooded my mind like a tide.
It impacted their hearts, which were already riddled with holes and encased in a cold shell.
After a long, long time.
Si Xiaonan slowly stood up, wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand, took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind.
Leng Xuan slowly turned his head to look at her.
Their eyes met, and they both saw in each other the flame that had been buried deep in their hearts and never been extinguished, as well as... the relief and determination of finally returning after going through trials and tribulations.
Si Xiaonan took a step forward, facing the silent tombstones.
Facing this land they once swore to protect with their lives, facing the setting sun slowly sinking into the distant mountains,
He used all his strength, as if trying to pour all the pain, longing, grievances, and vows that had been building up in his heart into this cry—
Her voice, clear, firm, and slightly trembling, pierced through the silent cemetery, echoing among the pines and cypresses:
"We...are back!!!"
Leng Xuan stood beside her, not saying a word, but his straight back and resolute gaze conveyed...
They have already uttered the same vow.
The setting sun cast long, long shadows of the two people onto the cold tombstone, as if they were once again overlapping with the departed souls.
Go home.
They finally got home.
They returned to this land protected with blood and lives, to the place where their comrades rest in eternal rest.
This time, they will carry the faith and expectations of everyone, along with the heavy yet new power they have reclaimed from Asgard, and continue on their journey.
Until... the end of eternity.
...
In Shangjing City, night falls and the city lights begin to twinkle.
This heart city of Great Xia has shed its daytime solemnity and tranquility.
It has donned a dazzling and bustling neon-lit exterior.
Traffic was heavy and tall buildings stood tall.
A giant holographic billboard casts a dazzling display of light and shadow across the night sky, while the air is filled with the aromas of food, perfume, and the vibrant energy unique to the city.
Compared to the desolate, bloody, and rule-distorted ruins of Asgard, this place is filled with a reassuring and vibrant atmosphere of human life.
Deep in a neon-lit backstreet in the city center,
The entrance to a high-end members-only bar called "Forget-Worries Pavilion".
"Monkey King! This way! This is it!" Baili Pangpang had changed into a flashy bright pink printed shirt and white casual pants.
He also had a gold chain around his neck that could blind anyone, making him look exactly like the foolish son of a nouveau riche.
He rubbed his hands together excitedly.
Pointing to the seemingly unremarkable bar door, which was actually crafted from a single piece of obsidian and required a special magnetic card to open,
He enthusiastically introduced the place to Sun Wukong beside him: "This is the most top-tier venue in the capital! Ordinary people can't even get in!"
"I'm a Diamond VIP here! The boss's hidden gems are absolutely amazing!"
Sun Wukong still wore his signature golden chainmail and cloud-walking boots.
It stands out as an oddity in this brightly lit, modern city.
It attracted the attention of passersby, who whispered among themselves, and some even secretly took out their phones to take pictures.
But he didn't care at all.
With keen eyes, he curiously observed everything around him—the flashing neon lights, the speeding cars, the scantily clad men and women… everything seemed novel and interesting to him.
"Hey! That metal box's pretty fast! It's a bit slower than my old Sun Wukong's somersault cloud, but it's quite a sight!" He pointed to a sports car roaring past in the distance.
He grinned, revealing his gleaming white fangs.