192. Yavanna's Resolution
Yavanna Huskisin walked across the ruins, stepping through the flames. Her steps were light, but her figure seemed heavy. The cold wind scattered the hair on her forehead, deepening her confusion.
[What should I do?]
She looked down at the lunchbox she brought: it contained carefully prepared dishes, including Frost-Plated Republic's traditional honey bean salad and creamy baked shrimp.
Li Aozi's favorite dish was stewed chicken with potatoes, a specialty of Azure Star. The authentic preparation required red-skinned potatoes from the highlands and free-range chicken.
The ingredients for this dish included white pepper, salt, white cheese, honey, white sugar, and carrots. Depending on taste, sausages and bacon slices could be added.
It was typically served with rice, bread, or tortillas.
Although knowledgeable about beverages, Li Aozi didn't like alcohol. He had no drinking habits in daily life but was particularly fond of carbonated drinks, especially lemon soda with mint leaves and a small amount of ice.
Li Aozi never told her these things. How did she find out?
On Azure Star, Li Aozi had hosted multiple live streams. To understand him better, Yavanna stayed up late watching all his recordings. Among them, he mentioned the preparation of this dish and his preferences.
The more she understood, the stranger Li Aozi seemed to her.
On the one hand, Li Aozi disliked raw food; his steaks had to be fully cooked, with a well-executed Maillard reaction to gain his approval.
On the other hand, Li Aozi never cared about what dishes restaurants served him. He never treated others or let others treat him, insisting on going Dutch.
On the one hand, Li Aozi claimed he had no interest in war, thinking that those who loved war were either insane or juvenile.
On the other hand, his way of solving problems often involved crushing one side with absolute violence in war.
He had no beliefs, didn't care for ideologies, and was indifferent to romance, family, or marriage.
He cared about the health and safety of infants, confronted Velrazi's capital groups head-on, and accepted many interstellar refugees in Faithkeep Village, treating them neither as slaves nor tools.
Even the undead Descenders were meticulously cared for and nurtured by Li Aozi, as if they were pets.
But.
Yavanna looked ahead.
At twilight, a dense fog enveloped the streets. Her skin was dampened by the mist, and her gaze penetrated it but could not see the end.
[Do I really exist in Li Aozi's eyes?]
He cared for many people, helped many, and drew his sword against powerful foes for some.
[...But what about me?]
Among those Li Aozi protected, was there a place for Yavanna Huskisin? Did he see her as a friend, a woman, or just a passerby?
[That so-called "You are special to me," was it a comforting lie? Or am I just a tool to you?]
From the Frost-Plated Republic to the Outside World, from Azure Star to White Candle Star.
You soared forward, and no matter how closely I chased, I could never catch up.
Yavanna stood at the center of a crossroads, unsure which side the dimensional barrier lay on.
Should I continue chasing, all for the sake of that "special to me"?
——The beauty and graceful figure of that blonde girl appeared before her eyes.
[Chase all the way, only to watch Li Aozi hold someone else in his arms? And then, to keep chasing his affection, endlessly improving and transforming myself just to be worthy of him?]
Yavanna questioned herself:
[Should I really do this?]
For a moment, she suddenly recalled her own people.
She was from the Frost-Plated Republic.
Even if her blood had been secretly altered, her cultural identity couldn't change.
[I… I shouldn't change myself for one person, living for someone else.]
Inferiority.
Yavanna suddenly understood: the secret had stolen her confidence, leaving her with inferiority, all to mold her into this kind of person.
Inferiority was a [Tailor]'s occupational trait—feeling inferior about her appearance and figure, trying to conceal flaws with well-crafted fashion.
But the more she disguised herself, the more inferior she felt.
Clothes became her armor, and without silk and nylon, she was fragile.
Ultimately, this layer of clothing became her exoskeleton, supporting her shell, living like a spider.
[Li Aozi wouldn't respect such a person. Even I can't respect myself.]
"Oh my?"
A surprised voice sounded:
"Miss Yavanna, long time no see."
Yavanna looked up. From the mist emerged a beautiful veiled woman whose distinct features made her instantly recognizable to Yavanna.
"[Adventure Saintess] Virlia."
The other woman blinked her snow-lavender eyes:
"I'm glad you still remember my name."
"Why are you here?" Yavanna asked, puzzled. "This place should be dangerous, with dimensional barriers everywhere. You're just an ordinary human."
"On the contrary, it's precisely because I'm a mortal that I must come here."
Virlia smiled slightly:
"I'm here to rally my comrades."
"Comrades?" Yavanna was confused. "Who are you going to fight?"
"A [Society]," Virlia said. "It seems you don't know yet—the [Machine Society] has gathered enough council members on this planet. Now, they plan to summon the Mother Body."
"...What does that mean?"
Yavanna tightened her grip on her bag and said gravely:
"Are you saying this planet is doomed?"
"Yes," Virlia nodded. "The [Machine Society] Mashgegang is nearby. It will soon be summoned to devour this planet."
"This… this is so sudden. I don't believe it. You're joking, right?"
Yavanna tugged at her mouth, forcing a laugh.
"You must be joking, right? Miss Virlia."
However, Virlia's expression was entirely serious.
Yavanna's laughter faded. She glanced at the other woman worriedly and asked softly:
"Is it true?"
"Miss Yavanna,"
Virlia replied:
"Do you remember what I told you when we first met at the temple in Faithkeep Village?"
Yavanna's mind buzzed as the fragmented images of that moment surged like a tide.
.........
"I think you need to understand something, my dear fool."
"You are now a [Society] citizen. You're not truly yourself. You can only find the meaning of life within the [Society]."
"Fool, citizens of the [Society] have no independent will. You're not the same species as that Star Abyss native you think is your little boyfriend."
"You have beauty and talent, but you don't live for men. You live for yourself. Yavanna, I hope you realize that neither the [Society] nor Star Abyss is anything good. Their battles have ruined countless families."
"The [Secret Society] uses council members to summon its essence, consuming civilizations, while the Star Abyss seeks to sacrifice your life to fill an endless war."
"Don't love them. Don't love grand narratives. Love yourself."
"I'm here to invite you."
"The [Society]'s citizens have infiltrated this planet. Narrative-level civilizations are monitoring the situation. One day, you'll be discovered."
"If Gaia's people find you, they will assimilate your will into the Aether. In such an environment, you'll have no resistance and will immediately submit to the [Society]."
"If narrative-level civilizations find you, they'll disassemble and destroy you without hesitation, turning you into weapons and equipment."
"Even your one-sided crush, Li Aozi, would draw his blade against you without hesitation if he learned you were a Secret citizen."
"I'm here to protect you—people like you who refuse to submit to the Secret and are rejected by Star Abyss civilization."
.........
"I remember."
Yavanna's expression grew complicated.
"You said all that a long time ago—four months ago."
"You could say you've been lucky," Virlia nodded. "It's only the [Machine Society] that has come, not the [Secret Society]. For now, you can retain your independent will."
She extended a hand to Yavanna:
"Join us, Miss Yavanna. I've gathered many [Society] dissidents like you—people unwilling to be devoured by the [Society] but unable to integrate into the Star Abyss. They're all with me."
Yet Yavanna didn't immediately change her stance. She calmly looked at Virlia and asked:
"Miss Virlia, even if you said all that in advance, what evidence do you have to prove it?"
Yavanna's tone was steady, and her question sharp:
"You're just a mortal, neither a [Society] citizen nor a Star Abyss ascendant. If you can observe the [Machine Society]'s movements, then tell me—why don't the Kappa-tier powerhouses on White Candle Star know about this, while a mere mortal like you does?"
"It's not difficult. Once we get there, you'll understand."
"But I want to know now."
Yavanna said:
"I followed Mr. Li Aozi from Azure Star. No matter what, we're compatriots and comrades. I don't want to leave just like that."
"——It seems you've figured something out. Fine, if that's the case, I'll tell you the truth."
Virlia responded calmly:
"After defeating [God of Reality] Leozi and destroying the Murphytria universe, the [Societies] flooded into Star Abyss from beyond, only to encounter fierce resistance from narrative-level civilizations. The vast Star Abyss isn't the easy prey or land of milk and honey the [Societies] imagined. Instead, it's filled with advanced technology and terrifying violence from narrative-level civilizations."
[No errors found in this edition.]
"This phenomenon seemed to surprise Gaia, the [Secret Society]'s essence. It began planning new conspiracies and strategies. However, its deep concealment wasn't welcomed by all its citizens. Those sent out to plunder without Mother Body leadership developed differing views."
"The current [Secret Society] isn't monolithic. Regarding the strategy to conquer Star Abyss, the three Secret Speakers each hold different views and have gone their separate ways, developing their factions."
"There's the traditionalist [Domination Speaker] who adheres to the Secret orthodoxy, insisting on summoning thirteen council members to bring Gaia's essence to preside over justice."
"The vacillating moderate [Greed Speaker] is missing, though it's speculated she has a long-term plan."
"Finally, the reformist [Wisdom Speaker] believes the old invasion methods— infiltration, council summoning, Mother Body descent, civilization consumption—should change. He also questions the [Domination Speaker]'s power, suspecting him of personal gain under the guise of summoning the Mother Body."
The Secret's internal politics were this complex?
Yavanna frowned.
As one of the thirteen council members, she was certain she had been influenced by the [Domination Speaker]'s faction, which led to her transformation into a [Tailor].
"Then," Yavanna noted this and continued asking, "this is just about the [Secret Society]. What does it have to do with you?"
"Not only does it concern me, but the Secret faction's turmoil directly birthed new opportunities—my faction, the 'Boundless.'"
"Boundless?" Yavanna repeated. "That's your organization? But what you've said so far has no basis and is unconvincing."
"Let me put it another way."
Virlia said:
"The [Sailor] Igore Mathieu, who rescued you on Azure Star, is one of us Boundless. We have interstellar communication capabilities rivaling narrative-level civilizations. The moment you arrived on White Candle Star, I knew you were here."
Yavanna's pupils shrank.
This secret… not even Li Aozi knew. When she fled to the Outside World, she had been saved by the former Secret [Sailor] Igore Mathieu.
Virlia—or her organization—truly had a terrifying intelligence network.
"If you're so informed, I have another question." Yavanna said, "What do you know about Diaran? Are her abilities reliable?"
"You're asking how to leave the Secret, aren't you?" Virlia chuckled. "Don't worry. I've already experienced Diaran's predecessor firsthand."
"You—" Yavanna was shocked. "You mean you were once part of the Secret?"
"Of course."
Virlia said lightly:
"To be honest, my mothers participated in the Leozi campaign. They were personally resurrected by Gaia as Secret citizens. But it was that war that showed them the cruelty of the [Society]—a beast that devours civilizations, only to turn around and slaughter its kind. Such atrocities led them to leave the Secret and oppose all [Societies]."
"Their situation wasn't optimistic. Gaia disappeared about a millennium ago, and before leaving, it released all its citizens to invade planets freely. White Candle Star was among them. My mothers were lucky to gain freedom because of this."
"To protect me, they turned me into a Secret citizen as well. For a long time, I lived and worked here on White Candle Star, researching Secret citizens alongside the [Doctor] who also betrayed the Secret. However, accidents still happened—about a century ago, council members returned with terrifying weapons, indiscriminately slaughtering and attempting to use White Candle Star as fuel to summon the Secret essence."
"I fought alongside the mages of White Candle Star, successfully repelling the Secret council members, but I was gravely injured. It wasn't until last year that I revived. Fortunately, the [Doctor]'s experiment on me succeeded—I've become human again."
"As for Diaran, she was part of a project planned long ago by the [Doctor]. However, his goal wasn't just to transform Secret citizens into mortals but to create a more significant weapon."
After hearing this, Yavanna immediately noticed a problem.
"Wait." She said, "If what you're saying is true, you came to White Candle Star over a thousand years ago and slept for a hundred years. Doesn't that mean you're now…"
"Oh, are you concerned about my age?"
Virlia was nonchalant:
"If you count my sleep, I'm just a 3,000-year-old girl."
"No, no, no!"
Yavanna couldn't believe it:
"From Gaia, I received knowledge infusions. And from the Crystal Tower civilization, I learned magical basics. In Star Abyss, only dragons, Voidfolk, undead, or narrative-level civilizations can live for 3,000 years, and they can't leave their homelands!"
"Ordinary [Society] citizens also can't leave the Mother Body. Their lifespan wouldn't reach 500 years."
"How did you manage this?"
"It's quite simple."
Virlia said matter-of-factly:
"Before leaving the [Secret Society], I was a nine-time reforged powerhouse. Although my strength is gone, my transcendent rank and extended lifespan remain."
"Nine-time reforged?"
Yavanna was stunned:
"That's just below the ultimate reforging level…"
Virlia thought for a moment and said:
"In Star Abyss terms, it's the Omega tier."
Yavanna lowered her head, pursing her lips.
"Though I lost my power, I gained my independent will. That's what saved me."
Virlia—the blonde girl. They were all beautiful and powerful. Standing among them, Yavanna felt even more inferior.
"The [Secret] took your confidence away. Let's get it back."
Noticing Yavanna's gloom, Virlia thought for a moment and stepped forward, patting her on the shoulder:
"Join us, Yavanna."
Yavanna remained unmoved.
"You need strength, companions, and redemption. This planet is beyond saving. The [Machine Society] could descend at any moment. I need to rally my allies and relocate resources."
Virlia put one hand on her hip, exasperated:
"Are you still hung up on that 'Mr. Li Aozi'? A man who doesn't love you, doesn't care for you, and doesn't take you seriously—why do you care? There are many excellent people in the world. Do you have to fight over him, even changing yourself for him?"
Yavanna was unfazed.
"Yavanna Huskisin, you're a strong, independent woman. I've seen you grow grapes, manage a camp, build houses, and run businesses. You don't need a man to take care of you. On the contrary, you're the one caring for others. You shouldn't live for someone else."
Yavanna's gaze wavered.
"Let go of unrealistic love. Join our cause. You have the ability, and your identity is a threat to others."
A threat.
Yavanna lifted her head, her eyes resolute:
"…I've lived for others until now."
"There's nothing more to say, Miss Virlia."
"I'll go with you."
"But before that, I need to say goodbye."