Hong Chen Arrives at the Moss Palace
When Hong Chen arrived at the Moss Palace, the morning mist had not yet dispersed.
Vines crawled along stone pillars, moss blanketed the steps, making the palace look like an old city gently wrapped by time.
He paused at the palace gate.
The guards immediately crossed their spears.
Eyes sharp, breaths tense.
Hong Chen slightly nodded, his tone restrained and calm.
"I am Hong Chen, former Deputy General of the Holy City.
I request an audience with the city lord."
The words seemed to freeze the air for a moment.
The guards' pupils contracted sharply.
Of course, they knew the name.
Fear arrived before reason.
"You!"
The guard's voice tightened as the spear instinctively moved forward.
"You traitor!"
Before the murderous intent could fully form, a voice—aged yet steady—sounded from inside the palace.
"Slow."
It was not a rebuke.
It was an order.
The crowd parted, making a path.
An elderly man with white hair stepped out.
He wore an old-fashioned robe. His back no longer straight, yet his gaze remained clear.
The old city lord, Rhea, looked at Hong Chen, neither avoiding his eyes nor showing hostility.
Only scrutiny.
"You come here," Rhea said slowly, his voice deep and steady,
"to kill us?"
The palace gate stood in silence, the dripping of mist audible.
Hong Chen remained still, neither drawing his blade nor explaining.
"No."
His answer was short.
After a pause, he added,
"I have something… I wish to confirm with you."
Rhea's eyes flickered.
In that instant, it was as if he understood.
"I see…"
The old man raised his hand.
Slowly, yet without hesitation.
The guards simultaneously lowered their weapons.
"Please."
Rhea stepped aside, allowing the palace gate to open.
Hong Chen looked back at the Ten Attendants.
"You wait here."
No further explanation.
The Ten Attendants lowered their heads in unison, not one following.
Hong Chen stepped into the Moss Palace alongside Rhea.
The heavy wooden doors closed behind them, slowly shutting out the wind, footsteps, and the clamor of the outside world.
At this moment, he was no longer a general.
No longer a disaster.
No longer a traitor.
He was just a man
finally standing before the door of answers.
They entered the study. The doors closed behind them.
Candlelight flickered, casting elongated shadows over orderly bookshelves and desks.
Rhea lifted his head slightly, his voice calm as ever:
"Do you have something you wish to ask?"
Hong Chen nodded slightly, his gaze piercing the candlelight, fixing on the old man before him:
"Do you remember? Not long after I arrived at the Holy City as a child, you once came there."
Rhea furrowed his brow, recalling slowly:
"Ah… yes. I remember. Back then, you were like a wild beast. Even Hong Lei shivered, haha."
Hong Chen did not smile. He furrowed his brow and asked again:
"Do you remember why, when you saw me back then, you were so tense about the necklace I wore?"
He slowly took the familiar necklace from his armor and placed it gently on the desk in front of Rhea.
In the candlelight, the necklace glimmered faintly, as if carrying the warmth of time itself.
Rhea's hand paused slightly, his gaze fixed on the necklace, silent for a moment.
Finally, he spoke, his voice tinged with complex emotion:
"I thought… you had come to reminisce. But… it's for this."
The air seemed to hold ten years of time within it.
The flickering candlelight illuminated Hong Chen's resolute profile and revealed the shock and memories hidden deep within Rhea's heart.
Rhea raised his hand slightly, pointing at the necklace:
"This is a Nether Star gemstone, from the Elf King Xiuya."
Hong Chen frowned, his voice tinged with doubt:
"Elves?"
Rhea nodded, calm as ever:
"Yes. Elves."
Hong Chen's gaze sharpened further, eyes full of suspicion:
"Then… why is it with me?"
Rhea smiled faintly, a hint of meaning in his tone:
"Why not ask the elves?"
Hong Chen's voice suddenly rose, tinged with anger:
"Are you out of your mind? The elves are all gone! You want me to ask them?!"
Rhea remained unflustered, his fingers tapping the desk lightly, his gaze steady:
"Old man? My dear boy… I am not confused."
Hong Chen almost jumped, pointing at him and shouting:
"Who did I call your dear boy!"
Rhea's voice turned serious:
"You should know, elves can use magic, spells… perhaps, they have already left memories within the gemstone. Who knows?"
Hong Chen froze for a moment.
Anger, doubt, and a subtle, unspoken hope intertwined in his heart.
红辰抵达青苔宫时,晨雾尚未散尽.
藤蔓顺着石柱攀爬,青苔覆满阶梯,像是一座被时间温柔包裹的旧城.
他在宫门前停下脚步.
护卫的长矛立刻交叉.
目光警惕,呼吸紧绷.
红辰微微颔首,语气克制而平静.
"圣城前副将军,红辰."
"求见城主."
这一句话落下,空气仿佛凝住了一瞬.
护卫的瞳孔猛然收缩.
他当然知道这个名字.
恐惧先于理智抵达.
"你!"
护卫声音发紧,长矛下意识前送.
"你这个叛徒!"
杀意尚未成形.
一道苍老却稳重的声音,从宫门内传来.
"慢."
那不是呵斥.
而是命令.
众人让开一条路.
一位白发苍苍的老人缓步走出.
披着旧式长袍,背脊不再挺直,目光却依旧清明.
老城主,瑞亚.
他看着红辰,目光没有回避.
也没有敌意.
只是审视.
"你来这里,"
瑞亚缓缓开口,声音低沉而平稳.
"是来杀我们的吗?"
宫门前,静得能听见雾水滴落.
红辰站在原地,没有拔刀.
也没有解释.
"不是."
他回答得很短.
片刻后,又补了一句:
"我有一些事...想向你求证."
瑞亚的眼神微微一动.
那一瞬间,他仿佛明白了什么.
"原来如此..."
老人抬起手.
动作不快,却没有一丝迟疑.
护卫们同时收起武器.
"请."
瑞亚侧身,让开宫门.
红辰回头,看向身后的十待.
"你们在这里等."
没有多余解释.
十待同时低头应声.
没有一人跟随.
红辰随瑞亚步入青苔宫.
厚重的木门在身后缓缓合上.
外头的风声,脚步声,世界的喧嚣,被一并隔绝.
这一刻
不是将军.
不是灾厄.
也不是叛徒.
只是一个,
终于走到答案门前的人.
红辰随瑞亚走进书房,厚重的木门在身后缓缓合上.
烛火摇曳,光影在墙上拉长,映出整齐的书架与案几.
瑞亚轻轻抬头,声音依旧沉稳:"有什么事,想请教的吗?"
红辰微微点头,目光穿过烛光,看向眼前的老人:"你还记得吗?我小时候刚进圣城不久,你曾来过那里."
瑞亚微微皱眉,缓缓回想:"啊...记得.那会儿你就像野兽一样,弄得洪雷都头皮发麻,哈哈."
红辰没有笑,只是微微蹙眉,又问道:"那你记得,当时你看到我时,为什么对我的项链会如此紧张?"
说完,他从铠甲里缓缓取出那条熟悉的项链,轻轻放在瑞亚面前的桌上.
项链在烛光下微微闪着光,仿佛带着时间的温度.
瑞亚的手微微停顿,目光落在那条项链上,沉默片刻.
终于,他缓缓开口,声音里带着复杂的情绪:"我还以为...你是来和我叙旧的.原来...是为了这个."
空气中,仿佛同时沉下了十年的岁月.
烛火轻轻摇动,映出红辰坚毅的侧脸,也映出瑞亚心底无法掩藏的震惊与回忆.
瑞亚微微抬手,指向那条项链:"这是一颗冥星宝石,来自精灵国王修亚."
红辰眉头微皱,声音带着疑惑:"精灵?"
瑞亚点头,神色依旧平静:"没错,精灵."
红辰更加疑惑,目光锐利:"那...为什么会在我身上?"
瑞亚淡淡一笑,语气中带着几分意味:"为何你不去问精灵呢?"
红辰的声音骤然高了几分,带着怒意:"你这老头糊涂了吗?精灵都已经全灭了,你叫我这样去问?!"
瑞亚却依旧不慌不忙,手指轻敲桌面,目光沉着:"老头?乖孙...我可是没糊涂."
红辰几乎是跳起来,指着他大喊:"我说谁是你乖孙!"
瑞亚严肃的说"你应该清楚,精灵会用魔法,咒语...也许,他们早已在宝石里留下了记忆,也说不定."
红辰愣了一瞬,眼中闪过复杂的情绪.
怒意,疑惑,以及一丝难以名状的期待,在心底交织.