Chapter 441: Boss Lin Left
Chapter 441: Boss Lin Left
Central District.
Vincent had completely toppled the entire Central Police Unit and slaughtered almost all the nobles who were not under Ji Zhixiu's control. The revolution was close to perfect.
Vincent gave a look to the working class folk that had been controlled previously. Now, the mind control on them had ended, and if the poor chose to strike back against this unfair world by targeting the nobles, it would entirely be their own choice.
Even after many of this working class were freed from mind control and became aware of the situation, they believed that whatever they were doing was right and didn't stop.
The skies of Azir had changed indeed. And in all aspects, a new era had dawned. Thus, it could be considered that Vincent, Mu'en, and the Ji father and daughter pair had won.
This revolution had been planned for quite some time. From the arrival of the Sun's Faith in the Central District, Ji Zhixiu's control of most aristocratic transcendent beings via the book auction, to Mu'en's infiltration of the Central District and instigating the Witch of Trees. Everything had been laid out in advance.
Vincent looked as the former director of the Central Police Unit's head rolled on the chopping board like a football as blood spurted out from his neck. This former director, a descendant of a noble family, had been nothing more than a useless drunkard.
Vincent smiled and left, hiding his achievement and reputation. He passed through the chaotic crowd, turned a few corners, and entered the bookstore.
Mu'en was wiping a glass. The whole bookstore was quiet, a great contrast to the outside. A green bird of an unknown breed was nested beside the windows, and it was obvious to Vincent that it was Ji Zhixiu.
Ji Zhixiu hadn't come in person. She had been a little afraid that the central administration would discover their plot and prevent the revolution from proceeding smoothly.
"I should be able to report everything to Boss Lin in two days' time. I believe he would probably be delighted," said Mu'en as she put down the especially clean glass. The transparent glass reflected the delicate, doll-like face of Mu'en's as well as the faint smile that appeared when she mentioned Lin Jie.
She filled the glass with a chilled drink and pushed it to Vincent.
Vincent smiled and was about to take the glass when circular ripples like a halo appeared before the glass was even touched.
Vincent's eyes widened as he glanced up at Mu'en, who was also surprised.
"What's happening?" Vincent's raspy voice was filled with confusion. Mu'en contemplated for a while, then looked outside at the sky that was gradually turning purple. She took a deep breath and regained her composure. "The wall of dream has been taken down."
Vincent had also sensed it too. "Is this also a part of Boss Lin's plan?" Vincent and the green bird that Ji Zhixiu possessed asked in unison.
Mu'en, however, clutched her chest. A strange sensation had seeped into her heart. She gripped the door frame tightly, feeling uneasy.
——
Upon witnessing Michael die, Joseph clenched his fists. He then told his former colleague, Claire, about the whole truth regarding Valace.
Claire had an incredulous look on her face. Convincing her that Valace was a bad egg would probably be hard. Joseph just hoped that she wouldn't bother him.
Seeing that Claire still wanted more explanations, Joseph pushed her aside and left the rescue of civilians to her.
"Boss Lin, please allow me to go save Melissa," Joseph ran to Dragon Lin Jie and implored.
Lin Jie glanced down at him and said, "It's fine. Silver likes that girl."
S-Silver? Joseph gulped. That Primordial Witch?!
"If you want to go, help Ji Zhixiu and the others." Lin Jie, who had regained some of his power, knew what Ji Zhixiu and Mu'en were doing.
Speaking of which, what were they imagining before I fused with Blackie? Lin Jie was speechless. Only now did he realize that these people relied on him to accomplish so many things.
However, they were still missing the last piece of the puzzle in their rebellion against the Central District… Of course, the Sun's Faith, which regarded Lin Jie as the only true god, could maintain the revolution. But that wasn't what Lin Jie wanted.
Just like what he had talked about with Ji Zhixiu and the others, Lin Jie wished for science and democracy. This would be the magical key that would allow humanity to survive after dream and reality were combined in the future.
Not to mention that Lin Jie still had to return to the Lower District and his original body. The memories of over two decades living on Earth had been the most important factor in shaping Lin Jie's personality, but 20 odd years was really too short.
Even a god as powerful as myself seems so unreliable… Lin Jie mocked himself silently. That's why Joseph is more suitable than me to be the leader of humanity.
Having gotten his instructions, Joseph immediately grabbed Fitch and headed for the Central District. Meanwhile, the people on 23rd Avenue were being evacuated by Secret Rite Tower knights led by Claire.
After completely adapting to his dragon body, Lin Jie started flapping his wings and soared into the sky. Great Radiant Knight Claire frowned at Lin Jie's change. She couldn't stop Joseph nor Lin Jie, so she had to do her job as a knight.
While flying high above, Lin Jie gazed down at Norzin as well as his shabby bookstore that had now collapsed. It was as if everything had been all a flitting dream, like a cloud that couldn't be grasped. However, Lin Jie still smiled from the bottom of his heart.
Softly, he said, "Get home soon, Franca."
Franca, clutching the balance scale tightly and hiding out in the bookstore, opened her eyes. It had only been a few minutes, but there wasn't a single soul outside. It was as if the enemy had never appeared.
Boss Lin was also gone.
Joseph heard the same voice and stopped in his tracks. He turned and gazed at Lin Jie, and suddenly felt that Boss Lin was mightier than before but also more solemn. He couldn't understand the reason, but he had a mournful feeling that this might be the last time he would look at Boss Lin this way.
In fact, he felt something else as well—perhaps it was at this time that he had really gotten close to Boss Lin.
Boss Lin… He exclaimed inwardly, but Lin Jie had already flown far away...
——
Lin Jie flew across the whole of Norzin. As an otaku in both his lives, this was the first time he had really seen Norzin in full.
His heart skipped a beat and he immediately contacted Mu'en and said rather spiritedly, "Mu'en, I've a few things for you to do."
Mu'en, who was far away in the Central District, finally understood the reason for her palpitations. The moment she heard Lin Jie's voice, she recovered completely.
"Boss Lin, please give me your orders." Mu'en, in a matching white top and dress, still holding her chest, quickly stepped out of the bookstore and looked up at the sky with an expectant smile.
Truth be told, Mu'en didn't really like the color white because that color was all that she saw back when she was a homunculus. White apparatus, white installations, white skin, a sterile white room... All these things made her feel suffocated, till Lin Jie put on that white men's overshirt on her.
She and Lin Jie had many stories about the color white too. She had even once listened to Lin Jie talk about the practice of melting snow to make tea and happily collected snow to try it out. In the end, she nearly vomited from the snow that was affected heavily by Norzin's pollution.
The scars caused by white in the first half of her life were instantly healed by Lin Jie's usage of white. And, she had always kept that white shirt.
"I'm heading to the Lower District. From now on, the bookstore is in your hands," said Lin Jie with a smile. "From now on, you're no longer an assistant. You're a mature manager, and the books and store are all yours."
"..." Mu'en's eyes lost their light, and she froze upon hearing this. After a long time, she finally uttered in a quavering voice, "No... No... I don't want..." Mu'en was incomparably flustered. She even raised her hand and waved it in front of her, unaware that beads of tears had started to seep out of her eyes. "I don't want the bookstore. I still... I still can't leave Boss Lin."
The corners of Lin Jie's mouth curled up slightly. "You're all grown up and a qualified manager now."
Mu'en lowered her head, her long black hair hanging down, creating a stark contrast against her white clothes.
"If you have any difficulties, look for Silver," Lin Jie continued, "…I'm leaving."
Silver...? Mu'en, who had inherited the memories of the Witch of the Night, knew who she was. Had that witch been familiar with Boss Lin?
"…" Mu'en opened his mouth, wanting to continue begging Lin Jie to stay, but she didn't know what reason to use. This was the first time she felt discomfort in her throat, as if a huge rock was lodged there.
Something was rapidly growing inside this homunculus, silently sprouting.
She kept her head down and saw damp spots on the gray ground. She subconsciously raised her head and looked toward the sun high in the sky, and the tear stains on her pretty face were illuminated.
She thought she heard the sound of a dragon's wings flapping up a gust.
Her Boss Lin had left.