Stealing the Pen: Kirin's Primordial Lotus

The long-parched land finally welcomed a long-awaited downpour. After a whole night of rain nourishing and washing, this once barren and impoverished land seemed to be given new life, filled with a hopeful and vibrant atmosphere.

Those creatures that had long been dormant underground seemed to have sensed the call of this new life force, and took advantage of the torrential rain to break through the soil, eager to breathe the fresh and moist air outside.

To reach their destination as quickly as possible, Wu Xie and his group followed Cheng Ye's advice—he said they were already very close and only a short walk away. Therefore, they didn't carry much heavy or cumbersome luggage and only chose their most reliable and capable bodyguards to accompany them. In the end, only Brother Chen, Huang Huang, and Yu Yu remained by Wu Xie's side.

"Look, as long as we get around that bend, we'll be there!" Cheng Ye pointed to a valley bend just over fifty meters away, his face beaming with excitement.

"Teacher Xu, we'll soon be able to see that wonder that's only recorded in books!" Wu Xie held onto Butler Xu's arm tightly, his excitement barely contained, so much so that he couldn't help but jump up and down several times.

"Oh my god... we've finally made it to the end! These past few days have really exhausted me!" The fat man next to him rubbed his rumbling stomach and looked towards the bend in the valley in front of him, panting as he muttered to himself with a sigh of relief.

Cheng Ye stared wide-eyed as he watched Wu Xie and his group rush towards the bend in the valley like a whirlwind until they disappeared from sight. He involuntarily stopped, his lips trembling slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.

Yang Shu watched Cheng Ye silently, a hint of relief in his eyes. He gently patted Cheng Ye's shoulder and said with emotion, "Little Ye, you've finally grown up!"

Then, Yang Shu slowly turned around and looked at the cave where they had rested the night before.

After a moment of silence, he comforted Cheng Ye, "You don't need to worry too much. No one here should notice anything unusual. Besides, those people will find a much better place to live than they are now." As soon as he finished speaking, he put his arm around Cheng Ye's shoulder and led him into the area filled with the strong smell of blood.

However, at that moment, Cheng Ye seemed to suddenly lose all his strength, standing straight in place, unmoved no matter how hard the poplar tree pulled. He murmured to himself, "Gaga...can she really come back to me?" His voice was filled with endless sorrow and despair.

Then, tears streamed down Cheng Ye's pale cheeks, dripping onto the dark red earth at his feet. He continued to murmur, "And my parents... Will they be able to return to my world? If all of this is just a dream, please never wake me; or if it's a cruel lie, then let it continue, and please never let me know the truth..."

Cheng Ye slowly turned his head, his gaze falling on the poplar tree, which was a head shorter than him. His eyes revealed a deep sorrow and resolute determination: "You should know that those most important people in my life, those I loved deeply and who loved me in return, have now left me, left this world forever. Because of this..."

Upon hearing this, Yang Shu felt a sudden tightness in his chest, and an ominous premonition welled up inside him. However, he comforted himself, saying that perhaps it was just Cheng Ye's last stubbornness and insistence before his death.

“Xiao Ye, you know, your father and I were best friends for many years! How could I possibly lie to you? And since your father passed away, I’ve done a lot of work and worry for your family. Even your mother’s funeral arrangements were handled by me. Your words really hurt me, Uncle Yang!” Yang Shu tried to evoke past friendship in order to soften Cheng Ye’s cold heart.

However, Cheng Ye seemed completely unaffected by Yang Shu's words and suddenly burst into laughter. His once calm eyes now became abnormally manic, as if a flame was burning within them, releasing all the madness hidden within.

Seeing that Cheng Ye was about to lose control, Yang Shu quickly spoke up to calm him down, "Don't panic, don't panic. Things have already come to this point, we can't act impulsively anymore! Besides, it's too late to turn back now, let's think about what to do next..."

In truth, Yang Shu knew perfectly well that things had come to this point and they had no way out! Fortunately, he had made proper arrangements for Cheng Ye's family in advance. As long as Cheng Ye was sacrificed, his elderly mother, who had raised him with great difficulty, could enjoy her later years; his wife, who had shared joys and sorrows with him for most of her life, could live a good life; and his precious son, who had just been born, could grow up carefree... Thinking about it this way, it was all worth it.

"Of course Uncle Yang understands the pros and cons~ But if Jiajia saw you like this, wouldn't she be terrified?" Yang Shu knew who Cheng Ye cared about most and where his weakness lay, so he simply went straight to the point and pointed out the key issue. As expected, Cheng Ye instantly regained his composure and quickly put away his sharp edge.

"Yes, yes, yes! Jiajia definitely wouldn't want to see me like this!" Cheng Ye seemed to have suddenly turned into a pitiful little puppy after being drenched in the rain, his eyes full of grievance and unease.

"Uncle Yang, let's hurry in! Otherwise, Jiajia will be waiting impatiently!" After saying that, Cheng Ye, without Yang Shu having to pull him, took the initiative to step into that bloody place.

Yang Shu watched Cheng Ye walk in, clutching the black box tightly in his hand. He looked at it again and again, and when he reached out to stroke it, his eyes were filled with tenderness. "Son, Dad has to atone for his sins! From now on, your future will be bright and promising!"

After throwing away the box, Yang Shu followed Cheng Ye into the valley.

"Mr. Yang, why are you so slow? We've been waiting for you for ages!"

As soon as Yang Shu entered, he heard Fatty Wang's loud voice.

"I drank too much water on the way and had to go to the toilet, that's why I was a little slow," Yang Shu explained.

Butler Xu stopped Fatty Wang, who was about to say something more, and said, "Alright, everyone has to go to the bathroom sometimes, it's unpredictable." After saying that, he smiled at Cheng Ye and said, "Mr. Cheng, I'll trouble you to lead the way from here on out."

"Stay close to me, don't fall behind, and don't step on anything recklessly, or I won't be able to save you." Cheng Ye said and walked forward.