Mingchao: The Survival Journey of a Comedian

Chapter 91 Finale: Goodbye

"Help me...I don't want to die..."

"I really didn't abandon you... but it was the only thing I could do at the time..."

"It hurts...it hurts...it hurts so much!!!"

"..."

Three days have passed since Mo Wunian left, and even on the battlefields further back, blood has flowed like rivers.

The rain relentlessly washed away the bloodstains, and cries of agony rose and fell, as mournful as the howls of ghosts and wolves. Countless afterimages surged like a tide across this cursed battlefield, limbs and remains scattered everywhere. Even the most resilient veterans would almost vomit at the sight of such horrific scenes.

Yet, amidst this desolate wasteland, countless figures still stood defiantly before these monsters, knowing their fate was sealed, with no turning back—

"Avoid fire! This way—"

"This kid came back from the very front..."

"He absolutely refuses treatment, insisting that he can't go on living and wants to tell us the information first..."

"Is there anything more important than life?!"

The rain fell like a curtain, the dense raindrops pounding against the earth. A figure in blue darted through the rain like lightning, rushing towards the urgent call.

Ji Yan was in no better shape, his body covered in a mix of old and new wounds. The wound on his abdomen, in particular, from the attack by the afterimage while rescuing the wounded, was throbbing with pain, and blood had seeped through the bandages again, staining them crimson.

"Where is he?! Why isn't he receiving treatment?"

"At this……"

"Don't talk! You should rest now... I'll treat your wounds..."

Seeing Ye Guijun on the stretcher with his left arm severed and covered in blood, Ji Yan hurriedly stopped him. He was about to reach out to bandage Ye Guijun's wound when his hand was grabbed by Ye Guijun's remaining hand.

"...General...General..."

"The general went to the Lord of the Formless Demons alone..."

"We...we can't get in touch with him either..."

"So many afterimages... so many..."

"We can't stay here any longer... Let's go..."

"Walk……"

It's too late, it's already too late.

Ji Yan watched helplessly as the opponent's hand fell limply, blood once again staining the ground. As a healer, he witnessed yet another life journey to the underworld.

"..."

Looking up in bewilderment at the rain-soaked landscape now stained crimson with blood, all I could see was devastation—and this was even after I had been somewhat prepared.

If it weren't for that person's reminder, the situation would be even more dire... I can't even imagine!

Three days, it's been three days already.

As the upstream rain intensified, their chances of breaking out dwindled; the misty vapor enveloped them, obscuring any glimmer of light.

Those of them who were on the back line were all in this situation, but what about the person who walked alone into the rainy night?

……

Nobody knows

"Leave? Can you even get out?"

"...We can't get out."

In the midst of the chaotic battle, no one knew whether they would remain on this battlefield the next day, never to return.

As time passed, the number of afterimages gradually increased; of the soldiers returning at night, only one in ten remained, and the general had also gone missing…

Is there any point in continuing the fight now?

"Teacher...when exactly was that moment you were talking about?"

"Dead... all dead..."

"We can't wait until then."

Clinging tightly to the flagpole representing the Night Return Army, all the carnage was reflected in his golden pupils.

We can't wait any longer! If we wait any longer, everyone will die here!

"Avoid Flames"

"Lord of the Year!!!"

As the thought of forcibly leading the team to break through the encirclement surged within him, Ji Yan felt a sudden darkness engulf him, as if swallowed by endless darkness. In this silence and pitch blackness, a massive and majestic silhouette gradually emerged—it was none other than the Lord of Jinzhou, Jiao.

"Don't be alarmed. I've come here to make a deal with you."

"In exchange for my ability to resonate, would you be willing to spend your life guarding the borders of Jinzhou and protecting the peace of our homeland?"

Ji Yan was stunned: What is the resonance ability of the Lord of the Year? That's a privilege that only the Magistrate of Jinzhou might receive!

Why was he chosen by the antagonist? The fact that the word "transaction" was used... this truly baffled him.

"Lord Sui! Of course I'm willing... but why me?"

“There are clearly many people who are more suitable than me…”

For example, General Geshu, and... that person.

"Ji Yan, there's no need for that. I've already said this is a deal."

"And the only candidate can be you."

"Do not interfere with any rumors that circulate about Geshulin; that is the path he chooses to take."

"As for that sir..."

This time, he will reunite with everyone.

"But now, it's your turn to walk that path."

In an instant, space shattered, and a howling wind swept across the surroundings. Ji Yan felt the world around him suddenly become exceptionally clear. Looking up, he saw the gale gathering in the air, transforming into an enormous, incomparable azure dragon, gracefully weaving through the torrential rain, its power awe-inspiring.

He ripped down the military flag, and with his other hand, the wind had already transformed into a long spear, which he gripped in his hand, and he issued the final command.

"All troops returning at night! Withdraw!"

"Back to defense!!!"

How could such a commotion go unnoticed? The crowd, their hearts in turmoil, focused on the figure of the blue-haired youth and the azure dragon soaring through the air.

"A dragon...it's a dragon! It's the symbol of the year's ruler!"

"Withdraw the troops! Ji Yan also has command authority!!!"

"Let's go... we can't stay here any longer..."

"Xia Cai! I know the general saved your life... but given the current situation, we have no choice but to retreat..."

"If we don't leave now, everyone will die..."

Ji Yan turned to look at the Night Return Army, which was gradually regaining order and was preparing to force its way through the rain, when he suddenly saw a dazzling red light flash before his eyes. He looked up sharply, and what he saw made him instantly realize what true destruction was:

A streak of red light, like a sharp sword, ripped through the gloomy sky, its imposing force splitting the dense rain in two. With this earth-shattering strike, the previously dense horde of monsters was instantly reduced by more than half, and even…

A path has already been opened for them.

Looking at the road before him, which was now almost completely unobstructed, Ji Yan seemed to see that lonely figure once again.

When the destined moment arrives...

A red light will guide you in the right direction.

His teacher... was right again.

--------

"Host, it's a success."

"...How much time do I have left?"

"Based on the current situation... less than 24 hours."

"enough"

Beneath the scorched earth in the distance, a black-haired boy, covered in blood, stood alone, with no one to rely on and no one to depend on.

The sword tip pointed straight to the sky, its crimson light shining even more brightly through the dense rain, like an inextinguishable guiding light illuminating the path ahead.

"...It's eerily quiet."

"It really hurts."

The system silently watched the werewolf, genuinely admiring him but unable to utter a single word.

To be able to withstand three days of attacks despite being blind and experiencing pain a thousand times greater, and even to endure another day after using that skill again...

Oh, I forgot to mention, the opponent is now deaf because of the forced activation of their skill.

So what kind of monster is his host?!

"Host, Ji Yan's side is on their way too."

"There's a probability of events overlapping, and so much time has passed..."

"No, system."

It was bound to happen.

"?"

The system was bewildered. After repeatedly checking its functions and confirming that it didn't sense anything wrong, it was about to advise the other party to give up as soon as possible when it was silenced by the next sentence.

"and……"

I felt it.

"Host……"

"Warning! Warning—confusion—confusion—"

"Highest level warning—Please contact the consciousness of the world today immediately—"

The alarm blared incessantly in his mind, but at that moment he finally laughed out loud, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He could already feel the space around him beginning to distort and crumble—

Taking a step forward, he saw the eyes reflecting the clock.

"Cough cough cough... Mo Wunian..."

"You and I are the same...we don't want to see him end up like he did, do we?!"

"Draw your sword..."

"Aim at me!"

In this crimson space, countless chains intertwined into a net, and he stood silently atop the high platform. Though the longsword remained firmly sheathed, upon hearing his words, her hand quietly rested on the cold hilt.

He had already seen that red light that was about to be unleashed.

This was exactly what he wanted, and everything he had planned was in perfect order:

He would use himself as bait to lure that person into drawing their sword, while he would use space to redirect most of the sword's power towards the Lord of the Formless Blaze...

Save that person!

As for the consequences... the worst that can happen is experiencing what it's like to be split in two.

As the sword's edge appeared, he truly felt the supreme power contained within it: an overwhelming pressure surged forth like a tidal wave, instantly engulfing everything around him and turning it into nothingness. A crimson light suddenly erupted, like the arrival of the apocalypse, completely enveloping him until he vanished without a trace.

But he seemed to have tasted a flavor called liberation.

【Holy crap! Are you crazy?!】

[You dare to take this... This sword strike could cleave your already halved soul in two...]

【Is it really worth taking such a big gamble for a proud and arrogant guy...?】

【【Ugh!!! The more I think about that guy, the angrier I get…】】

【I'm clearly the perfect match for you!!!】

Within the crimson light, he saw a white figure standing at the far end. With a raised hand, a ghostly blue bow and arrow appeared in the figure's hand, drawing back the bowstring and charging—

The next moment, a silvery-blue light streaked across the crimson space like a meteor, nimbly bypassing the red light that had sealed him off, and landing precisely on him before anything else could descend.

He watched as the light, like a shooting star, leaped towards him, and when it landed on him, he felt only peace and tranquility.

At least in his eyes, that silver-blue light had already surpassed everything brought about by the blood-red light.

And in this, he also witnessed many possible outcomes for another person.

Death in battle, being devoured, becoming experimental subjects... so many fragments passed by him, ultimately turning into nothingness.

Only when the red light, which should have been aimed at him, pierced through the black light and led that person to a new ending, did he close his eyes with a sense of relief.

"Geshulin... I did it after all."

I said... if I can save you once, I can save you a second time, a third time...