Mingchao: The Survival Journey of a Comedian

Chapter 82 Found you

At this moment, Mo Wunian had already rushed to the camp entrance and quickly scanned the squad in front of him. From their tired and somewhat sorrowful eyes, he could almost conclude that the operation had not come at a high cost, and the team still maintained its full combat capability.

I walked quickly toward them, yet a strange calm settled over me, as if all the turmoil had vanished, leaving only a cold stillness.

"...I am the commander here, Mo Wunian."

"Excuse me……"

“I know…you are the captain’s teacher…”

"...We didn't go the wrong way...we're out..."

Seeing everyone immersed in sorrow, his gaze finally settled on Ye Guijun, who stood before him, tears streaming down his face. Ye Guijun's lips trembled as he managed to utter a few words; in that moment, he seemed to have already guessed the truth.

His fist clenched involuntarily, almost piercing his palm, but he still forced himself to remain calm.

He still harbored a delusion.

"...Who is your captain?"

"Wait!!! Don't tell him!!!"

The rain intensified, and Nan Chui's words went unheard by Ye Guijun, whose eyes were already red-rimmed. He simply looked at the calm-looking man and uttered that name.

"Avoid Flames"

"..."

"Then where did he go?"

"Huff...don't say it...don't say it anymore..."

"Please don't say it!"

Nan Chui, arriving late, saw the situation and felt that things had become complicated once again. He scrambled over, reaching out to try and stop it, but unfortunately, just like Ji Yan before him:

Can't do anything

"Continue..."

Ignore him.

"Mo Wunian!"

"Nan Chui! I am the commander!"

He shoved Nan Chui aside roughly, his tone turning icy cold. He narrowed his eyes, giving the other man a threatening look.

Immediately afterwards, his gaze sharpened, fixing on the Night Return soldier who was completely stunned by the scene before him, signaling him to continue.

"...Three days ago, the commander was killed in action."

"We suffered heavy casualties at the time, and at that critical moment, the captain stepped forward, took over command, and led us in a protracted battle..."

"and then?"

"...Not long ago, we were surrounded. If we had tried to break through, the casualties would have been much higher."

"Just as we were preparing to sacrifice ourselves, intelligence that came in not long ago made the captain change his mind..."

"After reviewing the intelligence, the captain chose someone to draw away most of the remaining enemies... giving us a chance to break through..."

“We were strongly against it at the time…we all felt that the captain shouldn’t have made that choice…”

"But the captain said he's a wind resonance user, and only he has the ability to cover most of the area with his frequency..."

"The captain sacrificed himself voluntarily."

"...Did he say anything else?"

Ye Guijun, who finally couldn't hold back his tears, froze. Looking at Mo Wunian's indifferent expression, he felt something was off, but couldn't quite put his finger on it. He pondered for a moment after hearing those words, then suddenly snapped out of his daze.

"Captain... Captain..."

"Yes! The captain asked us to pass on a message to you before he left."

"He said……"

"【Teacher, you previously taught me to have a proper perspective on life and death, and to distinguish between the big picture and the less important aspects…】"

"Me, making this decision now."

"Have I let you down?"

"..."

Slowly raising his head, he saw rain pouring down from the sky, like countless transparent threads weaving an impenetrable curtain. In this misty haze, a familiar figure gradually emerged, as if an echo of fate. The person walked slowly towards him in the rain, until standing beside him, their back appearing so lonely.

Does this rainy night look familiar?

Yes, your intelligence did save many people.

But because of this, he will soon die.

【you guess……】

How many more will die because of that person's loss?

"Warning! The mission target has encountered a critical situation—their life is in danger—"

"Warning, warning—"

The alarm blared incessantly in his mind, and everything before him was covered in blood-red lettering. He didn't close his eyes again; he simply stared at it, choosing not to run away.

He has to face these things, even if not now, they will reappear someday in the future.

And at this moment, the blurry writing finally became completely clear.

He will die again.

You will break your promise again.

Do not accept the present moment brought about by his death with equanimity.

Many more people will die because of this in the future.

You have no choice but death.

You can't save him!

"No"

You're wrong about that.

Without turning to look at himself beside him, his gaze pierced through the dense, cage-like handwriting, fixed on the rain-blurred night outside the window. He didn't look away, seemingly searching for some answer in that chaos.

"I can save him."

【…】

"Mo Wunian, although I don't know what you've been through..."

"I can't remember what happened before either."

"But at least for now..."

"I have the ability to lead him towards that future."

He won't stop here.

"Since it's my fault..."

"All the consequences"

I will take responsibility.

Meeting those eyes, he saw the reversed clock and a relieved smile.

I forgot again.

You do indeed have this ability now.

Since that's the case, let's prevent that from happening.

Don't let the predetermined future happen.

"【(Ding! The 273rd review has been approved——)】"

(The world will unfold before your eyes, and destiny will crumble in your hands.)

(To the Destroyers Who Go Against the Tide)

With a gentle lift of his hand, the entire scene before him transformed into fragments that drifted down. He sensed that the key within his spatial dimension was struggling to suppress something, but this time, he simply chose to block it with a thought.

The left eye was already a pure white.

"...Nan Chui, take them away and take care of them. Be sure to preserve the data."

"Remember to check the supply route for any abnormalities..."

"Tomorrow's final assault should be a surprise attack... after all, the frequency fluctuations haven't decreased..."

"Stop! What you're saying isn't right..."

"I know you're feeling complicated and upset right now, but..."

Upon hearing the news, Nan Chui's spirits plummeted, and his eyes reddened. His first instinct, however, was to look at the person beside him who had their back to them: the person looked perfectly normal, so normal that it seemed abnormal to Nan Chui.

If Ji Yan were here and saw the other person in this situation, he probably would have rushed up and grabbed that person tightly.

After all, whenever that person showed that expression, they were already prepared.

"Ding--"

"Command has been transferred—"

"Transferee: Nan Chui"

A deathly silence fell over the scene. Everyone else was stunned, and Nan Chui was dumbfounded, speechless with shock at this behavior.

"Nan Chui, we've worked together for so many years."

"I can confidently hand over command to you."

"...The rest of the command is up to you."

"Mo Wunian! You *≠＃*%* (a vulgar expression from Jinzhou)"

"The encirclement has been formed; you can't even get out!"

"Ji Yan is gone forever!!!"

"Southern Hammer"

He must come back.

His words were abruptly interrupted. In the darkness, he couldn't see the person's expression; only a sliver of white light stood out starkly against the rain.

“It’s my fault”

"It was my unauthorized interference that caused all of this."

"……and"

He's not fourteen yet.

Seeing the person in front of him looking completely dazed, Nan Chui really wanted to rush up and beat him up, to make him listen to what he was saying.

But it turned out he couldn't beat the other guy, so he could only let that guy make those statements.

"No... it's my fault for arguing with you..."

"Why don't we just grab you and..."

The rain quietly ceased, and everything fell silent. He silently stepped into the night from the crowd, the alarm bells ringing in his mind subsiding. The longsword in his hand slowly materialized, its sharp edge pointing forward.

As he traversed layer upon layer of mountains and deep forests, his left eye once again reflected that blue figure.

"Avoid Flames"

I've found you.

----------

……

He's probably dying.

Leaning against the cold stone wall, he pressed his injured right arm tightly. His clothes were tattered from the fierce battle, and his body was covered with a mix of old and new wounds. He struggled to prop himself up by planting his sword in the ground, and looked ahead warily.

Although he could barely hold onto his weapon.

"...Shouldn't have stalled for enough time?"

"There's nothing left to worry about."

Ji Yan calmly uttered these words, then made no further move. As a military doctor, he knew the extent of his wounds—

It's a miracle that they even managed to struggle to escape to this mountain crevice.

After all, logically speaking, he should not even be able to move.

"...the long night is about to end."

He closed his eyes. Although it was still pitch black outside, he estimated that dawn was approaching.

The afterimage was easily drawn to the other side, and now he could finally enjoy a rare moment of peace:

The remaining phantoms have almost all been drawn to this corner, making it much easier to surround them. After joining forces with the other side, they can then encircle and reclaim the lost territory.

The others should have already broken through the encirclement and rejoined them, so he doesn't need to worry.

There will be people to help take care of his mother... This unfilial son will surely make her sad for a long time.

And...that person

His teacher

I wonder what will happen when I find out his choice.

Sadness? Angry? Relief?

There should still be some relief.

His time of death should be dated the following day: when he was fourteen.

It just so happens that the timing coincides with the agreement, so the military camp shouldn't make things difficult for him.

You've been a burden to that person for so long... it's time to let go.

His fate was to be torn to pieces by the afterimage.

"...They've arrived."

He turned his head, calmly watching the approaching afterimage, enduring the excruciating pain in his body, and tried to grab a weapon for a final stand. However, at that very moment, a sharp light pierced the air, and then, those familiar yet unfamiliar eyes once again invaded his world.

"..."

It's him

Ji Yan's fingers limply released his weapon, his eyes filled with disbelief. He stared at the person who had haunted his dreams for three years slowly approaching him, until finally, that person gently grasped his hand.

Was it a hallucination? A dying fantasy?

But why did he feel that warmth?

"...Mo Wunian?"

"..."

no respond

He couldn't see the person's expression, only that the person's hand slowly reached upwards, caressing his face, as if confirming something.

In the end, all he heard was a laugh of relief.

"teacher……"

"I am here"

"finally found you"

It wasn't a hallucination after all... that person really came.

It's really here.

"Teacher...you shouldn't have come..."

"I'll kill you..."

"We can't get out."

After a brief moment of shock, a deeper despair welled up within me. Those tears that I had so bravely endured in solitude and darkness, those tears that I had never easily shed, finally overflowed and silently slid down my cheeks—

He had no idea how that person had managed to get there after the encirclement had already been formed.

That person will die here because of him.

"No"

"It's all my fault."

His words were abruptly interrupted. He looked up and saw the man tremble as if in response, but then tighten his grip on the sword.

"Yes, we can't get out."

"so"

"Before dawn..."

I will stay here.

"Until someone brings you back."

"..."

In that instant, Ji Yan completely lost the ability to think; his mind went blank. He could only helplessly grab the other person's hand, trying to pull them back, but he had no strength left and naturally couldn't.

Mo Wunian didn't say anything more, but simply frowned as he looked down at Ji Yan's injuries, and then gave him a quick treatment.

At this point, he didn't care whether the other party was shocked or not; from the instant he forcibly initiated a long-distance spatial transfer...

He was prepared to risk his life to secure a better tomorrow for that person.

He patted the other person's head, gently wiping away their tears, forced a smile, and slowly stood up, turning to walk towards the cave entrance.

It's not your fault.

"obedient"

"Stay behind me"

"I am still your guardian, and your teacher..."

"so"

"Believe me"

Believe me, I will eventually lead you to the dawn after the long night.

Instead of staying in this darkness

The roar of the remnant elephant echoed again outside, and the rain intensified, threatening to devour everything in its path. In that instant, a bolt of lightning ripped across the sky, its faint light briefly illuminating the face.

In that instant, he only caught a glimpse of those eyes that had lost their luster, and the bloody tears that silently slid down from the corners of their eyes—

That person had already blocked his way.