Chapter 521: [ You are a Dawn Person (2) ]
“… …” Lan Ling ‘er’s mouth flap open then close, not knowing how to respond. After a few moments, finally she mustered her courage; “… then what do you want me to do? See my family being ruined? Suffers? Even if you kill me, I won’t stay idly by and do nothing!!” She was excited. She stood up and screamed, staring at Allen with a glare.
“Lower your voice down… please,” Laura’s voice rang out from behind Allen—a tall glass of eggnog, laced with brandy, on a tray in her hands. Lan Ling ‘er’s outburst annoyed her.
Allen tilts his head and drank the eggnog, making his usual indifferent face. “Of course not… however, in terms of directly joining this silliness, I won’t allow you. If you happen to die during the conflict, Dawn will grieve." he sighed. "Where will our tears go to? Where will our hatred points to...? Lan Ling ‘er, we won’t be able to step aside and watch you die…!"
"Why? Didn't you say, I am just a slave...?" Lan Ling 'er smiled bitterly.
"Whether you are a slave or a maggot... as long as you are a member of the Dawn, you are still Dawn. You are already a part of our Family. I won't be able to stop you if you really want to interfere in this conflict. However, if you die, the Dawn will lose one of her family members... what will others feel? We are not some children playing house, that when we lose one we just find someone else! If you are one of us, you will always be one of us. If you died, we wouldn't have any choice but to move and get revenge for you..." Allen's eyes narrowed. "If that happens, the Dawn will get dragged in this foolishness...!"
"...Then, if you wanted to avoid that. Kick me out... It's not that I joined out of my free will..." Lan Ling 'er was touched by Allen's words. Although they were mere words but having such connection was actually not that bad. Even still...
"…For my family, I need to enter this war. I don't want you to be dragged in this so..."
"I refuse..." Allen cut her off. Sipping the eggnog, Allen's expression still remained the same. "Stubborn, aren't cha~? I had said before, your life is mine."
"... ..."
"In the first place, Dawn is not supposed to intervene in this kind of personal affair. However, as long as you obeyed the Organization's rules and laws, not directly participating in this conflict, we will be supporting you from the shadows. We don't care if you want to go and support them, they are your family so I won't ask for you to forsake them but, only support. Lang Ling ‘er. Don't directly interfere in this war!" Allen muttered strongly. "If things get out of hand, if push comes to shove, the important people for you, of course, we will ensure their safety but that is all…!”
“…?!”
“Parents, Grandparents… if what you said is real, then obviously Dawn will move. That also goes with Si Mulan's family. I had already told her about this, and she understands it. I hope that you will do the same…!"
"In addition, I want you to remember, even if your and Mulan’s family had conflict, lives one dies one relationship, in the Dawn, you must forget this kind of intention…” Allen said with his usual tranquility. “I was telling you this for fear of you thinking I was giving favor since you’re just a servant… obviously, I won’t deny I would be biased when the time comes… however, I would try to be fair as much as possible…”
“… …” Lan Ling ‘er was struck silent.
“Lan Ling ‘er… I didn’t kill you back then, not only because you are a woman but also because I like your character. In fact, both of you and Si Mulan are quite identical. Chained by one’s ideals and responsibilities—both of you are good women. Thus, I was a bit hesitant to become your enemy…” Allen’s voice was low and soft and had the power to calm a person’s heart.
Allen’s red draconic slitted eyes dilated as he sipped his eggnog contemplatively for a moment. “I won’t care if you want to assist them merely… but, if you play a big role in this, then, let me apologize to you beforehand… even if you die, Dawn will not move to save you…”
"We will grieve but we won't do anything. We would take our revenge in some other way..."
“… …”
“There were many rules in the organization—one of it was detachment from mundane affairs. One cannot move the force due to personal reason, if you want to mix with them, then you’re on your own.”
“… …”
“… Tell you what, I did hope that although I did blackmail you in joining us and even acted roguishly, a day will come when you really become one of us…but it seems that would be a dream hard to achieve…” Allen sighs.
“… I don’t know…” Lan Ling 'er smiled but her eyes were full of complicated emotions. She looked at Allen like she was staring at a very complex puzzle.
“… ?”
Allen’s worry and concern, although Lan Ling ‘er only met him several times but actually, she somehow quite understands Allen’s character. If not, even if dies continuous, how would she keep quiet up until now? Leaving her life on Allen’s hands without any assurance or worry?
She had even confronted her uncles and see Allen at this moment to confess…
Although Allen indeed has some strange and wicked sides that made people don’t know whether to love or hate dearly but, he was as they said, a Heavenly Child, not only talent and abilities but a person with a good principle and moral.
Was Allen exactly what she thought he was? The question disturbed her, for she had long ago acquired the habit of studying other people. She eyed Allen steadily… that handsome appearance of him, even she was quite attracted, actually… Although it was indeed hard to admit, but it was the truth. Even still…
“I don’t know what to do actually…” She smiled at him. “The Clan Elders was hell-bent on this notion of rebellion and even if I tried to disagree, nothing would come out of it. At first, I was in agreement, wanting to do anything just to make it succeed. But ever since I met you, things changed…”
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“… …”
“I’m not sure about the real powers of the Heavenly Court as well as the entire powers of ours but now I realized, I’m actually just a frog beneath the well. I don’t know real powers are and as to what extent… but seeing your abilities, made me somehow reconsider it, if our current power was indeed enough or not…”
Allen’s power make her dread while his sudden appearance in this Continent caused her worries. At this moment, she now realized, this seems to be not just a problem of the Divine Martial Continent—who knows, how many influences was currently hiding, only waiting for something to start?
“I came here, not to ask for your support but, just hoping you’re not standing on the other side…” she paused, “Can you tell me, what are you planning for the future? If you don’t want to interfere in this kind of affairs, what is then the Dawn’s purpose? Her goal?”
“Truth be told, I don’t like this world… I always wish I can leave this world as much as possible…” Allen smiled wryly. His expression turned melancholic, “However, even though I think like that, I don’t have a choice but to keep moving forward in this world…”
“… …” Lan Ling ‘er fixed her gaze at Allen. Confused.
“Well, what did they say, definite characters are uncomfortable ones in this world—whether they are criminals or saints, good or evil, justifiable or not—people don’t like others with strong opinions unless it was the opinions they hold themselves. And they don’t admire vehemence in speech, they don’t like vehement actions, either. That’s not unusual in this world, where power reins everything…”
“But this is the common custom…” Lan Ling 'er responded.
Allen smiled. His face was like an adult staring at a stubborn child, exhausted. “I know… however, the present animosity I detect here in this world didn't come suddenly out of anywhere. It was not like a clap of thunder, nor is it a motiveless malice. Not entirely it was there, that hostility, for many silent or whispering years.”
Jealousy of others merits and talents, other’s family, background and wealth…
The fury that they are exactly what they seem, and that they are uncompromising and loves excellence…
“… Most people hate mediocrity, but we should not deny that most men are indeed mediocre, though considering themselves exceptional. I am not an exception, I confess… I hated farce, abhors deception and betrayal. I also hate incompetence and even the polite, social hypocrisies. However, this world is full of this…” Allen shrugged with a helpless expression. He stared at the shock Lan Ling ‘er and smiled.
“Then, tell me, my dear Ling ‘er, if I tried to change this current custom, kill the corrupt rulers and leaders and punish the wicked evildoers, would it change anything?”
“… …” Lan Ling ‘er stared at him, twisted her hands in her lap.
There was a long deadly silence. The strain between them was a most palpable thing; it hung heavy in the air.
Allen smirked, pinning his eyes on her and said, “No, I believe…!”
“That’s…”
“As long as all the people in this world didn’t die out, even if you pluck one rotten grass, another will sprout. As long as people know about power and money, even Gods themselves will be corrupted. Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. That is not an empty phrase…”
“So, why would I care about them? For the sake of the populace? For the greater people…? Even if your rebellion succeeded and kill the current ruler, are you so sure that the one who will replace him was the great merciful Buddha…?”
Lan Ling ‘er looked at Allen with melancholy and with a little fear. Her face turned pallid as she understands what Allen was saying. Seeing her expression that seems to be on the verge of crying, Allen smiled gently. He rose from the couch, walked over towards the collapsed hole of the Throne Hall and stared at the clear blue sky. His expression was ruminative. Slowly he spun around, stood facing Lan Ling ‘er, studying her with infinite care.
Beautiful. With black glossy hair, and milk-white skin and striking obsidian-colored eyes. her striking coloring and long legs and lissome figure sure will catch any men’s attention. And very calculating, he decided. With her character, Allen was sure that Lan Ling ‘er, since childhood, surely was always been manipulative and devious. Intelligent and wise…
“Dawn isn’t a Hero organization… nor are we interested in becoming one. We don’t have any ambitions in this continent… our sight lies in the entire world!” Allen remarked in an icy, contained voice. A more authoritative voice.
“W, world…?!”
“That’s right, Ling ‘er. Divine Martial Continent wasn’t the only one who is in disarray… it’s also the entire world. The world was full unrest—chaotic, danger, bloodshed, war, tears—and I’m pretty sure that sooner or later, this unrest will reach the Divine Martial Continent. And this little war for justice of yours will just worsen everything, creating chaos for your kinsmen.”
Allen continued with the somberness in his voice, “And that is why I can’t or let anyone do something rash and let Dawn expose himself to the malice of this small continent and become narrow-minded. The Dawn must set her sights far ahead, not the one in front of her. When the time comes, I’m quite certain that our sacrifices, will be much more appreciated and more honored, and understood… as time goes on…”
Allen smiled wryly, “Thus, for now, all Dawn needed was to get stronger first… quietly and sincerely. I know it would be hard for you but all I can do is apologize... hoping that you can understand it...”
“... What kind of enemies are you actually preparing for…?” Lan Ling 'er asked, somewhat stupefied.
“Demons…” Allen said with a serious expression.
!!? “What?!”
“The Demon War had started… probably because this was Divine Martial Continent, thus, they didn’t yet come into here in full force. But you should have heard about some demons running amok in some places…am I right? I can even commend the current government for their way of holding information as to not cause unnecessary unrest… but, I can say this, the Divine Martial Continent was locked down…!”
“What did you say?! Lockdown? From outside?” Lan Ling ‘er jumped from her seat. Her eyes widened in shock.
Obviously, this information was what Baishe and the others told him. He even knows that Rena Lygos was still at the border of the continent due to strict security.
“If I want to assume something, probably the reason why the Jade Emperor started his cruel methods was because his hastening the unification of the entire continent and prepare the arrival of the real enemies—that is the Demons! If he wanted to repel them, he needed the power of all the people within the Empire… however; he wouldn’t be able to do that unless he would first solve the problem within his territory…”
Allen chuckled, “He feared that he might become the mantis that stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind… in fact, I might also do the same if I were in his position. And to do that, best to use was force. Conquerors are kings and the beaten are bandits.”
"...?!!"
“Now, Ling ‘er… I certainly don’t want anything to happen to you, as you are my person. So I am saying all of this, reconsider it… advice your family, thinking twice is better than thinking once. Don’t be reckless and invite disaster,”
“… Is what you said true…?” Allen’s words were unexpected and shocked Lan Ling ‘er, and she winced. Her beautiful face was still smooth but Allen can see her, shrinking.
Allen shrugged. “Most of it, I said true. But as for the Jade Emperor’s real character and motive for this… cruel act you said he was making, I’m not certain. All of it is just baseless assumptions of mine after seeing and analyzing all the things that were happening currently--reaching this conclusion was inevitable. But I’m pretty sure about my thoughts, I always prided my intelligence,” Allen joked.
“… …”
“Ling ‘er, I hope you think this through…”
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