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墨書 Inktalez
The entire winter had been silent, with all things gathering strength, eager to reveal their splendor. Along the sidewalks of Kangqu, the thick snow had nearly melted away, turning into a trickle of muddy water that nourished the soil. The great river was thawing, the willows were budding, and on the vast grassy fields of the park, distant patches of green could be seen. Occasionally, a gentle breeze would pass by, yet one did not feel the slightest chill.
This was the spring scene of the Northern City of Washing, as pleasant as ever.
Countless rays of sunlight traveled from afar in the early morning; the quietest moment of the day had passed, and the bustling city quickly revealed its noisy true nature. Whether they were wealthy tycoons or ordinary white-collar workers or sanitation workers, everyone began their new journey.
Each day was a fresh start, each moment a different beginning. Everyone was full of energy in this world brimming with opportunities and challenges, not fighting for survival but inevitably bearing wounds.
Of course, most people grew stronger with each setback, becoming more resilient with every battle. Until they could no longer bear the burdens of the world or until their fates were sealed, they could lament or grieve as they wished. In contrast, life in Starfire Yellow City seemed much more comfortable, truly a paradise away from the world.
Less than a month ago, a private spaceship returned from Starfly, its scale impressive. Those fortunate enough to be at the interstellar transit station couldn't help but glance at the luxurious travelers passing through and wondered which wealthy merchant or noble had come to Earth to flaunt their riches. It was truly unbearable to compare! Half a month later, occasional busy business travelers would see that imposing mech still docked there and couldn't help but mutter under their breath about how annoying it was that this eyesore remained.
Last night, another spaceship arrived on Earth but did not land on the continent; instead, it hovered in outer space for half a day before slowly departing.
This morning, in Huaguo's Jiangnan region—Hangzhou?—by the West Lake, once praised for its perfect blend of subtlety and vibrancy, a young man dressed in a dark blue wool sweater caught the attention of many passersby. The reason wasn't that he was particularly handsome but because he was holding hands with two adorable children around seven or eight years old. One had purple hair and blue eyes, resembling the most exquisite porcelain doll crafted by a great designer; the other wore simple cloth shoes and traditional attire that seemed to have stepped out of an ancient painting.
The young man paid no mind to the gazes around him; his attention was fixed on the shimmering water before him. The spring grass grew lush in Jiangnan, and it felt warmer and softer than in the north. As time moved from dawn to morning, even the last hint of coolness in the air faded away.
“How do you find this Jiangnan spring? How does it compare to your hometown?”
A gentle voice rippled across the lake's surface. The young man remained still while another slightly older youth stepped forward respectfully with envy written all over his face. “In nearly two hundred years, space has developed rapidly. For those of us born and raised on other planets, our feelings about Earth are hardly profound; they are limited to what we read in books. In truth, landscapes across the universe are quite similar; there is little distinction between planets. It is only now that I have had the fortune to witness Earth's scenery that I realize other planets lack something—perhaps depth.”
The young man paused briefly before concluding, “A landscape with stories is what makes it beautiful.”
The youth nodded slightly, especially intrigued by that last statement—it was thought-provoking.
“I remember you didn’t speak like this before; you weren’t so distant then and didn’t hunch over so much. Why learn something unnecessary when you could have learned something worthwhile instead?”
The youth behind him chuckled heartily without feeling embarrassed at being called out for his posture; instead, he explained candidly.
“Didn’t I also go to Pirate Planet with Brother Jufeng? Over time, feelings develop; Brother Jufeng is worth my admiration.”
The young man chuckled at the words, while the Doll beside him gave an inappropriate disdainful glance. The boy was puzzled but sensed that the Doll did not like the brother behind him, who bore a resemblance to Uncle Ma. Well, since Chuyang didn't like him, neither would he.
"Your flattery is quite lacking. Besides, isn't it a bit disgusting to develop feelings over time?"
The young man behind him merely smiled in silence. Suddenly, a gentle breeze swept by, creating ripples on the surface of the water.
After a moment, unexpectedly, the young man uttered a seemingly random remark that chilled the atmosphere along the shore.
"Isn't it a bit reckless to make such a grand move during such a favorable time?"
Upon hearing this, the young man behind him tensed slightly and pondered for a moment before responding earnestly, "I believe Brother Jufeng must have his own plans."
The young man had no words to counter this; he simply rubbed his thumbs gently against the soft skin of the two little girls beside him, murmuring to himself.
"We've only known each other for a short time, yet you've changed so much. I wonder what has become of my father's old acquaintances; how many still remember me..."
After a brief pause.
"Beautiful scenery can lead to murder. If I show mercy, wouldn't that betray my intentions? Inform them to take action."
The young man behind him looked solemn, bowed slightly, and left to carry out the order.
Sunlight poured down from the clear blue sky, raising the temperature a few degrees. Indeed, this was one of the most comfortable seasons of the year. The number of tourists increased steadily, and the gazes and comments from onlookers grew more intense. The girl frowned in disgust while the boy appeared uneasy. The young man smiled slightly and bent down to pick up the girl adorned in pink jade carvings. Holding one child in each hand, he gradually disappeared from view amidst the crowd.
...
The Underworld of Huaguo had been restless lately.
The cause was naturally last year's destruction of Hua Gang by the Unification Alliance, which swept through with overwhelming force and swiftly erased Hua Gang from Huaguo's map. This led to the collapse of the Dark Dynasty, which had endured for half a century. However, in their haste to break apart this three-way stalemate, what backlash did the Unification Alliance face?
First and foremost were the remnants of Hua Gang scattering into smaller factions. How could an organization of tens of thousands be completely eradicated? Little did they know that even a dead camel is still larger than a horse. A dozen former members of Hua Gang formed teams scattered across Northeast regions, continuously launching irregular ambushes against the Unification Alliance. Following the guerrilla warfare strategy from Huaguo's founding era—where enemies disturbed their advances while they retreated—the Unification Alliance found themselves in disarray without any effective countermeasures. Many smaller factions that had been forced into submission by the Unification Alliance secretly cheered at this turn of events. Yet many still wondered: with Hua Gang now leaderless, who could orchestrate such a grand scheme? Those with insight might guess that there was a shadow of someone famous in Beijing involved here; however, there had been no news about that goddess who had captivated countless men over these past few months. Where had she gone?
The internal conflicts within the Unification Alliance are becoming increasingly apparent. On one hand, the headquarters of the Unification Alliance is in turmoil; although there has been no clear fighting, the tension in the northwest is palpable, and no one knows when a spark might ignite a fire. On the other hand, there is the collaboration with the Prairie Wolf regarding how to divide the cake that is Hua Gang. Clearly, the previous agreements cannot withstand the trials of war. The Prairie Wolf, true to its name, has taken advantage of the instability within the Unification Alliance to expand its appetite. The Unification Alliance refuses to back down from Hua Gang's territory, and now both sides have held countless private discussions, but greed has led to an impasse, resulting in ongoing disputes over unclear territorial claims.
The most unstable factor likely comes from threats in the south. It is hard to say who is threatening whom; tensions have remained high without interruption. The once balanced three-way standoff has now devolved into a two-sided conflict, with one side heavily outnumbered. How can the south feel secure when others are so close? Thus, they have taken a proactive stance, mobilizing troops around the Yangtze River and keeping a watchful eye on their opponents. They aim to take advantage of the uncertain situation within the Unification Alliance and stir up trouble, hoping to steer their ship through turbulent waters and avoid repeating Hua Gang's mistakes.
As a result, Huaguo's gray world is restless; people's hearts are unsettled, and many are either watching from the sidelines or eager to take action. It is hard to imagine who will ultimately feast on triumph in this grand contest among heroes.
A calm lake can be disturbed by just a single pebble. When the airship departed this morning, when a young man received his orders by West Lake, and when two children floated away amidst the crowd, this realm of martial arts was destined to remain unbalanced.
Years later, those who witnessed or heard about that day’s sudden change would come to refer to this incident as the Qingming Incident.
For today marks Clear and Bright among the twenty-four solar terms.
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