Mister Zero, Her Story: Chapter 24 – Someone Familiar
“What?!”
Hua Qiling and Qin Wen exclaimed in shock. The only exception was Luo Yan, who was listening attentively, having little understanding of these matters.
“So this secret… although my grandfather and father never forbade me from speaking of it, I don’t want too many people to know,” the Sword Saint Sect Master sighed. “I still remember when I was young, seeing my father pick up the ‘Sword Saint’s sword’ and resolutely march towards the battlefield against the ‘Primordial Demon’.”
“Yes, the battle you’re thinking of, the suppression of the ‘Witch of Absolute Death’ three hundred years ago.
“And then… he died, after unleashing the legendary ‘Sword Saint’s Strike,’ he died of exhaustion on the battlefield.”
Despite his casual tone, the atmosphere in the conference room grew heavy as he touched upon that buried history.
Countless powerful humans had died in the battle to suppress the “Witch of Absolute Death,” even alarming several “Slumberers.”
The “Slumberers” were humanity’s strongest, their slumber a safeguard against the potential return of the “Calamity Tide.”
As their lives neared their end, they used a special technique to enter a state of suspended animation, waiting to be awakened.
Upon awakening, a Slumberer would be at the peak of their power, but their life would also enter an irreversible countdown.
The details of that war, to prevent the “Witch of Absolute Death” from reviving through residual memories, had been erased from the minds of all involved, and all related records destroyed, leaving only fragmented accounts.
A flicker of sadness and remembrance appeared in the Sword Saint Sect Master’s eyes, then he composed himself and looked at Hua Qiling.
“Right, you’re Qingling’s younger sister, aren’t you…?”
“My name is Hua Qiling.”
“This matter… you can’t tell anyone, not even your sister,” the Sword Saint Sect Master said gravely, emphasizing his point. “I didn’t intend to reveal these secrets to anyone besides Wen’er, but you happened to overhear. If I didn’t tell you, you would likely investigate yourselves, which might alert others, making things worse.”
Indeed, the fact that Dawn’s Misters derived their power from “Primordial Demons” was shocking and had far-reaching implications.
“As for this young lady…”
“My name is Luo Yan.”
“Young lady, your situation seems… strange. I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before.” The old man stared at Luo Yan. “If I’m not mistaken, your eyes have now completely transformed into the ‘Eye of Fear, Envy, and Defilement,’ haven’t they?”
Luo Yan hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
“Yes.”
Initially a faint crimson in the town, after the battle with Mrs. Natalie, Luo Yan had noticed a pinkish hue in her eyes.
The crimson had gradually deepened, a sinister black slit appearing at the center of her pupils.
—Now, Luo Yan’s eyes were almost identical to the “Eye of Fear, Envy, and Defilement” she had seen in the town, only smaller and with a weaker aura.
The Sword Saint Sect Master was silent for a moment, then said,
“This will be your moment of greatest power, but also—”
“I’m dying.”
Luo Yan said calmly.
She had anticipated this.
Her power now far surpassed her strength in the town. Even someone as strong as Qin Wen felt threatened by her gaze.
Perhaps only someone on Grifres’s level could withstand it.
And this was without Luo Yan actively using her ability…
“…Yes,” the old man sighed. “Indeed, your situation is similar to a ‘Demonically Infected.’
“My father told me that when my grandfather was dying, his body developed organs resembling Demonic Offerings, his right hand transforming into the ‘Sovereign of Fear’s’ ‘Twisted Hand.’
“He was afraid of harming those around him, so he ventured into the Endless Wasteland alone, never to be seen again.”
Silence fell over the conference room.
Hua Qiling looked at Luo Yan’s calm expression, feeling a sudden urge to cry.
Miss Luo Yan… so young, yet facing imminent death.
Qin Wen was filled with self-reproach, regretting her impulsive attack on Luo Yan.
Luo Yan looked at them strangely.
“Why are you crying? I already knew this when I was in the town. That’s why I’ve been trying to find a way to survive.”
Luo Yan’s reading hadn’t been just for entertainment. She had been searching for information on “Demonically Infected” while reading novels and disaster reports.
Unfortunately, such classified information wasn’t recorded in books. Meeting Qin Wen and her knowledgeable master was a stroke of luck.
“A way? Of course, there’s a way… Have you heard of the ‘Ice Coffin Weapon’?—Oh right, Yan City used one recently,” the old man scratched his head.
“Are you suggesting that Miss Luo Yan become an ‘Ice Coffin Weapon’?” Hua Qiling said, her lips twitching. “What kind of solution is that…?”
It seemed the Sword Saint sect wasn’t very reliable…
“It’s a viable option…” the old man touched his nose. “According to my grandfather, one of the Misters from Dawn survived this way, although his whereabouts are currently unknown.
“The original purpose of the ‘Ice Coffin’ was to protect ‘Calamity Infected’ who lost control, but later, there were cases of using these ‘uncontrolled infected’ as weapons, which led to the concept of the ‘Ice Coffin Weapon.’
“My father speculated that the first ‘Ice Coffin’ was likely created by Dawn, and the Free Federation simply stole their technology… but that’s just his speculation, there’s no concrete evidence, and my grandfather never mentioned it.”
The Sword Saint sect’s history was truly bizarre. Just from snippets of information from his father, the old man possessed secrets that could shake the highest echelons of humanity.
“No wonder the Free Federation has been searching for the last ‘Mister’…” Hua Qiling murmured.
Luo Yan, sitting beside her, seemed to have overheard and asked,
“What?”
“Nothing, nothing,” Hua Qiling paused, then looked at the Sword Saint Sect Master. “By the way, I heard you’re very interested in the ‘Ghost Town’ incident that occurred in Yan City…”
Finally, getting to the point, Qin Wen listened intently. She was curious why her master had sent her to investigate this.
The old man’s melancholic expression vanished, replaced by anger.
“Oh right, I almost forgot! You Yan City people are quite bold, manipulating such an important matter concerning a ‘Primordial Demon’!”
Hua Qiling was stunned by the old man’s sudden outburst.
She racked her brain, then asked cautiously,
“Sir, did we… do something wrong?”
Although the Sword Saint Sect Master often acted goofy, his seniority was undeniable.
Even Li Ping and Lin Cheng, the current City Lord of Yan City, would address him respectfully.
Such a figure’s anger… Hua Qiling couldn’t help but feel apprehensive.
“Heh, do something wrong? You’ve done plenty wrong…”
The old man took out a file and slammed it on the table.
“This report, how much have you hidden? Everything about what happened inside Ghost Town is glossed over, even the part about the ‘Witch of Envy’!
“A mindless ‘Ice Coffin Weapon’ single-handedly defeating the will of the ‘Witch of Envy’? If it were that simple, humanity wouldn’t have suffered such heavy losses in that war centuries ago!”
After venting his anger, the old man said to Hua Qiling, “Go and get Li Ping and Lin Cheng. I want to confront them face-to-face and discuss this matter properly!
“I wonder what you discovered about the ‘Primordial Demon’ in ‘Ghost Town’ that you deliberately concealed. Whoever wrote this report is incredibly malicious, disregarding the safety of all humanity!”
Luo Yan (“the thing about the ‘Primordial Demon’ in ‘Ghost Town’”) and Hua Qiling (“the person who wrote the report”) blinked, speechless.
“Huh? What, are Li Ping and Lin Cheng not in Yan City right now?” The old man raised an eyebrow.
“Ahem, they are, but if you want to know about ‘Ghost Town’,” Hua Qiling touched her nose, “perhaps I can explain…”
“Me too,” Luo Yan added.
“What do you know?” The old man frowned. “You youngsters can’t possibly know the full story…”
“I wrote that report, because I was the only one carrying out the mission inside ‘Ghost Town’,” Hua Qiling said awkwardly, looking away.
“I’m the one who came out of ‘Ghost Town’,” Luo Yan said calmly. “I have no past memories. I woke up inside ‘Ghost Town’ and… lived there for a long time.”
“In other words… in all of Yan City, we are the most knowledgeable about Ghost Town,” Hua Qiling added.
Sword Saint Sect Master: “?”
His expression changed from anger to confusion, then to disbelief.
“Are… are you telling the truth?” The old man clutched his chest.
“Yes.”
Hua Qiling and Luo Yan nodded in unison.
“…Let me get this straight.” The old man rubbed his temples. “So, you youngsters were in charge of all this? And what was deliberately concealed… was this little girl?”
“Yes,” Hua Qiling replied.
“Was it your own decision? No, wait… this must have been Yan City’s tacit approval.” The old man sighed. “Perhaps I understand now, but I need you to tell me more.”
He looked at Luo Yan, his expression turning serious. “Especially you, little Miss Luo Yan.”
…
Finally, after Hua Qiling’s explanation and Luo Yan’s additions, the Sword Saint Sect Master had a general understanding of the situation.
He remained silent for a long time.
Beside him, Qin Wen was sobbing uncontrollably, the emotional giantess crying like a child.
Unlike Hua Qiling, she felt a sense of redemption and emotion in Luo Yan’s calm words.
However, Hua Qiling, having experienced it firsthand and been thoroughly beaten up, was just glad to be alive.
“Just like the countless stories I’ve heard, filled with regret, but thankfully, with a happy ending,” the old man sighed.
“But little Miss Luo Yan, why were you inside…? I’m sorry, I don’t know the answer either. Perhaps because you carry the true power of the ‘Witch of Envy,’ and that Devil’s Apostle used you.”
Luo Yan pondered, then said noncommittally, “Perhaps.”
Her intuition told her otherwise, but she had no better explanation.
“Since it’s to protect little Miss Luo Yan, I can keep this secret for you,” the old man said.
“I’m willing to trust such a well-behaved young lady… However, I also need to be wary of your unstable ‘Envy’ ability, so—”
His expression suddenly turned mischievous as he winked at Qin Wen. “Wen’er, do something for your old man. Stay with little Miss Luo Yan for a while, okay?”
“Huh?”
Qin Wen, still wiping her tears, was caught off guard.
“Okay… huh?”
She agreed instinctively, then her face flushed bright red as she realized what she had just said.
“It’s decided then. If there are any signs of her losing control, bring her back to the Sword Saint sect immediately.” The old man looked at Luo Yan. “I’m sure this sensible young lady understands the consequences of losing control.”
“Yes, I know.”
Luo Yan nodded slightly. She was also worried about this.
She looked at the blushing Qin Wen, curtsied slightly, and said seriously,
“I’ll be troubling you then, Miss Qin Wen.”
“N-no trouble at all…”
Qin Wen waved her hands, then, noticing her master’s teasing smile, blushed even deeper.
“Alright, that’s all I have to say. This old man won’t impose on you youngsters any longer,” the Sword Saint Sect Master turned around and waved his hand. “Until we meet again, young’uns.”
The call ended, and the screen went blank.
As the old man turned away, tears seemed to be welling up in his wrinkled eyes.
After seeing Luo Yan, a strange emotion had welled up within him, uncontrollable.
He lowered his head slightly, touched his right hand, and murmured,
“Grandfather… was it you who met her…?”
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