Akivili was getting drunk and only heard half of what was said.
"Doesn't need you?"
They half opened Their eyes, speaking unclearly.
"How could the Xianzhou not need you?"
After saying this, Akivili could not hold on anymore. Their body swayed, and still holding the wine glass, They collapsed onto the table.
Zero lowered his eyes, making it impossible for Lan to tell what he was really feeling.
The Aeon had clearly heard that sentence. He genuinely did not understand and asked, "Someone like you? What kind of person?"
Zero did not answer. He casually handed the jade communicator to Lan.
"You go pay the bill."
He stood up, walked to Akivili, took the wine glass from the Aeon's hand, and placed it on the table.
Then slowly, he lifted one of Akivili's arms and placed it over his own shoulder.
Zero supported Akivili by the shoulder and walked outside.
He stood quietly at the tavern entrance, waiting.
Lan came out a little later. When He saw Zero, He froze for a moment, then handed the jade communicator over.
Zero did not take it. He only said, "Find a hotel first."
One god and one human brought along the drunk person and went to the most luxurious hotel in Xuling, booking the top floor suite.
One waiter carefully placed Akivili in one of the bedrooms.
Another waiter softly asked whether they needed late night food or drinks.
Lan did not speak and looked toward the Marshal.
Zero raised his hand and pointed at a bottle of white wine on the rack, then asked a random question.
"Do you have a doctor here?"
The waiter replied that as long as the guest needed it, a doctor could be called at any time, day or night.
Zero nodded.
"I understand. Thank you for your hard work."
He walked toward the floor to ceiling window. The night view in front of him seemed no different from what he had seen elsewhere.
He had seen the coastline of a vacation planet from a cruise ship.
Lights flickered on and off, in different colors, trying to compete with the stars.
He had once looked down from the floor to ceiling window at the top floor of a Xianzhou hotel.
If compared to a painting, then this picture in front of him, even without lights, would not lose any beauty from its streets and rivers.
Zero withdrew his gaze and sat in the seat closest to the window.
He looked at Lan and smiled.
"Why aren't you sitting?"
Lan walked a few steps forward. Just as He was about to sit across from the Marshal, He saw the other man pat the seat beside him.
"Sit here."
Lan followed his words and sat beside Zero.
Next to the seat was a small table, with the wine Zero had chosen and two wine glasses on it.
Zero picked up the bottle and first poured a glass for Lan.
His eyes were gentle, his tone carrying some emotion.
"It's been a long time since we properly talked."
Such a gentle attitude made Lan somewhat at a loss. He opened His mouth, about to say something, but Zero had already started talking about their past, bringing up the small bits of warmth buried in old memories.
To an Aeon, the stories the Marshal told about His time as a human were like the scenery outside the window.
Like a night view seen through fog, unclear and hard to distinguish, only a few points of light managing to break through and be seen.
When He was human, there were very few people who could affect Lan's emotions.
Before becoming an Aeon, Lan had made a deal with the Flint Emperor, who fed on emotions. After becoming an Aeon, aside from hatred, He could hardly feel any other emotions.
Today, after a long time, Lan once again felt the emotions He had when He was human.
He could not describe how he felt.
It was like two children digging through toys, searching through memories without any order.
Whether painful or happy, everything was taken out and placed in front of them bit by bit.
Lan heard the Marshal talk, sometimes with regret, sometimes lightly, about colleagues He never got the chance to work with, about the period He was forced into sleep and missed, about His mother.
"She once asked me a question. She asked whether everything Lan did had any meaning."
The Marshal lowered his eyes, as if he did not want Lan to see his real emotions.
"To be honest, I had never thought about that question back then."
"By the time I figured out the answer… it was already too late."
Zero fell silent for a moment.
After he lost one of his subordinates, he found his answer.
Zero then continued, "Your mother also said you often mentioned me in front of her. She said that in your words, I was not someone with emotions like joy or anger, but more like a god."
Lan nodded slightly, confirming it.
Zero continued, "She also said you wanted me to think more about myself, not always about the Xianzhou."
Lan slowly shook His head, "I never said that."
Zero almost laughed, "I knew it. You of all people, how could you think of something like that?"
That mother had been too smart. She had already guessed the truth from small clues.
When she was young her husband died. When she was middle aged her son's life and death were unknown.
She had already waited her whole life and truly did not want to wait any longer. More than being someone's wife or someone's mother, she wanted to be herself.
But before she died, she was still worried about her quiet, poor speaking son.
Maybe one day she would not live to see, her son would come back alive.
So she said those words in front of Zero.
At that time, the Marshal might remember old feelings and take care of Lan a little.
Even at the end of her life, she still struggled to support her son, doing everything she could to pave the road for Lan.
Zero sighed.
"Lan, your mother loved you very much."
Lan stayed silent for a long time before saying, "Marshal, there are also many people who love you."
Zero, "..."
He understood the hidden meaning of the Aeon's words.
Lan was trying to make him stay.
Zero let out a long sigh.
"I just…"
'Feel a little tired.'
"I feel everything is boring."
"Everything in this world has no meaning."
Lan did not know what to say, so He brought up their contract again.
"Marshal, you and I had a contract. As long as you need it, I will do anything."
Zero looked steadily at Lan and shook his head.
"Lan, you remembered it wrong."
"Your contract partner isn't me. It's the Xianzhou."
"At that time, you said as long as the Xianzhou needed it, you would do anything."
He said seriously, "Your next partner is Hua."
"Take back that portion of your power."
Zero chuckled softly, "Speaking of which, you really are generous, giving away one tenth of your divine power."
Lan refused immediately, "Something that's been given, how can it be taken back?"
Zero looked at the Aeon beside him for a long time.
"Your mother once asked me whether you made me proud."
"To be honest, at that time I cursed you in my heart. I cursed you for making decisions on your own, for wanting to shoot the Ambrosial Arbor without telling me."
"But in front of your mother, I could only lie to her."
Lan's expression shifted slightly.
Zero's eyes softened. He raised his hand and placed it on the Aeon's shoulder.
"But now... my answer is, Lan, I am proud of you..."
"You are the subordinate who makes me the most proud..."
Lan instinctively felt something was wrong.
He lowered His head and saw that the other man was pressing His carotid artery with his thumb.
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