…
After a very, very long time.
In a hospital room.
The golden-haired youth suddenly opened his eyes.
"Mmm…!"
What entered his view was a white ceiling.
He propped himself up, staring at his blue-and-white striped hospital gown, completely dazed.
Who am I? Where am I? What am I supposed to do?!
"You're awake. The surgery was a success."
By the bedside, a golden-haired man sat in a grandmaster chair, crossing his legs and speaking in a deep voice:
"Is there any discomfort in your body?"
Hearing this, the golden-haired youth began moving his limbs and said blankly:
"I'm… I'm fine now. May I ask… what exactly happened?!"
"Nothing much… You just had a surgery and are now a girl."
"Huh?!"
These words left him completely stunned!
The youth hurriedly rolled up his sleeve. Sure enough!
His arm was fair and delicate, looking exactly like a woman's.
"I…!"
He discovered that even his voice had become so soft and delicate!
"From now on, you'll be called Durandal. Because you didn't listen, your General sold you off. Now you belong to me."
"Du… Durandal?! Th-then who are you?!"
Yanqing stared blankly at the golden-haired man. Those golden pupils felt somewhat familiar.
Zeig: "…"
Yanqing: "…"
"You can call me Otto Apocal…"
"You bastard! You really think I can't recognize you?!"
Yanqing leaped up directly and yanked off Zeig's golden wig!
"It really is you!"
"…"
Zeig maintained his leg-crossed posture, fingers interlaced, and silently shifted his gaze upward.
"Even if you remove my wig, it doesn't change the fact that you've become a girl."
"Bullshit!"
Yanqing yanked off the wig on his own head as well, threw it to the ground, and roared:
"Why am I here? What exactly did you people do to me?!"
"My friend, it seems you have some misunderstanding."
"?"
Zeig slowly stood up, turned around, and said to Yanqing in a deep voice:
"First, I saved you."
"Second, your General, to apologize to the Alliance Leader, has already cut off one of his own arms and is now resting in another hospital room."
"What? Cut off… cut off one arm!"
Hearing this terrible news, Yanqing's pupils widened as if struck by lightning.
He dropped to his knees with a thud.
"Why… why would the General do this?!"
While Yanqing was gritting his teeth in grief, Zeig slowly walked in front of him and lowered his voice:
"Of course it was because of you."
"Because… me?"
"That's right. The news that you repeatedly clashed with the Astral Express crew who came to help the Xianzhou and suffered miserable defeats has already spread across the entire cosmos!"
"Your General cut off his own arm to quell public opinion and finally put this matter to rest."
Yanqing braced his hands on the ground, trembling nonstop, his eyes turning red.
"Gen… General!"
"It's all my fault… I shouldn't have privately fought these scoundrels!"
"It's okay, Durandal."
"My name is Yanqing!"
"Alright, Durandal… Although you've lost your General, you still have me!"
"Have… you?" Yanqing looked up blankly, gazing at Zeig in confusion.
"That's right!"
Zeig spread his arms as if inviting Yanqing into his embrace and laughed loudly:
"I can completely be the guide of your life, can't I? Just like how I treat my supporters! Don't worry, I'll take good care of you! Hahahahaha!"
"No… impossible! You bastard!"
Hearing this, Yanqing stood up with a flushed face, searching everywhere for his sword, and said through gritted teeth:
"I will never associate with someone like you! Where's my sword! If you have the guts, duel me. I want to avenge the General!"
Suddenly, Yanqing froze.
His gaze slowly shifted to the right.
He didn't find his sword, but he did find a camcorder pointed at the scene.
March 7th was silently squatting behind the camera, her mouth curved up in a wild grin.
"What are you doing?!" Yanqing scolded.
"I'm filming a documentary."
"Stop filming! You… and you!" Yanqing pointed at the two of them and shouted angrily:
"Just you wait! I will definitely come back for revenge!"
This loud voice was even heard by people outside the room.
The Cloud Knights standing guard by the door couldn't help whispering among themselves.
"Did Master Yanqing's brain break?"
"Shh… Keep it down. Master Yukong is right here. Don't let her hear."
"…I already heard."
"…" "…"
Yukong stood silently outside the room, listening to Yanqing's shouts from inside, her brows slightly furrowed.
BANG—!! She pushed open the door forcefully and walked straight in.
"Huh… Master Yukong, why are you…?"
Upon seeing Yukong, Yanqing was overjoyed. Then he noticed that his sword was actually still in her hand.
"Great, that's my sword!"
Yanqing ran over. When he tried to take the sword from Yukong, she stepped back and said coldly:
"Yanqing, do you know what you've done?"
"Huh…?"
Yukong pursed her thin lips and slammed the sword onto the ground with a clang.
The loud noise left Yanqing completely stunned.
"Who told you to fight Mr. Welt? How dare you privately engage in armed combat with visiting guests on the Xianzhou? Have you gone mad!"
"Mas… Master Yukong! I was trying to vent your anger! That Welt…!"
"I already said this matter is over!"
Yukong held her forehead in disappointment.
"The General searched the streets for you, yet you were lying collapsed on the street. In the end, it was the Express guests who treated you!"
"What… I fainted?" Yanqing's pupils suddenly widened. He couldn't remember what had happened at the time.
"You were too eager to win, your Dao heart unstable, and you nearly fell into mara!"
Yukong kicked the sword over to Yanqing with a thud.
"The General has ordered that during this period, you are to stay on the Xianzhou and not participate in any battles!"
"I…!"
Yanqing stared blankly at the sword at his feet and said in confusion:
"But the current situation on the Xianzhou is not optimistic. Never mind the mara-struck… there are even escaped…"
At this point, Yanqing glanced at March 7th and Zeig and skipped over it:
"…The Xianzhou needs me!"
"What the Xianzhou needs are warriors who obey orders, not hot-headed fools who charge forward recklessly!"
Yukong exhaled a breath of turbid air and looked at Yanqing coldly:
"Now, get out."
"…"
After a long silence, Yanqing clenched his palms and slowly bent down to pick up his sword.
"…Yes."
After Yanqing left with heavy steps, Yukong's gaze fell on Zeig and March 7th.
"…"