In Order To Ascend, I Became A Modern Wage Slave - Chapter 27: Xī Yù (End)

Chapter 27: Xī Yù (End)

 

Xī Yù angrily said, “What do you mean by ‘how did I become like this’? What have I become? Don’t you know why I’ve become like this? Are you pretending not to know? Stop acting all pitiful with me, I’ve had enough of it!”

 

Xī Yì, unprepared, was slapped by Xī Yù so hard that his head turned halfway, but in that instant, a flicker of joy flashed in his eyes.

 

Xī Yù didn’t even want to look at him, so he didn’t catch that strange emotion. Xī Yì covered his face, quickly regaining his usual gentle smile, but his eyes now held a bit of sorrow. He said, “Why am I acting pitiful? Isn’t it because my dear brother ascended to immortality? It’s been so long without any news. I thought it was because I, as your elder brother, made you unwilling to fulfill their wishes. Xī Yù, I know you’re angry with me, but without me, would you have what you have today?”

 

Without me, would you have what you have today?

 

Without me, would you have what you have today?

 

Without me, would you have what you have today?

 

…………

 

This line was simply too ridiculous. How shameless could he be to say something like that?

 

Xī Yù coldly reminded him, “Xī Yì, when you plotted to kill me, did you consider any brotherly bond? Did you think I would die, or that I would ascend instead? How shameless do you have to be to put these words on your face? Didn’t you find it funny yourself?”

 

Xī Yì shook his head and said, “Sigh, little brother, now you don’t even call me ‘elder brother’ anymore. Well, it’s my fault for teaching you wrongly. It’s normal for you to hate me. But Xī Yù, you must understand, as a member of the royal family, from the moment you were born, you were destined not to live just for your own happiness. I’ve raised you this way so you would understand your responsibilities.”

 

“When I tried to kill you, it was a helpless move. You were getting too popular, and the political situation in the court was unstable. Everyone was rallying around you, and I was like sitting on a bed of nails. My position as emperor was in danger of losing the people’s hearts.” Xī Yì reached out to pat Xī Yù’s head, but was immediately pushed away. He had to drop his hand and said, “Little brother, the royal family is cruel. All dangers must be nipped in the bud when they first appear.”

 

It was truly being both the father and the teacher.

 

Xī Yù felt that if they kept going, Xī Yì would paint him as a villain throughout history. He quickly interrupted, saying, “Enough, stop! I didn’t come here to talk about these things. I’m here to tell you to tear down all my temples. If you want to solidify your damn throne and win the people’s hearts, use that money to train soldiers, send more food to the soldiers at the border. Relying on gods is useless.”

 

Xī Yì asked, “They’ve been praying to you day and night for over half a year. Don’t you want to help them at all?”

 

Xī Yù coldly replied, “Xī Yì, stop pretending to be stupid. You’ve built dozens of temples and not a single idol. What are you up to? You know it better than anyone.”

 

Xī Yì said, “Are you angry? Your idol is being recast. It will be put up in a few days.”

 

Xī Yù was almost at his wits’ end. “I’ve already said it’s unnecessary. Can’t you understand human speech? Why would you rather believe that someone else has the power to help you, but not trust yourself?”

 

Xī Yì disagreed, “Little brother, if everyone thought like you, then why would there be strong and weak people in this world? If someone broke their leg and wanted to see the world, besides asking someone to carry them, what else could they do?”

 

“We’re not saying the same thing. I’m saying that many times, they clearly have the ability to solve things, yet they still sit still and wait for others to help.”

 

Xī Yù knew their thoughts would never align. Even if they argued till the sky turned dark, they would still stick to their own views.

 

He interrupted, “I’m not a god anymore. I never wanted to be one. Whoever wants to be a god, let them be. The only thing I can do now is help you hold the fort at the border for a while. As for the rest, as the ruler of a nation, figure it out yourself.”

 

Xī Yì shook his head in disbelief, looking at Xī Yù with a kind of regret that one might have for a hopeless younger sibling. “Brother, you’re truly too foolish.”

 

“I’m happy to be foolish.”

 

No amount of money can buy my happiness.

 

Xī Yù gave Xī Yì one last disdainful glance before flying away.

 

Xī Yì watched Xī Yù’s retreating figure, a smile curling on his lips as he softly said, “You don’t know how many people want you.”

 

—

 

Xī Yù’s appearance caused a huge stir.

 

It was rumored that he had ascended, so now he must be an immortal.

 

The first time seeing him…

 

A living god!

 

It had been a long time since such a grand scene had unfolded. Xī Yù, taken by surprise, wasn’t ready with any words to respond. In the end, he chose to stand still, silently watching them.

 

“Why isn’t the Second Prince speaking?”

 

“Ah! He’s become a god, how could his temperament be the same as before? Look at his expression, his posture, and his aura. A noble and cold immortal!”

 

“Look, since the Second Prince came, the weather has improved!”

 

“Yes, yes! We’re saved!”

 

“May the war end soon! I hope my husband and children will return home soon!”

 

…

 

Meanwhile, in the courtyard behind the divine hall, Xī Yì stood with his hands behind his back, admiring the rows of golden idols, a satisfied smile on his face.

 

At that moment, someone quickly ran up, knelt beside him, and reported, “We successfully revealed the Second Prince’s whereabouts. Now, he’s been intercepted by those people.”

 

Xī Yì nodded. “Good. Did the Second Prince say anything?”

 

The man in black replied, “The Second Prince said that he has abdicated his position as a god and has descended to the mortal world. Now, he is just like everyone else—an ordinary person…”

 

Before he could finish speaking, Xī Yì couldn’t help but laugh and said, “I almost forgot, he’s only 17 this year.”

 

Even when Xī Yì was his age, he could hardly control his emotions. He regretted it for a long time. If he had used a different approach back then, Xī Yù wouldn’t have been so difficult to control now.

 

Back then, Xī Yì thought everyone would bow down for power and oppression. But now, Xī Yù believed that everyone would fight for beauty and freedom.

 

Who cares about that?

 

Xī Yì turned his head, looking at the idol opposite him. Its features were sculpted in a refined and gentlemanly way, giving off a feeling of warmth, yet upon closer inspection, there was a shrewdness in its eyes, making one unknowingly feel a sense of respect and awe.

 

This idol was him.

 

All the idols here were him.

 

Xī Yì said, “By now, the outside must be in chaos. It’s time to start saying that Xī Yù caused the disaster, and I am the true god. Remember, don’t overdo it.”

 

Superstitious people like to look for signs to prove their unrealistic guesses.

 

And there are so many things happening in the world every day, surely one or two things will match. Once a hook is set, that guess will be firmly established.

 

Then, everyone will spread the word—

 

Wow! So it turns out everything had been predicted all along!

 

…

 

Xī Yù didn’t go far before arriving at the border. Since his departure, Xī Yù’s country had no capable generals. The nation of Nuò Zhī heard the news and pursued them relentlessly, eventually cornering them here, just a hundred miles away from the imperial city.

 

What he saw were all new faces. When they saw Xī Yù, they didn’t show any enthusiasm but merely listlessly scooped thin porridge, picking out the rice grains.

 

Xī Yù didn’t mind. He walked around the tents, noticed that the commanding officer had changed, and listened to reports about the recent battles and the current conditions and rules of the camp. Afterward, Xī Yù paused and asked, “What about Fang Nan and the others?”

 

“General Fang and the others…” The commander, with eyes weathered by years of hardship, paused briefly as his gaze lingered on Xi Yu’s face. “General Fang and the others are dead.”

 

Dead?!

 

Xi Yu asked, “Did they die in battle?”

 

The commander shook his head. “Probably, it was on the day the Second Prince ascended.”

 

Eight of them, worried about Xi Yu’s safety, had followed him, witnessing his ascension firsthand, and then were all ruthlessly slaughtered by Xi Yi?

 

Xi Yi repeatedly claimed to act for the country, yet when things went awry, he exterminated all the commanders at the border without a second thought, completely disregarding how long the Kingdom of Xiyu could survive without them!

 

Xi Yu truly couldn’t understand him anymore—what exactly did he want?

 

If the country is destroyed, what good is the throne to him?!

 

Xi Yu hadn’t been here long when a new battle began. Just like before, Xi Yu stood at the front with a spear in hand, keeping a distance of three feet between himself and the people behind him. The two armies faced each other, dust swirling in the wind, and the atmosphere remained tense, unsure of what trick the opposing side was playing.

 

Xi Yu wasn’t here to play games. He intended to reclaim the lost territory as quickly as possible, then throw it to Xi Yi, saying casually, “I don’t owe you anymore!”

 

After a long while, the enemy’s heads began to move, and a gap appeared in the line. A burly man with a thick beard riding a horse slowly emerged in front of Xi Yu.

 

With a heavy accent, he shouted at him, “Xi Yu, what do you mean by this? Are you going back on your word?”

 

Xi Yu looked up at him. “Go back on my word?”

 

Nima laughed and reached for his chest: “As expected, the noble forget things easily. Luckily, I was prepared. Look, this is the written agreement we negotiated back then. It clearly states that we are to be given five cities unconditionally, and you even stamped it with your seal. Do you remember now?”

 

Xi Yu snatched the paper from him. The text on it was exactly as Nima described, and the red general’s seal was glaringly obvious.

 

If Fang Yuan and the others were still here, they would have recognized at a glance that this was definitely not done by Xi Yu.

 

Because Xi Yu was lazy; once a mission was completed, he would consider everything settled, so the seal was passed among the eight of them.

 

Xi Yu turned around. The soldiers behind him had clearly overheard their conversation, and their gazes shifted from shock to resentment. Among them were those whose families had been taken by the Kingdom of Nu, and they were eager for revenge. They almost wished to rush forward and tear Xi Yu apart.

 

The change happened in an instant.

 

But the outburst had been building for a long time.

 

Xi Yu had always been their protector, the guardian of the nation. They had placed all their hopes in him, desperately wishing for him to help them escape their plight.

 

They held Xi Yu in the highest regard, believing that he owed them a great debt, one he would surely repay sooner or later. The longer it took, the greater their desire for that repayment grew.

 

But at the same time, the lack of response from Xi Yu made them start to doubt.

 

People only blindly follow when there is benefit. Once that benefit is no longer clear, they quickly become sharp.

 

If Xi Yu did something that did not meet their expectations or even went against them, they would no longer care about whether it was true or false. Hope turned to resentment, resentment sparked conflict, and it became the perfect outlet for their frustrations.

 

—

 

When Xi Yu broke into the imperial city, chaos had already erupted.

 

“How can he be a good man? He gave up his divine status and descended to the mortal realm. It’s obvious he doesn’t want to protect us!”

 

“Going to the border to fight is just an excuse for a show. Look how thin he is, if I punched him, his bones would break.”

 

“I think he never ascended at all!”

 

“Yeah, throughout history, hasn’t every ascendant experienced betrayal and suffering? I heard he just slept through it—how come such good luck didn’t fall on me?”

 

“It’s definitely fake! Everyone else is fighting to become immortal, but he’s giving it up. Anyone with a brain would never do something like this!”

 

“I think so too, and he’s pretending to be so noble, talking about being high and aloof. Who’s he fooling?”

 

…

 

The group of people chattered at Xi Yu, but Xi Yu simply ascended the heavenly path, away from the worldly distractions, heading straight for the imperial palace main hall.

 

Xi Yi was alone inside, sitting high above as if he had known Xi Yu would come, waiting for him. He stood up slowly, walked down from the high seat, and said, “Your Highness, it’s been a few days, it feels like years. Come, tell me, what’s made you so angry?”

 

Xi Yi took a step forward, but Xi Yu drew his sword and held it against Xi Yi’s throat, creating a clear distance between them. Xi Yu asked, “What exactly do you want to do?”

 

Xi Yi’s face showed a hint of fear as he stared at the gleaming sword. “Your Highness, what do I want to do? What are you going to do?”

 

Xi Yu replied, “Don’t pretend you don’t understand.”

 

Xi Yi suddenly realized: “Brother, I won’t blame you for giving away the cities. After all, you were just trying to stop the war. I forgive you. Put down your sword, and let’s talk, shall we?”

 

Seeing Xi Yu’s face twisted in anger, Xi Yi pushed further: “What can you solve by doing this? Kill me? Your brother treated you so well, can you really bring yourself to do that? I raised you with all my strength, and this is how you repay me?”

 

Sigh — Xi Yi looked at him with deep disappointment, as if searching for a cause, “What happened to you? Was it that tutor you had? I shouldn’t have hired him. He’s ruined you.”

 

Bang!

 

The tension in Xi Yu’s mind snapped!

 

He looked at the ugly expression in front of him and could no longer hold back.

 

“Despicable, shameless, full of lies!” Xi Yu’s eyes turned bloodshot as he threw the sword down, lunging at Xi Yi. He grabbed his neck and slammed his head into the wall. “Am I giving you face? Am I too good to you? Is this how you treat me?!”

 

Xi Yi still didn’t understand: “What have I done to you?”

 

Xi Yu slammed him repeatedly against the wall, shouting, “Speak in human language!”

 

The back of Xi Yi’s head cracked open, blood splattering onto the wall. It wasn’t that Xi Yu was so forceful, but that Xi Yi, using Xi Yu’s momentum, had repeatedly bashed his own head into the wall.

 

When the blood appeared, Xi Yu stopped.

 

Without support, Xi Yi slid down the wall, powerless.

 

Xi Yu mocked, “Don’t think I’ll pity you for this!”

 

Xi Yi, hanging on by a thread, finally cracked a twisted smile and told Xi Yu the truth: “Brother, do you know why you can never receive human merit? Because the day you ascended, I knew what had happened.

 

There was no road in the world, but when enough people walked, it became a path. Similarly, there were no gods, but when enough people prayed, they became gods.

 

I’ll go replace your statue soon, put up mine instead, and use your ascension to pave the way for my own. Honestly, I should thank you for helping me, making my plan go so smoothly—”

 

Xi Yu picked up the sword from the ground and thrust it straight into Xi Yi’s abdomen.

 

Xi Yi said, “Look, you’re helping me again. I won’t die.”

 

These words succeeded in enraging Xi Yu, and he stabbed him several more times, his mind blank, only knowing that this person had to die. “You won’t die! You won’t die! I’ll show you whether you can die or not.”

 

Blood splattered all over Xi Yu, but Xi Yi, amidst the blood, broke into a strange smile and softly said to Xi Yu, “I’ll become a god.”

 

Boom!

 

Xi Yu was struck by thunder, his steps heavy as he walked. Shen Mochuan, who had received Xi Yi’s orders, rushed over and saw this scene. He suddenly felt a pang of pity.

 

Every step of the young man seemed to make him grow older.

 

He was only seventeen or eighteen, but before this, he had always carried the innocence of youth. Now, in front of him, he seemed as if he were twenty-seven or twenty-eight, bearing the weight of hardship and worldly wisdom, his sharpness subdued.

 

The bloodshot hue in Xi Yu’s eyes had not yet faded when he passed by Shen Mochuan, only pausing for a moment, rasping, “Prepare for tomorrow’s coronation ceremony.”

 

Dragging a blood-soaked sword, his legs felt as though they were tied with lead. He walked step by step, incredibly heavy. Once he was out of everyone’s sight, Xi Yu leaned against a wall and began to vomit, as if his innards were about to come out.

 

The coronation ceremony included the ritual of asking the heavens. Xi Yu discarded that part.

 

Everything had gone smoothly until the sky, which had been clear and bright, suddenly darkened, and the surroundings turned black. Only lightning flashed across the faces of everyone looking up, a threat, a warning.

 

According to the scriptures, the omen of a fallen nation.

 

— “In the first year of Yuanqi, Xi Yu’s ambition was exposed, and he usurped the throne. However, Heaven favored Xi Yi, striking him with thunder and elevating him to the divine realm, where he became the True Lord of Justice.”

 

After Xi Yi ascended, a series of events followed—plague, drought, and then floods…

 

One disaster after another confirmed Xi Yu’s omen of the fall of the kingdom.

 

More and more bad news spread, turning him from the Son of Heaven to the Son of Calamity.

 

Xi Yu had sometimes considered abandoning the country, even flying out impulsively one night, but seeing the homeless people on the road, he sighed and returned to his seat.

 

He knew better than anyone who had brought all these calamities.

 

Xi Yi.

 

He would rather forgo the divine position than do the things Xi Yi had. To Xi Yi, it was just trivial matters.

 

— “In the second year of Yuanxu, Xi Yu ordered the overthrow of all national temples, trying to enforce atheism, overturn feudal beliefs, disregarding the people’s complaints, and standing alone, never gaining the people’s heart.”

 

— “In the second year of Yuanxu, floods struck, causing heavy casualties in Xiyu. That same year, foreign enemies invaded, and there were only a thousand or so soldiers to resist. Among them, more than 30% were under the age of ten. The war ended in defeat, and nearly half of the kingdom’s territory was lost.”

 

Countless natural disasters culminated in a human-made catastrophe.

 

Some took advantage of the chaos to rebel.

 

To calm the people’s hearts, Xi Yu personally went to the front lines to kill enemies and show his sincerity.

 

Leading the charge with only a hundred soldiers.

 

Unfortunately… they were defeated in the end.

 

A bullet struck Xi Yu from behind, knocking him off his horse. Unprepared, Xi Yu tumbled off, exhausted and unable to move, closing his eyes.

 

His earlier life had been a blur, a passing parade. Now, only the last breath remained. He closed his eyes, and the noise around him faded, returning to silence. He opened his eyes and gazed at the sky.

 

Suddenly, something hit the ground with a “plop,” rolling toward him. Xi Yu forced himself to sit up, feeling like a wooden puppet.

 

He picked it up, startled.

 

It was the statue he had carved years ago—the Lord of the North.

 

Had it not appeared before him today, he might have forgotten about it entirely. Xi Yu turned it over, confirming it was his work.

 

Why was it here?

 

His consciousness was fading, and he lacked the energy to think. His grip loosened, and the statue rolled from his hand again.

 

The world around him became hazy with several overlapping shadows. Footsteps approached, and after a moment, a pair of boots stopped in front of him.

 

Xi Yi crouched down, pinched his chin, and lifted his head, saying, “Ah, my dear brother, truly pitiful.”

 

“You don’t believe in gods, but there are those who do. You don’t worship gods, but there are those who do. You destroyed the idols, but others secretly carve new ones. This simple logic, you still don’t understand?”

 

“Should I say you’re naïve, or should I say you’re foolish? Trying to change this rule that’s lasted for thousands of years. What do you think you are?”

 

“Well, I didn’t come to argue with you today. I came to take the remaining divine power from you. Such a good thing, it’s a waste to give it to you. Better to hand it all over to me; it’s better used this way.”

 

Saying this, he pressed his finger against Xi Yu’s forehead.

 

Xi Yu felt something quickly leaving his body.

 

He wanted to strangle Xi Yi, take him down with him, but now he was a puppet, completely powerless, unable even to speak the curses in his heart.

 

Suddenly, a flash of golden light appeared in his peripheral vision.

 

It seemed to come from the Lord of the North statue that had fallen to the ground.

 

Xi Yu closed his eyes and said, “If you truly exist, I pray to you, let me live.”

 

Before he could finish speaking, his consciousness disappeared, and he fell into an endless darkness.

 

In that darkness, someone suddenly appeared, grabbing his hand and leading him forward.