In Order To Ascend, I Became A Modern Wage Slave - Chapter 46: Xun Yu Part 2

Chapter 46: Xun Yu Part 2

 

Who knows what year it is tonight? Xi Yu calculated briefly. When he first met Lian Bei, Lian Bei appeared to be in his twenties, and at this moment, he should be around five or six years old.

 

The day Lian Bei ascended was most likely the same day as Xi Yi’s grand sacrificial ceremony.

 

If the timeline is calculated this way, he should only be four or five years old now.

 

So old.

 

Xi Yu joked to himself and quickly refocused.

 

When he was four or five years old, he once traveled far from home. The destination was not far from here. Xi Yu vaguely remembered it was the site of the ancient shrine of the Xi Yu Kingdom, located somewhat to the south of here, about half a day’s walk.

 

If he was lucky, he might encounter his younger self and could rob himself for money.

 

If not, at worst, he’d fly to the imperial city and steal some. It wasn’t particularly dangerous. After all, he had lived there for over a decade and was thoroughly familiar with it. Moreover, at this time, Xi Yi was just a teenager, certainly not as meticulous. Even if he were sharp enough to notice, he likely couldn’t defeat him.

 

At most, it would just waste more time.

 

At this moment, Xi Yu had completely forgotten that where he was now was in a book written by Bai Fan and not actually the past.

 

Xi Yu originally intended to bribe Lian Bei with candied hawthorns. It always worked in the past. When he reached the door and extended his hand halfway, he suddenly stopped.

 

The success of bribery was premised on Lian Bei being willing to accept him.

 

Now, it seemed, it wouldn’t work.

 

Inside the house, Lian Bei opened his eyes, watching the shadow on the window gradually shrink and leave. He inexplicably felt a pang of loss.

 

Logically, since he had followed him here, there was no reason to just run off like that.

 

He must be doing it on purpose, harboring some ill-intentioned plan to deal with him.

 

Lian Bei reflected for a moment. He had been meditating under that tree as usual when suddenly, an unconscious man appeared beside him without a sound. This man initially acted as if they were very familiar, but upon realizing Lian Bei’s indifferent reaction, quickly distanced himself. Yet, he still showed a lack of boundaries, immediately asking for his help.

 

The moment Xi Yu spoke, Lian Bei felt an ominous premonition rise in his heart.

 

But as long as he stayed still, no misfortune could harm him.

 

Lian Bei closed his eyes again, sitting cross-legged in meditation. After a while, he opened his eyes, stepped out of the house, and grabbed the blue-green sword on the table.

 

He had to take care of this matter anyway.

 

It couldn’t be ruined by a random stranger.

 

Perhaps this person was trying to do the opposite of what he expected.

 

This book wasn’t very kind to Xi Yu. He squatted in Lian Bei’s backyard, leaning against a boulder, and finished eating the two skewers of candied hawthorns. By the time he was done, his teeth hurt a bit. He suddenly began wondering why he liked eating such things as a child.

 

He had always been confined within the imperial city, almost never venturing outside.

 

But in his memory, the first time he left the imperial city, he went straight for this treat.

 

How had he learned of its existence?

 

Staring at the two skewers, Xi Yu pondered. He blinked, and the scene before him drastically changed.

 

In the darkness, he slowly opened his eyes. A beam of light pierced the darkness, gradually enlarging and descending.

 

He was pulled out of a sack.

 

“Still alive?” A burly man with a full beard pointed at him and said, “Your eyes are bulging bigger than the beads in your hand.”

 

Xi Yu: “…”

 

He looked around. Behind him were burly men curled up in the corners. At the exit was a crowd of people, black as ink. There were probably more outside, guarding against any escape attempts.

 

“Kid, stop overthinking. Even if you escape, you’ll only face a dead end.” The burly man bent down with a lewd smile.

 

Xi Yu felt there was more to his words. “Kill me?”

 

“You’ll die even if we don’t kill you.” The man pressed his hand on Xi Yu’s head, shoving him toward the group of children. “Your family sent you to us. No one’s coming to save you, so stay put.”

 

Was this kid really so miserable?

 

Xi Yu looked down at his clothes, which were made of fine fabrics befitting a noble child of the time. How could his family send him away just like that?

 

The man didn’t seem to be lying.

 

It was likely the family had been misled, or perhaps this child was born solely for this sacrificial ceremony.

 

At the time, such an appalling phenomenon was all too common. For the sake of gods, they would abandon blood ties without hesitation.

 

Xi Yu was among the youngest there, having to look up at everyone he met.

 

The group of children had already chosen an older boy as their leader. The boy, though despondent, took Xi Yu by the hand and comforted him, “It’s okay. They said we’ll get out soon. Don’t… You’re the bravest kid I’ve ever met.”

 

“It’s okay,” Xi Yu replied, a bit unaccustomed to his own voice. After a pause, he patted the older boy’s back in reverse comfort. “Don’t be sad either. We’ll get out soon.”

 

The boy forced a bitter smile and asked, “What’s your name?”

 

Without hesitation, Xi Yu said, “Xiao Bei.”

 

Having endured hardships, Xi Yu found the food here, though simple, was provided twice daily without fail. They wouldn’t starve.

 

From the children’s chatter and bits of conversation among the guards, Xi Yu pieced together useful information and filled in gaps himself.

 

Some of these children had been stolen by the group, others were orphans picked up by them, and only Xi Yu was unique—sent by his own family.

 

The deity they were offering sacrifices to wasn’t a minor god or an evil one. It was a renowned figure of the time, officially sanctioned by the royal family, allowing them to act so brazenly.

 

In five days, they would be bound together and burned on a pyre of wood, reduced to ashes as offerings to the god.

 

Meanwhile, more children were brought in, the idea being that the more children, the greater the offerings.

 

But what were they gaining?

 

Three days before the ceremony, Xi Yu finally found the answer—he saw his imperial brother.

 

Xi Yi stood with arms crossed, looking down at them from above. Despite his youth, his features already carried a hint of malice. Xi Yu thought to himself how heavily he had filtered his brother in the past to only now realize he was no good.

 

All the other children lowered their heads, except Xi Yu, who gazed up at him. Their eyes met, and Xi Yi’s gaze lingered on him for a moment before he blinked and curled his lips slightly.

 

A moment later, he turned and waved his hand. “The count is almost enough—123. Watch them carefully tomorrow. I’ll recount, and if even one is missing, you’ll all take their place.”

 

“Yes, yes.”

 

This deity was the one their father worshipped.

 

The one who kept the country prosperous.

 

Fewer children meant fewer expenses, leaving more surplus funds.

 

So, they were all the same…

 

And what about the Xi Yu Kingdom before? So many blessings—how had they been obtained? Such stark, cruel clarity stripped people of independent thought.

 

Xi Yu didn’t dare think deeply. Overwhelmed by fear, he squatted alone in a corner, pondering an escape plan.

 

He glanced at his palm, suddenly wanting to see what he looked like now.

 

Because he felt Xi Yi’s earlier words were meant specifically for him.

 

But with double the guards outside, escaping seemed impossible unless a hole miraculously appeared in the corner, allowing him to sneak away under the children’s cover.

 

Late at night, Xi Yu observed the crying, sleeping children and suddenly had an idea.

 

On the eve of the sacrifice, Xi Yi came again. This time, Xi Yu scrutinized his expression, noticing how Xi Yi’s frown softened the moment he spotted him, his movements growing perfunctory as he finished the headcount in haste.

 

From outside came their father’s voice. “Yi’er, are the numbers sufficient?”

 

“Yes,” Xi Yi replied, quickening his pace out the door.

 

At this moment, Xi Yu suddenly jumped up and shouted, “Brother! Brother! It’s me, Brother! Please take me away! I don’t want to stay here!”

 

Immediately, the nearest guard rushed forward, covering his mouth and nose. Xi Yu widened his eyes, unable to breathe.

 

“I think I heard Yu’er’s voice,” his father said suspiciously.

 

“You must be mistaken, Father,” Xi Yi replied coldly. “If my younger brother were here, I would have recognized him long ago.”

 

“Ah, I shouldn’t have let the boy come out. What if he’s gone for good?”

 

“Find another one then,” Xi Yi said. “As for Mother… I’ll handle it.”

 

Xi Yu recognized the man who silenced him—it was one of Xi Yi’s men stationed to monitor him in the Divine Punishment Grounds.

 

Xi Yi’s subordinate.

 

…

 

When he opened his eyes again, he met a pair of calm, indifferent eyes. Startled, Xi Yu instinctively moved back, then realized to whom those eyes belonged.

 

“You scared me,” Xi Yu exhaled. “What are you doing here?”

 

Lian Bei replied, “I should be asking you that.”

 

The next moment, a flash of silver appeared. The blade of a sword hovered a fingernail’s distance from Xi Yu’s neck. Lian Bei coldly said, “Who are you?”

 

Now fully awake, Xi Yu had calmed down and showed no fear. “You’ll find out eventually. I can tell you this: I’m not who you think I am.”

 

“How do you know what I think of you?”

 

“A villain, a bad person, someone guilty of heinous crimes.” Xi Yu pinched the blade, pushing it away slightly. “Since you’re cultivating, you must despise such people, right?”

 

Lian Bei furrowed his brows, watching him.

 

Xi Yu smiled at him. “That’s great. No matter what, we’re on the same side now. Do you believe me?”

 

After a long standoff, Lian Bei withdrew his sword.

 

“There are 123 children over there, guarded by about 200 people. Saving them won’t be easy. Judging by your demeanor, you plan to take on this mission alone,” Xi Yu said, looking down. “I’ve got good news for you: you’re not alone anymore.”

 

After some thought, Xi Yu added, “Later, I might disappear again. If you see a child with a ponytail and an ink-blue ribbon, looking very good, that’s me.”

 

Xi Yu’s calmness amidst the crisis lent him credibility in Lian Bei’s eyes. Lian Bei scanned him again, his expression softening. “Are you a god?”

 

“No,” Xi Yu replied, looking at him. “But if you want me to be, I can be.”

 

A god is just a title bestowed by people, isn’t it?