Chapter 67 - Role Playing the Dark Horse Character

Chapter 67: Do Duplicate Names Exist in the Manga World? Since this is the place where the dream began, a classic revival is indispensable. During the day, the entrance to the casino was deserted, and the wooden door was tightly shut. Whether Hua Yizhi was inside or not, Li Li stood outside, wearing a mischievous smile. "You have a look on your face that says you're up to no good," An Heyu couldn't help but comment from the side. Li Li waved her hand dismissively. "How could you call it mischief?" At this moment, Li Li needed neither a marketplace nor tools. She could freely wander within the domain of Hua Yizhi, a C-rank ability wielder. Having transformed from an ordinary person into a true A-rank, as opposed to her previous false A-rank, she stood before the wooden door with a completely different mentality. Then she raised her leg. "I'm simply bringing warmth," she said. With that, her long boot connected with the door, sending it flying in a parabolic arc before landing inside with a cloud of dust. ... For Hua Yizhi, not much time had passed since Hei Ge and the others left Desolate Dragon. He could still glean some news from their Tides allies in Four-Way City. That morning, he prepared tea for himself, holding his long pipe, and sat in his familiar spot, poring over firsthand information he had obtained through his own channels. His long pipe trembled unnaturally; his heart was not calm. He was anxious. The Ability Guild's bounty on Hei Ge was outdated news. Hua Yizhi's current concern was the recent affair where nobles had set up a stage, using the prophet's head to bait Hei Ge. To him, it was a blatant mockery of the former Ability Guild, evoking a deep sense of sadness in this veteran who had been part of the guild six years ago. Familiar faces had turned to bones, yet those nobles still critiqued and demeaned them. It was humiliating, but there was nothing they could do. Four-Way City's acting agent, Rao Yue, was an A-rank, one of their top combatants. Yet even so, they could not contend with S-rank nobles, let alone face multiple S-ranks at once. Moreover, Rao Yue was in hiding, using her power to aid their underground activities. She couldn't sacrifice their future for the remains of a fallen comrade. That was a regret they could never reclaim, a humiliating reality they had to endure. Yet what made Hua Yizhi most anxious wasn't any of this. According to recent intel, Hei Ge was likely gravely injured at the hands of Qu Yan and might not survive. "He's the leader foretold in prophecy; he won't fall here." Hua Yizhi had asserted confidently back then. But his opponent was Qu Yan, the collector of skulls. Last night, Four-Way City was surrounded by crimson light, sharp red lines descending from the sky like lethal lightning. Even Desolate Dragon, adjacent to the city, could see that swath of red above the horizon. Hua Yizhi knew something significant had transpired in Four-Way City. He believed in the prophecy and believed in Hei Ge. Surely amidst last night's calamity, Hei Ge had been present—as long as he lived. As long as he lived. Never before had the content of intelligence made Hua Yizhi so tense. He exhaled a smoke ring, set down his long pipe, and opened the front page of the report. And then— "Bang!" The casino door was kicked open. In an instant, Hua Yizhi tried to activate his ability, but there was no response. Dust filled the air, the sunlight casting the silhouette of someone standing there. A long boot stepped onto the fallen wooden door amidst the haze. For a moment, Hua Yizhi recalled the night from several days ago, when he first met that person. "Hei Ge?" he asked instinctively. Before he could process what was happening, he had already stood up, staring blankly at the door. Not for the repair costs, nor for the trouble the door's disasters had brought, but for the person intruding—was it truly the one from before? He heard a soft chuckle. "Is Hua Yizhi here?" said a cheerful voice from behind the smoke, followed by the sound of a snapping finger. "If you are, safeguard them." Hua Yizhi hadn't yet responded when suddenly, before his eyes, ten nutrient containers lined up on the counter. They appeared out of thin air, without any warning, his domain ability detecting no anomaly whatsoever. Yet Hua Yizhi neither had the time to ponder how they approached nor why items suddenly appeared before him. Because inside these containers were the skulls of their heroes they longed to retrieve—but couldn't. Heige had not only survived but also brought them back. Regaining their honor, returning their heroes to their 'homeland.' "You..." Hua Yizhi was at a loss for words. By the time he gathered his thoughts, he was already hunched over, weeping as he gazed at the central skull. He looked at the central skull, belonging to their spiritual leader, the prophet. For the first time, his vibrant face lost composure, his features knotted together. And the others too, those who once led them, standing at the forefront against the nobles and the empire. Tears glistened down his cheeks, leaving dark spots on the table. But as he intended to speak again, he lifted his gaze. The figure, once backlit at the door, had already departed. Just like before, disappearing before his eyes, yet Hua Yizhi found it harder to quell the surge of emotions in his chest. "Thank you for bringing them back," he trembled, his melodious voice now hoarse with emotion. "Please take care... on your own!" It felt like he was sending off someone journeying alone into the night, one who never looks back. After uttering those words, he lowered his head. The wind from the dislodged door swept into the room, coincidentally flipping the reports before him. There, he saw a line on the report— Hei Ge had killed Qu Yan, pinning Qu Yan's head in the heart of the square, saving the entire Four-Way City. "This is our leader, the leader foretold in prophecy." He cracked a smile, making his tear-streaked face seem somewhat split. Yet amidst laughing and crying, he declared, "Prophet, your prophecies have never been wrong." Resolute, he stated, "We will succeed in spreading the light of dawn across every city, every piece of land!" Under their leader's guidance, they would succeed. ... After delivering those difficult-to-carry skulls, Li Li and An Heyu grabbed breakfast at a Desolate Dragon street stall. "The squid and pork buns are quite good," Li Li remarked, picking one up with her chopsticks. Despite his fallen status, the aristocratic An Heyu had never tasted street food before. He bit into the bun, intrigued by its filling, "The taste is peculiar, chewy, somewhat odd, yet delicious." While eating breakfast, they discussed their next destination. "There are over fifty S-rank ability users in the empire, but only ten SS-rank," An Heyu noted. "Six of them reside in the Floating City. Of the other four, one is Desolate Dragon's lord, another is a reclusive predecessor, one is the Lin clan leader residing on their territory in Dyed-Eye City, and the whereabouts of the last one are unknown." "Those four noble factions you mentioned before?" Li Li inquired. As she asked, she gazed toward the distant sea. To think the lord, capable of transforming into a dragon, is actually SS-rank. It was sheer luck she could utilize the lord back then. "Typically, SS-rank nobles are clan leaders, residing in the Floating City. The Qu, Sang, and Feng clan leaders all live there. Only the Lin leader mysteriously stays in their subordinate land," An Heyu explained, his bun basket already empty. "Hmm." Li Li pondered. "Hei Ge, don't think about heading to Dyed-Eye City." An Heyu, frequently startled by Li Li's bold moves, urged with sincere earnestness, "The Lin clan leader's ability is eye-related. In her city, every move you make will be seen. The risk is too great." He reasoned out why Li Li might want to go, thinking, "I know you care about what happened to the prophet during their last days, but it's too risky." In An Heyu's mind, Hei Ge's concern for the prophet far surpassed anyone else's. Hence, the Sang clan, who placed the remnants of the former Ability Guild into arenas, and the Feng clan, who massacred the guild's leaders, were less significant to Hei Ge than the Lin clan that once imprisoned the prophet. After a brief contemplation, Li Li understood An Heyu's reasoning. Her response was— "Finished?" She stood, turned, and began walking down the street. "Let's go, how do we get to Dyed-Eye City?" The prophet was still a mystery to her. To make her assumed identity more convincing, she certainly needed to investigate this person thoroughly. Moreover, given An Heyu's accurate representation of Hei Ge's personality, there was no reason for someone as stubborn and unruly as Hei Ge to abandon their convictions. She sought to grow stronger, truly fearless, by confronting challenges head-on. And then, triumph over them. An Heyu, resigned, followed in her wake. "So brazen, are you really just A-rank?" he couldn't help but ask. Li Li answered, "Genuine and beyond reproach." An honest truth, for a change. The sea breeze swept through the street, bringing a refreshing chill. During this time, An Heyu finally settled on a suggestion he had mentioned earlier. "I'll go by Red Crane," An Heyu said. "Isn't that just Little Red?" Li Li thought An Heyu's ability to choose names was still lacking. She glanced ahead and suddenly remarked, "Names aren't important; no one will remember them." An Heyu paused, then replied, "You're right." He mused over Hei Ge and the prophet's relationship, adding, "The prophet was like that; many knew him only as the prophet, unaware of his real name." He then quickly added, almost as if afraid to upset Li Li, "I didn't know before either, but Yue Qing remembered." After parsing Yue Qing's soul, he had uncovered some previously unknown information. "Hmm?" Li Li responded with a nonchalant, inquisitive sound. In truth, she didn't know either, but she could pretend she did. And right now, she could learn it from An Heyu. Sure enough, An Heyu revealed it. In a tone as if answering a question, he said, "His name was Shuang Buyan, wasn't it?" "Yes." Li Li slowly blinked. On the surface, she seemed quite pleased with An Heyu's answer. But in reality... Li Li: ??? Who did you say? What name? The puppy corgi's adoptive father was also called Shuang Buyan—what a coincidence!