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Chapter 362 - 359: "Rin.

Chapter 362: Chapter 359: "Rin.

Su Ming’an looked at the Red Level magic wand in his hand.

Bonnie had dropped a Red Level Fire Series magic wand, which was completely useless to him, perhaps it could be given to Noel as a return for the previous Red Level weapon favor.

He walked into the church.

The church was one of the few places in Pulaya that remained unchanged, with knights and priests still lingering there. The flames of war had not spread here, making the place look exceptionally peaceful.

Perhaps because the Pope had been notified in advance, his journey here was particularly smooth, and he headed straight for the central Hall of Light.

The red crystal stood quietly inside. After confirming that there were no other players around, he notified Lin Yin to hurry over.

It was one o’clock ten minutes past midnight, Lin Yin had just taken the eighth Resource Point, with only the tenth remaining.

It would take her about half an hour to get there, and Su Ming’an simply sat down on the bench nearby.

The hall was very quiet. He gazed at the stained glass painting, suddenly noticing something was amiss.

He stood up and looked carefully at the painting, and suddenly realized it was strikingly similar to the one hanging in the Royal City.

...It was the picture of a priest releasing a white dove in front of the burning church.

Even though the stained glass painting seemed abstract, the painting had made a profound impression on him, so he remembered it completely.

He approached and touched the bottom of the painting, and suddenly heard the system prompt:

[You have completed the Perfect Pass prerequisite quest "Maritime Banquet".]

[You have obtained the Perfect Pass "Heaven’s Line" Main Quest.]

[Main Quest "Vandilun and His Heaven": Kill the "Brave".]

[Hint: By exploring the Royal City, you can find specific information about the Brave’s identity.]

[Quest completion reward: 30% progress towards Perfect Completion.]

[Perfect Completion Progress: 60%]

...

[*You have obtained Su Rin’s Memory Stone.]

[Su Rin’s Memory Stone: A stone Su Rin used to record the past, allowing entrance to a segment of Su Rin’s past. (Digging deeper into identity clues can yield more Memory Stones, which can boost Perfect Completion progress.)]

...

Su Ming’an certainly didn’t expect that touching the painting would yield so much information.

He looked at the red Memory Stone in his hand, pondering whether to look into it now.

After all, there was more than half an hour until Lin Yin arrived, and he didn’t really have anything to do in the meantime.

And besides, who exactly was this so-called "Brave"...

As he pondered, he still crushed the Memory Stone in his hand.

...

In the misty sea fog, the white sails of fishing boats appeared and disappeared like seagulls.

Su Ming’an opened his eyes and saw crew members moving around in front of him.

"Captain, we’ve spotted something unusual ahead," said a crew member speaking to him.

"What kind of unusual?" Su Rin asked, his voice noticeably much younger, like he wasn’t yet an adult.

This Memory Stone seemed to portray a scene before the incident in Yun Shang City. Su Rin had not yet become the so-called Great Engineer Su.

"...It might be, sea monsters," the crew member swallowed hard, "We seem to have heard some eerie singing."

"Avoid it," Su Rin immediately ordered.

He commanded the surrounding crew members to turn, and he himself ran to the very front of the boat to take a look with the telescope.

Through the baffling sea fog, one could just barely make out an island on the distant sea, with faint singing drifting from it.

Sea monsters possess the ability to bewitch human hearts. They can use their sweet singing to lure passing ships towards them and cause these vessels to strike rocks, resulting in the destruction of the ships and the deaths of those aboard.

He put down the telescope and directed the ship to turn away.

However, after a while, the singing became closer and closer, and the island seemed to actively approach, gradually drawing near to the ship.

Panic began to surface among the crew, some of whom were even scared into fainting.

The legend of the sea monsters was too terrifying; no one wanted to be buried at sea.

"Everyone block your ears! Turn the ship immediately," Su Rin ordered.

His order was swift, but the singing still penetrated through the cotton in their ears and rushed towards them.

No matter how the ship turned, all they could do was watch helplessly as the eerie island drew ever closer and closer...

Su Rin immediately went to the bow of the ship, drew his noble sword from his waist, and pointed it towards the island.

On the lush, flower-covered island, he saw the sea monster from the legends, sitting amidst the blossoms.

She was watching him, her face beautiful and exquisite, her eyes long and seductive, set against her deathly pale cheeks like a blooming black rose.

Her slightly curled blue hair rippled behind her as if floating in the sea without wind, and her fish tail covered with diamond-like scales coiled amidst the vibrant flowers like a soft, silver satin.

She looked extremely beautiful.

The wonderful singing emanated from her bright red lips, the ethereal high notes tempting the crew members who had just drawn their weapons.

They widened their eyes, staring straight ahead.

Their weapons thudded to the ground as they involuntarily stepped forward, as if they were about to willingly jump into the sea.

"Snap out of it!" Su Rin shouted, jolting these drowsy people awake in an instant.

Su Rin was one of the few who still maintained their rationality.

He was not bewitched by the sea monster’s enchanting singing or gorgeous appearance, the tip of his sword still pointing at the sea monster amidst the flowers.

But the sea monster did not seem angry, simply watching him, continuing to sing her mind-bewitching song.

Su Rin ordered the others to seal their ears with wax and to look for a way to leave quickly.

But soon everyone discovered that the ship had unknowingly run aground, with a big hole breached in its side; they could no longer leave the island.

As the crew became frantic, the sea monster stopped singing.

"Remove those charmless things," the sea monster persuaded, her voice even penetrating through the wax into everyone’s minds, "I can let you leave, and I can even grant you endless treasures—as long as you make a deal with me."

The ship was on its return voyage, with food and fresh water resources already running low.

If the sea monster refused to let them leave, they would starve or die of thirst aboard this ship.

The first mate was tempted.

The bearded burly man asked, "What sort of deal do you want to make?"

The beguiling, beautiful sea monster smiled.

Her dark blue hair drifting behind her, she extended a hand, curling her hair, as the delicate, pearl-like fish fins by her face quivered gently.

"I am a Siren, the watcher of shipwrecks," she said softly, "Your ship was destined to be buried here because of a shipwreck... but I cannot bear it.

How my singing is longed for, yet the travelers that pass by fear me so.

How bright and beautiful my island is, yet the travelers that pass by only wish to flee from me.

I possess the most radiant face, the most delightful singing voice, the most beautiful island.

...But I am very lonely, I long for a guest to share this beauty with me.

I can give you countless treasures, mountains of gold, the most perfect pearls from the sea.

I can give you a safe return journey, endless glory, the king’s favor, the love of the people.

I want but one guest whom I desire."

"As long as this guest does not leave me."

Upon hearing her words, people revealed expressions of longing and greed.

Mountains of gold, pearls from the sea... all of this would provide them with unparalleled assistance for their future.

They only had to give up one person.

As long as one of them remained behind.

The rest could return home safely with the unspeakably valuable treasures promised by the sea monsters.

There was no deal more profitable than this.

"Who do you want?" asked a crew member eager to leave, his impatience apparent.

They all removed the wax from their ears, their faces rife with greed.

The Siren revealed a smile.

Her finger slowly pointed towards the center of the group, at the young captain who still stood with sword drawn against her.

"I want you," she whispered, "young guest."

Su Rin was instantly the focus of countless gazes.

The deputy captain beside him stared at him with eyes full of longing. His trusted first mate silently drew the sword from his waist. Even the ordinary crew members around him subtly closed in.

In that moment, he seemed to hear their thoughts.

— Please stay behind for us!

— Please leave for the future of Pulaya!

— Please sacrifice yourself for the glory of the Empire!

"..."

He looked around at these people who had suddenly changed their stance.

Amidst the numerous covetous gazes, his sword-holding hand trembled.

At that moment, he heard his own voice, eerily calm:

"Alright."

He said.

...

What followed happened very quickly.

The crew members, laden with pearls and gold, left the island excitedly, singing and dancing as they steered towards their glorious future.

Su Rin stayed behind, but the Siren didn’t force him into anything.

She offered him the delicious fruits of the island, sang to him, told him stories like an innocent girl, treating him like a guest.

Fewer deaths occurred at sea, as if the storms had been quelled.

As the pace suddenly slowed, the Siren’s voice sounded:

"I kept you because I am about to die," the Siren said. "These days, you’ve made me very happy. Thank you."

"..."

"A few months ago, a young girl from your Royal Family also encountered me, but unfortunately, she was disobedient and only wanted to steal my soul. I gave her a fake soul, allowing her knights to stop bothering me," the Siren said. "And now, I, who am about to die, will bestow upon you my true and complete soul."

Su Rin gazed at her beautiful face.

She placed her gradually cracking hand on his, then whispered to him softly.

She said she was a Siren, originally meant to seduce travelers passing by, living off sucking their souls.

But she was too lonely, too isolated. The long life became a shackle that bound her, and the beautiful flowers of the island could no longer bring her joy. So, she asked him to stay.

She no longer sang the sinister songs that lured ships onto reefs; her singing was melodic and moving, performed solely for her only guest.

She said she knew of Pulaya’s disaster and the difficulties they faced—the storm lingered near Pulaya, and the people were forced to search for new Resource Points.

She lifted her hand, gesturing Su Rin to look at the sky.

Su Rin looked up, and he saw a ring of shadows floating above.

That was the legendary Yun Shang City, protected by a Deity, uneroded by the storms.

"Is that real?" he asked.

"No, I guess it’s fake," the Sea Monster said, "But my guest, you can make it ’real’."

"You mean..."

"Those who have betrayed you are detestable, aren’t they?" the Sea Monster said. "Go back, my guest. Return to your homeland, to your native soil. Deceive the people—tell them that the city in the sky harbors a long-residing Deity, supremely benevolent, who will bless you and defend against the storms.

You could, entice those who once betrayed you, trick them aboard the airship, take them to that city, and let them die, to save your resources.

My soul can grant you special Strength and a prolonged life. From now on, you will no longer fear the peculiar Soul Clan, neither will you perish from strange Poison Gas, nor will you suffer from the myriad of human diseases...

Even, you could possess the Ability to cultivate your own ’next generation,’ turning people into your ’cultivation vessels,’ thereby achieving Eternal life.

You could use people’s Hatred to wage war, stir their Emotions, create widespread Death to prolong your life.

You could deceive people into building airships to ascend to Yun Shang City, sending those you despise to Hell. Then, you could turn the remaining people into your ’cultivation vessels’, surmounting your homeland to become the one and only, eternal King of Pulaya."

She was still softly singing, her voice melodic and moving.

Her words were seductive, almost irresistible.

But her guest sighed softly:

"...but such actions would be wrong."

The Sea Monster’s inky eyes widened slightly; she couldn’t quite believe it.

"They deceived you first," she didn’t understand this.

"But what wrong have the others done?" Su Rin said softly: "The Royal Family that ensures the people live in peace is innocent, as are the common folk who know nothing of this. The brave Soul Hunters, people struggling to survive, they have done no wrong. Since I am returning with Strength, it is natural that I will also lead them towards the future."

"What will you do?" the Sea Monster asked,

Looking at the perplexed Sea Monster, Su Rin spoke slowly:

"You have already granted me... a prolonged life, the power to defy the Soul Clan, a body immune to poison gas, and the ability to cultivate ’cultivation vessels’.

Then, I shall use these abilities to ascend to the Yun Shang City in the sky, seeking the proper Method to rescue my homeland—why it floats in the sky, why it stands unafraid of the storms, I will find the answers with this indestructible body, upon the city above."

"Don’t do this." The Sea Monster found her guest’s actions incomprehensible: "You will endure a long and lonely life, just like me."

Facing the Sea Monster, whose body was gradually cracking, gazing into her dark eyes, Su Rin smiled.

"With a homeland to watch over, I shall never be lonely," he said.

...

The blood-red Crystal Stone in front of him cracked open.

Upon the painted surface, a Priest ablaze with fire raised his hands high towards Heaven.

Doves took flight from his fingertips, and the flames resembled the wings he spread.

Su Ming’an opened his fingers, and the fragments of the Crystal Stone slowly fell.

"—Did you see? Rin, Vandilun achieved his eternal life."

A female voice came from behind.

"...I never thought that in just a few short days, it would be my turn to wait for you," the person behind him said with a hint of self-mockery:

"Rin, do you think it’s too late for me to have a change of heart now?"