Meteor Fall Master in the 'Starry Abyss'
Chapter 548 - 182. "You will die, Leoz.

Chapter 548: 182. "You will die, Leoz.

Dialan’s hair was too long, and she even choked on it while breathing.

"Hey... seriously?"

Li Aozi scratched his head and had no choice but to cut her hair with his sword, leaving her with short hair that reached her ears. The childlike Dialan was so small that he could carry her with one arm.

"...Thank you."

Dialan’s voice was small and soft, a far cry from the usual ice-cold demeanor that kept everyone at a distance. She tried to open her big eyes and looked at Li Aozi, saying:

"I might... turn into a baby for the sake of your convenience. Find me a corner with water and just drop me there."

"What kind of nonsense are you talking about?"

Li Aozi frowned. He immediately tore down the curtain, made a swaddle, wrapped Dialan up, and strapped her to his back:

"If you turn into a baby, remember to cry to remind me. A baby can’t be carried on the back, but must be held in front so it won’t fall."

Dialan’s eyelids fluttered as she exhaled hot air and spoke with effort:

"But Leoz, wouldn’t that make it... very inconvenient for you to move? The crying might also attract enemies."

"Don’t worry. No matter how many come, it won’t matter."

As long as the Higgs Field was not triggered, simple Growth-armored Vanguards were not enough to expose Li Aozi’s identity; Canyue wouldn’t notice him.

By instinct, he patted Dialan’s head on his back, comforting her:

"No one can take anything from my arms ever again."

Dialan’s head drooped drowsily, her hair brushing against Li Aozi’s warm hand, making her delirious from her high fever, unable to distinguish between virtual and reality.

"Doctor..."

Dialan weakly murmured:

"I want to hear a lullaby... just this once, okay?"

Her small hand lightly tugged at Li Aozi’s collar. Li Aozi shrugged helplessly: "I can’t sing."

"I... want... to hear." Dialan’s voice was slurred, and she seemed to be shrinking.

"I really can’t."

Faced with a child’s request, Li Aozi was at a loss.

"Let me, you idiot, Leoz. Can’t you understand human emotions?"

At that moment, a ripple tore through the void, and Zaniya appeared beside him, obediently. She signaled Li Aozi to pick up his sword and embark with Dialan, while humming a tune in a language never heard before:

......

(Lyrics meaning)

Gentle mountains and rivers, moonlight like a forge.

Listen to the wind sing in the evening, the creek weaving through.

Falysia, land of heroes.

Children in plight, reshaping home on a foreign star.

Oh, Haines, only in dreams can we meet.

Gentle mountains and rivers, blood spreading all around.

The evening wind no longer blows, lamentation everywhere.

Falysia, soul’s homeland.

The newborn civilization, poisoned by wolf before it could grow.

I want to go home, my home, my Falysia.

It perished under Gaia’s fangs.

It drowned in the poison blood of the Ether.

It was trampled under the secret society.

Falysia, my homeland,

When will I return to my home?

......

Zaniya rarely was so obedient.

With a clear voice and sorrowful melody, even though he couldn’t understand the lyrics, a nameless sadness arose in Li Aozi’s chest.

Dialan fell into a deep sleep, her tears wetting Li Aozi’s shoulder.

After the song ended, Zaniya looked at Li Aozi and calmly said:

"In the Primitive Era, one of the main gods of the Starry Abyss, Morphederia, used the ’Dreamlike Planet’ Haines as a base to resist the invaders from the Destroyer and the Society, marking the last battle of the War Beyond the Abyss."

"His executer, which is also the origin of your name, was the God of Reality, Leoz."

Li Aozi was surprised, not knowing why Zaniya brought this up.

She glanced at Dialan with a gentle look, like looking at a fellow being. That was reason enough.

Then she solemnly said:

"Leoz, the Chief God who shared your name, did not shy away, fighting the invaders with fearlessness and ruthlessness."

"After Haines, it was the Layer Abyss."

"The Falysia Civilization that I belong to was made up of refugees. Its predecessor was actually a nation on the planet Haines—the Falysia Republic. When Leoz died in battle, we clearly remembered the faces of the invaders."

"To this day, I cannot forget, nor can any Haines refugee, that terrifying monster... the one that killed Leoz, devoured our civilization, and continues to hunt us—the Society."

She looked at Li Aozi and, with all her strength and hatred, said the name:

"The Secret Society—Gaia."

"They and their three Speakers broke through the Pantheon and trampled on our home."

"Be careful, Leoz. I felt a familiar aura from that child; that’s the aura of a Falysia person... The Secret Society has not gone far, they still intend to kill us all and completely consume us."

Li Aozi was silent for a moment, then asked:

"Why mention this now? Yawen is also a Senator of the Secret Society, yet you had no reaction then."

"I don’t know, Leoz." Zaniya shook her head, worriedly saying, "Suddenly, I felt a strong premonition... Just like when my master left me at Lichi Peak."

"What does that mean, Zaniya?"

Li Aozi spoke seriously.

The perception of divine artifacts was far stronger than that of mortals; they could sense certain signals through the divine power within them.

"You will die."

Zaniya said numbly:

"This planet will be devoured by the Society."

Thud!

"Lucite, do you trust me?"

Hobbs drank all the water, slamming the cup heavily on the table. His eyes were hollow, his voice heavy:

"This planet will be devoured by the Society."

"...Hobbs."

Lucite found it hard to believe what he had just heard. He stood up, then sat down, thinking for a long time, but still couldn’t wrap his head around it.

In the end, he could only say:

"When Leoz arrives, I need to tell him about this. Keep it secret from everyone else, absolutely secret! Hobbs, you are my good brother, but these matters will destroy you."

Hobbs shook his head and said nothing.

They sat across from each other, a Growth-armored Vanguard with its heart ripped out lying on the table, a Dimensional Bomb within Lucite’s reach.

Lucite looked at his good friend, his good brother.

Now, with just one crushing blow to that heart, Hobbs would be buried in two-dimensional space, with no one able to rescue him.

"Rationality and law tell me I should kill you immediately."

Lucite said:

"But I can’t, Hobbs... you haven’t hurt anyone; there’s still a chance."

"Thank you, Lucite." Hobbs said gratefully, "I need to kill Canyue. After that, I am at your disposal."

"Sigh..." Lucite put away the Dimensional Bomb, looking conflicted: "I feel like I’m getting on a thief’s ship. Should I still tell Leoz everything?"

"Which part do you mean?"

"Everything. We are friends, there should be no secrets between us." Lucite said: "Even if it’s the Society... Leoz will understand and forgive you."

"I don’t know." Hobbs sighed, but his eyes were resolute: "But I must do this; I have no choice. Wait... Lucite, I will confess everything to Leoz."

"Then let’s survive first—"

Bang!

Before Lucite could say more, the library door was suddenly kicked open. They quickly ducked into cover, and then they heard a mature and reliable male voice:

"Are there any survivors inside? We’re the Student Union Inspectorate from the Magic Application Academy!"

The two exchanged glances, peeked out from cover, and walked to the railing, looking down: a group of senior students in heavy armor, holding riot rifles, covered in blood, the leader tall and strong, adorned with the remains and flesh fragments of Growth-armored Vanguards.

He looked up at the second floor, then took off his helmet, revealing a gentle smile:

"So it’s you—’Omniscient’ Hobbs, and you, the new talent from the Alchemy Workshop, Lucite."

The two looked at each other, and the man introduced himself:

"I am Modote, a third-year student and the leader of the Inspectorate. Growth-armored Vanguards are approaching in siege; it’s no longer safe here. Follow me."