Chapter 1291 Please, I'm Begging You...
Thump—thump—thump...
The ripples beneath the lakeside pavilion grew, each higher than the last, turning into waves on the lake amidst a series of dull drumbeats.
Chen Ling didn't know what was happening outside, but he could roughly guess that the South Sea Territory was not in a good situation at the moment... At the very least, Chu Changqing's expression had gradually shifted from initial calm to solemnity.
“I don't really care how you see me... I've long been accustomed to it,” Chen Ling said slowly, composing himself.
“But at the very least, you should let the Integration Faction children in.”
Chen Ling was speaking the truth. Throughout his journey, he had grown accustomed to the malice brought by the 'Calamity Mockery' label. In the end, Chu Changqing was just like them. It was Chen Ling's experiences from the era archives that had raised his psychological expectations, leading to his anger.
But now, he had completely let it go...
He and Chu Changqing weren't nearly as close as he was with Yang Xiao, Su Zhiwei, and the others. Given this, why should he care what the other person thought?
Chen Ling's purpose in coming here was never to reminisce with Chu Changqing. He simply wanted to save the Integration Faction children and provide them with a place to stay in the South Sea Territory.
Hearing this, Chu Changqing frowned again. He glanced back at Chen Ling and sneered:
“So... that's your objective.”
“If you don't trust me, you should at least trust Teacher Ye, who personally mentored you. I don't know what happened between you two back then, but now is not the time for personal grievances to cloud your judgment,” Chen Ling said calmly.
“After Teacher Ye injects the serum, he can temporarily exert power comparable to a demigod. Combined with his other integrators, if they cooperate properly, they can significantly reduce your pressure... All they want is a place to live and some food.”
Chu Changqing was about to say something when his gaze suddenly flickered towards a patch of void nearby...
A figure in a simple shirt had appeared there, unnoticed.
Teacher Ye?
Chen Ling was immensely surprised to see Teacher Ye appear out of thin air. Neither he nor Chu Changqing had detected anyone approaching the pavilion just now. He seemed like a ghost from another dimension, appearing here in the blink of an eye.
Wait...
Chen Ling looked down at Teacher Ye; there was no shadow of him in the lakeside pavilion.
Was he really a ghost??
“...Teacher Ye.”
A complex look flashed in Chu Changqing's eyes as he looked at Teacher Ye. “Intruding on others' thoughts without permission comes at a price.”
Since Chen Ling had met Chu Changqing, this was the first time he had shown an emotion other than 'disgust' and 'solemnity'. Chen Ling could sense that Chu Changqing's attitude towards Teacher Ye was very subtle, completely different from the pure dislike he felt for Chen Ling himself.
Teacher Ye also gazed at Chu Changqing, his tone incredibly bitter:
“If you hadn't gone to such extremes, why would I have to take such a risk...”
“You know my stance on the Integration Faction.”
“...I know.”
Teacher Ye seemed to recall something, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes. “I know what you went through in the Gray Realm, and I know that experience made you despise the existence of all calamities... But you cannot let your personal emotions affect your rational judgment. Your persecution delusions have no scientific basis whatsoever!”
“Teacher Ye, you understand me,” Chu Changqing's voice was steeped in indifference. “I am a Nine Sovereign. The burden on my shoulders is heavy, and I will not gamble with humanity's future... Not in the past, and not now.”
“Why not?!” Chu Changqing's words seemed to touch a raw nerve in Teacher Ye's heart, his tone becoming agitated,
“Are the Nine Sovereigns so remarkable?? You keep mentioning 'Nine Sovereign,' using those two words as an excuse to casually dismiss others' lifelong research findings? Don't forget, the Nine Sovereigns are called such because they were praised by the survivors of that year, not because you yourselves pinned on some golden medal!”
This was the first time Chen Ling had seen Teacher Ye lose his composure so completely, but upon reflection, it seemed reasonable...
Teacher Ye was the pioneer of integration technology. He had dedicated countless years and efforts to this field, achieving fruitful results, only to have them completely rejected by his most cherished student. Crucially, all this rejection lacked any theoretical or experimental support, purely due to the 'Nine Sovereign' title not allowing for risks...
Chen Ling remained silent, partly because he didn't understand the scientific technology and wasn't sure what the 'persecution delusions' they were arguing about actually entailed; and partly because since Teacher Ye was here, it was best for the teacher and student to resolve the matter themselves.
Throughout this process, Chu Changqing also remained silent, quietly watching Teacher Ye's expression gradually shift from anger to calm.
Teacher Ye took a deep breath and spoke again:
“I am already conducting experiments on maternal gene sequence testing. I will prove you wrong with facts.”
Chu Changqing still didn't respond.
He knew Teacher Ye would have no chance to complete the experiments... He, and his children, would all die in the Forbidden Sea.
The entire lakeside pavilion fell into a dead silence.
Teacher Ye understood Chu Changqing's silence.
He closed his eyes bitterly:
“I can stay out of the South Sea Territory... but at least, let those children in.”
“It's not a question of whether you enter or not,” Chu Changqing finally responded. “No disaster integrators are permitted to enter the South Sea Territory, and that includes your children.”
“They've only integrated with some ordinary calamities, and not deeply... They are absolutely fine.”
Teacher Ye's tone held a hint of plea.
Chu Changqing calmly shook his head:
“No.”
Teacher Ye's fists clenched tightly.
Thump—thump—thump...
The rumbling beneath the lakeside pavilion became more frequent. The entire South Sea Territory trembled as if hit by an earthquake, its thick tortoise shell seemingly fractured in places, allowing the icy chill from the Forbidden Sea to seep into the city bit by bit.
A cold wind swept across the tumultuous lake surface, and Teacher Ye's heart sank into an icy abyss.
He remained silent for a long time, then slowly took half a step back...
Then,
He fell to his knees with a thud before Chu Changqing.
Chen Ling was stunned, and Chu Changqing, standing before him, also paused slightly...
Teacher Ye slowly bowed his body, his hands pressed against the ornate stone pavilion floor. His forehead struck the ground heavily, letting out a muffled thud.
In that moment, an elderly teacher's pride and dignity were shattered by his own kneeling. Each time his forehead hit the ground, his heart bled profusely... In an utterly humble posture, he kowtowed three times to his former most cherished student.
“Xiao Chu...”
“Please be merciful and give the children a way to live... It was I who transformed them into integrators... It was I who brought them to the South Sea Territory...”
“Please, your teacher is asking you... your teacher is begging you... please?”
[26 seconds from now] Chapter 1499: Coffin-side Immortal
[2 minutes ago] Chapter 1360: Eviction Order
[7 minutes ago] Chapter 1498: New Uses of Mo Sha
[8 minutes ago] Chapter 2268: Lonely and Isolated
[10 minutes ago] Chapter 1359: Suffering
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