Chapter 940: 【Thief】

Chapter 940: Theft

Author: Sanjiu YinyuWord Count: 1217

Candlelight flickered in the gloom.

Chen Ling slowly read through the text on the page, cross-referencing it with his memories. After confirming there wasn't a single error, he refolded it and slipped it back into the lining of his opera robe. Only then did Chen Ling feel relieved. His crimson opera robe lay on the soft bed, and he gazed at the dim ceiling above, a faint light flickering in his eyes...

Moments later, he slowly closed his eyes...

After an unknown period, outside the cloud-shrouded window, a faint, strange glimmer, as if alive, slowly permeated the sleeping Chen Ling's mind.

The massive second hand slowly traversed the ancient clock tower. Beyond the rotating hour hand was a massive round glass window. A figure dressed in plain linen lit a kerosene lamp beside him, the flickering light illuminating his face – it was Ying Fu. He seemed to notice something, his gaze passing through the rotating hour hand and towards the church in the darkness...

Ying Fu was not staying at the church; he had temporarily settled in a clock tower several streets away. It was far enough from the church that even the Silver King couldn't frequently spy on him, yet the clock tower was tall enough that he could gaze at the church from afar through the cracks in the clock face at the top... Behind Ying Fu, A-Qian lay on a simple folding bed, breathing evenly, as if she had already fallen asleep.

In the dim light, Ying Fu watched the church for a long time before turning and heading towards the clock tower stairs.

“Your Majesty, are you going out now?”

Beside the stair railing, a figure respectfully took the kerosene lamp from Ying Fu's hand. The orange light illuminated his face; Mo Lian's cheeks rose from the shadows. Ying Fu nodded silently, as if afraid of disturbing the sleeping A-Qian.

Ying Fu descended the stairs, with Mo Lian following closely behind, holding the kerosene lamp. The two figures moved through the ancient clock tower and finally emerged onto the silent street. Only then did Ying Fu speak, his voice calm:

“Mo Lian, how much of your memory has recovered?”

“Almost all of it,” Mo Lian explained patiently, leaning on his staff. “While Bai Ye’s Borrowed Moon can steal memories, it’s ultimately just ‘borrowing.’ When I’m far enough from him, and enough time has passed, my memories gradually return... At his seventh stage, he can’t indefinitely seize all my memories.”

“Oh?” Ying Fu glanced at him. “When I tested you at the imperial examination, your memories hadn’t returned. Strictly speaking, I took advantage of your vulnerable state... Now that your memories have returned, are you still willing to follow me?”

Without waiting for Mo Lian to speak, Ying Fu continued: “If you’re unwilling, there’s no need to force it. I can dismiss the imperial examination at any time and grant you your freedom... I can explore this Boundless Realm alone.”

“Your Majesty jokes,” Mo Lian said earnestly. “The future Your Majesty promised me is exactly what I desire, something I could never obtain, no matter how long I stayed under the Silver King... Besides, the Silver King never cared for me; he discarded me like trash. Why would I go back? Though Your Majesty is currently shorthanded, I believe that one day you will soar to great heights. I am willing to bet on this.”

Ying Fu looked at Mo Lian again and nodded slightly. “The imperial examination is, at its core, a contract. Since I have promised you a future, I will certainly deliver, or else I, too, will suffer eternal damnation... You can rest assured of that.”

“I trust Your Majesty.”

“What do you know about the Silver King?” Ying Fu finally got to the point.

Mo Lian thought for a moment, then answered truthfully, “He’s very mysterious and seems to have lived for a very long time. Even among us Grand Thieves, not many of us know much about him... Rumor has it that when the Silver King ascended to demigod status, he stole the Path of Thieves.”

“The leader of the Path of Thieves stole the Path of Thieves?”

“Exactly... The moment he became a god, he claimed the divine path for himself. He not only stole the abilities of all other Path of Thieves sub-paths but also stole the ‘Eighth Stage’ of the Path of Thieves... So, from the day he became a god, there has been no ‘Eighth Stage’ in the Path of Thieves. No matter how talented a subsequent practitioner of the Path of Thieves might be, they can only be capped at the ‘Seventh Stage.’” At this point, a flicker of displeasure crossed Mo Lian’s eyes, “Indeed, since he became a god, there haven't been any Eighth Stage practitioners of the Path of Thieves in the world... In fact, many among the Five Grand Thieves were capable of reaching the Eighth Stage, or even becoming demigods, but now, their path has been severed by the Silver King. He decides who can reach the Eighth Stage, using it as bait to make other Path of Thieves practitioners serve him. This is precisely why several Grand Thieves harbor resentment towards the Silver King, though all their resentment has been stolen away from them by staying near him for so long.”

Ying Fu snorted coldly, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. The Silver King did this simply to monopolize the demigod position of the Path of Thieves and control the entire divine path. It's proven effective; the Usurpers are the only organization in the world built around a specific divine path, and unlike the scattered influence of the Twilight Society, all power converges on the Silver King, even taking on a religious nature.

“How then does he control those Verdict Enforcers?” Ying Fu asked his second crucial question.

“It’s an Eighth-Stage ability of the Borrowed Moon path. He can steal the memories of multiple people simultaneously, scramble them, and swap them... But I’m not entirely sure of the specifics of how he operates, as I’m not on that path.”

Ying Fu pondered.

“Your Majesty... are you planning to destroy the Boundless Realm?” Seeing Ying Fu’s interest, Mo Lian hesitated for a long time before cautiously asking.

“Why would I destroy it?” Ying Fu calmly replied, “The stronger the Silver King’s power grows, the more chaotic this world will become. Only when the existing rules are shattered will I have an opportunity... Currently, my goals align with the Silver King’s, and he knows this, which is why he doesn’t restrict my actions or steal my thoughts... Otherwise, I would now be a captive tool, just like Chen Ling.”

Mo Lian nodded in understanding.

“So, are we going to... now?”

“For now, we do nothing.” Ying Fu walked to a deserted park and slowly sat down on a bench, like a casual passerby resting on a street late at night. Mo Lian waited beside him, the light of the kerosene lamp shining brightly and conspicuously in the darkness, like a star.

“Nothing?” Mo Lian asked, puzzled. “Did you come out in the middle of the night just to cool off? It’s not even hot in the Boundless Realm.”

“I am an emperor.” Ying Fu’s gaze swept over the silent, dark urban area around them. He spoke slowly, “As long as I am here, the divine paths destined for me will, through the propulsion of fate, draw closer to me, just as you have... All I need to do now is wait for the right moment.”