novelapdf Chapter 47 New Fire
Chapter 47 New Fire
The new landing site is a more remote asteroid.
Zhao Chen, along with the three women and a dozen or so rescued female angels, landed deep in the meteorite crater. Surrounded by mountains, the crater was completely invisible from the outside. The female angels collapsed to the ground as soon as they landed; some began to cry, some huddled together, and some stared blankly at the sky, still reeling from their days of enslavement.
Keisha walked over and knelt down in front of a young female angel. "What's your name?"
The girl looked up, her eyes red-rimmed. "Alan... Lady Keisha, I thought you weren't coming..."
Keisha held her hand, feeling a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry we're late. I promise I'll never let you suffer like this again."
Liang Bing had already run over and was chattering incessantly with several female angels from the Apocalypse Family, while He Xi quietly counted the number of people and arranged for them to rest. Zhao Chen stood at the edge of the meteorite crater, his back to everyone, gazing at the starry sky.
Keisha walked over and stood beside Zhao Chen. "What are you thinking about?"
"It's nothing."
Keisha stared at his profile, hesitating to speak, but finally asked, "Those corpses...did you deal with them?"
Zhao Chen turned to look at her. "Mm."
Keisha didn't ask how it was handled. After a moment of silence, she said, "Don't leave alone next time." She paused, then added, "It's not safe."
Zhao Chen looked at her, a very faint smile curving his lips. "Okay."
Keisha looked away and turned to help settle the female angels. Zhao Chen watched her retreating figure but didn't follow.
Night fell. The campfire was relit, this time with a dozen or so more people, making the crater much livelier. The female angels sat around the fire, eating the dry rations Zhao Chen had taken from his storage ring, their faces gradually regaining color. Liang Bing was surrounded by them, gesturing excitedly as she recounted the battle. "Didn't you see? As soon as my brother-in-law's bell rang, all the angels fell to the ground! And that spear, it went right through them, two of them, two of them!" She gestured wildly, her eyes shining brightly.
A female angel timidly asked, "Who is my brother-in-law?"
Liang Bing pointed to Zhao Chen at the edge of the meteorite crater. "That's him!"
Zhao Chen was leaning against a rock, his eyes closed, as if asleep. The firelight reflected on his face, making the golden patterns peeking out from under his collar faintly visible.
The female angels glanced over, then quickly looked away, whispering amongst themselves, "Was it that person who saved us?"
"I heard that he was the one who first secured the leadership."
"Who is he? He doesn't seem like an angel..."
Liang Bing leaned closer and whispered mysteriously, "He's a demon. My sister's man."
Several female angels widened their eyes in surprise. Just then, Keisha's voice came from behind: "Liang Bing." Liang Bing stuck out her tongue helplessly and shrank back.
He Xi sat on the other side of the fire, wiping her short sword, occasionally glancing up in Zhao Chen's direction. The firelight danced on her face, and a thoughtful look flashed in her intelligent and calm eyes.
Night deepened, and the campfire gradually died down. The female angels slept against the rocks, and Liang Bing nestled beside Keisha, her breathing even. He Xi leaned against the cave wall with her eyes closed, whether truly asleep or not was unclear.
Keisha quietly stood up and slowly walked to the edge of the crater. Zhao Chen was still leaning there, his eyes closed, as if he hadn't moved at all.
"Not asleep?" she asked.
Zhao Chen opened his eyes. "No need to sleep too much."
Keisha sat down next to Zhao Chen and remained silent for a moment. "There were more than a dozen female angels today. Some were from the Celestial Family, some from the Apocalypse Family, and some from other families. They were all sent to the mines, and some have been there for several years."
Zhao Chen didn't say anything.
Keisha continued, "There are more. In the North, the West, the South, everywhere. Hua Ye uses them as slaves, as goods to reward, as livestock. Liang Bing said that when she was a child, she saw a female angel being beaten to death by several male angels just because she didn't bow her head." Her voice was calm, but Zhao Chen could hear what lay beneath that calm.
"So you want to overthrow him."
Keisha nodded. "Not just me. He Xi, Liang Bing, and all the sisters here today, and many more female angels who refuse to bow their heads. We need to let them know that they can live without kneeling."
Zhao Chen looked at her. The firelight reflected in her golden eyes, which held anger, resentment, and something that had been suppressed for a long time.
"I'll help you," he said.
Keisha turned to look at him. "Why?"
Zhao Chen didn't answer with something like "Because you're my woman," but simply said, "Because I also don't like him."
Keisha paused for a moment, then smiled—a soft, brief laugh. She leaned back against the rock, gazing at the starry sky. "You know, when I was little, I thought all angels were equal. Later I learned they weren't." She paused, "Those male angels said it was the order of heaven, that it was destiny. But I don't believe in destiny."
Zhao Chen looked at her. "I don't believe it either."
Keisha turned her head and met his gaze. They stared at each other for a moment, then Keisha looked away without saying anything more, simply leaning on his shoulder and closing her eyes.
The campfire flickered slightly, casting the shadows of the two figures on the cave wall.
Heavenly City Star, Holy Light Tower.
Hua Ye leaned back on his throne, with several people standing before him. Sumali stood at the very front, followed by several commanders.
"The mines in the North have been raided." Hua Ye said calmly, as if he were commenting on the weather. "More than forty guards, four squad leaders, and one commander—all dead. Not even their bodies were left."
Sumari frowned. "Was anything found at the scene?"
The guard shook his head. "There are only signs of a battle, no clues left behind. The other side was very clean."
Hua Ye picked up his wine glass and took a sip. "Clean? Leaving no one alive, taking all the corpses away, is that what you call clean?"
Sumari thought for a moment. "The opponent was able to immobilize a second-generation peak commander and break the sealing runes with a single blow; they must be at least a second-generation peak expert. Keisha and the others don't have that ability. The person who raided the Heavenly Prison might still be with her."
Hua Ye narrowed his eyes. "You mean that guy who can freeze people in place?"
"Yes."
Hua Ye put down his wine glass, stood up, and walked to the window, gazing at the dark night sky. After a moment of silence, he suddenly chuckled. "Interesting. A rat, lurking in the shadows, biting people. It bites and then runs away, leaving no corpse behind." He turned to look at Sumali. "Send more men to keep a close watch on the mines in the North, West, and South. Next time they come, kill them outright, leave no survivors."
Sumari nodded. "Yes."
Hua Ye sat back on his throne and picked up his wine glass. "I'd like to see how long this rat can hide."
A night breeze blew, and the lights of the Holy Light Tower flickered. In the distant sea of stars, on that inconspicuous asteroid, a campfire still burned quietly.