Sixty Descends Once More

Bai Zongnan gave an awkward smile. “Uncle Lin, you’re too polite.”
Vice Commander Qin turned to Bai Zongnan. “And you are?”
Lin Derong introduced him, “This is Bai Zongnan, an abandoned infant I found by the roadside and raised as my own.”
Bai Zongnan greeted politely, “It’s an honor to meet you, Vice Commander Qin.”
“Hmm. Are you here to take part in the assessment as well?” Vice Commander Qin’s gaze was sharp.
Bai Zongnan answered honestly, “Yes, I wish to participate in the selection trials at the royal city.”
Yet, the incomplete education during the middle years of the kingdom had left a gap. Although the difference between Shuangtou and those two was not great, it was a gap that undeniably existed.
Late at night, after washing up, he entered the room with a touch of unease. The oil lamp was still burning, a sign that, though Xie Daoyun might harbor many grievances against him, she nevertheless considered his needs with care.
But now that his goal had been achieved, he had no intention of further entangling himself with this old man. He allowed him a few words to save face, knowing full well that no amount of talk could conceal the truth from those with discerning eyes.
Just as it was in the mundane world, I could never quite remember what the teacher looked like. Though he was the clearest figure in my memory, whenever I tried to picture him, his face blurred. Yet the moment I saw him again, the recollection would surface unbidden, making it easy to overlook this quirk.
It wasn’t all that difficult, for most of the disaster victims were already known to be in certain locations—either old shelters or residences provided by noble and humble families alike. There were few of the scattered refugees of previous years.
“Then I’d better go buy two chains to keep them tied up, so they don’t frighten anyone,” Luo Jinghao said excitedly.
A host of doubts crowded his mind. He remembered how, when speaking with Ye Cheng, Wu Tie hadn’t been nearby, making it easy to talk freely. Now, though, Wu Tie was right beside him, and he couldn’t help but wonder if Ye Cheng’s intentions really matched his own.
Yan Manman, chatting with Mo Bairan, was suddenly reminded of that apocalyptic moment in her previous life—the instant when the world as they knew it was utterly destroyed, peaceful days turning to hell in the blink of an eye. The memory was vivid, unforgettable.
“Well then, we’ll take our leave for now,” Ye Lie interjected at once. Though he’d pressed his mother to make preparations as soon as he arrived in the capital, he hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly today. There were still matters left undone. For the marriage between him and Luo Jinghao to be proper, everything had to be perfect. Only by returning early to oversee things could he feel at ease.
“Tsk, tsk—you really ought to let everyone see how the eternal iceberg looks with that lovesick fool’s expression!” Fang Kai hugged his arms, shivering as if the goosebumps would fall right off.
He could not help but feel grateful that, constrained as circumstances were, Su Xiumian had not set up any fiendishly difficult formations. Otherwise, even if he could see through them, he likely wouldn’t have had the strength to walk out alive today.
I can’t blame Heizi’s parents. Their generation is still bound by old ways, not like ours, when abortion and transactional relationships are openly discussed and accepted more and more each year.
After all, now that the real person had appeared, there was bound to be an explanation for the photo scandal that had thrown the entire entertainment industry into an uproar the previous day. Whoever could promptly convey Yun Yue’s words and turn them into the latest news would hold the true advantage.
He heard my voice and suddenly turned. Seeing me dressed in men’s clothes, he froze for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter. The tension that had been etched on his face gradually eased.
Yang Xuan smiled at the crowd and said, “Gentlemen, Guan Duoduo’s tactics are nothing but a clumsy imitation of Lu Xun. Though he’s established two defensive lines, hoping to wear down our forces bit by bit and then let the Manchu-Mongol cavalry strike a decisive blow, it’s nothing more than wishful thinking.”
Generally speaking, unless the person who administers the poison does it themselves, even if the poison is discovered later, it cannot be neutralized. Yet here I am, safe and sound. In all the world, only Su Xiumian could accomplish such a feat.
Pressing a hand to my chest, I drew in breath after breath, but the pain persisted, as if I could hardly breathe at all.