Chapter 519 - 356: Deep-Seated Hatred, Enter the Meatgrinder

Chapter 519: Chapter 356: Deep-Seated Hatred, Enter the Meatgrinder

’It’s the Iron Monks! They’re cleaning up the battlefield and guiding the souls of the dead!’

A thought struck Wu Liangchen. He remembered the humble yet powerful Cyber Temple and the monk, Jie Nian, whose eyes held both compassion and conviction.

’Maybe... that could be an unexpected safe house?’

"Follow me." No longer hesitating, Wu Liangchen hoisted Jian Yi onto his back again, motioned to Alina, and headed in the direction of the chanting.

Before long, they had left the labyrinthine depths and returned to the more familiar underground pipe network of the West Ninth District.

Not far ahead, several Iron Monks in gray robes, their metal prosthetics exposed, were silently cleaning up the carnage left behind by the desperadoes’ firefight. They chanted softly, guiding the souls of those who had died violent deaths.

Wu Liangchen led Alina and Jian Yi, moving silently around the monks to the back door of the Cyber Temple.

He knocked softly on the weathered iron door.

Moments later, the door opened to reveal Jie Nian’s calm face and his mechanical arm, which shone with a metallic luster.

Upon seeing Wu Liangchen, the heavily injured and unconscious Jian Yi on his back, and the nervous, guarded Alina beside him, a flicker of surprise crossed Jie Nian’s eyes, but his expression quickly returned to one of calm. He asked no questions, simply stepping aside in silence to let them in.

Inside a sparse meditation room in the temple’s rear courtyard, Wu Liangchen carefully laid Jian Yi down. He then briefly explained to Jie Nian what had happened, including how Jian Yi was being hunted by the Dome Corporation.

After listening, Jie Nian pressed his palms together and quietly recited a Buddha’s name.

"Cyber Bodhisattva."

He looked at the unconscious Jian Yi, a hint of pity in his eyes. "The Dome Corporation... for their own selfish gains, they have created endless bloodshed over the years. Within Zhongjing, there are thousands, if not tens of thousands, who are furious but dare not speak out."

He turned to Wu Liangchen, his tone calm. "Benefactor, you defied the powerful to draw your sword for a friend. How could I, a humble monk, simply stand by and do nothing? Though this place is crude, it can offer shelter from the storm. Please, let your friend rest here and recover in peace."

"Thank you, Master." Wu Liangchen bowed solemnly.

Jie Nian gave a faint, peaceful, and warm smile. "All life is suffering. To support one another is, in itself, a spiritual practice."

Inside the meditation room, the dim, yellow light of an oil lamp flickered, barely managing to push back the shadows in the corners.

The air was thick with the faint scents of disinfectant and blood, mingled with a subtle, almost imperceptible trace of sandalwood, creating an odd yet singular sense of peace.

Alina sat leaning against a wall. The desperate flight for her life and the strain of maintaining the force field had nearly depleted her stamina and Magic.

Her face was pale, her eyes holding an exhaustion she couldn’t hide.

After a long silence, she finally spoke. "Thank you."

Wu Liangchen, who had been meditating to regulate his breathing, opened his eyes and looked at Alina.

"Come to think of it, this should be the second time you’ve saved me."

"The first time, the Rebellion was trying to kill me. The second, the Dome Corporation. And if I’m not mistaken, the Alliance Government won’t let me go, either."

At this, a self-mocking smile touched Alina’s lips. "I guess you could call it a rare achievement. After all, not many people can claim to be hunted by all three of those factions at once."

"But you’re still alive, aren’t you?" Wu Liangchen replied simply.

"Yeah... at least I’m still alive." Alina managed a small smile, her gaze falling on Wu Liangchen’s calm profile. A sudden urge to unburden herself washed over her.

Perhaps it was the need to release the emotions of a survivor, or perhaps it was the faint, almost imperceptible sense of security she felt from the man before her.

In a low voice, she told him everything.

She had been a pawn planted by the Rebellion inside the Alliance Government in Qing Province, responsible for relaying intelligence.

At first, she’d clung to the ideal of overthrowing a tyrannical regime and building a new order. But over her long career as a mole, she began to see both sides for what they truly were.

Whether it was the Rebellion’s high command, who shouted slogans of freedom and equality, or the Alliance Government, which controlled all order and resources, their cores were rotten with power struggles, bloated self-interest, and a callous disregard for and exploitation of the common people.

The so-called "crusade for the people" was nothing more than a fig leaf they both used to cover up their greedy struggles for power. Her ideals shattered against the cold, hard reality. In the end, she chose to defect.

She no longer wanted to risk her life for the hypocritical Rebellion, nor was she willing to keep struggling in the Alliance’s mire. That was what led to that scene on the train, being hunted by her former "comrades."

"The Dome Corporation... they’re one of the biggest shadow powers behind the Alliance. They’re also the Rebellion’s biggest financial backer in Zhongjing."

Alina’s voice was laced with bitterness. "They command unimaginable technology and resources, and they operate without any scruples. Jian Yi humiliated them so thoroughly this time... they won’t let anyone involved get away."

Although she didn’t say it outright, the worry in her words betrayed her true thoughts. She was afraid.

"There’s always a way," Wu Liangchen said softly, before falling silent once more.

Alina hadn’t expected any words of comfort. She had just needed to get it off her chest.

Just then, a soft knock came from the wooden door. A young Iron Monk entered, pressed his palms together, and bowed to Wu Liangchen and Alina. "Benefactors," he said, "your companion has woken up."

Wu Liangchen’s spirits lifted. He immediately rose and walked briskly to the room where Jian Yi was staying. Alina struggled to her feet and followed him.

Jian Yi had indeed opened his eyes. Though his gray irises were still dull and lifeless, they held a lucid, stubborn glint.