Chapter 903: The Eve of the Day of Execution

Inside a subspace independent of Utopia City.

All the powerful figures belonging to Heinz were gathered here.

They worked at one instrument after another, some magical, others technological.

Thick chains and cables all converged on the man seated at the center.

Fan Huo.

The owner of the War Card.

At this moment, he looked utterly wretched.

Arcane runes designed to crack every one of his life-saving mechanisms covered his entire body.

Every surge of Magic Power unleashed an agony intense enough to make a person wish for death.

Yet Fan Huo sat there, his hands and feet bound by chains, his expression unchanged. His modified eyes showed no hint of any negative emotion.

A boy passed through the Barrier and walked up to Fan Huo, then tossed a piece of bread onto the ground.

“Everyone deserves a last meal before they die. My world didn’t have this custom back when I hadn’t yet been invited by Mr. Heinz to become a Train Conductor.

But it seems to be quite common in the primordial world of you Human Train Conductors.

Eat. Once you’re done, you’ll be on your way tomorrow.”

Fan Huo calmly picked up the bread. His resolute face still showed no emotion.

“You really aren’t afraid of dying, are you? Or do you believe the people from Emperor’s Order will actually come save you?”

The boy wasn’t afraid either. He simply sat down beside Fan Huo.

“To be honest, I quite admire people like you. You’re already incredibly powerful, and as a Top-Tier Train Conductor, you know this place might be a trap, yet you still charge straight in.

Is that faith... a dream, or perhaps... Desire?”

“Do you think I’m stupid?”

Fan Huo finally spoke.

The boy shook his head.

“No. I don’t think so, because if I were you, I’d make the same choice. The difference is, I’d make more preparations instead of being so confident in my own strength that I rushed into the city to look for a Card Sequence.

As it happens, I remember it very clearly.

About a year ago, you brazenly went into City of a Thousand Stars to get what you wanted, and people hunted you for a long time.

But that incident was exactly why we conducted a psychological profile on you. That’s how you ended up in Utopia City as a prisoner.

So you weren’t stupid. We were simply thoroughly prepared.

Just as Mr. Heinz became a True God for the sake of the Human race and obtained the End that belongs to Humanity.”

The boy paused. He stared at Fan Huo and spoke each word deliberately.

“We’ve made all the necessary preparations. Whether it’s Emperor’s Order or anyone else, no one can stop this from happening.

Mr. Fan Huo, you’re a Top-Tier Train Conductor. I respect you for that.

But please, don’t make any more futile attempts. For the Happiness of Humanity, we must reject your War.

You will become a great martyr.

So... don’t struggle. Don’t resist.”

Fan Huo remained calm. He parted his lips and asked in a low voice:

“Got a cigarette?”

The boy furrowed his brow and hesitated briefly before having one of his men bring over a pack of ordinary cigarettes. He handed it to Fan Huo.

A slender flame flickered into being.

He lit a cigarette for Fan Huo.

Fan Huo took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. The unpleasant-smelling smoke streamed from his nostrils.

He finished the entire cigarette in an instant.

“Another one.”

“...”

The boy lit another cigarette. This time, Fan Huo didn’t gulp it down as he had the first.

In the quiet surroundings, the tiny red ember slowly crept closer to Fan Huo.

Until it burned down to the end.

He spat out the butt. For the first time, something close to madness surfaced in his eyes.

“You want my life? And you want me to accept my fate?

Don’t forget.

I’m a Train Conductor who survived all the way from the cruel Novice Ten Stations!

My life isn’t so easy to take.

You want to reject War? To reject conflict?

The moment you chose this path, you set yourselves against every Train Conductor!

For Humanity?

Fine. If he really becomes a True God, a lot of the weak won’t die so easily anymore.

But why the hell should I die for everyone else?”

Beep beep beep beep...!!!!

A piercing alarm blared wildly.

The devices working to crack Fan Huo’s Undying Mechanism began to overload one after another.

The entire subspace shuddered violently.

“Tsk...”

The boy clenched his fist and punched Fan Huo in the face.

【Silence!】

The imprint of Mana Runes appeared on Fan Huo’s face.

The power that had begun to stir vanished at that moment.

Fan Huo was knocked to the ground, but his expression remained one of mockery toward the boy, toward Heinz, and toward all of Utopia City.

“Stubborn fool! You people have no idea what kind of sacrifice Lord Heinz has made!

Keep working on it.

Tomorrow afternoon at one, the tenth Wasteland day, your Undying Mechanism will disappear. Fan Huo, struggle all you like, but no matter what, becoming a sacrifice for Happiness is your destiny.

Zhu Xingshu can’t stop it. Altos, Shaya... no one can!”

The boy turned and left.

The vast Barrier held no one but Fan Huo.

The cigarette and flame were taken away, and even the tiniest speck of ash was sucked up, leaving nothing behind.

But no one noticed.

Inside Fan Huo’s body, a concealed item, so well hidden that no one could detect it, had been activated by the heat carried in with that puff of smoke.

【“I never expected anyone else to save me. I’ll take my own life back.”】

————

Hanging Gardens · Judgement Department

Minister · Chai Ming

Now that Hanging Gardens had been rebuilt, Chai Ming, dressed in a bespoke white suit, stood solemnly before a crowd of Judicators.

“I told you, this is my personal business. I’ve already chosen to leave the Judgement Department. I have nothing more to do with Hanging Gardens. Leave everything that remains to her. Get out of my way!”

Not a single Judicator moved.

Beside Chai Ming, Gong Feiyu had been secretly eating chocolate. When she heard herself mentioned, she hurriedly wiped her mouth and put on a solemn expression. Then she drawled:

“Ahem, well, Mr. Chai Ming, even though you’ve left the Judgement Department, you did a pretty good job before, so everyone decided to come with you to Utopia City to rescue someone.

What was his name again? Oh, Fan Huo! He’s with Emperor’s Order! Hmph. Since he’s your friend, he’s a friend of the Judgement Department too, so we’re going!”

“Right, Boss! I’ve had it with those nutjobs in Utopia City. This is the perfect chance to rob them too!”

“Cut it out. We’re official members of the Judgement Department. Stop talking like ordinary Train Conductors, okay?”

“Then what should we say?”

“Obviously... Boss! We’re going to rescue those poor Novice Train Conductors! As members of the Judgement Department, how can we stand by while those newcomers, who’ve only been in the Wasteland for a year, are harmed? There are nearly a hundred thousand of them! It’d be such a waste if they were gone!

Of course, heh heh, it wouldn’t hurt to take some resources while we’re at it after we win~”

A vein bulged on Chai Ming’s forehead.

“Get lost, all of you! I order you not to follow me!”

Gong Feiyu swallowed the snack she had just sneaked another bite of. With her hands on her hips, she said with a bright smile:

“You’re not the Minister anymore, so your orders don’t count.

Besides... it’s not just your friend who’s there, is it? Quite a few of the trapped newcomers are Guild members from Hanging Gardens too.

And, hmph, after this is over, Boss... I mean, Mr. Chai Ming, you can’t keep claiming I’m close to Mr. Altos from Emperor’s Order, can you?

So, let’s go, let’s go! You can come or not, but we’re going either way.

Besides...”

Gong Feiyu wore an unusually serious expression.

“You know this already. Our people have estimated that if Heinz really succeeds, it’ll be awful for Train Conductors like us too, won’t it?”