Evalyn approached the emperor nervously. "Thanks for letting them off easy."
"Letting them off easy?" Kaze scoff-laughed, vexed with the assertion, "Are you blind?"
"What do you mean?" She asked with a trembling voice as she looked at the men. When she did, her eyes filled with horror.
Despite being sober only minutes before, the men had become sluggish, looking like drunkards.
She looked closer, using the technique he gave her.
Evalyn cupped her hands over her mouth. "Their meridians…."
"They're closed." Kaze said coldly, "What little was forced open is now gone. They'll go mad with Qi sickness by morning."
She turned to him with a wincing expression. "How are you so cold?"
"Cold?" He laugh-scoffed while gently grabbing her hand.
Kaze guided her behind the DJ stage and led her through a warp gate to a short building's rooftop. It was close enough to hear the music but far enough to avoid issues.
She looked around in confusion, trying to comprehend what he just did. However, he continued, and she snapped back into focus.
"I'm doing them and the world a favor." He said.
"It's a painless death for them and better for everyone knowing those animals will lose their sex drive and won't pillage women once society breaks down.
It's a small respite of relief for those unlucky enough to avoid sickness and must face such barbarity instead."
Evalyn's lungs froze for a moment, having difficulty processing his words. "You're serious…."
"What do you think the word apocalypse means?" Kaze scoffed mockingly, "A time where humanity bands together to fight a joint enemy?"
She gave him a wry smile and averted her gaze.
"You can't save these people, Evalyn." He said apathetically, "If they're not on my list, they'll be dead by next month at the latest. You can only save the women with techniques from defilement and pray the remainder will get the sickness sooner than later."
Evalyn stared at him in horror. "Why are you just now helping me understand all of this?
You've been telling me about this apocalypse, but you've downplayed the cruelness and obscured the timeline. You're so relaxed all the time; why?"
Kaze checked his watch to check the time in annoyance and then looked at her. He had a reason he couldn't explain to her and something he needed to do.
"You're not going to change anything." He said in a frigid voice, "So it was better to let you enjoy a fleeting moment of happiness before reality hit your idealism like gravity and sent it crashing down to a bloody death."
The blonde dry swallowed, and her breaths became sharp.
"Kaze, how long is there before everything goes to hell?" She asked nervously.
Kaze looked at his watch again. "Thirty-eight minutes."
"Thirty-eight!? Kaze, why didn't you let me secure my family first?" Evalyn cried. "They took a spur-of-the-moment vacation, and I barely convinced them to come back early on Monday!
They're not home, and I haven't heard back from my mom today, Kaze!"
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and shook his head, trying to find the words to say.
"Wonderful question, Evalyn." Kaze said coldly, taking a deep breath, "The transfer to Immortal Skye happens tomorrow; why haven't you made every effort to prepare her?
I've given you an arbitrary ticket to Immortal Skye for anyone you had prepared. So why haven't you taken advantage of that before this freak vacation or prioritized it since?"
"My uncle hasn't found my parents." She explained bitterly, "If I knew that it wasn't a given for my family to get in, I would've forced him to act! It's Immortal [Skye], yes?"
"I did tell the world there were no exceptions, yes?" The emperor asked, eyes closed, "Why do you think that is?
What do you think the thousands who realize their families are dying in Malta will think of your weak family, alive and well before them? Do you think they'll accept them?
Or do you think they'll see them as weak points, vectors for revenge, or potential hostages to force us to help their loved ones?
I created those rules for your mother's safety—yet you'd blame me for the apocalypse's arrival when you lived life off expectations, knowing the apocalypse was on the horizon?"
Evalyn's eyes welled with tears, realizing her shortcomings. Nevertheless, she and Daniel weren't unreasonable in assuming they had a place. "I'm sorry, Kaze... but—"
"But what?" Kaze scoffed, turning away in pained frustration to avoid her crying. "Do you understand the severity of this situation, Evalyn?
After tonight, the military will use any leverage to force us into helping them. That means holding your mother hostage in customs or at military bases and won't release her anytime soon.
We're still two weeks from collapse, and I do not have enough power to simultaneously face ballistic missiles and protect the faction members.
Therefore, they have resources to fight us and will have a hostage. "
Tears rolled down the blonde's cheeks, sending pain shooting through his heart.
Kaze created the ambivalent system because he wouldn't allow her father into Immortal Skye and didn't have the time or resources to orchestrate his death.
So he created a system where she'd teach her mother, and her father would ignore her, or she'd put him off till the last minute, and then he'd spring on the current condition.
While it would bother her, it wouldn't crush her—he was certain. In fact, she would likely be thankful to have an excuse for his absence.
It was a great plan—until her mom took a freak vacation right before the apocalypse, turning it into a grave mistake.
The situation was dire, and the emperor didn't have the resources to fight Malta and protect his people yet, so he had to play his cards shrewdly and negotiate with the military.
He wanted to rip her uncle's throat out for not prioritizing Evalyn's family, but he was working the man mercilessly, so he was partially to blame.
While he wouldn't say it, he understood that better than anyone.
"We lack the time for this discussion." Kaze said, looking at his watch, "Find your mother, teach her the technique, and get her to Immortal Skye discreetly using any resource possible.
If she gets detained, I'll negotiate her out of the situation. No matter what, get her to Immortal Skye as quickly as possible.
However, your mother is the only person I will help, and your grace period for helping family members has passed.
If you cannot safely teach your father the technique, he must wait until he learns it. Do you understand?"
The blonde bit her lip, feeling overwhelming pain passing through her as the list of people she planned to take with her slipped from her fingers.
"I'm the leader of Immortal Skye… why can't I be the person to bring my family and maids?" She asked desperately, "The leader.
More importantly, I only have my mother, father, uncle, maids I care about, and their families.
Must you act like protecting a couple of dozen people is difficult when you're supposedly a planet-destroying Immortal?
Or can you just not understand the importance of family as an orphan?"
Kaze's eyes widened, and he scoffed in genuine disgust, making her instantly regret her panicked provocation. She had never seen him so irritated or resentful.
The emperor only intended to keep her father out and [created provisions for those she cared about]. Still, he couldn't guarantee their safety, so he wouldn't claim he could.
It didn't bother him if he resented him for that. However, her statement struck an off-key chord.
"Do you find me omnipotent, Evalyn?" Kaze scoffed resentfully, "That I can protect everyone and everything as if the laws of physics are irrelevant?
How exactly does one protect a couple of dozen weak people when they cannot see or hear them? Hmmm?"
"I-I get that…." Evalyn said, realizing she did find him invincible, "Still, you're extremely powerful, and so am I. No one would be stupid enough to take them captive."
"Do you mean to imply you can take on the whole of the Maltian military with our strength while protecting thousands?" He asked sarcastically, "Sure, we can if we're alone using guerilla tactics.
However, who will protect these people while we fight?"
"The military needs you, though, right?" The blonde winced, seeing his point, but still. She cared about these people, so she couldn't just let it go. "If so, we only needed to worry about our members, and they would fear touching them."
"If fear of power ruled the world, how do you explain [crime]?" Kaze scoffed in annoyance, "Criminals defy the state, despite military might that can fight countries.
Do you think that deters drug fiends and desperate people from acting against power?
Has a fear of military strength ever deterred revolutionaries who seek reform? If so, how do you explain Malta's birth and rise to power?
Fear of power creates [law], but irrational people don't adhere to it. That should be obvious, yes?"
"Yes, but still...." Evalyn whispered, "You're not the only thing to fear. Rising against you can force them to face the apocalypse outside; risking to fight both is irrational."
"You speak of rationality?" Kaze scoffed, rolling his eyes, "Do you think panicked people are rational? People aren't rational in times of peace, let alone running off adrenaline, panic, and fear.
Moreover, it may be rational to obtain hostages. Do you think it's irrational to take a family member hostage for water if one will die of dehydration if they do nothing? "
Evalyn fell silent, unable to counter his arguments. She was desperately fighting against logic, which was harsh for a hyper-rational person like her.
She was hyper-rational—but there was nothing rational about the apocalypse. Everything rational was abruptly irrational.
Kidnap, murder, militaries taking civilian parents' hostages? It was a [concept] she had never experienced fighting against everything she had.
It felt irrational to trust him. However, the next moment her perspective changed.
"Grow up from your invincibility complex, Evalyn." Kaze said coldly, "Enemies and desperate people will attack your weak points.
The old you learned the hard way when enemies lured [me] into a trap millennia ago to ambush her."
Her eyes trembled in regret, feeling the overbearing pain coming from his heart. "I-I didn't know."
"Is that relevant?" He asked mockingly, "I've lived for five millennia; do you think you were the only one I loved? If so, why do I lack grief for getting transported back here?"
More pain pierced through her heart, hearing his words. She took sharp breaths, trying to regain her composure. "I…."
"To become an Immortal of the Fifth Plane requires immense power beyond your comprehension." Kaze asserted with passionate eyes, "Yet weak enemies can and will trap you with your weaknesses, and you can't do anything if you're away.
Moreover, until you're the strongest, there's always someone stronger who can attack your loved ones.
Now, as then, my future as the strongest cultivator has yet to pass. Between Qi scarcity and the lack of tempering treasures, I cannot even protect you if the Sky Plane cultivators attack en masse.
So do not act like I have the power to do whatever I wish and choose not to when I cannot even guarantee your safety.
It's disrespectful to my past lovers and my resolve to save them this cycle."
She closed her eyes, lost in a labyrinth of self-reflection.
"Either way, you've waited too long under false assumptions." He said, calming down, "Now, genuine threats prevent us from deviating too far from our path.
So grow up and focus on finding your mother, teaching her the technique, and bringing her to Immortal Skye as quickly and inconspicuously as possible.
In the worst-case scenario, I'll seed the technique into her mind, but only her and her alone."
Evalyn nodded gratefully, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Thank you, Kaze. I apologize for being so insensitive."
"Save your pity." Kaze said in vexation, "If you wish to thank me, save your questions for later.
I brought everyone here to give them a 'soft introduction' to what lies ahead, as I need our chosen people to act as a bridge between the military and the ignorant faction members.
However, if I don't go, this place will devolve into a riot, and bodies will pile up before we can save them.
Stay on this rooftop, so your cultivation doesn't kill people in the area. Do [not] underestimate your cultivation skills, as tonight's Qi is far richer than the rest."
Kaze waved his arm, creating another wall of warping space that led him behind the DJ stand again, leaving her with a beating heart as she looked over the rooftop.
The emperor got on the stage, asked the DJ to cut the music, and then picked up the microphone.