"Do you guys have a hideout?" the captain asked, breaking the silence. "We can go there for the night. And I have some news to share with you all. The world has changed and new countries, organizations or empires have risen during these two days."
Her words hit Kofi and Morningstar like a bolt of lightning. They had no idea that so much had happened while they were gone. It was a lot to take in and they were overwhelmed by the news.
After all this battle and so on, they totally forgot about civilization but it seems some people were able to fish out inside this chaos.
Morningstar, who had only a basic understanding of the captain's words, did not show any outward signs of surprise or excitement. But internally, he was reeling from the idea of new empires rising in the place of old ones. It was an amazingly odd thought and he couldn't help but wonder what this would mean for the future.
As he pondered these things, Abyssal's voice spoke up inside his head.
[From what I know, new empires or countries rising often means war is on the horizon. There will be a struggle for more land, for the most resource-rich areas, and for the most talented individuals. If you want to survive, you'll need to become stronger and faster.]
After a moment of consideration, Kofi spoke up. "Okay, follow me. There are some people there too and it will do us good to know what is happening."
With a nod from the captain, the soldiers began to move forward with Kofi taking the lead. The area around them was eerily quiet, the only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the occasional flutter of paper in the breeze.
They passed through the school grounds, the once-vibrant atmosphere now feeling desolate and empty. The buildings were filled with cracks or already collapsed and the classrooms were filled with broken desks and torn books. The silence was broken only by the faint sound of footsteps echoing in the empty school.
Morningstar was deep in thought. He had been struggling to understand why he couldn't grasp the energy that he could feel during battle. He knew it was there, but he couldn't quite reach it. It was like a shadow that danced just out of reach.
He had been trying so hard, but it felt like he was chasing something that wasn't meant to be caught. It was a frustrating and confusing feeling, and he didn't know what to do next. He felt stuck like he had hit a wall in his training.
[I think you have been going the wrong way Morningstar.] Abyssal said.
_Why do you think so?_ Morningstar asked with a light frown.
[The Way that can be spoken of is not the eternal Way. The name that can be named is not the eternal name¹.] Abyssal said with the tone of a sage.
"..."
Morningstar was left speechless, what the hell did those words mean and how would they help him?
Abyssal let out a sigh of frustration.
[You're such a slow learner. Tsk I won't bother explaining the meaning of those words to you. But let me put it this way, you've been trying to control the energy, but you can't because you're not experienced enough. It's like trying to ride a wild horse when you've never ridden a tame one.]
[Instead of trying to force the energy to do what you want, why don't you try guiding it instead? Let it flow, and guide it in the right direction. You don't need to be in control to get the results you want just like you don't need to use force to guide a river, instead dig a hole here and there and the water will follow the flow.]
Suddenly, it was as if a lightbulb went off in Morningstar's head. His half-yellow and half-red eyes suddenly lit up with an understanding of the words Abyssal had spoken which clicked into place, and he finally understood what Abyssal was trying to say.
He felt like he had been given a key to a door he didn't even know existed and now that the door was open, he could see the way forward. It was like he had been wandering in the dark, and now he had finally found the light.
Suddenly, Morningstar felt an overwhelming urge to stop and experiment with his newfound understanding. But he knew he couldn't. The soldiers and Kofi wouldn't wait for him to figure this out in the middle of nowhere.
He hurried to catch up with Kofi, and when he did, he spoke with a straight face. "We need to move faster. The longer we take, the more things will change outside these walls. There's no time to waste."
Kofi gave him a strange look, but he nodded and picked up the pace. The soldiers, although they felt confused at the sudden increase in speed, they did not talk since it was beneficial for them to reach their destination in time.
After a few minutes of walking in silence, a familiar building came into view. It was the school's auditorium, a large and imposing structure that could easily fit hundreds of people. Its windows were covered in reinforced bars, and the large doors looked like they could withstand a battering ram, even when most buildings collapse due to the strange energy entering but this building mysteriously survives it for some unknown reason.
The students had chosen this building as their haven because it was the most secure location in the school.
Kofi walked up to the door and banged on it three times in a specific rhythm. After a moment, a small section of the door slid open and a chubby boy's face peered out.
"State your reasons for visiting this great fortress!" the boy said in a deep, theatrical voice.
"Danny!" Kofi groaned in exasperation. "Open the door! It's me, Kofi!"
The boy's eyes widened. "Kofi! Geez, at least can't you roleplay?" the boy protested, sounding more like a child again. He shut the square section of the door with a metallic clang, then opened the door wide.
"Kofi! I thought you were a zombie or something!" he said, rushing forward to hug him. "What happened out there?"
Kofi patted the boy's head, a hint of fondness in his eyes. "I'm fine, Danny. I made some new friends."
Danny peeked around Kofi's waist and saw the soldiers standing behind him, His eyes widened in surprise.
"You brought soldiers with you?" he asked, a note of awe in his voice. "And who's the other guy? Is he a soldier too?"
"No, this is Morningstar," Kofi replied, introducing the man to Danny. "He's not a soldier, but he's definitely a friend.
Morningstar's smile was strained as he waved at Danny. He wasn't exactly a fan of kids, truth be told. The noise they made back home when they played always grated on his nerves and made it hard for him to concentrate on his laptop.
Still, he didn't want to be rude to the kid, so he put on a friendly expression and hoped Danny wouldn't try to chat him up for too long.
Unfortunately, Morningstar's hopes were dashed when Danny began to bombard him with questions. "Is your name really Morningstar? Are you from hell since your eyes are colorful? How old are you? What do zombies look like? Have you ever killed one? How strong are you?" The questions came rapid-fire, one after the other.
Morningstar felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead as he struggled to keep up with the deluge of inquiries.
_This is why I don't like kids._
He massaged his forehead, trying to ease the tension that was building there.
Kofi, sensing his discomfort, quickly intervened.
"Alright, enough questions, Danny. Morningstar needs to rest. Besides, the soldiers have an announcement to make. Go and round up everyone who's available."
Danny looked disappointed, but he did as he was told. He ran off, shouting, "Come on, everyone! Assemble the soldiers here to rescue us!"
Kofi, Morningstar, and the soldiers stepped into the large hall which had been cleared of furniture to make room for people to rest. The smell was less than pleasant, a mix of sweat, urine, and other unpleasant odors. The people inside looked haggard and exhausted, their faces drawn and their clothes dirty.
When Danny shouted, everyone sat up and looked towards the door. There was a sense of hope in their eyes, a hope that perhaps help had finally arrived.
Stepping into the room, Morningstar spotted Li Xi and the hulking figure of Ragnar among the crowd. They were accompanied by seven other people, whose levels he couldn't discern.
But he knew they must be strong, judging by their confident postures.
Then, he spotted the female soldier he had suspected to be the leader of the group. She stepped forward and addressed the assembled crowd.
"Greetings, everyone," the woman said, her voice ringing out over the crowd. "I have news for you. It may be good news or bad news, depending on your perspective. But first, is there anyone here by the name of Li Xi?"
A voice from the side of the room called out, "I am Li Xi. Who's asking?"
The woman's eyes lit up, and she took a step forward. "I'm glad to see you're safe. I'm Captain Jane, and I'm here with the Skycity Garrison. Your father, the new head of state, asked me to escort you back."
"Head of state?" Li Xi asked, confusion evident on her face. "How can that be? My father was just a general in the army."
The woman smiled. "You haven't been keeping up with the news. The old regime has been overthrown, and the country is now called the Earth Federation. Your father is the new leader."
Li Xi's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her father, a leader? It seemed impossible.
"I...I don't understand," she stammered.
****
Note:
"The Way that can be spoken of is not the eternal Way. The name that can be named is not the eternal name¹."
This is a famous quote from the Tao Te Ching, a Taoist text from ancient China. It suggests that true wisdom is beyond words, that it can only be experienced through direct insight.
(・∀・)