Without memory, without personality, even if a person's body is still functioning healthily, can they truly be considered alive?
To restore Cheng Yizhou to his original personality would be as difficult as bringing the dead back to life. Though he knew it was an unreasonable request, Cheng Jinyang still made this impractical plea to Wang Wanrou.
It wasn't because of the kinship between him and Cheng Yizhou, nor because he had promised Sister Yuexian to spare Cheng Yizhou's life.
It was because he believed Cheng Yizhou shouldn't end up like this.
Even though that Shendu Cheng family branch had separated, they were once part of his family. Seeking refuge with Wang Chuzhong to continue the family bloodline, only to be brainwashed and turned into disposable death soldiers...
"Outrageous" couldn't even begin to describe Cheng Jinyang's feelings at that moment.
If Yu Yuangui merely treated the Shendu Cheng family as subordinates, then in Wang Chuzhong's eyes, the Cheng family members without fifth-grade supernaturals were not even qualified as humans.
They were merely livestock to be sacrificed at will.
"Wang Chuzhong values noble families, but the Shendu Cheng family no longer has any fifth-grade supernaturals. The Jiankang court hasn't expelled you from the ranks of noble families, but it's clear that Wuchang doesn't see it that way." Wang Wanrou said softly as she approached Cheng Jinyang. "The soldiers of the Longxiang Army are mostly brainwashed. Your uncle's branch is merely receiving the same treatment as commoners, not specifically mistreated by Wang Chuzhong..."
"Well, the motive doesn't matter anymore," Cheng Jinyang interrupted her, standing up. "From the moment they joined the Longxiang Army, my branch and theirs became enemies."
"Do you really think that?" Wang Wanrou frowned slightly.
"I do," Cheng Jinyang said seriously. "But that doesn't mean I can remain indifferent when I see them treated like livestock."
"If you can't remain indifferent, what can you do?" Wang Wanrou retorted coldly. "The Longxiang Army has ten mechanized field divisions, an independent warship fleet, and a supernatural corps of over ten thousand, with countless seventh and sixth grades, and even fifth and fourth grades. If you can't stand it, what will you do? Destroy them, then assassinate Wang Chuzhong? Even if they lined up for you to kill, could you manage it?"
Cheng Jinyang remained silent.
"Is Cheng Yizhou really beyond saving?" He looked towards the solitary cell, asking in a low voice.
"At best, you could brainwash him into a blank slate and then raise him like a child, but that grown person wouldn't be your cousin," Wang Wanrou sighed, disappointed. "Jinyang, after everything that has happened, I thought you'd be more mature."
"Everyone has their limits," Cheng Jinyang said.
"Your limits are worthless in my eyes," Wang Wanrou shook her head. "Everyone must bear the consequences of their actions. From the moment your uncle's branch chose to join Wang Chuzhong, their fate was sealed."
She looked again at the bound Cheng Yizhou in the cell, her gaze indifferent: "If I were you, I would kill him-after all, in his current state, how is he different from the dead?"
"But I'm not you," Cheng Jinyang stood up from the shadows. "I promised someone to spare his life. Thank you for not making me break my word, Wanrou."
Wang Wanrou fell silent, and after a long while, she said, "What about the other traitors in Jiangning District?"
"Tomorrow, I'll personally send them on their way," Cheng Jinyang said.
Miss Wang instinctively wanted to sneer, thinking, "You, a mere eighth grade, have the ability to send anyone on their way? Are you planning to get a concussion and be sent back?" But as she stared at Cheng Jinyang's profile, she couldn't look away.
Wait...
If that's the case...
Has the moment I've been waiting for finally arrived?
"I'll sleep with you tonight," Wang Wanrou suddenly said.
"The Taiyuan Wang family is leaving tomorrow," Cheng Jinyang advised in a deep voice. "There's no urgency tonight, right?"
"It's not about bloodline upgrading," Wang Wanrou was concise. "I need to study your dream realm."
"You've studied them many times."
"This time is different," Wang Wanrou pondered for a moment. "Hmm, have you felt any physical abnormalities recently?"
"No abnormalities."
"How about your mood?"
"My mood..." Cheng Jinyang paused slightly.
"It's like there's a fire burning."
"Fire?"
"I understand what you mean." Cheng Jinyang looked ahead, his gaze piercing through the prison corridor, falling into the deep darkness.
"I'm too weak now, so I can only bide my time, constantly retreating. If your father wants a military adventure, we have to contribute; if Zhongshu(Chancellor) Yu wants us to defend the city, we have to stay; if Wang Chuzhong brainwashes our people into death soldiers, we have to pretend we don't know.
"But if we keep retreating, we'll eventually reach a dead end. What if I'm not strong enough by then? Should I just wait for someone to put a knife to my neck, forcing me to kneel in the mud, and then behead me as easily as slaughtering a chicken or a dog?
"I don't know how to change all this, but I know I can't let it continue. This pressure suffocates me constantly. I even feel like the thing beating in my chest isn't a heart, but a high-pressure flame. It burns my bones as fuel, my flesh and blood as oil, and it's about to consume me entirely..."
Cheng Jinyang murmured like he was possessed, his eyes burning with a fierce, almost fiery emotion. Then he suddenly snapped back, smiling apologetically: "Sorry, I couldn't help saying strange things. My mind's been a bit chaotic lately; I'm not usually like this..."
"It's okay," Wang Wanrou said after a moment of silence.
Then she gave a gentle smile: "Jinyang, maybe you've been under too much stress lately."
"Perhaps," Cheng Jinyang rubbed his temples.
"You're going to suppress the rebellion tomorrow, right? Then don't fight demons tonight," Wang Wanrou said softly. "I'll stay with you and rest well in the safe house."
......
"It's too crowded."
On the bed, Cheng Jinyang said in a low voice.
Wang Wanrou lay on his left, quietly reading a paperback book; Chu Qingqing was on his right, casually playing with her phone.
This bed was about 1.8 meters wide, which was fine for two people lying side by side, but a bit cramped for three. Fortunately, Miss Wang and Miss Qingqing weren't particularly tall or voluptuous, so they could still fit.
"Qingqing," Wang Wanrou spoke up, "I'll stay with him tonight. You go and make a bed on the floor."
"Sorry, Wanrou," Chu Qingqing replied with a smile, "Jinyang has been under a lot of stress lately. He needs me to hold him to fall asleep. Why don't you go squeeze in with Wangshu?"
"Stop arguing." Yang Wangshu, on the opposite bed, was listening intently (Fight, fight!).
Then they heard Cheng Jinyang speak up, "I'll have the maids bring another bed tomorrow. It's too late tonight, so you'll have to make do for now."