"Queen Keisha, Zhang Zheng possesses the power of time. Since he doesn't want you to go to Earth, maybe it's because he has seen something in the future through his control over time," Huo Xi said, her wisdom second only to Keisha's, quickly grasping the probable reason.
What she didn't know, however, was that Zhang Zheng still couldn't use the Time Stone to foresee the future. His knowledge of Keisha's potential danger was based solely on the original storyline.
"Hmm... Maybe. After all, because of Zhixin, Zhang Zheng has always been kind toward the angels," Keisha replied. "But Zhang Zheng underestimates us angels. If he knows there's potential danger on this trip to Earth, I'll just have to be more cautious. Besides, I'm not afraid of death."
Keisha was indeed Keisha, determined to visit Earth despite understanding Zhang Zheng's reasons for discouraging her. For Keisha, death wasn't something to fear; as she once said, dying would finally give her a chance to rest. For thirty thousand years, she had been burdened with too much.
First, she fought against the male-dominated era of the angels, then joined forces with the Shenhe civilization in the Physical War. Just as that war ended, and before she could enjoy any peace, her own sister betrayed her, leading to four wars with the demons. Although she won three of them, she lost many of her old comrades, and most of the survivors chose to retire.
Now, in the City of Angels, the only person she could truly talk to was Huo Xi.
"Queen Keisha, after this war, let Enicid become a true angel. Once she becomes the new Angel King, we should both retire to the Mero Heavenly Court," Huo Xi suggested. "The universe is 13.8 billion years old, and our angel civilization has existed for 100,000 years. We're getting old and can't keep managing everything. Let the young ones take over the universe."
Huo Xi, too, felt her age upon hearing Keisha's words. Though time couldn't mar the angels' physical beauty, their spirits bore the marks of time, especially after surviving the dark era of the angels. Neither Keisha nor Huo Xi were as pure as they once were.
Keisha was tired and wanted to rest, and Huo Xi felt the same. Although she had retired, she had never truly rested, constantly worrying about the future of the angels, just like Keisha.
"Yes. After we return from Earth, we'll make Enicid a true angel and spend a thousand years training and testing her," Keisha agreed. "Then we'll go back to the Mero Heavenly Court, the birthplace of angels, and watch the sunrise and sunset together."
At this, a look of anticipation appeared in Keisha's eyes. In her thirty thousand years of life, she had never had a moment of true leisure—first Huaye, then the Triangulars, and finally Liang Bing.
"Let's go have tea at my place," Huo Xi suggested. "We can relax a bit, and then you can head to Earth."
Seeing that Keisha was also inclined to rest, Huo Xi made the suggestion. It would be the last time the two of them would relax together for a long while; Huo Xi knew this, and so did Keisha.
"Sure, but this time I want your best tea—the one you brought back from the Sun Star last time," Keisha joked.
She knew that was Huo Xi's treasure, something she had cherished for thousands of years and was reluctant to drink herself.
"Alright, you're the queen. Huo Xi obeys," Huo Xi said with a mock salute, but her tone made it clear that this was just a joke between friends.
…
On Earth, at Zhang Zheng's home.
Since returning home, it was as if nothing had happened. Even when Zhixin asked Zhang Zheng what had happened the night before, he didn't say much. Zhang Zheng simply told Zhixin that he had fallen asleep in the park the previous night.
Zhixin didn't believe him, but since Zhang Zheng didn't want to talk, the considerate Zhixin didn't press him further.
Angel Leng was still distant toward Zhang Zheng, whether because she was still upset over the previous single-dog comment or because she was angry that Zhang Zheng hadn't allowed them to intervene against the gluttons. Her continued silence made the atmosphere at home a bit heavy.
"Lingxi, how about I take you and Leng to secretly watch the battle on the day of the big fight, especially Liu Chuang? Let's see how he performs," Zhang Zheng suggested to the quiet and always well-behaved Angel Lingxi.
But Zhang Zheng's playful tone was so obvious that it made Lingxi blush.
"Can we really go to the battlefield? Won't that risk being discovered by the gluttons?" Lingxi asked, a little disappointed and frustrated at the thought of possibly being exposed, as Zhang Zheng had forbidden her and Leng to fight.
"Alright, Lingxi, you know how bad your acting is, right?" Zhang Zheng laughed, amused by Lingxi's expression.
Zhang Zheng may not fully understand the angels, but he knew enough from living with Zhixin, Angel Yan, Angel Chui, and Angel Moy for so many days under the same roof. He knew that these young angels wouldn't really worry about troubling Zhang Zheng or care much about causing him trouble.
Seeing Lingxi pretending to be disappointed and worried about bothering Zhang Zheng made him realize that this was all just an act.
As for who the director was? Zhang Zheng already had the answer, noticing Angel Leng frequently sneaking glances in their direction.
"Alright, if the gluttons really attack us, or if Liu Chuang and Ge Xiaolun are in danger, you can step in," Zhang Zheng conceded. "I won't stop you this time. After all, based on my judgment, Queen Keisha will definitely come to Earth, and you'll have to join the fight eventually. Just try to control yourselves and avoid using overly destructive techniques on Earth."
Although Zhang Zheng knew they were pretending, he couldn't refuse them. Especially Angel Leng, who Zhixin had secretly told him had sworn the Angel Guardian Oath, with her target being Ge Xiaolun. Zhang Zheng knew there was no way to stop an angel from protecting her chosen one, even if he believed that it wasn't a good idea for them to join the fight.
He also knew that Angel Leng might die in the upcoming war, but he chose to feign ignorance and allow them to join the battle under his watchful eye.
Not for any particular reason, but because they were still Zhixin's subordinates and because Queen Keisha had trusted him enough to leave her elite angels by his side.
Zhang Zheng might have many flaws—laziness, impulsiveness, and sometimes acting recklessly—but when it came to protecting his loved ones, he would always do his best. And right now, the person closest to Zhang Zheng was the little angel Zhixin.
So he wouldn't let Angel Leng and the others die in this war. At least, not before Keisha arrived on Earth; no angel should fall on this planet.