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Risha poured out her anxieties while nestled against Zhong Mingzhao.

“Lord God, I’m scared. I dread that such defilement and terrible calamity might return to this continent. With the grand title of Fairy Lady of Mount Lu, it frightens me that I might not live up to the hopes of the people who call me that…”

“Xiao Xiao, you must not weave your ego around external expectations. While others’ perceptions may seem intuitive, they are easily distorted and fragile. Thus, to forge a strong mind, you must introspect…”

“I understand, Lord God.”

Risha pulled away from Zhong Mingzhao’s embrace. She gazed into Zhong Mingzhao’s jewel-like eyes and said, “But… It’s really not easy.”

“Xiao…”

Zhong Mingzhao swallowed hard at Risha’s bitter smile.

“This won’t do, Risha. You need a break right now.”

“Pardon?”

“You’ve truly worked hard. You used your powers to help soldiers who fell ill because of the defilement, got them admitted to good hospitals, ensured they could receive compensation, and bravely spread tales of their fight against evil beings, granting them honor. Thanks to that, they are much happier now than when they participated in missions.”

Zhong Mingzhao began to speak earnestly to Risha.

“But you, on the other hand, are not happy.”

Since that day, Risha lived as though pursued by something. Was it the impact of witnessing the defilement that had shaken her so much? Or perhaps she began to realize the weight pressing down on her shoulders?

Risha pushed herself harder than usual to help others and spared no effort for the national interest of China. Even her sleep had diminished.

Or perhaps it was inevitable to cut down on sleep.

For some time now, Risha had been plagued by nightmares. The moment she fell asleep, she would break into a cold sweat, groaning as though witnessing something terrifying, only to awaken in distress.

It was far from a good sign.

Just looking at Risha now, one could tell her mental strength was depleted, reaching its limit. If this state persisted too long, she might truly end up suffering from a mental illness that would be hard to recover from.

That was something that must not happen.

Absolutely not.

“Xiao Xiao, you should take a vacation.”

“But…”

“No buts. You must take a vacation right now.”

Risha looked at Zhong Mingzhao, clearly troubled by the word “vacation.” She had many things to do and hesitated at the thought of resting.

“Xiao Xiao, I somewhat understand the anxiety you’re feeling. And I know well the way to dispel that anxiety.”

Thus, Zhong Mingzhao coaxed her not with empty talk about her health, but with something else.

“It stems from your distrust in your abilities. If you were truly the greatest in the world… No, the greatest in all of time, would you fear such trifling calamities?”

This was her way of presenting a path out of this situation.

“Outside forces would not dare set foot on the continent in fear of your power, and your fame would spread far and wide, bringing peace to all. And calamity would not dare to approach; should it dare to do so, you would effortlessly vanquish it.”

“…That’s true.”

“Therefore, Xiao Xiao, taking a vacation is not just resting. It’s another way to gather strength for the future. A far more efficient method than not taking a vacation.”

“You’re right, Lord God. It has indeed been quite a while since I genuinely focused on self-development. Maybe that was the reason for my anxiety…”

Risha blinked as if lost in thought.

“But even so, I still think it would be wise to maintain some vigilance. What do you think, Lord God?”

“Vigilance…”

When Risha began to feel her anxiety genuinely taking hold, she linked it to the defilement in her mind. Just as calamity attempted to stealthily infiltrate the continent aboard a submarine, she thought terrible calamities from outside were trying to breach the continent, causing her unrest.

Since that day, no new predictions had come, but… one could never be too sure. Perhaps the defilement she prevented was not ‘evil things or calamity.’

Thus, Risha insisted on stringent vigilance at the higher levels, asserting that something evil and disastrous could cross from the East.

The Party took her suggestions seriously, beginning thorough crackdowns everywhere: at ports, airports, and borders.

Of course, this action also inflicted fatigue on the workers, but…

“There’s no need to loosen vigilance. No, isn’t that their duty? Their job is to monitor and block bad things from entering the continent, so don’t trouble yourself with it.”

Zhong Mingzhao showed no concern for them. After all, weren’t they there for just that purpose?

Moreover, the more thoroughly they worked, the safer both the continent and Risha would become.

So she wished them to work even harder at the inspections without wanting to suggest loosening their vigilance.

And…

Their strict vigilance would make Risha’s vacation all the more comfortable.

“Now go take your vacation. I know some famous mountains with elixirs; let’s plan a tour there.”

Thus, Zhong Mingzhao and Risha planned their trip, pretending it was for gathering elixirs to boost their powers while sightseeing.

—

“The border vigilance has increased due to the President’s decree…”

Jinseong learned through various connections why he couldn’t enter China. The reason was the decree issued by the President of the People’s Republic of China, the top rank of the Communist Party of China.

Moreover, the entire Communist Party was moving with relentless determination regardless of political factions.

“Was there always something like this at this time of year?”

Jinseong couldn’t help but feel perplexed by China’s response, acting just like America wary of terrorists. It was indeed a busy time because of mercenaries, but he didn’t recall China acting this sensitively.

“Wait… No, perhaps I might have heard about it.”

However, Jinseong soon nodded. He might have forgotten due to the long time, or he indeed heard it but dismissed it as it wasn’t related to magic.

Especially since at that time, there were no conflicts between China and magic or ruins, it was likely he held no interest in information about China.

Yeah.

Perhaps this was a natural sequence Jinseong simply couldn’t recall.

If so, it was not strange that he couldn’t enter China.

Thus, allowing time to pass might be the wisest course of action.

After all, everything has its time. When all things have their appointed time, if one fails to recognize it, they might not escape harmful consequences. By avoiding that area and time, one can evade calamity!

To avoid harm from wind, dew, claws, and horns, one must evade heavy rain and keep away from desolate fields, steering clear of evening and dawn to escape fierce beasts.

It could be that now was a time filled with harm, and waiting could bring about a better opportunity to enter easily later.

That would be the best approach…

However.

“The lightness in my feet is akin to a restless horse that cannot settle down in one place; I’m anxious, for the divination said it seemed akin to one with the restless horse calamity.”

What is the restless horse calamity?

It means an inclination to move, restless and unable to settle.

Pursuing change and movement, overflowing with vitality, unable to contain itself.

And.

“Overseas.”

The restless horse calamity has a deep connection to overseas affairs.

The fact that this calamity appeared in divination was profoundly significant.

“Although it isn’t directly related to time, waiting isn’t necessarily bad…”

The divination didn’t urgently demand Jinseong to act. It did not push him nor whisper something in his ear.

It merely hinted at his connection to overseas, suggesting there was something beneficial waiting for him there.

So, it seemed he could afford to proceed with ample ease.

But.

“It’s oddly concerning. Worrying.”

It was peculiar. He had previously concluded that there wasn’t much good connected to China.

Knowing that forming connections would just lead to emptiness as others would fill the void, and conflict over magic would arise, he resolved to not pay too much attention to China.

So why, unlike before, was he so troubled by China now?

“No, it’s not about China.”

To be precise, it was not China.

It was about that facility discovered underground at the school.

And everything related to that facility…

Jinseong’s unconscious mind was focused on precisely that.

Perhaps his unconscious was instinctually aware that the most important aspect of that facility was China.

Or it could simply be that he was more concerned with what was difficult to investigate in China rather than what he could access domestically.

“Heh. What in the world is intertwining to cause such feelings?”

After a moment of contemplation.

“And.

I’ll need to intervene, even if indirectly.”

He made the decision.

It was tough to enter officially, and the value of forcing a breach to sneak in was questionable.

Thus, he would investigate indirectly.

With that resolution, Jinseong began to move.

 

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