Chapter 902: Death Stands on Humanity’s Side

Ye Qiyan had no reason to refuse Mo Shi’s request to join Emperor’s Order.

Although he wasn’t entirely sure why this woman wanted to join an organization made up almost entirely of problem children, with the exception of him.

But that wasn’t something he needed to worry about.

Wasn’t that Charlatan Zhu Xingshu always keen on getting Card Sequence holders to join the organization?

Well, this time Ye Qiyan was bringing her a rookie with only one card. Surely she’d be delighted, right?

Mm~

Though even if she wasn’t, it wasn’t as if he could do anything about it.

Ye Qiyan opened Emperor’s Order’s Public Chat Room.

Every member was granted a full ten invitations each year, allowing them to invite others to join.

And this privilege wasn’t limited to Card Sequence holders.

Even an ordinary person could become a member of Emperor’s Order if someone invited them.

Shaya had told him during one of their casual conversations.

There used to be quite a few people who didn’t hold a Card Sequence.

And Ye Qiyan’s group hadn’t always been this small, either.

It was just that something had apparently happened later, something she didn’t know about, causing the organization’s numbers to dwindle to what they were now.

Even now, there were thirty-seven grayed-out avatars in the Public Chat Room, remaining there forever, never to disappear.

Ye Qiyan accessed the permissions.

A dark-gold card appeared in his hand.

【Emperor’s Order Member Invitation Card】

【Use this card to join the organization, Emperor’s Order】

【Organization Leader: Zhu Xingshu】

He held the Invitation Card out to Mo Shi.

“You need a system to use this. You haven’t bound one yet, so you can join later, once we’re back on the Train.”

“Ye Qiyan, I have a system binding.”

Shen Yuan said this out of nowhere.

“...That’s fine.”

Mo Shi smiled sweetly, making it impossible to read her eyes.

She raised a hand.

Black Death Qi swirled around her fingertips.

A chilling aura of death enveloped the entire restaurant.

“Cheating a little won’t hurt.”

She thrust a finger into her own chest.

Her entire appearance gradually transformed into that of a Shadow person.

A layer of blackish-gray Light Screen appeared before her.

It seemed to be a system interface, but the power it consumed was that of 【Death】.

“It’s just a system binding. I don’t have one now, but I’ll definitely get one eventually.”

Unusually, Mo Shi looked displeased.

【Ding-dong. System notification: Would you like to terminate the Death Protocol?】

“No.”

【Understood】

Just as the system interface was about to disappear, Mo Shi pressed the Invitation Card against it.

【......Invitation Card used. Successfully joined the organization [Emperor’s Order].】

“Mm, that does it.”

Mo Shi’s smile grew even brighter. Beside her, Shen Yuan puffed out her cheeks and turned away, not daring to provoke this annoying woman again.

At the same time, in the Public Chat Room.

【(Automatic Reminder) Ding-dong—】

【Ye Qiyan has invited [Mo Shi] to join the chat room】

In the Deep Pit World, Zhu Xingshu was hiding in a corner, evading the search.

When the automatic message popped up in the Public Chat Room, she rubbed her eyes.

“Mo Shi... Mo Shi... Isn’t that the name 【Death】 used after becoming a Train Conductor? Wait, wait... Mm...”

She took a deep breath. Her curiosity completely made her forget the danger she was in.

She pulled out a small jar of stars and tossed it toward the hazy sky, where no stars were visible.

A rain of shooting stars streaked down across the sky.

The instant she saw the stars, Rivers of Stars flowed through Zhu Xingshu’s eyes.

“Mo Shi... Death... By her side, Blank... Ye Qiyan? I heard it, the Whispers of Fate...

“Death will stand with us...

“No.

“Death will stand beside Ye Qiyan.

“Has Fate been rewritten?

“No.

“It’s that the fate of this Story was never drawn by Fate in the first place.

“So that’s how it is.”

Mo Shi, in the surface world’s Utopia City, seemed to sense something.

“How interesting. Even I can’t detect or avoid this power. Fate? Strange... But it doesn’t seem like those fate-wielders in the Death Realm. It feels more like... Fate is yearning for something?

“Hm?”

Mo Shi tilted her head, puzzled and confused.

But that confusion soon turned into intense interest.

She cupped her cheeks, the two Black Crosses in her eyes blinking continuously.

Her voice brimmed with excitement.

“Humans are so much fun. I’m so glad I became a Human Train Conductor.

“Ye Qiyan, I’ll protect you all~ No matter what.

“I’ll make sure humanity survives.

“Because I like your race even more than the Golden Tribe, especially... you~”

Ye Qiyan shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

“Then I’ll have to thank you for your protection, Miss Mo Shi.”

“No~ It’s Death who will protect you. As for me, though I’ll surpass my original self one day, that day hasn’t come yet.”

Mo Shi suddenly stood up. Under the wary gazes of Lisai and Red Tears, who had been quietly standing behind them, she leaned close to Ye Qiyan’s ear and whispered:

“Just like every other time we’ve spoken, Ye Qiyan, I’ll surpass you as Mo Shi.”

Ye Qiyan turned his head and met Mo Shi’s eyes.

“Then my answer is the same as always.

“You’ll never catch up.”

“Then let’s wait and see, Ye Qiyan.”

“Hey, don’t forget about me!”

————

On this day, Utopia City was still brightly lit.

More and more residents were dying.

More and more Happiness Blessings were being added to people.

What did Happiness Blessing mean, exactly?

Nobody knew.

They were simply growing more irritable, more afraid, and less willing to face the approaching Day of Execution.

The entrance to Utopia City had already been sealed.

The whole city was like a cage set over a furnace. No one knew when the Campfire beneath it would be lit.

The people in that cage were being kindled, ready to burn.

More and more people were gradually wearing the same blissful smiles as Utopia City’s residents.

They felt happiness, and for the sake of happiness, they were willing to give themselves up.

Time passed like a white colt flashing past a narrow gap.

【The Night Before the Day of Execution】

Ye Qiyan and Achuan were still staying with Zhang He’s small group.

Utopia City had sent a message: all Train Conductors were to arrive at Utopia City’s Central Square by 1:00 p.m. the following day.

A towering guillotine had already been erected there.

Zhang He and the others were fairly smart. They had stayed in the hotel all this time, so they hadn’t been affected by Happiness.

They were lucky, too.

Because Ye Qiyan and Achuan were right there.

The Utopia City residents who wanted to offer them blessings with their own blood were dealt with before they could enter the hotel.

One o’clock.

A time more familiar to Train Conductors than any other.

It would determine whether a Top-Tier Train Conductor lived or died.

The Emperor’s Order Chat Room remained silent.

No one had said that they would arrive in Utopia City the next day.

Perhaps... the only ones in this city were Ye Qiyan, Achuan, and Zhu Xingshu, down in the world at the bottom of the pit.