Four Split Personalities

Game Time PM17:53

In Misha County, Southern Territory, at the entrance of Hodir Mountain Trail

Sitting on a stump, Motan staggered to his feet and walked towards a row of rudimentary open-air tents nearby.

He was topless, his left shoulder and both sides wrapped in bloody bandages. His arm, nearly healed by Yu Chen, hung limply by his side. Several claw marks marred his face, adding to his disheveled appearance.

However, compared to the hundreds of severely injured nearby, Motan’s condition was relatively good.

The site previously occupied by the heavy armor interception group had been transformed into a treatment center, or something resembling one. Its main functions were to receive and accommodate the injured, provide limited but slightly effective treatment or emergency care, and... manage the dead.

They gathered as many corpses as possible in the west side, surrounded by piles of firewood, here Guxiaole and a few magic-drained nuns were silently praying. They did their best to let the heroic spirits rest, preventing their binding to this still unliberated land and ultimately burning the bodies onsite.

Although the majority of the warriors resting here had not been infected by the plague in life, their resistance was much reduced in death. Thus, they were cremated, and their ashes would undergo purification by the Holy Church Union after the war, eventually being placed beneath the not-yet-begun monument in Fair City...

The city, wiped out by mutants, was beyond rebuilding. Although the Holy Church Union would not allow it to become a Cursed Land, the site, buried with tens of thousands of resentful spirits, was no longer fit for habitation. So, long before, several City Lords along with Xia Lian, Ferman, and others had decided. Once Misha County was fully recovered, Fair City’s site, after purification, would be preserved to commemorate this unspeakably tragic event, and a monument to the fallen would also be erected there, providing a place for future generations wanting to pay tribute to the heroes.

Of course, all this depended on the success of the Requiem Plan. If it failed, the whole of Misha County would become a ’memorial.’

"May the Goddess bless you,"

From a distance, Motan saluted the fallen fighters and said softly, "Your sacrifice will not be in vain..."

He was not a believer in gods, at least not in the conventional sense, so he seldom uttered something like ’May the Goddess bless you’ unless it was just for show. But that previous line had come sincerely from his heart.

On one hand, he knew that deities truly existed in this world. Even if it didn’t mean he ’believed’ in the concept of ’god’, Motan had no choice but to ’believe’ in their existence, especially since he had personally interacted with the Dawn Goddess Paxcine.

On the other hand, he was somewhat at a loss for words now, so as he looked upon those deceased, aside from a prayer for the Goddess’s blessing, he could not think of much else to say on the spot.

After all, he was the one who had ordered them to their deaths.

Truth be told, even now, Motan did not think of himself as someone fit to be a commander. Although he could not deny some natural ability in this field, having talent and being suitable were two different things.

There’s an old saying that makes a lot of sense, ’The merciful are not suited to command armies.’

Identifying himself as someone with a rather weak mentality, Motan always felt unsuited for his current position. Perhaps his values were not much different from most of his contemporaries, but that didn’t mean he could overlook death and casually order those under his command to die, even if it was for the greater good.

He was well aware of the righteousness and rationale, but knowing was one thing and personally bearing it was another.

Unable to move forward, Motan stood rooted to the spot for a long time, finally murmuring barely audibly, "I’m sorry..."

"Who are you apologizing to?"

A crisp and pleasing voice came from behind; turning around, Motan saw Guxiaole, who had been praying with the nuns for the fallen, had somehow silently circled around and was now curiously watching him with hands behind her back.

He gently shook his head and shrugged, "It’s nothing."

"Nothing? I don’t think so,"

Guxiaole smiled, then softly snapped her fingers, "Tai Shang, reveal yourself."

The air beside her twisted slightly, and the somewhat ghastly Shikigami slowly appeared, "I am here, Lord."

"Our dear commander seems a bit depressed."

Guxiaole glanced at Motan with a smile and cheerfully said, "Come on, tell Tan Jiang what those fallen warriors said."

Motan blinked, "Ah?"

Tai Shang too smiled, then bowed to Motan, "Lord Tan Jiang, the spirits of those who died in battle told me they had no regrets, and many were grateful to you."

"What are you talking abo... "

Motan first furrowed his brows in confusion, then quickly caught on, astonished, "You can speak with the dead?"

Tai Shang nodded slightly, "If they were people with strong wills in life, I can see them and engage in simple dialogue with them."

Following closely, Guxiaole added, "So can I."