Chapter 200: Tingyun: My Benefactor, I Will Reclaim Everything

"My name is Tingyun. It is an honor to meet you, Mr. Evan..."

Inside Ruan Mei’s Biological Sciences Laboratory in the lower level of Herta Space Station, Tingyun stepped out of the recovery chamber and gave Evan a graceful bow.

She knew who he was.

During her recuperation, she had kept up with news from across the universe.

Through broadcasts from the IPC, she had learned everything that had happened aboard the Xianzhou Luofu...

Including the fact that someone had stolen her identity.

"Only Ruan Mei could achieve something like this."

"She couldn’t completely erase the traces of Destruction, but at least your body has been restored."

"It’s just..."

"These nine tails..."

Evan looked at Tingyun, then turned to Ruan Mei with an odd expression.

This couldn’t be one of Ruan Mei’s hobbies... could it?

"Tingyun’s body suffered severe damage at the hands of a Lord Ravager."

"The fact that she can now maintain a stable coexistence with that power is already remarkable."

"I’ve repaired her body as much as possible."

"But she’ll still have to endure the lingering pain."

Ruan Mei answered calmly.

To survive after falling victim to a Lord Ravager...

Was already a miracle.

Besides, Ruan Mei wasn’t an Emanator.

She was simply a genius.

"It is of no concern."

"I can bear this pain."

"There are simply some things I still cannot let go of."

"Before we part, I wished to finally speak them aloud."

"Mr. Evan..."

"I heard that you encountered me aboard the Luofu."

"Do you still remember what it was like when we first met?"

Tingyun asked softly.

"How could I forget?"

"The Luofu was the first civilization I visited after leaving Jarilo-VI."

"On the way there, though, we came across a destroyed Xianzhou starskiff."

"Along with soldiers from the Antimatter Legion and the Borisin."

"As for meeting you..."

"That happened after the crisis aboard the Luofu had already begun."

"That incident..."

Evan briefly recounted everything that had happened on the Luofu.

To Tingyun...

It all sounded like a dream.

Although that Tingyun had never truly been her...

She had stolen a portion of her life.

"So it truly was as I thought."

"Though I greeted you as though we’d never met..."

"I couldn’t help wondering..."

"To Mr. Evan, perhaps this first meeting felt more like a reunion after a long separation."

Tingyun was Tingyun.

Phantylia was Phantylia.

Naturally...

Tingyun possessed none of Phantylia’s memories.

It had been Phantylia who read every one of Tingyun’s memories, assumed her identity, infiltrated the Luofu, and attempted to sow distrust among everyone until the entire Xianzhou descended into chaos.

Fortunately...

Evan had exposed the deception.

Not only had he revealed Phantylia’s disguise...

He had even uncovered the traitorous Vidyadhara Elders ahead of time.

Half of the Luofu’s crisis had been resolved before it could even unfold.

The remaining half...

Had been settled during his second confrontation with Phantylia.

That battle had taken place after leaving Herta Space Station, on the journey toward the Luofu.

"A reunion after a long separation..."

"I suppose you could call it that."

"I have to admit..."

"The Heliobi really are frightening."

"Especially an Emanator like Phantylia."

Evan looked quietly at Tingyun.

Unfortunately...

With the authority he currently possessed, he still couldn’t completely solve the problem within her body.

Unless...

He one day gained dominion over Life and Death.

The authority governing death and life...

Creation and destruction.

A power that stood above Destruction itself.

If such authority were fueled directly by the Imaginary Tree...

It would far surpass the scars Phantylia had left upon Tingyun.

"Mr. Evan... and the Nameless..."

"I’ve heard bits and pieces about your journey aboard the Luofu."

"I cannot help but marvel at how flawless Phantylia’s impersonation was."

"It truly was as though another version of myself had appeared."

"She deceived everyone."

"She really did..."

If Evan hadn’t already known the script...

If he’d simply been an ordinary native of this universe...

Even he might not have seen through Phantylia’s illusion.

As a Heliobus, Phantylia was fundamentally an energy lifeform without a physical body.

Not unlike the Wubbaboos aboard Herta Space Station.

That was precisely why she had desperately wanted a body of her own.

Using the Stellaron...

She nurtured the Ambrosial Arbor, stole one of its Immortality Fruits, and ultimately obtained an undying body.

"Even Yukong failed to recognize her."

"March and the others thought you’d been replaced while we were chasing Kafka."

"But in reality..."

"You’d already been switched when we found that destroyed starskiff."

Hearing Evan’s answer, Tingyun fell silent once again.

Only after a long while did she finally speak.

"Whenever I think about it..."

"I feel an indescribable sense of loss."

"It’s as though a piece of my life was cut away..."

"And I was excluded from it entirely."

"That is precisely what troubles me."

"I never personally witnessed how Phantylia pretended to be me."

"From your perspective, Mr. Evan..."

"What kind of person was that ’Tingyun’?"

Evan thought for a moment.

In his memory...

Phantylia’s version of Tingyun had been exceptionally shrewd.

Had Dan Shu not accidentally exposed her...

She might never have revealed her true identity.

"A rather clever little fox."

"I knew it..."

"That must simply be in a Foxian’s nature."

"Everyone knows that a little mystery is what makes someone charming."

"And what sort of person did she appear to be?"

"A smooth and capable merchant."

"...Should I take that as a compliment?"

"I’m not sure I deserve it."

"And..."

"Was there anything particularly memorable about her?"

"...Does being absurdly flexible count?"

That sideways head tilt alone...

Could probably stop a baby from crying.

"Pfft—!"

"Mr. Evan..."

"You’re rather different from how Miss Herta described you."

"You’re quite amusing."

"Then..."

"I have one final question."

"In your eyes..."

"Am I truly no different from the person you remember?"

This time...

Evan carefully studied the woman standing before him.

Phantylia was Phantylia.

Tingyun was Tingyun.

The two had nothing in common.

Nor was there any reason to compare the real person to an impostor.

Tingyun understood that Evan hadn’t come merely to visit her.

He also intended to bring news of her survival back to Yukong.

But...

The period during which Phantylia had stolen her life still haunted her heart.

"Tingyun."

"You don’t need to compare yourself to Phantylia."

"She’s the counterfeit."

"You misunderstand, Mr. Evan."

"It’s not that I wish to compare myself with her."

"I simply feel... regret."

"And relief."

"As a merchant, one must always keep well informed."

"Before I return to Luofu, I’ll naturally learn everything that’s happened there."

"If I had hurried back immediately..."

"I’m afraid I wouldn’t have been able to help anyone."

"I would’ve stayed outside the Luofu instead..."

"Searching for allies."

"But if that had happened..."

"We never would’ve met."

Evan smiled faintly.

With the Authority of Consciousness in his grasp...

How could he possibly fail to understand what Tingyun truly wished to say?

To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:

patreon.com/nani_kaito