Chapter 381 - 171: "A Miracle Like a Bolt from the Blue.

Chapter 381: Chapter 171: "A Miracle Like a Bolt from the Blue.

"That breach in the Guandong Plain’s No. 7 Defense Line... the vast majority of the Ghost Tide that poured through was almost completely wiped out, and even a few Great Ghosts vanished into thin air."

"Some say the Night Watchers are tragic figures, that their only purpose in life is to be ’activated.’"

"Others say they’re incarnations of the Celestial Dao, sent to this world for the sole purpose of fending off the Ghost Tide’s invasion."

"There are all kinds of theories."

"..."

Shao Qiu didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he followed Elder Qi’s gaze toward the endless Ghost Tide at the No. 7 Defense Line. He was reminded of Big Fish from the Mortal Realm, who was also a Night Watcher.

’The fate of a Night Watcher seemed destined for tragedy.’

’And it wasn’t even a fate they chose for themselves.’

’It was preordained from birth.’

Elder Qi continued, his expression somewhat dazed, "All the Night Watchers cultivated by the Eternal Night Hall volunteer for the injections. They want... the explosion to be bigger when they detonate, so that heaven and earth will remember they existed."

"The Ghost Tide rages on."

"Some secretly throw in their lot with the Ghost Race, leaking vital information."

"Others forsake themselves in sacrifice, becoming martyrs for the world."

"Many factions completely ignored the No. 7 Defense Line’s requests for aid. And yet you... I don’t even know what power you represent, or which region you hail from. I never sent you a call for help, but you came to support us of your own accord."

"There are certainly many terrible things in this world."

"But—"

"It’s the good things that make us feel that sacrificing our lives to protect this continent is something of great value."

"It makes dying worthwhile."

"..."

Shao Qiu remained silent, simply standing in place and gazing out beyond the No. 7 Defense Line. The world-blotting Ghost Tide crashed against the defenses like a plague, their rising and falling roars echoing ceaselessly across the City Wall.

The ceaseless explosions and the sprays of blood blooming in the air below formed the main theme of this battlefield.

And this kind of large-scale warfare was just a daily routine for the No. 7 Defense Line.

It was something they experienced every day, and it couldn’t even be considered truly massive. Only when the rainy season arrived would the real large-scale wars begin.

Today, it seemed Elder Qi couldn’t stop himself from talking. He paid no mind to whether Shao Qiu responded, just rambling on to himself.

"Fortunately, the Ghost Tide here isn’t very intelligent. If they decided to hold back their attacks until the rainy season, gathering all their forces for one massive assault, the No. 7 Defense Line would truly be unable to hold."

"Without the daily Ghost Tide attacks, the No. 7 Defense Line wouldn’t even have a way to acquire Ghost Stones."

"To be honest."

"Many times, I truly feel that the Eternal Night Continent can’t last much longer. I can’t see a turning point on the horizon. The more I learn, the more I despair. Yet, even in this state of near-collapse, the Eternal Night Continent has held on, year after year."

"It makes me feel like the Eternal Night Continent might just make it after all, that maybe we can hold on a little longer."

"Have you ever been out to sea?"

"A ship in a storm at sea is just like this. It teeters on the brink, looking like it could capsize at any moment, but sometimes it stubbornly holds on until the sea is calm again. I don’t know if the Eternal Night Continent can hold on until that day, if..."

Elder Qi’s voice grew quieter, his words becoming increasingly disjointed.

He hadn’t had a drop to drink, yet he sounded drunk.

Gradually, Shao Qiu tuned out Elder Qi’s voice. His attention was completely captivated by the Ghost Tide beyond the No. 7 Defense Line.

When he first came to the No. 7 Defense Line, he, along with all the other members of the Dark Pavilion, couldn’t help but feel a sense of uselessness. Their Cultivation was practically meaningless on a battlefield of this scale; their ability to influence the outcome was minimal at best.

But now, he had found his purpose.

’My purpose isn’t on the front lines, but in the rear. Let the Dark Pavilion root out the traitors hidden within the Eternal Night Continent.’

The moment the Mortal Realm officially set foot in the heartland of the Eternal Night Continent, all traitors would face the Judgment of the Mortal Realm Dark Pavilion, one by one.

This was what he excelled at.

It was what the Dark Pavilion excelled at.

...

After a night of battle, the sky gradually brightened as the eternal night receded on schedule.

The defenders from the night watch filed down from the City Wall, heading toward a mess hall made of large, connected awnings. They planned to grab a bite to eat before turning in, while the next shift began to take over.

Sections of the No. 7 Defense Line’s City Wall gradually retracted into the ground.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians from the Guandong Plain, wielding all sorts of tools, rushed out from the No. 7 Defense Line, their movements extremely Skilled. They began dissecting the Ghost Corpses, skinning them, stripping the bones, and digging out Ghost Stones.

The entire process was extremely Skilled.

It was like the turning of the sun and moon; without needing many orders, everyone knew their task and the shifts changed naturally.

Shao Qiu was also preparing to leave.

He declined Elder Qi’s offer to prepare another banquet and went to the mess hall alone, where he found a recently-risen Uncle Liu.

Uncle Liu was sitting there, just as he always did.

Two bowls of food sat on the table.

He knew one of them was for him.

Shao Qiu walked to the table, picked up the bowl of noodle soup, and devoured it ravenously. Only then did he wipe the grease from the corners of his mouth, looking up at Uncle Liu with a satisfied smile.

"Thanks."

It was just like always.

During his half-year at the No. 7 Defense Line, he guarded the wall at night while Uncle Liu worked during the day, so the two rarely saw each other.

They basically only saw each other at mealtimes.

And during the shift change, Uncle Liu would always use his privilege of being served first to grab a meal for Shao Qiu, letting him skip the line and eat the freshest, hottest food.

"What’s there to thank me for?"