[The City of Steam, Brass Spire]
[30 minutes before Vivian's execution]
In the dim cell, Vivian knelt quietly on the cold stone floor, dressed in a pristine white prison uniform. Her face was pale, but her back was ramrod straight. The uniform, remarkably, remained spotless despite her days of confinement, exuding an air of purity and neatness.
Seven days in prison hadn't broken the former knight. The heavy weight that had burdened her heart for so long had finally lifted. Having exacted her revenge and fought her battle against fate, Vivian was at last able to be her true self again.
Yet, even with everything going according to her plan, Vivian found herself lost in thought, a hazy mist clouding her beautiful eyes. An indescribable feeling was spreading through her heart.
Is it regret?
Feeling the complex emotions, Vivian shook her head. Every step she had taken had been her own choice; there was nothing to regret. But if it wasn't regret, then what was this heavy feeling in her heart?
Vivian pondered for a long time before she finally found the answer.
"...It's just that I don't want to leave."
Vivian whispered, her voice so soft that only she could hear it. In a daze, she couldn't help but recall the brief time she spent with Chen Kong and the others in the lower city.
The coffee that Chen Kong had handed her, still warm.
Liu Ma's boisterous, unfunny dad jokes.
Though short, these moments had left an indelible mark on Vivian's heart. But among them, what she remembered most was... Chen Kong's eyes. They were earnest to the point of being a little naive, just like her father, William. Both men had a certain gentleness in their eyes, the kind that would willingly burn themselves to ashes for others.
"How can there really be such ridiculously kind-hearted people in this world?" Vivian said, a slight smile on her lips. She reached up and wiped away the tear of 'laughter' from the corner of her eye.
Clank!
As Vivian was still immersed in her warm memories, the sound of heavy footsteps shattered her thoughts. A Steam Guard, a being made entirely of brass and imbued with a 'special machine soul,' stood emotionlessly outside her cell.
"Time is up, Vivian."
Vivian fell silent for a moment, then slowly stood up. The hem of her uniform brushed the floor, a sound of heart-wrenching desolation. She followed the Steam Guard out of the sunless cell toward the end of her journey: the Steam Furnace, located near the top of the Brass Spire.
[Top of the Brass Spire]
The wind was fierce at the top of the Brass Spire. A cold drizzle misted the air, making the atmosphere heavy and somber.
The first thing Vivian saw at the top of the spire was an unexpected figure. Yuchen, who was supposed to be in prison, was here. What's more, his identity had changed from the vice-captain of the Fifth Division to the captain of the Fifth Division.
Vivian didn't know what had happened, nor did she care. None of it mattered to her now. With this thought, she lowered her head, intending to pass by Yuchen quietly.
But as she walked past him, the man, whose eyes were always squinted, suddenly spoke.
"No regrets?"
Hearing this, Vivian's body froze. A subtle tremor ran through her slender shoulders. After a moment, she took a breath and replied in a slightly hoarse voice, "It's a path I chose myself. There's no room for regret."
Without another word, Vivian continued walking silently toward the massive Steam Furnace, which was hidden in the clouds. It was a colossal, iron beast of a building. Its brass exterior was covered with gears and pipes from a bygone era, and thick plumes of white steam hissed from the pipes, creating a dense cloud cover over the lower city.
Between the huge furnace and the Brass Spire, there was a bridge made entirely of brass. This was the 'Brass Path,' a path that the Twelve Brass Council had recently activated. It was the only way to the Steam Furnace without triggering the furnace's protection mechanism.
As Vivian looked at the 'path' that symbolized her end, her foot suddenly stopped just before she stepped onto it. That's strange. I had planned all this, so why am I hesitant to take this final step?
From a distance, Yuchen, who had been squinting, suddenly opened his eyes. A knowing smile appeared on his lips as he watched Vivian hesitate.
Sure enough, she has regrets after all.
Knowing that... is enough.
"Criminal Vivian, please follow the council's verdict and step onto the Brass Path."
The Steam Guard's voice was devoid of warmth, its tone unyielding. At the same time, it raised its gigantic, steam-powered sword, its metallic luster glinting in the light. It aimed the tip of the blade at Vivian's slender back. For the Steam Guards, who had only cold mechanical souls and no human feelings, the slightest sign of 'resistance' from Vivian would result in them ruthlessly 'escorting' her to the end.
Hearing the order, Vivian's eyes dimmed completely. She took a step onto the brass path.
But just then, a familiar voice, like a bolt of lightning, echoed from the other end of the Brass Spire.
"Vivian! We've come to save you!"
Vivian's head snapped around. Two figures in Steam Guard armor 'clunked' as they ripped off their helmets. Chen Kong's black hair was tousled by the wind, and the sunlight glinted off Liu Ma's bright white teeth.
At this sight, Vivian's heart felt as if it had been struck by something powerful. Her face lit up with a spark of hope. But besides the Steam Guards, Yuchen, the captain of the Fifth Division, and the other members of the Fifth Division were also here.
The next moment, something completely unexpected happened. Yuchen 'whooshed' forward, blocking Chen Kong's path. He looked at the two of them with a serious expression and said, "Chen Kong, Liu Ma, you two dare to openly disrupt the order of the City of Steam? Do you have no respect for our Steam Association?"
A bullet whizzed past Chen Kong's ear, but to everyone's surprise, Yuchen's shot missed Chen Kong and instead hit a Steam Guard standing beside Chen Kong and Liu Ma. The shot could be described as incredibly inaccurate or incredibly precise. After all, it didn't look like he was aiming at Chen Kong at all!
But Yuchen's performance wasn't over yet. Just as Chen Kong approached him, Yuchen acted as if he were caught off guard and was hit by a 'Void Rune bullet' from Chen Kong. As he fell, he made sure to shift his body to the side to avoid blocking their path.
The acting was so blatant and terrible! But the other members of the Fifth Division were even worse. Vice-captain Kongcheng charged forward with his sword raised, only to 'somehow' slip and fall, conveniently getting his face right in front of Liu Ma's fist and being knocked away. The other regular members of the Fifth Division were no better. Their performances were equally dreadful. Some of them 'oofed' as they ran into a railing, while others simply squatted down, clutching their stomachs and groaning in pain.
Seriously, you guys are at least first-grade Star Messengers. How can you not see a railing and all of you suddenly get stomach pains? You must think we're idiots!
As they watched Chen Kong take out a captain with one shot and Liu Ma take out a vice-captain with one punch, the viewers knew that the Fifth Division was just putting on a show. After all, how could Yuchen, a division captain, have such terrible aim? And not only that, but how could he be so 'inaccurate' that he managed to hit every person except Chen Kong and Liu Ma?
And what about Vice-captain Kongcheng and the other members of the Fifth Division? Where is your star power? Where are your weapons? You guys aren't even trying to act!
Seeing that the members of the Fifth Division were, just as President Liam had said, not stopping them at all and even secretly helping them, Chen Kong was filled with emotion.
Who says the association is rigid?
Look at them! They clearly know right from wrong and are using their own methods to uphold justice in the City of Steam.
The association's rules might say that Star Messengers can't interfere in local affairs, but they never said that they couldn't choose to 'not help.'
At this moment, the rigid rules of the Star Messenger Association and the flexible morality of its members were on full display atop the Brass Spire in a way that was both comical and heart-warming.
With the help of these 'insiders,' countless first- and second-grade Steam Guard puppets were no match for Chen Kong and Liu Ma. After effortlessly getting past their opponents, Chen Kong finally reached Vivian and, to the viewers' excitement, grabbed her hand.
"Let's go. I'm taking you out of here."
Chen Kong's voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable sense of resolve. Vivian looked at him as if he were a 'hero' on a rainbow cloud who had come to save her.
He had not only torn through the darkness that shrouded her but also shone a warm light on her. Feeling the warmth of that faint light, all the strength Vivian had so desperately clung to… instantly collapsed.
For she knew that this time, she wasn't walking toward an end. She was following the light… toward a new beginning called 'hope.'
In the hazy rain, Vivian looked up, smiling, and replied, "Okay, I'll follow you."
But just when everyone thought they were about to get a happy ending, a cold voice rang out.
"Kong, you still love being a good person. You haven't changed since we were kids."
Hearing the familiar yet strange voice, Chen Kong immediately turned around. Standing in the middle of the Brass Path was someone who shouldn't have been there: the former captain of the Fifth Division, Ink Wash, who had died just a few days ago.
From his words, both Chen Kong and the viewers could tell something was off. It was clear that Ink Wash knew Chen Kong from when they were kids. But in Chen Kong's and the viewers' memories, there was no record of Ink Wash. This meant that either he had only appeared for a short time, or the identity of Ink Wash was a disguise all along!