Volume One: In the Prime of Youth Chapter Nineteen: The Flashback

The students atop the city wall were immersed in the joy of the arrival of the Hunting Corps for support, but suddenly the earth began to tremble, making everyone unsteady on their feet.

A student sorcerer was in the midst of chanting his spell when the unexpected tremor interrupted him, throwing off the entire team’s combat rhythm. A Calamity charged at him, and his teammates were too late to assist; he was about to be mauled, death inevitable in the jaws of the beast.

At the critical moment, Butterfly Dance, Bee Sting! Morning Dew of Iceblade shimmered with a ghostly blue light as the blade pierced the Calamity’s body. Jade Butterfly Shangguan drew her sword and spoke a single word: "Dodge."

The student sorcerer immediately retreated. Spells required time to chant and someone to protect him—this girl was right; he needed to find safety first.

But just then, a gigantic serpent head emerged from below the wall, sending countless Calamities flying. Jade Butterfly watched as Boppy tore through the earth, surging upwards until he reached the city wall.

Boppy gazed at the humans before him—creatures that should have been easy prey for the Calamities, yet dared to resist so fiercely.

Though snakes lack vocal cords, Boppy opened his enormous blood-red maw and roared at the students, "Humans!"

The roar shook the heavens, forcing everyone to cover their ears instinctively. Under the pressure of Boppy’s fury, Jade Butterfly staggered, nearly losing her balance.

Before she could steady herself, Boppy’s abyssal jaws lunged directly toward her. Jade Butterfly was the closest human, making her the first target.

Was this the end? She stared into the endless darkness of the serpent’s maw, her thoughts racing. Escape was impossible now—she was truly going to die. She had always known that walking this path meant death could come at any moment, but she never imagined it would arrive so soon. She still didn’t know Night Rain Crow’s true identity, and she so desperately wanted to see him again, to see the face beneath his mask—surely, it must be handsome.

Boppy’s jaws clamped down hard, his head smashing against the city wall, raising a cloud of dust.

Jade Butterfly stared dazedly at the enormous head before her, unable to comprehend what had happened. It seemed someone had pushed her aside, saving her—who was it?

As the dust settled, she finally saw what had transpired.

It was Ho Ye... Brother Ye!

At that moment, Ho Ye knelt on one knee, bracing Boppy’s lower jaw with his knee, trembling hands holding the upper jaw at bay. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Bone-crushing sand snakes... truly, you are the Calamities I hate most!"

The bite force of an S-class bone-crushing sand snake exceeded a thousand kilograms, yet Ho Ye, under this immense pressure, straightened his back and slowly, tremblingly, stood up.

He roared like a beast, his eyes alight with unwavering determination, as though he bore not just the weight of a mountain but the burden of an unjust fate. Bone-crushing sand snakes—his most despised enemy—this time, he would not lose!

The students watched in stunned silence. Ho Ye’s strength was astonishing—how could a human contend so fiercely with such a colossal Calamity? What monstrous power enabled this?

Ho Ye strained to step forward, trying to escape the massive jaws. Yet as he moved one leg out, the weight forced him to his knees again.

Seeing this, Jade Butterfly raised Morning Dew of Iceblade and slashed—Winter’s Icebreaker! The ligaments and sinews of Boppy’s jaw were severed; his mouth loosened, and Ho Ye finally stepped out, planting his foot firmly as he prepared to walk free.

Boppy was furious. These humans were so arrogant! Did an ultimate form Calamity have no dignity? How dare they enter and exit his jaws at will? Boppy instantly regenerated his wounds and, catching Ho Ye off guard, bit down viciously.

Ho Ye sensed the danger but did not dodge—instead, he pushed Jade Butterfly aside again, sacrificing himself as Boppy’s jaws clamped down on his left leg.

Finally triumphant, Boppy tossed his head back, attempting to swallow Ho Ye whole!

"No, no!" Jade Butterfly shouted, helpless, her heart aching with frustration.

Alice’s heart was in her throat. She had thought Ho Ye would be safe after rescuing Jade Butterfly, but how had things turned out like this?

Just as everyone believed Ho Ye was doomed, a figure leapt onto the spine of the bone-crushing sand snake, ascending into the air. With a fierce gaze and a giant scythe as tall as himself, he looked like a reaper emerging from hell to harvest souls.

First form, Round Dance!

Eddie was swift and decisive. He slashed off Ho Ye’s left leg with the scythe, grabbed him with one arm, and then unleashed another move.

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Third form, Hundred Streams Breaking the Wind!

Eddie moved as though wind itself carried him—even those known for their speed among wind-empowered walkers paled in comparison. This move wasn’t with his scythe but with his legs. Dark energy, sharp as the keenest blade, shattered Boppy’s armor with each step, leaving wounds deep enough to expose bone.

Bone-crushing sand snakes were famed as one of the toughest Calamity species, yet before Eddie, even such legends crumbled like paper.

Eddie struck the length of Boppy’s body in a dozen circles, then delivered the final blow.

Mid-air, Eddie kicked Boppy at a critical spot—the old saying goes, strike a snake at seven inches, and for a true serpent, that means the heart.

Boppy screamed and recoiled, his hundred-meter-long body collapsing with a thunderous crash, crushing numerous Calamities beneath him.

For a moment, human and Calamity alike were awed by the power and brilliance of Eddie’s assault. Was this truly the strength of humanity’s greatest warrior? Had he really just beaten an S-class Calamity?

Eddie carried Ho Ye to the top of the wall, handing the unconscious, blood-loss-stricken Ho Ye to Alice. "The ultimate form isn’t dead yet. I’ll finish it off. Take care of your brother."

Alice nodded quickly, gently patting Ho Ye’s face, tears in her eyes. "Brother, wake up, don’t sleep—you have sub-grade stem cells, don’t you?"

Jade Butterfly and Little Six rushed to Ho Ye’s side, mimicking Alice as they called to him.

"Buddy, wake up! Aren’t you supposed to be tough? Don’t sleep, or you’ll die!" Little Six’s words were blunt, but his worry for Ho Ye was genuine.

"Brother Ye… Brother Ye, don’t scare me!" Jade Butterfly was already sobbing, seeing Ho Ye’s left leg, bloodied and lost, tearing herself apart with guilt.

Ho Ye’s consciousness drifted away, as though entering a distant dream, returning to a time of happiness.

An endless sea of flowers—vivid roses, fresh iris, elegant lily of the valley, and the enchanting red spider lily. It was an artificial flower field, owned by Qingxue, the girl who loved flowers and was herself like a blossom.

At the heart of the field stood a towering locust tree, offering shelter from wind and rain to the low-growing flowers.

This nameless village lay in District C11—the same C11 that, two years ago, suffered countless casualties in the fires of war.

For Ho Ye, this village was a resting place where he waited for his parents to return from their missions; each time, he would wait here for them before going home together.

He often sat beneath the locust tree, gazing at the sea of flowers.

He met Qingxue there. Their acquaintance grew into understanding, then love—everything simple, sweet.

"Ho Ye, I’m not very pretty, nor talented, and my family is nothing compared to yours. Why do you like me?"

Years ago, Ho Ye held Qingxue beneath the tree, squeezing her gently as he said, "Who knows? Honestly, in Sora City, I see all kinds of girls every day—prettier than you, better figures, some so talented their names are known across the city. I can count… one, two…" Ho Ye counted on his fingers, as if reviewing every girl more outstanding than Qingxue in his memory. "Thirty-two, I think."

Qingxue’s expression dimmed—he spoke the truth. There was a vast gulf between them. Perhaps Ho Ye only saw her as a passing fancy, someone he would leave when bored. Yet being with Ho Ye was joyful; every extra day together was precious.

Ho Ye saw her worry, gently kissed her cheek, and continued, "…But liking someone isn’t about who’s more outstanding—I like you because you’re you."

"Yes, me too."

"Why don’t you come back to Sora City with us after my parents return? You don’t have close family here anyway."

"No, I was born here, grew up here, and I like it. Even in this poor, remote place, I still have you, right?"

"But if we only see each other once every month or two, aren’t you afraid I might be unfaithful?"

"…Alright, I’ll go with you. I hope your parents won’t dislike me."

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"Pfft, silly girl. As long as you’re willing to come. My parents will be back tomorrow; tonight, I’ll need to stay at your place."

"Okay, I’ll pack my things so I can go with you tomorrow."

"Good. Tomorrow, together."

"Tomorrow, together."

But tomorrow never came.

Because the day they made their promise became known in Sora Colony’s history as the first day of the "Sora Defense Battle."

That day, the Calamities failed to breach C11’s high walls, but a bone-crushing sand snake burrowed a tunnel underground, letting countless Calamities invade C11 and enter the village.

Ho Ye used all his strength to protect Qingxue, an ordinary girl, from the Calamities.

When they finally found a safe place to rest, a bone-crushing sand snake burst from below, attacking them.

Ho Ye saved Qingxue, but her abdomen had already been pierced by the snake’s fangs. Her blood was draining away; her body grew cold, her life fading.

"Ho Ye, it’s okay, really. I always felt that being with you was a beautiful dream—too unreal! I’m not worthy of you, and I was always afraid, afraid the dream would suddenly end. Growing up in a place like this, I was never afraid of death, but I feared losing you. Now it’s alright, dying in your arms means I can sleep forever with this dream… Promise me, when I’m gone, don’t be too sad, don’t be too affected by my death—I don’t want to cause you pain."

Ho Ye gripped her hand tightly, unable to cry, but forced a radiant, sunlit smile as he said, "Don’t worry, I’m someone with beautiful dreams. Life… will always go on, and I won’t let sorrow hold me back. But I’ll always remember you—my love."

People ask, what is strength? Strength is smiling through tears.

Qingxue seemed finally at peace, her pupils dilating as the light faded from her eyes. Ho Ye closed them gently.

The bone-crushing sand snake was not killed, only split in two by Ho Ye. Beneath the locust tree, the surrounding sea of flowers burned in black flames, turned to a fiery wasteland.

Wind howled, fire raged.

There was the crackling of flames, the screams of the sand snake, but not Ho Ye’s cries—only his trembling breaths. The flickering firelight scorched his face, and even his scalding tears lost their warmth. His heart hurt—don’t die—sorry… thousands of words, but none could be spoken.

Qingxue was dead, and Ho Ye’s heart died with her.

The sand snake’s wounds had healed, and it attacked Ho Ye again!

Ho Ye’s gaze never left Qingxue’s lifeless face. He picked up his knife, swung it, and the snake—barely fifty meters long, weak, yet the direct cause of this hell and the murderer of his beloved—was cleaved in one blow, body and soul.

Its body shattered, the sand snake turned to ashes.

Ho Ye wiped his tears helplessly. He could not let her have regrets—he had to live bravely. Yes, I am not sad! I don’t care!!! I don’t care…

Ho Ye sobbed, unable to speak.

How could he not care?

He treated the world gently, yet it did not return the favor—or perhaps, fate itself never showed him mercy.

Such is the story of the boy who still smiles.