Chapter 63: Sixty-three spirits,The election is over.

K wore a faint, mocking smile.

“Is our former Commander not going to meet with President Mo?”

Facing K’s provocation, Yin Que’s tone remained as calm and composed as ever.

He was like a vast, tranquil sea—when the winds were still, always deep and boundless, so broad that outsiders could never see what was hidden beneath the surface.

“I already met President Mo yesterday.”

K let out a low curse.

No wonder Yin Que couldn’t be blocked—he must have known from the start it was a lie.

One second, K was shrouded in gloom, the next, he beamed with sunlight, like a moody madman.

The tear mole beneath his eye glowed red as rouge in the sunlight.

“Former Commander, I’ll be taking A Li with me. Goodbye.”

Ning didn’t look at Yin Que.

She was afraid to see disappointment in his eyes.

Even more, she was afraid that she might stay because of him.

No matter how much she liked someone, she would never lose herself or change her set path for them.

Right now, it was a crucial period for his campaign.

Even if he wasn’t running, as the former Commander, it wasn’t right for him to get involved in the attack on the Research Institute.

K was right about one thing: in some ways, the two of them really were the same kind.

At least, their hatred for the Institute was the same, their goals the same, their enemies the same.

Ding Mi.

Still that gentle tone as always.

Yin Que didn’t ask what she was going to do.

Nor did he ask who this suddenly appearing K was.

He only called her name.

But she knew he was trying to keep her, in his own unique way.

Ning Li didn’t look back.

She only whispered, “Yin Que, see you again.”

As long as she wanted to hide, no one could find her, not even someone as strong as Yin Que.

Her stealth was nothing short of perfect.

Sometimes, she even felt out of place in this world because she was too strong.

Only in those moments did she truly realize: she wasn’t a normal Guide, but a Perfect Product of the Laboratory.

Xiao Hei, two hundred years later, was just as cold and indifferent as she was.

Perhaps she should thank the Retrograde Prism.

At least the Retrograde Prism had given her, for a short while, a pure and adorable Spiritual Companion.

But as her memories returned, so did Xiao Hei’s.

It had been a long time since she’d heard Xiao Hei’s voice.

That was normal.

Because the old Xiao Hei had always been like this—sometimes, a whole month would pass and he wouldn’t say a word to her.

“小黑.”

[……]

Ning Li felt a strange nostalgia for the naive, wandering, and treasure-hunting Xiao Hei from when she first woke in this world.

“Go out and play.”

[……]

“Xiao Hei, speak.”

This time, Xiao Hei finally responded.

But he only said three words:

[Not interested.]

It really was boring.

The high and mighty, world-weary Spiritual Companion from the past had indeed returned, just as unlikable as his owner.

Ning Li spoke without much hope.

“Go play with his Spiritual Companion.”

This time, Xiao Hei was silent for a long while before answering,

[It’s never seen me like this.]

“Go on. Give it a try.”

Go find the Cosmic Rose—maybe you’ll feel a little happier, Xiao Hei.

Xiao Hei no longer used the Bawanghua form.

Ever since his memories returned, he’d grown dissatisfied with how un-dominant Bawanghua looked.

When he left in his true form, K casually asked, “Boss, why did your Spiritual Companion leave?”

Ning Li said, “I let it get some air.”

Xiao Hei was used to wandering outside—could he really stand to stay in the Seaspirit Domain all the time?

But it was true, he hadn’t gone out in a long while.

K was a little surprised—since when was the Black God so lively?

He’d never gone out to “get some air” before.

The Necromancer always had a dead, gloomy air, surrounded by black mist, every move a killing strike.

Cold, domineering, never said more than three words at a time—for a long while, K had thought his boss’s Spiritual Companion was just too cool.

And now this cool Spiritual Companion liked getting fresh air?

K wanted to laugh.

But he couldn’t.

Because he realized—so much had changed in the past few months.

His boss had changed, and so had her Spiritual Companion.

Was it because of Yin Que and his Spiritual Companion?

Why?

He whistled, trying to sound relaxed.

“Boss, is this a breakup between you and Yin Que?”

When she left, Yin Que called her name, but she didn’t stay.

This trip to blow up the Research Institute would take at least a few months.

They had to plan, find a way inside, make sure nothing went wrong.

Between lovers, if you don’t talk for days, isn’t it as good as breaking up?

Ning Li didn’t reply.

They never said the word “break up,” but just now, it felt like a farewell.

She did her best to empty her mind, not thinking about Yin Que anymore.

“We need to go somewhere first.”

Only a few days later did K understand what “somewhere” meant.

They arrived at the Cemetery on Sky Island.

A vast cemetery covering three entire mountain peaks.

Most of those buried here were renowned figures who had made significant contributions to the World of Guides and Sentinels.

The place was filled with green hills and waters, birds singing and flowers blooming, every detail steeped in feng shui, every tombstone meticulously oriented.

If not for the tombstones everywhere, this place looked less like a cemetery, more like a 5A scenic spot.

K folded his arms across his chest, lazy all over.

Occasionally a bird would flit past, and he would catch and crush it bare-handed.

Whenever that happened, Ning Li always felt a bit dazed.

K was so full of malice, just as much as her—when he was in a mood, even a passing ant wasn’t spared.

If it were Yin Que, his eyes would follow the bird, watching it fly away with gentle gaze.

Ning Li casually used Resurrection to revive the bird that K had crushed.

She waited until it flapped its wings and flew off before speaking, “Don’t kill living things for no reason.”

K’s brow furrowed tight.

“Boss, you’ve gotten soft.”

Is that so?

Maybe.

“There’s no need to take it out on innocent animals.”

K was in a foul mood, itching for a smoke, but his cigarettes were all gone.

He whistled again, “Fine, I’ll take it out on those Researchers instead.”

Ning Li’s goal for coming to the Cemetery was clear.

She came to find Lu Guang.

Didn’t Lu Guang want Resurrection?

She’d grant it.

But Resurrection came at a steep price.

He would have to pay dearly.

Otherwise, he could return to his grave at any time.

Lu Guang had made it very clear where he was buried.

Ning Li found his tombstone easily.

Without needing prompting, K dug up the coffin buried below.

Lu Guang was neither a high-level Sentinel nor a high-level Guide.

After so many years, his body had all but rotted away, but this was no problem for Ning Li.

She revived him effortlessly.

No matter how many times he saw Resurrection, K was always in awe of such unmatched power.

It was just too charismatic!

The skill itself was alluring.

Ning Li, using such a skill, was even more so.

He looked at her with eyes full of admiration.

The way a subordinate looks at a superior, and a man at a woman.

After being resurrected, Lu Guang trembled with excitement.

“I’m alive! I’m really alive!”

Even resurrected, he still looked decrepit and on the brink of death.

He looked down at his wrinkled hands and asked, “Could you make me a little younger?”

K snorted, tone full of disdain.

“Old man, what are you dreaming about? Being brought back to life isn’t enough for you?”

As he spoke, he teleported and gripped Lu Guang’s neck hard with his right hand.

“Old man, I advise you to know your place, got it?”

Lu Guang was nearly strangled, his face turning red.

He realized K was a true menace—moody, ruthless, not normal at all.

He immediately yielded.

“I understand, I understand.”

With Lu Guang resurrected, K treated him like a toy, sometimes choking him for fun, sometimes trimming his beard, occasionally even slapping him for no reason.

Lu Guang’s days were nothing but misery.

He couldn’t help asking, “Where’s Yin Que?”

Yin Que’s name had become taboo within the group.

Ning Li was deliberately trying to forget.

K just wished this person had never existed.

At the mention of his name, K slapped Lu Guang so hard his vision went black.

Gasping for breath, Lu Guang had never been so humiliated, so he demanded, “Why did you hit me?”

K sneered.

“So what if I did?”

He grabbed Lu Guang’s hair, yanking his whole head back.

“Old man, got a problem?”

Lu Guang was terrified.

K truly had no limits.

By now, Lu Guang had a rough idea of K and Ning Li’s identities.

He’d suspected before, written all sorts of papers, made some guesses about the future, but never thought he’d actually meet two experimental subjects one day.

The pity was, the subjects were completely out of control…

He now realized this with absolute clarity.

As expected, only those older than twelve could merge with the Abnormal Species—but even then, there were too many risks.

These subjects were too powerful to be completely controlled.

From then on, he dared not speak recklessly, much less mention Yin Que.

Two months later, Ning Li and K finished their tactical preparations.

Though Lu Guang had been dead for years, his authority at the Institute remained.

After his death, his permissions were never revoked.

Removing them was a complicated process and generally unnecessary, since the user would never show up again.

But there was always an exception.

Lu Guang didn’t know what Ning Li and the others were planning to do at the Institute.

But he himself wanted to return, so he didn’t ask many questions.

The Institute was his home turf—he’d dedicated most of his life to it.

Once inside, he could break free from Ning Li and K’s control!

Inside, he would have both the power and means!

At 3 AM, Ning Li and K swaggered into the top-level Research Institute using Lu Guang’s clearance.

At this hour, no one would check who entered by face scan.

They had several hours to prepare.

Ning Li and K found three isolated Researchers, knocked them out by surprise, changed into their lab coats, and put on goggles and masks.

Now, no one would easily suspect their identities.

They acted relaxed the whole way.

No matter who they met, they handled it with ease.

With Lu Guang there, they never made a single mistake—no matter how anyone started a conversation, Lu Guang could handle it seamlessly.

Passing by an office, Ning Li overheard a conversation inside.

“Ahhhhh, the 1338th Commander has just been decided!”

The Researcher’s companion immediately asked, “Who is it, who? Is it Yin Que?”

The Researcher replied as if it were obvious, “Of course it’s Yin Que! Who else could it be?! His votes were overwhelming. White Moonlight is truly White Moonlight!”

Ning Li thought in a daze—two months had passed in a flash.

The election was over.

In the original history, the 1338th Commander’s surname was Gu.

But now, the 1338th Commander was Yin Que.

History had already shifted…

Ning Li couldn’t help but think to herself—

Congratulations, Yin Que, on becoming Commander once again.