Heavenly Kingdom Paradise.
It is unknown when, but people began to call that land by this name.
Clean drinking water, order on the streets that allowed one to walk safely during the day, and hepatitis B vaccines.
Things that were trivial to people elsewhere, as common as air, were as precious here as an oasis in a wasteland.
But in the end, the beautiful Heavenly Kingdom was merely a fleeting paradise.
Six years later, as tensions between Rome and the Russian Federation escalated, a sudden bombardment turned everything to ashes.
That day, the screeching blackbirds once again sowed seeds of hatred upon the scorched earth, reaping a harvest of rising flames.
Everything teetered on the brink of chaos.
What was once Paradise was now nothing but ruins.
Under the suppression of the two nations' joint operations, only the last vestiges of resistance still made futile attempts to salvage what was lost.
The roar of bombs thundered in the distance.
The fading sunset streamed through the shattered window, illuminating the blood on Huai Shi's forehead and his white hair, now stained crimson.
At this point, nothing more could be done.
He lowered his head and lit his last cigarette.
"You should go, Xiao Xian," Huai Shi said softly. "Those beautiful wars, worthy of your devotion, have ended. The path you had to walk is now complete. So, the time to leave has come."
In the reflection of the broken glass, a dim twilight shrouded his head, like a shattered crown.
"—All that's left for me here is this unjust Crown," he said with a self-deprecating laugh.
Behind him, from the shadows untouched by sunlight, a still-gentle figure silently emerged and looked down at him. "Shall I avenge you?"
"Revenge?" Huai Shi couldn't help but laugh. "This achievement, this earthly Heavenly Kingdom... wasn't it built upon my desires? When I die, this undeserved miracle will return to nothingness with me. Is there truly any injustice remaining that would warrant such a grand act of vengeance on my part?"
"No lingering resentment?" Luo Xian asked.
Huai Shi shook his head. "None."
"No regrets?"
"None."
Luo Xian then chuckled softly, caressing his cheek. "But there's no satisfaction either, is there?"
"Yes..." Huai Shi closed his eyes, murmuring softly, "How can one ever be satisfied, Xiao Xian? How can redemption be made to last forever...?"
"Who knows?" Luo Xian slowly shook her head, giving him one last look. "These are not matters for me to ponder. But I at least know I should do something. That's enough."
"Is it truly enough?" Huai Shi asked.
"Who knows?"
Luo Xian took a step back, turned, and walked towards the door.
Faint sounds of gunfire drifted from outside.
Before that door could open, Huai Shi couldn't stop himself from looking up, his gaze fixed on her retreating figure. "Xiao Xian, were you ever truly happy?"
Luo Xian's footsteps paused slightly.
"Who knows?" Again, she answered his question with the same words.
The woman turned back, tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and offered him a final smile. "If I ever was, it must have been because of you."
She said, "Goodbye, Huai Shi."
"Mm." Huai Shi lowered his eyes. "Goodbye, Xiao Xian."
The door closed.
Gunshots rang out, then quickly faded into silence.
Gunshots erupted again—thunderous, then abruptly ceasing, only to resume in a repeating pattern.
Finally, amidst the roaring, everything fell silent.
Only the sound of footsteps, drawing steadily closer.
Step by step.
In the end, the disintegrated door collapsed in the dust.
Masked soldiers filed in, their dark gun barrels aimed at the man in the chair. Even though he was now utterly alone, they remained as vigilant as ever.
They stood in disciplined formation, weapons ready.
Heavy footsteps approached from outside the doorway.
The bloodied officer crossed the line of guns and came to stand before Huai Shi. Looking down at his weathered face and salt-and-pepper hair, he asked coldly in Latin, "Tuner?"
Was he addressing me? Huai Shi didn't know, yet he couldn't help but laugh.
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings," Huai Shi lifted his gaze, staring at the Destroyers before him, at the disintegrated Heavenly Kingdom Paradise, and whispered softly, "Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
"Nothing besides remains. Round the decay…"