socalfunplaces Chapter 1277 The Night Before the Great Battle
Chapter 1277 The Night Before the Great Battle
Time flew by amidst the daily hustle and bustle of the ranch and the urgency of preparing for the final battle; a week passed quickly.
Before they knew it, it was the night before the deadline agreed upon by the Evil Knight.
The ranch restaurant was brightly lit at dinner time, but the atmosphere was somber.
Shao Yun specially asked Ningguang to prepare a table full of delicious dishes, and he also told jokes from time to time in an attempt to liven up the atmosphere.
However, most of the people at the table remained silent, unconsciously fiddling with their utensils in their plates, their faces showing undisguised worry.
Tomorrow's opponent is the cosmic catastrophe "Extreme Rider," and no one can truly be without fear.
Shen He held the full baby in one arm and had no appetite for dinner.
She quickly ate a couple of bites of rice and said softly, "I'm taking the baby back to the room now."
After saying that, Shen He carried the baby and quietly left the restaurant, his steps very light, as if afraid of breaking the fragile peace.
After everyone finished eating, Ningguang put down her chopsticks, stood up without saying a word, and began to clear the table.
She moved swiftly, but lacked her usual composure in managing the ranch, clearly indicating that she was also uneasy about tomorrow's battle.
For her, if Shao Yun really got into trouble, she, as an accessory, would be completely finished!
Sora and Abyss put down their cutlery almost simultaneously, exchanged a glance, and then got up and walked toward the door.
Ying didn't have much of an appetite and only drank a small half bowl of meat soup.
She glanced at Shao Yun, her eyes holding a thousand unspoken words, but in the end, they all turned into a soft admonition.
"You should get some rest too, don't think too much."
After saying that, she pulled Paimon, who was also looking listless, back to their bedroom on the second floor early.
Soon only Shao Yun, Daines Reb and Silky Kirk remained in the restaurant.
Daines Reeb leaned back on the sofa, closing his eyes to rest, clearly trying to calm himself down.
Skirk sat on the other side of the sofa, her gaze fixed on her hands and feet, lost in thought.
Neither of them seemed to be leaving; they appeared to be waiting for Shao Yun, wanting to chat with him for a bit.
Shao Yun got up and walked to Siker's side, his gaze falling on her hands and feet.
A while ago in the Kingdom of Night Gods, she used the power of the abyss to reassemble her hands and feet. Functionally, they were no different from ordinary people, except that her skin was covered with a faint layer of dark purple abyssal energy.
He examined the new hands and feet and asked, "How do your new hands and feet feel? Are you used to using them? Are there any discomforts?"
Silky raised her hand, flexed her fingers, and then gently lifted her foot. Her tone remained calm, as always, with her characteristic indifference.
"They were all replicated using the power of the abyss, exactly as they were made from the same mold. What difference does it make how they feel? As long as they work, that's fine."
To her, hands and feet were merely tools for fighting and action; as long as they served their purpose, that was enough.
Hearing her say that, Shao Yun scratched his neck, feeling that the atmosphere was a bit dull, so he took the initiative to start a conversation.
"How was your week at the ranch? Did you like the food Ningguang cooked?"
When Skirk heard the question, she fell silent for a moment, seemingly recalling the past week.
Since the destruction of her homeland, she has spent the years honing her skills in fear of the monstrous knights or battling various enemies, and has never had such a long period of peace.
"It's alright... but I never thought I'd be this lax."
This week, there were no endless battles, no turbulent escapes, and I was able to eat hot meals every day and rest in a quiet living room.
This peaceful and stable life was something she hadn't experienced in a long time, and it allowed her usually tense heart to relax for once.
Skirk lowered her eyes; this comfortable and peaceful life truly brought her a long-lost sense of warmth.
But a sense of unease lingered in my heart, and I even felt that I was "too decadent".
"Knowing full well that the threat of the Evil Knights is imminent, they've wasted so much time indulging in comfort..."
She muttered to herself, feeling guilty, and her gaze towards her inexperienced hands and feet became much more complicated.
These hands and feet are for fighting, not for enjoying a mundane life here.
Shao Yun took in the conflicted look in her eyes, smiled, shook his head, and comforted her:
"That's normal. A warm and welcoming environment always makes people let their guard down and temporarily forget their troubles."
"Besides, proper relaxation is not a waste of time; at least it allows us to face tomorrow's battle in better condition."
He could understand Silky's self-blame, after all, judging from her account over the past week, the long period of stability was contrary to her past life trajectory.
Silky took a deep breath, suddenly raised her head, and the confusion in her eyes faded, leaving only determination.
"I will participate in tomorrow's battle!"
Although Shao Yun had a premonition, she still subconsciously asked a question when she heard her say it herself.
"really?"
Silky turned her head, her gaze calm yet sharp as she stared at Shao Yun, and explained:
"I don't want to see you defeated and then coerced by the Evil Knights into joining the 'Universal Cataclysm' and bringing disaster to the universe."
Seeing that she had openly expressed her murderous intent towards the extremely vicious cavalry, Shao Yun couldn't help but ask curiously:
"I thought you would go easy on him out of the so-called master-disciple relationship... After all, he saved you and taught you how to fight."
"The bond between master and disciple?" Before Shao Yun could finish speaking, Silky interrupted him decisively.
"He did save me and taught me how to fight."
"But he is a calamity to the universe, causing devastation and destruction wherever he goes. For that reason alone, killing him would be good for all of us and for the entire universe."
She paused, then specifically reminded him, "And during tomorrow's battle, don't panic or say anything irrelevant or strange. You must be serious."
“My master’s strength is far more than what you’ve heard; he’s really not easy to defeat.”
Looking at Silky's tense profile, Shao Yun knew she wasn't joking.
He dropped his previous relaxed expression and nodded seriously in response, "Okay, I will take it seriously."
Upon hearing this, Skirk's tense shoulders relaxed slightly.
She stood up, raised her hand and patted her shoulder, as if to encourage herself, her tone returning to its usual indifference.
"I'm going to train now, to get back into the swing of things. See you during the day."
After saying that, she didn't linger and turned to walk towards the door.
The door was gently pushed open and then slowly closed, leaving behind a cold, aloof figure disappearing into the night.
No one knows where she's going to train, but she's definitely making final preparations for tomorrow's decisive battle.
After Skirk left, the air in the living room fell silent for a moment, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind outside the window.
Shao Yun remained standing in the same spot, his gaze fixed on the direction of the door, pondering the details of tomorrow's battle.
Just then, Daines Reeb's footsteps came from behind.
He walked up behind Shao Yun and asked with concern, "Tomorrow is your daytime battle with the Extreme Evil Riders. Is there anything you'd like to say? Perhaps some tactical suggestions, or is there anything else you're worried about?"
Upon hearing this, Shao Yun turned around, forcing a relaxed smile, and said casually:
"I don't know, and I have nothing to say. We've already discussed the tactics, and anything we were worried about... has been arranged."
"You should go and rest first, so you can be more energetic and cooperate better tomorrow."
Seeing his feigned ease, Dainesreb stepped forward and suggested, "You should go and rest. After all, you'll be the main force against the Evil Knights tomorrow."
Seeing that Daines Reeb was still urging him to rest, Shao Yun waved his hand dismissively and said, "I will, I'll go in a bit. But... you too, don't stay up too late."
To be honest, with a major battle imminent, how could Shao Yun not be nervous?
Moreover, the opposing team is the Extremely Fierce Cavalry... Although Shao Yun is not bad either, but...
The situation on the battlefield can change in an instant, and no one can guarantee that there will be no unexpected events. As the saying goes, "the weather is unpredictable," so he can only try his best to prepare.
Daines Reb did not offer any further advice or instructions.
He glanced casually toward the stairs, then nodded to Shao Yun and said, "I'll go to the study to rest first."
"By the way, your wife has been standing on the stairs, observing you for quite some time."
After saying that, Daines Reb turned and walked toward the study without disturbing the people on the stairs.
Soon, only Shao Yun remained in the living room.
He followed Daines Reeb's gaze toward the stairs and, sure enough, saw a familiar figure standing at the corner of the stairs—it was Ying.
It seems she wasn't asleep at all, and had been secretly watching the situation on the first floor from upstairs.
Shao Yun felt a warmth in her heart, walked to the sofa and sat down, gently waving to Ying on the stairs, signaling her to come down.
"Ying, I thought you were asleep. Why aren't you resting yet?"
Seeing that she had been discovered, Ying stopped hiding and tiptoed down the stairs to sit down next to Shao Yun.
She was still wearing that flesh-colored nightgown, the hem of which swayed gently with her movements, making her skin appear even more delicate.
"I can't sleep, I keep worrying about you. I overheard you guys talking about tomorrow's battle upstairs, so I wanted to come down and see you."
Immediately afterwards, she obediently sat down next to Shao Yun, her shoulder gently resting against his arm, like a kitten seeking security.
Before Shao Yun could speak, Ying gently laid her body flat, resting her head on Shao Yun's lap, her eyes full of dependence.
This posture is just like when the two of them were resting at Amber's house, she had a nightmare and then leaned on Shao Yun's legs to rest.
“Now I’m thinking back to when we were at Amber’s house…” Ying stared at the ceiling, reminiscing about the past.
“That night, I had a nightmare. We were huddled together on Amber’s sofa, and you were doing the same thing, gently patting me with one hand, and then I fell asleep quickly.”
Upon hearing this, Shao Yun raised his hand and gently stroked Ying's cheek, his fingertips tracing her soft chin, and sighed, "Yes, it feels like a lifetime ago."
“That was more than three years ago. I can’t believe how fast time flies. Now we have our own home and a baby.”
Ying blinked, her gaze falling on Shao Yun's chin. After a few seconds of silence, she couldn't help but ask the question that had been lingering in her mind for some time.
"You'll win, right? You won't lose tomorrow's battle against the Evil Knights, will you!"
Hearing this "old chestnut" question, Shao Yun looked down at Ying on his lap, gently stroking her hair with his fingers, trying to reassure her:
"You've asked me this so many times, I will win."
"Besides, I won't be fighting alone tomorrow. I'll have Dain and Skyker helping me out. It'll be three against one, how could I possibly lose?"
After listening, Ying gently closed her eyes, feeling the warmth from Shao Yun's palm and his familiar scent. Her unease was gradually replaced by a sense of security.
She said softly, "I hope so. I'm just... a little scared."
"You have to have confidence, I will win!" Shao Yun emphasized, as if promising Ying, or as if encouraging himself.
"Once we defeat the Evil Knights, we'll be free!"
……
After a while, Ying, who was resting her head on Shao Yun's lap, gradually calmed down and responded with a murmur as if in a dream.
"Um……"
Soon after, soft snoring could be heard.
She finally succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep peacefully beside Shao Yun.
Shao Yun looked at Ying, who was fast asleep on his lap, and shook his head helplessly.
"Why don't you sleep in a perfectly good bed and insist on squeezing onto the sofa with me? You're such a silly girl."
He didn't move, just remained in that position, one hand gently placed on her back, feeling her even breathing.
About half an hour later, seeing that Ying was sleeping soundly, Shao Yun carefully pulled her legs out and then gently picked her up.
Ying seemed to sense something in her sleep, and subconsciously snuggled closer to him, like a clingy kitten.
Shao Yun gently carried her, walking step by step towards the bedroom on the second floor. He gently placed her on the bed, covered her with a blanket, and kissed her forehead.
"Sleep well, I'll be back when you wake up." After settling the troublesome Empress Ying, Shao Yun turned and gently closed the door.
Back in the living room on the first floor, Shao Yun sat on the sofa.
He didn't rest, but just sat quietly, going over tomorrow's plans in his mind, occasionally recalling Ying's sleeping face and the baby's appearance.
And so he waited for dawn to arrive.
……