Chapter 228: Prisoners of Fate
This hand had done many things. It had held his father’s urn and signed the contract to leave the Tang Family. It had written homework and filled out exams, and it had brutally beaten thugs. This hand had performed prison labor, and it had stolen after his release.
This hand had committed acts of sorrow and rage, of grim satisfaction and utter despair, of reckless self-abandonment.
But today, for the first time, it had done something that brought a genuine smile to a child’s face.
’Ah... what on earth was I thinking before? Stealing, committing crimes... even taking it for granted that I should get revenge on the world?’
Tang Yuan began to laugh, and tears spilled from his eyes. It was the first time he had cried since the year he was imprisoned. As the teardrops fell, leaving his body and his state of Spiritualization, they froze into ice amidst the wind and snow.
Sensing something, the little girl turned. Seeing Tang Yuan’s face with her own eyes, she instinctively reached up to wipe his tears away.
「The next day.」
「Zhengguo Official Awakener Registration Office」
"I’ve awakened a Superpower."
The calm young man sat in a private office, speaking to a government Cultivator who wore a serious expression. "My ability is Spiritualization," he said. "I’ve written down the specific details and data. It’s not perfectly accurate, of course, but I will cooperate with any subsequent tests."
As he spoke, he handed over a sheet of paper covered in densely packed data about his ability.
"Very good, Mr. Tang. Thank you for your cooperation. However, our database shows that you have a criminal record... for manslaughter."
After reviewing the sheet of data, the Cultivator handling the registration typed a few things into his computer. He looked up, a little puzzled. "You mentioned yourself that you’d considered using your ability for theft... Er, I’m not questioning your desire to turn over a new leaf. It’s just, why the sudden change of heart? Why decide to register now? According to your initial plan, it would have been extremely difficult for anyone to discover this ability of yours."
"Of course, we encourage Ability Users like yourself to turn over a new leaf. Believe me, we were both surprised and pleased that you were willing to report this voluntarily. We will have to put you through a series of evaluations and tests at first, but if your psychological assessment comes back normal, you will be treated just like any other Cultivator."
The registrar emphasized, "It’s a necessary procedure. I hope you don’t mind."
"I don’t mind... Yes, I know I wasn’t what you’d call a good person in the past."
The young man, Tang Yuan, fell silent for a moment. Then he smiled. "But now, my goal is simple."
"I want to help more children see the light again."
—Extraordinary Power stirs the desires of the human heart.
It can be for good or for ill, for kindness or for cruelty.
Some, in their pursuit of immortality, abandon their humanity and forsake all else for their own sake, stripping others of their hope and future.
Others, whether for their own redemption or simply out of the kindness of their hearts, seek to grow stronger only to give hope and a future to as many people as they can.
Some fall to temptation, corrupted by immense power.
And others, realizing the world is not merely about taking, turn over a new leaf.
—If all people are Prisoners of fate...
Then some will always be in cells of Gold, looking down upon the mire.
And some will always be on the blackened Earth, looking up at the light.
—As the tides of this new era wash over us, may everyone stay true to their hearts—
—End of Volume 2: The Heavens and Earth Change Color—
=The following is a free author’s note=
Recently, I’ve heard from a lot of readers that updating in the wee hours of the morning makes it difficult to read. So, a few Chapters ago, I mentioned I was planning to change the schedule to releasing two Chapters at 6 AM. But a lot of you are still asking me about the update time, and honestly, it’s giving me a headache. I’m not sure what time is best.
When the update schedule gets messed up, the book’s stats tend to drop. So after thinking it over, I’ve decided not to change it. I’ll stick to the old schedule and update after midnight. You can all just read it when you wake up the next morning anyway.
After today’s Chapters, there will be one more side story about the National Preceptor and an end-of-volume summary. The new volume will begin tomorrow.
