# 17
Chapter 17: My Home
“Barrier of No Vigilance?”
“A Forbidden Ruins that isolates the inside from the outside, preventing our battles with enemies from harming ordinary people. Every city’s Night Watch is issued three signs that can deploy the Barrier of No Vigilance, held by one person. Since we usually don’t fight head-on, we’re called Watchers.”
Lin Qiye raised an eyebrow. “So you’re just a lookout.”
“…If you can’t speak nicely, speak less.” Zhao Kongcheng rolled his eyes.
“You said there are three ways to obtain a Forbidden Ruins. What’s the last one?”
“The last is a divine gift—your situation.” Zhao Kongcheng’s expression turned grave. “Some gods give a portion of their power to chosen humans, making them the god’s agent on earth. Such god-given Forbidden Ruins are called God’s Ruins.
In return, the agent receives the god’s orders: destroy human society, protect it, search for something for the god… Usually a god has only one agent, who embodies the god’s will.
Of the dozen or so agents who’ve appeared, most serve evil gods bent on destroying the new human order and returning the world to Chaos. They created the Church of the Ancient Gods.
There are agents of good gods, but few; how many neutral ones exist, we don’t know.”
Zhao Kongcheng stood, walked to Lin Qiye, and stared into his eyes, speaking each word clearly:
“Lin Qiye, what order did Michael give you? Which side are you on?”
Lin Qiye looked blank. “I don’t know. He didn’t say.”
He was telling the truth. Michael had merely glanced at him from the moon, and he’d fainted—no words at all.
Zhao Kongcheng frowned. “He said nothing? You’ve never heard his voice in your mind?”
“No, really!”
Zhao Kongcheng studied him suspiciously for a long while, then finally sat back down.
“We guess Michael is neutral or good; otherwise we’d have killed you already. But if he gave you God’s Ruins, why say nothing? What does he want?”
Lin Qiye frowned slightly. “I don’t know what he wants, but even if he ordered me, I wouldn’t obey. I won’t get mixed up in this mess. At worst I’ll give these eyes back.”
He stood. “If that’s all, I’ll go.”
Before Zhao Kongcheng could answer, he turned to open the door.
“Wait!” Zhao Kongcheng jumped up, blocking the door. “You’re done asking and just leave? What about me?”
“You? You can stay here and be passionate alone.” Lin Qiye answered seriously.
“I mean—don’t you want to ask about me? Who I am?” Talking to this kid was exhausting.
“Who you are has nothing to do with me.” Lin Qiye kept opening the door.
Zhao Kongcheng pressed the handle. “Why I know so much, what organization backs me, what we do—you’re not curious?”
“Not curious.”
“Why?”
“By TV-logic, once I know you exist I only have two choices.” Lin Qiye held up two fingers. “Join, or be silenced—killed, locked up, brainwashed…”
“…Watch fewer dramas!” Zhao Kongcheng was speechless. “Besides, how do you know joining isn’t a good choice?”
Lin Qiye raised an eyebrow. “So if I learn about you and refuse, I’m safe?”
“Of course! We’re soldiers; at most you’d sign a gag order. The rest is nonsense!”
“Then I’ll listen.” Lin Qiye sat back down.
Zhao Kongcheng sighed. Talking to this kid for minutes felt harder than a day on stakeout!
“In 1922, after our survey team found the first mythical creature—Leviathan, the Chaos Dragon—Great Xia’s leaders set up a military unit to counter mythical incursions: Special Biological Response Group 139.
Back then our tech was poor and we knew nothing, so the group was mostly for show. Over time we observed more creatures, contacted a few, uncovered Forbidden Ruins, and began training special fighters.
As we found more Forbidden Ruins users, we realized their random appearance made full military control impossible, so 139 shifted to a half-military, half-civilian form.
Today we call this organization… Night Watch.”
Lin Qiye pondered. “So you protect Great Xia from evil gods?”
“All mythical creatures, to be exact.”
“Difference?”
“Creatures appear randomly, strength unrelated to fame. Not just mighty gods, but minor beings from local tales. The ghost-faced man you met is one such rural horror. Non-world-ending, yet harmful—we call them ‘mysteries’.”
“I see.” Lin Qiye nodded. No wonder last night’s thing felt familiar; it came from folklore.
“So we’re soldiers—guardians of the nation! We keep Great Xia’s people safe. Isn’t that noble? Isn’t that cool?” Zhao Kongcheng urged earnestly.
“Very noble, very cool. I respect you, truly.” Lin Qiye’s face was serious; respect shone in his eyes.
Zhao Kongcheng smiled. “Then will you—”
“I’m not joining.”
“…” The smile froze. “Why?!”
“I can’t leave.” Lin Qiye’s eyes were earnest. “I have things to do…”
“What could outweigh defending your country?!”
“I have an aunt and a cousin.” Lin Qiye gazed out the window, calm. “Aunt’s not old, but for A Jin and me—her useless nephew—she’s slaved in a factory day and night for ten years. Her body’s breaking.
She’s stubborn. Rubbing her neck on the living-room stool, tears in her eyes, she still insists it’s yoga, good for health…
I sit across from her. She thinks I can’t see.
She lives too carefully, too tiredly.
My cousin’s smart, filial, but… too young to carry the family.
I have much to do.
Earn money, buy them a big house, keep my aunt from ever returning to that dark factory!
Send my cousin to university, give them both good lives!
For ten years they never gave up on their burden. Now I’m well—how could I abandon them?
You are lofty, great. If things were different, maybe I’d join…
But now I only want to stay by their side…
And protect my home.”