Ouyang Xuan noticed the strange expressions on Qin Luo and Su Muwan's faces, but he didn’t dwell on it. He simply explained, "The specifics of how the kingdom was restored aren’t detailed in the ancient texts."
"However..."
"What we do know is that back then, the combined efforts of the world's most talented individuals led to the slaying of the so-called 'calamity,' the Fourth Princess, which brought peace to the world."
"And thus, the Great Yan Dynasty was successfully restored."
"Unfortunately, on the very day of its restoration, an extreme cold swept across the land."
"All living beings were frozen in slumber, and the era known as the 'Mystic Heaven Realm' came to an end. Spiritual energy degraded into true energy."
"Over time, these beings and factions were concealed by the world's natural laws."
"But now, with the resurgence of spiritual energy, these ancient forces and creatures will re-emerge!"
Upon hearing this, everyone couldn’t help but gulp.
One person asked, "Uncle Ouyang, if what you’re saying is true, and these ancient forces all reappear, what should we do? Will we have to fight them?"
"Ah... fight? But ancient humans were born with spiritual energy, and their physical abilities far surpass ours. Can we even stand a chance?"
"Don’t worry, maybe the ancient people will be reasonable and easy to talk to!"
"That’s true."
Ouyang Xuan shook his head gently. "Don’t worry about that. Before our leader went into seclusion, he mentioned that these ancient forces are not our enemies."
He reassured them, "On the contrary, we are allies."
Allies?
Everyone felt relieved.
If the leader said so, then it must be true.
After all... everyone knew that the leader of the alliance... had always been that one person!
No one knew how long the leader had lived, nor how powerful he truly was.
In any case...
"That’s all for now. You’re dismissed..."
Before he could finish, Qin Luo spoke up again, "Wait, do we have any more information about this Fourth Princess?"
"For example, was there anyone by her side in the end?"
Ouyang Xuan looked puzzled but answered, "No, because of the calamity she brought, no one stood by her side."
"From the moment she initiated the coup to overthrow the kingdom until the very end, she was alone."
Qin Luo: ........
....
....
Back home.
"Ugh, I’m exhausted!"
Su Muwan stretched lazily and flopped onto the couch.
She glanced at Qin Luo, who was sitting deep in thought, and comforted him, "Hey, Qin Luo, why are you still worrying about those ancient forces? It’s fine!"
"That whole Great Yan Dynasty thing is just a coincidence."
"Didn’t you hear what they said at the meeting? We’re allies, allies!"
As she spoke, she tore open a bag of chips and started munching away. "When the time comes, we’ll just stay in the back and let the professionals at headquarters handle the diplomacy!"
Su Muwan had already experienced this in her past life. Once the ancient forces re-emerged, the headquarters would immediately send people to form alliances.
They wouldn’t need to get involved.
If she hadn’t been so competitive and greedy for opportunities in her past life, she wouldn’t have made so many enemies.
But...
Qin Luo thought for a moment, cleared his throat, and said, "Miss."
"Hmm?"
Su Muwan was busy munching on chips and looking for the remote.
"We might have slightly altered the timeline of this world."
"Oh... huh??"
Su Muwan froze, turning to look at Qin Luo. "What do you mean?"
Qin Luo didn’t explain but snapped his fingers.
A bronze cauldron was pulled out from the shadows and placed on the coffee table in the living room.
"Miss, look."
Qin Luo pointed at the bronze cauldron, which Su Muwan had been using as a flowerpot, and explained, "This bronze cauldron once took us into a dream."
"It was a dream about your childhood, when your doll was stolen, right?"
Su Muwan nodded. "Yeah, so?"
"And then I helped you keep the doll, and it returned in reality."
"....."
Su Muwan’s hand paused mid-air. She swallowed hard, suddenly realizing something.
She stiffly turned to Qin Luo. "So, Qin Luo, are you saying that the Fourth Princess of the Great Yan Dynasty they mentioned at the meeting... is actually..."
"Me???"
Su Muwan was shocked. She quickly stood up, flustered, and exclaimed, "Wait, Qin Luo, isn’t this world supposed to be about science and martial arts?!"
"But! But traveling back in time to change the future sounds way too far-fetched..."
Wait!
Su Muwan’s pupils shook.
Wait, maybe it’s not so far-fetched after all!
After all...
She was a reincarnator!!!
She had been reborn, and while the butterfly effect might have changed many things, wasn’t that also altering the future?
Her grandfather, who should have died, was still alive.
And the so-called 'Chosen Ones' who were supposed to gang up on her had all been locked up in the Destiny Mental Hospital...
So...
Su Muwan took a deep breath.
The future had already changed from the moment she was reborn?
Qin Luo wasn’t sure what Su Muwan was thinking, but he had a theory.
Wait, let’s think about this again.
He had been transported into this novel world, bound to Su Muwan, fought against the Chosen Ones, obtained the Destiny Mental Hospital, and then used the bronze cauldron to travel back in time through dreams to change the future.
What was the key factor here?
Think about it... think about it...
Ah!
Qin Luo’s eyes sharpened. The key factor was...
If the past had been changed, why wasn’t there any record of *him* in the future?
According to Ouyang Xuan, the Great Yan Dynasty fell because of the Fourth Princess, and she was completely alone.
That didn’t add up.
After all, he had also entered the dream. If they had traveled to the past, why wasn’t there any mention of him?
Even a brief note would have sufficed, since he would have definitely stood by Su Muwan until the end.
Was there something else missing or off...
Suddenly.
A lazy, listless voice echoed in Qin Luo’s mind.
*Do not form emotional attachments to the people of this world.*
"Do not... form emotional attachments to the people of this world..."
Qin Luo muttered the words to himself, and then it hit him.
The Destiny Mental Hospital! Doctor Ya!
She knew something!
"Luo Luo, are you okay?"
Su Muwan looked at Qin Luo with concern, sensing that he was tense about something.
Qin Luo took a deep breath, calming himself, then patted Su Muwan’s head and smiled. "Mu Mu, I need to look into something."
"I’ll be back soon."
As he spoke.
"Can’t I come with you? If there’s any danger, I can help."
Su Muwan grabbed Qin Luo’s hand, her eyes filled with worry.
Come with him...
Qin Luo thought for a moment, then looked at Su Muwan’s anxious expression and nodded with a smile. "Alright, let’s go together."
Why had I crossed over into this world, and why had I been given a mental hospital specifically designed to detain the chosen ones of destiny?
What exactly was my identity?
Perhaps...
I could find the answers with Doctor Ya.
Boom—!
Outside, dark clouds had begun to gather in the sky, and faint rumbles of thunder echoed in the distance.
At Destiny Mental Hospital.
Doctor Ya lay on a rocking chair in the front courtyard, reading a newspaper.
She glanced up at the sky.
A hint of something inexplicable flickered in her eyes.
The weather was changing...
More chosen ones of destiny were about to emerge into the world...