Silent Crown

by Feng Yue

  Ye Qingxuan was silent.

  “No, right?” Ludovic answered his own question. “Just as how monkeys would never turn into a man, he is different from men as well. Then, what is that difference? Awareness? Cognition? Or that nonexistent twenty-one gram soul? Ye Qingxuan, answer my question. What counts as being a human?”

  Ye Qingxuan remained silent. There had never been an accepted answer for this question. Countless people had pondered this question throughout history but there had never been a perfect answer. Even if there was one, it was just the wishful thinking of some crazy person.

  To nobles, only those who had a good education, graceful movements, noble lineage, and an attractive face could count as a human. To them, the beggars in the dirty alleys were no different from cockroaches.

  To the lower class, the lords up above were nothing but organisms obsessed with their own interest, zombies who chased after money and face, and idiots who could not even explain why they were noble.

  But what exactly was a human?

  There had never been a standard that qualified to rate humanity.

  By skin color? Black, white, or yellow people?

  By bloodline? Deva’s blood, descendants of glory, or the common men?

  In India, life was divided into six stages. Which stage counted as being a human? Those lowly ones who should not even be mentioned or the elite lords?

  Or should humanity be rated by morals? Kind men were men and the evil ones were not? Patriotic men were men while the traitors were not? The noblemen were men while the shameful were not?

  By beliefs? Deciding by asking if one liked sweet or salty tofu? If they liked cats or not? Or maybe by gender where men were humans and women were not?

  Gays were not human, bisexuals were not human… Were answers like this correct?

  Ye Qingxuan’s mind spun uncontrollably. Under Ludovic’s guidance, his mind was like a derailed train. It charged forward without any control. In an instant, he was drenched with his sweat and his head pounded. However, he could find an answer.

  “Ye Qingxuan, what is humanity?” Ludovic tapped the table with his finger and said indifferently, “Humans are just an organism. Humans, beasts, birds, fish, and those things you call demons actually aren’t too different. They are all just organisms. You may even have more flaws.

  “You fear cold, heat, hunger, night, fire…you even fear yourself… So why do you think it’s so hard to become a human? Where do you all get the confidence to be the soul and spirit of all, the unique existence of this world? You do not even belong to this world…”

  Ye Qingxuan’s headache intensified until he could not even speak.

  “Sadly, I thought you would say something constructive but it seems that I had expected too much.” Ludovic sighed. “It would be great if I could have a nice and long chat with Ye Lanzhou. I’m sure he would give me the answer I want. After all, he helped me so much. I should thank him. If not for his research material, I wouldn’t be able to humanize my thoughts so quickly and come to the material world.”

  With that, he reached out and patted Ye Qingxuan’s shoulder like an encouraging senior. He said benevolently, “Your father was a great man. Ye Qingxuan, you should look up to him.”

  Ye Qingxuan froze. He felt the hair on the back of his neck rise. Even among the upper level of the natural catastrophes, not many had human characteristics. The three wise men were known as such because of their human-like characteristics. However, Hyakume was the convergence of all darkness in the Originator. He was the source and true nature of all evil. He was a terrifying entity that humans could not understand. Even his appearance could drive someone crazy. Communicating with him would cause one’s mind to become muddled and tainted. When one met eyes with him, the man would fall into the abyss.

  Hyakume’s mere existence created the abyss. Compared to it, humanity’s mind was as insignificant as dust.

  He had a strong attractive force. He could distort, assimilate, and encroach anything close to it… Thus, the dark musicians who interacted with him were all somewhat inhuman. Those who received strength from him would become something nightmarish.

  He had a vast yet turbid consciousness but it did not contain the so-called insignificant ‘humanity.’ One hundred people saw him in one hundred different lights.

  Humans could only see the tiny part that they could interact with. No one had ever seen Hyakume’s true and complete form. How terrifying would it become if such turbid darkness was controlled and manipulated by a single human personality?

  Ye Qingxuan processed this in an instant. To Hyakume, it was meaningless to have a human personality. No personality could control and contain such darkness. Hyakume had just created his own personality and transformed it into the core of this incarnation.

  This meant…

  A light bulb went off in his mind. This meant that Ludovic was the product of Hyakume becoming humanized?

  This made much more sense but now there were more questions. Humanizing natural catastrophes was a technique Ye Lanzhou created through the Sacred City’s secret research. How did it fall into Hyakume’s hands?

  He froze.

  Looking up, he stared at Hyakume and uttered, “Was the natural catastrophe experiment…your idea from the start?”

  And so Ludovic smiled. “Good job.”

  488 So-called Humanity

  No one had ever thought that the ‘natural catastrophe plan,’ designed to fight natural catastrophes, had actually been suggested and encouraged by a natural catastrophe. This was the biggest irony. The natural catastrophe gave humans the path to power. The humans stepped onto this path, even though it led to death.

  “What can I say? It was by chance.” Ludovic sighed. “I just chose some dying idiots and told them to search for the immortality that belonged to natural catastrophes. They gave me such a nice surprise.

  “First, so many saints died without me doing anything. Then, they turned Hecatoncheir, the most troublesome natural catastrophe, into an experiment… Finally, they came up with something that even I was surprised by.

  “It was a great show, Ye Qingxuan. I even knew about the Sacred City’s research results earlier than the pope. Your secrecy procedures were transparent to me. The Ecclesiastical Order would enthusiastically show me everything without me even asking so I would point them to immortality.

  “Starting then, I could not help but participate in this elaborate play…”

  “But then you realized that if you wanted to go onstage, you needed a human body first,” Ye Qingxuan said expressionlessly.

  “Correct.” Ludovic nodded and praised, “As expected from Mr. Holmes of Avalon. Such wonderful deduction. Please continue.”

  Thus, Ye Qingxuan’s gaze fell upon his body. “Ludovic should have died twenty years ago but he was brought back to life through some technique…It must have been you, right?”

  “No, this was the result that ‘Ludovic’ had worked hard for, if you call ‘me’ from decades ago Ludovic.” The old man reached out, showing his body to Ye Qingxuan. “Look, using the flesh of a natural catastrophe to lengthen one’s life works. He truly did return to his youth.

  “This body can survive more than five-hundred years. Even though it may seem to age, its vitality is still incredible. At any time, I can feel my incredible spirit, endless ambition, and the thirst of having the entire world in my hand.

  “Humans become such terrifying creatures after breaking through the limits of cellular reproduction.”

  Ye Qingxuan had no expression. “Then when did Ludovic become ‘you’?”

  Thus, Ludovic’s smile grew more mysterious. “Ye Qingxuan, I like the human philosophers. I appreciate your logic and thoughts because no thoughts or logic can avoid entering the territory I control.

  “I once invited a few scholars and philosophers who thirsted for knowledge into the abyss so they could observe my true appearance. Sadly, they all went crazy. Now…they’ve become the wise men of the abyss? Oh,
that is not a bad name. I like it. See, this is the creativity of humans. At the very least, you’re good at naming things.”

  Unmoved, Ye Qingxuan coldly reminded him, “You’re off topic.”

  “Sorry. It’s because the questions they posed were too fun,” Ludovic said with interest. “For example, the brain in the jar, the white horse dialogue, and the cat inside the box. Some also say that one can take half of a meter every day forever… Of course, these are all technicalities.”

  He paused and mused, “Of all these, the one I like most is called the Ship of Theseus.”

  Ye Qingxuan narrowed his eyes. He finally understood what Ludovic was trying to say.

  “If you start repairing a ship continuously from the start and change every broken piece until every piece has been changed, is it still the same ship from before? Following the same logic, if I replace Ludovic’s personality bit by bit with the personality I created, covering his views with my own…when does Ludovic stop being known as Ludovic?”

  Ye Qingxuan was silent.

  The old man before him smiled cheerily and opened his arms. “The answer is that Ludovic is still Ludovic. The only difference is that Ludovic, the ascetic monk, has become Ludovic, the incarnate of Hyakume. Ye Qingxuan, I’m still Ludovic, aren’t I?

  “I received the personality that humans recognize from Ye Lanzhou’s technology. From Ludovic’s contributions, I received a body that can walk on this earth. I am still me but I am also Hyakume. I am a human but also the incarnation of a natural catastrophe.

  “Even the best musicians are unable to find any flaw in me. Even the most sensitive investigator is unable to detect the aura of natural catastrophes and demons on me. Over the decade, I’ve gradually replaced myself and also gradually replaced the core of the Sacred City until now…both the city and I are complete.

  “I have stepped into the throne of humanity. I’ve become the leader of your spirits and the shepherd of your souls. And you all have willingly placed your souls into my hands so I can guide you through the dark canyon. I am the pope, Ye Qingxuan. I am the Original Dark Pope, Ludovic!”

  “No, you’re not,” Ye Qingxuan retorted coldly. “Even if you become the pope, can you learn how to play Fate?”

  “So what if I can’t?” Ludovic asked in return, stunning Ye Qingxuan. “Don’t be stupid. The pope is just an identity and Fate is just his clothing, a trademark! The pope can choose the clothing but the clothing cannot choose the pope. A naked pope and a clothed clown…who do you think the believers will kneel before? In addition…I’m the agent of God, am I not?”

  Ludovic sneered. “Isn’t it logical for the agent of God to become the pope? Or do you think I’m not as good as the insubstantial belief you have and am unable to create miracles? No, I can give you more!

  “The things that the past popes could do are easy as pie for me. And the things that they couldn’t do are also nothing for me. For example…”

  He uttered the word that many would go crazy over, “Resurrection!”

  At that moment, sudden panic swallowed Ye Qingxuan. He thought of something that he had overlooked because it was terrifying. However, he was not willing to continue imagining. He forced himself to stop the horrible thought.

  He just glared at Ludovic as if he could see the true nature of the god of evil inside. “You put so much thought into this…for what?”

  “Don’t let me look down on you, Ye Qingxuan.” Ludovic shook his head and sighed. He pointed at his head. “Use your brain and think. I value you because of your ability to think. Think, Ye Qingxuan. Think: humans are like ants to me. What is there that deserves me to work so hard? What makes me disguise myself to enter to the core of the Sacred City and make such sacrifices to become the king of the ants?”

  “The sacred blood…” Ye Qingxuan uttered. The confusion in his mind was suddenly hacked apart by an ax. He could finally see the truth behind the layers of clues. “No, not the sacred blood… Is it the Holy Cauldron?”

  Silence.

  Ludovic murmured thoughtfully, “Sadly, it was so close but it doesn’t matter anymore. Humanity’s shallow thinking will never understand my intention.”

  Ye Qingxuan clenched his jaw. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell the others about your true identity?”

  “Who’ll believe you?” Ludovic sneered. He walked over and put an arm around Ye Qingxuan’s shoulder. He pointed at the door behind them. “How about we play a game? Later, I’ll call the guards over. We both accuse the other of being the physical incarnate of a natural catastrophe and see who they’ll believe.”

  Ye Qingxuan stopped speaking. As if the last bit of his strength was sucked out, he had no other solutions.

  “Give up, Ye Qingxuan,” Ludovic said. “I know you’ve been trying to use Heaven Ladder to send the message. I also know you’ve been thinking of how to kill my incarnation, even if it means sacrificing yourself. I know your fighting spirit has not extinguished, even if you can’t tell.

  “None of this matters, really. This will only make the game more interesting. If you’re interested, you can pretend to side with me. So what if you sacrifice a bit of your dignity? In the future, we’ll have so much time to continue this game…” He walked behind Ye Qingxuan and held down his shoulder, making him sit in the chair. Then he pointed out the window. The barren wilderness had changed into a dark red river.

  The river flowed like fog. Its source was unknown, just like its end. It was hard to see its true nature and impossible to know why it existed. It was something that should not appear in this world.

  “Do you see it, Ye Qingxuan? This is the Styx I pulled from the Originator,” Ludovic murmured in his ear. “You’ve been considering this already, haven’t you? The price of resurrecting your mother—siding with me.”

  Ye Qingxuan stared at the dark red river blankly. In his eyes, the river reflected countless shattered lights. Under his stare, a blurry figure appeared within the flashing reflections. Finally, it formed the silhouette locked in his memories. Her back was to Ye Qingxuan and seemed to be standing in the water, facing the distance. It was all so familiar.

  Ye Qingxuan’s lips trembled but he could not speak.

  “Imagination and reality are different, aren’t they?” Ludovic sighed. “Determination that hasn’t encountered temptations yet is just a sand castle built by a child. When faced with true desire, who has the courage to reject it? Ye Qingxuan, this isn’t your fault. Anyone would do it. Anyone.

  “Now, what you thirst for is right before you. She’s been waiting for many years. Don’t let her continue waiting…”

  “No.” Ye Qingxuan gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. “It’s not her.”

  “It is her, Ye Qingxuan. Don’t lie to yourself.” Ludovic’s voice was so cold and cruel. “Is your mother not worth that shallow dignity and insignificant persistence? Isn’t this your dream, Ye Qingxuan? My benevolence has been used up, child. After this chance, you will regret this for your entire life!”

  “Then let me regret it for my entire life.” Ye Qingxuan’s voice suddenly calmed down. “Even the Originator is unable to turn back time, Ludovic. She’s already dead. You can’t lie to me. There is no heaven or hell in this world… Weren’t you just making fun of how intangible ‘souls’ are? Then what meaning is there to the so-called Styx?”

  The old hand on the young man’s shoulder tightened. It seemed to want to shatter the bone. Ye Qingxuan had crossed the line, he didn’t know his place; Ludovic was furious because of this mortal’s rebellion and wildness!

  But Ye Qingxuan laughed out loud. He howled and cried with tears of laughter.

  “Ludovic, you’ve been attacking me, shaking me, fooling me since the start just for this moment, right?” He opened his eyes. He studied the large window before him and Ludovic’s dark face reflected in the glass.

  “You wanted me to bow down to you because of my mother. “Your so-called resurrection and Styx are all fake! A meaningless lie after being seen thr
ough!”

  Ludovic was silent. He fell silent for the first time.

  “The so-called Styx is a ‘record’ pulled from the Originator, right?” Ye Qingxuan asked hoarsely. “This river is probably just a river left in this world by a dead man! What you have is just a library. How can you control humanity’s souls under the name of God? Don’t you feel shame from the reverence you receive from copying?”

  Ludovic did not reply. He lowered his eyes but could not hide the darkness and menace in those pupils. Ye Qingxuan was still laughing happily.

  “What’s wrong? Your embarrassment turned to anger? Where’s your benevolent expression? Your advising tone? Ludovic, aren’t you a fancy noble? Where’s your elegance and grace?”

  Ye Qingxuan asked softly, “You’re not talking? But I have a lot to tell you. Didn’t you ask me what humanity is? I don’t know what humanity is but I can tell you that the so-called humanity is definitely not this!

  “My mother is already dead. Even if you use her memories to recreate her, I would only have a puppet, a hallucination you created! I won’t call something so fake my mother just as I would never call you a human!

  “You’re just a creature with a human’s skin! Even if you become a pope, it won’t change anything!”

  In the dead silence, someone started clapping. Behind Ye Qingxuan, crisp claps sounded in the distorted black shadows. Ludovic’s old face appeared once again. He still looked elegant and full of grace. After hiding his anger and cruelty in the darkness, he regained the composure of a pope.

  “Very good, Ye Qingxuan. Very good.” He patted the boy’s shoulder and mused, “You’re beyond my expectations, truly. You’ve successfully resisted the temptation. You did better than I expected, even better than your father. But you didn’t think of one thing…”

  He bent over and studied Ye Qingxuan’s face. He uttered, “Even if she is just a puppet after resurrection like you said, I will resurrect her for you. That puppet with your mother’s face, your mother’s memories, and your mother’s personality, who even thinks that she’s your mother, will appear in every brothel in the world.