"How did you recognize it..."

Erin sat on a stump in front of the small courtyard, propping her chin with her hands, muttering.

The fox girl squatted nearby, holding a bowl of rice. She slightly turned her head, her ears softly twitching in the air: "I feel like I recognized it from the start."

Erin swung her legs: "I know it was recognized from the start, but how was it recognized..."

Hu Li then thought seriously, then lowered her head to lick the edge of the bowl: "...I don’t know either."

They just chatted idly without much substance, Hu Li licked the bowl clean and slowly fetched two burnt cakes from her tail and started munching.

Yu Sheng didn’t join their conversation; he just leaned against the wooden post in the corner of the courtyard fence, slightly looking upward at the sky.

The sky on this planet was very blue, but it wasn’t as unrealistically clear as the sky of the Saint Realm controlled by the artificial climate system. There was a small hill in the distance, but it wasn’t very pleasing to the eye. The bare rock mountain didn’t even have a single tree visible, while below the hill flowed a small river, the water always winding through the wheat fields outside the village.

The river should have fish.

Then after a while, Yu Sheng noticed more people appearing on the village path—although still not many, there were daring young people.

People seemed to finally confirm that those "Heavenly People" who descended from the sky on iron ships wouldn’t eat people or rob things.

But still no one dared approach the Marine Corps soldiers standing at the fork.

The fox girl came over holding a burnt cake, her big tail swaying: "Savior, what do you think... will happen here in the future?"

"The Boundary Council will take over here," Yu Sheng thought for a while, "Baili Qing mentioned they have dealt with various cult legacies, but such a large-scale legacy is still a first. It might require a long time and significant investment, but they are confident."

"This is the Dark Meteor Domain," Hu Li continued, "Without the Hidden Monastery, the largest force here has vacated, won’t the Boundary Council fall into this big pit?"

"That’s not something we should worry about," Yu Sheng waved his hand, "Anyway, from the way Baili Qing and Red see it, the United Fleet definitely won’t just leave after fighting, without minding these dozens of Colonized Stars here—they can’t come for nothing. The Boundary Land has stood between various Civilization Circles for so many years, they’re sure to find a way to swallow the stone in this pit."

"Oh."

Hu Li responded "oh" and didn’t pursue further inquiries, but slightly tilted her head, squinting her eyes with Yu Sheng to look at the sky.

A wild cat from the village walked past on the path, bowing its back with full alertness upon noticing the unfamiliar figures here.

Erin immediately jumped off the stump and hissed at the cat.

Yu Sheng pulled up this embarrassing little thing.

The door to the small house opened, Luna stood there, making a gesture of invitation.

Yu Sheng then took Hu Li and Erin into the small house.

Hu Li returned the bowl to the old woman, who was somewhat amazed looking at the polished and shiny coarse clay bowl, quickly tugging Hu Li to the table: "This girl is hungry...there’s still food in the pot, I’ll get you another bowl."

Hu Li was straightforward: "Okay!"

Yu Sheng noticed the gaze upon him, raising his head to see the dark-skinned, thin old man across, looking nervously yet somewhat awkwardly at this side.

"I heard from Luna that she’s now a knight of some ’travel agency’...are you the Lord she pledged allegiance to?" The old man spoke with a newfound respect in his tone.

Yu Sheng quickly stood up.

"Sort of—a ’travel agency’ is a sort of..." he stopped midway, realizing he didn’t know how to further explain to the old man, hesitated for two seconds, finally waved his hand, "Alright, I have some people under me, Luna counts as the fourth in command."

"This child was saved by you, it’s her fortune," the old woman sat by the table, seeming to hesitate before speaking a bit tentatively, "It’s just...her condition, is it really hopeless?"

"Just temporarily hopeless," Yu Sheng emphasized the word "temporarily" intentionally, "I know many capable people, everyone’s together finding a way, Luna’s situation isn’t unique, you must also know, those so-called priests... take away many people every year."

"...take away many people, but never returned," the old man murmured, "Some never thought about it, some never asked."

The old woman sighed: "We thought, how bad could it possibly get? At least we have a meal..."

Yu Sheng blinked but said nothing in the end.

They stayed in this village for the day, and by dusk, Yu Sheng left a door on the wall adjoining the courtyard in the small house.

The other side of the door led to the valley.

"Hey, C-type buckle," Erin, held by Hu Li, watching Yu Sheng busy while muttering to Luna beside her, "I thought you were going to stay here directly."

"Father said, once you become a knight, you must fulfill your duties," Luna spoke slowly as always, "With this door, I can, anytime, come home."

She paused for a moment as if organizing her thoughts before continuing.

"And besides, there are still many things to be done."

Yes, there are still many things to be done.

In a barren land far from Luna’s hometown village, Yu Sheng saw a group of wandering Brass Knights, accompanied by two Artificial Saintesses lingering there.

It is said that until fifty years ago, there was still a village here, but later the villagers gradually moved to several nearby towns, and this village, which had not produced a "suitable person" for decades, gradually became uninhabited.

The two Artificial Saintesses had long forgotten what their original family members looked like, and it took them a long time to even recall their own names.

The Holy Light appeared, and the "Artificial Angel" emerged from the Soul Wilderness, floating in the air over the barren land for a while, then circling around Yu Sheng.

"...Do you remember where your home is?" Yu Sheng asked.

The circling Artificial Angel stopped, tilting her head in confusion, and after a long time, emitted a meaningless sound.

Luna seemed to partially understand the thoughts of the Artificial Angel, turning to Yu Sheng: "Even if she remembers, it might be, one or two hundred, years ago."

Yu Sheng frowned and remained silent.

The sunset was gradually sinking, a wash of orange-red slowly spreading from the horizon. The "Artificial Angel" slowly descended to the ground, her enormous wings of light drooping down, looking somewhat dejected.

Under the Crystal Tree of the Soul Wilderness, Yu Sheng’s figure quietly emerged.

The blonde girl Knight was the first to greet him.

The two of them went to the bell tower of the Great Cathedral, looking down at the courtyard below.

There were many people in the courtyard, and many more in the camp outside the cathedral. Over by the barracks, many Knights were stationed, and from the cathedral to the path leading to the great bonfire, there were numerous wanderers.

In the thin mist of the wilderness, people continued to gather.

"I might be the luckiest among them, at least one of the luckiest," Luna suddenly spoke, her voice subdued, "I... returned not too late, and my parents... can even accept what I am now."

Yu Sheng said nothing, quietly listening to Luna continue to speak.

"Some returned too late, some could only see the terrified faces of their families, some wandered around their doorsteps all day, and many more..."

Luna paused for a few seconds, gently shaking her head.

"Many more stayed on the other side of the isolation wall, lacking the courage to cross the grids between the watchtowers.

"A small part of them, in the end, never found where their remembered home was.

"Their service time was too long, their memories themselves are now unreliable.

"Not to mention there are many who no longer have a body, only their souls roaming this wilderness."

Luna kept talking to herself, seemingly not caring whether Yu Sheng responded.

"...No matter what, we have liberated our homeland. Even if there is no place for us there now, at least there won’t be any new ’us’ anymore..."

"Luna."

Yu Sheng suddenly spoke.

He turned his face, quietly gazing into the blonde girl’s eyes.

"Build a city."

Luna’s expression was momentarily bewildered, seemingly not understanding Yu Sheng’s meaning.

"Build a city," Yu Sheng repeated, particularly earnest, raising his hand to point at the Great Cathedral at their feet, then beyond the cathedral towards the wider barren wilderness, "just as you built this cathedral, build a city on this wilderness.

"According to your imagined image, as you believe the blessed heroic spirits should have as a home.

"I want you to follow me, for your souls to be long-term residents here. Your bodies are containers of the present world, to help those who have suffered like you, to eliminate those evildoers who harm this world like the Hidden Monastery, and in the breaks between battles, your souls will rest and feast in this city.

"The Hidden Monastery wove a set of lies for you, but here with me, it can be true—if many of your companions have no place in the real world, then bring them here to build a new home, give them a place they can ’return’ to."

Luna stood dazed, seemingly stunned by Yu Sheng’s words, or perhaps she was unconsciously imagining that promised future. After a while, her eyes gradually brightened, as if new hope was stirring within them.

"I... I understand," she took a deep breath, her face glowing with unprecedented brilliance, "I will do as you say—I will lead everyone to build a city here, to make your kingdom, for the people and the army."

Yu Sheng smiled: "Good, I look forward to it."