"He is now the Heavenly Dao of this world. The benefit is that he can live for several hundred or even thousands of years without a problem. The downside is that he has to sever all worldly desires and resolve all karma. You are his parents, and I cannot directly kill you. However, if you have other children in the future, try your best not to get involved with him. If he abuses his power and breaks the law by doing something he shouldn't, it won't just be him who suffers; the entire world will be in peril."
The two did not fully understand why such a thing as abusing power and breaking the law would occur.
Wu Xiang chuckled, "Haven't you heard? When deities fall in love, the Three Realms are thrown into chaos."
Human nature is incredibly complex and terrifying. Perhaps at this very moment, both of them feel heartbroken for their child's suffering and the immense responsibility he now carries. But decades later, when they are old and frail, and there is someone beside them who can grant them a longer life, can they truly resist?
The two remained bewildered, as if they understood but didn't.
"In short, from now on, do not do anything that will make him difficult. You are humans; humans live a hundred lives. After death, you can reincarnate. Greed in this life will only delay your next. He cannot do that now. If he dies, he will vanish completely."
The two exchanged glances, seeing the confusion in each other's eyes. Yet, Jin Wen Ye still nodded, "We will not. We also will not have any other children."
Wu Xiang was somewhat surprised. After a moment, she said, "As you wish. These are the only things I needed to convey. Regarding the child, after he accepts the inheritance, he will gradually grow, and this world will slowly improve. You two, take care."
"Wait a moment."
"That rain, they caused it. Will they die?"
Wu Xiang shook her head. "I don't know. That's why I need to go and see now."
She bid farewell to Shen Zhong Yan's parents and relatives on his behalf, and blessed Shen Qian's child with a life of peace and prosperity. Only then did she leave with Rong Jin.
All the powerful individuals in the Lin Cheng base had departed.
But the apocalypse had also ended.
The final war had reduced the number of human survivors by over ten million from the original count. Their base had also lost nearly ten thousand people. This was considered a base with minimal casualties; some bases were completely wiped out.
Although the defeated aliens had vanished, and some of those who appeared that day had inexplicably disappeared, the ones in the sea remained. Humanity could only wait for many years until those massive sea monsters slowly died off.
With so few people left, they no longer needed the crisis-ridden coastal cities. Humanity once again banded together, with several bases merging. They elected truly far-sighted leaders to govern humanity and lead them towards resurgence.
This process was destined to be arduous, difficult, and prolonged, leaving Jin Wen Ye and Lin Wan with little time for romantic pursuits. They dedicated their lives to improving the survivor bases, expanding their territory, developing agriculture and animal husbandry, taking in as many survivors as possible, and establishing rules for the apocalypse so that everyone could live well.
They appeared to have no desires beyond that. It was only when their family sat together, looking at their "god" who did not resemble their beloved child but was undeniably their child, that they understood why they had persevered.
Year sixteen of the new era.
The Lin Cheng base had expanded to encompass several surrounding cities. They had established connections with all major survivor bases worldwide, engaging in mutual exchange and working together for the future of humanity.
Sang Jue had become the base's diplomat, responsible for communication with other survivor bases. After completing an overseas assignment, he came to report to Jin Wen Ye.
Jin Wen Ye had changed considerably over the years, both in appearance and mindset. By strict reckoning, he was only in his early forties, but his experiences over these years could rival those of many people across several lifetimes. As Sang Jue entered, Jin Wen Ye was standing by the window, gazing at the city he led. The emotions in his eyes were difficult for Sang Jue to comprehend.
"Sir."
"You're back," Jin Wen Ye said, walking over. "Sit."
Sang Jue sat opposite him and briefly outlined the entire process, including the troubles and novelties encountered. He then added, "I will send the detailed information to your email later."
"You don't need to be so formal."
"It's better to keep personal and professional matters separate," Sang Jue said, having also changed significantly. "Tomorrow is my father's birthday. Can you and Wan Wan come?"
The aftermath of that incident involved Jin Wen Ye, defying everyone's objections, rushing to the Sang family to find Sang Ming, who was preparing to flee, and killing him in front of many Sang family members.
This event caused the relationship between the Jin and Sang families to plummet to a freezing point, with no contact for a period. Later, Jin Wen Ye inadvertently learned from their child that Lin Wan had been on the brink of death and An An had been saved after dying. This caused him to transform overnight and take on the responsibility of protecting the entire world.
When he heard about this, Sang Jue was shocked. He could not imagine the agony Jin Wen Ye must have felt during that chaotic afternoon when he and Lin Wan left the base for their child, only to be attacked by aliens upon their return after finally retrieving their child. He was unable to protect his wife and son, watching them perish before his eyes.
He too had a wife and children. If such a thing were to happen to him, he believed he would willingly trade his own life to bring them back, even if it meant eternal damnation.
Lin Wan and An An were fortunate to have encountered benefactors and survived. However, this did not mean Sang Ming's actions could be forgiven. If they hadn't been saved, Jin Wen Ye would likely have harbored hatred towards the entire Sang family.
Sang Ming's death could only be attributed to his own doing.
After Sang Ming's death, the Sang family matriarch fell gravely ill and passed away soon after. At that time, they did not know the truth and thus harbored even greater resentment towards the Jin Wen Ye couple. It was only after Sang Jue learned and revealed the truth to the Sang family that the relationship between the two families gradually eased.
Of course, this only applied to Sang Jue's immediate family and Aunt Sang's family. Sang Ming's parents were unwilling to see Jin Wen Ye. With the matriarch's passing, his brothers had also separated. If Jin Wen Ye attended this birthday banquet, the second branch would certainly not come.
Jin Wen Ye hesitated for a moment before refusing, "I'm very busy during this period. Perhaps later." He couldn't even say "later."
"Alright," Sang Jue said, disappointed. Then he heard Jin Wen Ye add, "An An should be back in a few days. When he is, Brother, you and Uncle can come over for a meal."
Sang Jue paused for a moment, then smiled, "Okay, we will definitely come then."
Watching Sang Jue leave with a smile, Jin Wen Ye felt as if a stone had been lifted from his heart.
A stone that had weighed on him for sixteen years.
Sometimes, he felt he was not as open-minded as An An. An An had already let go, showing no intention of pursuing the Sang family. Shen Qian and Sang Pei had married, and the Shen and Sang families had a very good relationship. An An bore no animosity towards the new generation of the Sang family.
He remembered everything, yet he was the one who let go first.
"Dad, I want to live a long life. If I have to remember every person who ever wronged me and their relatives forever, I will be exhausted. I also don't want you to live a life filled with hatred. The person who truly made us hate is already dead. Such hatred only harms oneself."
Jin Wen Ye let out a relaxed smile.
He felt that he, too, should forget.