Chapter 1638 — The Long Night Without Dawn
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 4 of 4
Shen Mu let out a howl like an old wolf, his head bowed to his chest, and wept aloud, "I can no longer see any hope! Do not force me any more! We have already lost. I cannot gamble with the lives of everyone!"
He wept his fill, then turned and knocked his head heavily on the ground before the Village Chief, before Granny Zhu, before the Blind Old Man and the rest. "I have failed Grandpa Lame. I have failed the hopes you set on me. But I..."
He raised his head. "must do this."
The Village Chief sighed and helped him to his feet. "Shen'er, go and do it. We will wait for you to come back."
Shen Mu turned and walked toward the Spirit Energy Transfer Bridge, Langwan following behind him.
In the Upper Capital of Jingping, Ling Yuxiu stood at the head of Jingping's civil and military officials, watching all of this in silence, her heart wrung as though by a knife, her face unmoved.
"Your Majesty, will you not stop the Imperial Preceptor of Jingping?" one minister asked.
Ling Yuxiu shook her head. "There is no need to stop him. He is no longer your Imperial Preceptor of Jingping, and I will soon no longer be your sovereign. When the Retired Emperor arrives here, I will abdicate. I will leave Jingping with him and live out my days in seclusion..."
The officials looked at one another, and no one made a sound.
Step by step, Shen Mu climbed onto the Spirit Energy Transfer Bridge. Looking at the spirit-energy light ahead, he drew a long breath, and was about to step into the bridge.
Suddenly Yuchenzi came running from afar, crying loudly, "Imperial Preceptor of Jingping, wait! Wait!"