Beginning with the Ubume Bird-Chapter 553 - 49: The Truth About the Emperor in Black Robes (Part 2)
Li Yan looked down at his right hand and noticed that his pinky, index finger, and thumb were pitch black, and the "Surgery Element" within his body began to stir restlessly.
Thud~
The three fingers broke off on cue, and fresh red blood spurted from the wounds.
"..."
Li Yan clenched his fist and then opened it again, and in the time it took for a single breath, his right hand had completely regenerated.
[Summer Yak]: A Tier-4 genetic ability, one of the highest Tier-5 skeletal structures, giving cells an almost impossible-to-kill vitality.
This was also the genetic ability from the Four Great Yaks that brought the most direct benefit to Li Yan.
However, although the Summer Yak was said to have an almost unkillable vitality, this was only the case within the physical strength of ordinary humans.
Although the newly grown pinky finger appeared no different from before, it would still bleed when cut, blister when burned, and even the explosive power would be greatly reduced. Naturally recovering to its past strength would take at least a month or two.
Sigh~
A deep sigh rose from behind Li Yan, who turned around calmly to face the Historian emerging from the mist.
This time, "A Fleeting Glimpse" actually provided some information.
[Historian]
A super-ancient deity born from the "Abyssal Mouth."
Note 1: Like most deities born in the olden times that did not die, the Historian’s main body lies asleep in the deepest part of the Abyssal Mouth. It can only descend to the mortal realm through willpower, aiming to record the deeds of the new emperor. However, its soul is too ancient to bear the burden of vast memories, and thus it often confuses wandering poets, using various epics as its mnemonic aids. With the passage of time, the objects of its confusion have gradually shifted to playwrights and theater actors.
Note 2: It brings humans endless emptiness and pain, but also fame, wisdom, status, and wealth.
The Historian spoke slowly, "In my long career of documenting history, the decline of the Cyclops is but a trivial footnote. Would you like to witness something more terrifying? A flood that swept over ninety-nine percent of the land? A virulent contagion spread through the air as its medium, a giant bird sustaining half of the American continent? These ancient histories have been forgotten by the world, but they rest calmly in my chronicles..."
Li Yan smiled, "I do not doubt Your Excellency’s might, but I’m hardly likely to be cowed by a few spoken words after winning a tough battle."
"..."
At a loss for words, the Historian sighed after a long pause, "How envious, the winged insects are; how many emperors must we experience to have a pair of wings like yours?"
Li Yan was initially startled, then fell into a brief shock.
"Are you saying?"
Li Yan interjected.
The Historian slowly retreated back into the thick black fog.
"You do not warrant further alteration of history by me; that would make me forget even more. But I’ve memorized your appearance, Outer God! You have succeeded in making me give up on Dorothy, but I will eternally entwine those connected to you by blood, those people with black hair and eyes... They will become my pen, chronicling the new history of the emperor for me."
By now, Li Yan’s expression had become much calmer. Hearing the Historian’s threat, he just smiled nonchalantly, "That might not necessarily be a bad thing for them."
Li Yan heard no further response as the black fog enveloped the Historian completely, vanishing.
At the same time, Li Yan’s consciousness once again sank into the bizarre and indescribable chaos.
Countless warped clocks and folded lines, billions of fish swimming in the starry sky, a roaring Cyclops eye, flesh orbs teeming with tentacles and suckers, a jumble of white staircases and doors, and behind the doors, deep red vortexes. There were also the dazzling auroras in the star sea.
In the end, everything shattered with a crash.
"You have obtained some new information from the historian that isn’t recorded in the Yan Zhao Club."
"Your personal Earth Endurance attempts to write an exploration record about Feather Stem-Bingzi 128 in your name. Anyone from Yan Fu who tries to consult or reference this exploration record must pay a fee to you. At the same time, some records inside the Yan Zhao Club that only those of the Seven Palaces level can consult will also be made available to you in advance. Do you permit it?"
"Yes."
Li Yan opened his eyes, and his gaze returned to the stage in front of the Black Rose Theatre.
The place fell into a prolonged deadly silence.
The audiences could only see the contents prior to the appearance of the Cyclops, that is, the story of Li Yan assisting the Steam Princess to defeat the giant. Even so, they still erupted into an uproar.
"What is this? Dorothy actually went through with the performance like this."
"This is the worst ’Giant Lake’ I’ve ever seen, there isn’t a more terrible ending than this."
Fueled by emotions, many audiences left the theatre in anger, while even more people shouted Dorothy’s name, hoping she would come out and give an explanation.
Unexpectedly, a well-known black musician expressed his indignation towards the ending, even more than the white audiences present, even though this version of the play was almost the same as the old version of ’Giant Lake’ that had premiered in San Francisco years ago. The only difference was that the character helping the Steam Princess slay the giant was a kind-hearted and reliable black man who heroically sacrificed himself.
"Chinese people have made no contributions to this city; they don’t deserve to defeat the giant alongside the Steam Princess."
He shouted angrily.
As the situation seemed to spiral out of control, the theatre had no choice but to call on the Steam Guard to maintain order. Amidst the noisy scene, Li Yan had already risen and left the theatre.
Similar chaotic scenes appeared not only at the Black Rose Theatre, but with different focal points.
Copper-colored steam airships flew over the docks while St. Yves’s expression remained unusually calm.
Around the railway lines leading to the new district of San Francisco, thousands of Chinese people blocked the factory entrances, holding up various placards and slogans.
"Oppose the new bill!"
"Oppose discrimination, protect immigrants."
"A blot on democracy!"
Security personnel from the Enfield Arms Company were equipped with light steam weaponry, and many carried guns, but there were too few of them. A dozen armed security guards looked at each other, not knowing what to do.
"I’m sorry, Mr. St. Yves, it seems they did not take your warning to heart."
Detecitve Duke shrugged, "These people won’t rest easy. Should I offer help? Pinkerton specializes in that."
Besides fighting crime, Pinkerton Detective Agency was most infamously known for suppressing workers’ movements.
Years ago, during a massive strike at Andrew Steel Company, Pinkerton was hired to suppress it and opened fire on the striking workers, resulting in at least fifteen deaths. When Duke said he was a professional, he wasn’t lying.
"You’re right," St. Yves sighed, "they won’t rest easy. Hmm, I was planning to focus on these Chinese workers after returning from the World’s Fair. But they are too overconfident."
St. Yves turned to Duke, "Detective Duke, I did indeed propose hiring Pinkerton, but I don’t need you to help me suppress the strike."
"I don’t quite understand what you mean, Mr. St. Yves."
"Thanks to a genius employee of mine..." St. Yves sneered, "I haven’t needed these cheap Chinese workers for a long time."
