Rebirth of the Interstellar Pope <Mecha>

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

[An Shuo: Brother, I have waited for you for thousands of years in a long sleep. Do you believe it?]

The flower cups of Brahma flowers were laid out along the path from the front hall of the Palace of Light. Their faint fragrance rose like a mist, enveloping the air and stretching for miles.

Anno walked slowly along the gravel path, which resembled a long carpet covered in Brahma flowers.

A calm voice beside him broke the silence. "On the road from the Bright Palace to the Silver Palace, I remember you planted Tuosheng fruit before."

Anno paused for a moment but did not stop; he continued walking along the fragrant path. In truth, such a stroll felt meaningless. The chasm between him and An Shuo was not merely the passage of a thousand years. Sitting face to face and conversing might have resolved their issues more effectively than their current, foolish game of exchanging thoughts amidst the delicate aroma of the flowers.

An Shuo, still clad in his white papal robe, bore an air of indifference, as if the events that had just unfolded on the altar were insignificant and did not require any explanation.

"I managed to procure some Tuosheng fruit at the Holy See. It may take some time for it to grow..." he continued.

This was nothing more than small talk, yet Anno's curiosity was piqued. "Tuosheng fruit? I thought that plant was extinct!"

An Shuo smiled, a playful glint in his narrowed eyes, and took a small step closer to Anno.

Unbeknownst to Anno, Rufeite, who was meditating with his eyes closed on the observation deck of the side hall in the Hall of Light, could not help but scoff at the interaction.

"Just making conversation!" he muttered.

Cadilla rubbed his temples, exasperated. "I think your priority right now should be explaining today's events to the Senate."

Anno halted, turned slightly, and lifted his chin to look at An Shuo. "How long do you intend to keep this up?"

An Shuo smirked, his lips curling. "I'm waiting for you to ask me, dear brother."

"What should I ask you? Where did you hide my body? Or what grand plan do you have next?"

An Shuo was momentarily taken aback. Then, he shoved Anno against the wall, leaning in with one arm braced against it, his head bowed as he sneered. "I thought there was still some brotherhood between us. After all these years, you release me from Guangdi. Was it merely a whim, thinking I had been locked away for too long?"

Calmly, Anno met his gaze, unfazed. An Shuo, making a mock gesture of throwing himself at Anno, reminded him, "Ah, I nearly forgot-you're Anno."

"Then let's discuss your future plans."

An Shuo continued to lean against the wall, trapping Anno beneath him. He narrowed his eyes, inclining his body closer, the dark, feather-like tendrils of his consciousness unfurling to create a thick barrier that shielded them from the outside world. Rufeite's consciousness was intercepted midway, leaving him with only a glimpse of the black feathers spreading under the wall.

Peering beyond the barrier, An Shuo raised his chin, squinting at Anno, and pinched his chin with a smirk. His expression revealed the arrogance that Anno had grown familiar with. "What comes next? All my actions from here on out will be unrelated to you and solely about your little lover! The blood contract is still in place; I won't wait until everything is done and you've been ensnared by your own consciousness."