Chapter 197: Destiny and choice
Translated by: La0o9
Edited by: VindiFan#1
Proofreader: Arya & Kiwi
Gu Qing Shan suddenly stood up, then paced around the small reception room.
All the painful emotions of the past life were rus.h.i.+ng, welling up in his stomach, like a boiling pot put on a fire, unable to calm down no matter what he did.
He can’t undo what happened, but this time, those things hadn’t happened yet.
It’s two different time periods with very different situations, so what should he do to make it fair?
Gu Qing Shan stopped his feet, turned around and looked at Anna.
“Why did you come find me at this point in time?” he asked.
Facing the Game of Eternal, he couldn’t make a single mistake, so there’s really no room for him to worry about extraneous things.
He definitely has to help her, but how would he help her?
Gu Qing Shan was thinking very rapidly.
Anna misunderstood him, couldn’t help but turn her head to look away and spoke in a soft voice: “I don’t really know. Right now, I don’t have anything left. In a short while, I’ll probably die on a battlefield somewhere, or receive help and become f.u.xi Empire’s puppet, sitting on the empty throne of Saint Orlank Empire”
Her tone almost seems like she’s speaking to herself.
“But my father is already gone, and the Holy Empire has been split apart. As the last person of the Medici clan, I have to face this no matter what”
“This is the destiny that I was born with”
“I… just feel like I should meet you one last time before everything happens”
Lowering her head, she struggled to smile: “I’m sorry, it took so long for us to meet again, and I say these things that makes it hard on you”
“See you, farewell”
Anna braced herself on the sofa arms and slowly stood up.
She glanced at Gu Qing Shan one last time before she left.
Just as she walked to the door and opened it, Gu Qing Shan’s voice came from behind her.
“Anna”
Anna turned around and looked at him.
“It’s like this” Gu Qing Shan spoke very slowly, “right now, I’m doing a certain something, if you can join this venture of mine and become my partner, help me finish this very important venture”
“You only need to help me and —-“
“I’ll help you” Anna didn’t even ask further and answered.
He was a bit surprised: “I’ve not even told you anything yet”
Anna laughed at herself: “My future is only to die on the battlefield or become a puppet, before that, if I’m able to help you with anything, that’ll just be a way to relieve myself”
“Let’s just say… this is something I happened to do”
She ended with those words.
Gu Qing Shan was stunned in place.
The remnants of the past life were still ringing in his ears.
「 Thank you for saving my life, I’ll remember your name and definitely repay you for this in the future 」
「 Repay me? What is there to repay, this is just something I happened to do 」
At this very moment, no matter if it’s a coincidence or fate, Anna said the exact same thing she did in the past life.
Gu Qing Shan felt his chest was being pounded heavily by something.
An intense yet silent emotion filled this chest, but there’s no words that could describe it accurately.
He stood straight and looked up, seeming to exude a completely different air.
“Anna…”
“I have two choices for you”
“What choices?”
“I can immediately give you all the Mech technology you need, I’ll help you meet with the President and the Martial Saint. I’ll fulfill every request that you asked of me before, but after that, you’ll return to f.u.xi and use the power that I gave you to cooperate with f.u.xi, to reclaim the Holy Empire”
This was history that already happened in the past life.
A few years later, Anna successfully borrowed the great power of the f.u.xi Empire’s army of Professionist to take back over half the Holy Empire.
This life, if she uses the resources that Gu Qing Shan gives her well, she’ll be able to increase her position, giving herself more freedom and right to speak and not fall to become a simple figurehead or puppet.
“This is only one choice? You mean there’s another choice for me to make?” Anna hurriedly asked.
She couldn’t help but stepped closer to him, even forgetting to close the door.
“That’s right, there’s another choice” Gu Qing Shan spoke slowly: ”Join my team, become a partner, and help me with a few things”
“If you choose this, then you no longer need to return to f.u.xi Empire and play politics with them. Because I can guarantee you, one day you’ll be able to raise the Medici clan’s Empire once more on the ruins of the Holy Church. I will stand by your side, help you clear all the obstacles and put you on the throne, so that you will become the Saint Orlank Holy Empire’s Empress”
“You… guarantee it? Don’t try to fool me, even the f.u.xi Emperor can’t guarantee something like that” Anna looked at him with uncertainty.
“It’s time for you to choose” Gu Qing Shan looked at her and continued: “If you trust me, join my team and stay here to help me”
“If you feel what I promised is impossible, then walk out that door, leave and return to the f.u.xi Empire. And I’ll still do everything that I’ve promised you”
“Choose”
Saying so, he stood silent, staring at Anna.
Anna was a bit stunned and looked back at him, seemingly picking apart the true meaning of these words.
This is definitely the toughest decision Anna has ever made in her entire life.
After staying silent for a while, Anna suddenly said: “I have one thing to ask”
“Then ask away”
Anna took off the Life Exchange Contract from her neck, holding it in her palm.
“Do you know what this is?” she stared straight at the man standing before her and asked in a soft voice.
“It’s Death’s relic” Gu Qing Shan answered.
Finally confirming this, Anna was trembling ever so slightly.
“You knew… yet you still put it on me”
She lowered her head, hiding the expression on her face.
The room became silent.
Gu Qing Shan didn’t rush her.
Anna didn’t give an answer right away.
After a few minutes.
Anna muttered: “I shoulder too many things…”
She took a few steps towards the door.
Gu Qing Shan said nothing.
“The fate of myself and my country, cannot be left to just anybody…”
As if convincing herself, she took a few more steps and arrived at the door.
Gu Qing Shan still remained silent.
At this moment, time pa.s.sed so slowly it feels like it had already stopped.
For a very long time.
She reached out and close the door.
“I don’t know if this choice is correct or not”
She spoke hurriedly, turned around and walked towards Gu Qing Shan, step by step.
“However, you are the first person in history to ever return Death’s relic to the previous owner”
“I’m willing to come with you, help you do what you want to do, but will you really help me?”
She stared at Gu Qing Shan, as a small glimmer that could be blown out at any moment appeared in her darkened eyes.
“I will”
Gu Qing Shan received her stare, very seriously and firmly replied.
Biting her lips, Anna silently nodded.
Extending her hands, she put Death’s relic back on Gu Qing Shan’s neck.
“If you can really do what you promised…”
“I will make sure that you become Saint Orlank’s Royal consort”
Royal consort, meaning the Empress’ husband.
Her face flushed, the uncertainty in her eyes stopped and reflected only Gu Qing Shan.
The solemn air around Gu Qing Shan disappeared as he spoke in panic: “The Royal con——–“
But his mouth was covered by Anna’s hands.
A knock on the door.
Zhang Ying Hao coughed from the other side of the door, saying: “Good brother, I don’t really want to bother you, but you’re coming up next in the conference”