Ever since the anomaly with Anya's character card nearly a month ago, Xu Xiaoyou has been closely following the news of the Star of Art, not missing a single clue, yet finding nothing suspicious at all.

If it weren't for the character card still lying intact in the slot, she would have thought the other person had already disappeared from this world.

It seems Anya just woke up and regained her movements, could she have already left the Star of Art?

The Fifth Tier Battle Banner Master searched through the city for a whole month without hearing even a leak, the only possibilities remaining were that she had hidden in the snowfield or had already left the Star of Art.

From any angle, the latter was good news for her; the uncontrolled Anya as an unknown variable would bring too many unpredictable troubles, disrupting her current plans.

Yet she was someone who only felt secure when she had control over most things in her hands.

Noticing the change in the girl's expression, Tang Xin looked up: "Did something happen?"

"No, nothing happened."

Xu Xiaoyou got up and walked out, leaving just one sentence.

"You clean up first, I'll come back later, we're boarding the ship tonight."

Three o'clock in the afternoon, Victoria Port.

In the sea breeze, the one-armed young man squinted slightly, his black robe with torn collar, shoulders, and cuffs hanging on him like rags, attracting the attention of the port workers, while the black-gray cloak fluttered behind him.

A black-gray raven perched on the young man's shoulder, its eyes sharp as obsidian, the peaceful coastline reflected within, and as it spread its wings, its glossy black feathers refracted a colorful shine under the golden glow.

Noticing the girl approaching from behind, the one-armed young man nodded, extending his only arm, allowing the raven to slowly fly into the air and finally perch on his arm.

The young man had changed significantly compared to before, his once shy face now much darker, fine cracks like those of sunburn spread across, only his eyes remained bright, with a concealed edge hidden within.

"Long time no see, Miss Xu," Lin Xing said.

The changes in the young man surprised Xu Xiaoyou a lot, after just a month, he seemed like a different person, more silent?

Two weeks ago, he sent her a timed email related to the company, she hadn't forgotten.

Seeing Lin Xing's empty sleeve, Xu Xiaoyou casually said:

"Not used to the arm Puppet Master gave you?"

Lin Xing was silent for a moment, then responded.

"Only by remembering the pain can I constantly remind myself."

"So, why did you call me here, is it about the company?" Xu Xiaoyou asked.

Lin Xing did not directly answer her but slowly walked to the shore, facing the barrier made of curbstones and iron chains, gazing at the distant shore. The raven on his arm seemed to sense his emotions, spreading its wings widely to shield the young man from the sea wind and glaring light, letting out a few calls.

"Do you know, Miss Xu, in the shadows within the company, every child who emerges from the underground receives a raven as a companion along with a codename. Each year marked in the shadow career, or after a significant event, we engrave a mark on the raven's leg with a dagger."

"These ravens might accompany a shadow throughout their life, carrying out missions with them, penetrating dangerous enemy territory, living and dying until the day death finally comes, when a companion releases the raven, returning their freedom."

Speaking till here, Lin Xing let out a silent chuckle.

"Yet ravens are such loyal creatures, beautiful and intelligent, when they are released to return to the sky, they often realize that the person who accompanied them all their life is gone forever, or will never again appear before them to pinch grain with their fingers, to smooth their ruffled feathers."

"Without exception, all released ravens end up becoming sullen, or are found starved in the wilderness, frozen in the valley, or crashed into a cliff."

"Some even return to their former owner's residence, dying quietly without eating or drinking."

"Therefore, the day of releasing a raven is called 'The Raven's Funeral' by us shadows."

Lin Xing said, producing a bitter smile, leaning against the curbstone, letting the sea breeze mess with his gray-black robe, sighing gently, as if those short sighs aged him by dozens of years in an instant.

"These ravens follow closely as shadows, aren't they a kind of shadow as well?"

"Shadows do not hold funerals, The Raven's Funeral serves as mutual mourning."

With that, Lin Xing gently lifted the raven, unlocking its leg shackles, releasing it to the blue sky.

Sensing something, the raven vigorously spread its wings, flapping and screaming, each feather sparkling under the light.

"Go on, you're free, brother is gone, fly away now." Lin Xing chanted softly in tune, a melody Lin Sheng often hummed to the raven when calming it.

Upon hearing the familiar tune, the raven paused, its loud cries ceased, and its outstretched wings slowly retracted.

Xu Xiaoyou watched as the raven neared Lin Xing, its black crown feathers lightly touching the young man's forehead, as a clean line of moisture silently flowed from its obsidian-like eyes.

Finally, it tilted its head back, calling loudly at the sky, it's unclear if it mourned or celebrated its newly gained freedom, spreading its wings flying toward that once-desired sky, its black feathers disappearing into the blue horizon.

"Brother was very fond of this raven when he was alive, my own died from a stray bullet during an infiltration mission, this is the one I jointly took care of with him."

Lin Xing spoke, seemingly thinking of something else, falling silent suddenly, and after a long pause, letting out a deep sigh.

"After the Puppet Master incident, I've been investigating the company, first visiting Chichu Heaven, gathering information related to that Iron Hand."

Lin Xing recalled the dark red-haired girl, like a camellia, whom he promised to divert Chichu Family's eyes for, while the Young Master divulged more inside information to him.

Puppet Master Yorick, or rather, the Puppet Master brothers once almost reached the pinnacle of power in Chichu Heaven, known as Shadow Patriarch, with an invisible thread woven into a vast network over Chichu Heaven, from family Patriarchs to Chiyun Group's ministers, his influence spreading among them.

A person like him, if not for being limited by his abilities, could completely overthrow Chichu Family's regime, conducting a bloodless coup, openly acquiring the position of Patriarch.

Yet intelligence from the company indicated that he intended to support a puppet patriarch to power, and upon exposure of this plot, was expelled by the Patriarch and fled seeking refuge within the company.

His instincts told him something wasn't right, so he hijacked a company executive, used the person to go to the company's base in R'lyeh, the synchronously orbiting satellite Nest City, and after a series of infiltrations, learned more about Yorick from the Market Expansion Department head.

The information scattered here and there, but they all pointed to one thing: Yorick had not betrayed the company, something was suspicious about the Emerald 1's death.

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