Execution

The city’s mysterious circles had remained awake all night.

Dawn had come and gone, yet no one could go home to catch up on sleep. Something had just happened—something more than ten times as serious as the book anomalies breaking free of their seals. Every book anomaly had transformed into a brand-new anomalous race.

The Scholars’ Institute conference room.

The layout was the same as before: the witches sat on the left, and the scholars on the right.

Mortar Granny had not come—or rather, she was no longer able to.

Cicada glared at the emaciated Stone Speaker, who was still stubbornly clinging to life. His eyes practically spat fire.

“I really want to stab you right through the chest.”

Stone Speaker was extremely weak and needed someone to support him even when walking.

He smiled. “Too bad. With everyone watching, it’s too late for you to make another attempt. Sorry for letting your arrangements go to waste.”

Cicada turned his head away, unwilling to look at him anymore. “Keep being stubborn, then.”

The witches were surprised that Stone Speaker had survived as well. Silence looked at him and, unusually, gave a slight nod.

President Yu did not wait for them to exchange more words and went straight to the subject of the meeting.

“Everyone, every book has now become a new species of the New Era. If they intend to seize the city, we will have absolutely no chance against them.”

“I heard that Huangyi has no intention of taking the city.” A childish voice rang out.

Everyone was startled. Then, as if on cue, they turned toward the glass cabinet in the corner.

“The Charter! Why are you still here?” Only now did everyone remember that they had completely forgotten about The Scholars’ Institute Charter and Program.

The Charter was displeased. It opened a small gap in the glass cabinet to serve as a “door” and flew out from within.

“You people—what do you mean by that? This is the home where I’ve lived for thousands of years. You’re the ones who came to disturb my sleep first thing in the morning.”

The scholars and witches had no interest in arguing with a book. Everyone knew that the Charter was a “self-book,” so they immediately surrounded it.

Cicada was the first to ask a question. “You said just now that Huangyi has no intention of taking this city?”

The Charter flapped its tiny wings. “That seems to be what it meant.”

Luo Lang was not reassured. “Is ‘seems’ merely your guess?”

“After Huangyi finished registering all the books just now, it said it needed to rest, then went home to sleep.”

“Then how do you know it has no intention of taking the city?”

The Charter was deeply contemptuous of this utterly uninformed question. It flew over and smacked Luo Lang on the head with its book-body.

“What are you all worried about? Huangyi helped you people several thousand years ago. Besides, if it really wanted to make a move, you couldn’t stop it. There would be no point in holding a meeting.”

No one answered.

The Charter was right. They had no way to resist. But as the current managers of the city, with a major crisis at their doorstep, they could not simply do nothing—could they really just go home and sleep?

After a long silence, Silence rose to her feet. “Since we can’t come up with a solution, we’ll leave for now.”

“Wait.” Stone Speaker stopped her.

Everyone’s eyes turned toward Stone Speaker.

“I, Stone Speaker, have completed all my duties. In accordance with the previous judgment, my death sentence will now be carried out. I ask everyone here to bear witness.”

Cicada slammed his hand onto the table and stood up.

“Bear witness to my ass! You think you can be executed whenever you feel like it? Aren’t you the one who cares most about rules and procedures? According to the process, a death sentence for someone in your position must be reviewed and confirmed by the Great Scholars’ Assembly! It also requires Chenpi’s signature.”

Stone Speaker replied softly, “All the Great Scholars are present and can conduct the review here and now. While Chenpi is unconscious, the witch Silence may exercise her signing authority in his place. Every step of the procedure can be completed.”

Cicada’s face was expressionless. “I don’t have time. I can’t conduct the review.”

Stone Speaker gazed quietly at him. “Xia Chong, my body can’t wait any longer.”

“Can’t wait? Good. That just means there’ll be one more name on the casualty list.”

“Xia Chong, I have no descendants. Whether I’m judged with honor or condemned as a criminal after my death means nothing to me.

“I am a stone. I was born from the law, and I will die by the law.

“The law has weight. It can govern the mysterious and the witches, and it can also punish a Great Scholar.

“To defend the dignity of the law and sound a warning for the world—that is the path I chose.

“As my friend, I hope you’ll see me off on the final journey.”

Cicada’s lips moved, but in the end, he could not say a word.

Stone Speaker had convinced the greatest obstacle. He raised a hand. “Come in.”

A public executioner from the law-enforcement bureau entered the conference room.

He took a document that had already been prepared from inside his scholar’s robes.

“I, Stone Speaker, Great Scholar in charge of law and punishment, hereby initiate a review of the death sentence of Shi Buyi. Do any of the Great Scholars have objections?”

President Yu, Luo Lang, Xiumu, and the Carpenter remained silent. Cicada took three or four deep breaths, but ultimately said nothing more.

“Witch Silence, the Great Scholars have no objections by default. The review is approved.”

Stone Speaker handed the document to the executioner, who passed it to Silence.

The witch acted decisively.

Silence glanced at Stone Speaker. “You committed vile acts, yet carried a heart of light. May you have a safe journey.”

With that, she signed her name on the document.

Stone Speaker turned his head toward everyone in the room.

“Oh, there’s something else. I’ve never apologized to all of you for the things I did. I offer my deepest apologies now.

“Of course, there are a few matters I must clarify before the end.

“President Yu, I’m sorry about your daughter Yu Ling’s death. I only intended to leave her seriously injured; I never meant to take her life.

“Xiumu, I wasn’t the one who sent people to silence Li Liang. I have no fear of being exposed, so I would never have done such a thing.

“I’ve been investigating both of these matters all this time, but I was unable to uncover the truth. I suspect a third party was involved. You should continue looking into it.”

After saying this, Stone Speaker nodded to the executioner.

The stone-like skin covering his body contracted, shedding its defenses and revealing a small patch over his heart.

The ordinary human executioner took out a specially made, razor-sharp knife.

Five minutes later.

Shi Buyi’s body was carried out of the conference room.

Cicada carried him out personally.

The news that Stone Speaker had been executed according to the law was publicly announced throughout the city at ten o’clock.

At ten thirty, the great banyan tree at Evergreen Academy completely withered.

A letter of resignation arrived on Oil Pot’s desk, the second-in-command of the Book Chaser organization. He was never able to contact Mr. Kong again.

As for ordinary citizens, they knew nothing about most of what had happened.

They continued to follow the tradition of Reading Day, spending the entire day reading. They remained at home, quietly immersed in their books.

Chen Miemie was sleeping soundly in the shop.

The Evermoon night that had just passed had been packed with far too many events. He had been running around without a moment’s rest. Once the Evermoon had faded, a deep exhaustion had overtaken him.

He slept all the way until four-thirty in the afternoon.

After getting up and eating some roast chicken, he found that dusk was already approaching.

The Forbidden Fruit Bestiary had been following him around ever since he woke up, secretly watching him as though it were waiting for something.

Chen Miemie knew exactly what it was waiting for.

“Forbidden Fruit Bestiary, did you notify all the book anomalies to gather at six o’clock, as I instructed you?”

[Forbidden Fruit Bestiary] immediately flew over to report:

“I couldn’t find every book, either. As the head of the Book Department, I notified the heads of the books in all four regions. They promised they’d arrive on time.”

“Good. Let’s set out for the city library. It’s time I had a proper talk with [Silence] and the others.”