The Dawn of the New World

Hao Xuan had watched everything unfold from the beginning to the end but he still couldn't believe it. His identity token still showed Salome's mangled corpse with that same confused expression on his face. He never understood what was happening to him till the end but not once did he blame it on Hao Xuan, even when Tian Zheng specifically told him it was because of him, which wasn't entirely false.

Hao Xuan's vision blurred from the tears that were collecting in his eyes. He didn't know what to say, what to do. And just like that, as if by the intervention of some great unforeseen force, the scene changed right in front of his eyes.

It was another flashback and this time the lead was Salome.

He was standing at the doorstep of the village elder's home watching as the old man gathered his things one by one.

"Now Salome, I have a very important mission for you. You have to stay here and protect the village while we are away, understand?"

Salome pouted and stomped his feet in indignation, "But why can't I go with you? I don't wanna stay back, it's gonna be so lonely without anyone else to play with."

The villager elder stopped what he was doing and sighed wearily.

"Salome, if I could bring you with I would but you need to be a grown-up okay? There is not enough food for everyone and you know how much you eat."

"I can eat less-I won't eat at ALL!"

"Alright fine, go tell Samus and his family that he can't go with us because you want to come along instead."

Salome froze mid-celebration.

"Fine...I will stay here," he murmured.

"Good boy. Protect the village, it is your duty. There are still some crops that haven't been harvested at the back so use them if you run out of food. You still remember how right?"

"Mhm," Salome replied without thinking. Of course, he didn't know.

Time sped up and Salome was seen standing at the village entrance next, waving goodbye to all the families that hurriedly took their leave.

They had left him some food and there was a well for water in the village but that was it. In less than two weeks Salome had already finished all the food, even eaten the few ears of corn-like vegetables left on the farm.

He lived on water and insects for a few more days until that wasn't enough to satisfy him. He got food poisoning soon after and stayed cooped in one of the barns, not even venturing into any of the houses for protection from the elements.

He still believed they would come back for him.

The searing hot day and icy cold nights came rolling one after the other. By the third day he was delirious, seeing things that weren't there.

Hao Xuan couldn't see what he was seeing but his incoherent mumbling gave a few clues.

"Angel...? An angel...has come for me? Where...?"

He was talking to the empty air, his mind concocting a figment of imagination to make himself feel better.

"Okay...okay I will go..."

He somehow mustered enough strength to get up and hobble out of the barn. And just as he stepped out a loud explosion sounded overhand that grabbed his attention.

He looked up and saw a ball of fire shooting down from the sky, and inside it was a naked man with black wings.

"Angel...?!" he muttered in shock before stumbling into the nearby forest after it. (The scene was also first mentioned at the end of CH 432 'Arrival')

And that naked person shooting through the sky was Hao Xuan. It wasn't a mere coincidence that day that had brought them together. Someone or something had guided Salome towards Hao Xuan.

Time sped up significantly and showed all of their adventures together. If not for Hao Xuan Salome would have died that same night so he considered Hao Xuan his savior, his guardian angel.

"Don't worry, you will be safe here. I promise," Hao Xuan had said the words somewhere along the way without considering their true weight and Salome accepted it as fact.

He followed Hao Xuan back to the walking city where they stayed for a long while. Hao Xuan was too busy to stay with him so Salome was usually alone most of the time.

He knew Hao Xuan was doing a huge favor for him so he never asked for anything else. Day in and day out he would wait for Hao Xuan to come back just for that few minutes of conversation.

He would sit at the edge of the lake while humming a melody, satisfied with so little.

Only Jin Wang would sometimes show up out of nowhere to play with him for a bit but that was it. So many days were spent waiting around idly but...at least he was alive.

And then seemingly out of nowhere a strange girl came to visit him one night.

"Can you show me around?" her words sounded clearly within Hao Xuan's ears. She would come and have a chat with Salome every other day, talking for hours on end about random subjects. She knew a lot more than him as was evident by her demeanor and knowledge on various subjects.

They would trade stories with one another, lost in a little world of their own.

Hao Xuan could see Salome's face light up every time she appeared. And even after they left the walking city she came to see him one last time.

"Hao Xuan is in trouble and he is asking for you. Will you come with me?" she asked.

"Mmm, I will go!" he agreed at once, leaving with her for the final time.

***

The flashback finished and all Hao Xuan could do was murmur that same sentence over and over again.

"I promised...."