Chapter 172 A Grand Ceremony

"But you still haven't made a move, have you? The gun's right there, and you could end this in minutes. So, why haven't you?"

I forced myself to stay calm, keeping a composed face as I spoke to Ronald.

Alan quietly left his wheelchair and moved to my side, trying to shield me from Ronald.

I sighed softly and complained, "Do you really have so little trust in me?"

"I couldn't bear to," Alan replied.

"If you couldn't bear it, you shouldn't have pretended to be dead for these past few months. Do you know how much pain I've been in?"

I shot Alan a fierce glare, finally venting all the pent-up anger from before.

Alan chuckled bitterly a few times, then fell silent, stepping back a few paces. 

But he quietly grabbed my hand, and warmth spread from his palm to mine.

"So, have you figured it out?" Ronald asked, smiling slightly as he watched us.

"Yeah," I nodded. "Because not everyone is here yet."

"Someone like you, who pursues a kind of grandeur, a heroism, or as you put it, a god-like state. You're the hero of your own world, the god. So when you die, there must be a..."

I paused, searching for the right word.

"A grand ceremony. Yes, I'm waiting for people. This grand funeral needs enough spectators, enough people to be buried with me, to disappear along with my world and my body at the ruins from twenty years ago. Twenty years ago, I erased the past here completely. Twenty years later, it will be the same."

Ronald picked up where I left off, his voice passionate and confident even at the end of all hope. 

He looked deeply at me, then at Alan, and suddenly asked, "Why did you choose Alan?"

I was caught off guard by the sudden question, unsure of Ronald's intentions.

Ronald remained silent, looking at me and then at Alan, before speaking slowly, "You're a dangerous woman. You have skills, ambition, and a meticulous mind. You can control your emotions well. If any other woman had a husband whose life was uncertain, she would be crying and screaming. But you managed to pull yourself together quickly, keeping a clear head to unravel the truth and proceed methodically. To others, you're impressive, but to me, you're ruthless. If Alan had truly died, what would you do?"

"Find out the truth, catch the killer, and leave Silverlight City with my father, never to return," I replied without hesitation. I had said the same thing to Howard a few days ago.

"Yes, you're ruthless. I'm curious, with such strong abilities and character, why did you choose someone as ordinary as Alan?"

Ronald asked heavily, then added, "You can see this as me stalling for time, which it is. But I also genuinely want to know your true thoughts, because you're both within my control right now. You have no choice but to be honest. You know I admire you, or I wouldn't have agreed to let Zoey be your apprentice."

"I said earlier, Alan is your mirror. You see your true self and feel fear and dread."

"Right, so you chose to embrace the fear?" Ronald asked.

"No, Alan is also my mirror. Overthinking makes me tired. Working in law enforcement has shown me enough of the dark side of humanity, making me lose confidence and trust in people. In Alan, I see simplicity, kindness, and a calm demeanor. His love for life and his straightforward attitude show me the beauty of humanity. I want to pursue and embrace that."

As I spoke, I linked my arm with Alan's.

I did this to continuously attack the last bit of goodness in Ronald's soul. 

I didn't know who he was waiting for or what he planned to do. 

Constantly praying and comforting Ronald would only diminish his remaining goodness. Only by continuously attacking, like injecting adrenaline into his soul, could I possibly shake him. I watched and waited for any opportunity.

Of course, it was also an apology for my earlier outburst at Alan.

"Alan, your wife has said so much. What do you think?"

Ronald squinted, quietly watching Alan. 

Since we arrived at the rooftop, they hadn't exchanged many words. I didn't know why. Maybe they understood each other deeply enough not to need words, or perhaps Alan held no hatred for Ronald, still hoping to persuade and change him. 

But I vaguely guessed the underlying reason.

Alan smiled, and when he did, a faint wrinkle appeared at the corner of his eye. He was half a head taller than me, and I noticed this from the first time we met. That wrinkle at his eye was so serene, leaving a deep impression on me.

From meeting, to falling in love, to getting married, I always loved watching him smile. His smile had a magical power.

He clearly sensed my intention, paused, and then spoke, "Nancy has said enough. Of course, I'm not as good as she says. Meeting her is the luckiest thing in my life. I don't know how to express it, but one thing is certain: the kids from the old steel mill, they all fear you to some extent. Frank, Tom, and the others, their fear turned into hatred. Lally, Duke, and the rest, their fear became a forgotten nightmare."

"But I never feared you."

Ronald smiled playfully, "Because you and Tom were lucky enough to leave the old steel mill early..."

He didn't finish his sentence. 

Alan shook his head slightly, interrupting Ronald. This was the first time I saw Alan interrupt someone, a sign of his anger or complete loss of patience.

"First, I never feared you. I don't know why, I just felt there was no need. On the contrary, I pity you."

"Second, I'm not the only one who doesn't fear you."

Ronald was stunned, pointing at the wheezing Frank in the wheelchair, "You mean this half-dead guy?"

Alan didn't answer, looking ahead.

Laura, dressed in red and sitting at the edge of the rooftop, looked over, seemingly just waking up. 

She raised her head and suddenly said, "A funeral? Like the scene from the play 'Winter Funeral'? That's so sad."