Volume Four: High Mountains and Flowing Waters Chapter Thirty-One: DD’s Disciplinary Action for Assault

Time passes, day by day, leaving no trace as it sweeps away the dust of the world. Reflecting on the passage of time, we walk the long road together toward a shared home.

The journey of "Observing the Sea in the Ancient City" has drawn to a close. Before anyone realized it, the arrival of Chen Chen and his companions was like a gentle breeze—one that arrived unnoticed and left without leaving a clear account of its deeds. In a daze, it felt as though nothing had happened; yet, their presence had left a ripple in the calm.

"DD-style vigilante violence" was never the legitimate path for the Middle Kingdom. When it comes to governance, the direction of social development, or the pedagogical mission of educators, it is the official state law enforcement and the nation’s appointed teachers who hold the true mantle. Because this vigilante practice was fundamentally illegitimate, irregular, and uncivilized, it gradually faded from the historical stage. The task of follow-up management was handed over to government agencies.

The law enforcement corps of the Middle Kingdom is formidable. At times, seeing things as strictly black or white is a matter of stance, while deducing everything as either white or black is a matter of logic. Those previously employed by the vigilante groups, often lacking legal knowledge or understanding of the world, were purged from the stage for their chaotic violence and ignorance of the law. Those who performed exceptionally among them were absorbed into the government's official ranks, while some who were already part of the government establishment chose to depart.

The competition for survival is everywhere, and the wisdom of conduct must be applied at every moment. Vigilante violence has gradually faded. Even the government's law enforcement teams, when faced with personnel disputes or moral decay, can only handle matters according to the law. The phenomena of illegal detention, assault, punishment, and appropriation—the hallmarks of legal illiteracy—are slowly vanishing. Righteous words and actions have returned to the stage; even those who break the law and are captured must be processed according to proper legal procedures and formalities. The improper methods have been stripped away, and the members of these groups have either been sentenced to labor reform or have returned to their acting careers.

Unknowingly, this platform has finally reached a moment of clarity. Looking back to the beginning, when recruitment notices were posted, when people sat solemnly awaiting the arrival of benefactors, and when sets were prepared in anticipation of a grand play—that was months ago. Back then, the place was like a film studio, a gathering of veteran actors and newcomers collaborating on a production. Today, the dream is fading, the dream is fading. The play is over, the music has ended, the audience must disperse, and the actors must wake from their roles.

Who was calculating all of this? Who was plotting, and who was laying the groundwork? Between people, there exists a constant interplay of open schemes and hidden agendas. In this struggle, who truly succeeded? Was it human calculation or the will of Heaven? The common people, in their multitude, know that each has their own gains and losses, their own plots, and their own destinies.

Schemes, whether open or hidden, cannot outmaneuver the clarity that dwells in the hearts of men. The will of the masses transcends individual desires; destiny comes from destiny itself. A beautiful life is found in the present moment. With the passing of the era of vigilante violence, everyone has donned new clothes—a tradition observed every year. It is a human habit to prepare new garments at specific intervals. Or perhaps, clothes that have been worn once or twice and then left aside for a long time are, in their own way, new.

The actors have returned to their normal lives. Those with roles continue to film, while those without have returned to their own affairs. Perhaps, beyond acting, there is a true self. One need not play a role or wear a mask; one can simply be oneself. Even if it is just to rest, to live without the exhaustion of speaking a single false word—that is the real life. This was true for the "Ancient City Breeze," true for "Observing the Sea," and true for the "Novice Village." Inside the play, there are roles to perform; outside, there is a genuine life to lead.

The vigilante teams have disbanded. Everyone has returned to their original lives and careers. Perhaps this is what they wanted, and perhaps this is what they deserved. The beauty of the present must not be missed; even if life is bitter or difficult, the burden of survival must be shouldered. The perfect life we yearn for sometimes lies hidden just beyond the suffering.

How many truly love wealth and glory? How many find success in distant lands? The years flow like water; the wind blows by, and we return to our hometowns to plant the seeds of a blessed year. "Laying down one's armor and returning to the fields"—what a beautiful phrase. Man spends his life campaigning in all directions. Sometimes, a step forward means an enemy, a battle, a foreign land, or being worlds apart. Only upon returning does one realize that home is the ultimate destination the heart longs for.

For those who have struggled abroad to make a living, laying down their armor to return home is the goal. How many have traveled far for love, and how many have left their homes for the sake of survival? The aftermath of the "Ancient City Breeze" has been settled. Whether it was the withdrawal of military personnel, the movement of the masses, or the departure of demons, it was all a scene destined to end in farewell. Even the immortal beings who claim to exist outside the three realms and six paths have gradually dispersed. If they occasionally leap about or bring their music back to the mortal world, it is merely another chapter of grievances and romance.

After the prosperity, the guests must eventually leave. A drifting, foreign land is never the best home. Even the shining gold is but a fleeting encounter in the mortal world.

Will there be fated people in the future? Will there be people from one’s hometown? Will there be companions, or those who will share one's final resting place? Every stage of life holds its own encounters and its own yearnings. From the start of the journey to the return, there are tests and obstacles. At the end of the cycle, perhaps everything arrives just in time—that indescribable, perfect timing. A wonderful life is found in the performance, in the present moment, and in the silence beyond words.

Chen Chen has once again become a pilgrim in the mortal world. The intersections of the masses are brief, but the warmth of humanity endures. How much of the world is worth it? How much of our daily existence is the accumulation of the past? The soul and body are bound together, and the viscera are hidden within. Who has not known the seven emotions and six desires? We bow and pay our respects, and in the end, we return to ourselves.

The gods remain as they always were, sitting atop their pedestals. Their images are solemn, sacred, and divine. Meanwhile, people carry the world's secularity, busy and bustling, eventually falling into a deep sleep in the mortal realm. The sun, moon, and stars continue their orbits, and the lives of all creatures intersect. There will always be gods guarding the altars, lucky stars shining above, friends in the mortal world, and heights within reach.

Chen Chen has also stepped off the stage. Indeed, he too is an actor. At first, he was hesitant; walking through the human world in the role of Chen Chen, he worried he would not perform well. But as the music ended and the people dispersed, Chen Chen was ultimately just a character in a story. The person playing Chen Chen was a young man, quite handsome. In so many cycles and so many performances, he happened to play this role. Sometimes, he even thought of using the character of Chen Chen to make some extra money, to gain some wealth or fame, or to reap the rewards that come with the power of such a character.

In the end, the play must conclude. What was meant to be had, was had; what was meant to disperse, has dispersed. The stage of history must ultimately be judged by time. Whose merits and faults are these? Who gets the final verdict? Chen Chen is but a figure in the play, a performer in the mortal world, not the self.

The guests of the mortal world disperse, their merits and faults left behind; who will walk with me on this beautiful journey? Chen Chen's play has ended once again. Evil is persistent, always returning, but wherever evil appears, Chen Chen will appear again. His arrival is like the light; the darkness will surely be driven away by him.