There are probably only 24 hours left.

Sitting in the cave, Ren Suo didn't play with his phone but rather gazed at the dim, red walls illuminated by candlelight.

In this journey, the two biggest hurdles were the cliff they had just jumped off and the final battle that would take place tomorrow night.

Ren Suo had wagered everything on tomorrow night. If he won, he would face a world of blooming flowers and warm springs by the sea. If he lost, then he really would only have 24 hours left.

But now he was no longer anxious. He had been mentally prepared since the early morning hours seven days ago. The closer the moment came, the calmer he became.

All preparations were in place, just waiting for destiny's scheduled performance.

If the Mini-World Game Console truly had grown tired of him as its owner, he could only quote an ancient text, "I have no regrets for I did all that I could."

Ren Suo actually found himself considering an old question: What would I do if I had only 24 hours left to live?

Sleep?

Play games?

Commit suicide before death could catch me unaware?

Ren Suo was lost in these random thoughts for a while before Qiao Muyi returned.

Not only did she return with a bundle of straw, but she also brought back a large stone, which she placed at the cave entrance. Curious, Ren Suo asked, "What's that for?"

"A silencing prop," Qiao Muyi explained. "I've cast a Silencing Spell on the stone, so now even if someone passes by outside, they won't hear any noises from inside the cave."

Ren Suo responded with an "Oh," remembering that Young Master Mu did indeed have a spell called 'Traceless Devil Sound.' He remarked, "You guys at the Tactical Bureau have all sorts of spells..."

Qiao Muyi smiled, placed the straw next to the candle, and motioned for Ren Suo to join her, saying, "Come sit by the candle, at least it's a bit warmer."

The temperature outside was at best 2 degrees Celsius, and the cave's insulation wasn't great either. Although as Third-turn Cultivators they didn't mind the cold, it was always nice to be warmer.

So Ren Suo crossed his legs and sat down, facing Qiao Muyi.

At this point, Qiao Muyi took off her coat and shoes, revealing her delicate bare feet, and crossed her legs to sit on the straw. She casually asked, "Why aren't you taking off your clothes? Aren't you going to wring them out?"

Blinking, Ren Suo replied, "I won't catch a cold wearing them; I can dry them with my body heat..."

"Drying your underclothes is fine, but how are you going to dry your coat? It's so thick," Qiao Muyi said impatiently. "Take it off, wring it out, and leave it. Later we can use a Flame Spell to see if we can speed up the drying process."

Ren Suo thought that made sense, so he took off his coat and shoes, thankful that he was wearing two pairs of pants.

Though their undergarments remained on, the absence of their overcoats fully revealed Qiao Muyi's figure. Her off-the-shoulder, long-sleeved lace and velvet top perfectly showcased her slender, graceful body, making Ren Suo avert his gaze.

"How are you going to help me recover my Spiritual Energy? From the front or the back?" Qiao Muyi asked.

After some thought, Ren Suo said, "From the front... Just hold out one hand for me, that's fine."

'Miraculous Hands Rejuvenation' simply required physical contact; it didn't matter where. Hence, Ren Suo took Qiao Muyi's left hand with his right, which glowed faintly white, drained his own Spiritual Energy, and transferred it into Qiao Muyi, asking, "Do you feel anything?"

"Yes," Qiao Muyi said softly, "I feel it very much."

Qiao Muyi's voice seemed to carry an enchanting magnetism, causing Ren Suo's body to shiver. Suddenly, Qiao Muyi asked, "Xiao Suo, how long have we known each other?"

Ren Suo thought for a moment and said, "A few months?"

"Where did we first meet?"

"Emmm... at the National Security Bureau on Revolution Road in Yuexiu District? We were gathering there before heading to civil servant training."

"Right," Qiao Muyi said with a smile. "The first time I saw you, I thought you were no good; you always looked at me with such a strange gaze..."

Ren Suo chuckled foolishly—back then the Key Search System was having quite an influence on him, making him want to pounce whenever he saw a keybearer.

Qiao Muyi scratched the palm of his hand and laughed. "Then everyone thought you liked me, and I thought you did too. When you asked me out, I rejected you outright."

Ren Suo's mouth twitched. That was certainly a dark chapter in my past. Thankfully, that night also allowed him to grow closer to Li Dan and secure a steady key provider.

I wonder when Li Dan will advance to the Third-turn...

"Back then, I never would have imagined that in the near future, we would go through so much together, weathering so many hardships," Qiao Muyi remarked.

"Who could have imagined?" Ren Suo shrugged. "That's what they call 'the twists and turns of destiny,' I guess."

"Is it? I rather think it should be called 'fate that was meant to be.'" Qiao Muyi tilted her head and looked at Ren Suo, saying, "Actually, we don't really know much about each other."

Ren Suo nodded. "Probably..."

"Then let's play a game to get to know each other better," Qiao Muyi suggested. "We take turns saying one thing we like, and keep going back and forth. That way we'll know what each other likes. When birthdays or holidays come, we can give each other gifts."

Ren Suo thought this suggestion was quite good and nodded in agreement.

Qiao Muyi continued, "Then you start. What do you like?"

Ren Suo thought for a moment. Saying I like game consoles right off the bat seems too crude, too obvious, and too purposeful. He decided to be more indirect. "I like eating beef brisket with fried sauce over Yi noodles."

"I like you."

Ren Suo blinked. He saw Qiao Muyi smiling at him in the candlelight. Her eyebrows and eyes curved, her playful gaze full of charm, and she pressed her lips together lightly, not showing her teeth. Because she was too close to the candle, her face was without any shadow, and her perfect makeup was fully reflected in Ren Suo's eyes.

She put on makeup, huh...

Ren Suo felt his lips turn a bit dry. He smacked them together, momentarily unsure what to do. Nine years of compulsory education never covered this!

Did I hear her wrong?

Qiao Muyi pinched his hand and urged, "I'm done, it's your turn."

"Oh, um..." Ren Suo shifted his gaze, glanced at the candle, and said casually, "I like Heavenly Lotus Academy."

"I love you."

Ren Suo's eyes widened as he met Qiao Muyi's aggressive gaze and instantly felt defeated, mumbling, "I... I like playing games."

"I·Love·you."

Ren Suo noticed Qiao Muyi's hand becoming restless. She took his hand in hers, interlacing her fingers with his. Their hand-holding instantly transformed into the interlocked style typical of couples.

Ren Suo sat up straight, mustered all his courage to meet Qiao Muyi's gaze, and said with a trembling voice, "I... I like snow."

"I love you," Qiao Muyi tilted her head and looked at Ren Suo expectantly.

No, this can't go on! I need to take the initiative!

Ren Suo took a deep breath and said, "I like sleeping!"

Let's see how many more times you can say it!

Qiao Muyi thought for a moment. She then put her right hand beside her face, closed her eyes as if sleeping, and said in a dreamy, muffled tone, "ZZZ... ZZZ... Xiao Suo... I love you."

Damn it, a counterattack! A double counterattack, even!

Ren Suo turned his head away, looking at the candle, and stuttered, "I, I also like the ocean..."

Qiao Muyi placed her right hand over her mouth, tilted her head back high as if to shout to the ocean, moved her body closer to Ren Suo, and yelled in his ear, "Xiao Suo—I love you—"

Ren Suo saw Qiao Muyi's eyes, inches away and filled with laughter. He couldn't help but back away a little and said, "I... I like Little Sister and Little Jiu!"

Qiao Muyi looked at him playfully, moved her knees forward just a bit, blinked, and poked her fair, rosy cheek with a finger. She drew close to Ren Suo and said in a cute voice, "Brother Suo~ I like you the most~"

Ren Suo's heart trembled. He felt as if millions of tiny deer were stampeding inside him. His head was nearly steaming, and his face burned as if Yu Kuangtu had scorched it with a Flame Spell.

He shifted back a bit, nearly bursting into tears as he said, "I... I really like computer AIs too..."

And yet, his hand remained tightly clasped with Qiao Muyi's. How could he possibly escape?

Qiao Muyi moved a step closer, but her expression suddenly grew impassive as she spoke with a deliberate, robotic calm, "I, want to protect, you. I, love, you."

I can't take this anymore! I'm going to die, I'm going to die!

Ren Suo retreated a bit more, only to hit the hard stone wall behind him. He had no more room to back away.

He looked down at his thighs, fighting the turmoil in his thoughts, and said softly, "I... right, I also really like cats!"

At that moment, a hand reached over and lifted his chin.

Ren Suo looked up to find Qiao Muyi almost straddling him, looking down at him from above.

As Qiao Muyi moved closer, she casually grabbed a Scented Candle and placed it on the ground beside Ren Suo. The flickering candlelight illuminated her beautiful face, making it impossible for Ren Suo to ignore her beauty.

She leaned forward, lowered her head, and moved her face close to Ren Suo's.

Then, Qiao Muyi stuck out her pink tongue and gently licked Ren Suo's face.

"MEOW."

If you can't hear it once, then I'll say it countless times.

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