Yuanyuan said, "Life Authority means 'near-eternal life,' no matter how severely life is exhausted, as long as you rest in time, it will resemble eternal life. Chao Yan burned life too severely and couldn't rest in time. To extend her eternal life, the deity could only place her... in the deep sea."

"Deep sea?"

"Deep sea is opposite to the starry sky, even if Dieying bewilders more humans, humans can never delve into such an ending place as the deep sea. So, Chao Yan sleeping there is absolutely safe. Of course, the water pressure and lack of oxygen in the deep sea make it difficult for her to survive there, so she is now in a... half-dead half-alive state, waiting for the Life Authority to recover, then the deity will bring her out."

Su Ming'an felt very familiar: "...the cat in the box."

This is equivalent to putting Chao Yan in a hibernation capsule, maintaining a half-dead half-alive state. As long as she stays near death, she can hold out until the Life Authority recovers.

But that's the high-pressure, oxygen-deficient deep sea, always maintaining that state... Su Ming'an couldn't imagine how horrifyingly painful that is.

Even now, Chao Yan is still in the deep sea. If Yuanyuan hadn't loosened her tongue today, he might never know Chao Yan's situation. Chao Yan was adamant about not absorbing others' life force, running at a deficit, so she could only recover the Life Authority in this way.

"No wonder... Obviously, the Life Authority was nearly exhausted. Why, as long as Chao Yan gives you the Life Authority, you can live long and well... it's completely unreasonable." Su Ming'an suddenly understood something, he raised his head, staring intensely at Yuanyuan's cloudy eyes, his heartbeat skipped a beat.

He suddenly realized an unbelievably terrifying truth, even his breathing became a bit rushed.

"So, you said you had the Life Authority... were you always... deceiving me? The Life Authority has actually always been with her!?"

His voice began to tremble.

Since the Life Authority is recovering, how could Yuanyuan possibly hold it!?

...

["In my past life, I never lived to middle or even old age. This time, I want to experience a complete life. I want to see... if nothing ever happened, me and my companions growing old together until we are white-haired, what kind of scenery that normal life would be." Yuanyuan said.]

...

[In the life ahead, if... they never meet again, she would also... forever cherish this moment.]

[Cherish the scene where he... and her grew old together.]

...

He suddenly realized, he truly never saw her use the Life Authority. Every time he brought up the Life Authority, she would divert the topic.

She always said she was aging to experience the process of aging... but if...

Su Ming'an's hands were trembling.

The white-haired person remained silent for a while, her gaze shifted to the floor, for a full ten seconds, until the peach blossoms outside the window fell onto white hair.

The peach blossoms fell, the warm wine cooled down.

She slowly raised her head, revealing a girlish smile, somewhat playful.

"Yes."

"It's a lie."

"...you guessed right."

...

Did he make a long dream, once he opened his eyes, he would wake up?

Did he hear a ridiculous fairy tale, once he closed the book, it wouldn't be real?

...

"..."

But, why...

The white-haired person silently looked at him, seeing the intertwined anguish in his eyes.

It seemed as if a voice was roaring in his heart—if the Life Authority isn't with Yuanyuan, then her current aging isn't her playful intent, but...

"..."

His hands trembled instinctively, eyes growing dim, he needed to reaffirm this fact.

"So... you're... really... aging? Is this... your last... life?" He asked word by word, as if pleading for something, a large part of his heart was suddenly empty.

Please, shake your head.

Don't show that confirming smile like this. Don't take on a girlish posture.

You've already aged... you're not a girl anymore...

You should not...

Smile like this again.

Give me a negative answer.

He always thought, if Yuanyuan insisted on experiencing the feeling of aging, then let her, it would just be a life experience, quite interesting.

Therefore, he always took a very relaxed attitude, taking care of her as she aged. He regarded her changes through the years as a self-amusement game — anyway, she had the Life Authority, she could become young again anytime, so he agreed to let her experience the feeling of gradually aging. So, whether her weakening eyesight, the wrinkles spreading across her face, teeth falling one by one, her increasingly hunched back, her more piercing coughs... he felt it was nothing major, just an 'experience,' her own desire.

But he never thought... maybe there was a possibility she deceived him. She even dragged the deity into deceit along with her.

She wasn't just trying to experience a sense of aging.

Rather, she was truly... growing old.

This is her...

Real life.

She didn't have the ability to return to youth.

She had been deceiving him the whole time.

He remembered he used to say, "Why do you insist on becoming old, wouldn't it be better to stay young like Chao Yan?"

She just smiled and said, "This way, I can experience the feeling of slowly growing old with you."

So, that was also... a lie.

She had been deceiving him from the start.

"...Liar."

The words on the verge of collapse squeezed out between his lips, he grabbed her shoulders fiercely, like a child, the thin bones made creaking sounds:

"...Liar."

...you all are big liars.

Noah lied to me, said he wouldn't die for the world, then turned around and ran toward death. Lin Guang lied to me, said he was just a selfish traitor of civilization, yet every word of his diary was filled with love for his friends. Lv Shu also lied to me, said he wouldn't risk his life for me, yet he almost vanished...

They are all the same, they don't care about my thoughts, they rush straight towards the cliff. Even if I wanted to stop them, they would say carefully crafted lies, even forcing me to push them down.

...they are all big liars.

Now, it's even your turn to deceive me.

His eyes were red.

...I never thought you'd deceive me.

"I never thought you'd deceive me... Yuanyuan."

In the silent room, only his hoarse voice remained, like a wounded beast.

"I thought... no matter big things or a desperate future... we could… make it clear."

"If you had just told me beforehand, you didn't have the Life Authority, this is your last life..."

"I really would try every way to help you live on."

"I thought we really..."

He reached out, grasping loosely, as if he held something, yet as if he didn't—

"...held happiness."

"But it turned out... it was also a lie."

"Bang."

She suddenly embraced him, ten fingers tightly clasping his back.

Holding him very tightly, using great strength, almost merging him into her bones. Her full head of white hair deeply sank into his features, tickling, stabbing like wanting to bring tears.

"Don't say that, don't say that..." She held him tight, her voice brushed past his ear, repeating: "Of course you belong to happiness, only you deserve happiness..."

"I'm afraid if I tell you, you'll do something impulsive. Because both I and the Deity know... this matter, you truly can't find a way..."

"Ming'an... we truly fear you'll... do something crazy and squeeze yourself again..."

His eyes were completely red, Su Ming'an couldn't suppress his long-repressed senses, his throat was a wave of heat.

He always wondered why he and Yuanyuan always lived like it was the last day of apocalypse, even though they had such a long future ahead. But he never thought that it really was... "the last day."

Fingertips were icy cold, her pulse very weak, bluish-purple veins protruded.

He could almost not touch her heartbeat, the elderly's heartbeat was really very light.

Silver-white hair brushed across his facial contours, like wiping off dust from his face.

He extended his endlessly trembling hand, wanted to hug her back, but stopped at the moment he touched her hunched back.

He dared not continue to hold her.

Like holding a colorful bubble, once held tight, afraid it would shatter.

"...Why." His voice trembled. As if asking her, yet also asking himself, why.

Why is happiness always fleeting.

Why is truth always drenched in blood.

Why is the world cruel enough... to let people sink into happiness and then forcibly pull them up.

"...Because you live too clearly, you're too afraid of love, you're not like a happy fool which will make you suffer a lifetime." A feeble voice came from beside his ear.

She seemed to feel regret... why Su Ming'an so acute, had to realize this at the last moment. If he hadn't brought it up, she wouldn't have needed to say it.

Perhaps, he could have thought... their time was very perfect. They shared a happy life, and in the end it was her "experiencing aging" as amusement.

Why does he have to live so clearly?

Why does he have to delve into it?

She gently patted his back, like soothing a cat. From her faded lips, breath leaked out.

Sunlight spilled in through the window, illuminating the floating specks of light in the air.

His shoulder shrugged for a moment, her patting motion slowly stopped.

"Listen to me." She whispered: "...I won't die."

Su Ming'an looked steadily at her, eyes lacking trust. He almost forgot, she's no longer that blank page-like girl, she's long been capable of deception. This time, even her life and death can be deceitful.

"Although the Life Authority is not with me, I am an Observer, as long as my soul isn't exhausted, I won't die for reasons like physical expiration." She whispered: "Observer...&@*!&"

Her voice turned into a pile of gibberish.

Su Ming'an's pupils contracted for a moment. Yuanyuan also realized something, switched to an approvable way of saying: "Because at this level, what matters is soul lifespan, not physical lifespan. You can also change bodies when your current one nears aging, as long as soul lifespan isn't exhausted, isn't that right? I can't elaborate to you, but in the end, I'll surely come back to see you."

Su Ming'an was silent for a while.

"...You're lying to me again, aren't you." He said quietly: "Don't learn from Xiber, it's hard to have a good outcome."

"I'm not lying to you, not this time." She cradled his face: "This body of mine will indeed age, but soon I'll come in front of you again, just need to change a shell. This is the authority of an Observer."

Su Ming'an kept silent.

As a special Observer, Yuanyuan surely hadn't passed these years idly. Perhaps, she had communicated with the Organizers many times, even reached some deals.

"..."

They remained silent for quite a while, then Su Ming'an spoke:

"Alright, I trust you."

"After your body's expiration... I'll wait for you to return."

"Don't let me wait alone, don't wait until decades later for me to realize that you have deceived me once again."

Yuanyuan nodded.

"But if something goes wrong... then is this your last life?" He asked.

"Nothing will go wrong, don't worry." She replied.

Su Ming'an gazed at her for a long while.

In her obsidian-like eyes, there was a hint of tranquility after the storm, only at the closest distance can one feel the burning soul hidden in the darkness.

"Don't deceive me." He emphasized.

Tears glimmered in her eyes, then she chuckled.

"Mm."

They quietly remained silent for a long time.

The wind blew the comic book on the table, pages lingering with traces of blood. A golden-black figure flashed in the shadow of the corner, quickly quieting down.

...

Heavenly Era 58 years.

Her hair was completely white.

Su Ming'an repeatedly emphasized, after her body's expiration, she must come back to find him, must find him.

...

Heavenly Era 59 years.

Her face became very old.

She touched her face, tugged on Su Ming'an, asked: "Now, doesn't it look rather unattractive?"

"No." Su Ming'an said softly: "It's all the same to me."

All the same... always the same.

...

Heavenly Era 60 years.

Her eyes began to blur as well.

She sat under the peach blossom tree, spoke slowly: "Ming'an, lately I can't see the comic book clearly."

"I'll read it to you." Su Ming'an pushed the wheelchair.

He cradled the comic book, about to read, only to be impatiently interrupted by her.

"Can't see the pictures... just hearing the words, what's the point..." She mumbled: "My Game daily tasks aren't cleared yet, oh, where's my phone..."

She's right.

People, when old, really are like children. Minor matters are repeatedly brought up, even the temperature of the tea is mentioned many times. Even if she might just be influenced by her physical body, not her true intent. Su Ming'an chuckled, unable to believe that she walked ahead of him. Despite his current body barely hanging on, she was faster than him.

Outside, the cannon fire grew louder. He thought, she's already very old, he couldn't continue using a weak body. Even with the risk of being discovered by Dieying, he needed to return to the Holy City soon.

But looking at her, Su Ming'an suddenly realized.

...Perhaps, this is the peaceful future likely to arrive on them if the World Game hadn't happened.

Symphony No 6 In A Minor.

He finally saw it.

...

Heavenly Era 61 years.

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