Chapter Sixty-Six: Farewell. [The First World Ends]

Death was absolutely not an option for Sheng Ming. Xu Nuo rummaged through her backpack for medicine, forced open Sheng Ming’s mouth and fed him the pills without hesitation, then sprinkled medicinal powder over the wound on his chest. The entire process took less than two minutes. Lin Qisheng was struggling to fend off the surrounding zombies; fortunately, some of the powered zombies had been dealt with already, and the remaining ones, wary and hesitant, dared not come forward, giving Xu Nuo precious time to save him.

It was as if the medicine worked miracles—the bleeding ceased immediately, and Sheng Ming’s faint breathing gradually steadied. With one hand, Xu Nuo propped him up; with the other, she wielded her sword, cutting down zombies as they approached.

“Go! Give him to me and get out of here!” Lin Qisheng urged Xu Nuo.

But in the brief delay, the exit Lin Qisheng had fought so hard to keep open was already overrun. Zombies pressed in from every direction, an impenetrable wall; powered zombies lurked within, waiting to strike. Escape was impossible.

“Xu Nuo…”

A bloodstained hand clutched at her skirt. Xu Nuo looked down, meeting Sheng Ming’s eyes—he was awake, though she hadn’t noticed when.

“Don’t move,” Xu Nuo said, pressing his restless hand back down.

“Let go,” Sheng Ming insisted.

“What?” Xu Nuo, supporting him while fending off zombies, could barely make out his words.

“I said let go. I can walk by myself.”

Xu Nuo shook her head. “Young Master Sheng, now is not the time for bravado.”

“I’m not being stubborn,” Sheng Ming replied calmly. “Let go, or none of us will make it.”

“But…” Xu Nuo truly didn’t understand him. “I already told you, your life is not my goal.”

The medicine she’d given him was only a stopgap—he was still gravely wounded, still on the brink of death. Without someone to care for him, he stood no chance of surviving amidst this horde. Death was inevitable.

“I know.” Sheng Ming smiled easily. “But I am curious—what is your goal?”

He played coy. “Will you tell me?”

Even now, he could still smile. Xu Nuo shot him a glare. “Survive, and I’ll tell you when we get back.”

But in the next instant, she was swept off her feet. Sheng Ming lifted her and carried her at a breakneck pace through the battlefield—slaughtering all who stood in their way, god or demon. His lightning power turned the field into a hellscape.

Lin Qisheng’s expression changed. He realized he’d been outmaneuvered—Sheng Ming, so reserved in appearance, had feigned weakness and tricked them all. Now, carrying Xu Nuo, he was set on escaping.

Unwilling to be outdone, Lin Qisheng marshaled all his fire ability, aiming to sweep away the lightning with a blazing inferno. The clash of powers created a spectacle that stunned Xu Nuo.

But was this really the time for infighting?

And Xu Nuo shouted, “Sheng Ming, be careful!” In his condition, he could not sustain such powerful attacks. Besides, as the one gravely wounded, this should be her moment to shine, not his.

Blood stained the pure white dress. Sheng Ming seemed oblivious to the pain in his chest. “Xu Nuo, tell me now—what is your goal?”

As fire roared and lightning crashed, the wild wind tossed Xu Nuo’s long hair. She saw a gust, almost tangible, rushing toward her.

“Give me your hand!”

The wind carried a familiar voice.

Xu Nuo instinctively reached out, and in the next moment, she passed from one embrace to another. She looked up at Gu Xingze, needing no words between them. The wind bore her blade, slicing down the pursuing wind-type zombies behind him.

Seeing it was Gu Xingze, Lin Qisheng suppressed his earlier irritation. “Get Xu Nuo out of here, quickly!”

No urging was necessary; Gu Xingze knew what had to be done. But whether Xu Nuo left or not was not his decision. He simply stood by her side, following her gaze.

Pain throbbed in Sheng Ming’s chest, his vision blurring and his consciousness fading, but the two figures before him remained etched in his mind, unforgettable even in death.

“Xu Nuo…” Sheng Ming was at his limit, his voice trembling, confusion and unwillingness plain on his face. “So I’m the only fool, is that it?”

“That’s right, you’ve already told me your goal…” Sheng Ming’s voice was hoarse, words squeezed out through gritted teeth, tinged with hate. Then he laughed, wild and bitter.

[Affection Level +1]

[Sheng Ming, Affection Level 100%]

[Beep—]

[Congratulations, Player Xu Nuo has achieved the perfect ending.]

[You have half a day of game time left in this world. At midnight, you will automatically log out. Would you like to end the current story now?]

The world fell silent. Sheng Ming laughed. In Lin Qisheng’s eyes flashed both pity and mockery. Gu Xingze watched her, as if waiting for her final answer. The scene before her was like a silent play—everything could end here.

“No.” Xu Nuo shook her head. “I want to make the most of this last day.”

007 had only just processed what happened, disbelief in its voice. [Mission complete?!]

In the end, the four of them fought their way through the zombie horde, Xu Nuo leading the charge—an unstoppable force of destruction. Guns and explosives roared. If not for 007 desperately holding her back, the host and her wild audience would have dropped a Tsar Bomba just for fun.

The battle was exhilarating. Xu Nuo was thoroughly satisfied, thanking 007 sincerely for choosing this world and looking forward with anticipation to the next.

007 tried to keep its excitement hidden, thinking, you won’t get to indulge like this next time, heh.

All of Blue City was thrown into chaos. At first, Lin Qisheng and the others had worried for Xu Nuo’s safety. Now, it seemed it was the zombies that ought to be worried.

“Were you following me out of concern?” Xu Nuo teased, pinching Lin Qisheng’s puffed cheek. “What, my dear brother, don’t you trust in my abilities?”

“Hmph!” Lin Qisheng brushed her hand away, refusing to reveal his other reason—his fear that Sheng Ming would spirit her away, never to return.

Now, both fears seemed unnecessary. Xu Nuo’s power was unfathomable. The city’s zombies could not harm her; Sheng Ming, for all his strength, could not capture her. Only she could decide her own fate.

Now she was found, and—Lin Qisheng glanced at Sheng Ming with a complicated look—a truth was clear: Xu Nuo would never fall in love with anyone, not him, not Sheng Ming.

The shadows stretched long in the setting sun. Sheng Ming watched the two figures so close together.

Lin Qisheng said coldly, “Stop looking. It’s impossible.”

Sheng Ming asked, “What’s impossible?”

“Gu Xingze isn’t all that special,” Lin Qisheng shrugged. “Xu Nuo just likes his cooking. There’s no one special in her heart.”

“Is that so?” Sheng Ming’s hands clenched, a swell of bitterness and pain flooding his chest, threatening to drown him.

“If you take it seriously, you’ve already lost,” Lin Qisheng said.

Was he deluding himself? In his life, Sheng Ming had never lacked for anything. He was a shrewd businessman, a powerful psychic. In this contest of hearts, layered with hidden motives, Xu Nuo seemed to want for nothing, and he had lost nothing—yet he was utterly defeated.

Among all those she set her sights on, he had lost the most spectacularly. Looking back now, he realized he was more greedy and confident than Gu Xingze and Lin Qisheng, convinced he could pluck this beautiful and unattainable flower.

How could there be such a woman, who took pleasure in stealing hearts?

He’d lost, utterly, and would pay for it with his life.

“Does the wound still hurt?” Xu Nuo crouched beside him, her voice gentle.

He could feel his strength ebbing rapidly, unable even to lift a finger. He could only smile at her. “It hurts—a lot.”

“Then sleep—you won’t feel it anymore.” Xu Nuo lowered her eyes, gently closing his lids. “Sleep now. Don’t be so foolish next time. Love is the only priceless treasure in the world that can be gained at the smallest cost. It’s not worth throwing your life away for.”

Only a sigh remained in the wind.

[Host, you’re so heartless.]

“Goodbye, you two.” Xu Nuo stood, waving to Gu Xingze and Lin Qisheng, and walked into the lingering twilight.

Lin Qisheng hesitated, not daring to follow. “Will you come back?”

Xu Nuo replied, “It’s over now.”

Gu Xingze suddenly spoke. “Haven’t you forgotten something?”

Xu Nuo thought for a moment. “Ah, I promised once to tell you a secret.”

Lin Qisheng leaned in, curious. “What secret? I want to know too.”

“But I don’t have time anymore,” Xu Nuo said. “Gu, remember what I told you? I left you a letter. You’ll understand once you read it.”

Gu Xingze said, “I’ve already read it.”

Xu Nuo paused, noticing the knowing look in Gu Xingze’s eyes—or maybe it was just her imagination.

Lin Qisheng demanded, “Where is it? I want to read it too!”

Gu Xingze smiled at her. “Goodbye.”