Lian Yufan, who regarded himself as having matured considerably, didn’t argue with You Zhengping. He only calmly said, “Of course I hope that no one will be sacrificed, but that’s the probability. At present, 100% of those who assumed the source project’s power have died.” 

Hearing the outcome of the source project, Zhen Li quietly said, “Then-then it would be better to ask the black-cloaked man to step in.” 

Lian Yufan shook his head. “We won’t do that. Collaboration is built on a foundation of equality between two sides, not one side absolutely having the upper hand. That’s support, not collaboration. We can’t appeal to the black-cloaked man for everything.” 

You Zhengping added, “If the black-cloaked man could truly eliminate the system, I think he would have done it long ago. He must have had his reasons for staying in this world and handing so many things over to us. Maybe he needs our help, too. We must get stronger. We can’t rely on a single person.” 

“Oh,” Zhen Li said dejectedly. 

“Currently we can only raise our vigilance. I’ll go report this to my superiors and do my best to facilitate the activation of the source project. I’ll also submit a request on Zhen Li’s behalf. Captain Lian, take Zhen Li to fill out a form, then take him to rest,” Director Xiao said. 

Everyone dispersed. Lian Yufan helped Zhen Li fill out a request, then took him to a lounge. 

When Zhen Li walked in, he found that this was where Feng Kui was staying. 

The Protection Organization must have had its reasons for arranging things like this. They probably hoped that he would tell Feng Kui about what had recently been discovered, and that he would pass along Feng Kui’s current situation to Huan Zixu. 

Perhaps mixed in with that was wanting to use Zheng Li to influence Feng Kui’s thoughts, and in turn use Feng Kui to influence Huan Zixu and thoroughly subdue the two of them. Though the indications hadn’t been very clear, so it was up to Zhen Li himself to choose what to do. 

Zhen Li walked through the door and saw that Feng Kui was drawing something on a piece of paper. 

Zhen Li spoke in a friendly manner: “Hello, I’m Zhen Li, I think we’ve met three times.” 

One time was among the Clearing League, when Zhen Li had glimpsed Feng Kui from afar. One time was at the studio, though that memory had been overwritten, and Zhen Li only knew that such a thing had taken place without remembering it. The last time was after the two of them had been successfully arrested, and Zhen Li had joined in the interrogation. 

Feng Kui didn’t answer. He was always quiet. The majority of the time, he let Huan Zixu speak for him, only occasionally expressing his own point of view. 

Zhen Li didn’t feel awkward at not getting an answer. He sat down across from Feng Kui and saw that this lummox was holding a pencil and seriously drawing someone. Zhen Li looked closely; of course it was Huan Zixu. 

Zhen Li didn’t bother Feng Kui again. He quietly watched him draw. Feng Kui’s sturdy fingers wielded the pencil, stroke by stroke carefully portraying Huan Zixu’s eyes. When he was finished drawing, he considered, and added a teardrop birthmark at the corner of Huan Zixu’s eye.  

Because of the addition of this teardrop birthmark, the crafty and beautiful man in the drawing took on a grief-laden appearance. Feng Kui shook his head and quickly used an eraser to get rid of the teardrop birthmark. He fixed a part of the drawing that he had accidentally erased, then nodded at the drawing in satisfaction. 

“Did you see today’s livestream?” Seeing that teardrop birthmark, Zhen Li had suddenly remembered that there had been a barrage comment during the livestream saying that Lian Yufan’s teardrop birthmark would suit Huan Zixu better.  

Feng Kui nodded and simply said, “I know—he’s very good.” 

After Yu Hua had removed the energy of his System, Feng Kui’s body had completely reverted to its condition during his first world. But at that time, he had already been transformed. His voice was still the metallic mechanical voice, though now it was considerably smoother. 

“I also noticed that comment. I thought that netizen was right at the time, but when I saw your drawing, I discovered that it would be inappropriate.” Zhen Li recalled how Huan Zixu had attempted several times to resist Yu Hua at the studio and couldn’t help smiling. “He’s a person who doesn’t admit defeat. Tears don’t suit him.” 

Hearing Zhen Li praising Huan Zixu, Feng Kui finally looked up at him and gave him a straightforward smile. “Right.” 

“I’ll tell you what happened during his first day at the studio,” Zhen Li said. “Huan Zixu is really awesome. He’s gotten accustomed to this world with hardly any transition period.” 

“Tell me.” Feng Kui seemed very interested. He put down his pencil and earnestly listened to Zhen Li speak. 

Zhen Li recalled everything that had happened that day. He did his best to make Yu Hua sound good, his description turning Yu Hua into a shareholder who exerted himself for the sake of the studio’s development. He emphasized how Huan Zixu had haggled with Yu Hua, and how he had decided to rent a two bedroom one living room apartment near the studio. 

“Lian Yufan went with him to negotiate the contract. Just now while I was filling out my form, Captain Lian was saying that the advertising company’s faces all turned green from Huan Zixu’s bargaining today, but he used profit figures, future popularity, brand establishment, and tactics for standing out among competing brands to make them smile again. They even wanted to headhunt Huan Zixu to come manage their marketing department.” As he spoke, Zhen Li became happy. “When I heard Captain Lian mention the sum of money in the contract, I was stunned. Huan Zixu is amazing at making money!”

Feng Kui listened quietly with a faint smile on his face. When Zhen Li was finished, he proudly said, “A-Xu has always—been very clever.” 

Looking at him, Zhen Li suddenly sensed profound loneliness from Feng Kui. It wasn’t from a single day’s separation, it was the accumulation of years and years. 

“I didn’t think that you would know how to draw. And you draw so well.” Zhen Li was afraid of being infected by Feng Kui’s loneliness and didn’t dare to mention Huan Zixu again, so he changed the subject to praising Feng Kui’s drawing. 

But instead, that made Feng Kui bring up Huan Zixu. “A-Xu said, we’re very weak, so in each world, it’s good to learn something new. It might save our lives.” 

As he spoke, the loneliness became even deeper. Zhen Li said, “That’s right, you two have passed many worlds together over so many years. In all those years, you must have learned many skills.” 

“It wasn’t so many years. Many worlds—I don’t remember them.” Feng Kui’s fingers brushed Huan Zixu’s eyes in the drawing. “Written records don’t feel real. If I draw him, I can remember.” 

Feng Kui spoke briefly, but Zhen Li understood what he meant all at once. 

Feng Kui hadn’t only learned to draw in order to possess another skill. More than that, he wanted to remember Huan Zixu. Memories disappearing was a very frightening thing. Feng Kui had deleted the feeling of “fear,” but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t be afraid. He just didn’t know that that feeling was called “fear.” 

Whenever Huan Zixu said anything, he could only keep up a conversation by searching through his written records. There were no images in his internal storage. He didn’t remember what he had experienced or felt. Would a day come when he woke up and couldn’t even remember who the long-haired companion by his side was? 

In Feng Kui’s fear, he had backed up his written records again and again, but even so, he couldn’t feel at ease. Everything else could be forgotten. The only thing he couldn’t forget was that Huan Zixu had been his companion for many years. 

So he had learned to draw, and the first person he had wanted to draw was Huan Zixu. He drew him many, many times and had stored the drawings in his hoard and in corners of various worlds. Even if he forgot Huan Zixu’s appearance one day, he could still recognize him from the drawings—yes, it was this person. 

Zhen Li understood where that bone-chilling loneliness came from. It was hundreds of years of Feng Kui’s loneliness, an unknowing loneliness, as though he had been left behind for hundreds of thousands of years. 

Zhen Li couldn’t hold back his tears. He took out a tissue to wipe his face. He cried very fiercely, as though Feng Kui had been bullying him. 

“It-it’ll be all right, at least this world, you’ll remember everything,” Zhen Li said as he cried. 

Huan Zixu had said that everlasting life was only the unending passage of time. True time spent living was only some decades. Zhen Li, who lived each day fully, hadn’t understood Huan Zixu’s definition at the time, but now he could understand it. 

For Feng Kui and Huan Zixu, the previous hundreds of years were worthless. A single day of such a bitter life was too much. 

“Yes, I’ll remember.” Two faint dimples appeared on Feng Kui’s simple and honest face. “I’ll remember each day.” 

“Can you draw another one to give me? Draw yourself,” Zhen Li said. “I’ll take it back to give it to Huan Zixu, and I’ll have Huan Zixu write something for you, then I’ll have a chance to give it to you next time I’m at the base. Oh, no, you can see each other once a week, I would be doing something superfluous.” 

“I’ll draw. You can take it back. Thank you,” Feng Kui said. 

Then he took out another sheet of paper and slowly drew two people. 

One was the tall and broad Feng Kui, the other was the long-haired Huan Zixu. They were looking at each and smiling. 

Zhen Li carefully put away the drawing and solemnly cupped his fist. “I pledge to deliver it.” 

Feng Kui also cupped his fist and gently knocked it against Zhen Li’s. 

The next morning, Zhen Li, who had become a reserve Protector, returned to the studio. By this time, Yuan Luori had already left with the show group. Lian Yufan had said that he had already notified his colleagues at the filming location, and they would keep a close eye on the show group. 

Today, the person walking Director Ha was Huan Zixu. It took time to rent an apartment, so last night he had slept on the folding bed in the studio. The penniless Huan Zixu had refused to eat expired instant noodles and had been so hungry in the morning that his blood sugar had been a little low. When he had fed Director Ha dog food and caught the scent of the food, he had actually started salivating with hunger, scaring Director Ha, who had always been resistant to the dog food, into eating it up at an unprecedented speed. 

Huan Zixu stared at Director Ha’s bag of dog food, then looked at the box of instant noodles that would be expired in another week. He clenched his teeth. “Forget it, it’s not like I haven’t been hungry before. I can take this bit of hardship.” 

According to Yuan Luori’s instructions, he took Director Ha to the nearby estate for a walk. Chilly-faced, he left Director Ha in the bushes. He very much didn’t want to pick up this thing’s poop. 

Director Ha also didn’t want to be around Huan Zixu. Yuan Luori sometimes pet its head roughly, but most of the time he was very gentle, especially when he pet it before bed. It was extremely comforting for a not yet fully grown dog. 

But Yuan Luori had gone with the group, and Huan Zixu felt it was beneath his dignity to pet a dog. Director Ha had wanted to ask for his help, but Huan Zixu had coldly shut it into its cage. Seeing Huan Zixu’s expression, Director Ha had given up on asking him. 

“Hurry up, don’t make me wait too long.” Huan Zixu crossed his arms, waiting for Director Ha to finish. 

Just then, there came a childish voice: “Is that Luori-gege and Xiao Ha? Oh, it’s not Luori-gege today.” 

Huan Zixu turned his head and saw little boy he had never met coming towards him on a scooter. He politely said, “Hello, my name is Liu Junjun, I often take Xiao Ha around with Yuan Luori-gege.” 

“Oh? You’ve walked this dog?” Huan Zixu asked. 

“Yes, Yuan Luori-gege promised that I could play with Xiao Ha every day.” Junjun was looking at Huan Zixu expectantly. “Can I?” 

“Here.” Huan Zixu passed the poop scooper to Junjun. “If you can help, thank heaven and earth. My name is Huan Zixu.” 

“Thank you, Zixu-gege. I’ll take care of Xiao Ha.” Junjun happily gave him a pioneer salute. Though he quickly noticed the breakfast food that he had just bought still in his hand and looked awkward. “Gege, could you hold my breakfast for me?” 

“Go ahead.” Huan Zixu took the breakfast. Smelling the soup dumplings, he felt even dizzier. His stomach was full of air. 

Not far away, Junjun and Director Ha frisked and gamboled. Huan Zixu hatched a plan. “Child, how about you walk the dog for the next few days? You can take it punctually, then bring it back.” 

“All right!” said Junjun, who liked the dog very much. “I’m on summer vacation now, and Dad makes me go out to exercise in the morning and evening. It’ll be great to have Xiao Ha with me!” 

Director Ha was also pleased, waving its tail in spite of itself. After waving it twice, it stopped. Pooh, what was there to be happy about! He was falling into his foe’s hands!

Huan Zixu was delighted to have resolved the poop scooping problem. At the same time, he was once again salivating over the breakfast Junjun had bought. 

It wasn’t that he hadn’t starved before. At his worst, he had gone four or five days only drinking water, eating nothing. But on those arduous worlds, food was a scarce resource. No one could get enough to eat, and you didn’t feel especially pitiful when you were hungry. But this world was calm and peaceful. People in the estate went out to buy breakfast or ordered take-out. In under ten minutes of dog walking Huan Zixu had seen five people coming to their doors carrying breakfast. Others’ happiness made his hunger increase unbearably. 

No, that wouldn’t do, he couldn’t eat the child’s breakfast. Huan Zixu shook his head. 

Just then Zhen Li returned to the studio and didn’t see Xiao Ha or Huan Zixu. He knew that they had gone to the nearby estate and quickly went out to find Huan Zixu. He wanted to give him Feng Kui’s drawing right away.  

From far away, he saw Huan Zixu, dressed in casual clothes, long hair blown gently by the breeze, his head slightly lowered to look at the bag he was holding, his long, long lashes making him look as beautiful as a painting. 

Zhen Li came puffing up to Huan Zixu and patted him on the back. He had run so hard he couldn’t speak. 

“You’re here?” Huan Zixu spoke, spoiling the picture. “You have money, right? Go buy me some breakfast. The soup dumplings across the street smell good.” 

“Sure, I’ll go buy some.” Zhen Li obediently ran a couple steps. Then he remembered the drawing he still had and quickly went back to give it to Huan Zixu. “Feng Kui gave me this for you.” 

Huan Zixu casually gave Junjun’s breakfast to Zhen Li. He unfolded the neatly folded paper, saw the drawing on it, and smiled in understanding. 

“It’s very well drawn.” Huan Zixu carefully folded the paper and put it away in his pocket. 

Zhen Li quietly told him what had happened yesterday. He also told him about joining the Protection Organization, and that he would soon have an 80 square meter apartment. 

Zhen Li also hadn’t eaten breakfast. He got hungry after saying a couple of sentences. As he spoke, he opened the bag of breakfast in his hand and started to eat. He also gave Huan Zixu a cup of soy milk. 

Huan Zixu drank soy milk and ate soup dumplings. When he heard Zhen Li mention the apartment, he couldn’t avoid being moved. He whispered, “So two people would have 160 square meters, two people could…” 

“Hehe, you’d have to be someone who hadn’t done any harm to society and had aided the organization in protecting residents.” Seeing that as powerful a lever as Huan Zixu was envious of him, Zhen Li couldn’t help being proud. He happily ate a mouthful of pickled vegetables. 

Junjun, who was bringing Director Ha back: “…” 

All the breakfast he had bought for Dad, Mom, and himself was gone! Waaah! 

The two all-powerful Destroyers rushed to console the child. While they were making reparations for his lost breakfast, an exhausted You Zhengping was returning home. 

Actually, he still didn’t know how to face Yu Hua, especially after he had destroyed the black cloak yesterday. You Zhengping was even more troubled. 

But he hadn’t been home for three whole nights. Never mind Yu Hua being unsatisfied, You Zhengping himself couldn’t stand the pain of missing him. 

He stood at the door for a while and smacked his chest to encourage himself. Then he worked up his courage and opened the apartment door with his fingerprints. He quietly went inside. 

Yu Hua should be making breakfast now? In order to have breakfast at home, You Zhengping had taken Zhen Li, who had been in a rush to see Huan Zixu, away from the base early. Neither of them had eaten breakfast. 

When he walked through the door, he saw that it was pitch black inside. All the light-screening curtains were tightly drawn. At 6 AM on a summer morning, the sun was already shining brightly, but their home was shut up so that it was as lightless as the dead of night. The air-conditioning was turned up very high. It was as cold as an ice house inside. 

He was about to turn on the entrance hall light by the door when he was hugged from behind. Two strong arms held him firmly. A deep voice said into his ear, “You’re back at last.” 

---

Author's Note

Yu Hua: I’m a wife who’s been left alone for three nights. Today I’m having my little dark room, and no one is going to stop me! 

You Zhengping: A man-made little dark room with the curtains drawn.