Volume 4: Twilight Galaxy
On the third day after the “Dusk of the Galaxy” game ended, in the living room of Ye Jian’s home:
A mouse cake lay weakly on the coffee table, with two perfectly symmetrical wavy whiskers standing out prominently. The fluffy little ball of fur tried to gather the whiskers together with its paws, then forcefully smoothed them down, but unsurprisingly, it had no effect.
Not long after the game ended, Shu Xun received a message from Xing Kong saying that Mu Yang had disappeared.
Before the Baptism, aside from the healing talisman, Shu Xun had also given Mu Yang a system bracelet, which he accepted. So when the game ended, Mu Yang was also transmitted out of Twilight Galaxy.
Shu Xun noticed that Xing Kong used the word “disappeared” instead of “missing”. He suddenly recalled that the black butterflies could sense people’s desires and make them disappear. Could it be that before leaving, the God of Death left a black butterfly for Mu Yang? This was the only reasonable explanation Shu Xun could think of.
Shu Xun stretched out his little paws, tapping on the light screen while researching and chatting with Xing Kong. Xing Kong had quickly adapted to his new environment, possibly due to the emotional awakening triggered by the presence of the invaders. He now exhibited a strong curiosity about the outside world. Although his movements were still somewhat restricted, these constraints would gradually lessen with time.
Meanwhile, Ye Jian sat on the sofa, using his light brain to handle post-game tasks. Suddenly, a message came from Bai Ya.
Bai Ya: “Another member of the StarPlay family has gone missing.”
Ye Jian’s long fingers paused as he stared at the message on the screen, lost in thought. Since the end of “Dusk of the Galaxy”, aside from Meng Muyu, who had vanished alongside Gray, and Muyang, who disappeared later, another member of the StarPlay family had gone missing. This person was known for their love of reading and had incredibly high spiritual power, playing a key strategist role within the StarPlay family. However, this wasn’t the first disappearance. Over the next two days, three more members of the already small StarPlay family went missing—all of whom had either immense spiritual power or outstanding logical thinking abilities. As of today, only two remained: a slow-thinking girl and a simple-minded boy.
A soft sigh echoed as Ye Jian lowered his head to see the fluffy little ball sitting on his lap. The furry creature had also seen the content on the screen and, while smoothing its whiskers, spoke in a low tone, “Dreams come true, but when the dream ends, you disappear.”
Ye Jian reached out to gently stroke Shu Xun’s fur, nodding lightly in agreement. The so-called StarPlay family was, in truth, nothing more than a figment of someone’s obsession—or, more accurately, a dreamworld Meng Muyu had created for himself. Years ago, after the Dream Clan’s world experienced its apocalypse, Meng Muyu was the only survivor left struggling in its aftermath.
Due to his loneliness, Meng Muyu developed a habit of talking incessantly. In that desolate, end-of-the-world landscape filled with corpses, he spoke to himself repeatedly, just to avoid losing his sanity. In such an extreme environment, his powers unconsciously evolved!
Wandering through that desolate apocalypse, his subconscious began to long for companions—others like him who could walk alongside him through this end of days. In his sleep, he repeatedly wished to meet others with different personalities who could accompany him on his journey. Thus, his dreams came true. He started encountering fellow survivors from his tribe, one by one. These individuals eventually formed the StarPlay family. They all had different personalities, different hobbies, different appearances, and different habits, yet every one of them miraculously met Meng Muyu in that vast world!
Meng Muyu might have realized at some point that these people aligned a little too perfectly with his expectations, but he dared not think too deeply. He hypnotized himself day after day, convincing himself that these tribespeople were real! Because his power had only just evolved when he created the StarPlay family, it was unstable. Thus, once Meng Muyu woke from his dream, the StarPlay family would also begin to unravel.
With continuous self-hypnosis, Meng Muyu eventually fully believed in the reality of his creation—until he was rescued by humans from the apocalyptic planet and started a new life. He, along with the StarPlay family, went on to shape the history of surviving in the apocalypse. However, the game “Winter’s End” brought the first cracks in his dream. This was because the black butterflies appearing in “Winter’s End” represented the destruction of the Dream Tribe—the fusion of the dead Dream Tribe and the world consciousness. Somehow, the dead Dream Tribe had merged with the black hole and collided with the Phantom Tribe’s world consciousness. Their combined needs created a perfect spacetime, as well as a collective consciousness for the Dream Tribe: the God of Death.
The white hole of the Celestial Feather Galaxy allowed the abandoned Phantom Clan and the God of Death to return to the interstellar era. The Phantom Clan persisted in their search, while the God of Death sought out those with strong desires and brought them into his own spacetime. Through constant exploration, Meng Muyu gradually became aware of a terrifying truth. He could no longer deceive himself—the StarPlay family was merely a creation of his own dream. In this vast universe, he was truly the only Dream Clan member left alive. However, because of this, Meng Muyu himself had become the world consciousness of the Dream Clan, which explained why he was able to create miracles one after another and how he had deceived even the world consciousness of Twilight Galaxy.
Meng Muyu knew that he couldn’t hide the truth from Shu Xun and Ye Jian, yet the two of them never revealed his identity within the game. This is why, during their final farewell, Meng Muyu said, “Goodbye, and thank you.”
But the members of the StarPlay family were far too intelligent. Even if Ye Jian and Shu Xun had kept silent, they gradually realized the truth on their own. Just like how the Treasure-Seeking Mouse had the ability to traverse time and space, once the realization occurred or the truth was exposed, waking from the dream meant crossing over. For the StarPlay family, awakening from the dream meant death; awakening meant fading into nothingness. Thus, only those simple-minded, who couldn’t think that deeply, still remained in the StarPlay family.
At that moment, Shu Xun realized that the so-called innate talent of the Treasure-Seeking Mouse and its seemingly miraculous luck wasn’t without reason. In fact, it was highly likely that this talent had been bestowed by the Dream Clan itself.
There must be some form of conversion relationship between the Perfect Spacetime and this current one. If nothing unexpected happened, the Perfect Spacetime would eventually follow the traces it left behind and transition into a cultivation era. Furthermore, it was very likely that the world consciousness of “Deep Blue Sea” would become the Heavenly Dao of the Perfect Spacetime. The so-called “favor from the Heavenly Dao” was actually the gratitude and preference of “Deep Blue Sea” towards the Treasure-Seeking Mouse.
Thus, the Perfect Spacetime, as an independent universe, must possess a time and space orientation completely opposite to the current universe. If this era was moving toward the future, then the Perfect Spacetime was moving toward the past!
The Perfect Spacetime had fulfilled him and he had fulfilled the Perfect Spacetime. Everything in the world follows the cycle of cause and effect. In that moment of enlightenment, Shu Xun’s heart felt broadened and he benefited greatly from this realization.
His thoughts were numerous, but they only flashed through his mind briefly before Shu Xun refocused on the light screen.
As for Meng Muyu’s purpose, shortly after the game ended, they received a scheduled message from him, sent in the chatroom.
Meng Muyu: “Goodbye, everyone. As the dream ends, I have finally stepped out of the dream and into reality. I’ve decided to pursue what truly moves me. I’m going to find Ling Yang, to find my family’s fish.”
The once lively chatroom now only had Shu Xun, Ye Jian, and Lie Yang online, their statuses still brightly lit. The three of them had mixed feelings upon seeing such a message. To Meng Muyu, the world he lived in was both real and false. His true kin was, in fact, the God of Death from the apocalyptic world. He left this spacetime to pursue reality.
After seeing the message, Lie Yang responded with a mock-optimistic reply.
Lie Yang: “I always knew you had ulterior motives. How could you eat such a small fish? Would it even fill the gap between your teeth?”
But unfortunately, that chatterbox would never reply again. The chatroom fell into a long silence, and only after a while did the message refresh.
Shu Xun: “Ye Jian and I are going to the galaxy where Gray once lived. Would you like to join us?”
This time, Lie Yang didn’t joke around and simply replied with a single word: “Sure.” After that, no more messages were exchanged in the chatroom.
The Dieqiu Galaxy, a small galaxy governed by the Zerg Clan, was somewhat remote and relatively slow in its development. Most of the inhabitants of Dieqiu Star were ordinary members of the Zerg Clan with common bloodlines. Of course, even within the Zerg Clan, there were differences in bloodlines. Especially in systems with a clear tribal designation, the local name was often held in high regard. As such, the Dieqiu galaxy revered butterflies, which was reflected in their cultural values.
Four days after the end of “Dusk of the Galaxy”, Shu Xun and the others finally arrived there. After the spacecraft landed, they followed the crowd and transferred to another ship, heading towards the family home recorded in Gray’s personal file.
Huali Town was a small town where various butterfly-blooded members of the Zerg Clan gathered. Its name, meaning “flowers like glass”, perfectly matched the aesthetic of the Butterfly Tribe, as butterflies loved flowers. True to its name, Huali Town was famous for its vibrant array of flowers. As soon as one entered the town, it seemed that every corner was filled with brightly colored blooms.
Lie Yang, Shu Xun, and Ye Jian stood on the town’s street, feeling a bit lost. Gray’s file had only specified Huali Town but did not provide a more detailed address.
Lie Yang stopped a passing town resident. Due to Lie Yang’s bloodline, the residents seemed a little excited but tried hard to control their emotions, looking at him with admiration. However, Lie Yang wasn’t in the mood to flirt as usual, and even his smile appeared somewhat formulaic. “Do you know if there’s a family here whose main body is a dead leaf butterfly?”
The girl he stopped was stunned for a few seconds, then looked puzzled. “There aren’t any dead leaf butterflies in our town.”
Lie Yang thanked her and the girl left. The three of them exchanged glances. Could Gray have given them the wrong address or was there another reason?
After asking a few more people, they received the same answer: there was no one in Huali Town whose main form was a dead leaf butterfly. Even when they asked for Gray’s real name, they got no helpful response. Shu Xun frowned, instinctively feeling that something wasn’t right. After tugging at his hair in thought for a moment, he stopped another person. “Excuse me, is there someone named Gray in this town?”
“Yes!” The person he stopped was briefly dazed by Shu Xun’s warm smile but naturally answered.
Lie Yang, who had already lost hope, immediately brightened up.
The person continued in a completely natural tone. “Head north along this road. The house at the very end is theirs.” After speaking, they gave the three a slightly strange look and curiously asked, “Why are you looking for that person?”
Shu Xun smiled. “We’re his friends. We came to visit him.”
The person’s expression immediately showed surprise, even disbelief, as they gave the three a once-over as if finding it hard to understand that they were claiming to be Gray’s friends.
Once the person walked away with a skeptical expression, Lie Yang’s face darkened, his tone filled with irritation. “Is it just me, or did that person seem full of disdain when they mentioned Gray? And they looked really surprised that we were here for him.”
Shu Xun gazed northward along the path, feeling a bit heavy-hearted. Even Lie Yang had sensed it—Gray wasn’t welcomed in this town. And despite “Dusk of the Galaxy” ending several days ago, Gray had disappeared, and yet no one in the town seemed aware of it. Gray, what kind of person are you, really? “Let’s go.”
The three of them followed the path, which gradually narrowed from wide to narrow. The flowers on either side bloomed in brilliant competition, unmatched in their vibrancy. Butterflies fluttered amongst the flowers, stirring the air with gentle breezes that carried a sweet fragrance, creating a delightful and lively atmosphere.
However, Shu Xun, Lie Yang, and Ye Jian were in no mood to admire the beauty of Huali Town. After walking for about half an hour, they finally reached the outskirts of the town and saw the house the person had mentioned. It was a small, somewhat dilapidated-looking house situated on the edge of Huali Town. Even with the surrounding sea of flowers, the house still appeared lonely and isolated.
Walking along the flower-lined path, the three of them approached the front door. The small house looked cold and deserted, with no sounds or signs of life. Lie Yang impatiently stepped forward, initially intending to push the door open, but in the end, he restrained himself and knocked on the door instead.
As expected, there was no response. Only then did Lie Yang apply a bit of force to push the door open.
Warm sunlight, accompanied by the scent of flowers, flowed into the empty house. The layout inside was not complex—a living room and a master bedroom. From where they stood at the doorway, the small living room could be seen clearly. The room was sparsely furnished, with very few items, and what little furniture there was appeared old and worn.
As they stepped into the room, a thin layer of dust was stirred up by their footsteps. Despite the house’s evident age, it was tidy and organized. It was clear that only one person had lived here and that person had kept everything in perfect order.
Finding nothing of note in the living room, the three turned their attention to the bedroom. When they opened the bedroom door, they found that it was much the same as the living room—there was an old wooden bed, a small nightstand, and nothing else. However, there was a piece of paper placed on the nightstand.
Lie Yang strode over but hesitated once he reached the nightstand. In the end, it was Shu Xun who picked up the paper, which was actually a letter left for them by Gray. Unfolding the sheet of white paper, they saw a neatly written message, with handwriting that was as precise and meticulous as the tidy house.
“Shu Xun, thank you. You’ll never know how much your acceptance that one time meant to me. You’ll also never know what would have happened if you had rejected my cautious approach—would this world have collapsed? I came from the grayness, gathering the courage to chase after every bit of warmth and light I could find. But only the flames of the God of Death have shone consistently. If Death is the only one who loves me, then I willingly throw myself into Death’s embrace.”
Shu Xun handed the letter to Lie Yang, then reached out to open the drawer of the nightstand. Inside, just as he had expected, he found a notebook.
This letter and notebook would answer all their questions about Gray. The truth was right in front of them, yet for the first time, Shu Xun felt reluctant to uncover it.
The notebook appeared very old, its cover heavily worn. Upon opening it, the first thing they saw was a photograph tucked inside the first page. It was of Gray as a child, looking about seven or eight years old. His delicate features stood out even more due to his radiant smile. Beside him was another boy who looked similar, and behind them were a man and a woman, presumably Gray’s parents.
Shu Xun flipped the first page, revealing handwriting that appeared slightly immature. He glanced at the date of the entry and calculated the time—it must have been written when Gray was a child.
“April 1st. Went on an outing with Dad, Mom, and brother, took a photo.”
It was that brief, and the outing mentioned was likely when the photo on the first page had been taken, explaining the identities of the people in the picture. Shu Xun continued flipping through the notebook. The entries weren’t daily; some were written days apart, others months apart, with no regularity. It seemed like Gray only wrote when he felt like it.
The earlier entries were mundane and ordinary. Yet, in a child’s eyes, even the most routine days were filled with color. As time went on, Gray’s handwriting became neater and his thoughts more abundant. Though the things he recorded were still trivial, they conveyed genuine happiness and warmth.
Turning another page, the writing abruptly stopped, replaced by a drawing. It depicted two pairs of wings. What was strange was that one pair of wings was lifted and spread wide, while the other was drooping and wrinkled. The three easily recognized that the lifted wings were butterfly wings, but they couldn’t immediately identify the drooping ones. Beneath the two pairs of wings were labels reading “Brother” and “Me”.
After hesitating for a moment, Shu Xun flipped to the next page, relieved to find familiar writing. A glance at the date revealed that two years had passed. Gray would have been ten years old by then.
“March 3rd, the surgery is tomorrow. I’m scared. The doctor says this is the best option. Dad and Mom say to listen to the doctor, but I also want colorful wings.”
Shu Xun flipped further and the timeline jumped another two years.
“July 14th, what is a moth?”
Shu Xun, Lie Yang, and Ye Jian all felt their hearts jolt. In an instant, the three of them understood what the drooping wings from earlier represented—they were moth wings! Gray and his brother had been born with incomplete wings: one half was a beautiful butterfly wing, while the other half was a dull moth wing. The cause of this phenomenon wasn’t important. What mattered was that, according to the notebook, both Gray and his brother had undergone surgery to have their wings restructured. Gray’s butterfly wing had been replaced by a moth wing.
In this era, only the vastness of the universe and the intricacies of genetics remained beyond people’s control, especially when it came to genetic mutations involving racial traits. Perhaps, as the notebook suggested, Gray’s body was better suited for moth wings, and so, with everyone around him believing it was for the best, Gray had no say in the matter.
The notebook continued, but the seemingly symmetrical wings began to tear apart some illusions, forcing Gray’s once-innocent eyes to witness growing sorrow.
“July 15th, the drooping wing belongs to a moth, the one that can’t fly high is a moth, the grey one is a moth.”
“August 15th, they say a moth should be called ‘Gray.’ My name is fitting. I was praised for it. Happy.”
“October 1st, they say I look good when I fly. Moths should fly this way. I made friends and they all like watching me fly.”
“March 2nd, Dad and Mom had a fight. Dad asked if I wanted to go to a place where the other children had wings like mine. Are there others with wings like mine? I said I wanted to go see.”
The entries stopped here, only to resume three years later when Gray was fourteen.
“December 12th, I’m back.” Just four words, with no mention of what had happened over the past three years. Yet Shu Xun could sense a change in Gray during that time. “I’m back.” These words seemed to carry a sigh of relief, mixed with uncontainable joy.
“December 14th, my friends are very enthusiastic.”
“December 15th, Dad, Mom, and Brother all really like me.” Shu Xun’s fingers paused. Why was Gray emphasizing the attitudes of those around him for two days straight? And why were his words so hollow, with no events recorded?
“May 15th, I moved to a new home. It’s just me, living on the outskirts of town. The surroundings are beautiful.”
The notebook stopped again and resumed a year later.
“May 13th, Dad, Mom, and Brother came to visit my home. We had dinner together.” When Shu Xun saw the word “visit”, he finally understood—Gray could no longer deceive himself.
The notebook had another gap, and the next entry was five years later when Gray was twenty-one.
“January 1st, I had a dream. In the dream, someone asked me what I wished for. I said I wanted wings like a dead leaf butterfly. I must not have woken up yet, because why else haven’t the wings disappeared?”
“January 3rd, in the dream, that person took me to another world, an omnipotent world.”
“January 4th, in the dream, that person brought me delicious food.”
“January 5th, in the dream, that person took me to the Celestial Feather Galaxy. The Celestial Feather Galaxy is so beautiful; you can fly very high without wings.”
“January 6th, someone named Qing Kong appeared in the dream. That person said if I wanted family, I could consider Qing Kong as family.”
“February 3rd, the Qing Kong in the dream is very powerful. I’ve decided to learn archery.”
“…”
From this point on, the notebook entries became more frequent, almost all starting with “in the dream”. The person in the dream dominated the majority of the notebook. Gray immersed himself in the dream every day, traveling through countless worlds led by that dream person, and eventually, he gained his first non-blood-related family member: Qing Kong. The identity of the dream person was mysterious, revealing little information. However, through the constant companionship, Gray finally lets down his heavy defenses and accepts the nameless figure into his heart.
In the final part of the notebook, Shu Xun saw his own name.
“April 1st, “Winter’s End” was cleared. Inside, I met a small human child named Shu Xun. I actually have a teammate! I have a teammate, and he’s a really strong one…”
This particular entry was noticeably long, filled with excitement and disbelief. It wasn’t until the very end of the entry that Gray mentioned the events of “Winter’s End”. It turned out that the so-called guidance was nothing more than Gray sensing that the black butterfly was related to the person in his dream. Using the ability to make dreams come true, he entered “Winter’s End”, and from there, everything began.
Like them, Gray wanted to learn more about the dream person, the Death God who controlled the black butterfly. However, Gray’s perspective differed from theirs, and thus the truth he saw was different as well. It wasn’t until “Deep Blue Sea” that Shu Xun and Ye Jian made a vow of life and death together, which prompted Gray to suddenly realize that what he had been seeking, what he truly wanted, was eternal companionship. So, before entering “Dusk of the Galaxy”, Gray had already made up his mind and, at the final moment, wagered his life, betting that the Death God would appear in reality.
On the last page of the notebook, Gray wrote this passage: “I chose nothingness, not because I gave up on you, but because we met too late. They were right—I was always meant to be a moth. Rushing toward the flame has become instinct, regardless of whether the outcome is life or death. Thank you for accompanying me during this time. Goodbye, Shu Xun. Goodbye, everyone. Goodbye, the only sliver of warmth I held in this world.”
The heavy notebook was closed again and no one in the room spoke for a long time. Although they had anticipated the outcome, facing the truth still felt unbearably heavy. This single notebook chronicled Gray’s entire life, most of which revolved around dreams.
All the discordant elements suddenly made sense, leaving only a bittersweet understanding.
Why did Gray stutter when communicating with others? It was because he had been deeply scarred by life, by the strange looks from everyone around him, and by the cold indifference of his family. During those three blank years in the notebook, Gray had been sent to the moth colony planet, alone. Could a physically incomplete child really find others like him? Isolated, self-doubting, and terrified, all the negative emotions came down to one question: What am I? Why am I an outsider no matter where I go?
In a world of endless grayness, Gray was finally brought back to Huali Town after three years. The boy thought the world would become vibrant and colorful, like the flowers blooming all around town. However, reality cruelly ground away his last hopes, bit by bit shattering his humble expectations. He naively believed his family would love him and foolishly thought his friends would welcome him. He stumbled through conversations, stumbled as he flew, and stumbled through life, pretending everything was going as he wished. Bathing in the mocking gazes of those around him, he trudged forward alone, carrying his burdens.
Having spent his whole life under such strange and judgmental eyes, Gray longed to be ordinary. His heart was so humble that even in his dreams, he didn’t dare to wish for beautiful wings, opting instead for the inconspicuous wings of a dead leaf butterfly. He craved freedom and flight, which is why he loved the Celestial Feather Galaxy. But in reality, every word of comfort he received was laced with mockery, so Gray, too, often added a cutting remark when comforting others. Not because he wanted to, but because he didn’t know what true comfort looked like.
The only thing to be grateful for, perhaps, was that in the end, Gray’s wish was fulfilled. In the vast universe, there was finally someone who needed him, someone willing to protect him—even if that person represented darkness and death. The moth flies into the flame without hesitation!
In the silence, Shu Xun and the other two left the small house where Gray once lived. The notebook and letter were taken away by Lie Yang. It was the first time Shu Xun saw shadows in the eyes of the man who was as warm as the sun. Lie Yang’s expression was incredibly cold, his gaze dark and brooding, as if he was brewing something.
Huali Town was still bursting with flowers and colorful butterflies, resembling a paradise on earth, dreamlike and surreal. As Shu Xun was leaving, he unexpectedly spotted a man whose appearance bore a resemblance to Gray, along with a couple standing behind him.
Shu Xun realized that this must be Gray’s brother and parents. It turned out that Gray’s family was so close to him…
Just as he was thinking about how it had been a year since Gray’s family first visited his little house, Shu Xun suddenly saw a blur in front of him, and a shadow rushed past.
It was Lie Yang!
Lie Yang punched the man, sending him flying. The three people who were about to head home stood dumbfounded, especially the man who had been hit. He spat out blood, still somewhat stunned. Passersby on the street stopped in shock, staring at the scene before them.
Before the man could get back on his feet, Lie Yang threw another punch. Moments later, screams erupted, as Lie Yang was truly fighting to kill. The nearby residents rushed to intervene, but no one could match Lie Yang’s strength. The only two who could have stopped him stood silently by, watching.
A woman cried out in fear to call the police. Lie Yang coldly raised his head, his voice sharp as if it were a blade dipped in ice. “It is his honor to die at my command.”
The blazing wings of the emperor butterfly scorched the air, an overwhelming bloodline dominance made all the residents drop to their knees. The king of the Zerg Clan embodied the law; although royal power had waned in this era, the differences in bloodlines remained inherent.
In the end, it was Ye Jian and Shu Xun who managed to restrain Lie Yang, saving the barely conscious man and dragging Lie Yang away from Huali Town.
In the endless wilderness outside Huali Town, Lie Yang and Ye Jian had begun to fight. The two top-tier powerhouses of their races finally faced each other seriously, pouring their full strength into the clash. Lie Yang’s eyes were almost engulfed in flames, glowing a fiery red, his body shrouded in flames, while Ye Jian maintained his usual expressionless demeanor, steadily fending off each of Lie Yang’s furious attacks. The battle between the two powerful beings raged on for a long time before finally coming to an end due to exhaustion.
“I won’t let them off easily.” Lie Yang sat cross-legged on a grassy hillside, his voice deep.
Shu Xun naturally knew whom Lie Yang was referring to. Gray’s family’s neglect of him did not violate the law, but their cold violence had extinguished all the colors and warmth in Gray’s world. One could say that during Gray’s lonely and burdened journey, the neglect from his family snuffed out the last glimmer of hope he had cautiously awaited. It was at this moment that the arrival of the reaper illuminated Gray’s world, so even if the flames were destined to destroy, Gray would not hesitate.
However, after Lie Yang spoke, he did not show a relaxed expression. No matter what they did now, it would be futile. The world no longer had Gray; it was all too late. Although Shu Xun did not articulate this, Lie Yang himself had already realized that there was little chance of reconnecting with the perfect timeline. Aside from Shu Xun, everyone who had shifted to the perfect timeline had no chance of returning.
Shu Xun took out several talismans with different functions from his spirit realm and tossed them to Lie Yang. “Do as you please, but be careful.”
Lie Yang accepted the talismans, understanding what Shu Xun meant by “being careful”. Gray already possessed a certain ability to make his dreams come true. If he truly wanted to kill someone, he could easily do so without leaving a trace. However, he hadn’t done that; his family was unharmed, the residents of Huali Town were safe, and no one even realized that Gray was missing. Everything pointed to one conclusion: Gray no longer cared. By the time Gray decided to leave this world, nothing mattered anymore.
That boy who would blush and feel awkward with the slightest compliment, despite the many hardships life had thrown at him, retained an untainted gentleness and purity. The person who preserved the last remnants of Gray’s innocence was Shu Xun. Everything began with their encounter in “Winter’s End”, and everything quietly changed at that moment when they shook hands and accepted each other.
Gray was too ordinary for this world, but for the reaper, he was one of a kind. Therefore, after Gray was marked by heavenly punishment, the reaper appeared, protecting Gray as he traversed time and space, transferring him back to the perfect timeline.
If the reaper had stayed here, with the Dream Clan’s incredible ability to make dreams come true, it would have been hard to predict what the outcome of this timeline would be. Gray paid the price to bring back the reaper, who had once been swallowed by a black hole and then expelled by a white hole, to the perfect timeline.
While waiting for the aircraft, the sky gradually darkened. The three of them sat on a hillside, gazing at the setting sun. Shu Xun turned his head casually and happened to see the confusion in Lie Yang’s eyes. Lie Yang noticed Shu Xun’s gaze and asked with a hint of bewilderment, “Shu Xun, why do I feel so miserable?”
Seeing Lie Yang in this state, Shu Xun was momentarily at a loss for words. After a long while, he finally said, “You missed a good teammate.”
“Is that so?” Lie Yang seemed a bit dazed, his eyes still fixed on the distant sunset.
This world was constantly playing out stories of gain and loss. Sometimes, obsessions could unknowingly persist for a long time, while letting go often only took a single thought.
Some awaken late, some move slowly, some hesitate, while others are decisive in their actions. May you, no matter what choices you make, always have luck by your side.
Luck isn’t about suddenly becoming wealthy or having unexpected windfalls; it’s about having a pair of outstretched hands at every critical moment in your life, offering warmth and faith, dispelling all panic and coldness. Luck means that even if you move slowly and feel dull, when you awaken, those things you want to grasp are still by your side, and you can still achieve your wishes.
On the vast and gentle green hillside, Ye Jian reached out and clasped Shu Xun’s hand. They exchanged glances, smiles and affection instinctively welling up in their eyes. Their fingers intertwined; apart from this person, no one else mattered. Grateful for meeting, understanding, accompanying, and staying together, never to change, to part, to abandon, or to forsake…
The setting sun gently soothed the beings of the world. The evening breeze was soft, and the grassy fields were edged with a warm golden hue, the grass blades swaying gently in the wind as if bidding a silent farewell to something.
Author’s Note:
Come on~ Let’s have fun~ After all, there’s plenty of time~~~
Come on~ Leave a comment~ After all, there are plenty of red envelopes~~~
Link your pinky~~ Come on~ Come on~ Comment, nutrients, and favorites (favorites from the author’s column~) let’s do this~~ Link your pinky~~
Ahem ahem~ Let’s be serious~ If there are extras, they will be uploaded on Wednesday~ Old Xuan’s ideas should have been completed, and even if there are extras, they will probably be cute and sweet. Little angels can suggest anything too~~ Muah~
Moonlit: Stop cutting onions! (੭꒦ິ ^꒦ິ)੭
