anovelconsole Chapter 1706 - 49: Meeting You in Disordered Time
Chapter 1706 - 49: Meeting You in Disordered Time
"——Su Ming’an!!"Si Nian hid in the room by the rooftop and finally saw the arriving Su Ming’an.
In the raging fire, the black-haired young man came running, covered in soot, with a silent demeanor, and an eruptive wind surged in his eyes. He was like a bird casting a shadow in a cage of flames, scarred all over, picking chestnuts from the fire as he strode quickly.
"This place is about to collapse, grab my hand!" Si Nian carried the pregnant woman and extended his hand.
Su Ming’an reached out high and gripped tightly.
The red-haired man exerted force, and in the cage of flames, the pitch-black "bird" leaped high and jumped over the suddenly collapsing floor.
The man’s strong body suddenly crouched, and with an iron-like arm, he held Su Ming’an’s waist and abdomen, ensuring the pregnant woman on his back was stable. In the next moment, the man unleashed all his strength, rushing towards the exit, while his foot hooked onto the already warming hemp rope!
"Hold on!" Si Nian roared.
Si Nian grabbed the hemp rope with one hand, swiftly sliding his legs upwards, reaching the rooftop in just three seconds!
[00:03]
[00:02]
The next moment, the rooftop door opened, the light of dawn poured in massively, stinging the three people’s eyes.
As they climbed onto the rooftop—
"Boom... Crash——!!!"
As if gathering all its destructive power, the entire burning wooden building emitted a thunderous sound, its load-bearing structure collapsing completely, like toppled building blocks, splitting and dumping inward!
Towering flames and thick smoke soared, turning the night sky into a terrifying orange-red.
In the last dozen seconds before the wooden building completely collapsed and was devoured by flames, through the rolling fire tongues and collapsing gaps, Su Ming’an’s irises imprinted a clear image:
In the corridor of the third floor, the Horror Grandma, who hadn’t reached the rooftop, raised her head.
The flames greedily swiped at her white hair, the sparse sticky strands turned into jumping golden light threads. The hot wave twisted her scarred face, the bumpy burn marks seemed to transform into flowing rivers.
She tightly held a blackened cocoon-like object to her chest, her other withered hand clutched a piece of scorched, yellowed, and crisp paper, the words "Medical University Admission Letter" faintly visible.
The flames devoured her lower body, the scorching pain made her convulse violently. She suddenly lunged forward, her knees grinding out sharp sounds on the burning floor, blood mixed with carbonized flesh.
She raised her head towards the burning ceiling, towards the direction of the son and grandson long gone in memory, muttering silently.
Her five fingers stretched wide as if grasping for the non-existent starlight, reaching for the long-departed figures.
"Crackle——!"
The next second, the flames built to the limit roared like a giant beast, exploding! The scorching tongues completely swallowed her, the white coat turning instantly into fluttering gray butterflies, the fragile admission letter becoming flying ash, the children’s sweater and broken projection lamp vanishing in the red sea of light.
The old woman’s hand, reaching into the void, froze in the last moment, then slowly dropped, completely buried by the collapsing burning beams.
The flames completely engulfed her.
Engulfed the cries, engulfed all remaining stories.
The heatwave surged forward, dragging Su Ming’an back rapidly with Si Nian, away from the collapsing building and flying burning debris.
He stood, chest heaving violently, face a mix of soot and sweat, as his irises still seemed to hold the disappearing figure in the flames.
...
"Ding dong!"
[Congratulations, you have successfully escaped!]
[Three minutes later, you will be transmitted back to the space...]
...
"March 12, 2023, my son came home..."
"March 18, 2023, spinach, academic conference, braised pork..."
"April 4, 2023, Dragon Well, white chrysanthemum..."
"April 16, 2023, gleaning collection, old drafts, cake, iris flower, long-lasting, long-life..."
"May 12, 2023, birthday, observatory, star lamp, seven connected stars like Lighthouse..."
"May 20, 2023, a day of happiness, long-life noodles..."
"... Can doctors heal, can they heal grandma?"
"They can, definitely can."
"... Silly child, doctors are not gods..."
"... Xiulan..."
"... Xiulan ah..."
...
Su Ming’an felt as if he was walking through a carousel.
The people in the carousel came and went, went and came.
At some point, this carousel grew long and plentiful, even revealing the parts long buried, as people walked through it, laughing and waving at themselves.
"Su Ming’an, Su Ming’an...!"
Someone was calling him.
In front, the anxious red-haired man shook him: "Are you okay? Your injuries are serious, hold on, don’t sleep, endure these three minutes, and we will go back!"
Blood slid over his face, his whole body burned, and he felt very tired.
He almost wanted to close his eyes, but in the next moment, he suddenly noticed something by the corner of his eye.
——A splash of blue.
He widened his eyes in astonishment, looking down the rooftop, in the collapsing wooden building, through the gaps of flames and wood, she was still there.
The blue-haired girl was pinned under a giant corridor column, her body below the chest almost shattered, only her head and hands exposed, blood completely dyed the surroundings red, as her body gradually became transparent.
"Lin Yi!"
The flames still burned around her, she was dissipating.
The blue-haired girl trembled as if hearing his voice, she gasped her last breath, striving to look upwards, vaguely seeing Su Ming’an in the gaps, standing under the dawn, covered in soot.
She was stunned for a moment, quickly, with all her strength, she revealed a big, toothy smile. The bright powder on her face sparkled, and the blue-red eyeliner was bright and smooth.
She trembled as she extended her hands, using her last strength, made two gestures.
Without earphone translation, yet Su Ming’an understood this time.
It was very simple:
——Goodbye.
And,
——Thank you.
"Boom——!!!"
Having lost all support, the wooden building let out a final, earth-shaking wail, collapsing. All the burning planks, furniture, memories, pain, and obsessions were mercilessly crushed at this moment, turning into soaring flames and a sky-covering gray ash.
The electric current sound in the earphones completely vanished, turning into dead silence. Then, with a light "crack," the last bit of dim light extinguished.
"Whish!"
The next moment, time was up, Su Ming’an was transmitted back to the slot machine in front, all injuries repaired.
In the silent, void, quiet space, only his figure remained.
His hand was still pressed on the earphones, reluctant to let go.
A moment later, his fingers slowly released, dropping down.
"Tick-tock tick-tock~" The slot machine in front emitted a cheerful sound, urging Su Ming’an to proceed to the next game. The bright red lever automatically slid, revealing the screen of three new games.
Su Ming’an remained silent for a moment, lifting his finger, subconsciously glanced at the Ring of Time.
Nothing.
No new name of "Lin Yi" appeared.
She wasn’t even considered as real life, she’s already dead, so wouldn’t enter this picky ring.
He raised both hands and pressed them against the headset, trying to take it off slowly...
"Beep."
At this moment, it seemed like he touched some trigger key, a sizzling sound erupted. Su Ming’an thought it was one of Lin Yi’s voice adjustments.
Unexpectedly, the sound of flames came from the headset.
His breath became moist, Su Ming’an’s hands froze on the headset; he feared that if his fingers left some button, the sounds would vanish.
...
[Do you know? My prop "Heart Stone" has a powerful function, it can instantly gather all of a person’s thoughts in one second and convert them to voice.]
[Because one’s mind is changing at lightning speed, thoughts and what is heard cannot be translated in sync. When using it, I have to pay attention to my mental state to try letting the listener hear complete sentences at a normal speed.]
[But when time is limited...]
Her laughter echoed in the headset.
[It’s possible to use this function to leave many, many thoughts within a few seconds, converted into a piece of audio.]
[When I left this audio, the wooden building was collapsing. You should have already returned to a safe space, right!]
Su Ming’an held the headset and slowly squatted down.
He seemed somewhat tired, unable to maintain standing. Although the physical injuries were healed, it felt like something inside him had been burned, scorched, some places were aching, and he trembled slightly.
The ears felt like they were burning; hearing each word caused an itchy numbness.
[Listen up! (￣▽￣)]
["I might not remember every encounter..."]
["But I will let the end of this one not waste any possibility."]
[These are words I saw in an anime, sent to you! I think it’s perfect for you!]
[I know your journey is not just for "this time" victory, but to not waste all those who, like you, swam across their solitary islands in loops — the end you must reach should be a shore where all islands gain peace.]
[Your calmness, your precision, your helping hand, your tranquility amid the fire, your leading me forward, your respect for my attire and makeup... these traits all belong to you.]
[They tell me, on the sea of time filled with unknowns and dangers, in this never-ending cruel game, in the dark forest surrounded by wolves, once there stood such a lighthouse... You once shone light upon me.]
[Thank you, Su Ming’an!]
[Even if you forgot me, it’s not your fault! (●｀∀´●)]
[Whether you choose to accept those "you" or reject those "you," as long as the thought arises from your "free will," it is correct.]
[— Because only you can decide what kind of person you are.]
[Only you have the right to recognize yourself, define yourself. No one else does.]
[However, I must apologize; during these short forty-three minutes, I spent the first forty-two minutes misjudging you. Those were memories you could not recall, but I associated them with this time’s you. I am very sorry.]
[Fortunately, in the final minute and fifty-six seconds, I correctly understood you, met you, got to know you, held your hand.]
[Using a cheesy yet accurate phrase to describe... You are the most noble soul that shines and fades in countless cycles.]
[Together with countless others, you make up the ever-burning flames in this dark forest named "Universe."]
[I sincerely think so.]
[My head feels dizzy and light; I cannot remember every star’s name and trajectory, but I know the existence of flames, know that they bring light.]
[A long, long time ago, in the primitive age, someone lit a fire, thus there was light in the world.]
[Therefore, I do not suffer from your forgetfulness, it is an unforgivable fault of war. I am joyous and elated for your existence.]
[Thus, I, Lin Yi, and all the possibly forgotten "us" by you:]
[I just want to say...]
...
Somewhere inside was burning, causing unbearable pain and bitterness, like the heart being pierced by a sharp pin, and bitter liquid flowed out.
His head of blue hair scattered messily, as if his crimson eyes locked onto him for a split second.
Like blazing fire, like a butterfly fluttering its wings.
Su Ming’an did not know, in that cycle, what kind of story he and she had... He saw the tears reflected in her eyes.
She smiled at him, as if she’d been looking at him like this for a long time.
Knowing well that he forgot her, she still slowly, slowly, opened her mouth.
It wasn’t a sad smile, nor a forced smile, or even a relieved one. It was... clean as the melting of first snow, bright as if piercing through all flames and haze, a pure smile. The tear light in her crimson eyes had not yet dispersed, yet she was smiling.
As if those long, joyful, low, gritty scenes would slowly descend in this smile—
...
[My first-met old friend, Su Ming’an.]
[Meeting you in the chaos of time... It’s wonderful.]
[（^O^）]
...
...
"Ding-a-ling-a-ling..."
"Come choose a game! Come choose a game!" Joyful prompts sounded.
Su Ming’an raised his gaze, looking at the colorful screen.
The first player to die, the player who died later, Violet, a little girl, a man who died from a headshot, Si Nian, Su Ming’an, a pregnant woman, two players who set fires.
All together... ten people.
From the beginning, she was always the extra one.
She never interacted with any player, except for Horror Grandma who could see her, no one spoke a word to her. Even at the end, Si Nian didn’t interact with her, always talking to Su Ming’an.
She was the "ghost" only he could see.
Was the "friend" only he could interact with.
Was the glance from a departed soul crossing the seam of loops.
Was an old battle companion.
Was the echo of yesterday’s cycle.
Was the silhouette cast in chaotic time.
A Dragon Country girl named "Lin Yi" who had already "died" in some past seventh instance, someone who originally did not exist in this cycle. She accompanied him for a brief journey.
Her last words seemed to have been spoken within the flames’ embers and the night wind’s whimpers...
...
I hope you win this time.
Even if the ending doesn’t include me.
Even if everything is set.
...
"—Su Ming’an!!!"
Suddenly, Su Ming’an heard a signal-like call.
This made him abruptly startle; this was a single space, no one else should be here, where did this signal come from?
... Not from his side, could it be, from the outside?
"We... outside... thinking of ways... transmitting... information..."
"Hang in there..."
"Good luck..."
Intermittent signals came through.