anovelconsole Chapter 349 - 346:
Chapter 349 - 346:
Chapter 349: Chapter 346: "Su Rin, Have a Smooth Journey"They are just people who rot within themselves," the man glanced at him, "There are always those who are accustomed to indulging in fleeting and direct pleasures, yet despise actions that require long-term persistence—Mo Yan, what do you think will become of those casual players who have points but no strength after the world game ends?"
Mo Yan’s footsteps paused.
"I don’t know," he shook his head, "I don’t know."
He quickened his pace, head down, suddenly colliding with a patient in a rush.
The patient lifted their head, locking eyes with him.
This patient’s cheeks were gaunt, their complexion pale, and the eyes bore heavy bloodshot veins; the lips were cracked from excessive dryness, the cheekbones protruding sharply, the entire person resembling a wilting, rotting yellow leaf.
Seeing him, the patient’s stiff gaze seemed to flicker with some response, the dark circles of their eyes moved slightly, then they began to breathe rapidly.
"...Save me," she said.
Those soulless eyes didn’t focus on his face, but rather seemed to look past him, at something behind him.
...Perhaps at the equally vacant-eyed patients in the hall or at the crowd, churning like a bubbling porridge.
She seemed to be trying to grab his sleeve or lean on him, but in the end, she stopped, calling out.
[Save me].
...
This was an adventurer player addicted to instances.
Having no family or friends, she had ended up here of her own volition, as though stuck in a mire she couldn’t escape from.
She could not heal herself, could not recover.
She couldn’t break out of this sickly white vicious circle.
Mo Yan watched the stranger’s hopeless eyes, saw her instinctively clench her hands, saw her drifting gaze as if she saw another world beyond him.
Shriveled, soulless, as if devoid of a soul.
He felt as if he was seeing a pale, blank sheet of paper.
"...But some people have already rotted prematurely," said Mo Yan, "before the dawn."
"Who?" the man asked.
"The ones you see," Mo Yan shifted his gaze, as if piercing through the hospital’s white walls to the not-so-distant square fountain, seeing the happy couples there:
"...And the ones I see."
...
"Welcome back."
The dignified and elegant princess, as if already aware of Su Ming’an’s arrival, waited at the door.
Su Ming’an’s attention was still on the portrait on the wall.
This painting depicted a believer releasing doves in front of a burning church.
The scene reminded him of a story that Su Rin had told in the Memory Stone.
...
[It is said that three hundred years ago, the priest Vandilun released doves just before the church burned down.]
[He did not hide or flee from the fire but sang loudly instead, claiming he had already rushed toward Heaven with the doves, attaining ultimate freedom.]
[He said his soul had gone to Heaven like the doves, leaving behind only the shell congealed by the world.]
[He was a soul imprisoned by the world, and Heaven was the fervent land that welcomed such noble spirits.]
...
Su Rin had told this story while in the Yate Empire.
But now, Su Ming’an in the Pulaya Royal Family saw such a painting that matched the story’s content closely.
...Had Su Rin told a similar story to the princess of the royal family before him?
Su Ming’an noticed that the Pope had not teleported with them.
Outside the door stood the Princess, with two maids, their heads bowed so low that their bangs completely covered their eyes, rendering their faces unrecognizable.
"It’s been a while since I left," Su Ming’an said. "The situation in Pulaya doesn’t seem to have changed much."
"Yes..." The Princess pondered for a moment, "It must have been several years."
...Several years?
Su Ming’an realized that the Princess’s information differed from what he knew—apparently, Su Rin had come down from Yun Shang City not just once.
"The night is deep, and it’s not a good time for reminiscing," the Princess looked at him. "Su Rin, let’s get you back to your room and we can talk more tomorrow, shall we?"
"Okay." Su Ming’an didn’t linger either, as he now just wanted to get through the night level.
After escorting Su Ming’an to his room, the Princess left.
Su Ming’an
"Wha, what do you mean!" the bald man’s face turned bright red, yet he remained defiant, "Just, just this much spirits..."
"Give it a rest," a dark-skinned woman in a technician’s uniform interjected, "If you weren’t drunk, would you not know that Su Rin can’t drink? Look at you, getting drunk on the day of embarkation. Even if there are Sobering Leaves, it’s still improper..."
"Clang—"
The bald man put down his cup.
His face flushed red, his eyes showing tinges of pain.
"... Getting drunk so you don’t have to feel sad," he said, "Each and every one of you, picking a tavern for a farewell... isn’t it just to get yourself drunk?"
The already subdued atmosphere quieted even further with his words.
The thick sunlight of the approaching dusk spilled through the window, while the fresh sea breeze gently filled the room.
Su Rin said nothing, his hand resting on the cutlery, his expression calm.
The noise of the crowd, the whistle of the steamboats, every sound reached his ears. From afar, the towering Tower tolled the hour, and he suddenly stood up.
"...We will meet again," he said.
People looked at him, heads raised as if instinctively looking up to a leader.
Su Rin’s hands braced on the tabletop, he gazed at the people looking at him.
"The ’Yun Shang’ has had all its data tweaked to perfection, and has gone through preliminary tests, it will surely reach the city in the heavens safely. Trust us... trust in us, the half that will ascend, to earn the recognition of Yun Shang City and to avert this terrible disaster.
"When that time comes—I will bring everyone’s loved ones, friends, back home safe and sound. Whether they are someone’s children, someone’s father, someone’s wife.
"The people of Pulaya have joined hands to overcome this cataclysmic disaster, our honor will be eternally passed down.
"This isn’t a farewell of life and death, merely a send-off for a long journey.
"Don’t be disappointed about the future, don’t get down about the goodbyes, this isn’t the end, it’s just the beginning of another meeting."
He returned the unused cutlery in his hand to its place, picked up the toolbox from under the table:
"I need to do one last check."
He walked out from the seat beside, waving to the people:
"Anna, Walker, Lin Ling, Luo Chen, Geese, Huang Xu, Hokuto...
"I remember each and every one of your wishes, I will bring back the gifts you desire.
"Please believe in those of us ascending to Yun Shang City—we will surely meet again," he said.
"..." The lady of high society smiled and raised her wine glass, "Su Rin, may you have a smooth journey."
At her words, the silence immediately broke.
The man in the horned cap raised his glass, laughing heartily:
"Engineer Su, my and Xiao Qing’s livelihoods are in your hands!" His laughter was extremely hearty.
"Exactly! What kind of farewell is this? Just a momentary separation, after the storm calms, when you come down, we’ll still drink here... oh, except for you Su Rin, you need to work on your tolerance. Allergic to alcohol, what kind of problem is that?"
"Su Rin! You must draw how the residents of Yun Shang City look like, I want to see what kind of people live in the heavens!"
"Engineer Su, please take good care of this fellow Ge Li, he’s rough-skinned and meaty, though he’s resilient, don’t get too serious, he’s just a bit foolish, won’t do any harm..."
"Geese, why are you calling me dumb, are you asking for a fight—"
Amidst the laughter and teasing, the gloom that was initially there was swept away.
Su Rin lifted an empty wine glass that was beside him, a smile playing on his lips.
"To the tomorrow of Pulaya," he said.
"—To the tomorrow of Pulaya!" People laughed out loud.
Glasses clinked together, the clear wine splashed, and the laughter of the people blended with the noisy sea breeze.
Su Rin symbolically lifted the empty glass in his hand, then stepped into the golden light of the twilight to the loud farewells of the people, and never looked back.
With his back to the companions and colleagues he had been with day and night, he walked towards the direction of the Airship.
The sound of the waves was like drums; the whistle was like thunder.
The setting sun cast upon him, his shoulders glowing as red as flames.
...
Su Ming’an watched this scene, somewhat surprised.
It seemed that the Su Rin of sixty years ago didn’t carry the same illness as the Su Rin of later years.
...Right now, he was the epitome of a heroic figure.