Volume 7 - CH 126.1

Exercise in Futility

Translated by boilpoil

Edited by boilpoil

What Shen Yünjü said has cast quite the shadow on the Missiontakers’ minds.

The labyrinth was once on Earth?

Why would there be such a labyrinth? A labyrinth of giant, discombobulating splotches of colour?

Mu Jiashi finds his head swimming just looking at the labyrinth for a while. It must have something to do with the colours as they get interpreted in his brain, but also, it might be from some kind of deeper fear. A strange sense of foreboding.

Even if they’re finally in Xü Beijin’s Nightmare, they’re still no closer to the truth right now.

They’ve learned about the two stages of the Apocalypse. First, a mental one; then, a physical one.

But where did it come from? And after that, why did they end up in the Tower?

Mu Jiashi would not find solace even in death if he cannot find the answer.

He turns his head around to look at Xü Beijin.

He has cast his gaze downwards while Lin Qin is speaking to him by his side. Then he seems to notice Mu Jiashi’s gaze, and looks up to meet it.

The pair of eyes are dispassionate, and void of light.

Any question Mu Jiashi was going to say went out the window.

Never mind. They’re already at this stage. There is no way back.

If Xü Beijin really was NE, he’s clearly going to be on the human’s side.

If Xü Beijin actually wasn’t, and is simply another typical Tower resident, who happen to possess an unusual Nightmare…

Well, he’s human, after all, which means he will also want to leave the Tower.

So their best course of action, is to trust Xü Beijin unconditionally.

It is also bad for morale if he were to shatter the other Missiontakers’ confidence at the eleventh hour.

He merely smiles at Xü Beijin, before entering the labyrinth with the rest of the Missiontakers.

Xü Beijin didn’t know Mu Jiashi was almost going to doubt him, because he is too distracted with something else.

Distracted with… Lin Qin, and how much of a worrywart he can be.

The little apple is droning in his ears on and on, basically telling him to rest well and not push his body further. He says he will not live if Xü Beijin was gone.

“Alright, fine, I get it,” Xü Beijin hurriedly acquiesces, “but you can’t just throw your life away even if something happened to me.”

Lin Qin was happy hearing the first part of that sentence, but the second part turns his expression grim.

Xü Beijin, confused, looks at him.

Lin Qin looks like he has something to say. After a bit, he says, “I was wrong about you, Beijin.”

Xü Beijin still doesn’t understand what’s happening yet.

“I thought you knew about love better than I did,” Lin Qin seems disappointed, “but that’s not true.”

Xü Beijin “…”

His fist tightens.

The little apple is still going on about stuff like Xü Beijin must think he does not love him enough yet if he thinks he wouldn’t die for him.

A question mark is rising out of Xü Beijin’s head.

Both morbidly amused and shrugging a little, he tells Lin Qin, “that’s not right. I only wish that you would be able to live, live well.”

“But you have to live well first,” Lin Qin stubborn refutes, “I still want to do the not serious things in the Tower with you.”

Xü Beijin was going to tell Lin Qin something else, but hearing that ‘not serious’ business, the atmosphere is already gone.

They’re talking about something deadly serious here! Why is Lin Qin dragging the topic that way! What is this little apple’s problem?!

Speechlessness aside, Xü Beijin quietly reassures him, “I’ll live.”

“Really?” Lin Qin appears to doubt him, “I still feel like you don’t… really care about your own physical wellbeing enough.”

“Of course not…”

Then Xü Beijin gestures for Lin Qin to keep propping him up while they follow after the Missiontakers.

Lin Qin looks like he is somewhat reluctant, but he thinks about it for a little while looking over Xü Beijin’s form, and agrees.

Xü Beijin tells him, “it’s just… how should I put it. Lin Qin, I’m used to this. After so many years. It’s fine for a little longer; what I want to see, more than anything else, is our efforts being successful.”

“We will succeed.”

“But what I wish for the most is…” Xü Beijin stops. He doesn’t know how to put it either, then he says, “is that everyone is successful.”

Lin Qin falls into thought for a moment, then asks, “so you really can’t leave this place?”

“I’m not sure,” Xü Beijin is silent for a moment before saying, “but this is what I guess would be the case.”

Lin Qin sounds more relaxed as he says, “then I’ll say you can leave.”

Xü Beijin looks speechless. He thinks for a bit, then tells Lin Qin, “if I really couldn’t leave…”

“I’ll be with you.”

“Lin Qin…”

Lin Qin stops Xü Beijin from saying anything else, and says, “listen, I’ll be with you. It’s my decision. I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me, then I think it’s fair you also listen to me this one time?”

Xü Beijin wonders where Lin Qin is pulling these illogic out from.

Is the little apple actually rotten on the inside? Is he a bad apple?

He eyes Lin Qin with suspicion, only to see Lin Qin’s crisp clear gaze and frank expression.

Well, fine. Maybe this is just the way Lin Qin is.

But Xü Beijin doesn’t just simply promise lightly. He says, “let’s first finish all of this.”

Lin Qin appears dissatisfied, but doesn’t dwell on it either. There’s no need to.

Since, if he wasn’t willing to leave, Xü Beijin couldn’t just make him either.

It’s something he thinks he knows, like some fuzzy titbit of knowledge. It might be coming from his missing memories, with his past, but anyway, he thinks maybe he can’t leave the Tower, just like Xü Beijin.

Which makes Lin Qin slightly happy to think about, actually. That’s how simple his world is; Xü Beijin was the only one who has ever entered it and stayed.

So he is actually happy to stay in the dingy, lonely Tower and spend the rest of his life together with Xü Beijin.

Though he wonders, perhaps it is his Beijin that isn’t that willing.

He knows Xü Beijin hates the Tower. He just acts calm and collected, so the others end up misunderstanding, and thinks he belongs here. He is part of the Tower.

No. That’s not true. No one is ever born bound to a place. He just stayed here for so long, and knows this place so much better than everyone else, that he ended up appearing to have the Tower’s qualities embedded in him.

But he knows, he hates the Tower.

So Lin Qin, looking at Xü Beijin, is thinking that, it’s fine. They can also work hard, and there might even be a chance that they can leave the Tower both.

Lin Qin’s chest is filled with some emotions Lin Qin doesn’t really understand or comprehend. It’s quite mysterious.

But he’s sure he can feel the emotion. The kind that is special, and drags him deep into thought.

He wonders what that is. What is he thinking about? Why is he feeling like this? Was it something he had in the past?

Tilting his head and unable to come up with an answer, he looks at Xü Beijin instead. He is looking at the labyrinth… Though hesitant, Lin Qin decides to tell Xü Beijin.