CH 116.1

Chapter 116.1 – Persuasion

It was already deep autumn, and even with the doors and windows closed, they could still feel the cold of the night. The room was illuminated only by a desk lamp, creating a contrast of light and darkness where the two stood.

Lu Tinghan explained the reason.

He said, “Shi Yuan, we both understand how fragile you are in human form. Do you remember the injury you got while cutting vegetables?”

Previously, Shi Yuan had been learning to cook and accidentally cut his hand while slicing tomatoes.

It was just a small cut that bled a little. Shi Yuan stared at it for a while and then ran to find Lu Tinghan, holding up his hand. “Look!”

In the past, he had also been injured during walks in the wilderness. For example, slipping on a slippery stream and getting scraped. For others, it would have been a potentially fatal infected wound, but Shi Yuan didn’t care and it healed on its own.

Later, he met Xie Qianming and learned about bandages, alcohol, and antiseptics, finally learning how to handle simple wounds.

Lu Tinghan handed him a band-aid, carefully wrapping it around the cut, smoothing out every wrinkle.

He said, “Be more careful in the future.”

“Okay,” Shi Yuan said, “I’ll continue cutting tomatoes now.”

In the evening, he made scrambled eggs with tomatoes and put too much salt. Fortunately, Lu Tinghan could eat it without changing his expression.

At this moment, Lu Tinghan looked at Shi Yuan and said, “You will be affected by sleeping pills, you will bleed when injured, and your bodily functions are no different from humans. In case the spaceship encounters danger during the “Deep Dive” process, you will be just as vulnerable as us.”

He paused for a moment and continued, “Even if you can transform back into black mist, we don’t know what consequences may arise from the mutual repulsion between you and Abyss No.1… Moreover, accidents can happen at any time, and you may not have time to react. I absolutely don’t want you to take such risks.”

“I understand,” Shi Yuan said, “Professor Guan has already told me about it.” He thought for a moment and added, “I don’t know if I will die, but this is the only way I can go to the bottom of other abysses. “

“…Shi Yuan, listen to me until the end.” Lu Tinghan twirled the pen in his hand and continued, “On the other hand, due to weight and space limitations, the ideal number of people to board the spaceship is four. It’s a very small number, and the Alliance conducted various investigations before selecting the candidates. We need to collect data at the bottom of the abyss for an extended period, and each person’s expertise is crucial.”

His speech was slower than usual, and his tone softer, to avoid putting pressure on the other person. “If we let you board the spaceship, we would have to give up on one person, or we would have to risk overloading. Either way, it would cause problems for the ‘Deep Dive’.”

Shi Yuan was silent for a moment and said, “Oh…”

He understood Lu Tinghan’s meaning. The quota for the “Deep Dive” was precious, and it wasn’t something he could go for just because he wanted to.

Lu Tinghan said, “So, both logically and emotionally, I can’t support your decision.”

Lu Tinghan looked at Shi Yuan’s expression, sighed, stepped forward, and hugged him gently.

He whispered in Shi Yuan’s ear, “I understand your thoughts. You have already sacrificed too much for the city and for humanity. There’s no need to risk your life any further. Whether the ‘Deep Dive’ succeeds or fails, it’s an outcome we have to accept.”

“But I’m not doing it for humanity,” Shi Yuan raised his head, looking at him. “Not this time.”

Lu Tinghan said helplessly: “Shi Yuan…”

“I’m not lying to you,” Shi Yuan firmly stated, “I’m doing it for the other monsters.”

“Why?” Lu Tinghan asked, “What do you want to do? What can you do?”

“I don’t know,” Shi Yuan told him, “I’ve never had a chance to interact with other abysses before, only this time. If I can go to the bottom of the abyss, I feel like there will be new discoveries.”

Lu Tinghan remained silent for two or three seconds. “But you’re also unsure if you’ll succeed, right? You don’t even know what you’re looking for.”

“Yeah,” Shi Yuan nodded softly, “I have no evidence, just a ‘feeling’.” He pondered for a moment. “Lu Tinghan, do you remember the dream I told you about?”

—The dream where he stood in the center of the stage, with countless monsters watching him.

For the past few years, he had dreamt of this scene repeatedly, without understanding its meaning.

He told Lu Tinghan, “I feel like I can find the answer to this dream at the bottom of the abyss.”

The cold wind blew outside the window, tapping against the glass as the chill seeped in through the cracks.

Lu Tinghan fell silent again and after a long while, he spoke softly, “No, Shi Yuan, I can’t let you take the risk, and I can’t let the ‘Deep Dive’ take the risk either.”

Shi Yuan couldn’t persuade Lu Tinghan.

That night, he lay in bed with his tail curled slightly — a sign of his sadness.

Seeing this, Lu Tinghan embraced Shi Yuan, gently stroking his temple. “Shi Yuan…”

“I’m not angry,” Shi Yuan said, “You’re right, and it makes sense to me. I’m just, just a little disappointed.”

Lu Tinghan ran his hand through Shi Yuan’s soft black hair and said, “You’ve made many monster friends, right?”

“Yeah,” Shi Yuan nodded softly.

“Play with them more in the future,” Lu Tinghan told him. “And there’s something I’ve never mentioned to you before.”

“What is it?” Shi Yuan looked up at him.

Lu Tinghan said, “You’ve encountered many good people, and most humans should have left a good impression on you. However, not everyone is like that. Human hearts are complex, and even I dare not claim to understand them completely. Monsters can transform endlessly, their behavior unpredictable and beyond imagination, but all of that pales in comparison to human nature—far from it. You must remember this.”

Shi Yuan stared at him blankly, his tail curling tighter due to confusion.

Lu Tinghan pinched his face. “I can hide your identity and protect you as much as possible, but one day when I’m no longer here, you’ll have to face all of this on your own.” He sighed silently. “I know it’s difficult, especially considering how unique your identity is.”

He couldn’t let his guard down.

Shi Yuan was a young deity with immense power, capable of overturning the world effortlessly. He was kind enough, and Lu Tinghan feared that someone would exploit his kindness.

Lu Tinghan continued, “I don’t know if one day you’ll be able to understand all of this… But speaking from my selfishness, when the ‘Deep Dive’ begins, I’d prefer you to return to the wasteland.”

He smiled and said, “You fear loneliness, and I’m glad you’ve made those monster friends. Stay with them, Shi Yuan. If you ever long for the city, visit for a glimpse and a few days, but don’t stay for long. Or perhaps, someday, you’ll encounter other humans who you can trust completely, just like you trust and like me.”

Shi Yuan listened silently, without saying a word.

In front of him, Lu Tinghan never brought up anything that would make him feel sad. The world appeared radiant and soft.

Now, as their separation approached, no one blocked the wind and rain.

Lu Tinghan had taught him many things, showing him the beauty of humans and the city. In the end, his instructions were to not easily trust others. Perhaps this was his complicated form of love.

Shi Yuan said, “Okay, I’ll remember everything.” Emotions surged in his black eyes. “But I’ll keep trying to convince you.”

Lu Tinghan reached out and flicked Shi Yuan’s forehead.

Shi Yuan exclaimed, “Ah!” as he held his forehead. “You’ve made me stupid.”

Lu Tinghan chuckled softly.