CH 118.1

Aris7-9 minutes 30.05.2023

Chapter 118.1 – New Participant

They stayed at the mountaintop for a long time.

As dusk fell and the mountains gradually grew dim, Lu Tinghan spoke softly, “Shall we go back?”

“Okay,” Shi Yuan agreed.

The white snake waited in the mountain valley where they had arrived.

The two of them descended the mountain, the downhill path was much easier to traverse. Soon, they reached the foot of the mountain. Their strange creature friends were unwilling to leave and stopped there. Lu Tinghan turned back at the foot of the mountain and said to them, “Goodbye!”

The fox and the wolf were concealed by rocks, and the birds returned to the forest. The last to leave was the stag, stepping lightly with moss-covered antlers, accompanied by a small bird. They disappeared into the thick carpet of fallen leaves.

The flower fields in the valley still remained, swaying under the radiant evening sky, emitting a faint fragrance.

Shi Yuan took a few quick steps, creating a gust of wind that sent flower petals swirling around him. He acted as if he had discovered something exciting, swaying his tail and calling out to Lu Tinghan, “Look!”

Lu Tinghan walked leisurely, watching Shi Yuan running wildly beside him, causing flower petals to fly everywhere he went.

“Look at me!” Shi Yuan called out again, and a few petals landed on his hair tips.

“I’m looking,” Lu Tinghan chuckled, “I’ve been watching all along.”

Shi Yuan received his human’s gaze once again, feeling satisfied. As they approached the end of the valley, Shi Yuan ran towards Lu Tinghan, who opened his arms and embraced him tightly.

“Wow!”

Shi Yuan’s face flushed with warmth, and a hint of rosy color appeared on his fair cheeks. He looked up at Lu Tinghan and smiled.

“Rustle, rustle, rustle…”

The giant snake glided towards them, its vertical pupils fixed on the two individuals.

“Xiao Bai, thank you!” Shi Yuan said, “I love this place!”

The giant snake hissed in response.

The two of them climbed onto the snake’s back once again, holding onto its scales tightly. The giant snake headed back along the path they came from.

Returning to the original mountain range, back to the aircraft, they bid farewell to the giant snake and returned to the city.

When they arrived home, Shi Yuan’s excitement had not subsided. He chattered non-stop to Lu Tinghan, saying how beautiful the flower fields were today, how stunning the mountaintop was, and how he witnessed unseen scenery once again. He mentioned how happy he was to make so many new friends, each with unique personalities and making interesting sounds. He expressed regret that he didn’t meet many of his strange creature friends today, as he had wanted Lu Tinghan to see them…

While listening to Shi Yuan’s words with a smile, Lu Tinghan guided him into the bathroom, saying that his clothes were covered in foam and dew. After being out in the wind, he should quickly wash up and avoid catching a cold.

After Shi Yuan came out, he continued to chatter with Lu Tinghan, his tail tip wagging happily.

Lu Tinghan embraced him on the sofa, observing his slightly reddened cheeks and earlobes, unsure if it was from the heat of running or the residual warmth of the steam. It was a vibrant and warm redness, his eyes shining brightly. In Lu Tinghan’s arms, his loose sleepwear revealed his collarbones, and a droplet of undried water quietly slid along his jawline, on the verge of falling.

Lu Tinghan didn’t hold back and kissed him.

When kissing, Shi Yuan was pressed on the sofa, he hugged Lu Tinghan’s neck and continued to laugh, kissing back.

The two of them returned to the soft bed, their eyes were hot, their ears were rubbing against each other, and the spring breeze blew all night.

They had skin-to-skin contact on countless nights, but nothing like today.

Perhaps it was the imminent separation that made them cling to each other desperately.

Finally, Shi Yuan fell asleep, and Lu Tinghan covered him with a blanket and gently kissed his forehead.

Shi Yuan mumbled something in his dream, but halfway through his words, he fell silent, leaving only the quiet sound of his breathing.

Lu Tinghan silently watched him for a long time.

He seemed to have made a decision.

They stayed up too late, and the next day, Lu Tinghan didn’t leave until noon, which was unusual for him.

Shi Yuan asked, “Where are you going?”

“To the military headquarters,” Lu Tinghan said, “There are some things I need to take care of.”

“Will you come back for dinner?”

“Yes,” Lu Tinghan agreed.

Lu Tinghan took a car to the military headquarters.

Most of the people in the conference room had arrived, but he stood at the door for a few seconds.

In those few seconds, countless thoughts flooded his mind. He thought about many things, such as the numerous obstacles to “Deep Dive,” the efforts and expectations of countless people who saw it as the hope of salvation, and the restrictions of the spaceship. Just as he and Shi Yuan had discussed, if Shi Yuan wanted to go to the depths of the abyss, either someone else had to be replaced, or the escort ship would have to take the risk of overload…

From the beginning to the end, everyone understood that Abyss No.0 was special. It had the most terrifying infection value, yet it quietly remained in the wasteland. Yu Qingmei had also said that the reason she initiated research on Abyss No.0 was because she believed she could find light in it. Later on, Abyss No.0 disappeared into thin air, and the creatures infected by it had endless time, making it even more mysterious.

If the Lu Tinghan from ten years ago stood here, he would have been just like that, analyzing Abyss No.0 based on data and observational results, rigorous and methodical.

But after many years, at this moment, Lu Tinghan’s thoughts were not about those things.

He only thought about Shi Yuan and the monsters.

From the coast to the mountains, from the wasteland to the flower fields, the boy was surrounded by monsters, a scene that would move anyone who saw it. Various memories flashed before his eyes—happy Shi Yuan, angry Shi Yuan, excited Shi Yuan, sad Shi Yuan, conflicted Shi Yuan… They had experienced so much together. Lu Tinghan had let Shi Yuan witness the joys and sorrows of humanity, and Shi Yuan had shown him another side of the monsters.

Shi Yuan had long dreamed of being on the stage, and the monsters watched him, waiting for him. Their blood intertwined. Shi Yuan had done a lot for humanity, and this was the first time he said he wanted to do something for the monsters.

He wanted to find his own answer.

Lu Tinghan wanted to believe in him.

Lu Tinghan was willing to believe that he was that miracle.

Perhaps this was the only chance that humans could do something for this little monster. Lu Tinghan thought that this might be the most emotional and impulsive decision he had ever made in his life.

Lu Tinghan pushed open the door of the conference room, and President Chai Yongning, several professors, and several military officers were all waiting for him.

Under their gaze, he walked to the head of the long table, and everyone waited for him to speak, the room silent as a tomb.

Lu Tinghan looked around at the familiar faces.

The light engulfed him like a tide.

And with a straight posture, he said, “I want to change the participants of ‘Deep Dive’.”