CH 118.2

Chapter 118.2 – New Participant

Lu Tinghan’s proposal caused a huge uproar.

Everyone was in chaos, with intense arguments, strong opposition, and fervent supporters. At this time, Shi Yuan’s identity was no longer a secret among the higher-ups. Some thought Lu Tinghan had gone mad, others believed the decision was ill-considered, while some trusted Lu Tinghan’s judgment, as he had always been right in the past ten years, safeguarding the city time and time again.

Shi Yuan and Lu Tinghan were pushed to the forefront.

But Shi Yuan was unaware of it all.

The people in the city had no knowledge either. The top officials of the Alliance argued fiercely among themselves but tacitly did not mention a word to the outside world. In this regard, they were still united.

Shi Yuan continued folding flowers at the handicraft factory and went to the wasteland to play with monsters.

Lu Tinghan accompanied him for meals, found time to watch movies, play cards, and read books, or simply gaze at the starry sky on a clear night.

“I haven’t seen a meteor shower yet,” Shi Yuan strained his eyes through the telescope. “What would it be like? Why hasn’t it come?”

Lu Tinghan told him, “It’s a rare occurrence, something you can’t seek out.”

“Oh, well the current night sky is beautiful too.”

“Yeah,” Lu Tinghan said. “It is beautiful.”

The stars sparkled, and Shi Yuan, still waiting for his meteor shower, received a kiss from Lu Tinghan and smiled with delight.

Su Enqi and Lu Tinghan had a conversation.

It wasn’t an official meeting but a gathering between old friends, held at Su Enqi’s home.

Su Enqi staunchly opposed Shi Yuan going to the depths of the abyss. His reason was simple: he believed it was an impractical and meaningless gamble, one they couldn’t afford.

The room felt empty, with only Su Enqi living alone after Su Liang and Jiang Fangzhou’s departure.

Su Enqi leaned back in his seat, took off his reading glasses, and sighed deeply. “I never thought you would make such a decision. Shi Yuan… Shi Yuan doesn’t even know what he’s looking for, does he?”

Lu Tinghan said, “No.”

The water in the kettle had boiled, and Lu Tinghan got up to pour it into a teacup.

The steam, carrying the fragrance of tea, rose gently, refreshing their minds. Su Enqi’s iron tea canister was nearly empty, perhaps holding the last two cups of good tea in the city.

Su Enqi took the teacup from Lu Tinghan, took a sip, and slowly spoke, “I’m willing to believe in Shi Yuan’s intentions. But have you ever considered that he has always been on the side of the monsters, whether it’s his identity or his abilities? What if the ‘answer’ he finds ends up destroying humanity? What then?”

“I’ve considered that possibility,” Lu Tinghan answered calmly. “I’ve considered it many times, but I still believe in him.”

Su Enqi fell silent.

He finished drinking the tea, then spoke, “Before, I always wanted you to find a girlfriend. But after getting to know Shi Yuan, I realized it didn’t matter whether it was a man or a woman. As long as they were alive, it would be fine. But in the end, he’s not even human.”

Lu Tinghan smiled.

Su Enqi suddenly realized something. “Does the abyss have life and death?” Confusion appeared on his aged face. “Does he… uh, does he count as being alive?”

Lu Tinghan replied, “Yes, he does. Of course, he does. He’s perfectly fine at home.”

Shi Yuan even made tomato scrambled eggs, waiting for him to come home at night.

Su Enqi let out a long sigh of relief. “That’s good, at least he’s alive. It’s still okay, still okay.”

Lu Tinghan remained silent.

He felt that his image in Su Enqi’s eyes had become irreparable.

Su Enqi continued speaking, “You’re quite good at keeping secrets. It’s only now that we’ve learned about Shi Yuan’s identity, you hid it well. These past few days, I’ve been thinking about ‘Deep Dive’ a lot. To be honest, until today, I have opposed your proposal. ‘Deep Dive’ itself carries immense risks, and you seem to be adding fuel to the fire. No one knows if this will be the final straw…”

Lu Tinghan listened quietly.

Su Enqi remained silent for a while before he let out a long sigh. “But how can I refuse you? We’ve known each other for over twenty years, fought side by side countless times, and had our conflicts and disagreements. I don’t know how you see me after all these years, but every time I see you, I remember you following me when you were young, your eyes shining brightly when you studied military tactics, as if there was a fire burning inside.”

The empty teacup spun in his hand and landed on the table. He said, “A teacher always has to protect their students, right? In this final trial, I want to be on the same side as you.”

Lu Tinghan asked, “What do you mean?”

“Let Shi Yuan go,” Su Enqi said, “Go with you to the depths of the abyss.”

Lu Tinghan was about to speak, but Su Enqi interrupted him, “No need to thank me, no need to say anything. I won’t regret this decision.”

When Lu Tinghan bid farewell to Su Enqi, he walked him to the door.

Su Enqi’s white hair swayed in the air as he said, “I don’t believe that having Shi Yuan accompany you will ensure your survival. It’s impossible for you to return. I’ve been fighting for over seventy years and managed to live until today by sheer luck, but it always seems like I’m sending those with dark hair off to their demise. First Su Liang and Jiang Fangzhou, and now it’s you. It should be us old folks who sacrifice ourselves, and the young should see tomorrow. Especially you, you are more deserving of survival than anyone else.”

Lu Tinghan told him, “When I was young, I liked standing on top of the energy tower in Fengyang City, enjoying the view. From there, I could see both the city and the wasteland. That’s when I made up my mind to protect the city. Someone has to shoulder that responsibility, someone has to die before dawn, and I’m not the first, nor will I be the last.”

Su Enqi nodded. “…You haven’t changed at all.”

As Lu Tinghan turned to leave, Su Enqi suddenly said, “But there is more than one person who keeps secrets.”

Lu Tinghan turned back.

Su Enqi smiled. “It’s insignificant compared to what’s happening today. I won’t tell you, but I hope that one day you’ll find out.”

He patted Lutinghan’s shoulder.

From that day on, Su Enqi changed his stance and, together with Professor Guan, supported Lu Tinghan’s proposal.

Starting from his change of heart, more and more opponents began to reconsider their views. Some were convinced, some were influenced by those around them, and some, after calming down, chose to believe in Lu Tinghan and believe in the strange abyss that had always helped mankind.

However, there were still some people who firmly opposed and adamantly refused to yield, but they eventually became the minority.

On October 20th, 245 years after the Alliance’s founding, the Alliance officially approved Shi Yuan’s boarding of the spaceship to venture into the depths of the abyss.

The original crew remained intact, and Professor Guan and other researchers conducted urgent research to remove a large infection detection device, making room for Shi Yuan.

Everything was settled.

When Lu Tinghan returned home that day, Shi Yuan jumped into his embrace, saying, “Head pat!”

Lu Tinghan rubbed his head, and Shi Yuan happily purred.

Then, he whispered in his ear: “Shi Yuan, let’s go together.”

“Go where?” Shi Yuan asked, “Purr, purr?”

Lu Tinghan replied, “Let’s go to the depths of the abyss together.”

Dangerous turbulence awaited in the black mist, and the depths of the abyss were filled with infection. This journey had no return, and no one knew how long the crew members would survive or if the ‘Deep Dive’ mission would succeed.

A long time ago, Lu Tinghan told Shi Yuan that everyone has a unique story. After many years, through storms and hardships, they had seen foreign lands and their homeland, witnessed true emotions and breathtaking scenery. Finally, they would be able to see the conclusion of this story together.