CH 119.2

Chapter 119.2 – Grand Farewell

Two days before departure, Shi Yuan found Wang Yu and Lu Bafang.

After going around in circles, the two of them became military doctors again, running around with the troops and unable to leave. So Shi Yuan went to their camp to find them and entered their tent.

The doctor’s tent still had various instruments inside, and Shi Yuan could already recognize some of them, but not many.

Lu Bafang and Wang Yu talked to him about military matters, especially his time in Elton and the days when he was not here.

They said Lieutenant General Fu Xiu had been in command and quickly rebuilt the defense lines and bases, dealing with the black cystals and monsters in an orderly manner. They said the morale of the soldiers was high, and they were fully dedicated to preparing for the mission in Elton. They said everyone was praying for the success of the “Deep Dive” mission.

Wang Yu sat cross-legged on a soft cushion, with an open medical kit beside her. She had just finished counting the medications.

She smiled and said, “It’s like when we just met, you were also sitting in a tent.”

“Yeah,” Shi Yuan also sat down, wrapping his tail around himself, “You taught me how to identify coins and told me what a city is.”

“I remember. Even though it’s been several years, it feels like yesterday.” Wang Yu supported her head, a few more wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes, making her smile more noticeable. “I still remember how your tail got tangled up and couldn’t be untied, even after getting soaked in soapy water. Shi Yuan, you’re still the same, it’s like you’ll never change.”

She rummaged in her waist pouch and took out a coin. “By the way, do you recognize this?”

“Fifty cents,” Shi Yuan answered.

“Yes, back then I tossed the coin, saying that if it’s the head, you don’t like General Lu, and if it’s the tail, then General Lu doesn’t like you, and the coin ended up standing on its edge.” Wang Yu said, “I’ve been carrying it with me, tossing it whenever I can’t make a decision, but it never stood up again.” She sighed, “Every time I asked if I could make a fortune, it always told me no.”

Lu Bafang chimed in, “Shi Yuan, you don’t know, she carries that coin around all the time, saying it must have some spiritual power and needs to be worshipped. She tosses it all day long, and it makes me dizzy.”

Wang Yu shrugged, “It’s really accurate, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Shi Yuan chuckled.

They chatted leisurely for a while, and then it was time to say goodbye.

Wang Yu said, “Shi Yuan, I’ll miss you.” She still smiled, “I remember the first time I saw you, I felt like you came from outside the city, you had the scent of the wilderness.”

Lu Bafang had just rambled on about various things, his mouth dry, and he didn’t know what else to say in the end. He pinched Shi Yuan’s shoulder and said, “…Shi Yuan.”

Shi Yuan asked, “Hmm?”

After hesitating for a while, Lu Bafang finally said, “Actually, people can’t lay eggs. It was really just a compass, not my egg.”

Shi Yuan: “…”

Shi Yuan’s eyes widened slowly and exclaimed, “Ah?!!”

Deeply shocked, Shi Yuan believed it to be true for many years. Wang Yu had been laughing so hard that her whole body was shaking.

In the afternoon of that day, Shi Yuan went to see Professor Guan.

Professor Guan was still wearing reading glasses and said to him, “Shi Yuan, I really don’t have any snacks left.”

Shi Yuan looked at him and asked, “Are you really out of snacks?”

“I am.”

“Really, really out of snacks?”

Professor Guan hesitated for a moment and said, “…”

After two minutes, Shi Yuan received a bag of nuts.

Professor Guan assured him, “This is truly my last stock.”

“Okay then.” Shi Yuan happily ate the nuts.

Professor Guan took off his reading glasses, leaned back in his chair, and watched Shi Yuan eat the nuts slowly.

His hair had turned completely white, and his eyes had a slight cloudiness of old age, yet he still had a radiant spirit.

After a long while, he said, “Shi Yuan, it may sound strange to say this, but there have been a few times when I looked at you and felt like you were my child.” He smiled, “Maybe it’s because I’ve never had my own child that I feel this way.”

Shi Yuan curved his tail.

He said, “Professor, I really like you too.”

Professor Guan was caught off guard and was hit by a straight ball, almost at a loss.

He said, “…Shi Yuan, whether we can meet again in the future or not, I will remember you.”

Shi Yuan replied, “Me too!”

On the last day before departure, it was a day belonging to the wilderness.

Shi Yuan bid farewell to his monster friends. The giant snake swam through the mountain mist, lowered its head, and silently watched him.

“I’m leaving,” Shi Yuan told it, “I might not come back for a very long time.” He paused, “Well, I don’t even know if I can come back.”

The giant snake flicked its tongue.

“Thank you for taking me to see the flower fields,” Shi Yuan said, “I really liked it. Please live well here and don’t attack humans. They are all very lovely.”

The giant snake bowed its head, and its gaze met Shi Yuan’s.

Its eyes were a lustrous, beautiful azure color, even though it was midday, Shi Yuan could see a shimmering light.

Fragments of light, mysterious and profound.

It was the light of stars.

Shi Yuan reached out and touched its cool scales.

He recalled the lighthouse and the aurora.

He bid farewell to the giant snake, left the mountains, and all sorts of monster friends disappeared, vanishing into the forest.

He turned back, the wind rustled through the trees, and whispers filled the mountains.

And the day of parting would eventually come.

At night, Shi Yuan lay on his bed, hugging his tail.

Lu Tinghan asked him, “Are you nervous?”

“Not really,” Shi Yuan said, “Just a little bit.”

Shi Yuan’s tail didn’t knot up, so he was indeed just a little nervous. Lu Tinghan skillfully comforted him, vigorously rubbing his head and then kissing his forehead, instantly calming him down.

After turning off the lights, Lu Tinghan asked in a low voice, “Did you say goodbye to all your friends?”

“Yeah,” Shi Yuan replied. “I’ve seen them all once. How about you?”

Lu Tinghan answered, “Almost.”

In the darkness, they could hear rustling sounds. Shi Yuan rolled up the quilt and moved closer to Lu Tinghan. He said, “I want to kiss you.”

As soon as Lu Tinghan turned his head, Shi Yuan kissed him.

After the kiss, they were very close to each other, and their eyes were shining brightly. No need for many words, everything was expressed in that moment.

“Let’s sleep,” Lu Tinghan said. “We have to get up early tomorrow.”

Shi Yuan nodded and buried his head in Lu Tinghan’s embrace, falling asleep.

The next morning, they gathered in the northern district, preparing to head towards the vicinity of Abyss No.1.

Pilot Qi Hong and two academicians, Ke Zhengrong and Zhou Qian, had arrived. A spacecraft slowly descended and stopped in front of them. They would depart in 20 minutes.

It was cold in the early morning, and their breath formed white mist.

The morning should have been quiet, but in the distance, they heard footsteps. They turned to look and saw a large group of people approaching.

Those were the people from the city, each holding paper flowers, rushing over.

The participants of “Deep Dive” didn’t know what was happening in the handicraft factory and that the people in the city had prepared farewell gifts for them during these past months. When they saw so many paper flowers, their eyes widened, revealing surprised smiles.

“Have a safe trip!” the people shouted. “We wish you the best of luck!”

No one knew who started it, but they began throwing the paper flowers they held.

The flowers spun and flew in the air, accompanied by the lively voices of the crowd, soaring towards the sky. In an instant, it seemed to return to the day when Lu Tinghan made his triumphant return, and the city was full of flowers like this.

In the boiling and crowded crowd, Shi Yuan saw familiar faces.

—His friends had all come, looking at him from amidst the crowd, smiling or crying.

Shi Yuan also saw Su Enqi, Adjutant Bing, Lieutenant General Fu Xiu, and the military officers around Lu Tinghan.

The crowd spontaneously made way, and they, dressed in military uniforms, approached Lu Tinghan.

This would be a farewell, without a definite return. No one knew if the “Deep Dive” mission would succeed. Even if the escort ship safely reached the bottom of the abyss and managed to simulate the signal in time and transfer to Elton, the subsequent survival would be a great challenge. A slight mistake could be irreversible. Lu Tinghan had always been the ace of the Alliance, but he couldn’t accompany them on the journey ahead.

Were they worried?

Definitely.

But just as they trusted Lu Tinghan, Lu Tinghan also trusted them.

No one was truly indispensable. There would always be brave individuals, always another hero to write a new legend.

“General!” Lieutenant General Fu Xiu saluted him. “It’s an honor to fight alongside you! Please rest assured, we won’t let you down!”

Behind him, all the soldiers saluted in unison.

Lu Tinghan returned the salute, saying, “The honor is mine. My journey ends here, walk to the end for me.”

“Yes!” Fu Xiu responded.

Shi Yuan saw Su Enqi turning away, quietly wiping his tears. It wasn’t just him; the eyes of many soldiers became moist. They maintained their straight military postures, saluting Lu Tinghan.

In the faraway Elton, through the electromagnetic waves of the “Echo,” the aging princess of the fallen kingdom also witnessed this scene. She silently offered her blessings, guarding the city while waiting for the arrival of the Alliance.

Flowers soared in the city.

This was a grand farewell.

Shi Yuan stood on his tiptoes, waving to the crowd. “Goodbye! Goodbye!”