CH 49

When Lin Han woke up, He YunTing was already up.

His dream became less clear after he woke up, and he couldn’t recall the exact circumstances, except that He YunTing was silent as usual, but seemed to be as close to him as a loving couple.

So distant, yet so real.

Lin Han subconsciously looked at his own hands.

They seemed no different from normal.

He didn’t know where this oddity came from, but he felt a secret joy from dreaming about them being together. But the dream was so light that it was almost impossible to recall, and just when Lin Han felt a bit of regret He YunTing, who had only existed in the dream, came to him.

“Mr. Lin is awake.” He YunTing cleaned an abandoned bowl, filled it with some water, and prepared Lin Han for washing in the limited conditions.

Lin Han wanted to stand up and thank He YunTing, but found that his limbs were still very sore and weak, so he leaned back into the driver’s seat. He turned his head to look at the driver’s seat, feeling a little strange.

When he was sleeping, he should have just put the seat down, why was it turned sideways now? Was his sleeping posture that bad?

But of course Lin Han couldn’t ask such a question. He looked out the porthole window and saw the sky darkening again, the purple Erinnerung Nebula had long disappeared, and the border area had become desolate again.

Lin Han recalled that he and He YunTing had gone out before he became so sleepy that he was carried by the other.

He washed his face and called out to He YunTing, “General.”

He didn’t expect He YunTing to look at him directly, and gave a casual, “Hmm.”

Lin Han asked him, “How long have I been sleeping?”

He YunTing was silent for a moment, before he honestly answered, “…Almost all day.”

The curve of Lin Han’s mouth that had just raised, froze. He knew that he had a poor constitution, but he didn’t think that he would be in such a situation if he didn’t use nutrients.

He YunTing saw Lin Han’s expression and wanted to comfort him, but he couldn’t say anything. He suddenly thought of something and waved to a certain place with a cold face.

Lin Han was still a little sleepy when he felt a soft, warm ball of fur start to circle around his feet.

The little guy was afraid to move around all day, and now that the sweet-smelling human finally woke up from his nap, he was so excited that he started to show him his affection.

Lin Han’s mood finally got better with its teasing, he bent down and gently cupped his two hands into a shallow arc, “Come.”

Grr finally got happy and jumped into the small ‘platform’ with a high position and started rolling around.

He YunTing eyebrows jumped without a trace.

But in view of the fact that it had done a good job of coaxing Mr. Lin, the General, who was very clear about his rewards and punishments, didn’t intend to be calculating with an Oddbound creature. Lin Han took it into his arms, and the little thing began to scurry towards his shoulders. Lin Han was afraid he would fall, so he used his hand to support its small tail.

He didn’t know that touching Grr’s tail was the same as touching his head, both of which could make this creature feel extremely happy. So Grr shuddered and let out a contented squeak, feeling like the happiest Kudzar in the world.

He YunTing saw that it had at least settled down before he took the golden lingo he had brought back from the sand cave and handed it to Lin Han from the side — the action was as skillful as if He YunTing had used Lu AnHe’s snack to hold it in front of him.

Grr didn’t know that He YunTing’s action was called offering flowers to Buddha. Instead, when he saw He YunTing take it out, he tried to take one himself, stretched out his short limbs, and started to eat it in front of Lin Han, just teaching him.

The little thing’s cheeks bulged, as if trying to demonstrate its eating method to Lin Han, he would look at Lin Han after each bite.

“This is the only one for now.” He YunTing explained, as if he was afraid Lin Han would be picky, “It’s very filling.”

Lin Han took two of them, observed them for a while, and then took a bite.

It took Lin Han some effort to bite into them and reveal the golden interior. This was why it was the most common relief food in the border area, even though its taste wasn’t as sweet and tasty as ordinary fruits.

Lin Han swallowed a piece and looked at the nervous man and beast in front of him, smiled a little to reassure them. Although he slept an entire day, there were still too many worries.

The second day they needed to keep M2742’s energy consumption low, thanks to an additional small creature that wasn’t noisy, it finally made their exile seem less scary. This piece of tin insulated the harsh outdoor environment and extreme temperature differences — but with only water on it, the energy couldn’t sustain it for long. True to form, the food was replenishing and satiating. Lin Han finished two and rubbed his stomach, and that burning hunger was finally smoothed out for a while.

He YunTing waited for Lin Han to finish eating, and only then told him his plan for the next few days.

“I’ll try to find some food in the two days I can move around and try to pioneer farther,” He YunTing said, “The mecha will stay put for now, and when I find a clear path, it’s not too late to drive there.”

Lin Han nodded, understanding that he couldn’t just sit there and wait. If the mecha didn’t have the energy to replenish, they would eventually lose contact with the outside world completely.

There was just something worrying around him, and Lin Han was a little uneasy, “But…”

He YunTing said, “Mr. Lin, don’t go out and wait in the mecha until I return.” 

Lin Han was silent for a while. He knew that with his physique, following He YunTing out together would undoubtedly add to his burden, and he couldn’t carry him all the time, which would be physically exhausting and wouldn’t be worth the loss.

“Don’t worry about me.” He YunTing seemed to understand what Lin Han was worried about, and awkwardly spoke to comfort him, “I have a good sense of direction, finding the original way back isn’t a problem.”

Lin Han felt that he couldn’t help at all and his heart was filled with guilt, “…Alright.”

He gently stroked the soft little head of Grr in his arms, but he felt a little dissatisfied. He became disgusted more than once again about his physique level.

“I’m going out, then.” He YunTing’s tone was light as he stood up.

Lin Han was momentarily speechless, knowing that he had no reason to stop him. He tilted his head to look at the man in front of him, the other man’s face was waveless, his eyes cold, as if nothing could easily cause his emotions to fluctuate. But he knew that He YunTing had to face something, and he himself could only wait here for his news.

“Okay.” Lin Han said. At this point, he had no choice but to trust He YunTing completely.

Lin Han originally wanted to let Grr go with He YunTing, but he seemed to be more clingy than expected and had a natural rejection of He YunTing, so in the end he didn’t force the little one to go out with He YunTing. Lin Han handed over the jacket belonging to He YunTing. The owner took it, didn’t say anything, just nodded in silence and walked towards the hatch.

He YunTing was still in the same position as Lin Han. He saw He YunTing’s still dazzling silver hair, and his wide and warm back facing him. It seemed that even if he was reduced to this level, he was still able to do anything.

Lin Han suddenly had a kind of magnified empty pessimism, but because of this pessimism, an unrealistic cruel fantasy was born in his heart. Will we not be able to go back, how long are we going to stay here? Will no one remember us? We’re nothing here, just two wandering travelers in the border area.

No one knows our names, and no one sees what we have done.

Can we just let loose and do something… what we would never dare to do before?

If we died, there would be only one Grr as a witness from beginning to end.

It’s so safe, it won’t even talk.

Our lives would die out this way, and all our secrets will be covered up here.

Then we return to the universe, scattered into the galaxy as a blanket of stardust, falling back into the cycle of stars.

It was like a kind of embrace.

And He YunTing, who was about to go down, stopped.

Lin Han hadn’t come out of the sadness just now, but froze when He YunTing was walking back towards him. The hatch had already been opened, and behind him was the desolate and vast land of ruins.

“After returning to the Empire, Mr. Lin will go back to the Institute, right?” He YunTing suddenly said.

Lin Han didn’t understand why He YunTing suddenly said this, his lips moved and let out a very dry, “Hmm.”

“…I’m going to study a new mecha.” Lin Han replied softly.

He YunTing didn’t reply immediately.

Lin Han didn’t understand why he suddenly asked that, knowing that now they couldn’t even figure out how to go back.

“Will there really be reinforcements to pick us up?” Lin Han asked.

He YunTing didn’t answer, his face was as cold as ever.

At this moment, the little pessimism in Lin Han’s heart was magnified several times, and he opened his mouth, “General…”

He wanted to call him General like before.

But suddenly he didn’t want to call him General.

Lin Han’s words didn’t come out in the end, because He YunTing continued speaking.

“We can go back.” He said, “I will definitely take you back.”

He YunTing seemed to understand Lin Han’s unexplained sadness and said to him, “Trust me. Mr. Lin said that I’m invincible.”

Lin Han saw the man close at hand as if he wanted to try to raise the corners of his mouth, but finally chose to stop for fear of his face becoming strangely stiff.

“It’s just that when the time comes, I may still have to let you fix M2742. I can’t trust anyone else.” He YunTing even said, “When we get back to the Empire, I have something to say to Mr. Lin.”

Lin Han pursed his lips and looked at him, the corners of his eyes were a little red. He suddenly felt despicable, even though He YunTing had promised to tell him, he wanted to know in advance what he wanted to say.

When He YunTing was about to turn around again and leave the mecha, Lin Han reached out and grabbed him. He YunTing didn’t immediately question it, his blue eyes reflecting Lin Han’s somewhat flustered look at the moment.

“Are we really going back?” Even though he knew he hated it, Lin Han still asked it.

This must be the last time he asked this.

“Yes, we will.” He YunTing’s promise was gentle, yet carried a firm and unquestionable strength.

It seemed that he was truly invincible — even in situations like this.

But… 

Lin Han’s hand clung to He YunTing’s palm.

But no matter how much he concentrated, he couldn’t hear even a bit of He YunTing’s voice.

Even though Lin Han’s psychic ability that had gradually become sluggish in the past two days had already given him this premonition, Lin Han was still a little uncomfortable when it suddenly disappeared.

He continued to intertwine his fingers with the other’s fingers, not with much force, but very tightly. There was still silence in his ears.

Lin Han flexed his fingers and still didn’t let go.

This fact gradually became clear.

——His mind-reading skills had disappeared.

The author has something to say: 

This novel is sweet! Sweet! The emotional line won’t be abusive! Trust me!

Lin Han is just a little less confident!