Chapter 1203: Weng faluosi 3.2 (249)

"Ah…!"

Xing's eyes snapped open, she sat up, her chest heaving; after a moment, her tense body gradually relaxed.

She felt as if she had just awakened from a long, great dream; the boundless white light and the mysterious girl's voice had vanished, replaced by Mimi's concerned gaze.

(I… I'm back.)

She was still in Stikokisia, in the attic where Xietie had ridden the death dragon away; being here, she could faintly hear the voice of Xietie from the underworld.

"Finally… I know, you can do it."

"Your soul remains whole, as if there is some kind of gravity… striving to keep it intact. Is this the final blessing of Oluonis? Or… is it merely a miracle belonging to you?"

"Truly… inconceivable. In the depths, a sense of déjà vu wells up in my heart, indescribable. Perhaps fate has again achieved self-fulfillment; or perhaps it is the law of that outer world, familiar to Your Excellency Xing, that has already intertwined our destinies…… It seems this is not a mystery that can be solved right now."

"The feeling of becoming a demigod is quite wonderful. It's as if the River of the Underworld flows deep within my soul, turning with each breath into a fine rain that moistens the world… Do you still remember that prophecy? 'At the end of the flower sea, the souls of the living shall warm your fingertips. After an embrace, comes eternal parting.'"

"I promised Your Excellency that I would devote all my strength to write another interpretation of it. Now, as a demigod, fate has reached its conclusion—I can finally put a beautiful ending to it."

"That long‑cherished wish, Weiyuan, can finally be fulfilled. In this brand‑new world, every blossoming life will raise both hands to speak of this moment's meaning…… Every touch, every embrace of ours will no longer be a cold deprivation."

"And to carry this fervent warmth, to sow 'love' across the earth."

——

Honkai 3

"That girl's voice just now……"

Yidian's hand, holding the wine cup, froze in midair.

It's just too similar, really too similar. Could it be Xilian……?

Xilian's voice is almost identical to Aili's; she might not be sure of Xilian's tone, but she would never mistake Aili's voice.

But this thought had just surfaced when Yidian quickly snuffed it out.

"No, if it were Xilian, why would she appear in Xing's memories? Judging by time, Xilian and Xing had no overlap at all; the only one she could possibly know is Bai'e."

"Indeed, Elder Sister Yidian also thinks it's very similar, right? That voice appearing in Xing's mind is practically identical to Elder Sister Aili's." Patdu quietly crept over and whispered softly: "Elder Sister Yidian, do you think there's a possibility…… that Xing actually met Xilian? Or perhaps Xilian never died at all?"

"If Xilian didn't die, then who did the Fire‑Stealers originally kill?" Yidian countered.

"This……"

Patdu scratched her head; she couldn't answer either.

"Since Xilian's death has become Bai'e's inner shadow, she must be gone. However, when the next reincarnation begins, he could actually reshape Xilian anew." Yidian gently swirled the red wine in her cup, "Besides the departed Xilian, Mimi is also quite like Aili in speech…… Ah, it's really hard to tell them apart for a while."

——

"The far shore… is extremely cold."

"A gust of bitter wind suddenly rose, Bolukesi's huge dragon wings blotting out the sky, bearing that slender figure down lightly before Xing."

"Finally, may I borrow… your warmth once more?"

"The girl clasped her hands behind her, at first a little shy and fidgety. But as Xing gave a slight nod, Xietie, surrounded by floral fragrance, poured all her longing and warmth into this big embrace."

"……That was a complete and genuine embrace."

"Though this embrace was only an instant, it felt agonizingly slow—slow enough for Xing to feel the girl's warm breath on her neck, to feel her body tremble, like a butterfly resting on a flower petal, its wings faintly fluttering."

She closed her eyes and gently leaned close to Xing's ear.

"Thank you for fulfilling this wish of mine."

"The place I am headed to is what people call the Land of Sorrow. With just this faint heartbeat, and the warmth of the embrace……"

"Sprouts push up from the soil, tipped with fine dirt and ice crystals, growing visibly upward; candle flames sway gently in the breeze, as if life is heading toward its end in the lingering wind; butterflies break free from their cocoons, newborn wings trembling in the air, then unfolding and taking flight…… This is the grand cycle of life, from sprout to wither, and rebirth from decay."

"……I will turn the underworld into a gentle haven."

Xing slowly opened her eyes.

Xietie was gone; before her lay an empty expanse, only a vast sea of beautiful flowers blooming at her feet. It was as if the girl's words, deeply hidden in her heart and never spoken, were gently received by the earth and blossomed into flower after flower.

"This brief embrace is proof that I have truly lived."

"Farewell, Your Excellency. May we… meet again in the new world."

——

Absolute Zone Zero

"Ahhhhh I'm so pissed——!"

"It's even worse than realizing your coupon expired after you got to the supermarket——Ahhh——!"

Bi li had just returned to the Rabbit's Den when he heard Ni ke's frantic scream, shaking the lucky cat at the doorstep so much it swayed twice.

"An bi, what's wrong with Boss Ni ke?"

"You know, Bi li, Ni ke doesn't like the plot where companions leave one by one." An bi silently took a bite of the burger in her hand, "I don't like it either. But I've seen many movies with similar farewell plots, so I'm a bit better than Ni ke."

"Maybe it's because the story of Weng faluosi isn't a movie—movie plots are all fictional, so Boss Ni ke can feel upset but still console herself that it's all fake. But Xietie really and truly parted forever with Xing."

"Although it's not a movie, it's even more fantastical than any film." An bi raised her head, her eyes suddenly sparkling, "Souls, reincarnation, fate…… Bi li, do you think our world contains such a 'setting'?"

"You and I, both high‑intelligence tactical constructs, talking about souls and reincarnation?" Bi li rubbed his face, "Ah… this… there should be a soul, right? A soul ought to be some kind of electromagnetic signal…… or something? How about it, An bi—do you hope for reincarnation and rebirth?"

"Of course, I hope I can also eat a delicious burger in my next life."

"Wait, is that really the reason……? How much do you love burgers, anyway——!"