Chapter 68: Only

One of the characters slowly lit up with a soft white glow!

But…

The only character that lit up was the "Tong" character.

The adjacent "Ren" character stubbornly remained dim, like a bulb lacking power.

Heimu: "……"

She looked at the half‑lit panel and felt it was akin to seeing an old appliance with poor contact.

She contacted the system again: "System, it's lit."

【Please click to confirm.】

"It is lit,"

Heimu emphasized, a bit speechless, "But only one character lit up; the 'Ren' character didn't. What's going on? A malfunction?"

The system was silent for a few seconds, apparently rapidly searching the database and performing logical analysis.

【Search completed. Detected that target entity 'Xi Lian' has initially established a willingness of Consent toward the subject, manifested as willingness to follow and attempt to understand the subject's path. However, deep within, regarding the subject's 'identity', 'essence', and 'ultimate purpose', the Cognition and conviction still hold significant doubts and reservations. Therefore, the Consent protocol could not be fully activated.】

It's a bit complicated, but Heimu understood.

Xi Lian is willing to "travel together" with her, but has not yet truly "recognize" from the heart and fully "trust" her.

This is not resistance, but a natural defense stemming from past trauma and unknown fears.

"Understood."

Heimu responded to the system, then turned his gaze back to the uneasy Xi Lian, whose panel was only half lit.

【Based on the current 'partial Consent' status, basic permissions are now unlocked: target 'Xi Lian' may move freely within a 50‑meter radius around you; this area is considered a 'Safe Zone'. However, the Lock has not been fully removed; she cannot wield any Golden Descendant abilities, nor can her form exit this Data Space for physical projection; her essence remains a constrained existence.】

"So, she can now stay by my side, but only within the System Space and the possibly extended 'Safe Zone', and she has no power, like a… ordinary ghost?"

Heimu confirmed.

【It can be understood that way.】

Heimu nodded; this counts as a good start.

She closed the System Panel, looked at Xi Lian, and tried to make her tone calm: "That's enough. From now on, you may stay by my side, but don't go beyond fifty meters from me."

Xi Lian heard this, and a flash of light instantly lit her azure eyes, the joy of her instinct for freedom and companionship being satisfied.

She carefully stood up, tentatively took a few steps forward, left the blanket area where she had stayed for a long time, and after confirming no discomfort or obstruction, a faint smile appeared on her face.

But soon the smile faded a bit; she looked at Heimu and whispered, "Then… where are we going now?"

Heimu looked at her, both expectant and nervous, like a fledgling just permitted to leave the nest, and a hint of softness—unnoticed even by herself—flashed in his violet‑black eyes.

"Let's go out first."

Heimu turned, walked toward the stairs leading to the upper platform, her skirt tracing an elegant arc, "Outside… there are still many things waiting."

Xi Lian hurriedly took small steps to keep up, maintaining a neither too close nor too far distance, afraid to get too far and also fearing to exceed the invisible fifty‑meter limit.

She watched Black Curtain Lady's upright and mysterious silhouette, her heart filled with curiosity about the unknown outside world and a faint warmth, since she was finally no longer alone.

Although the road ahead remained vague, at least for now, she was no longer locked alone in darkness.

【Beloberg·LowerDistrict·Mechanical Settlement Perimeter】

San Yue Qi groggily opened her eyes, the piercing cold jolted her awake, fully alert.

All she could see was a blanket of white snow covering rusted metal structures and abandoned tunnels, while she sat on the ground without any particular posture.

"I… where is this?"

She rubbed her eyes, looked around blankly, and then was stunned by the scene before her.

Not far away, two groups of people were confronting each other on a snow‑covered clearing, the atmosphere tense.

On one side was Bronya, accompanied by a girl wielding a massive scythe, with a cold expression and deep blue long hair.

They faced a robot emitting a cold metallic sheen; beside the robot stood a thinly clothed little girl with pure white long hair and red eyes, nervously standing nearby.

Both sides seemed to be fiercely arguing about something, the smell of gunpowder thick, as if a fight would break out any second.

"You're awake?"

A calm voice sounded beside her.

San Yue Qi turned her head and saw A Xing, who had arrived unknown to her, extending a hand.

San Yue Qi used A Xing's strength to stand, brushed snow off herself, her mind still a tangled mess: "Xing? What… what is happening? I think I… smelled an extremely terrible scent, and then I knew nothing… Where is this? Who are those people?"

A Xing helped her to a relatively sheltered spot behind abandoned machinery and concisely explained: "You were knocked out by fumes. I carried you away from the clinic. We ran into Dan Heng. Bronya woke up, went out to investigate being surrounded by wanderers."

She pointed at the blue‑haired girl, "She, Xi Er, a member of the Earthfire, will break the siege. Natasha's clinic lacks supplies; we will help find them. We encountered Kelala," she then pointed at the white‑haired girl, "the giant robot Shiwalo knows the Star Core. So, we came to ask. Also, to help Earthfire negotiate."

She paused, adding, "Leaving you alone in the clinic wasn't safe. So, I carried you back."

San Yue Qi: "..."

The amount of information was overwhelming; she felt her tiny brain could barely keep up.

She had only fainted for a moment? How does it feel like the world has turned upside down?!

Both Earthfire and wanderers, and a giant robot that knows about the Star Core?

Even I was carried around like a piece of luggage?

"S‑so now… is this a negotiation?"

San Yue Qi looked at the tense atmosphere in the distance and swallowed.

A Xing nodded: "Hmm."

【High Place·Hidden Metal Platform】

Just above the standoff, on a platform obscured by abandoned pipes and structural supports, two figures stood silently.

Black Curtain Lady still wore her elegant violet‑black dress, as if the surrounding cold and ruin were irrelevant to her.

Beside her stood none other than Xi Lian.

Xi Lian wore a slightly oversized white fur cloak of Bai Hang, which made her small face even more delicate.

Her azure eyes opened wide, gazing down at the scene below with curiosity and a hint of timidity.

This was her first time truly leaving that Data Space, seeing such a "bustling" yet conflict‑filled "outside".

"This place... is the LowerDistrict of Yaliluo-VI?"

Xi Lian asked softly, her breath forming a white mist in the cold.