Chapter 2762: Don't Become Another Me!
Consciousness was very groggy, dazed and confused, as if there were an invisible giant hand dragging him downward!
Pulling his awareness fiercely into bottomless water, below lay the endless abyss!
Struggling was painful, a suffocating pressure pushing down on him!
The deeper he sank, the warmer it got, so comfortable it almost made him want to fall asleep!
Jiangnan's mind was blank, even the roaring and angry shouts in his ears gradually faded away!
He was so tired...
Under the endless ravaging of the eternal gale, even Jiangnan's consciousness was pushed to its limit!
But just then, a heartbeat gradually came to his ears, growing clearer, stronger and more powerful!
A pleasant voice sounded in the depths of his heart — it was Linqing's voice!
"Giving up just like that? Is that really okay?"
"Compared to difficulty, you fear the helplessness of desperate situations more. You said that yourself — the more you persevere now, the more chances you'll have to survive when you face a dead end in the future... isn't that right?"
Jiangnan smiled bitterly: "I know... but... but I'm really too tired, it's too hard. I'm also human, I have limits too..."
"I get tired too... and there are times when I don't want to do anything..."
Linqing's laughter echoed: "Did you ever blame me? Think that I was too harsh, raising the intensity of the battle to a twisted level, deliberately making things difficult for you?"
Jiangnan didn't speak. He was too exhausted to even engage mentally...
Linqing said softly: "I didn't want this either, you know... I'm destined to disappear. The faster you fuse, the closer I am to that final moment..."
"I also want to see more of this starry sky, spend more time with Xingye, drag it out for ten or eight years..."
"But I can't. I'm already dead, surviving by a wisp of wind until now. I should have left long ago. But you're different — you still have your own path to walk..."
Jiangnan remained silent, his heart feeling even more stifled. So it was true — Linqing would disappear, dissipating along with the eternal gale.
Linqing smiled: "Don't put any psychological pressure on yourself. Even if you hadn't come, I was destined to fade away in the starry sky. I can't blow much longer, and even this last obsession won't hold on for much longer..."
"You're actually helping me, aren't you?"
"Being able to reunite with Xingye, to hear stories I had already forgotten — your stories — I'm already very satisfied. Truly."
Jiangnan's thoughts were complicated: "Can you not disappear?"
But Linqing didn't answer that question:
"You know? I understand Xingye better than anyone. He's someone who fears loneliness. I couldn't give him a perfect ending. When I left his world..."
"The more beautiful it was back then, the more cruel it is to recall now. You should be able to imagine — facing eternity alone, finally achieving his wish, making new friends, experiencing all the beauty, but nothing is eternal. In the end, only he remains..."
"Returning to solitude, tasting loneliness... memories are like knives, engraved deep in the bone!"
How could Jiangnan not know? Just by looking at Black God's expression...
Those were memories that even Black God didn't want to recall!
Linqing continued: "After that, Black God probably sealed himself off, right? Not wanting to make new friends or have new encounters anymore..."
"Because everything would only cycle and repeat, history would only replay itself. If you never start, never possess, then you won't lose, right?"
"Experiencing that kind of thing... once is probably enough..."
Jiangnan's heart ached even more. So even though Black God had the ability to walk through the starry sky in others' shells, after Linqing, he no longer wanted to experience it?
Even when going out with his alternate account, it was mostly with the mentality of an observer, no longer truly engaging with the world...
Linqing smiled softly: "But you actively found him, pulled him out of that endless darkness, and gave him a new beginning..."
"If not for you, this guy would probably have sealed himself away until the end of time, right?"
"But he doesn't want to go through that pain again. He doesn't want you to die, doesn't want you to disappear, doesn't want to become alone again, turning everything into memories!"
"In the endless years to come, he doesn't want to face your shell, not even daring to look at it. The happier things are now, the more painful it will be in his heart then!"
Jiangnan's heart clenched painfully!
Maybe he had thought far ahead, but never that far into the future!
As long as the dimensional gap still existed, Black God would continue to exist forever...
What about the future? Would Black God become like before again? Would he become another unhealable scar on his heart?
Linqing smiled softly:
(๑❛ั◡❛ั) "He really treasures you, you know? To make sure you live as long as possible, he didn't hesitate to pick up forgotten memories and inhabit this shell he hadn't looked at for over two billion years!"
"Just so you could stay with him a little longer. He's always been tsundere; he wouldn't say these things to you. But Xingye truly cares about you, more than anything..."
"So... please don't become the second Linqing, okay? For Black God's expectations, and for yourself..."
"I couldn't accompany him far... Now you've come. Replace me — no! Carry my share with you, and march as far into the distant future as possible, to the limit you can reach! That unknown beyond!"
"Consider it a little gift from me, a small promise. Can you?"
"He said the situation outside is very difficult, and you need to complete your strength transformation as soon as possible. That's why I did this — I wanted you to fuse the Eternal Heart before that..."
"As for me... it doesn't matter. In these long years in the wind, I've never been as happy as I have been during this time!"
"In the future without me, having you accompany him all the way — I'm at ease. Knowing he's fine is enough for me..."
Jiangnan: !!!
At this moment, the heartbeat in his ears grew heavier and heavier, as if something in his heart was about to explode!
Comfortable? That was for the dead!
If he chickened out here, he wouldn't be a real man!
The resolve of everyone in the Eternal Heart, Linqing's wish, Black God's hope!
Why should he fall! Why should he chicken out?
The next instant, Jiangnan opened his eyes. The infinite flame of will blazed again, shining like that wish!
A blade of extreme brilliance burst forth, like a gorgeous rainbow spanning the starry sky!
It slashed through hundreds of afterimages!
With the beating of the Eternal Heart, Jiangnan's level directly broke through to the Transcendent Fifteenth Stage!
"Come on! It's not over yet!"
Brilliant as a blazing sun, Jiangnan turned his head to look at Linqing!
Her voice sounded in his ears again!
"Not curious about our story? When you fuse the Eternal Heart, I'll tell you..."
Then she secretly winked at Jiangnan!
(๑ᵒ̶̶̷̀◡˂̶́)✧
Jiangnan pursed his lips tightly and charged into battle again!
Black God watched this scene, slapping his thigh and laughing heartily:
(͡°ꇴ͡°)☛ "Hahaha! I told you my little brother could do it! An explosion in desperate circumstances? He really held on, huh?"
"But fifteenth stage? Hiss~"
Linqing rolled her eyes:
(꒪ͦ～꒪ͦ◦) "Ah, right, right~ Who was it that just said it was too cruel and wanted to reduce the numbers?"
"Where were we? Keep telling me!"
Black God immediately got excited:
(งᵒ̫̌ᵒ̌)ง "This is where I have to tell you about the story during the Great Thousand Star Disaster..."
The eternal gale silently weakened, a lot, a lot...
...
Five months had passed in the blink of an eye!
Jiangnan was still in the gale, without any news!
Meanwhile, the Carbon Alliance's situation was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, because Silicon was starting to act recklessly!
At a small Carbon Alliance meeting!
The representatives of various factions all had grim expressions. Especially Yakeli, who was so angry he was rolling his eyes!
(ꐦ°᷄yi°᷅ꐦ) "Picking fights repeatedly! Is Silicon pushing too far? How much longer must we endure?"
Yao Hong also looked unhappy:
(▼ヘ▼◦) "Silicon's obstruction of the Star Project is getting heavier. They're no longer satisfied with meddling behind the scenes; they're even openly confronting us!"
"Whenever the Star Project Foundation appears to auction slaves, Silicon always bids up the price. Commissions are sabotaged too, and they even instigate space pirates to hijack our goods!"
Freya was also trembling with anger:
(◦`~´◦) "Silicon is also allying with some commercial alliances to impose various restrictions on the Carbon Alliance. When our humans handle affairs outside, Silicon also makes excuses to harass and block us!"
"They're purely looking for trouble! During this time, many conflicts have already erupted. If the higher-ups weren't suppressing things, we'd have to teach them a lesson!"
"Even if we keep enduring, they won't stop!"
Yang Jian clenched his fists, also burning with anger: "Or else? Start a war with Silicon? You think I want to be this shrinking turtle?"
"Is the Carbon Alliance ready now? Which loss is greater — starting a war or swallowing our pride?"
"I know this can't go on, but for now, stall as long as we can. There's only a month left until the Third Ring, and the Carbon Alliance is at a critical moment!"
"Once that happens, the focus will shift to the Third Ring. Silicon's actions should calm down a bit. Endure a little longer!"
Freya grabbed her hair in frustration:
୧(｡･ˇ皿ˇ･)୨ "I know, I just can't stand it. Damn it all!"
Qing Nong raised his hand: "We should indeed stall, but there's one thing that must be mentioned!"
"The Xueji Clan has risen from the ashes and started moving in the starry sky again. Every race is more or less experiencing slave disappearances, ranging in scale!"
"On top of that, my Xinggeng Clan has even received reports of missing clansmen recently!"
The Parasite Entity representative squinted: "My Parasite Clan also has missing people, and quite a few. I thought it was just an ordinary disappearance — after all, anything can happen when roaming the starry sky!"
"But now it seems..."
It wasn't just these two clans reporting!
"My Hidden Spirit Clan, Chiyang Clan, and Titan Clan have also submitted reports of missing people recently!"
The Pupil Race representative gritted his teeth:
(caoyicao◦) "My Pupil Race too! Was it Silicon? Yesterday, an entire squad of my Pupil Race had their eyes gouged out!"
"But no perpetrator could be found. Tch~"
The suppressed anger in Yang Jian's heart was about to burst!
"Dammit! Silicon! You think you're being generous?"
Yakeli narrowed his eyes, his gaze as cold as a knife. This matter wouldn't be resolved so easily...