[How many years have you accompanied me? Along the way, flowers bloomed and withered, we rose and fell. His journey has ended, but hers continues. All he can do for her now is offer his blessings and light.]
As these lines slowly faded from the luminous screen before her eyes, Jingliu withdrew her focus.
She bit her lip, a complex swirl of emotions churning within her bright crimson pupils.
"I see... So this is the answer you said lay in the future..."
"An answer that took over seven hundred years to finally arrive."
Muttering to herself, she stood up and gazed out at the bright moon hanging in the sky. The strip of white silk she used to blindfold herself drifted gently in the night breeze's caress.
"...It truly was... long enough."
--+--
[Simulation Complete]
[You have formed a Vow of Connection with Jingliu. Obtained: Oath Under Snow]
[Oath Under Snow: In that wind and snow, you made her a promise, that in the days to come, you would always stay by her side. But... was that promise ever truly kept?]
[Special Trait Unlocked based on Oath Under Snow: Sword, Forged by Nature (⭐⭐⭐⭐)]
[Sword, Forged by Nature: When using sword-type weapons, Attribute values increase by 20%.]
[Achievement Unlocked: Companionship is the Longest Confession (You spent your entire life by her side. You traveled to every corner of the cosmos together, seeking answers to unsolvable mysteries, though you never did find the best answer.) Reward: 1000 Simulation Points]
[Achievement Unlocked: Walking in Darkness (Your entire life was spent stepping through darkness, yet you never lost sight of the light because of it. Your fortitude is commendable.) Reward: 1000 Simulation Points]
[Achievement Unlocked: The High Cloud Quintet(What? Everyone knows the High Cloud Quintet has six members!) Reward: 1000 Simulation Points]
--+--
[This 'Knifing' Simulation Rating: S. Reward: 4500 Simulation Points]
[This 'Knifing' Simulation Evaluation: God has mercy. You do not.]
[Rewards Obtained from this Simulation: Sword Heart (⭐⭐⭐⭐), Oath Under Snow (⭐⭐⭐⭐).]
--+--
[Current Available Reward Points: 7500 (Convertible to Attribute Points: 535)]
[Information Panel Updated]
[Name: Bai Heng]
[Currently Active Talents: Unsealed Star Child, Beneath the Afterglow, The Gaze of the Amber Lord, Sword Heart.]
[Strength: 750 | Endurance: 400 (The Gaze of the Amber Lord: Strength +150, Endurance +100)]
[Agility: 800 | Spirit: 250 (Sword Heart: Agility +200)]
[Charm: 500 (Unsealed Star-Child: Charm x2)]
--+--
Waking from the darkness, Bai Heng took a long time to regain his bearings.
To be honest, this simulation had been a bit too immersive.
Not only were there no pop-up options allowing him to make changes, but it also started him off with the 'Heaven-Deficient Individual' background.
During it, he'd experienced a fateful, almost comical misunderstanding that led to meeting Jingliu, lived through all the major and minor conflicts aboard the Xianzhou, taken part in the Shuhu uprising, and later, journeyed across the cosmos with Jingliu seeking an answer to the Mara-Struck affliction.
All of that... had spanned a full eighty years.
And Bai Heng had lived through eighty years of darkness. Even now, awake from the simulation, he couldn't adjust immediately.
In his chest, that feeling of love that had lasted for decades swirled and surged, refusing to settle.
It couldn't be helped. This was the longest simulation Bai Heng had ever experienced. He'd lived a complete life smoothly, meeting his final end through old age. While it wasn't a life of earth-shattering drama, it was still deeply etched in his heart.
Shaking his head, he glanced at the clock in the room.
Only four hours had passed from the start of the simulation until now.
Eighty years... in four hours?
So, does the flow of time within the simulation change based on the simulation's duration?
Not dwelling on it, he looked out the window at the still-dark sky, then lay back on the bed, closed his eyes, and passed out again.
Although the eighty-year simulation had only taken four hours thanks to the system's influence, the mental energy expended was very real.
Right now, Bai Heng just wanted to sleep, and sleep hard.
--+--
The next day.
After sleeping a solid sixteen hours, by the time Bai Heng dragged himself out of bed, bleary-eyed, it was already afternoon the following day.
Once he'd finished his morning routine, he pulled open the shop's front door as usual.
The first thing that met his eyes was the resentful face of a certain pink-haired loli Diviner, and the striking Type-C connector plug on her forehead.
"This one thought your establishment might have closed down for good. So it does still open for business."
That resentful expression, and that tone.
Clearly, this Diviner Fu had probably been waiting here for quite some time.
Bai Heng covered his face and let out a deep sigh:
"Diviner Fu, in all the years this little shop has been open, our main selling point has been opening on a whim and closing right on time."
"But lately, haven't you been visiting a bit too often? I'm starting to feel like you're hounding me to get to work."
"Please don't mistake me for that little finch under your command~"
Hearing this, Fu Xuan seemed to realize she might be giving off a bit of a taskmaster vibe, a hint of embarrassment flashing across her face.
But then she gave a light cough, composing her expression, and said seriously:
"You were the one who told this one not long ago that business has been slow. This one was kindly trying to help your revenue, and here you are complaining first."
"Besides, you're using this one's likeness for a collaborative tea drink. Naturally, this one needs to see how it's selling~"
Bai Heng: ...
Alright then, you've got an answer for everything, huh~
"Enough small talk. Same as usual. One, less ice, half sugar. One, less ice, full sugar. To go."
With that, Fu Xuan found a seat inside the shop and settled in to wait.
Bai Heng could only offer a wry smile and set to work.
But as his hands moved, his thoughts drifted.
After the precedent with Firefly, he already knew that the simulations were actually events that had truly happened somewhere.
But if they were real events, then to Firefly, he should be someone long dead.
If that's the case, how was she able to seek him out?
After his encounter with Firefly, Bai Heng hadn't thought too deeply about it. But now, considering it carefully...
He noticed something was off.
If Firefly managed to find him through some means...
Wouldn't that mean Bronya and Jingliu could too...?
The moment he thought of this, Bai Heng felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead.
His mind conjured images of Bronya stuffing the Guardian's lance up his nose and Jingliu resting her sword blade against his neck.
However...
Glancing over at Fu Xuan, who was still waiting, Bai Heng felt there might still be room to maneuver.
Carrying the finished drinks, he approached Fu Xuan, a warm, sunny smile on his face.
"Diviner Fu, now that I think of it, I have a favor to ask."
The pink-haired loli looked up at him. "If you have something to say, then say it."
"Could you divine for me again? Calculate my... romantic fortune?"
Fu Xuan: "???"
Have you lost your mind? What kind of nonsense are you spouting?
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.