Chapter 157:

Xu Xi woke up in a dazed and turbulent state.

His consciousness teetered on the edge of death, already halfway submerged in the abyss. Yet, it seemed someone refused to let him go. He felt himself being carried—someone was running, their movements jostling him awake. Struggling, he opened his weary eyes.

The first thing he saw was the vast night sky. The moon was absent, and the stars shone with extraordinary brightness, as if they were burning more intensely tonight. Their brilliance outshone the moon, rendering it nearly invisible.

“It’s so similar…”

Xu Xi’s eyelids drooped, and waves of pain surged through his body. His thoughts grew disordered, like the dim moon being swallowed by the stars.

He understood one thing clearly—he was dying.

In truth, he should have died long ago. It was only his sheer determination to fight for the Survival Army that had kept him alive, battling monsters again and again.

But this time, against the dragon, Xu Xi had given everything. His body was hollow, drained of vitality. He could feel it—less than ten minutes remained before his consciousness would completely dissipate.

“Yingxue…” he called softly, his voice barely audible.

The girl who was staggering under his weight flinched at his call. Wu Yingxue had been carrying Xu Xi on her back, even though his injuries had made him nearly unrecognizable. The rough movement momentarily roused his fading awareness.

“Sir! That’s great! I knew you wouldn’t die!” she exclaimed, her voice trembling with joy as she pressed onward.

“Yingxue, actually I…”

“Sir, we’re about to leave. The path you opened for us—soon, we’ll be out of the Shiwan Mountains!”

“I’ve…”

“Everyone is waiting for us, sir!”

Wu Yingxue smiled at him, but her smile was forced, barely masking her sorrow.

Xu Xi noticed her tears glistening in the starlight. Her voice wavered as if she were desperately clinging to hope.

She understood everything. She just refused to accept it. Deep in her heart, she clung to a fragile illusion, hoping against all odds that Xu Xi would survive.

Carrying him on her back, she fled the battlefield, following the road Xu Xi had forged with his fists.

The night was eerily quiet. The dragon’s defeat and Xu Xi’s terrifying strength had silenced every demon in the area. None dared to emerge, leaving only the sound of Wu Yingxue’s hurried footsteps.

Xu Xi made no effort to break the illusion she clung to. Sometimes, a fragile heart needed a comforting lie, even if it couldn’t change the truth.

“Yingxue, you’ve worked so hard,” Xu Xi said weakly, a faint smile forming on his lips.

His condition was critical. Even though he had just regained consciousness, fatigue weighed heavily on him. It wasn’t just physical exhaustion; it was mental too.

Wu Yingxue seemed to sense this, so she tried to keep talking, asking him questions.

“Sir, what will the world beyond the mountains be like?”

“It may be cruel… but at least it’s a place where we can survive.”

“Sir, does a world exist where everyone has enough to eat?”

“Yes, it exists.”

“Sir, the stars tonight…”

She asked many questions, her words a chaotic mix. Yet, she wasn’t skilled at conversation. She stumbled over topics, trying her best to distract him, but her anxiety was evident.

Eventually, she ran out of things to say. Her unease grew, and her movements faltered.

“It’s okay, Yingxue,” Xu Xi whispered. “You don’t have to force yourself. Actually, I have something to tell you.”

He coughed violently, blood staining his lips. His breathing grew weaker, but he still spoke. He told her about his martial arts breakthroughs, the battles he had fought, and even trivial stories from daily life.

Wu Yingxue listened intently, tears streaming down her face. She responded softly, her voice choked with emotion.

The distant sight of the Survival Army came into view, and hope glimmered in the girl’s eyes.

“Sir, we’re almost there! Soon, we’ll leave the mountains!”

“Yingxue, put me down… I’m tired,” Xu Xi said.

The girl froze, her forced smile faltering. “Sir, what are you saying? We’ll leave together…”

Xu Xi shook his head weakly. “I just want to rest. You and the others should go on ahead. I’ll catch up later…”

It was another lie.

At his insistence, Wu Yingxue reluctantly set him down. Tears spilled down her face as she knelt beside him.

“Sir… how would you rate my performance today?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Xu Xi smiled faintly, his gaze lifting to the stars. “It’s A-grade… a very good A-grade.”

Her tears fell harder, soaking the ground.

“Go on,” Xu Xi murmured. “The road ahead is long…”

With trembling hands, he gently pushed her forward.

Wu Yingxue’s footsteps gradually faded into the distance, along with the sound of her sobs.

As the stars sparkled above, Xu Xi closed his eyes, finally succumbing to the darkness. The moon disappeared completely, its light consumed by the brilliance of the stars.

[Simulation ends]