[Trust Rocky. Of course, I understand what you mean. As for my answer…]
When Xiao Guizi checked the communication records from the latest month, she discovered—Lesley had actually replied!
Her breath caught in her throat.
Could it be…?
A beautiful and pure romance was about to unfold!
Space Station.
The observing researchers were first stunned, then overcome with excitement.
"Rocky, this guy… he's something else!"
"We've all misjudged him—this is true love!"
"Rocky, you're the best! You've made us all proud!"
"Why not hold a grand wedding ceremony? The entire space station staff should attend to celebrate!"
But just as everyone eagerly awaited the next response—
Xiao Guizi suddenly froze.
"Huh? It's gone?"
"The rest is missing!"
"The crucial reply fragment is corrupted!"
"Who the hell did this?!" Xiao Guizi stomped her feet in frustration.
Surveillance Footage
A familiar figure appeared.
At the sight of this person, the space station staff gasped in disbelief.
"That's… Rocky's mentor, Bernard!"
"He's the one who's been urging Rocky to let go of this relationship. Now he's tampering with the records?!"
"I know Professor Bernard—he's stubborn, but I never expected him to do something like this!"
"Rumor has it Bernard had a passionate love story in his youth too. Why can't he understand his disciple's feelings?!"
"Is research really that important? Screw this—I'm quitting tomorrow!"
Xiao Guizi was furious.
She stormed off to confront the culprit.
At first, the old man denied it.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Young people should focus on their studies—"
But when the surveillance footage was presented as evidence, Bernard had no choice but to admit it.
"Damn you brats, always meddling in things you don't understand!"
"I deleted those records for Rocky's own good! Ever since he met Lesley, he's neglected his studies… and that's not even the worst part!"
"You don't know the full story. Lesley, she…"
At this point, everyone's hearts leaped into their throats.
Not just the space station staff and Asta, but Xiao Guizi and players worldwide were all waiting to see how this love story would end.
[Did something happen to her?]
"No. She's unharmed. And… she accepted Rocky's confession," Bernard replied.
"But they can never be together."
"If you think I'm the one standing in their way, you're wrong! You brats, always jumping to conclusions!"
"They can't be together… never, ever."
"Do you know why? No, you don't. Few understand what a Starquake truly is…"
"If protective measures are taken, a Starquake won't physically harm anyone."
"But… it drastically alters the spacetime curvature of the affected sector."
"This means our time and hers flow at different rates."
"Ever since the Starquake occurred, Lesley's time has diverged from ours. The delay in her replies has grown—from a month, to a year, to a decade."
"Not just messages. Everything about her is the same. Until she leaves that anomalous gravitational environment, every month she spends traversing the galaxy will cost us decades of waiting."
Hearing this truth, everyone fell silent.
A heavy stillness filled the air.
Xiao Guizi's eyes welled up, her fists clenched.
"So… this is the price?"
Bernard continued, "If Rocky—and all of us—live in the 'present'…"
"Then, relatively speaking, Lesley…"
"She is already living in the future."
"I was young once too."
"I believe that compared to rejection, the cruelest fate is being unable to be with someone you love, despite knowing they feel the same."
[There must be a way…]
[She accepted him.]
[You have no right to decide for them!]
Xiao Guizi wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
Bernard shook his head. "There is no way."
"After learning the truth, Rocky would spend decades waiting for a reply that should've come quickly."
"By the time he's old and gray—like me—Lesley might finally return to the 'present'."
"But so little time would have passed for her. She might still look the same as she does now."
"Space can be crossed. But time? Untouchable."
These words, like an unyielding cosmic law, struck down any remaining hope like a hammer blow.
So cold.
So merciless.
Inside the Space Station.
The atmosphere was thick with sorrow.
Some female researchers had already begun to cry.
The men sighed, shaking their heads, patting each other on the back.
Asta's Office.
She, too, was filled with melancholy.
In this tiny corner of the universe, such a heartbreaking love story had unfolded.
But suddenly—
Her eyes widened.
"Wait… there might still be a chance!"
"I can help him!"
"And her!"
"Arlan, check Rocky's activity logs—see if he's left the station yet!"
Meanwhile, in Xiao Guizi's livestream…
She was faced with a critical choice.
Bernard had given her two backup signal transcripts.
A red backup, representing the truth—Lesley's real reply and the facts about the Starquake.
And a blue backup—a white lie, a fabricated rejection.
Xiao Guizi suddenly recalled a line from Kafka at the game's beginning:
"When you have the chance to make a choice… don't let yourself regret it."
Now was that moment.
"I…"
"I'll give him the truth. He has the right to know and choose his own path."
She chose to hand over the red transcript.
Rocky, at first, was devastated.
"She's in the future… and I'm stuck in the present. Is that it?"
"The time I spend waiting for her… to her, it'll be just a blink?"
"How unfair… even time is against us."
But after reading everything, Rocky slowly understood.
After a moment of silence, he suddenly laughed.
"Spending a lifetime chasing someone? Hah! You really think I'm that naive?"
"I won't wait for her! I refuse!"
Rocky declared he would stop waiting.
The space station staff sighed in resignation.
"He's right… there's no way to wait."
"I feel for him…"
"On a cosmic scale, we're all so small."
"Let's take him out for drinks later—he needs it."
In Xiao Guizi's livestream, viewers flooded the chat:
"I didn't give him the red truth—I chose the blue lie."
"You heartless monsters! How could you make two people who'll never meet wait forever? Tell me—how is he supposed to chase her?!"
"Blue lie, no hesitation. He talks too much anyway!"
"I gave him the red truth. He deserves to know he's loved… unlike me."
Xiao Guizi wasn't sure if her choice was right.
But just as she thought the story would end with Rocky accepting reality—
He added one last line.
A line that jolted her awake, making her leap from her seat.
"I won't wait…"
"I'm going to chase her!"
"I'm going to catch up to her!"
Suddenly—
The adventure theme music swelled.
Every player watching gasped in shock.
Just when they thought Rocky had given up—
He made a decision that left them all speechless.
"If her timeline is now a vast canyon, instead of waiting for her to climb out… I'll cross it myself!"
"It might take me ten years to reach her after just a month for her, but our time will sync. Better than sitting here doing nothing!"
"I've been stuck here too long anyway. As a researcher, I've never even seen the real galaxy!"
"I bet you're curious too—what other wonders lie out there?"
"Breathtaking sights, beautiful dangers… and the one I'm searching for."
"When I find Lesley, I'll return one day and tell you everything I've seen."
"And when that day comes… you'd better keep your promise to be our bridesmaid!"
"Chasing time?! This guy is insane!"
"I hereby declare him the Aeon of Love!"
"Holy hell—that's the boldest move ever!"
"I knew I wasn't wrong about him!"
The entire space station erupted in cheers, applauding Rocky's resolve.
"This decision is legendary!"
Just as Rocky was about to depart, someone called out to him.
"Rocky, wait!"
Arlan stepped forward.
"A regular ship won't catch up to her."
Then, another voice—
Asta, rushing from the control deck.
"Take this interstellar cruiser!"
"It's equipped with the latest propulsion and warp drive. It'll help you reach her faster!"
"Supplies are already loaded. Go!"
Rocky was stunned.
He didn't know how Asta had learned of his plan to chase Lesley.
But seeing the determination in her eyes, he knew questions were pointless now.
"Thank you, Stationmaster Asta."
With a final bow, he boarded the ship.
"You'd better catch her!" Asta waved as the ship launched.
To be continued…
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