It seemed like it.
Chen Lusi looked at Lu Hao, who died with eyes open, and once again tugged at the corner of his mouth, then turned his head to look at the gray sky.
Two figures suddenly appeared beside him.
One of them almost tripped.
He widened his eyes, trying to see who it was.
But for some reason, the more he tried to see clearly, the blurrier it became.
Soon.
Let alone people.
He couldn't even see the light anymore...
Even though his eyes were open.
All he saw was darkness.
However, even though he couldn't see clearly, Chen Lusi could roughly guess who it was.
Indeed.
The voices of Wu You and Xia Panqiu rang out.
"Wu You... he seems to be going, think of something, quickly!!"
"...It's too late, Panqiu."
"Then... are we just going to watch like we did just now? Do nothing!?"
"...I'm sorry."
"..."
This is too awkward.
Chen Lusi heard the conversation between the two and felt slightly awkward. He barely raised his hand and waved it lightly, panting: "Damn, I seem to be blind..."
"..."
Wu You and Xia Panqiu instantly fell silent.
Someone knelt beside him and gently held his hand.
But no one spoke.
Deathly silence.
Chen Lusi felt somewhat unaccustomed, panting as he continued: "Brother Wu You, didn't I say that an ambush isn't reliable? If we were to ambush, the three of us might be taken down one by one. That person looked hard to deal with... I almost made it through that performance, almost botched it."
"Mm."
Wu You remained silent for a moment, then said softly: "Thanks, I've lived so many years, it's the first time being saved by a newcomer..."
"How does it feel?"
"Not good, very bad."
"Ha... seriously, let me ask, is there compensation?"
"...Yes."
"Please give it to Lin Ying."
"...Alright."
"..."
After saying what mattered most, Chen Lusi fell into silence, mainly because he felt speaking was becoming increasingly difficult.
Suddenly.
He felt raindrops fall on his face, itchy, like gentle caresses.
Is it raining?
Chen Lusi found it strange and was about to speak.
Xia Panqiu spoke first.
Her voice trembled slightly as she said softly, "Chen Lusi, I'm sorry."
"..."
Chen Lusi was taken aback.
Ah, this.
Could Xia Panqiu be crying?
To be honest, he kind of wanted to see it... After all, making someone who used to oppose you cry is quite an achievement, isn't it?
But unfortunately.
He couldn't see it.
As Chen Lusi thought about it, his consciousness began to blur, and he could only give up thinking, asking, "Living like this shouldn't look bad, right?"
"Mm, not bad at all."
"That's good... To be honest, you all are truly dazzling..."
Chen Lusi thought of Lin Ying and then suddenly asked: "I hope my death doesn't look too bad, right?"
"Not at all."
"That's good... Ha, I seem to not feel my body anymore."
"..."
Indeed, Chen Lusi couldn't feel his body anymore.
His consciousness became increasingly blurred, increasingly so... As if it had reached its limit.
This was his second time experiencing the feeling of near-death, but he wasn't very panicked.
He just hoped... this would be the last time.
However.
If I was blind while alive, can I see after I'm dead?
Chen Lusi suddenly thought of this question. He opened his mouth to ask the two but quickly realized he had no strength left.
He smiled and gave up.
There's no point in dwelling on it either.
'The rain' seemed to still be falling.
As Chen Lusi thought about this, he allowed his consciousness to fall into the void, gradually drifting into sleep.
...
Chen Lusi's sapphire blue eyes gradually lost their color.
In the end, they completely stilled.
Wu You stood woodenly beside Chen Lusi and watched this scene unfold.
Not knowing what to say.
There seemed to be a lot that he wanted to say.
But in the end, the only words he could utter were 'thank you' and 'sorry'.
He wasn't lying.
At this moment, he truly felt very bad.
For a moment, he even regretted it.
...Regret agreeing to Chen Lusi's plan.
But he knew.
Such regret was futile. If he had opposed it from the start, it would have only made things worse.
The three attacking together.
Lu Hao's vigilance would only grow stronger, devoid of any thought of toying around.
In that situation, Chen Lusi would find no opportunity.
And by then, it wouldn't just be Chen Lusi.
He and Xia Panqiu would also be captured, the Yellow Springs Fragment would fall into Lu Hao's hands, and he might even find the 'door' to the Yellow Springs Mainstream...
But no matter how you think about it, it still weighs heavily on the heart.
Wu You looked at Chen Lusi lying on the ground and sighed.
A newcomer.
A newcomer who could learn 'the Eye' in half an hour, who could fumble to learn others' signature techniques just by listening.
On his first mission, he died.
In contrast, he and Xia Panqiu survived.
He didn't even know if this was a good thing...
Thinking this.
Wu You glanced at Xia Panqiu, who was tightly holding Chen Lusi's hand, her head still bowed, and couldn't help but sigh again.
He was doing alright, but Xia Panqiu's feelings must be even more complicated...
Because of Lu Hao, she was biased, always opposing Chen Lusi.
But in the end, it was Chen Lusi who killed Lu Hao, freeing her from the nightmare...
What on earth is this...
Wu You thought of this, couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh, hesitated for a moment, and then softly said, "Panqiu, get up first, let's take him back..."
Xia Panqiu sniffled and slightly lifted her head.
"...!?"
But before she could speak
Wu You suddenly took a step back, his eyes fixed on something ahead, showing a look of shock.
Xia Panqiu noticed his unusual behavior, turned her head as well, and then froze.
A little girl in a white dress had somehow appeared next to Chen Lusi.
She stood silently next to him, looking quietly at the ground where Chen Lusi lay, her adorable doll-like face devoid of any expression.
Wu You finally snapped out of his shock and asked with uncertainty, "...Who are you?"
But the little girl didn't acknowledge Wu You.
Instead, she slowly raised her right hand and pointed at Chen Lusi.
Wu You and Xia Panqiu followed where the little girl pointed and looked at Chen Lusi.
And when they lifted their heads again... they felt chills down their spines.
Beside the little girl, somehow, there was another person!
That person wore a well-fitted suit, stood tall beside the little girl, and was also looking 'at' Chen Lusi.
But his head... wasn't human but a large old-style clock face, nearly half a meter long.
At that moment.
The pendulum below the clock face was swinging back and forth.
Tick-tock— Tick-tock— Tick-tock—
A human body... with a clock head.
Wu You and Xia Panqiu watched this bizarre scene and felt a shiver of fear.
"What on earth are you?"
Xia Panqiu sniffled again, slowly stood up, took a step forward to shield Chen Lusi, and asked the 'two people' ahead.
But she received no response.
Clockwork Man looked at Chen Lusi and slowly raised his right hand, making a fist.
Then, he suddenly punched his own head— aimed at the glass enclosing the pendulum.
Bang—
The glass shattered with a loud noise.
And time seemed to come to a standstill at that moment.
Then.
Clockwork Man reached out and grabbed the pendulum and... threw it in the opposite direction.
Tick-tock— Tick-tock— Tick-tock—
The pendulum continued to swing.
Time began to flow.
At the same time.
Wu You and Xia Panqiu witnessed Chen Lusi's severed limbs, the blood he spat out, and the pieces of flesh on the ground... all began to reverse and fly back onto Chen Lusi's body.
The limbs reattached, flesh and blood regenerated, the blood returned to his veins.
In an instant.
Chen Lusi reverted to his prior state and... took a deep breath.
[Ha...]
"!!!!!!"
Xia Panqiu and Wu You exchanged shocked glances, speechless with surprise.
And when they looked again towards Chen Lusi... the little girl and Clockwork Man had both vanished.
Silence.
A long silence.
Until the forgotten Li Tian suddenly pointed at Chen Lusi and shrieked.
Wu You and Xia Panqiu snapped back to reality.
But they didn't pay attention to Li Tian; instead, they immediately squatted down to check Chen Lusi's condition.
Breathing evenly.
Heart rate normal.
Completely unscathed.
After confirming that Chen Lusi was fine besides lacking consciousness.
Wu You, looking at Chen Lusi's even breathing, suddenly trembled as he asked, "Panqiu... is Chen Lusi alive?"
Xia Panqiu's body trembled slightly as she softly replied, "Yes."
"But how is this possible!!!"
Wu You looked at Chen Lusi on the ground, and in distress, said, "What on earth is this? An Authority Ability? How can there be such a powerful Authority Ability."