Xu Xi was going to die.
This wasn’t a joke or a poetic metaphor—it was death, inevitable and absolute, marking the end of his simulation.
No one needed to tell him. The moment he opened his eyes, the frailty and decay within his body made him keenly aware of it.
To wake up again was already a miracle.
In his previous sleep, Xu Xi had felt his soul slipping away, drifting toward an endless void—the eternal silence of death.
“My current state…”
“It must be the so-called return of light.”
Pain, tightness in his chest, suffocation, dizziness—every symptom crashed into him, leaving Xu Xi heavy-lidded and struggling to stay awake.
He knew.
“Krisha…” he rasped, his voice barely audible, like a faint ripple in the air.
“Master, I’m here,” Krisha responded softly, her tone as gentle as a whisper. She seemed afraid—afraid that speaking too loudly might hurt him.
The day was beautiful.
The sun streamed through the window, its golden light brightening the room and chasing away the gloom. But despite the warm glow, Krisha’s heart felt heavy. The mentor she had waited so long for had awakened, yet an inexplicable dread clawed at her.
“I’m sorry, Krisha,” Xu Xi said, his voice frail, his lips trembling with the effort. “For letting you see me like this.”
With her help, Xu Xi struggled to sit up, his movements labored and slow. His attempt at a smile was weak and forced.
Please…
Don’t say anymore.
The sadness in Krisha’s chest grew unbearable. Her heartbeat seemed to falter as she gazed at Xu Xi’s aged, weathered face and heard his voice, so fragile it seemed ready to vanish.
“You… don’t need to worry about that,” she managed, her voice trembling.
To her, his appearance didn’t matter. His aging body didn’t matter. What she cared about was Xu Xi himself—her light, her sun, her salvation.
But his frailty meant something far worse. It was a stark reminder of the one thing she couldn’t face but knew was inevitable.
“Master, I’ll prepare lunch for you,” Krisha said abruptly, standing and heading for the door.
She couldn’t bear to hear more. She couldn’t face the truth. So, she chose to flee.
But Xu Xi’s voice stopped her.
“No, Krisha… I don’t think I’ll have the chance to eat it.”
His words, spoken with a smile, were lighthearted, almost casual, yet they carried the weight of finality.
Krisha froze, her body trembling violently.
“Are you sleepy again? Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you. No matter how long it takes—forever, always…”
“Krisha,” Xu Xi interrupted, his voice so faint it seemed to waver like smoke in the wind.
“Krisha,” he called again, his tone pleading.
Her trembling stilled.
Slowly, she turned, her back still to him, her body motionless, though her shoulders quivered with suppressed emotion.
“Come here, Krisha,” Xu Xi said gently. “I need to talk to you.”
The harsh inevitability of winter settled over the room, freezing everything in its icy grip.
“Yes…”
Krisha returned to his bedside.
“Sit down,” he said, gesturing to the small wooden chair beside the bed.
She obeyed, lowering herself into the chair without protest.
Xu Xi reached out a frail, trembling hand and rested it on her head, stroking her soft silver-gray hair one last time.
“Krisha, I’m going to be gone for a long time,” he said softly.
Her body trembled but gradually stilled under his touch.
“I’ve caused you so much trouble. I should have been the one taking care of you, but instead, you’ve cared for me all these years while I’ve been asleep.”
“It’s finally over now. You can rest.”
No.
I don’t want to rest.
Please…
Please let me remain as I am—your tool, your servant. As long as you stay, as long as you’re here…
“I’ll be gone for so long that I can’t say how long it will be. So, Krisha, take care of yourself while I’m away.”
“In the study room, I’ve left notes that might be useful to you.”
“I’ve modified the magic circle in the meditation room. It will still work even if you reach the demigod realm.”
“In the bedroom, in the desk and cabinet, I’ve left my collections. Use them as you see fit. They’re all yours now.”
Stop…
Stop talking.
The weight in Krisha’s chest grew unbearable. She tightened her grip on her chest as if to hold her heart together. Though Xu Xi hadn’t spoken the word aloud, Krisha understood.
Her master, her sun, the only one who had illuminated her life, was about to leave her forever.
“I don’t accept it.”
Her voice trembled, cutting through Xu Xi’s words.
It was the first time she had ever defied him.
“I don’t accept what you’re saying.”
“Everything of yours belongs to you alone. I’ll wait for you—forever, always, endlessly…”
Her empty, lifeless eyes shuddered violently, brimming with an emotion she couldn’t name as she stared at him.
Xu Xi’s hand, still stroking her hair, paused, surprised by her rejection.