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Chapter 1381 Chapter Thirty-Three·"I once made an eternal promise to spring."

—Noel Akinni went to the stars.

He ran towards the illusory spring.

……

Su Mingan put away all his gaffes, all his attempts to keep someone from leaving, and all his weakness, and his gaze towards Noel quickly turned indifferent.

It's no big deal.

It's just that in this world, there is no one who knows the secret language between souls, no one who can know his will to die without words and lead him out of the quagmire of time.

There is no one waiting for him downstream of the long river of time, leaning on a cane at the beginning and end of time.

No one is handing out strawberry pudding on the Unfalling Goose anymore, looking at the sunflowers all over the mountains.

No one will stand in the spotlight anymore, humming a song as they walk towards the organizer, leaving him to rest behind the sun.

Among millions of possibilities, millions of roads, millions of strangers, and millions of confusing options...Su Mingan once only dared to be sure of the truth about Noel.

Now, the friend who once took him to the amusement park has overturned the building block castle he built with his own hands.

Su Ming'an could understand Noel's thoughts. This thought was completely reasonable, inevitable, irreversible, and unchangeable - this was the most fatal point.

"Best friends are real, cooperation is real, anchors are real, bonds are real... leaving is also real," he said softly.

Everything was stable, real, and irreversible. No one had done anything wrong, and no matter how hard they tried to save the situation, things were destined to continue to slide to this point.

Su Mingan admitted that he had only been thinking about his ideal all along - protecting Zhai Xing. And there were more things he didn't dare to think about, and couldn't think about. Just to do this one thing, he already needed to pay all his energy and price. He gambled on his future, his power, and his entire self...

He couldn't even think about whether there were parallel worlds, and whether this was an endless cycle. Would he be able to reach the end according to his own ideas and have a happy ending with everyone returning home?
The probability is not high.

The answer to the ending given by the god An means that at least Noel's ending will not be the best.

But Su Mingan couldn't think too far ahead. He valued his hometown and old friends more than anything else, including his own future and life. As long as there was still hope in the final result, even if it was just a glimmer of hope, he would always move towards this glimmer of hope.

But Noel was more greedy and long-term, his sights were on the entire universe - for him, he wanted to find the ultimate solution to all problems, and he was more afraid than Su Mingan that this was an endless reincarnation quagmire. He was curious about where Su Mingan's power came from, but he didn't dare to put all his hopes on Su Mingan's power.

Therefore, in order to realize his more greedy and grand blueprint, Noel must choose to leave Zhaixing and move to a higher dimension. Only by giving up his weak human body can he ascend to a higher level. But this journey must come at a price. He cannot take the entire Zhaixing with him, as the planet is too heavy. He cannot allow himself to sit here on pins and needles, wait hopelessly, and decay.

——Just like the trolley problem.

Facing the oncoming tram, Su Ming'an's idea is to meet it with himself and die again and again. As long as he piles up enough bodies, the tram will stop.

But Noel thought, even if he stopped the tram once, so what? There would be a second tram, a third tram... The speed at which they piled up bodies might not be able to keep up with the speed at which new trams were sent out. So Noel would decisively leave the track, go to the end of the track, look for the person who sent the tram, and completely stop the new tram. The price was that since he did not stand in front of the first tram, the first tram might run over Zhai Xing who was tied to the track.

For Noel, the eternal law of utopia is greater than his hometown. For a pure, perfect, and eternal world, he chooses not to carry any more burdens and goes directly to a distant place to solve the root problem.

For Su Mingan, hometown is greater than the eternal law of utopia. He values ​​his hometown and old friends more than anything else. Even if it is a burden, he insists on carrying it on his back, even if it means falling into eternal reincarnation. As long as there is a little hope, he will choose to stay and protect this little spark.

Therefore, Noel is bound to take a completely opposite path from Su Mingan.

——Su Mingan can’t leave.

——Noel can’t stay.

Like two stars, they intersect for a brief moment, but will eventually slide into different orbits.

However, this moment of intersection may be the most shining moment in a long time, leaving an indelible mark on both stars.

Secret code, handover, rose cane, 33rd week, magician under the moonlight, long river, never-falling wild goose, golden sunflower.

From now on, everything is just this “moment”.

One is a realistic idealist.

One is a romantic idealist.

[Ideal], and [Ideal].

There is no difference, and there is no high or low.

No matter how strong the friendship, how deep the memories, or how far the connection across time and space is, they cannot cover up the independent and brilliant ideals.

——This is what they knew in their hearts from the beginning. Regarding ideals, Nuoer never lied to Su Mingan, and always spoke frankly——

……

【I want to embrace higher dimensions and the new world】.

……

Su Ming'an never raised any objection. He knew this very clearly and would never try to distort Noel's ideals.

Even though he knew that the sword of Damocles was bound to fall ahead, he still respected Noel.

The few attempts he made to retain her were just five sentences:
……

"Just break it off like this?"

……

——Noel. Have you found your resolution? Will you never look back?

……

"Then why don't you dare let me look into your eyes?"

……

——Noel. Are you pretending? Is there someone tempting you or invading you?
……

"In the snowstorm of the high-rise building in the ruined world, I looked back in the snowstorm and you once wished me a happy new year."

……

——Noel. Since you look calm, this is your decision from the bottom of your heart. Then can we cooperate, just like the last time in the ruins world? You can go to the new world, and I can help you, at least you don't have to be so decisive.

……

"Can you hold on a little longer? ... Noel Akinni."

……

——Noel, can we discuss this again?

……

"Can you hold on... a little longer?"

……

——……Noel.

……

"Whoa-whoa-whoa-"

The black water is surging.

Noel looked up, looked at the amethyst and blue birds in the sky, and opened his arms.

"It just so happens that there are some birds in this dream, so I'll perform for you one last time - remember? I once said that I can do 'Hundred Birds Pay Homage to the Phoenix'. As long as I strike a pose, the birds will fly towards me." Noel looked at these magnificent birds in the dream, his eyes trembling, but his pupils were bright. He opened his arms as if holding up the sun, and laughed loudly:

"bring it on."

"Come and fly to... the new world, adventurer."

……

[Here is near the Bird Park. Noel took a few steps, staring at the thousands of birds flying in the sky. He raised his hands and tried to perform "A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix", trying to make all the birds circle around him.]

[“Su Ming’an, I once succeeded in ‘A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix’ in Yu Country. At that time, all the birds flew by my side. Today I will open your eyes!” Noel raised his hand with force, twisting his fingers into a strange shape, as if holding up the sun, and shouted with a smile:]

[“——Come on! Adventurers, fly to the new world!”]

……

"——Come on! Adventurers, come and fly to the new world!"

"Pfft!"

Black water rose.

The adventurer from the new world slowly fell down, and his bright red blood dyed the water around him red.

There were five huge holes on his back, and the scarlet claws pierced through his back and emerged from his chest, flashing a cold light.

He still maintained the posture of "Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix", with his arms outstretched as if holding up the sun.

Indeed, there were quite a few gorgeous amethyst-colored birds flying low.

——really flew towards him.

"Swish, swish."

The bird feathers, as beautiful as crystals, fluttered down towards him like a magenta and lavender snow. What a beautiful picture.

Feathers fell on his forehead, cheeks, bloody mouth, and open chest... one by one, they slid down his body like flowing star-like lights.

The "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" that failed to perform during festivals in the past was a success here. Even Noel himself could not have imagined that the birds here were really stupid.

There was no real "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix"; it was just a joke he made to amuse his teammates. It actually came true. It seemed like today was his lucky day...

"Cough...!" Noel coughed up a mouthful of blood and slowly turned around. Su Mingan was standing behind him with an expressionless face, and the scarlet claws of his left hand pierced Noel's body.

Bright red fingertips extended from Noel's chest, grasping a heart that looked like a red apple.

In Su Mingan's impression, Noel always seemed to be smiling.

A smile with curled lips, a hearty laugh, a pursed smile, a smile, a smile secretly covering the mouth... The cheerful and optimistic adventurer seems to only see colors and smiles to everyone he meets.

But how could there be only one expression in this world?

At this moment he saw a slightly new smile gradually appearing on Noel's face.

Very bitter, yet full of rewards.

"...Sure enough." Noel coughed up blood again and gradually fell into the water. Su Mingan also squatted down and continued to move his hand through Noel's heart.

When their sights converged, the pair of blue eyes dimmed little by little, like a blue star gradually losing its heat and about to fall into the vast universe.

The boy's voice was filled with pain:
"…You did the right thing, you really should have done that…"

……

"Pfft."

When I took my hand back, it was quiet in my ears.

Su Mingan crushed Noel's heart and everything became silent.

It wasn't a difficult decision.

Even though he felt extreme pain, after thinking rationally, Su Ming'an immediately killed Noel.

First, if Noel was coerced, this would help Noel get rid of the coercion. Second, if Noel was willing, then Noel would kill Su Mingan in exchange for the opportunity to upgrade, so Su Mingan might as well strike first. They all had this awareness in their hearts. Third, if Noel had a hidden secret and was pretending to betray but was actually an undercover agent, then Noel must have thought of countermeasures when Su Mingan killed him.

So, after considering all the circumstances, Su Mingan took action while Noel was performing the "Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix".

He didn't expect it to go so smoothly.

At the moment his heart broke, Su Mingan's palms felt extremely warm, as if he had crushed a silent star.

Noel's warmth remained on his fingertips, but in just a moment, the life was gone.

The image of the Seventh Seat slowly faded away. Noel’s death prevented Him from coming here.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa-"

The body of the blond boy lay in the floating black water, as light as a phoenix feather, his hair swaying in the water, connected to the scattered starlight.

Su Ming'an closed his eyes and subconsciously wanted to put the heart in his hand away and put it in the compartment of his backpack, but after a moment, he frowned, squatted down, slowly pulled apart the rotten flesh on the boy's chest, and stuffed the heart back into the boy's chest.

The blue-red heart lay in the chest cavity, no longer beating, and very quiet.

Su Mingan withdrew his hand silently.

This is not his thing.

This is not his collection.

What belongs to an individual should be returned to that individual. Whoever's heart belongs to should return to that person's chest. They are not his property. Everyone has the right to pursue. He should have understood this long ago.

He was the one who clung to the anchor point tightly, so when the critical moment came, he exposed such obvious gaffes and collapse.

It was him who was wrong.

He should have let it go long ago.

He had thought he was no longer an island.

But he forgot the sentence "Travelers see each other across their boats" - in essence, the travelers are still on different boats, they have never come together and never sat on the same boat.

He also forgot the phrase “An island is no longer lonely” - in essence, the islands have just cleared the fog and can see each other from afar, but they are still independent islands.

He forgot too much and ignored too much.

To the point of loneliness.

To the point of pain.

……

[“When you wake up, we will play together for three days and celebrate the New Year together. I have prepared many interesting activities and want to share them with you... We will make dumplings, cook New Year's Eve dinner, play board games, and watch weddings. Bring Lin Yin, Yamada, and Luna, and we will be together.” Nuoer held Su Mingan's hand and pressed his own heart. ]

[It's still beating there.]

[He is still smiling.]

"I won't die."

【"I promise."】

……

Su Ming'an stuffed Noel's heart and looked at Noel's bloodless face.

Those blue eyes had lost the purity of the sky and the warmth of the ocean, leaving only the calmness that belonged to death itself, looking at him calmly.

Death is always quiet.

After a moment, Su Mingan coughed to confirm that his throat was still able to make sounds.

Tearing open the dry lips, tearing some bloody skin, letting the sound flow out.

Picked up the books Noel left behind after his death.

Like background music for reading.

Slowly, humming:

……

""

“I am so afraid that revolutionaries will lose their faith and creators will abandon their shining pride.”

“I’m so afraid that children will forget their dreams and the bluebird will not want to fly here…”

……

Prepare for the exam, prepare to finish the manuscript, and take a two or three day break