This time, it is no exception.
He could have just walked away and simplified the complex problem, and that was what he had originally thought.
But now it came to him that he couldn't do it.
Lu Mian finally turned around.
But under the dim light, Otto collapsed on the ground in front of the bed, his golden hair disheveled and his narrow eyes wide open.
Seeing Lu Mian turning around, he stretched out his hand in the direction of the former.
But now Otto was hit by Yu Duchen. Even if he broke free, he couldn't find the strength to control his facial muscles, so how could he stretch out his hands?
The outstretched arm fell to the ground before it reached halfway in the air.
Even so, he still stubbornly reached forward inch by inch with his hands.
Even if the face is stiff and distorted as if it will fall apart in the next second;
Even though he looked miserable and humbled as hell, he still didn't have even the slightest thought of giving up.
Like a death row prisoner in shackles, struggling to reach out to the light.
however.
Why…why?
——Why is everything still so far away!?
Lu Mian looked speechlessly at Otto, who was still extending his hand to him even though his body was covered in dust, and opened his mouth to say something.
But he suddenly raised his chin, glanced at the ceiling, and blinked hard a few times.
He suppressed the surging emotions in his heart and let his eyes and brows become gentle again and again.
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
After three full seconds, Lu Mian locked his gaze on Otto again, and at the same time took a step, hurrying back to Otto.
He helped Otto up and gently brushed the dust off his body.
Otto took the opportunity to grab Lu Mian's collar tightly. Even though he was so weak that he could only lean on Lu Mian, he did not let go at all - it was as if a person in the lightless hell grabbed the rope to heaven, just like grabbing hope.
The emerald glass-like eyes were half-open, with a trace of blood-colored "cracks" spreading between them, directly contrasting with the ink-like pupils.
"Don't leave me." As he spoke, Otto's eyes dimmed, like a pearl covered with dust, and he was about to close his eyes again.
At this moment, his eyes suddenly widened again, as if he was going to tear his eyes apart, "Whatever you ask me to do, don't leave me alone, don't abandon me, don't give up on me...
"If you like good kids, then I will try to be a good kid; if you like bad kids, then I will try to be a bad kid; if neither of them can satisfy you, then I will just be your child."
Don't leave me!
Don't leave me.
Don't leave me...
The only thing is——never do that!!!
[Otto, who has lost all his strength and wisdom, looks at you and begs you not to leave him.]
[Like a little lion that has lost its fangs.]
[But in your eyes right now, he is more like a poor kid who lost both his biological parents in a short period of time.]
Lu Mian hugged Otto and patted his back gently, "I never wanted to leave you or Karin. I just wanted to bring you a brighter new world."
The sound is gentle, like a breeze blowing in the drizzle in midsummer.
But when it fell into Otto's ears, it became the thunder in the rain. His voice was hoarse, mixed with madness and indifference:
"I don't want any new world! I want you, I want you to stay by my side forever."
As he finished speaking, his brain, which had been dulled by Yu Duchen, suddenly paused, and an idea suddenly came to his mind.
He looked at Lu Mian again and saw that his smile was still warm and his eyebrows were as gentle as before, but he saw something in it that he had never seen before:
Deep reluctance, heavy death...? !
Instantly, Otto felt a chill running up his spine and reaching the back of his head.
[You look at Otto, still smiling.]
[But there is clearly a hint of helplessness in this smile. ]
[Even in this state, Otto can still guess your current physical condition. ]
【Good news: He is as smart as you thought. 】
[Bad news: He's as smart as you thought.]
【That's all...】
[Now that things have come to this, there is no need to hide it any longer. ]
Lu Mian hugged Otto and spoke word by word:
"I don't have much time left. Let me use the remaining time to do something for you and Kallen."
Hearing this, Otto's already extremely dim eyes lost the last bit of luster.
As if all the remaining strength in his body was drained away in an instant, he gripped Lu Mian's collar so tightly that his fingertips, which were red and swollen, were unable to let go. His hands slid down and hung on both sides of his body.
After losing the last bit of support from his entire body, Otto's body tilted forward, with his smooth forehead resting directly on Lu Mian's chest.
In his blurred vision, it seemed that the only things left were his legs—legs that were bent but still able to stand.
He collapsed, but there were no tears in his eyes. He only let out a few broken breaths from between his teeth and cried silently.
He didn't even have the strength to hit himself, "Ah... Damn it, I deserve to die, I really deserve to die..."
Who is Otto Apokalis?
[Answer: The most intelligent person in the current civilization.]
[Even though you didn't reveal much to Otto, even though he's not very smart now.]
[But he can guess why you have come to this point today. ]
【He and Kallen. 】
[Instantly, the world in his eyes collapsed, completely.]
Lu Mian lowered his head and looked at Otto. He couldn't see the other person's expression, but he knew that his mind was broken and he could no longer resist Yu Duchen's influence.
But he still cherishes it very much, without any less:
"Lu Mian, Lu Mian, life is like sleep, an empty dream. Perhaps the word 'love' is too empty, or perhaps words are always less important than actions.
"But I still want to tell you: Otto, it is because of meeting you and Kallen that I have truly found the meaning of my existence. This 'big dream' has become worthy of praise. I have no regrets."
[When you finished speaking, you realized that Otto had closed his eyes. ]
[Fifteen minutes and twenty seconds. He lasted a full fifteen minutes and twenty seconds, relying only on his mortal flesh and blood.]
【Did he hear what you said clearly? 】
【you do not know......】
[You carried Otto to the bed again, took care of everything for him again, and sighed softly after a long moment of melancholy.]
[If, if you are a woman, then what you just said can be simply summed up as "I love you." ]
[But you are a man, and so is Otto.]
[From the moment you truly realized that Otto had grown up, you stopped hugging him, not to mention cuddling him, even patting his head was forced upon you.]
【This is the respect between men. 】
[Similarly, you can say many things to Otto when he grows up, but you can't say the word "love" at all.]
[Because this word, which is as gentle and soft as water, is extremely inappropriate to be placed between two men. ]
[Besides that, it’s also because you’ve already broken this word apart, crushed it, and hidden it in every action of yours.]
【If I say anything more, it will be redundant. 】
Chapter 28 I Regret
Lu Mian walked confidently into the Tianming Death Row, and then used Yu Duchen to control all the jailers there.
The power of Xukong Wanzang is amazing, isn’t it?
After doing all this, he finally found Karen by leaning against the wall.
This was the first time the two met since the "trial".
Lu Mian watched from across the threshold. The white-haired girl looked like a wounded crane—she had lost her former confidence and radiance, but she still held on to all her beauty.
He carefully adjusted his breathing and physical condition, walked through the solid iron railings to Karen, and then revealed his figure.
"You're here." Karin didn't seem surprised that Lu Mian suddenly appeared beside her. She was not surprised at all. Instead, she smiled at him.
The light does not illuminate the way coming, and the darkness swallows up the way back.
Being in such a place, she was extremely proud, as if this was not a death row, but the palace where the brave man lived after slaying the devil, and the hall of glory where the savior enjoyed after saving the world.
Lu Mian did not respond, but shook the half bottle of wine in his hand and said frivolously:
"Whose girl is so beautiful? Come and have a drink with me."
Kallen, who had never seen him like this, raised her eyebrows slightly, her smile seemed to be brighter than before, but she did not accept the invitation:
"Otto should have told you my thoughts. No need to persuade me."
Hearing this, Lu Mian smiled calmly, and was also very kind and gentle, "If you don't drink with me, I'll go now."
After saying this, he didn't care whether Karen agreed or not. He just prepared a pair of golden goblets just like he did with Otto, handed one to Karen and kept the other for himself.
Karin stared at the goblet in her hand in silence, her eyes shining. She wanted to say something but was interrupted by Lu Mian pouring the wine.
"Thinking about it carefully, we have never drunk together, nor have we had a good chat together. I don't advise you to talk about love, right?" As he said this, Lu Mian put the bottle of wine on the ground and gently touched the glass in Karen's hand with the glass in his hand.
Karin looked at the bottle of very familiar red wine on the ground, then looked at Lu Mian who was smiling gently, and finally couldn't bear to refuse.
The rich and clear wine filled the golden cup, creating a few ripples.
She put the cup to her lips and took a small sip.
Seeing this, Lu Mian nodded with satisfaction and took a sip as well.
Just like that, they sat side by side, tasting wine and quietly enjoying this extremely rare and precious time alone for both of them.
After a long while, Lu Mian turned his head to look at Karen's flawless profile and asked casually:
"I'm actually very curious about how you found out about my physical condition. Can you tell me?"
"You've been with Otto and me for more than ten years, and you haven't even coughed or breathed hard, let alone coughed. How could you be choked by a little dust? I had already vaguely noticed it at that time.
"It wasn't until I saw you sweating profusely while climbing a mountain that I was truly convinced of my guess."
After saying that, Kallen turned her eyes to the cup in her hand, but didn't drink from it, just held it.
A few rays of moonlight slanted in from the vent and fell into the cup, forming a barely usable mirror - the woman in the mirror couldn't help feeling a little proud.
Lu Mian looked at the smug Karin and didn't know whether he should be relieved or helpless. In the end, he just smiled.
[Good news: This silly girl, Karen, is not stupid. ]
[Bad news: This silly girl, Karen, is not stupid. ]
When Karin looked at the smiling Lu Mian, her original pride disappeared without a trace, leaving only a strong attachment and reluctance.
"I, I don't want to pursue any ideals anymore. Just let me be selfish for once, okay? Just leave me alone. No matter what, I don't want to watch you..."
In the end, she couldn't help herself and talked about the serious matters that she had previously avoided.
In response, Lu Mian kept smiling, and pointed his fingers like a sword at Kallen's forehead.
"Silly girl, did I raise you and Otto just to see you die before me?
"Besides, there are some things I don't do not because it will allow me to live a few more days, but simply because I want to see you a little longer.
"I'm going to die anyway, so I might as well burn my body to light a way forward for you."
Hearing him say this, Kallen was stunned, but suddenly remembered the day many years ago when her father launched the "Heavenly Fire".
