1.

Wen Xingze realized that he was in a dream.

This was a bizarre dream, and everything in reality was presented before his eyes in a grotesque and dramatic way - this was a nightmare, Wen Xingze quickly realized it.

In the past twenty years of his life, nightmares were a frequent visitor at night. Wen Xingze always had bad luck, and even in his dreams, it was difficult for him to experience anything good.

Although the parents didn't say it, Wen Xingze could guess that "Cub Development Plan" must have krypton gold items such as "Dream Card" and "Sleep Quality Improvement Card".

Wen Xingze hasn't had a nightmare for almost a year.

In this long-awaited nightmare, Wen Xingze witnessed the end of the world, the collapse of mountains and the cracking of the earth, and the engulfment of the world in a raging sea of ​​fire. In his dream, Wen Xingze transformed into a weak and helpless child, huddled in a corner, clutching his guardian angel doll.

The flames grew stronger and stronger, quickly spreading to his surroundings. The suddenly rising flames, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, scorched his fingertips. At this moment, the giant dragon doll in Wen Xingze's arms angrily leaped toward the flames, attempting to protect him. It seemed to be bravely battling the flames, but in an instant it was engulfed. Then came the vampire doll, the elf doll...

...Don't go.

Wen Xingze wanted to speak, but his throat seemed to be blocked by a wet cloth, making it impossible for him to breathe or speak. Something felt heavy in his chest.

His eyes were sore and painful, and his heart felt like it was torn and broken, but he couldn't shed a single tear.

The puppets' struggle was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. Soon the flames flared up again, about to engulf Wen Xingze. But at this moment, another person stood in front of him.

It was an abandoned bionic man, with broken cables and parts in the crook of his arm emitting crackling sparks.

The bionic man awkwardly hugged Wen Xingze, and it was Chi Yan's intermittent voice that spoke in Wen Xingze's ear:

"...There's no way, everything...will disappear...and you'll be left alone...to spend..."

"Xiao Ze...I can't bear to leave."

"I can't bear to do that."

What are you reluctant to give up?

Before Wen Xingze could even ask the question, the android collapsed into a pile of gravel before him. At the same time, a beeping sound like an alarm reached his ears:

"drop--"

“Drip, drip—”

“Drip, drip…”

The life-threatening ringing of the alarm clock coincided with the alarm sound in the dream.

On the bed, Wen Xingze frowned tightly. He fumbled around on the bedside table for a long time before finally turning off the alarm. Then he buried his head in the pillow, covering his ears with it, and curled up like an ostrich.

Soon, Wen Xingze gave up the idea of ​​staying in bed.

It rained heavily last night and no one watered the daisies on the windowsill. Only one bud was left, drooping dejectedly in the corner.

The electronic calendar on the desk shows the time: July 29, 8:00 a.m.

Wen Xingze sat on the bed for a moment to regain consciousness, his hair sticking out in disarray and his eyes blank. Half a minute later, he slipped on his slippers and went to wash up.

His face was reflected in the mirror. Wen Xingze yawned and saw that he looked listless in the mirror, not like he had just woken up, but like he had just escaped.

"Why is there an alarm clock this morning?" Wen Xingze was also convinced. He had never been woken up by an alarm clock in the entire month. It was always that bird... By the way, the silver bird didn't come today.

Wen Xingze glanced out the window and made sure that he hadn't come.

Maybe it had given up and wouldn't bother him again, Wen Xingze thought optimistically. The bad mood from being visited by the nightmare finally dissipated a little.

That was a terrible nightmare.

What had happened in that dream? What had happened in that nightmare? Wen Xingze soon realized that all he remembered was the burning sensation and the sadness he felt at the time.

Dreams are like this, castles in the air built with a pile of sand, which are swallowed up by the deep blue and cold ocean when the tide rises, and nothing is left.

The phone rang and Wen Xingze picked it up. It was Jiang Ye.

Every main creator of "Dust Planet" called Wen Xingze last night. Jiang Ye probably guessed this, so he didn't disturb him last night, but called him this morning.

"You're amazing! I guessed that 'Dust Planet' would be nominated for so many awards, but I didn't expect it..." The joy and congratulations in Jiang Ye's tone were unquestionable. She was really happy - this was because Jiang Ye had been through a lot. If anyone else had been Wen Xingze's agent, they would probably be so happy that they wouldn't know when the day was.

"The whole country... no, the whole world was talking about you last night."

Discuss this young but late bloomer Chinese actor.

Perhaps because he had already enjoyed himself last night, Wen Xingze was absent-mindedly listening to Jiang Ye's words, not feeling particularly excited. He walked out of the room while listening, and habitually said towards the kitchen: "Teacher Chi, I don't need to overcook my fried eggs today..."

The kitchen was very quiet and deserted without a trace of life.

Chi Yan didn’t get up?

No, Wen Xingze remembered falling asleep in someone's arms last night, but when he woke up, he was alone. In other words, Chi Yan hadn't come back? Wen Xingze shook his head, thinking it was a bit odd, but Chi Yan often encountered various emergencies, so Wen Xingze didn't think much of it.

Today was Thursday, and Soran was supposed to be here. Wen Xingze turned on the TV to the morning news and suddenly realized that the sofa was empty.

Soran didn't come either.

Wen Xingze stopped.

He thought for a moment, went to the door to get the newspaper and put it in front of the microwave. But the microwave seemed to have frozen. The newspaper did not flutter in the wind, and the microwave did not make the clumsy, stumbling, mechanical sound it used to.

Wen Xingze stood in the middle of the living room. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows was a city that looked like a forest of steel bars. The sky was gray, and a rainstorm seemed to be brewing.

The housekeeper also took leave, and the entire huge duplex was so empty and quiet that it was a little eerie.

A bit abnormal.

“…”

"You have to come to the company today," Jiang Ye's voice on the other end of the phone brought Wen Xingze back to reality. Jiang Ye said, "The awards ceremony will be next month. There will be no announcements next month. You should have a good rest, but you still have to accept necessary interviews."

Wen Xingze's award is not just his own business. It is no exaggeration to say that the whole country is paying attention to his every move.

Wen Xingze: “…Hmm…”

Since no one made breakfast, Wen Xingze had to get eggs from the refrigerator himself. He hadn't cooked for a long time and almost got his face splashed with oil when he was frying the eggs.

Not only did Soran not show up, but the robot parents also didn't read the newspaper through the microwave. Was they busy with something? Or had I done something to upset them?

Wen Xingze had a strange and absurd ominous premonition in his heart that came out of nowhere.

There was an interview with official media today, but Wen Xingze was distracted the whole day. Perhaps the reporter noticed that he was not in a good state, so he kindly asked some simple questions and let him go.

"Are you okay? Do you have a cold?" Jiang Ye rarely saw Wen Xingze look so listless, and he felt uncomfortable. "Go back and lie down. Ask your teacher Chi to make you some soup."

Wen Xingze wanted to say something, but in the end he didn't say it. After a moment, he said, "Yeah."

Jiang Ye hesitated to speak and waved him back.

Sitting in the empty house again, Wen Xingze lay on the sofa for a long time before opening WeChat. The dragon parents' group, which was usually bustling at this time and filled with dragons asking about their well-being, was now silent.

Wen Xingze tried to send a WeChat message: [What happened today? I can’t contact you all, I’m very worried...] and then added an emoticon.

No response.

Wen Xingze directly dialed the WeChat number: "Aster... please, answer the phone."

The 'beep' sound became longer and longer.

The anticipation that had been igniting in Wen Xingze's heart gradually cooled, and finally the call interface was disconnected, with a line of small gray text appearing in the chat box saying "Voice call has ended."

This is definitely not normal!

Wen Xingze stood up immediately. Even if the parents were angry with him for something, it was impossible for them to just ignore the situation like this.

It's as if... because of something, the connection between that universe and this universe has been completely severed.

Suddenly remembering something, he breathed faster, unlocked the screen, and said to his phone very quickly: "Hey, Siri."

The phone screen lit up and Siri's voice said, "I'm here. How can I help you?"

"I need a wishing spirit," Wen Xingze said, "Can you wake him up?"

The Wishing Elf is designed to fulfill all of Wen Xingze's wishes. Even if his parents are busy, the Wishing Elf can still answer him! Even if the worst happens, what if the dwarfs' technological level can bridge this gap?

Wen Xingze's anticipation rekindled.

Siri doesn't speak, and the circle behind it keeps spinning to indicate that it is loading.

Wen Xingze held his breath and waited... Three seconds later, Siri answered him: "Sorry, I didn't understand your question. Try asking it this way:..."

Wen Xingze: “…”

Wen Xingze threw himself into the sofa, buried his head in the pillow and said nothing.

From nine o'clock last night until now... it has been almost twenty-four hours. Wen Xingze has never experienced such a long time without being able to contact the parents of the Muse Empire.

And I can’t get through to Teacher Chi on the phone.

Wen Xingze's uneasiness grew stronger and stronger because he soon discovered that the mustard seed space could not be opened.

There are oceans and snow-capped mountains in his mustard seed space, where he can meet with his parents. In the past, he could open the mustard seed space whenever he wanted, but now he can't open it at all.

It's as if... it never existed.

The same thing happened to the globe and pocket watch given to him by his robot parents: the globe became an ordinary globe, and no matter how he adjusted the pocket watch, he could not go to the past or the future.

Everything failed.

Just like in the story of Cinderella, the magic disappears after midnight and the pumpkin carriage turns back into an ugly and ridiculous giant pumpkin.

"Is this some kind of prank?" Wen Xingze murmured.

The internet was flooded with all kinds of discussions, compliments, praises, and even a bit of sour jealousy and speculation about him, but Wen Xingze couldn't concentrate on reading them at all.

It was gradually getting dark, but Wen Xingze didn't turn on the lights, and the uneasiness in his heart reached its peak.

No, there must be some way.

Wen Xingze recalled the ominous nightmare he had last night. He suddenly felt as if the air was a little thin.

It was as if there was an invisible transparent wall blocking his way, and he couldn't even stretch out his hand.

Suddenly, Wen Xingze had an idea.

"...The vampire clan's butler!" Wen Xingze jumped up from the sofa and dialed a number. "Hello? Hello, I'm Wen Xingze..."

The vampire patriarch gave him an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, and that island is still managed by a vampire steward. He must know something.

The call was connected quickly after it was dialed.

"Hello, Mr. Wen."

Wen Xingze: "Hello! I want to ask about Lilith and the others. I can't contact them..."

The person on the other end of the phone politely did not interrupt, but listened quietly to everything that was said.

After Wen Xingze finished speaking, just as a glimmer of hope was about to ignite, he heard the confused but polite voice of the butler over there: "I'm sorry, Mr. Wen, I don't know what you are talking about. This island is indeed in your name, but I don't know the donor, and I have never seen you or the person you are talking about... uh, Prince Lilith, Prince Soran..."

Wen Xingze only then realized that the voice on the other end of the phone was unfamiliar. It was not the vampire butler he used to be.

Wen Xingze didn't know what kind of mood he was in when he hung up the phone.

Throughout the rest of the night, he made countless phone calls, asking people at the Manly Hotel, asking the staff of the "Fantasy Cruise" program, and even wanted to call Xu Baijing if there was no phone number... but the answers he got were all blank without exception.

All traces of the existence of the parents of the Muse Empire in this world seemed to have been wiped away by an invisible hand.

But they did exist.

Wen Xingze clenched his pocket watch. There was a small pot of tomatoes and raspberry wine sent by the orc parents yesterday in the living room. Wen Xingze could be sure of this.

It was already very late at night, and the boundless and silent night was closing in on Wen Xingze, trying to crush him.

Wen Xingze curled up on the sofa. After trying everything he could think of, there was only one way left. If this didn't work... then he really didn't know what to do.

Wen Xingze rarely feared anything, but at this moment he felt a deep and strong fear.

The clock hand on the wall moves to twelve o'clock.

Wen Xingze took a deep breath and finally decided to reach for that last straw. He opened the app on his phone, "Desolate: The King's Awakening," which he hadn't logged into in a long time.

As soon as he logged in, he was prompted to update, and Wen Xingze immediately agreed. In the few seconds it took for the update to download, he broke out in a cold sweat, his heart rate completely erratic.

Finally the update package has been downloaded... The game is loading... Loading completed!

Wen Xingze clicked in immediately.

The game interface was not entered, the entire screen was black, and after a moment a message popped up:

【Hello, dear baby! 】

[Because you've reached the normal ending of the collaborative game "Child Development Plan," as a game reward, the eight race filters have been activated and your acting skill tree has been upgraded to the maximum level. Filters, skills, and assets under your name can still be used normally.]

Starting at 9:00 PM (GMT+8) on July 28, 2021, the [Reverse Cub Raising] feature will be officially deactivated indefinitely. Thank you for your hard work and dedication during this time. We hope to see you again!

“…”

Click.

The last straw broke.

After reading those three lines of words over and over again, Wen Xingze's mind was left blank.

2.

A month later, Los Angeles.

In early September, rare torrential rains lashed California, grounding all flights. The extreme hurricane-level downpours even caused brief power outages. The TV was showing footage related to the Academy Awards ceremony tomorrow night: at Los Angeles International Airport, a sea of ​​people lined the sky, with countless enthusiastic fans holding placards welcoming the star of "Dust Planet."

Despite being nominated for twelve Oscars, "The Dust Planet," which opened worldwide last month, was unexpectedly a box office success. After all, many good films suffer from the awkward dilemma of being too highbrow for the masses.

In fact, the box office of "Dust Planet" is not only good, it is simply explosive. Not only has it broken several records, but it has also attracted a large number of fanatical fans for the leading actor who was still unknown last year. It just happened to coincide with the Oscars this month... It is no exaggeration to say that eight out of ten entertainment news this month are related to "Dust Planet" or Wen Xingze.

"Ahhh! Look here, look here, Aze, we love you!!!" "God, he's looking at me!!"

"Congratulations on winning the award—"

The arrival exit for international flights was jammed with traffic, and the screams of fans seemed to be about to blow the ceiling of the terminal off.

"Even the weather is terrible today, it still can't dampen the fans' enthusiasm," a reporter in a yellow raincoat quipped as a storm raged outside the airport. "It's a shame that the supporting actor from 'Dust Planet,' the award-winning actor Chi Yanchi, can't be in attendance. Oh my goodness, otherwise the crowd would have tripled... Oh, he's approaching! Mr. Wen! Look here!"

What’s amazing is that among so many cameras shooting right at the person’s face, the person in the camera actually raised his eyes slightly and glanced over here.

Wen Xingze wore a raincoat, his figure slender. He also pulled up his hat and wore a mask. He was escorted by bodyguards and assistants as he walked out through a dedicated passage.

His eyelashes are very long and beautiful, his pupils are clear amber, and the ochre teardrop mole at the end of his eye, which has been praised by many magazines, has just the right amount of tiredness.

Looks listless.

But it's still surprisingly beautiful.

The reporters and countless viewers were immediately shocked, and the surrounding cheers grew louder and louder! This enthusiastic welcome continued until the figure completely disappeared at the end of the dedicated passageway...

Inside the car.

Jiang Ye closed the news interface and sighed.

"Los Angeles has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain, and all flights have been grounded. I'm not sure if tomorrow's awards ceremony will have to be postponed," Jiang Ye paused and said, "You shouldn't worry about anything else. Just stay here and receive the award. Do you want me to make an appointment with a psychologist for you?"

"Look at you now. You've achieved your long-held goal. You have so many fans and you're rich. What else are you dissatisfied with?"

Jiang Ye couldn't figure it out.

Wen Xingze looked out the window, pursed his lips, and said nothing. His profile looked calm, yet with a hint of resistance and distance.

He seemed to be separated from the world by a distance that no one could cross.

The car windows were blurred by rain.

"..." Jiang Ye sighed deeply, "Forget it, I'll meet with the crew of 'Dust Planet' later, and let Director Li persuade you."

She didn't know what happened a month ago, but from that day on, Wen Xingze was no longer the same as before.

For the entire month, Jiang Ye had no idea what Wen Xingze was doing. He often had to go somewhere urgently, and more often than not, he would lock himself in his house for entire days and nights without sleeping. Furthermore, despite being nominated for an Oscar, Wen Xingze rarely smiled and didn't look happy at all. This was completely different from before.

Jiang Ye was really worried about him.

Jiang Ye also tried to ask him, but he simply said, "I'm worried because I can't contact my family." Jiang Ye thought that things must be more complicated than that... She was worried that Wen Xingze was suffering from depression. Isn't it said that geniuses like them are prone to psychological problems?

And it's normal to feel pressure when being nominated for an Oscar at such a young age.

Because apart from this, there is no other reason to explain Wen Xingze's abnormality. In Jiang Ye's opinion, Wen Xingze's life has not changed at all - although he said that he could not contact his family, Wen Xingze seemed to be from a single-parent family and had severed ties with his mother a long time ago.

As for Wen Xingze saying that his family was in another universe... that was even more like nonsense. Jiang Ye thought it was just a sequelae of him not yet completely getting out of the role from filming "Dust Planet".

Jiang Ye had no choice but to hand this hot potato to Li Mingzhou. Tonight was the long-awaited reunion of the "Dust Planet" crew, and almost all the main creators were there to attend the awards ceremony.

"Director Li, this is what happened," Jiang Ye explained the situation to Li Mingzhou that night. "I'd like you to enlighten this child."

Li Mingzhou was very confident and patted his chest and said, "Don't worry, leave it to me."

Li Mingzhou held a glass of champagne in his hand, walked towards Wen Xingze with a heroic and confident look, and started chatting with Wen Xingze.

In the first five minutes, Li Mingzhou tried to persuade Wen Xingze.

For the next five minutes, Li Mingzhou and Wen Xingze had a pleasant conversation.

After ten minutes, Li Mingzhou fell silent after hearing what Wen Xingze said, and then the conversation began to reverse...

Jiang Ye: “?”

Twenty minutes later, Li Mingzhou drank the champagne in one gulp. His eyes were red and he walked towards Jiang Ye with a distressed look on his face. "Xiao Wenguo has had a really hard time. I feel bad for him... I support him in giving up everything and doing what he wants to do."

Jiang Ye: “???”

Jiang Ye took out his phone: "I should make an appointment with a psychologist for him."

"..." Li Mingzhou said, "Please help me make an appointment too."

After dinner.

Wen Xingze said goodbye to the main creative members of "Dust Planet" and planned to leave.

The hotel corridors were covered in thick, dark red carpets, and the crystal chandeliers on the ceiling shone brilliantly. The restaurant was bustling, but Wen Xingze needed a quiet environment. He didn't stay in a hotel because his mermaid parents also owned property in Los Angeles.

——He needs a lot of time alone, which will make his thinking clearer and easier to recall more useful details.

However, contrary to his wishes, Jiang Ye forcibly stopped him halfway through the journey: "Xiao Wen, why don't you meet this psychologist? She's a well-known psychologist in the field and has a very high professional ethics... maybe she can give you some inspiration."

Wen Xingze looked confused and tilted his head slightly to look at Jiang Ye: "But I am mentally healthy."

"You're..." You're delusional! Every day you're obsessed with finding those imaginary 'empires' and 'parents', and you refuse to listen to any advice. How can this be called mental health?!

Jiang Ye really wanted to say this, but he swallowed it back and said, "Please."

Jiang Ye is not only Wen Xingze's agent and benefactor, but also a well-known senior in the industry. She has said so much, and even if Wen Xingze really doesn't want to, it is not easy for him to continue to refuse.

And Jiang Ye was doing this for his own good. Wen Xingze was very grateful for that.

Looking at Jiang Ye, Wen Xingze really couldn't say no anymore, so he could only say: "...Okay, I'm free tonight."

Jiang Ye felt relieved.

So on this stormy night, the car carrying Wen Xingze quietly turned and stopped in front of a psychological clinic.

Psychologist Janice is indeed a famous doctor and a visiting professor in the psychology department of a prestigious university. She is also very rigorous and secretive in her work style. It is said that she was once the personal psychologist of a wealthy man on the Forbes list.

The décor of the Psychological Clinic was remarkably warm, with green plants on the windowsill and a floral fabric sofa topped with dolls. Unlike the howling wind and rain outside, this clinic felt like a secluded haven of peace and tranquility.

"Hello, Mr. Wen. I've heard a lot about you." Janice looked to be in her fifties, a kind, white lady. Her smile gave people a very approachable feeling. "Can you give my nurse an autograph later?"

She received a call from Jiang Ye in advance. Because of Wen Xingze's special identity, the entire clinic had been cleared in advance, leaving only her and a young nurse as her assistant.

Wen Xingze nodded: "Of course."

The young nurse prepared warm water for the guests, closed the door and went out with a red face.

Janice took a sip of the water, crossed her fingers, and said, "Well, let's talk."

"Are you sure you want to listen?" Wen Xingze was not opposed to talking about these things with others. Moreover, he had talked about these things with many people in this short month, but no one believed him.

Janice's expression was gentle, and she looked at him with the tolerance that only an elder could give. "Of course, I'm a good listener. They all say so. Please go ahead."

Wen Xingze nodded.

Outside the window, there was heavy rain, thunder and lightning, and Janice lit a dim night light on the table.

Wen Xingze took a deep breath and said, "Three years ago, I downloaded a game called 'Desolation: King's Awakening'..."

Wen Xingze's narrative perspective is very objective and his tone is calm, as if he is telling the story from the perspective of an observer.

As she herself said, Janice was a good listener and never raised a single question throughout the whole process.

"...I have completely lost contact with that universe, and until now, I am still looking for them." After Wen Xingze said this, he fell silent.

Janice: “…”

The room was quiet, with only the sound of wind and rain outside the window, which made the windows rattle.

Parallel universe, light tower, bionic people, dragons, vampires, mermaids...

Janice maintained a polite smile and tilted her head after a moment. "Very exciting, full of twists and turns. Is it a novel or a movie?"

She had come across this type of patient before. Many geniuses in various fields had some similar stories, but Wen Xingze was the first one to have such rigorous logic and to describe his fantasies with such precision, including details and dates.

Wen Xingze was not surprised at all, knowing that she wouldn't believe it: "No. It's all true."

He spent a lot of time this month sorting out everything that happened in the past year, without missing any details.

Because...what if these details contain clues for him to find his parents again?

"I see." Janice nodded, holding a pen and writing a few lines in the medical record. Then she asked, "How long have your symptoms—no, experience—lasted?"

Wen Xingze: "One year and fifteen days... and six hours, thirty-one minutes." He glanced at the clock on the wall.

"OK."

Janice picked up the medical record again and wrote something on it.

“…” Wen Xingze wanted to leave.

Of course, he had a way to prove to Janice that every word he said was true, because the filters and skill points left to him by the "Cub Development Program" could still be used, but that would be meaningless.

What if Janice believed it? What if everyone in the world believed it? Would his parents and his lover come back?

It's just a waste of time.

"I'm not delusional," Wen Xingze finished the water in his glass, signed his name on the napkin and said, "I'm sorry to bother you tonight. If you don't mind, I'll go back first--"

"Mr. Wen."

Janice called to him from behind.

The rain outside the window gradually got heavier. Janice smiled and said:

"Even if it's true, so what?"

Wen Xingze stopped and said:

"...I don't understand what you mean."

"Even if what you said is true, and that the other universe you mentioned really existed, and they accompanied you as you grew up, giving you your current abilities and wealth, and now they're gone," Janice said gently, putting on a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, "so what?"

"I don't understand why you're so persistent in pursuing them."

"If I remember correctly, at first, the other universe was just a 'game' to you. You may have invested three years and a lot of money in it... but so what? It's just a game after all."

Wen Xingze: “No——”

"Listen to me first, young man." Janice suddenly became stern. "I know you want to say that this is no longer a game for you, but an important part of your life. But is that really the case? You say they are your parents, but in fact you have no blood relationship, right?"

Janice's face looked very calm in the light of the lamp.

"Think of these four years as a game. Unlike those who waste their lives addicted to games, this game has given you the best gift. It has discovered your talents, reversed the difficulties in your life, and brought you to where you are now."

"You should be thankful and live a good life in this world with a grateful heart, instead of getting yourself hurt and bruised by something irreversible, and still gaining nothing in the end, right?

“That’s what smart people do.

"Son, I hope you will be a smart person. Your parents must think so too."

Wen Xingze can certainly be a smart person.

What would a smart person do? After a brief period of sadness, hold on to what you have and get back to real life and work.

Thanks to the experiences of the past four years, he already has everything that many people cannot even imagine in their lifetime. He can easily live a "successful" and "happy" life.

'Smart man' Wen Xingze can continue along his current path with gratitude and relief.

He will make many films that are both well-received and box-office hits, and one day in the future he will run into someone in an elevator who makes his heart flutter, fall in love, get married, and after marriage, he will have a cat and two dogs, and then have a family and relatives...

As for the Empire of Muse, it will appear in his autobiographical memoirs, becoming a genius's fantasy in his later years, and it is also possible that it will be passed down as a legend in later generations.

“…”

Bustling Los Angeles was embraced by heavy rain and strong winds.

Wen Xingze stared at the pot of green plants swaying in the wind outside the window.

It's a pot of daisies.

"I'm not smart," Wen Xingze said, "and I don't intend to be smart."

Janice was silent for a long time, then sighed deeply.

"Children." Her tone was not harsh or aggressive at all. She looked at Wen Xingze, "You want to find them, meet them again, spend the rest of your life with them... spend the rest of your life with them. Have you ever thought about whether this is really a good thing for them?"

Wen Xingze was stunned.

boom--

There was a loud thunder outside the window, and the entire Los Angeles suddenly lost power, and street lights went out one after another along the road.

"You only have a hundred years to live. To those with long lifespans, does it make any difference whether it's one year or a hundred years? Aren't they both equally short?"

"Now that we've parted ways, why bother adding to the trouble and going through the trouble of trying to find them again? Have you ever thought about that?"

Janice even looked at him with a hint of pity, but she rudely dissected the nightmare deep in Wen Xingze's heart.

"Since the sword of Damocles is bound to fall, the longer you stay with them, the more torment they'll feel when you pass away, right?" Janice said. "It's better to suffer a short pain than a long one. Stop it."

The power outage continued, and the entire Los Angeles was plunged into an impenetrable darkness.

Wen Xingze couldn't look Janice in the eye. He looked at the pot of daisies outside the window and reached out to pick up the water on the table.

silence.

After a brief roar of thunder, there was endless silence.

"Mr. Wen..." Janice hesitated to speak.

Wen Xingze himself didn't realize that a lot of water had spilled out of the cup he was holding, and even the back of his hand was burned.

In the dim room, Wen Xingze's eyes were red.

But he didn't cry. Not once in the past month.

Because the people who would comfort him, feel sorry for him, and protect him unconditionally are no longer in this world.

"...I am selfish," Wen Xingze said, his chest heaving violently, "but I don't want...I don't want this to end like this."

“I don’t want to choose the optimal solution.”

"I don't want my story and theirs to stop here."

In those brief few seconds, Wen Xingze suddenly remembered something that happened a long time ago.

Thinking of that extremely small and desolate planet in the universe.

He remembered the robots clumsily covering him with a blanket, the aurora he saw when he and the dwarves first fled home in a panic, the warmth of the mermaids' careful embrace, the dragon's wings protecting him in the snow, the wine he drank with the vampire orcs, the songs he listened to from the elves...

And his blind officer.

He gave him the ring, and then waited for decades. And they still hadn't married.

Every moment of the past was especially magnificent. Wen Xingze couldn't bear to look at it any more, wanting only to cherish every day. And what he was like before he met them, Wen Xingze no longer remembered.

If Chi Yan said that his life began on December 24th of that year... then his life must have started from the day four years ago, the day he first arrived on the desolate planet.

The damp smell of a summer rainstorm penetrated his nose, and Wen Xingze suddenly came back to his senses.

“…”

"Child, be obedient." Janice said compassionately.

There was a loud thunder in the sky. In that split second, although Wen Xingze still had many things to figure out, he confirmed one thing.

Bang.

Wen Xingze drank the water in the cup, put the cup on the table, and stood up suddenly.

“I hated the ending,” he said.

As long as there was still a glimmer of hope, he didn't want to give up. Who could predict the future? Who said he would definitely die?

Screw the 'sad but happy' ending.

Janice: “…Huh?”

"I hate this ending. I don't want to just let it go, feel relieved, and move forward with gratitude. Damn it."

Janice: