Chapter 142 Hug
The arms holding him were tight.
Nova's mind wandered. The other person's scent was actually quite pleasant, something he couldn't describe. It was gentle and peaceful, not artificial. It was like the eternal night in the wilderness, the silent snow-capped mountains in the wind and snow, the waves that had gently caressed the sand for millennia, following the ancient laws of the universe established in the early days of this planet... It was the sense that he existed, and would always exist, a strangely reassuring calmness.
Allowing oneself to indulge in the illusory sense of security in the unknown is a dangerous and greedy impulse. However, "humans" yearn for companions. This dull, sad, and fragile creature always needs a bond to fight against the ultimate fear of death. This desire comes from the instinct of life, and even he cannot avoid it.
…But at this moment, this unspeakable secret desire seems to be satisfied a little… too fully.
Feeling his arms numb from having nowhere to rest, and blood rushing to his fingertips, the professor finally couldn't help but ask expressionlessly, "So, how long are you going to hold me like this?"
"...sometimes you really are a bit of a jerk." The guy buried his cheek in his shoulder, grumbling, "After doing something bad, you suddenly say such soft-hearted words, which makes it impossible for me to be angry with you."
This only made him more forbearing and greedy - he wanted to see more of that man's secrets, tenderness and helplessness, and wanted to swallow up all the pain, sobs and tremors that hurt him bit by bit... he wanted to make him cry.
The sudden warmth on the side of his neck made the black-haired young man shudder subconsciously, but his attention was not on this at all. The always rigorous scholar was busy refuting his companion's unfair accusations.
"I didn't do anything wrong," he corrected, rather dissatisfied. "At most, it's just a normal dispute caused by different perspectives on the same thing, and it doesn't affect the overall situation. I've already compromised, so don't push it any further."
Look, this is his nemesis, the savior thought with pity, he can make people angry to death with just one word.
He ruffled the person's hair in anger, but finally let go, and then was satisfied to receive a cold glare.
After Nova tidied himself up, he walked up to his companion - he was sitting quietly on the only stone table that looked relatively clean, with his eyes slightly closed, as if listening to the sound from the wind. As for the blood-red robe used for camouflage, it had been thrown on the ground with disgust.
After hearing the noise, the blond young man opened his eyes and looked at him gently: "Are you dressed?"
The professor was frowning as he carefully sniffed the cuffs of his sleeves. He raised his head, his eyes narrowed warily like a suspicious cat. "Is my nose failing me, or is the scent in this damn place just too strong? I can smell the stench of decaying organisms on my clothes, too."
"I think it's the latter," Azuka replied gently and briefly.
"You're right," another person complained rather unhappily. "The smell of dead bodies is the hardest to get rid of. It looks like we're really going to have to find an open-air toilet after this is all over."
Azuka: “…”
That's not necessary.
Then the guy suddenly fixed his eyes on him again: "I suggest you don't sit there."
He was stunned for a moment when he heard the man warn him very seriously: "There are traces of scavenging insects crawling on it and residual feces - if I'm not mistaken, there are still a few unhatched egg cases in the corner."
Even Mr. Savior, the constant barrage of attacks still made his mouth twitch. He stood up calmly, expressionlessly changing the subject: "Let's go get something to eat first. This place is too filthy."
This catacombs was incredibly vast; Nova suspected it was centuries old. Deep in the darkness, several eerie insects rustled and scurried around him. The excrement left behind by hibernating bats was densely packed, creating a unique macroscopic scavenging ecosystem. No wonder the man hadn't wanted to leave him alone. The wound on his foot would undoubtedly become infected if it came into contact with the dirt.
The professor keenly noticed that the person next to him seemed to be in a bad mood - yes, this person was somewhat mysophobic and hated insects, so it was inevitable that he would be irritable in such an environment.
He thought for a moment, then suddenly spoke first, "Do you know 'Decomposer'?"
"...What is this?" Azuka's first reaction was that it was some kind of messed-up believer, and he couldn't help but frown.
In the cold, dim underground cemetery, another person earnestly explained to him: "Decomposers are organisms that feed on the remains, debris, and feces of plants and animals. They include fungi, bacteria, some animals, and some insects, such as cockroaches. They are essential components of this world, responsible for maintaining the normal material cycle of the ecosystem."
"Without the Decomposers, the world would be overrun with filth and corpses," the man said solemnly, describing something incredibly creepy. "Can you imagine humans suddenly becoming incorruptible after death? This wouldn't be a decaying underground city of piled bones, but instead filled with countless layers of lifelike corpses, eventually breaking through the surface and occupying every corner of the world."
"—So humans have cockroaches to thank. Of course, that doesn't stop you from hating them."
Azuka: “…”
He suddenly realized that the other person seemed to have noticed his discomfort and was trying to comfort him. This was truly... strangely considerate, but compared to his friends who only mocked him as "Princess," this strange tenderness made him unable to help but ruffle his enemy's hair, his voice becoming softer, "You're right."
"I just... don't like it here." He stared into the distance in silence, unable to help but recall those nauseating and painful memories, as well as the truth that nearly drove him crazy. "Just like everyone hates death, but death is the inevitable outcome of all life. No one can escape it, nor should anyone escape it... not even you, not even me."
Turning an almost identical corner again, the other party was obviously very familiar with this place. Nova reacted: "Is this where you were imprisoned by the Son of Life?"
The companion did not deny it, but slowly held his hand.
Judging from the skill of the Children of Life just now, it was clear that the young savior had likely suffered a lot. It was no wonder that the victim was in a bad mood after revisiting the old place.
...Okay, he really doesn't know how to comfort people. What can he do? I feel for your misfortune? No, he didn't feel the same way. Noble human sympathy and compassion are based on empathy, and logically, he didn't have that ability. He just felt... a sense of helplessness, and a slight sadness, perhaps the sadness of witnessing the pain his friend had experienced—a very unfamiliar emotion, densely crawling in his chest.
The professor's hands were once again tightly wrapped in gloves, but he still allowed him to tighten his grip little by little. Although a little stiff, he never struggled, which suddenly made him want to smile.
——The protagonist and villain, once chosen by the "author", are now in a vast underground cemetery, feeling sad for each other's misfortune.
With the help of past memories and the message carried by the wind, they successfully found the residence of the Child of Life and obtained clean food and water from it. Azuka dug out simple cooking utensils from his magic tools and cooked a pot of thin soup. The warmth of the food made them feel alive again after a long time.
"Dante Matthews, what are you going to do?" The Savior asked after they had successfully devoured the last piece of bread. The Cardinal was even less powerful than Pavaton Miller, and he had already put the Children of Life into a deep sleep.
"Don't kill him yet." Nova was choking and frowning. He took the soup handed to him and ordered, "But don't let him leave. We are not the ones who are anxious now."
The other party responded mildly, and then gave a brief report on the progress of the plan at his request. Then the professor suddenly remembered something: "By the way, what's going on with that Percy kid?"
"He tried to break into White Tower University and had a conflict with Ivan Adrian. But with Daniga there, it wasn't a big deal. In the end, he decided to stay at White Tower University." Glancing at the professor's increasingly furrowed brow, the savior kindly suggested, "Do you want me to communicate with Orel and scare him off?"
Of course, the so-called "intimidation" means beating the naughty kids who dared to disobey the professor's orders half to death and then throwing them back.
"Never mind, it's not a big deal." Nova put down the soup bowl and rubbed his swollen temples. "Given that kid's personality, being tough on him might lead him to extremes and cause trouble. Let him be."
“…”
The professor, puzzled by the lack of a response, looked up, only to see the man staring at him darkly. He then asked menacingly, "So it's because I'm reasonable and sensible that you're always so hard on me, acting without my permission, and constantly leaving me in deep worry and fear for your safety?"
Nova: “…”
What does this have to do with anything - why is this guy jealous?
Suddenly realizing he couldn't refute anything, he was silent for a moment, then said expressionlessly, "You're my only true collaborator, and he's not. Don't be unreasonable."
The savior smiled and said, "No, I won't buy it today."
After so many times, his threshold has been raised and he can no longer be easily moved by some simple sweet words.
“…”
He was at his wit's end, the professor thought calmly. Once again, he was really not good at comforting people, let alone coaxing them.
Seeing the person staring at him blankly with an unconscious grievance, the savior was silent for a while, then suddenly waved at the person: "Come closer."
The other person slowly moved towards him, very obediently, which made him feel much better.
When Nova came to his senses, he found that someone had been pressing on his legs. Warm fingers deftly slid into his hair and massaged it slowly. His swollen and painful brain gradually relaxed, and he began to feel drowsy.
Half asleep and half awake, another person's voice came from above my head: "If you make me angry again in the future and I don't know what to do..."
Warm fingers gently covered his eyes, and the darkness made him fall into a deeper sleep, so that the sounds seemed to come from another world.
The man seemed to sigh softly, mixed with a complex emotion that he didn't understand: "You can just hug me."
The author has something to say:
From Baidu: "Decomposer" is an ecological term referring to organisms that feed on the remains, debris, and feces of plants and animals. Decomposers are essential components of ecosystems, maintaining the normal circulation of matter and ensuring the stability of their structure and function.
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