Wind gently brushed past his ear. After several seconds of silence, Shi-ge smiled softly.
He was Shi Deng’s future that chose not to reset.
If Shi Deng had just grasped his hand, it would represent abandoning his current persistence.
Then he too would abandon everything done previously at Tiangu, pay some price, and let everything return to the beginning when Shi Deng hadn’t reset.
Then contamination would erupt, black fog would rage, evil in human nature would swallow the world’s goodwill, killing desire, ethics, morality—all would collapse.
Human tragedies everywhere.
And ability users unaffected by contamination who could protect themselves barely had places to dwell, yet gradually became cold and indifferent. Their hot blood cooled completely. Seeing people die before them, they’d have no emotional response whatsoever.
Children born—if not ability users, most parents would choose to strangle them personally to avoid them becoming threats after contamination.
And he at that time…
Shi-ge was somewhat lost in thought.
Shi Deng only held on a moment before completely losing consciousness. Before his hand fell to the ground, Shi-ge caught it.
He bent down, cradling the youth covered in blood horizontally.
Very light weight. Recently, it seemed he hadn’t been eating properly. If he returned, Uncle Xiao Fu would be heartbroken, probably even cursing why he was so heartless.
The young man looked back at Feng City one last time.
At the wide-open gate’s center was that path filled with malice and blood—a heart-questioning road. With each step, the youth in his arms gained one more wound.
Shi-ge: “Giving without return doesn’t seem quite equal.”
Because Shi Deng was unconscious, the time chains above the sky were also slowly disappearing. Before disappearing, light flashed faintly in Shi-ge’s eyes.
Countless indiscernible golden lights surged from Feng City and its surroundings, gathering into Shi Deng’s body.
Those who drank Shi Deng’s blood carried his aura. Since blood offset contamination, they needed to produce something equivalent in compensation.
These golden lights he extracted with time chains could be called time, could also be called another kind of protective energy. In any case, a good thing.
Of course, people in this city who didn’t drink Shi Deng’s blood—naturally, he couldn’t extract from them.
Shi-ge smiled when the last trace of golden light entered the youth’s body.
He held the youth, disappearing into sunlight. His voice also scattered lightly and faintly in the wind.
Usually low and indifferent, his voice at this moment under the setting sun revealed some elusive gentleness and solemnity.
“Shi Deng, may your future henceforth follow your heart in all things, with peace and health year after year.”
The youth’s forehead pressed against his chest. His originally clenched palm loosened, dropping a ball of cute band-aids with little pig heads drawn on them.
And Yuan Ting and others swooping down from above didn’t catch their shadows.
***
Having performed this plot point in the script, Gong Du could finally temporarily rest.
Because his body was severely injured this time, he remained unconscious. Aside from leaving a portion of consciousness to control Shi-ge and Xiao Deng, most of his consciousness was immersed in his sea of consciousness happily playing.
The manga world’s departure proceeded smoothly. Baldy was very happy, diligently helping him and Small Light Orb download several games. Gong Du indulged in them for several days before finally making time to browse the forum.
For plot continuity, the manga was delayed a week before connecting to the previous chapter’s update.
It depicted the scene after Shi Deng entered Feng City.
From night to dawn, then to sunset falling—walking out a path waded through with blood.
Gong Du flipped through, sighing, “Tough on Baldy.”
For ordinary manga, if reset so many times, each time meticulously drawn out—where would readers chase updates?
*Time Paradox* maintained its popularity partly because the story itself was compelling, partly because of Baldy’s art style and ability to tell the story clearly while appropriately varying detail.
The *Youth Arc* and first reset’s *Reversal Arc* were longer. The subsequent *Abyss Arc* containing ten resets was actually quite short. And this Sunflower Arc, judging by progress, had already gone two-thirds through.
The forum was very lively. Well… more crying than anything.
[Is this knifing Shi baby? This is fucking knifing me wuu wuu]
[What did Shi-ge mean by that last line? Isn’t he Shi Deng’s future QAQ. He won’t die, right…]
[‘Shi Deng, may your future henceforth follow your heart in all things, with peace and health year after year.’ Giao, Shi-ge won’t have an accident, right? This is basically a goodbye! Baldy, be a person, okay (loud voice!)]
[Shi-ge is Shi Deng’s future that chose not to reset. I think at the end there, when Shi-ge extended his hand, he was actually giving Shi baby a choice. If Shi baby chose to grasp it, the future wouldn’t change. But Shi baby didn’t grasp it… Combined with Shi-ge’s last line, that’s eighty percent death flag.]
[Little pig head band-aids. Why add that at the end? If it weren’t there, if Shi baby completely despaired, would it be another choice?]
[But if sunflowers don’t face the sun—if it’s not nightfall, that means death. Without that last thread of ethereal kindness, I dare not imagine what Shi Deng would be like now.]
[Tiangu’s side is probably in complete chaos now. What happened inside Feng City is practically common knowledge. That bloody path—it’s truly like a pilgrimage…]
[God knows when I saw the manga’s end, when Shi Deng still chose to grasp the light, how complex my feelings were. Feel it’s not worth it for him, but also very moved QAQ. I must be broken.]
[I think Shi baby’s about to break. Healing abilities can’t completely heal those injuries, right?]
Gong Du thought—this time’s injuries were indeed quite serious. Setting aside excessive blood loss, just the external wounds alone would require long recovery.
But it didn’t matter. Didn’t affect anything anyway.
The Yuan Marrow incident approached. Entangling further with the protagonist group would be inconvenient for upcoming actions. Feng City’s plot was just a turning point. But next, it should also wrap up.
Small Light Orb: “If you don’t wake up, Uncle Xiao Fu’s hair will turn white from anxiety.”
Gong Du beat the final game’s last level, stretching. “Rare chance to relax. Alright, I’m leaving.”
—
Uncle Fu: “Tiangu’s people sent another invitation card.”
Speaking of which, it truly was unprecedented. Two factions that had looked unfavorably upon each other for over a hundred years—now Tiangu was actually the one proactively extending an invitation.
Shi-ge was trimming flower branches in the room. After a moment, he said faintly, “It’s only for one matter anyway. Decline it.”
Uncle Fu sighed. “The leader still hasn’t woken. Those injuries all over him…”
Healing-type ability users weren’t omnipotent. If they could heal any injury, then doctors in this world should be unemployed.
The leader’s injuries—the doctors and ability users at Yuan Guang worked together, rescuing him for a full five days before finally stabilizing his vital signs. Even so, quite a few aftereffects remained.
“Ah, never mind. The leader had an incident. It’s all thanks to you, Shi-ge, keeping Yuan Guang’s subordinates in line. These past two weeks, you’ve worked hard.”
“As long as Uncle Fu doesn’t blame me for tying you up those few days.”
Uncle Fu choked, glaring. “You still dare mention it! When the leader wakes up, I’ll tell him everything. You explain to him yourself. I won’t put in a good word for you!”
“…What good word?”
A hoarse question came from the bed. The youth who’d been unconscious for half a month coughed stuffily, slowly opening his eyes, still somewhat dazed.
Crack.
Shi-ge’s flower-trimming scissors went slightly crooked, cutting the wrong place.
“Shi Deng!” Xiao Deng had originally been playing games nearby. Hearing the commotion, he immediately threw down what he was holding and ran over eagerly, lying by the bedside.
Doctors and healing-type ability users were quickly summoned. After examining for about half an hour, they left again, saying to watch for aftereffects. Otherwise, there weren’t any major issues.
The youth lying in bed had clean bandages wrapped around his arms, calves, and ankles. He looked pale and fragile. Light streaming from outside gave him an almost transparent brittleness.
Xiao Deng hesitantly extended his hand, then drew it back, not quite daring to touch him.
He asked softly, “Does it still hurt?”
Uncle Fu took three steps as two, reaching Shi Deng. Before words left his mouth, his eyes reddened first, full of heartache. He opened his mouth. What came out sounded like complaint: “…You child, you scared me to death!”
Shi Deng smiled. “Uncle Xiao Fu, I want to eat the congee you cook.”
Uncle Fu made an affirming sound. “Not knowing when you’d wake, I’ve kept some ready for you all along.”
He quickly went out, clapping at the door. Soon someone delivered a small cart to the doorway. Uncle Fu pushed it in, then closed the door.
“Shi-ge, help me sit up.”
The young man pressed his lips, setting scissors on the table. He walked over, bending down to half-support the youth on the bed into sitting position, padding his lower back with a soft pillow.
Patting it once, Shi-ge looked up. “Alright?”
The youth nodded.
Xiao Deng very obediently moved a chair over. “Shi-ge, sit. Honestly admit your mistake. Shi Deng won’t blame you.”
Shi-ge: “…”
Uncle Fu chuckled, setting up a small table on the bed. He served Shi Deng congee, along with a dish of pickled vegetables he’d made himself. “The temperature’s just right. Leader, listen to Shi-ge’s explanation. Eat slowly. Don’t get angry.”
Shi Deng rarely saw such a conflicted expression on Shi-ge’s face.
His identity as Yuan Guang’s leader had always been very well concealed. The possibility of suddenly having his entire cover blown was truly infinitesimal. Moreover, making so many people believe required extremely detailed materials.
And those who could obtain such materials were only three people—Xiao Deng, Uncle Xiao Fu, and Shi-ge.
Xiao Deng didn’t have that capability. Uncle Xiao Fu couldn’t possibly. That left only Shi-ge.
Actually, the moment he learned his identity was exposed, he’d guessed it was Shi-ge’s doing. He’d just followed the path ahead, walked with his heart.
Choosing to enter Feng City to question his heart was his own decision. The consequences should also be borne by him. Nothing to do with Shi-ge.
After all, sooner or later, he’d face this hurdle anyway.
The word “conflicted” truly didn’t match Shi-ge. Shi Deng smiled. “Forget it. Actually, I’d already guessed pretty close. Shi-ge, how about you promise me one thing as compensation?”
Shi-ge: “Speak.”
Shi Deng: “I want to celebrate a birthday.”
“Huh?” Xiao Deng asked curiously. “Why suddenly want to celebrate a birthday? We’ve never celebrated birthdays, have we?”
Shi Deng’s birthday was July 29th. But Yuan Guang children had no right to celebrate birthdays. He had no parents or relatives. So birthdays were just ordinary days to him.
The Yuan Marrow incident was August 2nd—three days apart.
Shi Deng: “Just feel like celebrating once. You all have to give me gifts~”
Xiao Deng protested. “That’s clearly my and Shi-ge’s birthday too!”
“Don’t argue.” Shi-ge pinched his brow, pressing down Xiao Deng’s head. “Xiao Deng, he’s still young. Don’t quibble with him.”
Xiao Deng: “???”
Uncle Fu chuckled, mediating. “Celebrate together, celebrate together. Leader, this congee will get cold if you don’t drink it.”
Shi Deng coughed lightly, picking up the spoon. Just about to take a sip, his hand trembled uncontrollably. The spoon clattered onto the table, breaking in half.
The air stilled for a second.
Uncle Fu hastily snapped to attention, cleaning it up and replacing it with a new spoon. “I forgot—how could someone just waking have strength?”
Shi-ge took over. “I’ll feed you.”
The youth blinked, lifting his own hand to look. He clenched with some force but discovered he couldn’t exert strength at all. He circulated his ability—then it was similar to usual. But once he moved, it was extraordinarily painful.
Shi Deng was very clever, guessing immediately. “Disabled?”
Xiao Deng hastily shook his head. “No. I heard the doctor say you need to recuperate for a while. It’ll get better.” Indeed not permanent injury—just temporary aftereffects.
Shi Deng didn’t really care. His calves also seemed temporarily without sensation. But truly disabled wouldn’t matter either. After all, it didn’t affect his ability use.
While slowly drinking the congee Shi-ge fed him, he sensed the contamination qi locked at his heart.
What could eliminate ‘Yuan,’ aside from the Yuan Marrow’s energy, was itself.
However, he wasn’t collecting contamination qi to create another contamination source to contend with ‘Yuan.’ He just wanted to offset part of ‘Yuan’s’ power when that day arrived.
Lost in thought without speaking, he actually made Uncle Fu terribly distressed. “Leader…”
A knock suddenly came from outside. When the doctor had come earlier, news that Shi Deng woke had already spread.
A subordinate reported outside the door, “Reporting to the Leader—Tiangu’s envoys have already arrived outside Yuan Guang, saying they wish to see you.”
***
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152