Si Ye gazed into Nan Muran’s eyes, eyes filled with radiant starlight. After a long silence, he compromised a little.
“Logically, it’s hard to believe. But somehow, in my heart, I feel like what you’re saying is true.”

Nan Muran’s eyes welled with tears. “That’s enough.”

“You really understand?”

“I can’t ask the version of you standing before me to become the Si Ye who suffered over four long years, worn down by the underground lab.

Just like I can’t force myself to truly return to the time before everything happened.”

Since her rebirth, Nan Muran had thought about their meeting countless times.

But she had never stubbornly insisted that this Si Ye should be exactly the same as the one from before.

Hearing her calm acceptance, a sharp pain stabbed through Si Ye’s heart.

“What would someone become after staying in that place for so long?” he asked, unable to imagine himself spending four years in that underground lab.

And he dared not imagine what Nan Muran had gone through there.

“You stop being human. You go mad. You break down. You become numb and unfeeling. Or you die.

But living in that place… is far, far harder than dying.” Nan Muran stared out the window at the mist-covered mountains, falling into a long silence.

Si Ye looked at her back. The oversized black loungewear made her appear even more delicate and slender.

Standing amid the vast landscape outside the window, she seemed desolate and untouchable—like no one could approach her. For a moment, he didn’t know what he could do, but desperately wished he could do something.

Suddenly, Nan Muran turned around and gave him the answer:
“Si Ye, I want to hug you.”

After a brief silence, Si Ye stood and walked over to her, opening his arms.

Without hesitation, Nan Muran threw herself into his embrace, burying her head in his chest as sobs racked her body. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

Si Ye instinctively stroked her trembling back.

After a long while, Nan Muran suddenly looked up and smiled.
“Luckily this time, we made it in time.”

Si Ye didn’t quite understand what she meant.

“From the very first day I came back, I tried everything to find you. But in the end, the smartest thing I did was just wait here.” Nan Muran smiled at him.

Realization dawned on Si Ye. “You knew I’d show up here?”

“Mm. Back then, you told me a lot of things.

One of them was about this villa… and the battle that just happened outside.”

“And in the end, they…”

“They all died. Including Jiawu and his wife Bai Mei,” Nan Muran confirmed his guess.

Si Ye’s mind went blank.

He knew very well—if Nan Muran hadn’t been here today, things likely would have ended just as she described.

His legs gave out from the shock, and he slumped into a seat.

A long time passed before he finally spoke. “Can I ask you a few questions?”

Nan Muran nodded. “Of course.”

“You said that man from the lab today was a Level 2 psychic-type ability user?”

For the first time, Si Ye genuinely wanted to understand this new post-apocalyptic world.

“Yes. Psychic-type ability users are extremely rare in the apocalypse—but also the most powerful.

A beginner Level 2 psychic can even defeat an early Level 3 ability user if they use their power properly.”

“What about you?”

“I have three types of abilities: plant, psychic, and space.

My plant ability is currently mid-Level 2, my psychic ability is early Level 3. As for space… it’s a bit special. Xuanyan hasn’t changed since it first appeared.

I don’t know how to rank it, but it should be pretty powerful.”

After all, in her previous life, she had seen many space users. But none had anything with a larger capacity than Xuanyan.

“Xuanyan?” Si Ye thought the name sounded nice.

“You’re the one who named it, back then.

I also have two contract plants. One is called Xiaoliu, the other Xiaobai.

Xiaoliu is a Level 7 mutant plant. Xiaobai just advanced to Level 4 yesterday.” Nan Muran held out her left hand to him.

Her fair, slender wrist bore a beautiful tattoo—resembling willow branches entwined with vines and small white flowers.

Suddenly, the tattoo emitted a glow of green and white.

Xiaoliu, glowing faintly green, even extended a tendril to gently touch Si Ye’s hand.

Si Ye furrowed his brows slightly, feeling something strange. “They… have power beyond this world, don’t they?”

“Yeah. Xiaoliu’s been with me ever since the underground lab. So… it knows you, too,” Nan Muran said honestly.

“Nan Muran, have you thought about the possibility that I’m no longer the same person you first knew?

That means a lot of my choices this time… might be different,” Si Ye said, voicing the fear buried in his heart.

Nan Muran understood instantly.

This version of Si Ye was still, deep down, a soldier. No different from the others she’d known who bore the burden of saving the world. He still carried that unwavering belief and sense of duty in his bones.

She would never do what they did—but she respected and understood them. But this time, it was Si Ye—someone incredibly important to her.

Of course, she felt disappointed. But proud and stubborn as she was, Nan Muran had never stooped to forcing anyone to walk her path.
“If you want to leave, I won’t stop you. But you’d better not do it now.

Right now, even without awakened abilities, you’re still powerful as a soldier in the early days of the apocalypse.

But once the zombies, plants, and animals begin mutating… you’ll become the most fragile fighters—cannon fodder in every battle.”

Nan Muran looked at Si Ye, her words cold and cruel.

Si Ye fell silent. He had no choice but to admit—what she said was true.

They had once been the strongest warriors, proud and fierce.

But now, a girl they once would have protected could destroy their entire squad with a flick of her hand.

It was a bitter truth—hard to accept, yet impossible to deny.

“How can I get stronger quickly?” Si Ye asked, his tone firm.

“I can try to help you all awaken your abilities.

And once you’re truly strong, you can decide your own path.” Nan Muran sighed softly.

She felt both regret and sorrow.

If in the end, they chose to leave, then even with two intertwined lives, they would still part ways.

But for Nan Muran, the one comforting thought was—Si Ye was still alive and well.

That horrific scene from her nightmares—the one that tortured her endlessly—hadn’t happened yet.

Si Ye looked at her back, his voice carrying a subtle longing. “Back then, we…?”

“In our last life… I think we were the brightest light in each other’s dark, broken worlds.

But unfortunately, when we met, things were already too rough. Just staying alive was hard enough.

Some words, if spoken, would’ve just been too much.” Nan Muran didn’t hide anything from Si Ye. She told him everything—honestly, and from the heart.