dognovel Chapter 81 You and Me, Retracing the Ending
Chapter 81 You and Me, Retracing the Ending
Shortly afterward, the battle officially began, with Geshulin as the commander-in-chief, who was determined to defend the line to the death while simultaneously announcing an advance to reclaim lost territory.
He remained at the northern defense line, monitoring the aftermath while analyzing intelligence and providing rapid updates to the surrounding area.
It can only be said that diligent people are diligent no matter where they go; even capitalists would weep at Mo Wunian's working hours.
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"The residual tide has stirred again... Remind Battalion A31 to prepare for both defense and offense, and to take good care of the exploration data..."
"The frequency fluctuations on the supply line are also suspicious... Let's ask the person in charge there if there's anything else going on..."
"These wavy frequencies seem to have a particular attraction to the afterimages in this area... Send these frequencies to the testing department for further examination..."
"If that's true, then we can consider it..."
"And here..."
"Brother Wunian, that's enough! Look how pale you are!"
"Don't end up collapsing at your desk instead of on the battlefield, that would be a laughingstock..."
"Tell me the truth! How long has it been since you last rested?!"
His vision blurred for a moment, but fortunately, his willpower was extraordinary, so he didn't faint on the spot. Struggling to lift his head from the documents, he looked wearily at Nan Chui, who stood in front of his desk, seemingly on the verge of madness. He hesitated before speaking.
"About... a day or two?"
"...It's not like I didn't rest at all, I still need to nap for two or three hours..."
"Good good..."
"At first I thought Beiwang was joking when he said you worked really hard on the copywriting when you were on the front lines..."
"It seems he underestimated the situation after all..."
"Are you out of your mind?!"
"What grudge do you have against sleeping?!"
"...There really is a bit."
Nan Chui looked at Mo Wunian, who was still pretending to be stupid, and held back for a long time. Finally, he couldn't hold back any longer and threw the other's pen into the distance.
"I don't care about you!"
"Now! Immediately! Right now!"
"Put down the copywriting and go to sleep!"
"It's not like you're the only one handling intelligence... I'll find someone to help you..."
Shaking his head, he watched helplessly as the pen in his hand was tossed into the distance, but ultimately shook his head and refused.
"...Southern Hammer"
"Sleeping is not rest for me."
It's torture.
"?"
"Mo Wunian, explain yourself clearly."
"How is this tormenting you?"
He could understand Nan Chui's puzzling behavior; after all, sleeping allowed them to relax and escape reality through dreams.
But he was different—as soon as he drifted off to sleep, he would see a crimson expanse, confronting an existence more terrifying than reality.
And perhaps due to recent stress, the hallucinations have become more frequent, which has led to him taking drugs more often.
【reputation】
【strength】
I hear those two words from that person's mouth every day; I don't know what kind of magic they possess that makes them keep repeating them.
It's like something extremely bad would happen if those two things were lost.
"……well"
"I... really can't sleep."
"I'm your superior now, so please give in to me."
"Don't forget me... (a vulgar expression from Jinzhou)"
"This battle is about to end! We've reached the final stage of the all-out offensive!"
"You can't collapse here!!!"
"Ji Yan... he'll be fourteen tomorrow."
"Don't stay up too late and go blind, so you can't see that kid's heroic figure..."
He had initially just nodded casually to show he was listening, but when that name was mentioned, his body involuntarily trembled slightly, and the sea of flowers from his memory seemed to bloom before his eyes once more.
I hurriedly closed my eyes, but that glaring crimson color reappeared like a nightmare.
"..."
"Mo Wunian! Are you alright...?"
"...Damn it, why did this message come at this time!"
While Nan Chui was looking at his communication device to reply to messages, he quickly pulled his hand away and took a few pills from a bottle that looked like it was for candy, and swallowed them.
Once he felt his energy returning slightly, he gently shook his head and looked up at the person opposite him again.
"what happened?"
"It's nothing. They've confirmed that the information you detected is correct, and they're checking with me to see if we want to transmit it immediately."
"Pass it on. Every additional piece of information we have might save more lives..."
"No need to dawdle..."
The words abruptly ended, and the scene before her blurred once more. Staring at the doorway, through the dense rain curtain, that familiar figure reappeared.
This time, however, the other person's expression was no longer calm; instead, it was unusually anxious, as if they were eager to convey some important information. From the shape of their lips, one could vaguely discern a few hurried words—
【don't want】
"...Intervene?"
Unconsciously, I whispered those words aloud, my mind filled with doubt:
What did he get involved in? Why shouldn't he be allowed to get involved? What would have happened if he had?
"Okay, I've already notified them and passed the intelligence over."
"It's raining again outside... I need to quickly organize the troops to prepare for a joint counterattack with the other side..."
"Strive to retake Yunling Valley by dawn! Reclaim the lost territory!"
And you too! Take care of yourself.
"Come to the camp entrance if anything happens, don't try to tough it out..."
Nan Chui, head bowed, dealt with the situation at hand and unfortunately missed the person's pained expression.
He looked up at the person in front of him, seemed to have taken his words to heart, nodded in satisfaction, and then quickly left.
The only sound in the room was the sound of rain falling.
"..."
Staring at himself standing in the doorway, his expression had returned to calm, but upon closer inspection, one could detect something different from usual: a barely perceptible white light flashed in his deep black eyes, and his expression seemed somewhat numb, as if he had long been accustomed to this situation.
You ultimately trampled on my fate.
You will witness his departure once again.
Disdainfully, he moved his head back to his desk, no longer bothering with this phantom who always liked to tell riddles.
Just as I was about to continue burying myself in the copywriting, I suddenly felt a tightness around my neck, and a feeling of suffocation instantly overwhelmed me. I quickly reached down to my neck, and my fingertips touched something cold and taut—a thin rope.
"!!!"
Before you can react, you'll be pulled upwards sharply, your consciousness instantly blurring. Struggling to breathe, you can only see the smiling person in your limited field of vision.
A bitter smile, a numb smile born of despair.
……
When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a confined space. The suffocating feeling still lingered around his neck, refusing to dissipate—the sensation of being strangled to death was truly excruciating.
"...What exactly do you want?"
Clutching his neck, staring intently at his own still-bitterly smiling self, he practically spat out those words through gritted teeth.
I said it.
You will repeat my fate.
"...Strangled to death?"
No, it was intentional.
His pupils dilated sharply, staring in disbelief at the person before him who seemed completely unaware of the terrifying words he was about to utter. He almost trembled as he spoke.
"...Was it voluntary...you committed suicide?"
It's you.
"..."
He watched as his past self slowly walked towards him, and with a wave of his hand, the space shifted, revealing everything he couldn't remember.
Yes...we believed this intelligence...
That's why... In order for us to take most of the exploration results out... the captain used frequency to lure the afterimages towards him...
...so we survived.
But the captain isn't coming back!
He died on the eve of his fourteenth birthday!
He stood in the center of the crowd, his gaze vacantly sweeping across his surroundings, the whispers of those around him echoing in his ears. He tried to speak, but only a weak sob escaped his lips, his body trembling uncontrollably. Slowly, he raised his hand, gently touching the corner of his eye, his fingertips glistening with a cold tear—
He was shedding tears.
[That child, Ji Yan, is so young... what a pity...]
[Given a few more years to develop, he would definitely become a new generation legend in the military...]
What a pity...
"Intelligence...attracts..."
So familiar, so familiar...
Do you remember now?
Your presumptuous attempt to help...
But it killed him!
[The person who has lost their way in life countless times because of you!]
He seemed to have some memory—it was everything etched deep in his soul, something he could never forget.
They cannot die this time...
I refuse to believe that even if I tell them everything I know, Ji Yan and the others will still die in this godforsaken place because of me...
This frequency is particularly prone to attracting these afterimages...
That should work...
"..."
Tears were wiped from the corners of her eyes. She struggled to speak as she looked at the person standing before her, their face blank with despair.
"……Why"
I'll know these things... I'll only know these things now!
I am everything etched into your soul, something you can never forget.
Because on that day, everything you have was given up.
You are nailed to this world.
I cannot be erased, I cannot be forgotten.
Even he... couldn't make you completely ignore all of this.
【now】
Everything will happen again.
He felt a suffocating sensation once more, but he did not resist, letting death lead him back to the other side.
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Struggling to open my eyelids, all I saw was a sea of blood. Countless faint red characters seemed to float in the air, swaying gently in the dim light, drifting like ghosts.
You will... lose... again.
[Calamity...]
Unauthorized interference...manipulating fate...
I swayed and sat up straight, trying to clear my head, but the more I tried, the clearer the conversation from my dream became, and the deeper the feeling of despair in my heart grew.
Before he could catch his breath, a message came through his communicator. Without thinking twice, he pulled it out and read the message, which nearly made him faint.
He forced himself to his feet, flung open the door, and rushed into the rain.
"...The commander over there has been killed!"
It's all happening again...
You were completely unaware.
[Die...start over]
He looked up, and all he could see were those bloody words, indelible in the rain, only stinging his eyes more in the downpour.
He can't escape.
"Brother Wunian...you..."
"When did the commander over there die?! What's the situation now?!"
"Say!"
Nan Chui's expression was also grim; it was clear he had only recently learned of the news. Looking at the almost manic gaze of the man before him, he suddenly recalled the battle three years ago—
The person now seems to be overlapping with the appearance of the one they saw when they were attacked by the unpredictable ferocious heron.
"Mo Wunian...you don't need to rush..."
"It's not there yet..."
"But Ji Yan is there too! He's right there!"
"Then you should trust him even more! He's your student!"
"He can definitely handle this situation well... and save more people..."
"Tomorrow...we can meet tomorrow..."
"It'll be alright."
"..."
After hoarsely shouting out those words, he finally regained some composure, helplessly clutching his head, unable to speak for a long time.
Seeing that the other party seemed to have calmed down a bit, Nan Chui's tone also softened.
"Mo Wunian, believe him."
"It's been three days since the commander was killed... If he hasn't made any mistakes in these three days, then the kid must be alright."
"The intelligence was sent out not long ago, so there will definitely be more survivors..."
"It will all be over tomorrow."
"Finish……?"
"right……"
"Commander! Lieutenant Nan Chui! There's a small, scattered squad outside the camp..."
Nan Chui was startled and hurriedly turned to look at the somewhat bewildered Night Return Army. Sure enough, the next moment he felt a gust of wind beside him: when he turned back again, he saw that person rushing out of the camp.
"...My Lord!"
"What kind of trouble is this now..."
"Ten thousand, ten thousand..."
"It must not be related to the taboo against fire!"
Nan Chui was about to faint, his vision completely blacking out. He hurriedly pushed aside the people around him and followed the other person's steps, his heart filled with only one last request—
If something really happens to that kid, even ten General Geshu wouldn't be able to stop him!