“Forget it. If there is none, then there is none.”
Mo Yuan said indifferently, “I can guess anyway. At most, the doctor got angry because Xinglan went beyond his control. Otherwise, he would not have taken such a big risk and sent you here directly to help.”
“Xinglan’s loss of control is already threatening him!”
Faced with this sensitive question, the three fell silent. The leader did not answer directly, only turning slightly and saying, “Mo Yuan, it is getting late. We should set off.”
“Alright, let’s go.” With his hands in his pockets, Mo Yuan followed the four of them as they slowly disappeared into the depths of the forest.
The screen was instantly left with only barrages flashing past at extreme speed, showing the audience’s confusion.
“So Lao Xi really was the doctor’s person before?”
“Lao Xi lost control, so whose side is she on now?”
“I do not even know whether Lao Xi was brainwashed or not.”
“Judging from the plot, Lao Lin’s operation probably failed. Lao Xi’s brainwashing was likely not removed, but something seemed to go wrong afterward, causing even the doctor to lose control of her. That is my guess.”
“Too free.”
Impossible to tell. Completely impossible to tell.
Although the audience had a god’s-eye view, the camera only showed selected scenes, so they lacked a lot of key information. On top of that, Yun Ruoxi’s state had shifted twice within a very short time.
The audience thought Yun Ruoxi was a good person standing on the protagonist team’s side, yet the plot repeatedly hinted at a darker side of her. Later, it was even confirmed through Genbeier and Guan Kelai.
Just when the audience thought Yun Ruoxi had been fully brainwashed, loyal to the Saints’ hand society, and had already become a traitor within the team,they then learned from Mo Yuan that Yun Ruoxi had already lost control and was no longer within the doctor’s grasp.
So for a while, no one could figure out Yun Ruoxi’s current state or stance.
But that was exactly what Yun Ruoxi wanted.
If the audience knew everything from the beginning, then there would be no final moment of sudden clarity and shock when the clouds parted and the moon appeared.
As the closing performance of her First Season, she would naturally strive for perfection, determined to squeeze every last drop of emotion from the audience in one go.
Well, was that not another form of a juice extractor?
Having spent too much of her spare time reading Aili’s booklets, Yun Ruoxi suddenly thought of that phrase for no reason and secretly blushed for several seconds.
Shaking her head, she looked out at the night and made final adjustments to her plan based on the intelligence she had just received.
People as easy to understand as Lin Zhen were ultimately rare. Most of the others involved in this grand game were complicated.
She could not possibly predict everyone’s reactions and choices. She could only leave enough margin for error in advance and modify things at any time.
“The doctor cannot possibly deploy a spaceship. That would be too obvious. So Mo Yuan and the others probably came through the root passage as well. In that case, it will take them most of a day.”
“Hmm. Lin Zhen’s side should have the spaceship ready by tomorrow, but I need to make sure they can make it in time, so…”
After confirming again and again that there were no omissions in her plan, the planet’s time had already reached the latter half of the night.
The darkness was thick. The yellow-haired girl lay beside her, resting her head against her underarm, breathing peacefully.
Yun Ruoxi turned to look at Aili.
The last night.
A trace of gentleness flashed in her eyes. She raised her right hand and let the girl’s hair slide through her fingers.
This was the younger sister she had raised for a full three years.
From that slightly taller-than-her but malnourished, thin, ordinary little girl with terrible hair quality, to now, taller than her by two heads, well developed, with smooth and silky hair.
Yun Ruoxi had poured countless efforts into Aili, almost raising her like a daughter.
Her feelings for her were even deeper than those for Lin Zhen.
But all feasts must end.
By this time tomorrow, they would probably already be separated, divided by two universes, only able to meet again when the Second Season opened at some unknown time.
And Lin Zhen, Zi Jiu, Kaos, Yun Che, and Anvil…
She had clearly prepared herself mentally for parting long ago, yet Yun Ruoxi still felt inexplicably sentimental the night before, like someone facing a major examination.
But thinking about it, was not the final performance of the First Season also a kind of major examination for her?
Yun Ruoxi tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
She simply got out of bed and drifted out silently, stopping outside each person’s room in turn and staring quietly at the doors for a long time, as if she could see the people behind them through the wood.
When she left Lin Zhen’s door, a tear finally slid from the corner of her reddened eye.
If it were not for revenge, for reviving her family, she truly would have wanted to go with them.
The next morning.
Already accustomed to the Salami-Twenty-One routine, everyone got up early and finished breakfast.
As before, they gathered together and chatted to pass the time.
But although they had seemed normal yesterday, today they were all unexpectedly quiet.
They kept glancing up uncontrollably at that tightly shut door.
For three years, although they had not been brainwashed, under Instructor Behemoth’s series of methods, the idea that they could never escape the battle camp had been planted deep within them.
It could be said that if not for Lin Zhen, they might never have thought of escape, nor dared to think of it.
So as the moment when the plan would be launched drew closer, their moods became increasingly tense.
They could not help imagining what their lives would be like if the plan succeeded.
Would they finally see their families? Would they be able to use this power to fulfill their childhood dreams?
After thinking of the good possibilities, they would then worry about what would happen if the plan failed.
Yun Ruoxi was the perfect example.
They would probably be completely brainwashed by the enraged Saints’ hand society and lose themselves entirely.
And when they thought of that,
fear would show on their faces, and they could not help but think, ‘If only we had never participated from the start.’
***
Time slowly passed in this strange atmosphere.
Zi Jiu had not failed to consider standing up to encourage everyone, but this was an operation with only a tiny chance of survival.
Saying it would definitely succeed was something even she herself could not believe.
So each time she began to speak, she ended with only a few weak words.
Afternoon.
There was still no movement from Lin Zhen’s room, but Kaos had already returned after completing his task.
Usually cheerful, he did liven up the atmosphere a little.
But when a strong gust of wind blew in through Lin Zhen’s unclosed window and made a sudden clatter, everyone instinctively turned to look.
Thinking that the moment deciding life or death was about to arrive, the atmosphere turned cold again.
Evening.
Zi Jiu looked around. The room was as silent as death. She forced a smile and said,
“How about everyone eats dinner first? All that food will just sit there otherwise…”