--A Little While Earlier--
Aines
Old Man looked at the man before him, watching his calm, natural expression.
Faced with He Ao's question, he showed little confusion or hesitation. He merely sighed slowly. "Not long after he returned from De Nuo City, he passed away."
"The rescue failed?" He Ao, seated on the ground, looked at him and asked softly.
"No, the rescue was successful." Old Man sighed and shook his head. "Those doctors couldn't keep secrets. If the rescue had failed, the situation wouldn't be like this."
Hearing Old Man's words, He Ao seemed to realize something as well. He sighed softly and spoke at an extremely rapid pace. "People always die. Just as angels will eventually descend into madness, everything we do—extending life, preserving humanity—is only meant to delay that day. But that day will come eventually."
Old Man merely sighed at He Ao's words, seeming unsurprised that He Ao had figured this out.
He withdrew his gaze and looked toward the Stars Pharmaceutical Building standing not far away, pausing slightly.
It seemed like an instant's pause, yet also as though a long time had passed.
"Humanity cannot escape death. Even so-called extraordinary humans are ultimately fated to die."
At last, his aged voice rang out beneath the sky filled with oppressive pressure. "He had the best medical conditions in the entire Federation and an almost unlimited budget. Stars Pharmaceutical and Huier Mei Medical could easily heal his body. Even the hidden contamination could not quickly take his life."
He turned back to He Ao. "Besides, because the response was swift, his injuries at the time were not actually that severe."
He leaned back and took a slight breath before finally speaking slowly. "But human lifespan has limits after all. He was too old."
Old Man's aged voice