173: One Step Away

"I took down one of my classmates," Li Aoz said casually. "I don't know what you're doing here, but you've come at the right time. Come lend me a hand—"

"... What do you mean by 'completely defeated'?"

Ya Wen turned her head slightly and said expressionlessly, "Your classmate looks very young, tall, and has healthy skin, unlike me, a pale and old woman Frostplate Azure Planet."

"Hey, you even brought food? Perfect timing, she might not wake up for a while, and we're all big eaters, so we've come at just the right time—"

Before Li Aoz could finish speaking, Ya Wen interrupted him again, saying, "Oh my, you know her hobbies very well. You all love to eat, huh? That's great, Li Aoz. Being with a beautiful classmate, even eating in the cafeteria must be fun, right?"

"The food in our cafeteria is really good."

Li Aoz casually remarked:

"To be honest, you didn't see the way she ate; it really did make you look hungry—"

"Li Aoz!" Ya Wen shouted, unable to bear it any longer. "Am I... just like this, completely useless to you?"

Li Aoz was bewildered.

"What are you talking about, Ya Wen? We haven't seen each other for months, and you've been avoiding me—"

"Ah, yeah, I've been avoiding you all this time. It's definitely not as good as being around me every day, being all lovey-dovey with that beautiful, youthful classmate!"

Ya Wen bit her lip and lowered her head. The confidence that had been taken from her by the [Hidden Society], as well as her 'inferiority complex' as a [Tailor], plunged her into deep self-blame at this moment.

"I'm sorry, I'm useless. Yes, I'm dispensable to you. I always thought I was special."

Li Aoz stood there blankly, completely bewildered, having no idea what was wrong with the other person.

Ya Wen came here inexplicably, then inexplicably got angry and said some inexplicable things.

"I thought that by going to space with you, coming to another planet together, and following in your footsteps, our relationship would surpass that of any other person."

Ya Wen's voice grew increasingly low, choked with sobs.

"Why are you crying?" Li Aoz asked, holding Dia Lan as he stepped forward.

Snap.

Ya Wen took a step back and said with her head down:

"Did I cry? No, hahaha... hehe, hehe..."

Ya Wen turned her head away and said coldly, "Li Aoz, I won't cry for you."

As she said this, glistening traces traced across her cheeks.

Li Aoz stood there, seeing her like this, not knowing what to say.

After a moment of silence, he glanced at Dia Lan in his arms and said:

"If there's anything wrong, we can talk about it when we get back. I need to take her to the infirmary first."

Just as Li Aoz was about to turn his head, Ya Wen suddenly raised her head and shouted loudly:

"Li Aoz —you idiot, I'm jealous of you!"

Snap.

Li Aoz turned around, his gaze serious. He put down Dia Lan and slowly walked towards Ya Wen, step by step.

"...Fool."

Ya Wen bit her lip, her nose stinging with tears. She quickly walked forward, opening her arms to Li Aoz as she called out, "You stupid, idiotic, brain-dead, blockheaded blockhead! I really missed you, Li Aozi—"

"Don't come any closer!"

Li Aoz shouted.

sand...

Ya Wen stood still, less than a few centimeters away from Li Aoz.

"Aoz ..."

Li Aoz held his breath, picked up a stone from beside his feet, and smashed it down on Ya Wen's head.

Pop—

Ya Wen stared blankly ahead as the stone hurtled towards her, then vanished a few centimeters in front of her.

She looked down and saw a miniature image of a stone emerging from the sand on the ground.

"Dimensional Barrier." Li Aoz exhaled a breath of stale air, his gaze grave. "It was the work of [Crescent Moon]."

"Mr. Li Aoz ..." Ya Wen looked at Li Aoz: "We, what are we?"

"Someone has released Dimensional Barrier all over the school. Anyone who touches them will be reduced to two dimensions." Li Aoz frowned. "This is bad. I'm being suppressed by the Higgs Field. Even if I use Aoneng, I can't break free, and the school will find out."

Ya Wen definitely couldn't hear him, so his action of throwing the stone just now made her stop immediately.

No wonder there's no one around here... Crescent Moon, it must be Crescent Moon attacking the school.

His purpose was pretty much predictable to Li Aoz – to Eye of Discernment.

"This guy... of all times!"

Li Aoz clicked his tongue.

"Mr. Li Aoz! What did you say? I can't hear you!" Ya Wen shouted. "I want to go to your side... I want to stay with you."

"Sound is essentially a mechanical wave... and it can be interfered with and blocked. This is troublesome; the sound can't get through, and neither can I."

Li Aoz shook his head:

"Ya Wen, take good care of yourself. Find a cane or something to probe the way. The Dimensional Barrier is invisible. Not only will it separate us, but if you're not careful, you'll fall onto a nearby two-dimensional surface. Even a drop of water could kill you then."

"What... what are you saying?"

Ya Wen couldn't hold back any longer. A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she collapsed to her knees, sobbing softly.

"Why... why me?"

"I finally got to see you. I wanted to bring you something delicious. I wanted to tell you that I have found a way to deal with the Blood of Ether. I want to... I miss you."

"Why did it have to be like this? It was right in front of me, only a step away?"

Ya Wen cried.

She knelt on the spot, and no one knew how much pressure she had been under lately. Once she started crying, she couldn't stop, and her light makeup was ruined.

Li Aoz and didn't have time to comfort her.

He had no choice but to say, "Ya Wen, time is of the essence. Find a safe place to stay."

"...I don't want to go anywhere." Ya Wen's eyes were red and swollen, and her voice choked with sobs. "I've never had any reason to exist. Even to you, I'm just something that's dispensable."

"Ya Wen— "

"What do you mean by extraordinary significance... You're just kidding me, aren't you?" Ya Wen said quietly. "Without the Hidden Society... Citizens are nothing after all."

She covered her face, her skin tearing open, from which tiny white spiders crawled out. Her tone grew increasingly Terror, her inferiority complex intensified, Blood of Ether began to flow uncontrollably at an accelerated pace.

Her form became increasingly bizarre and terrifying, and the traces of Yawen·Hesksin's existence gradually faded, replaced by the characteristics of a "tailor".

She murmured softly, accompanied by another ethereal voice, saying together, "... I should be looking for the secret."

Buzz! [What the hell is wrong with you, Yawen·Hesksin?!]

The echoing sound swept across, passing through the barriers of dimensional space, and reverberated in Ya Wen's ears.

"...Eh?"

The seamstress slowly raised her head; half of her face had transformed into a spider, and the eye that belonged to Yawen·Hesksin was glistening with tears as it gazed at Li Aoz.

Li Aoz removed the cloaked headpiece, revealing the original void space ripples, allowing him to maximize his ability to communicate through echo.

[Ya Wen, I don't know what kind of emotional journey you've been going through lately. I can't feel your heart. You may have suffered and been tormented by pain, but I can't share your burdens or ease your worries. You may be deep in darkness, waiting for someone to save you, but I can't do that either. I'm not a frivolous person; I won't give you any eternal promises.]

"Mr. Li Aoz..."

But you can rest assured.

Li Aoz's voice echoed continuously in Ya Wen's heart, "No matter where you are in the darkest corner of the Star Abyss, my voice will reach you before any ray of light."

Keep moving forward, Ya Wen, take care of yourself.

As you walk along the road, listen to the echo; for that alone, my promise is eternal.

Ya Wen looked at Li Aoz.

The spider's limbs gradually withered away, and the cracks on her body healed. She hugged herself alone, remaining silent for a long time. Facing Li Aoz, she opened her mouth and slowly mouthed, "I brought you food, but now I can only eat it by myself."

We can have an even better meal together.

Li Aoz said, "Wait for us to come home."