Book Four: Fading from the World, Chapter 350: Live Like Moss

When exactly did I begin to enjoy reading?

I can't quite remember anymore.

Born into the largest family in the country, and as the eldest daughter—a true heiress—she should have lived a life that everyone envied. She could have anything she wanted, see anyone she wanted, have countless servants at her beck and call, and eat, wear, and use only the finest things.

Even so, Xiao never experienced the so-called happiness and fulfillment at home.

It wasn't the clichéd anxieties of popular literature—the kind of life where "being a member of the nobility means no freedom, and you're constantly scheming and exhausted"—nor was it fear of the unpredictable future—though such anxieties would be normal in this environment. A perfect eldest son, a domineering second son, a dashing third son, a fourth son whose thoughts are unknown, and a somewhat immature younger sister—if she were to compete with these people for the position of Patriarch in the future, she would surely be the first cannon fodder to fall.

So Xiao never considered matters of status, property, or rights from the beginning. She often felt isolated from the world around her, finding it difficult to connect with others, integrate into her environment, and socially awkward—before she realized it, she was already inseparable from her books. Finding a small room to curl up in a corner and read was her greatest childhood hobby. She didn't have to be subservient to her brothers, didn't have to run around and play with her sister until she was breathless, and didn't have to stare at her piercing father. The world of books was her entire world. If she had to say she had any other hobbies... sleeping and pajamas?

Perhaps she was born a blessed person. Having read countless books since childhood, she possessed a wealth of knowledge. Coupled with an extremely rare and highly promising special ability, the Patriarch only symbolically applied for her to study at the Central United Academy of Literature, and she was selected in the first round. It is said that several representatives from prestigious universities even quarreled over this rare talent. Now, she thinks she is incredibly lucky. She easily entered the prestigious Changting Liberal Arts College and became a student representative without even realizing it because of her excellent grades. She has no worries about food and clothing, and most importantly, she doesn't have to stay in the capital to get involved in inheritance disputes or political marriages.

A life with everything going smoothly.

But none of this felt real.

Even at the Central United Academy, the only thing she would actively do was huddle in the library reading. She only had a few close book friends with whom she would occasionally read, and most of the time she was alone. As for entertainment other than reading... it was just occasionally flipping through her treasured books late at night to satisfy her needs. No matter where she went, she was ultimately just a repressed, gloomy, and socially awkward shut-in.

Sometimes I want to change.

Perhaps her initial joining Xiao Wu's World's Little Corner was also due to her inner desire for change. Although she initially noticed this strange little group because of a ridiculous misunderstanding, it is undeniable that the way this group exists, the children's communal living, and even Xiao Wu's lifestyle deeply piqued her interest, leading her to join and become like a caregiver.

But the one who truly turned his world upside down was probably that girl who seemed to come from another world and was about the same age as him.

When she first met Ye, she had black hair; when she met her again, she had pink hair. No matter what she looked like, Ye was breathtakingly beautiful. Her appearance and figure were the epitome of people's understanding of "beauty." Every gesture she made, the unfathomable mind beneath her seemingly dull exterior, her unique attitude of surrendering herself to fate yet not losing herself, and her belief in not being bound by anything—everything about her deeply attracted Xiao.

She wanted to imprint Ye in her mind, to write Ye into a book, to tell everyone in the world how good Ye was, to be held tightly in Ye's arms, and to give her everything she had—Xiao knew very well that she was in love, and it was an unstoppable fall in love.

As it turns out, the power of love is indeed great.

"Because I like her," with such a simple reason, he felt he could do anything. Whether it was taking care of the children while dealing with attacks from other clubs during Club Hunt, or suddenly engaging in a duel with Black Crystal when unprepared, or being entrusted with an important role in the war—as long as he thought of Ye, power would surge within him, and as long as he imagined how she would look at him with new eyes, all his fatigue would vanish.

So, we must continue to work hard this time as well.

Even if the strongest enemy has already reached your doorstep.

"They've arrived... 20,000 people!"

"Speed up the pace! At this rate, we won't be able to finish evacuating everyone!"

Never before had the massive Gate of the Book in Torres City been so crowded. The square outside the cathedral was packed with people, and even more rushed out of the gate like an endless, dark red torrent! But this was merely a drop in the ocean compared to the sheer number of people!

Xiao was nearing her limit. Even though she had prepared a large supply of medication beforehand and was mentally prepared, she was suddenly forced into a situation where she had to push herself to the limit...

"Waaah..."

"Miss Xiao..."

"It's okay! I... I can manage!"

Even though she was soaked in sweat, even though her consciousness was beginning to fade, even though excessive exhaustion was about to drain her body, she didn't relax at all! For the first time, she truly felt that she was omnipotent. Just thinking about Ye would give her strength, just thinking about her voice and smile would make her feel like she could do anything, as long as Ye was there... she would never fall!

Sadington, Warehouse District

"Everyone! Follow the commander's orders and evacuate in an orderly manner!"

"Report! The 11th Division has completed its evacuation, and the survivors of the 14th Division are ready! Requesting instructions!"

"What about the Seventh Division?"

"Still no contact! Judging from the current situation, they're probably all..."

"Enough! Move the next batch immediately!"

"Yes, sir!!!"

Teams—to put it nicely, they were teams; to put it bluntly, they were a bunch of defeated soldiers—demonstrated the fastest speed they could achieve under such circumstances. They were like a dark red torrent, efficient, fast, and orderly.

Every retreating army headed for the Book Gate hidden deep within the warehouse district. The only hope for escaping this inevitable defeat lay with Xiao's Book Gate! The gray-gold light shimmered, and even with an overwhelming number of people being transported, the gate showed no signs of weakening in effectiveness, thanks to Xiao's unwavering perseverance on the other side.

This is the largest book gate Xiao has ever opened, using tens of thousands of books and covering an area of six or seven hundred square meters. But even so, it's still far from enough! Tianlu is wreaking havoc behind them, and slowing down could very well mean death! Not to mention that the door to escape danger is right in front of them, and everyone is itching to rush in immediately. Fortunately, the Revolutionary Army has iron discipline that has kept order!

"Hurry up, next squad! Don't dawdle! Anyone who disrupts order will be dealt with according to military law!"

How many people are left?

"There are over 7,000 people in this warehouse area, and at least 20,000 more are heading this way... and that doesn't even include those whose fate is unknown!"

"Tsk!!!"

The temporary commander looked up at the distant sky, where the divine lightning that kept striking down from the sky and the holy flames that surged from the ground were getting closer and closer, and death was approaching from behind!

"Moreover, Lord Nid, Lord Brad, and their commando team have yet to show up!"

"How about Torres? Have you been able to get in touch with him?"

"No! The signal is being disrupted; we can only communicate by having people pass through directly from the past!"

"This is bad, if this continues... hmm?"

The distant thunder and holy light suddenly diminished.

"Strange... why has their attack slowed down over there?"

All attacks slowed down, and the distant wails of agony diminished.

Has the law of heaven suddenly shown mercy?

"Wait, what's that—"

The enormous wings of light shrank until they disappeared from sight. Gradually, a strong sound of wind being torn apart arose, growing louder and closer—

However, just a few seconds later, a small point of light could be seen growing larger in the sky from the ground in the warehouse area.

The soldiers who had just been quickly retreating all fell silent.

Fear transformed into a chill that traveled along the spine and spread throughout the body.

"... Hey, hey, no way!"

Suddenly, a cross flying down from directly above caused a violent explosion, easily shattering the defensive formation, and then a dazzling ball of light—plunged straight to the ground!

Wings spread, and a figure emerged from the dust.

That was the figure of Death.

The retreating troops continued to pass through the gate. Once they emerged and were out of their way, they collapsed to the ground, exhausted, and received aid from the medical personnel who were already waiting. Escaping under the pressure of the fear of death is the best way to unleash human potential, but it is also the most exhausting.

If others are like this, isn't Xiao no different?

"This is a new Spiritual Medicine, and it also contains energizing ingredients. To be honest, the side effects are quite strong..."

"It's alright! Just give it to me!"

Xiao took the small test tube and drank it all in one gulp. She felt that her remaining strength had indeed improved and her somewhat blurred consciousness had indeed become clearer. Then she turned around and continued to keep the door open.

Looking at Xiao's expression, Loxue felt a mix of confusion and genuine admiration.

She had truly witnessed firsthand the immense potential a person can unleash for love, and the extent to which they can go for the one they love. Seeing Xiao Na's unwavering spirit despite repeatedly pushing her to the limit, even she, who was already accustomed to heroic deeds, couldn't help but be moved.

I'm almost tempted to voice my support for her and Ye's relationship... even though I'm basically straight myself.

"... Um?"

The flow of people pouring out of the door suddenly decreased.

"Hey, you!"

"Lady Loxue!? May I ask what is it—"

"What's going on? Why are there suddenly fewer people?"

"... Huh?"

The new soldier who had been called away looked at the rapidly decreasing crowd with a puzzled expression.

"I don't know... After I went in in order, I had no idea what happened outside..."

"... I wonder what's happening outside...?"

My usually quick-witted mind seemed to have slowed down; I slowly chewed on the words, and then—

For the first time, Loxue had such a strong feeling of impending doom.

"Xiao!!! Close the door right now!!!!"

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We've finally reached this point.