Brother, I'm Sorry

At the door to the room on the twenty-second floor, Lin Qi had barely opened it when he saw Xia Chu spring up inside, a hammer clenched tightly in her hand.

After seeing Lin Qi's face and the familiar Exoskeleton equipment, Xia Chu finally let out a breath of relief.

"How is the Crimson Crystal absorption going?"

Lin Qi placed the bundle made from bedsheets beneath the desk and casually asked Xia Chu.

Xia Chu moved her tongue slightly, feeling it out. "Less than half has melted. It'll take another six or seven hours to melt completely."

That slow?

Could the absorption efficiency of Crimson Crystals vary from person to person?

Thinking it over carefully, Lin Qi found it reasonable.

He was a Wizard who had spent years meditating and absorbing Spiritual Energy Particles. His absorption speed should naturally be faster than an ordinary person's.

By that logic, as the number of Crimson Crystals he absorbed increased, the efficiency should also improve.

"Doesn't that mean that in this world, I can rapidly improve my physique just by absorbing Crimson Crystals?"

"If my physique surpasses First Rank before I become a Wizard, should I count as a Wizard or a Martial Artist?"

Lin Qi pictured himself covered in bulging muscles.

Too inelegant. Far too contrary to a Wizard's aesthetic.

Besides, this was only speculation. The enhancement effect of a First Rank Extraordinary Item could not possibly be limitless.

Most likely, once it strengthened his physique to the First Rank level, it would lose most of its effectiveness.

If Lin Qi truly wanted to grow stronger, he would still need to rely on a wider variety of Extraordinary Items.

"I only need two more First Rank Extraordinary Items to become a Second Rank Wizard, but before obtaining the next Extraordinary Item, I still need to increase my Mental Power."

"Traveling between two worlds gives me twice as much time to meditate. Even if meditation is somewhat less effective in the Cyber World, it can still speed up my progress considerably."

Recently, Lin Qi had become increasingly desperate to improve his strength. The Witch Hunt was escalating by the day, and there was no telling when it might threaten him.

With Psychic Vision activated, Lin Qi constantly monitored the Zombies in the remaining two units, as well as the stray cats that occasionally passed downstairs, their mutations clearly apparent.

Through Psychic Vision, Lin Qi saw Xia Chu slowly move closer again.

"Lin Qi, it'll be dark soon. How about we..."

As the sky darkened, so did Lin Qi's expression.

No wonder the Lin Qi of the parallel world had been so frail and had turned into a Zombie the instant the apocalypse broke out. Everything was cause and effect.

"Your eyes are full of bloodshot veins. Get some proper rest. The apocalypse has already happened; we need to conserve our strength."

The charred marks on the floor constantly reminded Lin Qi that he was a Wizard from the Cyber World, not some animal with nothing but mating on his mind.

For the time being, Xia Chu did not grow suspicious again. Reassured by Lin Qi, she lay down on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.

At Xia Chu's insistent request, Lin Qi lay down beside her.

He closed his eyes and began meditating.

The concentration of Spiritual Energy Particles in the Doomsday World was extremely high. Lin Qi only needed to meditate in this environment for two or three days at most before reaching the threshold for another Analysis of an Extraordinary Item.

A Wizard's Mental Power grew in stages. Each Analysis of an Extraordinary Item raised the upper limit of Mental Power.

Only after reaching a new upper limit could he analyze the next Extraordinary Item.

In meditation, Lin Qi's breathing was steady, and he looked no different from someone asleep.

He meditated while maintaining Psychic Vision.

Beside him, Xia Chu, who seemed to be sleeping as well, suddenly sat up.

She sat cross-legged beside Lin Qi and stared directly at his face.

Through Psychic Vision, Lin Qi saw that Xia Chu watched him for a long time.

Her expression changed several times, and her arm rose and fell repeatedly.

She even reached toward the hammer by the bed twice.

What was she trying to do? Had she begun to suspect his identity?

Lin Qi's breathing remained steady.

The Brain was not just for show. If danger appeared, it would immediately control the Exoskeleton's defensive movements.

Xia Chu watched him like that for a full half hour.

Xia Chu slowly lowered her head and moved close to Lin Qi's ear. She made no sound, but Lin Qi "saw" the shape of her lips.

"My love, forever true."

There was no sound, yet it struck like thunder.

Whether in the city of his previous life or Red Fruit City in the present Cyber World, love was the most expensive luxury.

Lin Qi had never possessed it, nor had he ever even witnessed it with his own eyes.

After forming those seven characters, Xia Chu lowered her head even further.

The wooden boards of the single bed creaked beneath Xia Chu's movements, mingling with Lin Qi's steady breathing.

The fading glow of the setting sun streamed through the window into the room.

Parts of their silhouettes met, only to separate at the slightest touch.

Xia Chu quickly lay back down as though nothing had happened.

Two minutes later, Xia Chu sat up once more, her delicate face pressed close to Lin Qi's.

Her lips fell upon Lin Qi's neck.

After a long while, Xia Chu seemed to grow tired and finally lay back down.

Yet a clear mark remained on Lin Qi's neck.

His meditation had nearly collapsed. His Mental Power fluctuated violently, yet it devoured an enormous amount of Spiritual Energy Particles.

The effects of just a few minutes of meditation had astonishingly matched what would normally take an entire day.

It was a good thing, but Lin Qi could not bring himself to be happy.

"Brother, I'm sorry."

His Psychic Vision focused on the charred mark on the floor.

After apologizing on behalf of the Lin Qi from the parallel world, Lin Qi continued lamenting inwardly.

Two lifetimes' worth of time.

And his first kiss had been taken so carelessly?

He had not even dated anyone...

An inexplicable sadness rose within him. He did not know whether it was for himself or for the Lin Qi of the parallel world.

Calculating the time, there were less than twenty minutes before the Gate would take him back to the Cyber World.

Lin Qi stopped meditating and opened his eyes.

Xia Chu's breathing beside him was even and steady. She was already fast asleep.

Since the apocalypse began, Xia Chu had not rested at all.

Only by Lin Qi's side did Xia Chu feel slightly at ease, allowing herself to fall into a deep sleep.

Lin Qi got up as quietly as possible, opened the door, and left the room.

It was not because he wanted to abandon Xia Chu, but because he was heading to the shower room.

This was a subdivided rental apartment, and Lin Qi's room did not have its own bathroom.

Before returning to the Cyber World, Lin Qi intended to wash himself thoroughly.

He had not removed the Exoskeleton Armor for a long time.

In the Cyber World, Lin Qi did not dare remove his disguise lightly, even in his own home.

In only ten minutes, Lin Qi finished washing and locked the Exoskeleton Armor back into place.

Standing before the sink, Lin Qi looked at himself in the mirror.

His gaze fell on the mark on his neck.

His feelings were complicated.

He quietly returned to the room and lay back in his original spot.

Xia Chu had not been disturbed and continued sleeping peacefully.

Bzzzt...

The sound of an electric current appeared, and the signal briefly returned.

"This is Modu Rescue Command. Warning to all survivors: the Dragon Nation government still exists. In this time of national crisis, please continue to obey the law and uphold morality. Modu rescue operations are already underway..."