I couldn't bring myself to look Chen Yihan in the eyes, but I forced myself to meet his gaze.
"You can kill anyone you want, make anyone die in your place. But after that, you have to wipe the slate clean and start over." Chen Yihan let his presence fade and released me, straightening up. "I never thought things would come to this, but they have. So many people have died already, and there's no guarantee the rest will survive. No matter how unhappy we are with Ye Qing, we have to keep following the path he laid out for us."
Chen Yihan stressed it again. "You have to keep going."
I didn't answer. It felt as if my heart had taken a heavy blow.
I suddenly realized that the moment I first agreed with Ye Qing's plan and began to hope for it, there had been no turning back.
Everyone I had saved or caused to die by changing the past over the last year had become my responsibility.
When I couldn't save someone, I could say it was a shame, feel guilty and blame myself, or simply apologize and go on with my life.
But for those whose fates I had changed, I had to bear the burden of their lives—and of the lives they had lost.
I couldn't toss out a casual apology and return to my normal life.
Before, I had felt no pressure because of Ye Qing's plan.
Now, I wanted to give up, but that was impossible.
Chen Yihan was right. If not for the people still alive, then for the people who had died, I couldn't give up or run away.
My heart trembled faintly.
"Your parents and younger sister are all right." Chen Yihan's tone suddenly softened. "Xiao Qiu and the others