48-Hour Special Training (Part 2)

Lin Mo said, "I don't know. But it's better than having nothing at all."

He walked over to Ning Rongrong and handed her a bottle of water he had brought before leaving. Ning Rongrong took it and drank a few mouthfuls, then suddenly asked, "That ancient martial art you mentioned yesterday, can you teach it to me?"

Lin Mo was stunned. "You want to learn?"

Ning Rongrong nodded. "In case you aren't around one day, I'll at least be able to protect myself."

Lin Mo looked at her, silent for a few seconds, then said, "Ancient martial arts must be learned from childhood; it's too late for you to start now. But I can teach you a few simple moves for self-defense."

Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Lin Mo stood up and told her to follow his lead.

Starting stance, horse stance, punch.

They were very simple movements. But Ning Rongrong performed them earnestly, punch after punch, not stopping even when she was drenched in sweat. Lin Mo stood by to correct her posture, occasionally reaching out to adjust the angle of her arms; she would stiffen for a moment, then continue to strike.

After practicing for an hour, Ning Rongrong was so exhausted she sat on the ground, gasping for air.

"Did you... did you practice this every day when you were a kid?"

Lin Mo nodded. "I woke up at five every morning, started with an hour of horse stance, and then practiced the fist techniques."

Ning Rongrong's mouth fell open. "Then did you have any time to play?"

Lin Mo thought for a moment. "I didn't really play much."

Ning Rongrong looked at him, her expression complex.

After a while, she suddenly asked, "Where are your parents?"

Lin Mo froze for a moment.

Ning Rongrong regretted it as soon as she said it, quickly adding, "I was just asking. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to."

Lin Mo was silent for a few seconds, then said, "They passed away. When I was seven."

Ning Rongrong stopped talking.

A long time later, she stood up, walked over to Lin Mo, and looked up at him.

"Then you're quite pitiful too," she said, her voice soft. "Even more pitiful than me. At least I have my father, Grandpa Sword, and Grandpa Bone."

Lin Mo looked at her without saying a word.

She suddenly reached out, took his hand, and gave it a squeeze.

"From now on," she said, "I'll look after you."

Lin Mo was stunned.

Ning Rongrong let go of his hand and turned to walk away, her ears red enough to drip blood.

She stopped after a few steps and, without looking back, said:

"Keep practicing!"

Lin Mo watched her back and suddenly smiled.

He quickened his pace to catch up and continued teaching her those simple self-defense moves.

The sun slowly slanted toward the west.

In the afternoon, the two practiced their coordination several more times. Lin Mo moved rapidly through the labyrinthine piles of scrap, while Ning Rongrong used Heart Separation Control to buff him. From the occasional interruption at the start, she progressed to maintaining it for twenty consecutive minutes—the improvement was obvious.

After the final practice, Ning Rongrong was so tired she lay directly on the ground, looking at the sky.

The sky was very blue, with a few clouds drifting by.

Lin Mo sat beside her, also looking at the sky.

After a long silence, Ning Rongrong suddenly said, "Lin Mo."

"Hm?"

"Tell me, what if I can't go back?"

Lin Mo turned his head to look at her.

She was still looking at the sky, her face devoid of expression.

Lin Mo thought for a moment and said, "Then you'll just stay here."

"What's so good about this place? Your iron boxes, your glowing signs, and that thing you call a cell phone..." She paused, her voice dropping lower, "I don't even know how to use them."

Lin Mo said, "I'll teach you."

Ning Rongrong didn't speak.

After a long time, she suddenly sat up and looked at him.

"If I can't go back, you have to take responsibility."

Lin Mo: "Take responsibility for what?"

"Responsible for teaching me things. Responsible for... responsible for protecting me." She paused, her voice even smaller, "And that matter of the Life Bond... you have to let me think about it slowly."

Lin Mo looked at her and nodded. "Okay."

Ning Rongrong stared at him for a few seconds, then looked away and whispered:

"Then it's a deal."

Lin Mo said: "It's a deal."

The setting sun began to sink.

The two stood up, brushed the dust off their clothes, and prepared to head back.

When they reached the entrance, Ning Rongrong suddenly stopped and turned back to glance at the ruins.

In the golden light, those piles of waste, those dilapidated factory buildings, and those rusted iron frames all stood there in silence.

She suddenly asked: "Tomorrow, right here?"

Lin Mo nodded: "Yes."

She took a deep breath, turned around, and tugged on his sleeve to lead the way out.

"Let's go, back for dinner. I'm hungry."

Lin Mo followed her out.

After a few steps, he suddenly remembered something, pulled his phone from his pocket, turned on the camera, and snapped a picture of the ruins.

Ning Rongrong leaned in curiously: "What's that?"

"Taking a photo. To keep the way this place looks."

"Why keep it?"

Lin Mo put his phone away and looked at her: "In case we win tomorrow, we can come back and take a look later."

Ning Rongrong froze for a moment, then smiled.

That smile in the sunset was exceptionally beautiful.

The two walked side by side into the twilight.

Behind them, the ruins waited quietly.

Waiting for tomorrow to arrive.

When they returned to the studio, it was already dark.

Lin Mo went to the kitchen to cook, while Ning Rongrong sat on the sofa, lost in thought.

Dinner was simple: two dishes and a soup. Ning Rongrong ate absentmindedly, poking at her rice with her chopsticks, wondering what she was thinking about.

Lin Mo didn't speak either.

After finishing the meal, Ning Rongrong went to wash the dishes. Lin Mo sat on the sofa, staring at the system's countdown.

[Time until target "Huyan Li" descends: 6 hours 14 minutes]

It was getting close.

Six more hours.

Ning Rongrong came out after washing the dishes and saw him staring into thin air, knowing he was looking at the system. She walked over and sat down beside him.

"How much longer?"

"Six hours."

Ning Rongrong was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly said: "I'm not sleeping inside tonight."

Lin Mo turned his head to look at her.

She kept her head low, her voice muffled: "I can't sleep alone."

Lin Mo didn't say anything.

She continued: "I'll just sit here. We'll go together when the sky brightens."

Lin Mo nodded: "Alright."

The two sat like that, neither of them speaking.

Occasionally, the sound of cars drifted in from outside the window, and the light of neon signs in the distance flickered.

I don't know how much time passed, but Ning Rongrong's head began to bob. She struggled to keep her eyes open, but her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, until finally, her body tilted and she fell asleep leaning against Lin Mo's shoulder.

Lin Mo looked down at her.

The way she looked in her sleep was the same as the past few days; her brows were slightly furrowed, as if she were having some kind of dream. Her long, powder-blue hair spilled over his shoulder, and as a few strands slid onto his face, he gently brushed them away.

He recalled the things she had said today.

"I'll cover for you from now on."

"If I can't make it back, you have to take responsibility."

"You teach me."

He looked at her sleeping face and suddenly whispered:

"Very well."

Outside the window, the sky remained dark.

In the distance, toward the outskirts of the city, those ruins were waiting in silence.

Six hours remained until the battle.

Early in the morning, Ning Rongrong was woken up by Chen Mo.

She opened her eyes to find herself still leaning on his shoulder, nearly drooling. She quickly sat up straight, wiped the corner of her mouth, and then saw Chen Mo staring out the window.

The sky was still dark. But on the horizon in the distance, a hint of dark purple emerged.

"Is it time?" she asked, her voice raspy from sleep.

Chen Mo nodded. "Half an hour left."

Ning Rongrong stood up and went to the bathroom to splash some water on her face. When she came out, she felt much more alert. She looked at Chen Mo and suddenly asked, "Are you afraid?"

Chen Mo thought for a moment. "I am."

"I'm afraid too," Ning Rongrong said. "But we have to go regardless."

The two of them stepped out.

The streets in the early morning were very quiet, with only an occasional taxi driving by. The streetlights stretched their shadows long; Ning Rongrong followed beside Chen Mo, not saying a word the entire way.

By the time they reached the ruins, the purple hue on the horizon had deepened.

The iron gate was still the same iron gate, and the ruins were still the same ruins. They looked unremarkable during the day, but at night, they exuded an eerie chill. Moonlight shone upon the dilapidated factory buildings, their windows like pitch-black, hollow eyes.

The two walked into the maze—the labyrinth constructed from scrap materials. Chen Mo led Ning Rongrong to hide behind a pile of concrete in the deepest part, from where they could see the entrance to the entire site.

Ning Rongrong crouched there, her palms slick with sweat. She kept wiping them on her pants, but the moisture only seemed to increase.

Chen Mo noticed and reached out to grip her wrist.

Ning Rongrong froze, looking down at the spot where he held her.

"Don't be nervous," Chen Mo said. "Stick to the plan."

Ning Rongrong took a deep breath and nodded.

Time ticked away, second by second.

The surroundings were so quiet that she could hear her own heartbeat. Occasionally, a breeze would blow, causing the weeds to rustle and the tin roof to creak.

Suddenly, Chen Mo's right eye began to sting.

A purple light screen popped up automatically, but the content this time was different—

[Plane rift tearing detected...]
[Target arrival imminent!]
[Distance: 10 seconds... 9 seconds... 8 seconds...]

Chen Mo tightened his grip on Ning Rongrong's hand, staring at the center of the site.

There, the space began to distort.