This Life

Su Li felt like he was about to die.

It was a strange feeling. It wasn't like being sick; it was more like the battery inside him was finally about to run out of its last bit of power.

His arms and legs began to grow heavy. The taut string in his mind finally loosened, and his whole body felt light, as if he could float away at any moment.

He was seventy-eight this year.

In this godforsaken place, that made him an undisputed old-timer, a lucky elder the village chief would invite to sit at the best table and bless the children by patting their heads.

With some effort, Su Li pushed himself up from the recliner.

His old bones cracked and creaked, sounding like beans popping in a pan.

He walked over to the bronze mirror and looked at the person reflected in it.

There were only a few more fine lines at the corners of his eyes, and his hair had turned completely white.

His skin was still firm, his features still well-defined, and his eyes still had that alluring glint.

"Tsk." Su Li touched his face. "What an old monster."

Su Li laughed at himself. This was probably a side effect of the [Sword Brows Starry Eyes] trait—or maybe a perk? Either way, thanks to this face, he'd never once been taken advantage of, whether buying vegetables in town or buying on credit in the neighboring village.

Su Na was the one who'd drawn the short straw.

These days, she looked even older than he did.

When Su Na had visited yesterday, her hair had been completely white and wrinkles covered her face like walnut skin. And she still had to call him Dad. The sight was more absurd than a comedy skit.

Su Li took a bottle of fruit wine he'd kept hidden for years from the cupboard. It was from the last batch Saina had brewed, three years ago. He'd never had the heart to drink it.

"Come on." Su Li patted the bottle. "I'll take you to see the real deal."

He didn't disturb anyone. The courtyard was quiet, with only a few sparrows hopping around on the ground.

Su Li pushed open the weathered wooden door and staggered out.

Wading Village had changed beyond recognition. The dirt roads had been paved with gravel, and the low thatched cottages had been replaced by brick houses with tiled roofs.

The little tavern at the village entrance had doubled in size, with a colorful sign hanging over its door.

But that had nothing to do with him anymore. He was just passing through now, about to check out and leave.

Su Li followed the familiar path, slowly making his way toward the back mountain.

His legs really wouldn't cooperate. After every two steps, he had to stop and catch his breath three times.

But he didn't stop, and he didn't want anyone to help him.

This last stretch of his life was a road he had to walk on his own.

On the mountainside was a sunny patch of land.

He'd picked it out long ago as a perfect burial spot. From there, he could see the village, the winding little river, and the first rays of sunlight each morning.

A gravestone stood there.

Su Li dropped onto the grass in front of it and set the wine bottle down with a thump.

"Old woman, I've come to see you."

The inscription read: Beloved Wife Saina's Grave. No fancy titles, no moving epitaph. Just a few simple words, full of the down-to-earth warmth of a life spent together.

Saina had passed away three years ago. She'd gone peacefully in her sleep, without suffering.

Before she left, she'd held Su Li's hand and reminded him not to forget to eat and to water the flowers.

"You know, you didn't have to rush off like that." Su Li pulled out the cork, poured half the wine in front of the gravestone, and took a swig himself. "You left me here to suffer alone. For the past few years, there's been no one to mend my clothes or chatter on about family matters. It's been nice and quiet, sure, but in here..." He tapped his chest. "It's been empty."

The wine had gone a little sour, but Su Li liked it just fine.

"I figure my time's almost up, too." Su Li leaned against the gravestone, feeling the chill of the stone. "We managed to make a good life together. We weren't rich, and we never did anything earth-shattering, but I'm content."

He thought of that lousy system and its damn [Reincarnation] setup.

Survival time in his previous life? Seventy-eight years. That score couldn't be too bad.

Accumulated wealth? Just a few boxes of savings for his funeral, probably an F.

Social standing? Village blacksmith, an E at best.

Progeny? A son and a daughter, plus two grandsons. Not bad, all things considered.

Legendary status? That one was probably a big fat zero. The most legendary thing he'd done in this life was marry such a wonderful wife.

"An F is an F." Su Li grinned, without a care in the world. "It's not like I give a damn about being some savior. I just wanted a warm, happy life. And I got one."

He sat there for a long time, until the sun began to set.

After pouring the last drop of wine into his mouth, Su Li brushed the dirt off his backside and stood up.

"All right, I won't keep you any longer. I still need to check on our daughter." Su Li patted the gravestone.

Su Li went down the mountain and circled around to the other end of the village.

There stood a large brick house with a courtyard. It was the Kanlun family home.

The courtyard was lively. A stout old woman was chasing a half-grown boy around with a fire poker.

It was Su Na. Her temper hadn't changed one bit.

"You little brat! Stealing food, are you? That pork knuckle was for your grandpa!" Su Na shouted as she ran after him. Her booming voice rattled the tiles on the roof.

The boy made faces as he ran. He was Su Na's little grandson, and just as mischievous as Su Xiaochui had been at his age.

Old Kanlun's son, Kanlun—Su Li's son-in-law—was crouching by the wall, chuckling foolishly as he sharpened a butcher's knife.

He was old now, too, with a hunched back, but he still looked just as honest and kindhearted.

Su Li didn't go in.

He stood behind the big willow outside the courtyard wall, peering through a gap in the fence.

He watched the little girl who used to cuddle in his arms, now the formidable head of her household. He watched the noisy, chaotic, yet warm life of her family.

That was enough.

If he went in now, there'd be tears and wailing, and his dutiful children and grandchildren would crowd around to force-feed him medicine and water.

Su Li hated that sort of thing. When it was time to die, he wanted to do it quickly and cleanly, without all those clingy farewell rituals.

"I'm off," Su Li said to himself.

He turned and didn't look back. His figure looked a little lonely, but his steps were steady.

His final stop was the Old Locust Tree.

It stood at the entrance to Wading Village, where it had all begun.

It was right here that he'd met Saina.

The pockmarked girl.

Her fantasy of finding a Prince Charming had tied him down for the rest of his life.

The old locust tree was long gone, struck by lightning. A new one had grown in its place. It was only as thick as a bowl, and looked very young.

Su Li walked beneath it and found a comfortable position to lie down.

The ground was a little hard, but he didn't care anymore.

The setting sun bathed him in warmth.

Su Li narrowed his eyes and gazed at the tender green leaves overhead. Sunlight filtered through the gaps, scattering dappled spots across his face.

His body grew lighter and lighter. The heaviness was slowly peeling away.

He remembered so many things.

The excitement of forging his first piece of ironwork that passed inspection, the creaking of that old bed on their wedding night, Su Xiaochui riding a wooden horse around the courtyard, Saina's focused expression as she patched his clothes.

Those fifty-eight years had felt like a long, vivid dream.

There had been no system notifications, no quest panels, no showing off and humiliating people. Just food and bills, spring and summer, autumn and winter.

"Pretty good."

Su Li mumbled.

His eyelids grew heavy. A wave of sleepiness swept over him, impossible to resist.

That was fine, too.

He'd worked hard all his life. It was time for a long sleep.

As for his next life...

Whatever. If he got a good trait again, he'd go out and enjoy himself.

If he didn't, he'd just find another silly girl like Saina and settle down.

Su Li's hand fell limp.

Those eyes, always carrying a hint of cunning and the clear-sightedness of someone who'd seen through the world, slowly closed.

His breathing grew slower and shallower.

At last, it fell silent.

The wind stopped. The leaves of the new locust tree fell still.

It was as if even heaven and earth were holding their breath, watching the departure of an old soul who had made an ordinary life taste so sweet.

Su Li died.

He died with dignity, as if he'd merely dozed off in the afternoon.

There was even the faintest hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth, a final sneer at this godforsaken world—and a sign of reconciliation.

No one knew how much time had passed.

The sun had set, leaving only the last traces of blood-red light on the horizon.

A figure came along the village road.

The person wore a pitch-black robe, with the hood pulled low over their face.

But they carried something on their back, wrapped in layers of ragged cloth. From its shape, it looked like a massive greatsword.

The sword was enormous. Its hilt alone was as long as a forearm, and it had to be incredibly heavy.

Yet the figure carried it with steady steps, making no sound as each foot touched the ground.

The black-robed figure reached the Old Locust Tree.

They stopped and looked at the old man lying beneath it, already lifeless.

The eyes hidden in the shadow of the hood fixed on Su Li's face, still youthful and handsome even in death.

For a long time, the figure remained still.

Then their shoulders trembled.

Thump.

They dropped straight to their knees. Their knees struck the hard-packed earth with a dull thud.

They didn't sob aloud.

But two trails of tears ran down their weathered cheeks, marked by a vicious scar, and dripped into the dust.

They reached out and gently straightened Su Li's slightly rumpled collar, then brought his cool hands together and placed them over his abdomen.

Then.

The black-robed figure bent forward and pressed their forehead hard against the ground.

Thud!

Once.

Thud!

Twice.

Thud!

Three times.

They struck the ground so hard that the dust jumped.

The black-robed figure stayed bowed for a long time.

The evening breeze lifted the edge of their hood, revealing a streak of white at the temple and eyes remarkably like Su Li's.

A faint, dark-red glow seemed to seep from the greatsword wrapped in rags, as if it had just drunk its fill of blood.