It proved that Wuye had been absolutely right to arrange the torches in advance, so that when one went out, another would automatically ignite.
Because afterward, the two of them had no gaps whatsoever, nor was either willing to stop and light a torch.
Without the automatic relighting, they would inevitably have fought through the night in darkness. Without the hazy glow of firelight, rippling water, and white mist, the experience would have been far less satisfying.
When the night finally faded and the first ray of morning light illuminated the mountaintop, the storm at last subsided.
Wuye and Terumi Mei were no longer in the pool.
At the peak, Wuye sat on a rock with Terumi Mei in his arms.
They held each other tightly, feeling the lingering aftermath of their battle.
The first rays of dawn came at just the right moment, draping them in a robe of rainbow light.
"So beautiful..."
Terumi Mei stared blankly at the morning glow for a few moments, then nestled her limp body into Wuye's embrace. Gradually, her eyes closed, and her breathing grew heavier.
She had been too exhausted and simply fell asleep...
Wuye had originally intended to use this time to set up an antenna for natural energy and restore his body to peak condition.
But then, he suddenly saw Terumi Mei's sleeping face.
Her arms were wrapped around his neck, a faint blush still lingering on her face. The corners of her lips were raised in an innocent, radiant smile like that of a newborn child.
Wuye suddenly froze.
Then he simply held her like that, gazing at her face for a long, long time—at the woman who had entrusted herself wholly to him.
Until the sun began to set.
The glow of the setting sun spilled across the