Life and Death

"Tap, tap, tap..."

It was just the beginning of March, and the sky was barely brightening. A few sparse, fading stars were embedded in the pale blue expanse. Having just been washed by a spring rain, the air still carried the scent of damp earth. Looking along the horizon, a lonely and thin figure appeared so small against the backdrop of the city's towering skyscrapers, yet he continued to walk toward the distance.

Gradually, a hint of white appeared at the edge of the sky. The faint morning light struggled through the clouds, casting a golden glow upon the earth.

"Another job finished," the young man said, looking at the three thousand yuan transferred to his phone. He sighed, "But, the traces of another person's life have vanished from this world."

Stepping on the wet ground, he pulled on a cowboy hat and walked into a nearby breakfast shop.

"Boss, one order of xiaolongbao and a bowl of soy milk."

"Coming! Please wait a moment!"

There were not many customers in the shop, perhaps because no one wanted to go out to eat right after the rain.

Lin Yiyi took off his hat and scrolled aimlessly through short videos, suddenly landing on one for a mobile game.

The video showcased a game with beautiful aesthetics, accompanied by unique camera work that allowed people to understand the exotic cultures and local customs of various nations within this grand worldview.

"It's a good game, but the bigger the forest, the more kinds of birds you find; the environment is getting worse and worse." Lin Yiyi shook his head. This game was the currently popular anime-style open-world mobile game, Genshin Impact.

"Come to think of it, I haven't opened Genshin Impact on my phone for a long time," Lin Yiyi thought to himself. The last time he logged in was after the New Year.

Accompanied by ethereal music, that massive stone gate slowly formed. It stood there quietly, waiting for one traveler after another to push it open.

Behind the door was another world.

Claiming the daily login rewards, doing commissions, synthesizing resin, and grinding the Marechaussee Hunter artifact domain—perhaps because he hadn't logged in for so long, it had uncharacteristically given him a double-crit HP sands...

But it was from the Golden Troupe set, and his Furina already had a four-stat HP sands with nearly 50 value.

"Toward..."

"Thanks..."

The day-to-day assembly-line work had caused him to gradually lose interest in the game. Recalling the past, he had once sworn that he would be able to love it forever.

Suddenly, an update box popped up on the game interface.

"Is it version 4.5 today? Chiori's banner will be updated too, right? I'll spend some money to pull for C6 and R5 then. No, wait, there seems to be a small pity left on the account."

Although everyone on the internet bragged about how powerful their accounts were, there were inevitably some mediocre people who exaggerated their own levels. It was worth mentioning that if you clicked on Lin Yiyi's HoYoLAB Genshin Impact character roster, you would find that the top right corner of every single character's image was marked with an inconspicuous "6".

Not only that, but the weapons attached to these characters were also all marked with "Refinement Rank 5".

Yes, he was a veteran "salted fish" player with a full collection of C6R5 characters.

Maintenance usually lasted until 11:00, but the servers generally opened an hour early. However, it was only just past 7:00, and fortunately, during this long stretch of time, the young man had been invited to attend a funeral.

After breakfast, as the sun slowly rose from the horizon in the distance, Lin Yiyi pulled on his cowboy hat and went to the funeral hall early.

"Is that little Lin? Sit, sit quickly."

Just as Lin Yiyi sat down, a middle-aged man walked past him carrying some items. Lin Yiyi recognized him; he had seen him at the hospital for a while.

One week ago, Guo City First People's Hospital.

"Young man, thank you so much. If it weren't for you, my old mother would have really gone to see the Buddha."

The young man put down a large box of items and patted the dust off his clothes.

The middle-aged man's surname was Xu, and his given name was Nian. At this very moment, lying on the hospital bed was his mother.

The cause and process were very simple. At the time, on the street, Lin Yiyi had discovered that many people were gathered at an intersection. With the mentality of someone who didn't mind a bit of excitement, Lin Yiyi had also run over to take a look.

As it turned out, it was no small matter. Upon looking, he saw an old woman lying on the ground, having suffered a sudden illness.

Under the gaze of the onlookers, Lin Yiyi didn't care about anything else. Using the traditional Chinese medicine knowledge he understood, he immediately pressed a few acupoints on the old woman's body and then fed her some medicine. The old woman's condition actually eased.

With the siren of the ambulance, the crowd dispersed one after another. Lin Yiyi, holding to the principle of helping someone to the end, scanned a shared electric scooter and followed along.

At the hospital entrance, Lin Yiyi got to know Xu Nian because Lin Yiyi had accidentally spilled his soda on the latter's clothes while opening it.

The young man was full of apologies, but Xu Nian's mother was in critical condition, so he didn't dwell on the matter.

Driven by a sense of guilt, Lin Yiyi took the initiative to help Xu Nian share some of the chores.

Inside the ward, looking at the unconscious old woman, Lin Yiyi remained silent.

"The doctor examined her and said there is a malignant tumor in her brain. They suggested immediate surgery, but at her age, the risk of surgery is too high."

Lin Yiyi looked at the tall figure before him. Every man would go through this, and the young man, having seen too much of life and death, didn't know what to say for a moment.

The middle-aged man looked much more weathered than usual, and Lin Yiyi could only comfort him, "It's okay, she will get better."

Even though he knew the old woman wouldn't last a week, he couldn't bring himself to tell the truth.

"My old mother used to be a doctor too. Do you know about that plague in '03? She was conscientious and diligent back then, and even at the age of 60, she still rushed to the front line," Xu Nian's eyes were slightly red and swollen. "Later, that plague ended, but she didn't receive any reward, and not a single person cheered for her."

"My old mother didn't say anything either. She believed that one should keep a low profile in life. She lived an upright and honorable life. If she really goes, the King of Hell will surely let her go peacefully." Xu Nian's voice was slightly choked with emotion.

Death comes to everyone; it may be lighter than a feather or heavier than Mount Tai.

Lin Yiyi was expressionless. Having seen too many partings, he had become more numb to these things, but he still tried his best to comfort him with phrases that had no real practical effect, such as "What if there's a miracle?" or "Everything will be alright."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lin Yiyi left, saying he would look after the old woman for a few days.

"Until she passes on," Lin Yiyi muttered to himself.

Lin Yiyi wandered aimlessly down the street until he spotted an anime merchandise shop. As a Genshin Impact player, he decided to step inside and take a look.

Looking around, he was met with an overwhelming array of badges, acrylic stands, cards, polaroids, and figurines.

Lin Yiyi sifted through the items, but finding nothing he particularly liked, he simply picked out a Genshin Impact blind box.

He opened it to find a pin badge featuring a girl with plum blossom patterns in her eyes, giving off a quirky, lively, and adorable vibe.

"Is this a hint that I can go ahead and bury her?" Lin Yiyi sighed. He gave the badge to a nearby Hu Tao cosplayer and left.

Time flows like a river, never ceasing day or night. Today was the fifth day the old woman had been hospitalized.

Under Lin Yiyi's attentive care, the old woman's complexion remained rosy, which was the only thing that made Xu Nian happy. However, the fact that she had not spoken a single word was what made him unhappy.

Lin Yiyi quietly checked the old woman's pulse. Even though he was reluctant to admit it, he could still feel the chaotic rhythm and the death pulse he dreaded most.

It seems the old woman doesn't have much time left. I should let her son come and have a word with her, Lin Yiyi thought, inserting silver needles into several acupuncture points on the old woman's body.

Take one last look at your only concern, see this world for me, and fly for me to the high heavens.