The joy of successfully completing a B-rank mission was like a shot of adrenaline coursing through Luo Li.
With 300 contribution points credited to his account, along with that energy-rich B-rank vampire crystal, his pockets suddenly felt much fuller. Even his steps had a spring to them.
When he returned to their familiar, cozy rented apartment, Castorice was sitting on the sofa with a tablet on her lap, though her gaze clearly wasn't focused on the screen.
At the sound of the door opening, she immediately looked up, anticipation and concern shining in her purple eyes.
"Luo Li! You're back!"
She rose and hurried over, looking him over carefully, afraid he might have been injured.
"Yeah, I'm back."
Luo Li put Enma away in the system space, an easy smile on his face.
"The mission went smoothly. Just a big B-rank bat. Took care of it easily."
He briefly described the battle, deliberately downplaying the risks and emphasizing the power of Enma and his new ability.
As Castorice listened, the worry in her eyes gradually turned into pride and relief.
She could sense the restrained yet immense aura of power around Luo Li, deeper than before.
"That's wonderful."
She spoke softly, reaching out to gently take his hand, its reassuring warmth reaching her fingertips.
That night, after they had washed up.
They sat side by side on the sofa, watching a dull television program, yet the atmosphere was especially warm.
Castorice gently rested her head on Luo Li's shoulder. Her silvery-purple hair brushed his neck, bringing a faint tickle and a delicate fragrance.
Luo Li's heartbeat quickened despite himself.
He reached out and naturally slipped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her more tightly into his embrace.
After the day's battle and this moment of tenderness, an indescribable intimacy quietly flowed through the air.
Now that they had confirmed their relationship, the desire to draw closer and become more intimate quietly grew like vines in both their hearts.
Castorice lifted her head slightly, her purple eyes especially hazy beneath the warm light. Looking at Luo Li's profile so close to hers, an enchanting blush rose to her cheeks.
She seemed to reach some sort of decision. In a barely audible voice, with a tentative approach that was refined yet direct in the manner of Amphoreus, she softly asked, "Luo Li... should we... perhaps... take things further... like many intimate couples in this world?"
Her fingers curled unconsciously, lightly clutching the fabric over his chest. Shyness, anticipation, and a barely perceptible trace of nervousness mingled in her purple eyes.
For her, having a partner of her own was something she had never dared imagine during her lonely pilgrimages along the River of Souls. The last person who had given her warmth and companionship was the Trailblazer from the Astral Express-Stelle. But Stelle had her own journey and could not stay in Amphoreus forever.
And now, Luo Li was truly present in her life, her sole anchor and light.
[Ding! Detected an invitation to intimacy from target "Castorice"! The atmosphere is perfect! This is a rare opportunity!] [System notice: what are you waiting for, host? With such a beautiful night and a beauty devoted to you, this is the perfect moment to consummate your union, unlock the "Branching Out and Bearing Leaves" achievement, and claim the ultimate power package! Seize the opportunity-it won't come again!]
The system's notifications sounded in Luo Li's mind like a devil's whispers, carrying an immense temptation.
However, just as Castorice tentatively, awkwardly began undoing his pajama buttons, her cool fingertips touching the skin of his chest and sending a shiver through him-
That fragment of the future he had glimpsed through the power of [Finality] on the Ferris wheel suddenly flashed through Luo Li's mind:
The magnificent eternal holy city of Okhema, beneath the warm light of dawn, and the innocent twin girls beside Castorice who looked so much like her...
Like a basin of cold water dumped over his head, it instantly extinguished the heat kindled by the system and the atmosphere.
Twins!
How much would raising children... especially in this apocalypse, here in Jiangcheng, cost?
He was still living in a cramped rented apartment. His livestream income was unstable, and although guild missions offered substantial contribution points, B-rank missions weren't available every day, and they were extremely dangerous.
He even had to budget carefully for the money to get Castorice a better computer, buy her more pretty clothes, and take her farther afield to travel...
If now... they really did end up having children, and two at that-with their current finances, they simply couldn't afford it.
Was he supposed to let Castorice and their children suffer hardship alongside him?
Besides, in that fragment of the future, there had only been Castorice and the twins. He had not been there.
That had remained a thorn in his heart.
He had to become stronger as soon as possible and gain enough power to overturn that "Finality." That would require an enormous investment of resources and energy.
If he were to divide his attention now to care for a family and children...
No! Absolutely not!
Moreover, he vaguely remembered that in the story of "Honkai: Star Rail," Castorice seemed to have once had a twin sister named "Polyxena," but her ending seemed... He dared not dwell on it, much less bring it up now, for fear of stirring any potentially painful memories for Castorice.
Reason instantly overpowered his impulses and the system's temptation.
Luo Li took a deep breath and abruptly reached out-not to embrace her, but to gently grasp the wrist of the hand clumsily undoing his buttons, stopping her.
His movement was somewhat abrupt, even carrying a barely perceptible hint of panic.
Castorice froze instantly and looked up, her purple eyes filled with bewilderment and a trace of hurt. The blush rapidly drained from her cheeks, leaving them somewhat pale.
"Luo Li...?" Her voice was uncertain and faintly trembling. "You... don't want to?"
[Ding! Host behavior detected to be seriously inconsistent with system recommendations! Target's mood value is plummeting! Confusion +99, dejection +99!] [Warning! Missing this opportunity will make obtaining the ultimate package extremely difficult! Please reconsider, host!]
"No! It's not that I don't want to!"
Luo Li hurried to explain, holding her cold hand tightly in his palms, his tone urgent and sincere. "How could I not want to? Castorice, I... I want to. Very much!"
He looked into her eyes, struggling to find the words. "But... we can't be so impulsive."
He paused and decided to be honest, while leaving out the specific details about foreseeing the future and the twins.
"Look, right now... we're not doing that well financially."
He glanced around the apartment, which, though cozy, really was cramped.
"My livestream income isn't stable, and guild missions are risky. We're renting this place, and it's small..."
He gently stroked the back of her hand, his tone becoming utterly earnest and apologetic. "I hope... we can wait until we have a real home of our own, somewhere more spacious and secure, until I'm capable enough to let you, and... well... our future life, be free of worries. Then we can... all right?"
He carefully watched her expression. "I don't want you, or... any little life that might come along, to suffer hardship with me-I want to give you the best."
Castorice stared at him in a daze.
She had thought Luo Li was rejecting intimacy with her, filling her heart with disappointment and unease.
But now, hearing these words grounded entirely in practical considerations and their future, full of responsibility and love for her, her hurt instantly dissipated, replaced by a deeper, more aching sense of being moved.
It wasn't that he didn't want to. He was thinking of their future.
In this unfamiliar world, there was a man planning his future with her so earnestly, even restraining his own desires because he worried he couldn't provide comfortable living conditions...
The feeling of being cherished and so carefully protected was a thousand times more real and moving than any scene in the romance films she had watched.
Moisture gathered in her eyes again, but this time it was not from sadness. She was deeply moved.
She tightened her hand around Luo Li's in return and nodded firmly, her voice slightly choked. "I... I understand.
Luo Li, I'm sorry. I... didn't think it through."
She buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled. "I'm not in a hurry... I can wait. As long... as long as I'm with you, anything is fine."
Feeling the young woman's dependence and complete trust in his arms, Luo Li finally felt the weight lift from his heart, while an even stronger surge of tenderness and responsibility rose within him.
He held her tightly, gently brushing his chin against the top of her head, and promised in a low voice, "Don't worry, Castorice. I'll work even harder to earn money and become stronger.
Soon, I promise, I'll be able to give you a home that truly belongs to us."
[Ding! Target "Castorice" understands and is moved by the host's sense of responsibility and long-term planning. Her dejection has dissipated, and her sense of security, trust, and happiness have increased significantly!] [(Emotional bond depth has surpassed the threshold and reached the "Soulmates" level!)] [(Although the host rejected the "shortcut," a stable emotional foundation and a shared goal for the future are the firmest source of power. Conditions for obtaining the ultimate package have changed: it will unlock automatically after achieving the goal of "having a stable home.")]
Looking at the updated system notifications, Luo Li felt completely calm.
Though it was a shame to reject the system's temptation, he valued his genuine, precious bond with Castorice and their shared future more than that uncertain ultimate power.
He could cultivate his strength slowly and earn money little by little, but as long as she was by his side, the future held endless possibilities.
He lowered his head and pressed a gentle, cherishing kiss to Castorice's smooth forehead.
"Good night, Castorice."
"Good night... Luo Li."
The night was gentle. They fell asleep in each other's arms, the hope for the future in their hearts shining brighter than any power.