The old lady opened a can of sugar-free cola.
Su Hang was taken aback. Scientists also enjoy drinking sugar-free cola?
The old woman handed him a can of sugar-free cola, smiling as she said, "Little friend, no matter what you're feeling lost or confused about, there's nothing that sugar-free cola can't solve. If it can't, then have another can."
"Oh dear~"
Su Hang was flattered and accepted the gift. A centenarian scientist had personally opened a bottle of sugar-free Coke for him; this was something he could brag about for a lifetime. He quickly nodded and said, "Thank you, Grandma. Then I won't stand on ceremony."
Even though the cola was ice-cold, it warmed me up after I drank it, and most of the confusion and worries in my heart really did dissipate.
"Tell your mother-in-law about your situation," the old woman said kindly. "Perhaps, as a scientist, she can offer advice and answer your questions from a professional perspective, based on her own experience."
Holding the can of cola in both hands, Su Hang asked, "Grandma, what kind of scientist are you?"
The old woman said gently, "Physics."
"Physicists, huh? That reminds me of the physicists I studied in high school, like Newton, Einstein, and Galileo. I'm actually quite interested in physics, but unfortunately, I don't have the talent for it."
Su Hang lowered his head, rhythmically tapping the jar with his index fingers, and asked nervously, "Grandma, do you believe in parallel universes?"
The old woman replied decisively, "I believe you."
"Believe?" Now it was Su Hang's turn to be surprised.
The old woman smiled but didn't say anything.
After hesitating for a long time, Su Hang finally made up his mind and said, "Mother-in-law, what I'm about to say might sound ridiculous, but I'm definitely not lying."
"Go ahead and tell me, little one," the old woman said with a kind smile. "No matter how bizarre or fantastical it may be, I will believe it."
"I'm not from this world." Su Hang revealed his deepest secret, "Ten years ago, I was betrayed by my team. Heartbroken, I chose to end my own life. On the verge of death, I awakened the system and came to this world."
The old woman squinted and said, "System?"
"Mmm," Su Hang explained, "It's like a cheat system in novels; as long as you complete the task, you get a reward."
The old woman said thoughtfully, "Little friend, what kind of reward will the system give you after you complete the task?"
"Talent points reward," Su Hang replied, "You can think of it as something that can improve my game level."
The old woman's red eyes flashed with contemplation as she said in a deep voice, "According to the law of conservation of energy, gaining something inevitably means losing something of equal value, thus achieving balance."
"If the system rewards you with a talent, what is the price? Or what are the side effects?"
Su Hang looked at the old woman with newfound respect, remarking that she truly lived up to her reputation as a physicist, immediately grasping the crux of the matter. "It's—life!"
The old woman squinted and asked, "Life?"
Su Hang nodded and said, "When my gaming talent is maxed out, I will die permanently and disappear from the world completely."
The old woman stared blankly and said, "Then you now—"
"I'm about to die permanently," Su Hang forced a smile. "Grandma, actually, this is all my own doing. In my previous life, when I was on the verge of death, I had a strong urge to die, which is why the system contacted me."
"The system made a deal with me: if I can save his wife in this world, he will grant me the death I desire."
The old woman asked, puzzled, "The system's wife?"
"The system residing in my body is a deity named [ Yousu Fox God ]," Su Hang said, a girl's image appearing in his mind. "His wife is named [ Yugong Hu ], and she resides in my wife Yugong Liuli's body."
"Some time ago, I rescued my wife from the evil human sacrifice culture, which is equivalent to saving the wife of the Yousu Fox God, so our death pact is complete."
The strange emotion in the old woman's eyes vanished in an instant.
"Little kid, do you still want to die now?"
"I don't want to die." Because the old woman was a complete stranger, Su Hang was willing to confide his secrets and reveal his true feelings, "Although in this world, I was betrayed by many people when I created my team."
"But I still firmly believe that there are people who are absolutely loyal to me."
Su Hang's mind drifted back to Huyan Lan. "Grandma, I have a childhood sweetheart named Huyan Lan. He's a wedding planner. He's liked me for ten years, but he's too proud and won't lower his head to confess his feelings."
The old woman's heart-shaped diamond earring trembled slightly. "Little boy, why don't you confess your feelings to her?"
Su Hang shook his head.
"I don't know, but my family and friends all say I'm emotionally oblivious. Maybe I really do like Huyan Lan, but it'll probably be a long time before I realize it."
The old woman asked softly, "Little friend, do you really think your childhood sweetheart, Huyan Lan, is absolutely loyal to you?"
"Mmm." Su Hang put down the can and said, "He once risked his life to protect me, and he once knelt down and begged others to help me. To prove his absolute loyalty to me, he drank poison without hesitation..."
"While this isn't flawless, absolute loyalty, in this world where self-interest reigns supreme, it is an absolute loyalty that no one can surpass!"
The old woman smiled and asked, "If your childhood sweetheart confessed her feelings to you, would you be with her?"
Su Hang shook his head again.
The old woman asked curiously, "You don't want to?"
"It's not that I'm unwilling, it's just that it's too late."
Su Hang laughed and said, "Mother-in-law, have you forgotten that I am already a married man? My wife once swore to be absolutely loyal to me."
"Although there is no chance to verify it, I will be absolutely loyal to my wife. Even if I don't have time to fall in love with her, even if I never see her again, I will be absolutely loyal to her until the end of my life."
The old woman was stunned.
"I told my mother-in-law all my secrets and worries tonight, and it felt so relaxing," Su Hang said happily, stretching. "I always thought only those who were absolutely loyal to me could enter my heart, but I never imagined that a complete stranger like my mother-in-law could do so."
The old woman smiled and said, "Those who are absolutely loyal to you all start out as strangers, pouring out their sincere feelings to each other, attracting each other, and swearing absolute loyalty to one another."
"Grandma, what you said is so philosophical," Su Hang asked, turning his head. "Grandma, since you're a physicist, can you predict what the future world will be like?"
The old woman looked into his red eyes and said gently, "The future is a beautiful and loyal world."
Su Hang's voice trembled as she asked, "Mother-in-law, in the future, will all genuine feelings between people be built on loyalty?"
"Yes, it's all based on loyalty," the old woman said kindly. "There was no betrayal, no ulterior motives involved."
A scarlet death countdown pops up with 10 seconds remaining.
"Even with all that mental preparation, I still can't face death with Tanran." Su Hang's eyes instantly reddened. At this moment, he fully understood the saying that it's better to live a miserable life than to die a good death.
As long as you live, you will one day see the world of loyalty that the old woman described; but when you die, you will see nothing.
His wife, Huyan Lan Yugong Liuli; his childhood friend, Hu Yanlan; his sister, Jiang Sui; his brother Yin Long; his sworn brother, Hu Xiao... His story with them is not over yet; they will fight side by side and work together to change the world.
Tears welled up in Su Hang's eyes. He lowered his head and yanked the [ Imperial Ring ] off his finger, then turned and grabbed the old woman's hand. "Grandma, please help me give this ring to—"
The crimson countdown to death has reached zero!
Su Hang vanished with a thud, and the Imperial Ring crashed to the ground with a thud.
After a long while.
"Oh, I see."
The old woman bent down to pick up the Imperial Ring, and the figure in the white coat gradually disappeared into the darkness.