Chapter 3: The Unseen Bracelet and a Sister’s Theory

This revelation certainly exceeded Liu Xingluo’s expectations.

He had never imagined the bracelet was visible only to him.

Now that he thought about it, hadn’t the little girl from that mother-daughter duo mentioned seeing nothing on his hand?

The memory eluded him; he had been too caught up in the aunt’s accusation of him being mentally unwell.

“What’s amiss? You haven’t actually eaten any wild mushrooms today, have you? Perhaps I should take you to the hospital immediately?”

When Liu Xingluo failed to respond, Liu Ruyan’s concern for him mounted.

She had heard that mushrooms from the southern regions possessed hallucinogenic properties, and that in more severe instances, they could even pose a threat to one’s life.

While Liu Xingluo had yet to exhibit any discernible symptoms of discomfort, for the sake of his well-being, taking him to see a doctor seemed the most prudent course of action.

“No, Sister, if it’s invisible to you, then let’s disregard it. However, my suit, surely that can attest to the fact that I nearly met my end today? Observe the torn sections—do they not appear as though they were pierced straight through?”

Finding himself unable to convince Liu Ruyan using the bracelet, Liu Xingluo retrieved the suit he had worn earlier that day.

He was confident his sister would undoubtedly detect the anomalies in the garment.

“Hmm… your words do seem to hold true. Typically, when a suit tears, the damage is continuous, yet the rips on the suit you returned in today are undeniably peculiar.”

Prompted by Liu Xingluo’s observation, Liu Ruyan once more picked up the suit, meticulously scrutinizing the damaged areas.

Remarkably, if the suit were worn, the two punctured locations would align perfectly with the front chest and the back.

Every other section remained perfectly intact, bearing at most a few smudges of dirt.

Considering this, could it be that everything Liu Xingluo had recounted about his journey home was indeed true?

“See? Now, Sister, you must believe my words, mustn’t you?”

“I believe you, but only partially, not entirely. Tell me, Xiaoluo, if you truly came so close to death in that place, as you claim, then how precisely did you manage to survive, return, and sit down to dinner with me as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred?”

“Well, I truly have no idea myself. However, I do possess a theory—and I must emphasize, this is merely my conjecture, as I have no factual confirmation. I suspect that the beautiful girl might have done something to me at that moment; it seems to be the sole plausible explanation.”

Within that space, at that critical moment, there was only himself, the equally imperiled beautiful girl, and the assailant who had brought them both to the brink of death.

And it was abundantly clear that he himself could not be the culprit, for it was she who had pushed him to the precipice of death.

Under those dire circumstances, Liu Xingluo possessed no capacity for self-preservation, rendering the beautiful girl the sole individual capable of offering him salvation.

He remained utterly unaware of what she had ultimately done to him, or how he had managed to exit that enigmatic space.

“No, there must be another possibility entirely. Within that space, at that time, I believe there were others present, beyond just the three of you.”

After a few moments of profound contemplation, Liu Ruyan articulated another possibility that had dawned upon her.

Given that an ordinary individual like Liu Xingluo, exhibiting no abnormalities in any regard, could stumble into that peculiar domain, it stands to reason that others might have done the same.

Therefore, it would be entirely plausible for someone else to have inadvertently entered, in addition to him.

And, by chance, that accidental intruder could have been a superpowered individual possessing healing abilities.

Liu Ruyan’s knowledge concerning superpowered individuals was, admittedly, not extensive.

After all, she herself was no superpowered being, and opportunities for her to encounter such individuals were scarce in her daily life.

Consequently, her understanding of superpowered individuals was based purely on hearsay.

Yet, if the individual in question possessed super abilities centered around healing, it would be hardly surprising for them to rescue someone teetering on the brink of death.

Should their powers prove exceptionally potent, they could even revive someone who had already perished, provided the time of death was not too far in the past.

Thus, Liu Ruyan surmised that there was an eighty percent probability that, after the assailant departed, a superpowered individual with healing capabilities discovered Liu Xingluo and the beautiful girl, neither of whom had fully succumbed, and utilized their powers to heal them both.

Subsequently, they were guided out of that enigmatic space.

“Hmm… Sister, presented in that manner, your theory does indeed sound considerably more plausible.”

Having listened to Liu Ruyan’s detailed account, Liu Xingluo found his sister’s deduction to be far more logical than his own initial speculation.

And yet, if her theory were truly the case, then the bracelet he wore—visible only to him and utterly irremovable—would remain without any rational explanation.

Even Liu Xingluo himself was at a loss as to how to logically account for the bracelet’s existence.

“It’s fortunate you managed to return alive this time; otherwise, this home would truly be desolate, with only me remaining.”

Having uttered these words, Liu Ruyan turned her gaze towards a decorative photo frame resting on the TV cabinet, which held a cherished group photograph.

The photograph depicted their family of four—the siblings and their parents—captured during a park outing when they were still children.

Tragically, however, their parents had perished thirteen years prior during the utterly devastating Void Catastrophe.

Since the untimely demise of their parents, only the two siblings had remained, relying on each other’s unwavering support to navigate life’s challenges up to the present day.

Had Liu Xingluo indeed perished within that space yesterday, Liu Ruyan, left utterly alone, would have been truly adrift, uncertain of how to face the future.

“Yes, indeed, it’s a profound relief that I managed to survive. *Phew*, yesterday, I genuinely believed my life was on the verge of an abrupt and unforeseen end.

Even in those moments preceding death, my thoughts were consumed by whether you, my sister, would endure immense hardship if I were gone.”

“Does that even warrant a moment’s thought? Is it not utterly self-evident? Without you, what conceivable purpose would there be for your solitary sister to continue living in this world? Should the day ever arrive when even you depart from me, I would undoubtedly choose to follow you to the other world, to be reunited with Mom and Dad.”

“No, no, no, Sister, you absolutely do not need to go to such lengths. Even if I were no longer here, are there not countless other beautiful things in this world for you to experience? There is no necessity for such a drastic course of action.”

“No! There is a necessity! A profound necessity! If not a single member of my family remains, this world will cease to hold any beauty for me.

Therefore, Xiaoluo, no matter what challenges you encounter in the future, your paramount priority must always be to guarantee your personal safety, do you understand?”

“Alright, alright, I understand perfectly. Rest assured, Sis, my life has only just begun; how could I possibly relinquish it so readily?”

Even without Liu Ruyan’s heartfelt words, Liu Xingluo had already resolved to live by that principle.

He was still so young; how could he possibly choose to abandon his life with such ease?

Even if not for his own sake, for his sister, he would never so readily forsake his life.

“Mm, it’s good that you understand; that’s my exemplary younger brother. Now, let’s resume our meal. Incidentally, is that bracelet you spoke of earlier truly adorning your hand?”

“Indeed, it is. However, it’s unfortunate that you cannot perceive it, Sister.”

“Hmm… in that case, allow me to try and touch it. If that bracelet genuinely exists on your hand, then even though I cannot see it, I should still be able to feel its presence.”

Yes, this was undeniably a viable method to attempt.

Previously, during his attempts to remove it, Liu Xingluo had unequivocally felt the bracelet beneath his fingers.

This implied that the bracelet genuinely resided on his hand; and if it truly existed, then even if others could not perceive it, they should logically be able to feel its presence.

Consequently, Liu Xingluo extended his hand, indicating the precise location where the bracelet rested.

In the very next moment, Liu Ruyan reached out her hand, attempting to make contact with the elusive bracelet.

“Eh?”

Regrettably, Liu Ruyan found herself equally unable to grasp the bracelet; her fingers passed straight through it, making contact instead with Liu Xingluo’s bare skin.

To Liu Xingluo, it appeared as though his sister’s hand had phased through an ethereal object, passing directly through the bracelet as if it were a mere illusion.