Chapter 79: The Inevitable Farewell

A month passed quickly.

Doctor Gu called Ji Xiao to the hospital.

Ruan Jier accompanied him.

Doctor Gu looked very serious. “The lab mouse went into heat.”

Ji Xiao gave a bitter smile. “Is there a solution? With this kind of drug, shouldn’t it be fine after release? It’s been over a year for me…”

Ruan Jier took his hand, interlacing their fingers, silently comforting him.

Doctor Gu glanced at them. “It’s been a month, and we still haven’t been able to analyze the drug’s composition. Mr. Xiao, would you mind if we take another sample from you for research?”

Ji Xiao nodded. “Of course.”

Doctor Gu took him to extract the drug from his body. “Compared to last time, the residual drug in your body hasn’t decreased. It has merged into your bones, muscles, and even dissolved into your blood. So until we find a way to neutralize it, we suggest you find a boyfriend.”

He glanced at Ruan Jier, who was accompanying him, and added, “A long-term boyfriend. Casual encounters pose a big safety risk.”

Ji Xiao: “…”

Doctor Gu patted his shoulder. “In your condition, don’t go out and harm others. I can see Mr. Ruan is very concerned about you and loves you. Treasure him.”

“…Okay.”

On the way home, Ruan Jier seemed calm but was actually suppressing anxiety.

Once home.

Ji Xiao held him in his arms. “What are you worried about?”

“What else could I worry about other than you?”

“Don’t worry. I have you.”

Ruan Jier pushed him away in exasperation. “Right now it lasts a day. What if it gets more frequent in the future?”

Ji Xiao chuckled. “Then you’ll have to work harder.”

“What if it gets to ten times a day? What will you do then?”

“…”

That was a problem.

Ji Xiao let go of Ruan Jier and went to the kitchen to cook.

[Cat.]

Black Cat: “…” Didn’t dare to respond.

[If you don’t respond, I’ll go back to the space grass when this world ends…]

“Ah! Don’t say that word!” The cat’s fur stood on end.

[Leak the method to make the antidote to the researchers without them noticing.]

“The herbs for the antidote don’t exist in this world… but I can find substitutes.”

[Do it well, or else grass…]

“Aaaah! Shut up!”

[Ha.]

Black Cat: “…” Sob.

Moonlight fell.

In the studio, Ji Xiao sat upright, painting. Ruan Jier sat in front of the computer, chatting with guild members while glancing sideways at him.

“Shiyu.”

Ji Xiao looked up. “Hmm?”

Ruan Jier’s clear eyes held a hint of anticipation. “Recently, Xiao Yi in the guild wrote a master-disciple script. The guild leader wants me to voice the master. Do you… want to voice the disciple?”

Except for ‘Accompanying You to Demonhood, Binding You with a Demon’, they had never voiced together.

“What’s the disciple like?”

“The younger, attacking type.”

“I’ll take it.”

Ji Xiao put down his brush, walked over, and bent down to look at the script with him.

Ruan Jier reached out to support his waist and adjusted his voice to a low, resonant tone. “Good disciple, call me master.”

[Disciple, call me master.]

“Shiyu? What’s wrong? Is it acting up again?”

Ruan Jier muted the mic, pulled him into his arms, and kissed him.

Ji Xiao turned his head slightly to avoid it, burying his face in Ruan Jier’s shoulder. “Say it again.”

“What?”

“The line where you tell me to call you master.”

“Good disciple…”

“No, lower.”

“Good disciple, call me master…”

Nothing.

The deep voice from before was gone, as if it had been an illusion.

Ji Xiao pressed on his shoulder and lifted his head to kiss him.

Ruan Jier: “…” Knew it was his condition acting up.

He bit quite hard.

Ruan Jier pushed him away. “Shiyu…”

Ji Xiao closed his eyes. “I’m not taking this role.”

“Why…”

“I can’t take it,” Ji Xiao reached out to stroke his face, his voice gentle. “The moment I hear you call me disciple, or think of calling you master, I want to pin you down and bite you to death.”

Literally.

But Ruan Jier misunderstood.

He made a spitting sound and pushed him away. “What are you thinking about all day?”

“If I don’t take it, you won’t either. There are plenty of others in the guild.”

“…Fine.”

…

Doctor Gu didn’t notify Ji Xiao to come to the hospital until nearly two months later.

Ruan Jier still accompanied him.

Now Ji Xiao’s episodes were getting shorter, and he didn’t dare leave his side.

Doctor Gu was very happy. “We’ve developed an antidote, with the help of a Chinese medicine director. It’s been tested, and the drug in the lab mouse was indeed neutralized.”

Ruan Jier’s face lit up.

That was great.

To be honest, he really couldn’t take it anymore.

“But it can only remove ninety percent. The remaining slight amount may or may not still be active. Your case is more severe. It’s good to remove ninety percent first, and we’ll work on the rest slowly.”

Ji Xiao nodded. “Thank you, Doctor. You’ve worked hard.”

“It’s our duty. So, do you want to be hospitalized?”

“Yes.”

“First, we’ll use Chinese medicine treatment, oral medication and medicinal baths to expel the drug, then keep you for observation for three days. Is today okay?”

“Today is fine.”

“Good,” Doctor Gu reminded, “However, your drug content is much higher than the mouse’s, and anesthesia isn’t suitable. It will be very painful.”

Ji Xiao smiled. “I can handle it.”

“Great! Go ahead and check in. I’ll go get the Chinese medicine director.”

“Okay, thank you, Doctor.”

Ji Xiao took Ruan Jier’s hand and walked toward the hospital lobby.

Ruan Jier held his hand tightly. “Shiyu…”

“It’s okay. I’m not afraid of pain,” Ji Xiao comforted him.

“I’ll be with you.”

“Mm.”

…

As Ji Xiao prepared to take the medicine, Black Cat said, “The pain of detoxification is much worse than your episodes. Some people even suffocate from the pain. And this is an incomplete version. Why not use your points to buy the antidote?”

[No need.]

Black Cat: “Don’t be stubborn! It will really hurt!”

[Not afraid.]

Black Cat fumed, “Then just die from the pain!”

Ji Xiao calmly took the medicine, entered the bath barrel, gripped the edges, and closed his eyes.

[Cat.]

Black Cat said anxiously, “What? Can’t take it? I’ll buy you painkillers…”

[Tell me, this pain… why does it feel like nothing to me?]

Black Cat: “…” Masochist?

Ji Xiao was covered in fine sweat, his body cramping in pain, but his mind was clear.

[Have I experienced greater pain before?]

Black Cat: “I… I don’t know.”

[Have I been to more dangerous worlds?]

Black Cat said weakly, “I really… don’t know.”

[Hmm, ]

“Host!”

[Play some soothing music for me.]

“Okay, okay, right away.”

[Cat, have I… experienced deeper pain in more dangerous worlds?]

Black Cat: “Host, stop asking! Just listen to the music!”

[Or is the pain brought by you?]

Black Cat said angrily, “What nonsense! How could we cause you pain!”

[Oh, so not you…]

Black Cat: “…I’m leaving.”

Still able to find opportunities to pump me for information. It seemed the host wasn’t in that much pain!

It sulkily retreated to the depths of his consciousness and stopped responding.

Ji Xiao was carried back to the ward.

Ji Xiao’s voice was very faint and hoarse, but his tone was gentle. “Don’t cry. I don’t have the strength to wipe your tears.”

Ruan Jier wiped his eyes with his hand. “Who asked you to wipe them!”

“Then don’t cry. It hurts my heart.” Ji Xiao weakly held his hand. “My body is already in so much pain. Don’t make my heart hurt too.”

“Okay,” Ruan Jier bowed his head and kissed the back of his hand. “I won’t let you hurt.”

After three full medicinal baths, ninety percent of the drug in Ji Xiao’s body was gone. He lay weakly in bed, asleep.

Doctor Gu and Ruan Jier stood by the bed.

Doctor Gu said softly, “The drug had merged into his bones, meridians, and blood. Now that it’s expelled, his vitality is greatly damaged.”

Ruan Jier: “I’ll take good care of him.”

Doctor Gu hesitated, then said, “Perhaps he won’t live long.”

Ruan Jier’s pupils contracted. “It’s okay.”

As long as he was alive, he would accompany him.

Doctor Gu: “But if the drug weren’t removed, he would eventually exhaust himself, either dying from exhaustion or pain… Do you understand?”

Ruan Jier’s voice was hoarse. “I know.”

Doctor Gu patted his shoulder. “Observe for three days. If there are no issues, he can be discharged to recuperate.”

“Mm.”

Doctor Gu took a few steps, then turned back. “I asked a friend to check. The place where he went for a late-night snack has changed owners. The surveillance is gone, and the nearby streets didn’t catch him at that time either.”

Ruan Jier clenched his fists. “Thank you.”

Doctor Gu sighed softly and left.

Three days later, Ji Xiao showed no abnormalities. Ruan Jier took him home.

Ji Xiao’s stamina indeed decreased afterward.

After finishing his last batch of illustrations and submitting them to the editor, he decided to stop drawing.

Xiang Zhi, knowing it was due to his health, didn’t insist and advised him to rest well.

Ruan Jier still did voice work, but aside from recording time, he spent most of his time with Ji Xiao.

Apart from commercial work, the two occasionally recorded audio dramas at home and played role-playing games. Although Ji Xiao couldn’t exercise for long, they lived sweetly.

No matter which world, Ji Xiao always left only after seeing the task target draw their last breath.

And this time.

Perhaps we could meet again.

Ruan Jier, now middle-aged, smiled with tears in his eyes. “Okay, I won’t cry. Don’t leave too fast. Wait for me.”

Ji Xiao smiled. “In the next life, I’ll come find you.”

Ruan Jier shook his head. “I’ll find you.”

“It’s the same.”

“Yeah, it’s the same.”

Ruan Jier lowered his head, burying his face in Ji Xiao’s hand. “Shiyu, I love you so much.”

Ji Xiao was silent for a moment.

Ruan Jier’s eyes burned.

Ji Xiao’s hand touched his eye corner. “I love you too.”

Ruan Jier smiled, tears mixed with laughter.

Ji Xiao felt his time was near. He gripped Ruan Jier’s hand tightly. “I will find you.”

“Okay.”

The electrocardiogram flatlined, emitting a harsh sound.

Ruan Jier’s tears fell. “Fool, it should be me finding you.”

…

Back on that hill.

Black Cat probed, “Why would the host say that to Ruan Jier?”

Ji Xiao said indifferently, “Just to comfort him. It’s not like I haven’t coaxed other task targets before.”

Black Cat: “…” True. It had overthought it.

Ji Xiao lowered his eyes. “Let’s go. Next world.”

Even now, he still wasn’t sure if the system was friend or foe.

It was obviously hiding many things from him, which didn’t seem friendly.

But its concern for him didn’t seem fake either, so it didn’t seem like an enemy.

But no matter why that person could accurately become his task target and accompany him in every life, he had to pretend not to know. He couldn’t let the system, whose stance was still unclear, find out.

If it found out and that person was eliminated as a bug, what would he do?

Ji Xiao thought: I’m such a fool. It took me this long to be sure.

Black Cat: “Then, host, I’ll transmit.”

Ji Xiao: “Mm.”

If it was the same person, he didn’t need to suppress his emotions to stay rational, to avoid losing control.

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