I'll also work hard to conquer the dungeon today.

Chapter 313, 1.21-29: The Girl Imprisoned in the Tower
Ming Jin frowned, his expression somewhat complicated. He had never expected to encounter Ming Xi under such circumstances, and hadn't even noticed his appearance, as if the connection between the twins had completely disappeared.

Thinking of this, Ming Jin felt extremely flustered. Why couldn't he sense Ming Xi's presence anymore? Even though he was standing right in front of him, he couldn't sense his presence like before.

Olycia cast a long, drawn-out glance at the man's head on the ground, the sound of Philu's voice indicating the dungeon had failed ringing in her ears. She frowned slightly and whispered to Jolin, "Let's go back."

In this situation, since the mission has already failed, there's nothing to do staying here; it would only be humiliating. Her pride wouldn't allow her to do something so self-defeating.

Although she was indeed angry that Mingxi had beaten her to it, it was also because she hadn't paid attention; ultimately, she had miscalculated and was outmatched. If she continued to argue, she would lose too badly.

Although Olycia is an arrogant young lady, she still has her own pride and knows how to maintain boundaries, knowing what she should and shouldn't do.

She understands very well that the world doesn't revolve around her, and some things aren't as simple as she says. Therefore, she never forces herself to have things she can't have or things she's already failed at; in such situations, she simply gives up decisively.

"Yes, Miss," Jolin said softly, then followed Olycia away.

The girl glanced left at Mingxi, who was carrying two swords and had a cold face, and then at Mingjin, who had the same face but wore a reassuring smile. She silently walked behind Mingjin and hid in fear.

The surroundings were completely silent, with only the rustling sound of leaves being blown by the breeze.

Mingjin and Mingxi remained silent, neither of them uttering a word, and time seemed to stand still.

After an unknown amount of time, Mingxi suddenly frowned and spoke first, "Aren't you going to explain?"

His expression was somewhat indifferent, but his tone was very calm, revealing no emotion whatsoever, yet it gave off a sense of impending danger.

"I said I wanted some peace and quiet, and then you disappeared without a trace. Am I such a burden that you feel relieved once I throw me away? In your eyes, am I, your brother, really that unimportant?" Mingxi looked coldly at Mingjin, his lake-blue eyes flashing with an unfathomable darkness, and he said in a low voice.

Ming Jin remained silent, offering no answer, or perhaps he simply didn't know how to explain. He absolutely did not want to tell Ming Xi that he had less than two years to live; he wanted to save Ming Xi.

He had kept it a secret for over twenty years, and had been planning it almost since he first learned about it. How could he possibly abandon his efforts when he was so close to achieving his goal?
"Say something! Are you really so annoying that you don't even want to say a word?" Mingxi shouted at Mingjin, panting heavily with his chest heaving like a trapped beast, with a hint of hurt from being betrayed.

"I'm sorry, Xi," Mingjin shook her head and said softly.

He didn't know how to tell Mingxi. Aside from the truth, he really didn't know what to explain to her. He felt that anything he said would just be an excuse, but the truth was the one thing he absolutely couldn't tell Mingxi.

"Did I ask for an apology? I want your reasons, not an apology from someone who knows nothing. I don't need it. Are you insulting me?!" Mingxi gritted her teeth in anger and whispered.

"Besides apologizing, I don't know where to begin with anything else. Give me some time..." Before he could finish speaking, Ming Jin saw Ming Xi casually throw away his two-handed sword and rush towards him. The next second, he felt a pain on his face and fell to the ground.

My face stung a little; Mingxi's punch had been merciless.

Ming Jin collapsed to the ground, her expression momentarily dazed. Her left cheek was bruised and even stained with a trace of blood, and a warm trickle flowed down her nose, dripping down her chin and onto her clothes like blooming blood flowers.

Mingxi's eyes were red, and her right hand remained in the same fist position as when she punched Mingjin, with traces of blood on her fingers.

"Mingjin, aren't you being far too presumptuous? Do I need your charity?" He looked down at Mingjin, who was sitting on the ground, still somewhat dazed. Mingxi's eyes were red, and her voice trembled with a hint of tears. "What I need is your reason, not this kind of meaningless talk. You want me to give you time? Then who will give me time? When did we start having our own secrets...? I can't even feel your presence anymore." Mingxi bent down and pressed down on Mingjin's shoulder as she tried to get up.

Ming Jin was forcefully pressed to the ground and could not move an inch. She could only look up at those lake-blue eyes that were exactly the same as her own, and see her disheveled self reflected in those eyes.

He wanted to say something, but the coldness he felt on his face made him shut his mouth again.

Mingxi cried.

This was the first time he had seen Mingxi cry. This person was always so proud and strong; he thought he would never see him cry.

"I..." Ming Jin fell silent again after uttering just one word.

Almost...

He almost blurted it out.

However, this is the only thing that cannot be done.

But it seems there's nothing else to say besides telling the truth.

"Why can't I feel you even though you're right in front of me?" Mingxi's voice was a little hoarse, with a hint of sobbing, as pitiful and helpless as an abandoned puppy.

Mingxi was clearly the one in a dominant position, yet he was the first to cry and show weakness.

Ming Jin remained silent, unsure how to respond.

"elder brother……"

Hearing Mingxi's pitiful, confused, and helpless cries, Ming Jin froze. In that instant, he felt that he should tell him everything.

“Listen to me, Mingxi.” Mingjin looked up at Mingxi’s face, a slightly bitter smile tugging at the corners of his lips, and said softly.

"There are less than two years left, and I don't want to spend these last days arguing with you. I just want you to live well, to live well in the days to come without me, so I want you to get used to life without me first."

All his resolve crumbled the moment Mingxi called him "brother".

In fact, neither of them knew who was born first, and neither was willing to lower themselves to call the other "younger brother," because they felt that whoever called the other "older brother" first was showing weakness and bowing down.

Mingxi calls him "brother," so as the older brother, he should protect his younger brother and not hide anything from him, even if the truth is cruel.

(End of this chapter)