knife

Chapter 548, PRCDSE 95518
An endless darkness enveloped everything.

There is no passage of time.
There was no sense of space in front, behind, left, or right.

He couldn't even feel his own body.
It seems that only one's own consciousness exists.

A profound sense of loneliness enveloped Li Dachui, and he desperately tried to move himself, wanting to feel something.

But in vain.

Fear surged forth like a tidal wave.
Even if he knew he was going to die earlier, even if he was already unable to move or even open his eyes, he didn't feel the fear he has now, because he could still hear the sounds outside, feel the wind and rain, feel the pain, and feel that living world full of joy, anger, sorrow and happiness.

Is this the world after death?
No wonder everyone fears death.

This absolute loneliness,
Even someone as strong as Li Dachui couldn't bear it.

He felt he could endure all the suffering in the world.
until today,

He then realized that it wasn't like that.

All the suffering he had ever endured combined could not compare to what he was experiencing now.

He even felt it would be better if he were dead.

The thing that people find most unbearable is loneliness.

After countless years, a glimmer of light finally appeared before him, and that light seemed to have an immense suction force, dragging Li Dachui toward it.

Li Dachui was overjoyed.
He finally felt the light.

Even if the road ahead leads to the deepest hell,

He didn't hesitate for a moment.
He chased after that point of light with great joy.

Even now, it seems as if that glimmer of light has captured him.

It seems like countless hours have passed.

It seemed to have only lasted for a brief moment.

Li Dachui finally felt his own existence once again.

It was no longer the body I knew so well.

The whole person was like a wisp of smoke, constantly swirling and flowing.

He really is dead!

Am I currently existing in the form of a spirit?

Li Dachui still had the leisure to carefully examine his current state.
Does this mean I'm immortal?

A dazzling light rushed towards him, and Li Dachui was dizzy for a moment. When his vision cleared again, he almost wanted to dance with joy, if he still had hands and feet. But now, he could only think about it.

He finally saw the azure sky, the white clouds, the towering mountains, the rushing rivers, and the cities scattered across the vast land.

He continued to sink.

He continued to gaze greedily at everything.

Although he noticed his own wisp of aura gradually dissipating the moment he suddenly appeared in this vibrant world,
This world has a kind of rejection, a kind of deprivation, of him.
But Li Dachui still felt that it was all worth it.

Compared to eternal life in that darkness,
He would rather die completely in this vibrant world.

Drifting aimlessly, without anything to rely on.

The world gradually became clearer and more vivid in his eyes. He saw fishermen sailing on the rivers, casting their nets.
He saw woodcutters carrying axes up the mountain, chopping firewood, and carrying it to the town to exchange for food.

He saw scholars studying diligently through the years, finally achieving success in the imperial examinations, wearing fine robes and official hats, and attaining fame and fortune.
Weddings, funerals, joys, sorrows, and everything in between—they all played out before his eyes like a movie.

Li Dachui was incredibly envious.
Perhaps, I can start over.

He guessed that he was now existing in the form of a spirit.

If one can find a body to cling to before completely dissipating, one can truly be reborn.

Once this thought arises, it is like a seed taking root and sprouting, growing stronger and stronger until it finally grows into a towering tree.

Having made up his mind, Li Dachui began to continuously lower his height.

Even at lower altitudes, his spiritual energy dissipates faster.

Rather than living like this, I might as well take a risk.

Consciousness is becoming increasingly blurred.

Dying?

It's better that he's dead!

Flames roared inside the cabin, and the chilling sound of metal tearing apart filled his ears. Li Dachui ran down the corridor, and through the automatically closing cabin glass, he saw one comrade after another screaming in pain, collapsing to the ground convulsing, some still conscious, lunging at the cabin door, desperately trying to smash it open, but all in vain.

Li Dachui disregarded them; his only way to escape this clearly unsustainable spaceship was to reach the medical bay at the stern, which could detach from the ship and fly autonomously. Although the medical bay lacked a navigation system and most of the other essential elements for long-distance flight, it could at least help him avoid the immediate crisis.

The air inside the cabin was gradually decreasing, making breathing increasingly difficult, which significantly reduced the running speed.

But Li Dachui finally saw the medical pod at the rear.

A female officer stood at the cabin door. The moment she saw Li Dachui, her eyes lit up with surprise, and she shouted loudly for Li Dachui to hurry up.

In my ears, the countdown to the medical module separating from the main ship sounded like the death knell.

I can get there by myself!
Li Dachui held his breath, ready to make his final sprint.

But at that moment, a huge roar came from his ears, and the entire cabin collapsed, knocking Li Dachui to the ground. He didn't feel any pain at first, but he was horrified to find that he could no longer stand up, and his brain could no longer control his legs.

Desperately raising his head, Li Dachui saw the medical bay door slowly closing. He reached out and ripped the nameplate from his chest, throwing it with all his might. A hand reached out from inside and caught the flying nameplate. With a bang, the door slammed shut, and the medical ship finally separated from the main ship. Through the closed cabin doors and windows, the female officer clutched the nameplate, her eyes brimming with tears as she pressed her face against the glass, watching Li Dachui struggle in agony amidst the flames.

When the immense pain struck, Li Dachui collapsed to the ground, completely engulfed by raging flames.

The entire spaceship bloomed like a dazzling firework in the boundless, dark space, completing its final moment of splendor, and then everything returned to silence, as if nothing had ever happened.

Li Dachui, Major of the Hope spacecraft of the People's Republic of China, serial number PRCDSE 95518.

The image in my mind finally settled on the silver-white identity plaque.

Li Dachui was jolted awake.

Countless memories flooded his mind, filling his head and making his face appear somewhat pale.

"Li Duhu, what's wrong?" Jiang Qian's voice came from beside him. "Have you seen a nameplate like this before?"

Seeing Jiang Qian's somewhat doubtful expression, Li Dachui suppressed his excitement, "Subconsciously, I seem to have seen something like this before. Or perhaps, this is the deepest secret of the Qi of Heaven and Earth?"

"what is that?"

"It's a series of bizarre and grotesque images, and a series of inexplicable numbers!" Li Dachui said, "Empress Dowager, you should take me to see that door you mentioned!"

(End of this chapter)