The end of the world is approaching, I'm handing myself over to the country.

Lin Xiu's anxiety eased somewhat.

Perhaps... I'm just overthinking it?

The deterrent effect of the sin value system is indeed more powerful than imagined.

"Are you done yet, bro?"

Sun Ye's voice pulled him back from his thoughts.

Lin Xiu turned off the control panel and immediately began operating it without the slightest hesitation.

[Transferring 2500 Source Crystals to player 'Sun Ye'. Confirm?]

"confirm."

Transfer successful.

Lin Xiu transferred 2500 to Sun Ye and still had 500 left. Even if there was no income for a period of time, Lin Xiu was not afraid.

A crisp notification sound came from Sun Ye's personal terminal indicating that the funds had been credited to his account.

"Good boy." Sun Ye looked down at him, his smile growing even brighter and warmer, even carrying a hint of sincerity.

He stepped aside, making way for the dilapidated door that he had always blocked completely.

"Click".

Sun Ye took out a brass key from his pocket, inserted it into the lock, and turned it gently.

The door lock opened with a click.

He opened the door, and a scent mixed with dust and a faint fragrance wafted out.

"Go quickly." Sun Ye's voice became unusually gentle, as if the thug who had been stepping on human bones and spouting money-for-money deals was just an illusion.

"After all, a moment of bliss on the night of passion is worth a thousand pieces of gold, hahaha," Sun Ye joked.

Lin Xiu felt nauseous and physically uncomfortable at Sun Ye's words.

But he didn't say a word, and strode in, almost impatiently rushing inside.

He was already very familiar with the place when he came here again.

It was a small room with no windows, and the walls were peeling and crumbling, making the environment extremely rudimentary.

The only light source in the entire space was a flickering candle on a small wooden table in the corner.

A slender figure sat quietly by the candlelight.

She wore a faded white dress, her long, black hair cascading down her shoulders, creating a soft halo in the dim candlelight.

Just seeing that back view made Lin Xiu feel that everything he had just done was worth it.

All vigilance and unease vanished in that instant.

He shuffled his feet, afraid of disturbing the moment of tranquility.

He approached step by step, his throat dry, and with all his might, he managed to squeeze out the name he had been longing for day and night.

"Ling'er".

The figure trembled suddenly.

The next second, the girl turned around.

It was a face of unparalleled beauty, but now it was streaked with tears.

The moment she saw Lin Xiu, her eyes, already brimming with tears, could no longer hold back, and large tears rolled down her cheeks.

Instead of throwing herself into his arms, she suddenly stood up, rushed to him, and began pounding his chest with her small, weak fists.

"fool!"

"Fool! Fool!"

Her punches lacked any real force; they were more like an outpouring of despair.

Tears blurred her vision, and she cried out, each word trembling with heartache.

"Why did you agree to him! Why did you take out a personal loan!"

"Can't you tell that guy's setting you up?"

Lin Xiu's body froze on the spot.

He originally thought that Ling'er would stay quietly with him as before, cherishing this hard-won moment of tenderness.

But he didn't expect to be met with such questions.

My heart skipped a beat, and a wave of bitterness mixed with grievance rushed into my nose.

He didn't think there was anything wrong with it at first.

To see Ling'er, he would not hesitate to take out a loan he could repay, even if the cost was ten times greater.

But when she cried out this recklessness in such a heart-wrenching way, all his pretense and strength crumbled instantly.

Lin Xiu's eyes immediately reddened.

He grabbed Ling'er's pounding hand and pulled her tightly into his arms.

"I know......"

His voice was thick with nasal tone and filled with suppressed sobs.

"I know... but I really... miss you so much."

At that moment, the warm touch in my arms and the girl's sobs felt so real.

Lin Xiu felt that it was all worthwhile.

He closed his eyes, buried his face in her hair, and greedily inhaled her familiar fragrance.

Ling'er's cries echoed muffledly in his chest, and his pounding turned into a forceful grip.

She choked back tears, cursing intermittently.

"You idiot...you big idiot..."

Lin Xiu increased his strength, seemingly trying to completely integrate the girl in his arms into his body.

He greedily inhaled the scent emanating from the girl.

However, what came into my nostrils was not the faint, refreshing fragrance I remembered.

Instead, there was a very faint smell of sweat and an indescribable greasy feeling.

This feels unfamiliar and out of place.

But Lin Xiu didn't take it to heart.

Perhaps... this is a situation unique to the soul state.

After all, this body is not a physical entity.

Lin Xiu comforted himself in this way, forcibly suppressing that slight sense of disharmony.

The warmth in my arms was real, her tears were real, and that was enough.

Ling'er's crying gradually stopped, but her body was still twitching slightly.

She didn't push him away, nor did she say anything more; she just let him hold her like that.

In the entire room, only a small candle in the corner burned quietly, occasionally emitting a soft "crackling" sound.

Good times are always short.

The candlelight in the corner flickered suddenly, its light dimming instantly, as if it might go out at any moment.

This sudden change was like a needle piercing Lin Xiu's heart.

He knew that time was almost up.

"Ling'er..."

Lin Xiu released her, placed his hands on her shoulders, and forced her to look at him.

His voice was solemn and firm, every word carrying an unwavering determination.

"I will definitely work hard to earn Source Crystals in the future, lots and lots of Source Crystals, so that we can be together forever."

"I swear!"

However, the moment I said those words, a sense of powerlessness welled up from the bottom of my heart.

Source Crystal...

In this damned place, Source Crystals are everything.

Even without Sun Ye, there would still be Wang Ye and Li Ye.

If Sun Ye can do these things, why can't others?

Or rather, why can't I obtain such a talent?

At this moment, Lin Xiu's desire to earn Source Crystals reached an unprecedented peak.

Ling'er looked at him quietly, without showing the joy she used to show because of his promise.

Her eyes, washed by tears, were almost too clear, reflecting Lin Xiu's somewhat disheveled face.

She didn't discourage him; she simply nodded gently.

"Okay, I'll wait for you."