A is in StarCraft, just disembarked from the Zerg Prince spaceship.

************

......

Given General Qi's status, he would naturally be admitted to one of the top-floor, privately-accessible wards in a military hospital when he falls ill, with layers of military protection, so security is not a concern.

Late at night, only a dim light was on in the ward.

The intensive care unit was very quiet at night, with the military outside keeping all unauthorized personnel out of the cordon.

The light curve on the electrocardiogram monitor screen fluctuated slowly, constantly emitting a regular beeping sound.

This is the pendulum of Qi Wan's life. If it stops, it means that Qi Wan's life is entering its final countdown.

Qi Wan lay on the hospital bed, eyes closed, face pale, breathing very lightly.

A thin layer of moisture appeared on his oxygen mask as he breathed.

He kept his eyes closed the whole time.

Various monitoring cables were connected to him, trapping him in the center of the ward.

His situation was different from Gao Tian's at the time; his situation was much more stable. Gao Tian was drained dry by the burning agent, his condition collapsing rapidly, while his was declining steadily and irreversibly without reason.

His eyes were closed, his heartbeat and breathing were very even, but he was slowly weakening.

Gao Xing sat on a chair by the hospital bed, his back straight, for a long time.

Unlike in the TV series, he didn't hold Qi Wan's hand and ramble on about trying to wake him up.

He believed in Qi Wan's willpower. The last sense to disappear after death is hearing, and if he called out, Qi Wan would wake up again even after he had breathed his last.

But what's the use? It's useless.

They couldn't stop this decline, and Qi Wan's forced awakening would only cause her more pain.

If your loved one has to endure inhuman suffering every minute of their life, and the only reason they stay awake is because you called their name, wouldn't you wish you had never called their name?

You wish he wouldn't die, and he wished you wouldn't suffer, so you both ended up causing each other pain.

Outside the window, the neon lights of the city never go out, casting flickering light on his face through the gaps in the blinds.

He sat there for who knows how long, like a frozen statue.

Then he slowly bent down, his movements so gentle as if he were afraid of disturbing something, or as if he were facing one of his own treasures.

He didn't make any sudden movements; he simply leaned down slowly and quietly pressed his cheek against Qi Wan's chest.

He quietly lay down on Qi Wan.

Avoiding the connecting pipes and patches, a posture that is both extremely affectionate and incredibly restrained.

His ear was pressed against Qi Wan's chest.

He no longer possesses those evolved five senses, but even through a thin hospital gown, he could still hear Qi Wan's heartbeat and feel the rise and fall of his breath.

He didn't move. He didn't cry. He didn't make a sound.

She simply lay there quietly, listening to Qi Wan's heartbeat slowly.

Thump, thump, thump.

The curve on the monitor was still jumping. Beep, beep, beep.

Gao Xing's shoulders slumped slightly.

He remained in that position, motionless.

He wanted to hold onto this fleeting warmth, this gradually fading rhythm.

But Qi Wan.

If you're really tired, it's okay if you don't wake up.

Qi Wan remained unconscious and did not wake up.

Gao Xing remained motionless, still lying quietly on him.

Qi Wan's chest heaved less forcefully.

His eyes were tightly closed, his hair was gray, and he looked like a man nearing the end of his life.

He is Qi Wan, a sun shining brightly.

Gao Xing had a premonition that Qi Wan wouldn't wake up.

He didn't know where this premonition came from, but it permeated his entire being and froze his heart.

This time, they're probably really leaving.

Gao Xing remained silent for a long time, motionless.

If Qi Wan is really going to leave this world, then he wants to go with him.

The sun shone brightly, and he could no longer bear the pain and longing of those years of separation.

He couldn't bear a long future without Qi Wan.

It's okay, the sun will rise, the seasons will change, there's nothing to be afraid of. He just can't accept a world without Qi Wan.

......

Gao Tian put Xiao Haohao to sleep at home, then returned to the hospital and saw this scene outside the door.

Before, I don't know why, Hao Hao was supposed to sleep at home, but he, a little bug, crawled into the hospital, sleepily hugging his little winged doll, and climbed into President Qi's bed.

They were all startled, and they didn't know how he, a five-year-old little bug, had found them. It took them a lot of effort to coax him back.

On the way back, Haohao asked him if his grandfather would die. He didn't know how to answer.

Haohao, life and death are things that are beyond human control.

Even Grandpa can't make the decision?

Even Grandpa couldn't decide.

Even Dad can't make the decision?

Even Dad can't decide.

After finally settling Haohao in, I rushed back to the hospital and saw this scene again.

Gao Tian didn't go in; he stood motionless outside the door, as if nailed to the spot.

Brother Gao Xing lay on President Qi's chest, the posture resembling both an embrace and a collapse.

Their two bodies, sustained only by willpower, seemed to have turned into a pile.

He remained silent.

If Brother Gao Xing wants to go with President Qi... then he probably won't stop him.

Honestly, if Lan were the one in the hospital bed right now, and someone tried to stop him from going with Lan, he probably wouldn't be grateful; instead, he would think the other person was meddling.

As for personal will, it's like drinking water—only the person drinking it knows whether it's hot or cold.

If you truly only love one person, how can you start a new life after they leave?

The departure of a lover will take away all the light and warmth of the world, and from then on, the whole world will only be an ice cave and a prison for him.

Who would want to live a peaceful life in a morgue? How can they happily welcome a new life?

Gao Tian stood silently outside the door.

It was precisely because he understood these feelings that he couldn't bring himself to offer advice to Gao Xing.

I can't let it go.

No matter what you say, you just can't let it go.

Gao Tian lowered his hand, barely suppressing the soreness in his throat.

He ultimately didn't go in to disturb them.

Gao Xing is a fully mentally sound adult, and he has the right to make his own decisions.

......

Gao Tian wanted to find a secluded corner; he needed some space, a place where he could avoid being seen by everyone.

Coincidentally, he knew of one being that could provide that kind of help beyond common sense, and it even had two time-travel slots stored in it.

The fire escape at the end of the hospital corridor.

The fire door was very thick, blocking out the noise from afar. The emergency lights overhead cast a cold white light. This place was deserted; unless the elevator broke down, almost no one would come here.

Gao Tian pushed open the fire door and went inside.

The fire escape was empty and quiet.

Nowadays, cleaning is all done by robots. The only time the firefighters come here is when they are inspecting the fire equipment.

It's not time for equipment checks now, and since this is the fire escape route for the top-floor intensive care unit, even fewer people come here.

Gao Tian closed the door behind him, making this a relatively enclosed and private space.

Gao Tian sat down on the steps of the stairs. The marble floor was a bit cool, and the coolness seeped through his pants and chilled his bottom.

Gao Tian sat on the cold steps, feeling utterly helpless, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time.

Sigh, if only their baby could suddenly appear and hug him right now.

But the baby isn't here; he went back to Lehrnia to preside over National Day and won't be back for a while.

Gao Tian closed his eyes and calmed himself down.

Everything around suddenly became completely quiet.

Then he began to try to call upon the world consciousness in his mind.

He didn't actually know how to contact this elusive and useless system.

The useless system appears and disappears intermittently, only appearing in dreams and freeloading, without even leaving a contact method.

But he still had to give it a try; he couldn't just give up like that, could he?

Gao Tian took a deep breath, suppressing all his distracting thoughts and anxieties, and then carefully recalled the feeling of being sent a dream by the world's consciousness, calling out softly in his heart.

--system?

If the world consciousness is still connected to him, he should be able to hear it, right?

System, you've been freeloading off me for so long, get up and do something useful, OK?

You still owe me two time-travel slots, so don't run away with the money.

All of my consciousness coalesced into a single, simple, and direct thought.

A pebble is thrown into the water, waiting blankly for an echo from the bottom.

--system?

—Unification?

--Are you there?

—Go out and work.

His consciousness was completely blank. He didn't know if this was any use. He felt like a madman talking to himself. All he could hear was his own heartbeat, one beat after another.

The system never appeared.

Has it left his mind?

Just when he was about to give up and think that the system had left, a feeling quietly emerged.

Darkness, like warm amniotic fluid, silently enveloped his consciousness, briefly pulling him away from reality and returning him to the womb.

The surrounding scenery blurred, and the beeping of medical equipment and the smell of disinfectant in the hospital disappeared.

He found himself once again in that void of cosmic darkness.

The stars twinkled.

The familiar, gentle yet grand gaze descends once more.

"High Heaven".

The world consciousness responded to him.