Xing Tie: Wait a minute! How come Weng Xing has two saviors?

You have many other ways to de-escalate their threat! Knocking them unconscious, restraining them, even maiming them to incapacitate them is not unacceptable!

"What I want to know is, why did you choose to bring them 'death' among so many methods?"

Bai Mo stared into her unwavering eyes, which shone with an almost stubborn light, and only then did he understand Xia Die's true thoughts.

Finally, he let out a long sigh. That sigh seemed to contain a certain understanding, yet also carried a hint of helplessness.

But when he spoke again, his tone revealed a rock-solid resolve:

"I see your determination. It's pure, and also... idealistic."

He paused, "But you must understand, I am not bloodthirsty. I kill them because, in that moment, they chose to do evil, chose to take up arms against the innocent or the weak!"

"If you do something wrong, you must take responsibility for it! Pay the price! This is my ironclad rule! It is also one of my creeds for living in this world!" His words echoed in the quiet courtyard.

He slowed his speech and looked at Xia Die: "I respect your belief—that life is more precious than anything else."

Although," his lips twitched slightly, with a hint of helplessness, "this might make you seem...too kind, even 'saintly' in the eyes of some people."

I won't try to refute your conviction.

"But, Xia Die, I also hope that you can respect my position."

People are capable of making any choice. But every choice comes with its own responsibilities and consequences.

When they choose to do evil, to take away the life or peace of others, they have already placed their own lives on the scales.

Paying with their lives was the ultimate price they paid. It was the inevitable consequence of their choices.

Chapter 21 Bai Mo: Xia Die? Do you dare touch her? Does she dare touch you?

Xia Die looked into Bai Mo's resolute and unwavering eyes, which held no bloodthirsty fanaticism, but only an almost rock-solid determination.

After a long while, she also let out a soft, long sigh. Her fingers, which had been tightly clenched as if trying to crush all her unease, finally loosened and fell to her sides.

“Alright, Your Excellency Bai Mo…” Her voice carried a hint of weary relief, “As you said, I… will respect your choice. Even if I cannot fully agree with it.”

She turned slightly to the side, tilted her head back, and gazed at the bright moon hanging high in the dark night sky.

The bright moonlight poured down, gently flowing across her fair and delicate cheek, outlining a soft arc, and reflecting the unspeakable sorrow and persistence deep in her eyes.

"But I understand better than anyone how fragile and precious life is..."

Her voice was as soft as a dream, carrying a loneliness that came from the depths of her soul.

"As the daughter of the River Styx, I have seen too many lost souls and felt too much irreversible coldness."

Life...it's as beautiful as this moonlight, yet it's a fleeting, precious hue that my hands...no matter how hard I try to grasp it, I can never hold onto.

She paused for a moment, then continued slowly, her voice filled with sincerity:

"I agree with your fundamental point, Your Excellency Bai Mo—one should indeed pay the price for wrongdoing. This is a universal principle."

"But..." She shook her head slightly, moonlight dancing on her violet hair.

"I have always believed that life itself should not become the cold weight that is ultimately placed on the scales to balance evil."

When Bai Mo pushed open the door and returned indoors, Xi Lian was excitedly discussing something with Ti Bao.

Seeing Bai Mo push open the door and come in, Xi Lian excitedly rushed over and bumped into Bai Mo's arms. But if it weren't for Xia Die behind him, Bai Mo would have taken a few steps back and lost his strength.

"Little Bai Mo, Little Bai Mo! Praise me! I've perfected 'Time Replay' to the point where it can reproduce the conversations between several figures!" Xi Lian was overjoyed.

"So heavy... Sister Xi Lian, you... wait? You said your 'Time Reappearance' has broken through?" Bai Mo was about to make a few teasing remarks when he immediately realized what Xi Lian had just said.

“Of course! And with Teacher Tibo’s help, I can now even recreate other people’s memories of death!” Xi Lian clearly only heard the second half of Bai Mo’s sentence.

“Reproducing someone else’s memory of death? In other words…” Bai Mo couldn’t help but glance at Tibo and Tian.

“That’s exactly what you think! However, Teacher Tibo said it’s best not to say it in front of Tian.” Xi Lian’s voice suddenly lowered.

"Mmm." Bai Mo was so excited he almost picked Xi Lian up. A total of nine hundred and ninety-seven Tibao teachers!

Judging by the nature of this cheat system, I'll definitely be able to open portals to a hundred worlds at will in the future! And Ti'an… wait? Do I have to name Ti'an nine hundred and ninety-seven times?

Late at night, in Bai Mo's room

Under the dim magic lamp, Xi Lian, like a puppet on the verge of falling apart, shakily tossed yet another faintly glowing purple octahedron—a "memory fragment crystal"—onto the top of the crystal cluster that had already piled up into a small mountain on Bai Mo's bed.

"Achoo..." Xi Lian's eyelids were so heavy they were almost glued together, and her voice was heavy with sleepiness, indistinct and unclear.

"How many is this now? Little... Bai Mo~?" She seemed to have trouble even sitting up straight, her body leaning slightly forward.

Bai Mo shifted his gaze from the crystal hill to Xi Lian's haggard appearance, feeling both gratitude and heartache.

But she couldn't hide the excitement on her face: "The 995th one! Sister Xilian, you're amazing! You've really worked hard!"

He strode forward, intending to help her sit down. "Tomorrow! When you and Tibo return to Ohmma tomorrow, what would you like to eat? I'll make it for you!"

"Ah—yawn... Bai Mo, are you...sleepy?" Xi Lian managed to condense another fragment of crystal, casually tossing it over, but almost tripped over.

“Tomorrow… how could we possibly… get to Ohmma? We still have to… walk… yawn… for several days…” Her voice trailed off.

Xi Lian's condition... is terrible. She seems unable to even think. Bai Mo looked at Xi Lian's almost unfocused eyes and was secretly alarmed.

This was even after she had been buffed with a whole dozen buff spells, including [Energy Blessing], [Tranquility Blessing], and [Life Blessing]!

Without these, I'm afraid that if I gathered dozens of her, I would have collapsed from exhaustion on this floor.

Another fragment of memory was tossed onto the bed. Xi Lian's hand mechanically clenched in the air, instinctively trying to condense the next one, but grasped only empty air.

She blinked slowly, and it took her several seconds to react: "Ah...no...that's it? Little Bai Mo~,...that's it?"

She swayed as she tried to stand up, but her body suddenly went limp. "Ah—yawn...I...I'm gone?"

"Watch out!" Bai Mo reacted quickly, catching her as she almost fell. Xi Lian's weight was entirely on his arm, but she was completely unaware, her head bobbing up and down, her consciousness already drifting away.

"Sister Xilian, how can you walk like this? I'll take you back to your room." Bai Mo steadily supported her and carefully guided her towards the door.

“No… no need…” Xi Lian’s voice was muffled, like she was talking in her sleep, “I… can… do it myself…zzzz…” Before she could finish speaking, a soft snore began to sound, and she fell into a deep sleep, leaning against Bai Mo’s shoulder.

Bai Mo sighed and half-carried Xi Lian back to her "academic fortress" filled with heavy books, scrolls, and strange instruments.

He gently placed her on the soft bed, carefully tucked her in, and then silently chanted incantations, casting several gentle [Sleep Aid] and [Relaxation] spells.

After doing all this, he quietly slipped out and gently closed the door.

As soon as Bai Mo closed Xi Lian's door, he turned around and almost bumped into the purple-haired girl standing in the shadows of the corridor.

"Lord Bai Mo?" Xia Die's voice carried a hint of surprise and inquiry, her gaze shifting between the closed door and Bai Mo. "What are you doing here...?"

"Miss Xia Die?" Bai Mo was also slightly surprised, but immediately lowered his voice, "Shh—keep your voice down."

"Xi Lian just did me a huge favor, and she's so tired she's fallen asleep right now. Don't wake her," he explained frankly, his tone calm.

LOL, even if I did something, I could be so open about it, let alone since I haven't done anything at all.

"If there's nothing else, I'll go back to my room?" Bai Mo nodded to Xia Die, but his thoughts had already flown back to the purple memory crystal mountain in his own room.

Nine hundred and ninety-seven Tibo teachers! He could almost feel those fragmented crystals calling to him.

As for the butterfly before us? She is truly beautiful, with a unique air about her; a daughter of the Styx…

But no matter how beautiful they are, can they compare to analyzing these fragments of crystals that contain Teacher Tibo's power and memories? Can they compare to the skill that prevents Little Tian from disappearing?

Even if I'm incredibly charming right now, and she falls for me after just a few words—let's not even mention that she's lived for hundreds of years and seen it all, even if she really does fall for me because of some kind of 'rekindled girlish heart'...then here's the problem!

Do you dare touch her? Huh? Does she dare touch you? Huh? Answer me! Look into my eyes! Tell me why?

Chapter 22 Bai Mo: *We*? System! I'm asking you, where did this *we* come from?

"Good night, Miss Xia Die." He said goodbye politely but quickly. Before he finished speaking, he had already moved like a ghost and flashed to his door.

With a soft click, the door opened and closed, and the person had already disappeared behind it, moving so fast that only a blur remained.

In the corridor, only Xia Die remained, the moonlight outlining her slightly bewildered figure.

She tilted her head slightly, looking at the tightly closed door, a big question mark slowly appearing on her face: O_o? What's going on?

Isolated from the outside world, Bai Mo leaned against the door and let out a long sigh of relief.

His burning gaze fell on the small crystal mountain on the bed, which still emitted a mysterious purple light in the dim light, and his face once again broke into an almost fanatical smile.

"Phew... Alright, finally no one's bothering us." He rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming with excitement and anticipation. "OK, bottoms up! Guys!"

He walked to the bedside and carefully picked up the memory fragment at the very top...

Tiyu (a clear and steady child's voice, resolute, as if recording a final message): "...I have flown to the front line of the Black Tide. The intelligence... has been sent back... There is no need to grieve for me... Our sacrifice... was worthwhile..." (The voice fades, accompanied by the dull thud of metal piercing flesh and a suppressed groan, finally falling silent).

Bai Mo's excitement froze instantly, and his fingers trembled slightly.

He was silent for a few seconds before whispering in a somewhat hoarse voice, "...Records. New folder, name it: 'Tiyu'."

He put down Tiyu and picked up the next one.

Tishou (a slightly tired but determined child's voice): "...The refugees...have been safely transferred...those noble lackeys...ah...daggers...a little cold...remember...hold on to hope...*we*...never..." (The voice trails off, leaving only a faint, labored breath, before finally ceasing.)

Bai Mo took a deep breath, feeling as if a stone was pressing on his chest: "...Record. Name it: 'Ti Shou'." His voice was even lower and hoarseer than before.

Ti Mi (a gentle, maternal voice, yet tinged with a heavy stench of blood): "...Child...don't be afraid...we're home...look...Mommy's waiting for you...but...my...braids...seem...to be dirty...what a pity..." (Her voice grows softer and softer, tinged with regret, and is eventually drowned out by the chilling sound of surging blood).

Bai Mo's breathing became heavy, and his eyes began to burn uncontrollably.

He gripped the broken crystal tightly, his knuckles turning white. His lips moved a few times, but he couldn't utter a sound immediately: "...Ti...Mi..." He almost gritted his teeth to finish naming it.

Next one...

Tiding (an unusually calm, even somewhat relieved, childlike voice): "...If...it must be boiling blood...that can ignite...the numb hearts...that can...unite...they...then what's wrong with *us* shedding that blood?..."

This calm declaration struck Bai Mo like a hammer blow. Immediately afterward, the voices within the fragmented crystal began to shift, like countless overlapping echoes, carrying the complex emotions of farewell and reunion, weaving and reverberating in the small room:

"Goodbye, Tidang!" (A cheerful child's voice)

"Goodbye, Officer!" (A calm child's voice)

"See you tomorrow, Tishin!" (A young voice full of hope, yet knowing there is no tomorrow)

"At the end of the west wind! Tiwan!" (A voice as distant as the wind)

"Look! It's Mommy waving! See you tomorrow, Tixiao!" (A child's innocent and joyful voice)

"So... everyone was waiting for us at the finish line! Goodbye, Timo!" (A child's voice, exhausted but with a warm smile)

These repeated "goodbyes" and "see you tomorrow," filled with endless sacrifice and farewell, crashed against Bai Mo's nerves like a tide.

His body was slightly hunched, and he covered his face with his hands. A drop of scalding liquid gushed out from between his fingers and dripped onto the cold fragments of memory.

"Don't worry, Tian... I swear! I will never... I will never let 'we'... lose any of them again! Not a single one!"

Bai Mo's vow was powerful and resounding, still warm with the lingering warmth of blood and tears.

However, at this climax, where tragedy and determination intertwine—

"Σ(OдO|||)ノノWait!"

The sorrow and resolve on Bai Mo's face were instantly replaced by extreme astonishment and horror!

What...what did I just say?!

"We will never let 'we' lose any of them again?"

"*us*"?

Where did *us* come from?!

What's going on? What's this?

"You mean this? After watching 997 similar clips, isn't it normal to pick up some catchphrases?"

System! I'm not kidding!

[Host, I don't have that either. Your current state is that you've seen 997 very similar days in a row. Then, when you're aimlessly wandering, you'll habitually do things very similar to those days.]

[Really, I assure you that those nine hundred and ninety-seven soul imprint fragments won't cause any problems.]

[And who told you to do something like that, creating hundreds of very similar folders all at once? And then scrutinizing each one like you were watching a pornographic film?]

[You watched hundreds of episodes of anime and discovered your own verbal tic, and now you're blaming me?]

(System: This is defamation! I'm going to sue you for defamation!)

Okay, if you just consciously control yourself, you won't say *we*.

After a night of deliberate adjustment and self-suggestion, Bai Mo finally relaxed completely after casually saying a few words in the morning without repeating the strange "*we*" verbal tic.