To Hell with the Save Scumming

Fang Qi didn't know how he fell asleep either.

He only remembered sitting by that old Eight Immortals table, staring at the bowl of cold tea for a very, very long time.

Later, the fisherwoman came over to collect the bowl, chattering about things like "go to sleep early," "you still have to look for someone tomorrow," and "your health is important."

He heard her, yet it seemed like he didn't.

And then, he found himself lying on that rock-hard wooden bed.

The coarse cloth bedsheets smelled of soap and sunlight.

Completely different from the sweet strawberry scent on Liguang.

He closed his eyes.

Extreme exhaustion washed over him like a tide.

Finally, his consciousness was swallowed by the darkness.

And then—

"Master!"

A soft, sweet voice, carrying leaping joy.

Fang Qi looked up.

Before his eyes were sunlight, a sandy beach, and coconut trees.

And that silver-haired girl standing in the waves, waving at him.

She was wearing that beige swimsuit, her silver hair flying in the sea breeze!

Her amber left eye held joy, while in her crimson right eye...

A scarlet light flickered, just like a dancing flame!

"Master! Come quickly!"

She stood barefoot in the surf, reaching her hand out to him with an incredibly radiant smile.

"Liguang found you!"

Fang Qi stepped toward her; the beach was soft, and every step sank into the sand.

"I found Master!"

The silver-haired girl tilted her head, the corners of her lips still curving into that familiar, slightly exaggerated arc.

"Liguang looked for Master, looked for a very, very long time."

"Master... why didn't you come looking for Liguang?"

Fang Qi's footsteps halted.

He opened his mouth to say something, but found he couldn't speak.

"Master?"

Liguang tilted her head to look at him, her amber eyes filled with confusion.

"Why isn't Master coming over?"

"Liguang waited for Master for so long."

Her voice was still soft and sweet, but that scarlet right eye...

Suddenly went dark.

Like a lamp blown out by the wind.

Fang Qi's pupils shrank violently.

"Liguang?!"

He broke into a run toward her!

But the beach beneath his feet suddenly turned into a mire; every step felt like stepping on cotton, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't run fast!

"Liguang! Liguang!"

He desperately called her name.

But the silver-haired girl just stood there, watching him motionless.

The crimson pupil of her right eye... had gone completely dark.

Leaving only a pitch-black, empty hole.

And then—

In her left eye... the amber light also began to dim.

Finally...

It turned as black as the right eye.

Deep and empty.

"Master."

Her voice became very distant, as if drifting over from another world.

"Liguang's eyes are gone."

"Liguang... can't find Master anymore."

"Will Master... still want Liguang?"

Fang Qi struggled to rush toward her, screaming, "Of course I—!"

But in the split second his hand was about to touch her...

He snapped his eyes open!

Darkness.

Above his head... were still those old wooden beams.

A sliver of pale moonlight seeped through the cracks of the old window.

His chest heaved violently as he stared blankly at the beams.

Cold sweat soaked his back.

A dream.

It was... just a dream.

He... still hadn't rewound time.

So... Liguang was still waiting for him!

Fang Qi shakily raised his hand and pressed it against his chest.

Through his soaked clothes... that small clump of silver hair was still there.

Soft, slightly cool...

Resting quietly against his heart.

He clutched it tightly, and then... propped himself up on the bedboard and sat up.

His whole body ached.

Every muscle was screaming in protest!

His knees were burning especially badly!

He slipped his feet into the straw sandals and stood up.

His legs gave way for a moment; he steadied himself against the edge of the bed, then stepped outside.

It wasn't light out yet.

The courtyard was still pitch black. Only the muffled sound of waves crashing against the distant reefs could be heard, one after another.

Fang Qi pushed open the wooden door.

By the threshold, someone was crouching.

The old man crouched there with his back to the door, holding his dry tobacco pipe.

The moonlight shone on his hunched back, stretching his shadow out long.

Hearing the door open, the old man turned his head.

Those cloudy old eyes looked at Fang Qi for a few seconds before he slowly stood up.

"Awake?"

Fang Qi's voice was hoarse:

"Yeah."

The old man didn't ask anything else.

He pulled a cloth bundle from his chest and handed it over.

"Eat on the way."

Fang Qi took it and opened it for a look.

It was two pieces of dry rations, rock-hard and densely packed.

There was also a small canteen of water tied with a string, meant to be hung from the waist.

He looked up at the old man.

The old man had already tucked his pipe back into his waistband and turned to walk toward the courtyard gate.

"Let's go."

Fang Qi looked at that hunched figure.

He suddenly understood.

This taciturn old man... never intended to let him go alone today either.

He even... woke up earlier than him. He had been waiting here for a long time.

Since when had he been waiting?

Fang Qi didn't know.

He only saw... that the old man's clothes were still covered in dew, and his shoes were wet.

He took a deep breath:

"...Thank you."

The old man didn't look back, just waved his hand again.

Then he continued walking forward.

Fang Qi followed.

The two walked in silence.

The horizon slowly turned the color of a fish's belly, and a grayish light seeped in from over the sea.

The dirt path beneath their feet turned from sand to gravel, and from gravel to reef.

The old man walked in front. His pace wasn't fast, but steady.

Fang Qi followed behind, trudging unevenly.

He held the dry rations in his hand, broke off a small piece, stuffed it into his mouth, chewed it dryly, and swallowed it with cold water.

It had no taste.

It couldn't compare to the delicacies Liguang used to prepare for him.

But he had to eat.

If he didn't eat, he couldn't walk. If he didn't eat, he couldn't find her.

The sun slowly rose, casting golden sunlight over the sea. It sparkled beautifully.

But Fang Qi had no mood to admire it.

He just constantly watched his surroundings, hoping to find from this desolation...

That glimpse of a silver shadow.

"We're here."

The old man suddenly stopped.

Before them... was an unfamiliar coastline.

More desolate than the fishing village to the north, more remote than the wild beach to the south.

Reefs were piled up chaotically, and low bushes grew in some places.

The waves continuously crashed against the rocks. It was a bit noisy.

But...

There was no one.

And no fragments of a wooden raft.

"In the early years, there were a few villages in this place."

The old man spoke, his voice muffled.

"Later, they relocated, leaving only some empty houses."

He pointed into the distance.

Over there, the outlines of a few dilapidated houses could be vaguely seen.

"My daughter back then... was found right here on this beach."

Fang Qi wanted to say something, but didn't know what to say.

The old man had already stepped forward.

"Let's go look over there first."

Fang Qi followed silently.

They crossed a reef beach, stepped over a patch of rubble, and finally approached those few dilapidated empty houses.

The wooden doors were all askew, and the windows almost all had large gaping holes.

It was pitch black inside.

Fang Qi stood at the door and took a look inside.

Dust, worn-out furniture, and thick spider webs in the corners.

...There were no signs of anyone having lived there.

The old man split up with him to check the other wooden cabins.

He turned around and continued walking forward.

One room, two rooms, three rooms.

Fang Qi looked through them one by one.

Every time he peeked inside, he hoped to see a flash of silver before his eyes.

But... there was no one.

They were all empty.

...There was nothing at all!

The sun rose higher and higher, burning the back of his neck.

Fang Qi stood on a patch of reef, looking at the unfamiliar coast before him.

His legs... were losing sensation again.

But he didn't want to stop, nor could he.

Stopping...

Would mean he truly couldn't find her.

If he couldn't find her, he...

A thought suddenly popped up from the depths of his mind.

He could still...

Reload his save.

As long as he reloaded... he could see her again.

As long as he reloaded, the moment he opened his eyes...

All the pain, all the searching, all the despair—

Would vanish.

He would... return to that morning on the island.

Liguang would still be there.

She would be kneeling across the coffee table, holding that 52-degree tea, smiling meekly at him.

"Master, your tea."

Fang Qi suddenly froze.

He stood on the reef, the sea breeze howling past his ears.

Yeah.

Reload.

How simple.

How easy.

He wouldn't have to drag his heavy, exhausted, aching legs to keep searching.

He just had to endure a simple moment of pain...

...!

Slap!

He raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the face!

His cheek burned with pain!

...Good!

The pain kept him awake!

Fang Qi took a deep breath and ruthlessly shoved that damn thought...

Back into the deepest recesses of his mind!

Fang Qi, you fucking... can't be this useless and cowardly!

Countless memories flashed through his mind.

—"Liguang is a machine, eating grass is enough!"

—"We're going to elope to the end of the world, Master."

—"Master is much more useful and much more amazing than Liguang!"

—"Liguang likes the feeling of hiding under the leaves with Master! Just like... two little mice taking shelter from the rain!"

—"Liguang has to be in your dreams too."

He had sworn an oath!

He wanted to... preserve this memory for Liguang!

He wanted the future Liguang to be able to look back on this grand elopement with a smile!

He wanted to live happily together with the Liguang who remembered!

Reload?

What the hell was reloading?!

That was the most useless, cowardly form of escape!

Reloading was telling her—

Master lost you!

I... can't find you.

So... I gave up, I ran away!

I chose to return to the you who doesn't have these memories, to continue enjoying the care and favoritism of the you who forgot everything!

What kind of fucking trash was that!!

...And what about her?

That crazy girl who traded one of her eyes so he could escape?

That Liguang who only had a tiny bit of battery left, yet still shielded him from the rain?

...She was still waiting for him in some corner right now!

Maybe she was huddled in a crevice in the rocks, looking blankly around with her only remaining amber left eye.

Maybe she was trembling with fear, thinking her Master found her useless and threw her away!

Maybe she was thinking over and over again—

"Master... do you not want Liguang anymore?"

Fang Qi clenched his fists.

His nails dug into his palms, the pain piercing his heart.

He, Fang Qi, even if he had to turn this coast upside down, even if he walked until his legs broke, even if he had to crawl on his knees...!

He would find her!

He didn't want that cowardly ending!

What he wanted—

Was to find her, to hold her, and to tell her...

I'm here!

I searched for so long, and I finally found you!

Then he would watch her cry, watch her smile, watch that amber left eye curve into a crescent moon, and then she would throw herself into his arms and rub against him!

He wanted her to be able to smile and poke his chest when she recalled this experience in the future...

"Master was so clumsy that time, it took you so long to find Liguang!"

Then, she would continue to act tough...

"Liguang wasn't scared at all back then. Liguang always believed that Master would definitely find Liguang!"

So, he had to...

He absolutely had to find her!

He must!!

To hell with reloading!!!