Chapter 60: Strength Over Survival
Chen Wei’s eyes widened in disbelief as Liora urged him again. "Absorb it," she said, her voice calm yet firm.
For a moment, he thought he had misheard.
Absorbing the crystal? That was never even a possibility in his mind. Seeing it, touching it—just knowing that something this powerful existed was already overwhelming. But taking it for himself? That was unthinkable.
His hands trembled as he pushed the crystal back toward Liora, shaking his head. "No, I can’t. This isn’t mine. It belongs to you." His voice was resolute. "You should keep it for yourself. A crystal of this grade... it would be a waste on me."
He clenched his fists, frustration evident on his face. "What if it doesn’t work? What if I fail? A crystal like this could keep you from starving for an entire year, maybe even longer. I can’t take it, Liora."
Zhou Yinuo and Liang Zihan immediately nodded in agreement, their expressions mirroring his concern. "Chen Wei’s right," Zhou Yinuo said. "You should keep it. You never know when you’ll need it. This is way too valuable to be used on a gamble."
Liang Zihan crossed his arms. "Yeah, even if we find another crystal like this in the future, it won’t be anytime soon. You should use it for yourself, Liora."
Their words carried weight, but Liora only smiled, her foxy eyes filled with unwavering confidence. She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "You’re right," she said easily. "If I keep it, I won’t have to worry about food for a long time. But then what? What happens next year? The year after that?"
The trio stiffened, not expecting her response. Liora continued, her voice patient yet firm. "You’re all thinking about survival, about hoarding supplies so you can live longer."