Abyss Solo

"The network environment I suffered from since childhood has been telling me how unfair this world is.

"The various competitions I've experienced since childhood remind me that countless interest groups are wedged between the individual and the collective.

"After arriving in the Milky Way, I also understand some principles: it's challenging to unify the thoughts of all individuals within a civilization, but as long as most people aspire towards light, this civilization can continue.

Levi laughed silently: "You certainly don't need me to guide anything anymore."

"Is there anything else you want to say?"

Yang Ming stretched out his left hand, slowly moving towards Levi's arm.

His movements were slow, giving Levi enough time to evade, and also time for reason, likely observing from the side, to intervene.

But all was quiet.

Quite a few students and faculty had already left the cafeteria after lunch, preparing for the afternoon's training.

Pitter.

A very slight sound, Yang Ming's palm pressed against Levi's arm.

Yang Ming felt as if the surrounding air was trapped in some kind of turmoil.

He didn't directly release that butterfly, but reason seemed already eager to act.

Yang Ming looked at the still calm Levi: "I'll give you the opportunity to say your last words."

"I have no last words."

Levi's hair began to slowly turn snow white and bountiful, his face reverted to an aged appearance, eyes deep and calm, just staring at the wall ahead.

"Yang Ming, do you think if we were in the same era, would we become each other's greatest rivals?"

"No," Yang Ming replied, "if I still had my current individual strength, I would ambush you, not giving you the chance to launch the battleship fleet."

"Ha, you... After I leave, how will this Empire end... It's, it's too old, it should die..."

Levi murmured:

"Please remember.

"The High-dimensional World is not a paradise; it's merely an abyss, an abyss where no light or end can be seen.

"The Faya Civilization is an extremely collectivist society; fundamentally they deny individual agency, which in the High-dimensional World is entirely opposed to our cognition, our thoughts... This is the irreconcilable conflict between us and the Faya Civilization.

"With conflict comes inevitable clashes, and when you complete your ascension, you will inevitably be guarded by the Faya people everywhere, shackled; what they value is your fighting spirit, because the Faya people's extreme collectivism lacks active, strong, freedom of will that can create infinite possibilities."

He looked at Yang Ming, whispered: "Have you ever considered me a friend? At some moment before."

"Yes."

Yang Ming laughed silently: "You tyrant, asking such a question."

"We are destined to be lonely, Yang Ming."

"Loneliness is the backdrop of the individual, Levi."

Levi slowly closed his eyes: "At least, I existed."

Yang Ming's palm suddenly pressed down.

Without any warning, and without saying a word.

Yang Ming moved his left hand away, a butterfly-like mark appeared on Levi's arm, resembling a bleeding mark, Levi groaned, the intense pain made him twist, veins bulging on his forehead.

Yang Ming stood up, frowned at Levi.

"Ah!"

Levi's right arm was rapidly rotting, tiny squares appeared at the wound.

The rot spread towards the shoulder.

Levi collapsed onto the ground, body twisted irregularly, his mouth uttered low roars, the nearby silhouettes stood up in shock, some looking here with panic.

Edwan Kabba rushed over with a bewildered face.

Yang Ming tightly furrowed his brows.

Do the Faya people deliberately want to torture him? Can't they just eliminate directly? Don't say the Faya people can't do it.

"Daru! What's going on with uncle!"

"Go offline first," Yang Ming said, frowning.

"Go, go offline?"

Yang Ming turned his head and glared at Edwan: "Don't think I still don't know who you are! Go offline! Uncle is Levi."

Edwan opened his mouth, again staring in shock at the rolling elderly man on the ground, his figure quickly dissipated.

The moment before he went offline, he heard Yang Ming's low mumbling.

"Getting bolder, not even calling the boss, always Daru Daru, besides little 26, who else can approach here everyday doing housework? Settle accounts after you go offline."

"Yang Ming!"

Levi's right arm's decay extended towards the shoulder, the arm resembling an eaten half paper tube.

"Don't believe Faya!

"Don't lose resonance!

"Don't... ah... ah! Save me, help me... just kill me outright! Ah!"

Yang Ming tightly clenched his fist, in the palm of his right hand, a blood-colored butterfly appeared again, he bowed his head, leaned forward, quickly reached for Levi's head.

Suddenly!

Buzz——

Yang Ming felt his actions quickly slowed down tens of times, the cafeteria in his sight turned grey, Levi's pained face seemed frozen.

A pale hand appeared in Yang Ming's field of view, pressing at normal speed on Yang Ming's chest.

Bang!

The scene in front of Yang Ming returned to normal flow, his body swiftly retreated, heavily hitting the wall.

Beside Levi, a girl in a black short skirt chopped off Levi's decayed arm with her palm, yet crystals still appeared at the wound, the decay began spreading again at the wound.

The girl's eyes were somewhat red-rimmed, but her movements extremely swift, wrapping Levi in a thin film, then horizontally cradled Levi.

Within the film, the flow of time drastically slowed to near solidity, the wound also almost froze.

"Reason!"

Yang Ming held his chest and climbed up, shouting at reason: