DSAW Ch.373

Chapter 373 – Farewell to “Friends”

 

Li Rui understood Tu Ran’s implication. “So, is the cosmic fusion coming to an end?”

Tu Ran didn’t answer. “Everyone else has returned to their respective places. Pangpang will stay with you. Take good care of it.”

“I will,” Li Rui said, glancing at the plump chicken curled up in the corner of her room, sleeping. “So, when will you be back, Sister Tu Ran?”

“About half a month.” After leaving those final words, Tu Ran’s figure vanished into a blue door.

Next stop: Threshold.

Tu Ran looked up at the towering tree above her, its canopy so thick it seemed impenetrable. Her sudden appearance startled two Tianmas (Heavenly Horses), causing them to soar into the sky, escaping her line of sight.

Tu Ran slowly stretched her arms out, feeling the wind that darted between the dense trees.

Had she known that her next destination would be Threshold, she would have brought Pangpang with her.

While the human world was safe, and she had arranged for it to stay at Li Rui’s house, where food and drink were no problem, Pangpang preferred freedom.

Now that things had come to this, she could do nothing but accept it. Tu Ran raised her hand, preparing to open another door.

But she suddenly felt an energy fluctuation— a door, a naturally formed one.

With the thought of conserving her mental power, Tu Ran didn’t hesitate and stepped through.

Federation.

The scene opened with the familiar sight of rifles and cameras.

As soon as Tu Ran stepped forward, her body stiffened. It had been a long time since she’d faced such things, and having them suddenly fill her vision was both shocking and unsettling.

In reality, she only thought she wasn’t accustomed to it.

Her movements were far more practiced than someone unfamiliar with them.

She used [Teleportation] to dart forward and then switched to [Invisibility].

By the time anyone had reacted, Tu Ran had disappeared without a trace.

What remained were the confused guards and pioneers.

“What just passed by?”

“Did something pass by just now?”

“…”

Tang Ying had once mentioned to Tu Ran that she was very curious about the Federation.

According to several individuals who had been brought from the Federation to the Haenden Star System and subsequently imprisoned, the Federation was a world very similar to the Haenden Star System.

With her understanding of the Federation’s entire social system, Tang Ying was particularly interested in seeing this world.

Tu Ran generously fulfilled her request and called her out from the space.

“See, this is the Federation,” Tu Ran said, sitting on an abandoned machine at a street corner, her head lowered as she typed away on a communicator.

Tang Ying, standing on the metal-covered ground, pulled off her hood and looked up at the tightly clustered, towering buildings that reached into the clouds. Neon signs of all colors illuminated the night sky, while suspended electric rails intertwined above the city like snakes. The sound of trams whistling, hovering vehicles zooming by with a rush of air, and the constant beeping of traffic filled the air…

The world before her was what the Haenden Star System might have looked like had it not been invaded by alien beasts.

“This place is a bit similar to the world of the Rulers,” Tang Ying remarked.

Hearing this, Tu Ran shifted her gaze away from the communicator, lifting her eyes to look at the same view as Tang Ying.

It did have some resemblance. The contrast between the dark underground lairs and the towering skyscrapers was apparent. Though the surface was bustling, there was still an underlying coldness and indifference.

Tu Ran honestly had no emotional attachment to this world. She only glanced at it before lowering her head to continue typing.

Tang Ying turned her head to look at her. “Are you messaging your friends in this world?”

Tu Ran’s fingers paused for a moment as she looked at the name “Xie Xu” at the top of the message input page. She hesitated before answering, “Hmm… A partner, a more reliable collaborator.”

Tang Ying crossed her arms, standing still. “To be called reliable by you, they must be something special.”

Tu Ran raised an eyebrow but didn’t deny it.

Tu Ran was simply editing the beginning of her message, typing out the words “Reliable Collaborator”: at the top.

[Reliable Collaborator:

Long time no see.
I’m not particularly eager to see you either.
So let’s just talk through the communicator.
You must have already heard about my return.
The Federation’s defenses are still as pitiful as ever—couldn’t even spot my shadow. [Arrogant.jpg]
Ahem… I’ll get straight to the point.
I’ve found a way to end the cosmic disorder. Gather the eight fragments, feed them to the leader of one of the three major races of the Ruler’s world, then detonate his body. The cosmic fragments will merge within him, and the cosmic order will be restored.
I’ve already prepared most of the steps, but for reasons you don’t know, I won’t go into details.
I ended up here by accident.
I was aiming for the Haenden Star System, but the door opened to the Federation again. Since I’m here, I might as well say hello. After all, I wouldn’t have come this far without your help.
Hmm… Do you remember the wish you owe me?

You should, your mother was so smart, your memory surely isn’t bad.
Now is the time to fulfill your promise.
Don’t let any more Federation citizens enter Threshold.
Don’t let them continue killing the alien species for their inner cores.
I had prepared many reasons that would benefit you, planning to convince you, but they were all weak and unconvincing. You’d definitely see through them, so I’ll be honest. Not long ago, I was injured, and they saved my life.
I’m someone who repays kindness.
So, I hope you’re someone who keeps their word.

If all goes as expected, the cosmic fusion will be resolved within half a month. By then, the Threshold Gate will close, and those who’ve entered won’t come out again. If you don’t take action, those who have entered will remain in Threshold for the rest of their lives. Oh, no, they might only last a few months before starving to death.
So, this wish actually benefits you as well.
Alright.
Goodbye.]

She clicked send.

Tu Ran then opened the chat with Xi Chunzhi and typed a similar message, but this one was a farewell letter.

After today, whether they would meet again was uncertain.

Tu Ran felt a bit heavy-hearted as she finished typing, then clicked the send button. A new message notification from Xie Xu appeared at the top of the screen.

Tu Ran exited Xi Chunzhi’s chat and saw the red dot next to Xie Xu’s name. She tapped it.

There was only one word:

[Good.]

Tu Ran stared at it for a few seconds, then returned to Xi Chunzhi’s chat.

No new messages had come through. Xi Chunzhi was probably busy.

Turning off the communicator, she jumped down from the abandoned machine.

“We’re leaving.”

…

Next stop: an unfamiliar world.

Humans were riding fluffy pink beasts, racing down the streets. Some of the creatures carried more than one rider, sometimes seven or eight, and similar scenes could be seen in the sky.

Once Tu Ran determined it wasn’t the Haenden Star System, she waved her hand to open a water-wave portal and stepped through to leave.

Next stop.

Haenden Star System.

Tu Ran was quite surprised by how incredibly lucky she was.

The fifth world turned out to be the Haenden Star System.

It was much better than she had expected.

Before being caught by the security team, Tu Ran released Tang Ying from the space.

This was Tang Ying’s territory, so Tu Ran had to cling to Tang Ying’s support.

Sure enough, as soon as Tang Ying appeared, the situation changed completely. They were politely escorted into a police car, reported to Ye Hongci, and a helicopter was dispatched to pick them up. After transferring, they arrived at the Ninth Military District.

Ye Hongci personally greeted them.

Tu Ran was focused on her mental energy, so she declined a series of banquets and invitations. She grabbed the compacted mecha, which had shrunk into a ball, and under Ye Hongci’s special arrangement, she entered the teleportation device, arriving at a planet that had not yet cleared all the alien beasts.