Chapter 114: Completing the World (Sixteen)
"Why would you say that?" Lu Wuyi didn't refute, only pausing in his steps, smiling at Qi An as if doting on him.
"You asked me before if I felt any familiarity with this world. I actually didn't." Qi An's voice remained soft. "But ever since you asked that question, a doubt has been growing in my heart. So I've been thinking about this issue."
"The only reason you'd think I'd feel familiar is the things we've experienced together. And these are all related to the Quick-Travel Bureau." Qi An glanced at the people nearby, lowering his voice so they could only see him speaking but couldn't hear what he was saying. "We went to the same world once..."
"In that world, I played a princess disguised as a woman, and you played a brave warrior. This could be considered coincidence, so I was only slightly suspicious." Qi An stared directly into Lu Wuyi's eyes with his ink-colored gaze. "But I just thought of something. You're the only transmigrator among all of us who actively sought me out. I was the last to arrive in this world. By rights, only I would encounter other transmigrators by chance, and then they might learn my identity. You're the only one who came to find me first."
"Even though I wore a veil, was publicly known as a princess, and hadn't appeared in this world for several years. Yet you actively managed to find me."
Lu Wuyi didn't answer Qi An's question immediately. After gazing tenderly at Qi An for a moment, he finally nodded. "That's right. I was the one who set up this elimination game."
Lu Wuyi had actually admitted it directly. Qi An couldn't help but frown at the boy who was smiling so innocently.
"An'an, do you know what completion condition I set?" There was still doting tenderness mixed into Lu Wuyi's gentle voice, and his eyes when looking at Qi An were as gentle as water. "I want... you to be with me."
"An'an, if you're with me, all transmigrators can safely leave this world. But if you choose another way to leave the world..."
"Only one person can survive... Even if you kill me, only one of you and Zhang Zhaoqi can leave this world alive."
His gentle voice never changed in the slightest throughout. As Lu Wuyi said these words, the smile at the corner of his mouth grew even more radiant.
"The brave warrior is smiling so happily. He and the princess must be having such a wonderful conversation." Since they couldn't hear clearly, everyone else could only judge whether the two were having a pleasant chat based on their expressions.
"It must be an especially beautiful topic." The person beside him nodded affirmatively.
"An'an, facing this situation, what choice would you... make?" Looking at Qi An's slightly furrowed brow, Lu Wuyi's eyes dimmed quickly, but the words he spoke were still extremely gentle.
[Was it actually Lu Wuyi who opened the elimination game mode?] The system's voice became extremely disbelieving. [Now... what should we do?]
"Why did you set such a condition?" Qi An's voice cooled down a bit.
"Because I... like you." Lu Wuyi pronounced these words slowly, his voice actually quite pleasant—both gentle enough to soften hearts and carrying a certain noble quality. If anyone else were here, their cheeks would likely be uncontrollably flushed.
"What?" Qi An was momentarily stunned by the sincerity in his tone.
"Do you remember the world we experienced together?" Lu Wuyi smiled. "Back then, I didn't know you were a transmigrator. I viewed that world from a proud perspective. In that world, you were also a princess disguised as a man, and you also had a prince fiancé. But that prince fell in love with a commoner, so when he learned of your male identity, he exposed the matter, causing your reputation to plummet."
"But you still loved that person deeply."
As Lu Wuyi spoke these words, there was a hint of nostalgia in his expression.
"At that time, I thought you were foolish—loving someone so wildly, to the point where you'd nearly die for that person at the end. Your eyes were full of lovesickness, humility, and despair. I found it both ridiculous and somewhat touching."
"But... when I returned to the Quick-Travel Bureau, I saw your true self, saw you cold and expressionless. Realizing that everything in that world was all an act on your part—那一刻... I fell in love."
"We're actually quite alike." The handsome young man flashed another brilliant smile under everyone's gaze. "So I know you wouldn't fall for just anyone. I've been waiting all along... Waiting for you to get used to me, waiting for you to see me, until... you suddenly became a transmigrator, until I saw... Zhang Zhaoqi."
"An'an, you know what price must be paid to activate the elimination game mode."
"I've paid such a huge price, all for... you."
Just as everyone was closely watching Lu Wuyi and Qi An's conversation, everyone present heard their brave warrior's voice—though raised in volume, still gentle as always.
They saw the noble, princely warrior kneel on one knee before the girl before him, saying with a particularly sunny smile, "Princess Lu An, will you marry me?"
The promising young warrior was proposing to the beautiful princess. Nearly everyone forgot that this princess still had a fiancé, and waves of cheers rose up. Only a few people raised this question, but it was quickly suppressed. "Prince Tommy has disappeared. He might already be dead. Don't you want the brave warrior to be with the one he loves?"
"Be together!"
"Be together!"
"Be together!"
Looking at Lu Wuyi kneeling before him, Qi An's eyes dropped slightly. He didn't agree, nor did he refuse—he only gave an equivocal answer with an unreadable expression. "I need to think about it."
...
After a period of adjustment, the world gradually returned to peace and prosperity. The sky, which had been pitch black, had somehow brightened the day before, and a bright sun rose in the sky once again.
"Did you know? The brave warrior and Princess Lu An are having their engagement ceremony today?"
"Of course I know. Who in the entire continent doesn't know about this? The brave warrior's years of pursuit have finally won the beauty's heart." The speaker suddenly shook his head. "I wonder what this Princess Lu An actually looks like. The brave warrior must be deeply devoted to her."
"...Because she's worth it." The other speaker seemed to recall a certain scene, and his expression turned nostalgic. "I once had the honor of seeing Princess Lu An. She was truly... indescribably beautiful."
[An'an, are you really going to get engaged to Lu Wuyi?] Servants had delivered the engagement attire. After Qi An had her place the clothes on the bed, he stood by the window gazing at the scenery outside.
[This will lower his guard.] Qi An withdrew his gaze.
[What should we do today?] The system immediately understood its host's meaning.
[Right.]
Qi An walked to the bed where the clothes were placed and gently furrowed his brow. He had thought Zhang Zhaoqi's disappearance was related to Lu Wuyi, but strangely, he had found nothing about it over all these years.
Moreover, the sun had appeared for no reason.
The banquet proceeded as scheduled. Over these years of construction, the warrior had contributed greatly and gained much public support. Therefore, this engagement banquet attracted everyone's attention.
Just as everyone was waiting for the warrior and Princess Lu An to appear together, someone suddenly cried out in surprise, "Quick, look! Look at that person!"
"What's wrong?" The person standing beside him looked over curiously.
"That's... Prince Tommy!"