Chapter 196: Section 196: You and I Are One


    The substitute struggled to break through the siege, climbed up the sand dune, and met up with everyone.


    The moment the substitute reached the top, an urge surged in Zi Di’s heart, wanting to throw herself into his arms.


    But in the next moment, members of the exploration team crowded around the young substitute, each one of them overflowing with excitement.


    “Sir!”


    “Lord Zhenjin!”


    Zi Di calmed down and was secretly shocked, “What’s happening to me?”


    ...


    Throughout her life, she had never had such a bold idea.


    The return of the substitute greatly boosted the morale of the exploration team, and the scorpion swarm that he deliberately led there was an even bigger surprise for everyone.


    With the chaos created by the scorpions, the substitute led everyone down the sand dune.


    Always charging at the forefront, the substitute bore the greatest pressure, as Zi Di, mixed among the team, looked at the substitute in the front, her mind involuntarily drawn to him.


    They had successfully broken out, but Bai Ya had fallen into a surrounding of lizards.


    The substitute was about to turn back to rescue him, but Cang Xu shouted, “Sir, leave him be. If we don’t move now, the lizards will close in again.”


    Zi Di felt the same way; she didn’t want the substitute to fall into danger again either.


    Yet, for some reason, Zi Di didn’t speak out to persuade him.


    Faced with a choice, the substitute decisively said, “I’ve said that I won’t abandon anyone. Bai Ya will be no exception!”


    Seeing the substitute bravely charging back, Zi Di felt very complex emotions.


    She was worried for the substitute but also felt joy.


    The substitute returned with Bai Ya, and it all seemed as romantic as a story.


    The substitute had said he wouldn’t give up on anyone.


    He had kept his promise.


    Nothing was more persuasive than actions.


    At that moment, Zi Di had a revelation, “He has indeed been modified by the War Merchant, and has become one of the Beastification People. But he is still a knight, a true knight!”


    After escaping from the lizards, the exploration team was soon chased by the scorpions.


    Each time, it was the substitute who stepped forward, battling the leaders of the scorpions, and holding the line.


    “Relying on his own Recovery Power, he can heal himself. But now, we can’t shake off the scorpions. Sir, you have to keep fighting with the leaders of the scorpions, constantly exhausting your energy and physical strength. Each battle tears at your wounds, with no rest, and no chance to recover.”


    Zi Di healed the substitute, feeling immense heartache.


    It was the substitute who was fighting with all his might, using his life to protect everyone, to protect her.


    Zi Di realized that she had become a burden to the substitute.


    With the substitute’s strength, he could have abandoned everyone and escaped alone.


    “This can’t go on, his physical condition is getting worse,” Zi Di increasingly felt desperate, unable to think of any way to change the situation.


    Watching the substitute confront the scorpion leaders over and over again, healing him each time, Zi Di could no longer treat the substitute as just a tool.


    Instead, she started feeling guilty.


    “He is a true knight. And I’ve been using him…”


    Zi Di told herself internally, “I shouldn’t deceive him. If I am to die, I will tell him the truth before I die!”


    Despite being the most burdened member of the team, the substitute continued to inspire others ceaselessly.


    “As long as we are alive, there is much hope.”


    “We must always maintain hope, not give up on ourselves, then we still have a chance and the possibility to survive until death truly arrives.”


    “Relying solely on external help and change is not the act of the brave. More reliable is our own will to save ourselves.”


    Zi Di quietly observed him, “He is the pillar of everyone, without him, the entire team would have surely collapsed by now. He is an excellent leader!”


    The group trekked through the scorching desert, enduring the scorpions and the harsh environment, with food and water becoming increasingly scarce.


    The situation became ever more difficult, and the injured Bai Ya passed out.


    On the brink of despair, everyone became restless and fearful, subconsciously turning their anger and panic into words, lashing out at Cang Xu.


    Cang Xu coldly pointed out that, at a critical moment, they could use the unconscious Bai Ya as food.


    Cang Xu’s words terrified Zi Di so much that she trembled slightly.


    What frightened her wasn’t that she agreed with Cang Xu’s words, but the realization that, at the very end, this was the only way to survive!


    “Am I supposed to eat… flesh?”


    “No, no!”


    “By doing so, how am I any different from a wild beast?”


    “But if we don’t eat, the chance of survival is even slimmer…”


    “Wait, if I unfortunately pass away, will my body be… by others…”


    Cang Xu’s words suddenly made Zi Di realize the terror of the future; at that moment, the girl shivered not from cold but from utter helplessness.


    She instinctively looked towards the substitute.


    The substitute frowned deeply, his expression stern, “Cang Xu, retract your words. Bai Ya is not food; he is our companion. I will never allow the tragedy of cannibalism among companions to happen.”


    For a moment, the brilliance and warmth of humanity enveloped Zi Di again.


    The girl suddenly became determined, and she vowed in her heart, “Even in death, I will not eat the flesh of a companion! Thank you, my Knight, for protecting me once again…”


    Persist, clench your teeth and persist.


    The group walked out of the desert and entered volcanic terrain.


    After the decisive battle with the scorpion swarm, only the substitute, Zi Di, Bai Ya, and Cang Xu were left, trapped in a cave.


    According to Zi Di’s tests, scorpion meat was not edible, and the four of them had only two bags of water left.


    “There’s no way, I can’t think of any solutions.” Zi Di broke down emotionally.


    The substitute comforted her, “Low-level magic can’t be used here, it’s been too hard on you all along.”


    “No, it is I who have dragged you down, Lord Zhenjin. If it weren’t for my suggestion, we wouldn’t have sneaked onto this ship. Nor would we have ended up on this island, encountering lizards and gun scorpions. You could have completely abandoned me and survived alone.”


    At this point, Zi Di suddenly realized something—


    Her chance of survival was very slim, but it was different for the substitute. He could escape alone; he had the strength to do it!


    So, she pleaded, “Sir, just go. Don’t worry about me anymore! You can leave this place.”


    Throughout their journey, the girl no longer regarded the substitute as a tool, no longer saw him as one of the Beastification People.


    She recognized him, assured that the young man before her was a true Knight!


    It was her mistake.


    She had deceived him!


    Though the War Merchant was the main villain, and she had been forced, it was a desperate attempt she made when pursued by the Blue Dog Fox Wolf that had led her to awaken the substitute.


    Of course, the girl wanted the substitute to get rid of the scorpions and take her away from this island.


    But reality isn’t a fairy tale.


    “I don’t want to drag you down anymore.”


    “Death is my inevitable fate, why should I drag you down with me?”


    “In all these events, you are the most innocent.”


    “I’m sorry, I lied to you!”


    The guilt in her heart made Zi Di open her mouth, feeling the urge to confess the whole truth.


    The substitute just smiled faintly, with a hint of indulgence, tucking a lock of hair that shaded her eyes behind her ear, “You are my fiancée, and I am your Knight. It is my duty to protect you. I will keep you safe, until the end of my life.”


    At that moment, Zi Di felt her heart melt.


    Zhenjin finally made up his mind, “I will leave at dawn. I will break out first and try to draw the gun scorpions’ attention; take that moment to escape from here, each heading in different directions.”


    The escape plan was rudimentary, the chances of survival extremely slim, but what else could be done?


    “At dawn, I will tell him the truth!”


    “This night, should perhaps be the last night of my life, let me enjoy this last beautiful moment.”


    The girl had a small selfish wish.


    Lying in the arms of the substitute, Zi Di fell peacefully asleep.


    In the dead of night, Zi Di was awakened by Cang Xu’s words. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She curled up in the substitute’s embrace, not opening her eyes at once but quietly listening.


    Cang Xu earnestly persuaded the substitute to eat a good meal to increase the probability of survival, asking him to fulfill his last wish.


    But the substitute steadfastly refused.


    Zi Di opened her eyes and promised Cang Xu, “If I get out, I will help you fulfill this last wish too.”


    Then, she took out several letters, “Actually, I think, Bai Ya has also left his last wish.”


    She hoped the substitute would eat, to strengthen his physical ability and increase the chance of survival. But such persuasion was incredibly hard for her to utter.


    She wanted the substitute to become a beast, to break through the baseline, to save himself. Yet she also hoped he would always maintain the spirit and character of a Knight, and not fall from grace.


    In the end, the substitute still shook his head, “I will not turn people into food!”


    His gaze shifted to Zi Di, tinged with a hint of apology.


    That look settled Zi Di’s mind in an instant, dispelling all hesitations.


    She shook her head and smiled, “Sir, we are one, whatever decision you make is also my decision.”