Kaize sat dejectedly outside the morgue. Liu Ly, Sanz, and Gu Jie stood nearby. Kaize lifted his head and looked at Sanz, who was staring blankly at the ceiling.
Kaize walked up to Sanz in a daze. Sanz looked at him in confusion. Suddenly, Kaize gathered his strength and threw a heavy punch at Sanz's face. Sanz was knocked to the ground, dizzy and disoriented. Kaize was about to continue, but Gu Jie rushed forward and stopped him.
Liu Ly helped the fallen Sanz up. Kaize struggled angrily, trying to break free from Gu Jie's grip, but Gu Jie held him tightly. Kaize shouted at Sanz with both anger and helplessness,
"This is all your fault! Everything happened because of you!"
Sanz lowered his head in shame. Kaize leaped up and kicked toward Sanz, but Gu Jie pulled him down to the ground. Gu Jie pinned Kaize beneath him as Kaize struggled and cried out,
"It's all your fault! Aaaah! It's all your fault!!!"
Tears streamed down Liu Ly's face. Sanz still kept his head lowered—he didn't cry, didn't resist, didn't do anything. Gu Jie looked at Kaize, feeling utterly helpless.
In the basement, Jianhuo stared at a photo of Kaize on the wall. He picked up a nail and hammered it straight into Kaize's head in the picture. He then grabbed an extractor from the table and slung an axe over his shoulder.
He spoke to the photo.
"My son died because of you… and because of you, he was revived."
In prison, Lijuan arrived at the visitation room and sat across from Lioli, separated by a pane of glass. When she saw him, she was about to cry, but Lioli stopped her.
"Now is not the time for tears. Your task right now is to stop the man in black."
Lijuan wiped away her tears and looked at him firmly.
"That man in black is actually… Jianhuo."
Lioli's pupils instantly widened.
"Jianhuo?"
Lijuan nodded. Lioli regained his composure and said seriously,
"You must stop him immediately. If he obtains the blood of sorrow, he will open that space."
Lijuan asked in confusion,
"What space?"
After a pause, Lioli said,
"The U-shaped Space."
CuRiOsItY 5: Final Chapter
Chapter Zero: The U-shaped Space
"What is the U-shaped Space?" Lijuan asked, puzzled.
Lioli said restlessly,
"The U-shaped Space is a place similar to both hell and heaven. It's said that only those who die in Korya can enter it. If Jianhuo opens it, all of Korya—no, the entire world—will be finished."
Goosebumps rose all over Lijuan's body.
June 14
After Yeey's funeral, Fumei drove Liu Ly, Lijuan, Kaize, and Gu Jie toward the prison where Lioli was held.
Fumei glanced at Liu Ly and asked,
"How is Sanz?"
Liu Ly stared out the window without answering. Seeing that she didn't want to respond, Fumei checked the rearview mirror, looked at Kaize, and said,
"Later, go talk to Grandpa Chun properly, okay?"
Kaize kept looking out the window and said nothing. Fumei lowered her head and continued driving.
Soon, they arrived at the prison. Kaize followed an officer into the visitation room and slowly sat down across from Lioli.
Lioli looked at him and asked,
"How have you been lately?"
Kaize's eyes reddened.
"If you had arrested me back then, none of this would've happened."
Lioli stared at him silently. After a few seconds, he spoke with a trembling voice,
"Kaize… you're not a bad person by nature. You just did something wrong at an age when you couldn't yet tell right from wrong."
Tears streamed down Kaize's face. Lioli continued,
"Don't let him shatter you so easily. Yeey's death was destined. Don't trap yourself in the past—this is exactly what Jianhuo wants. Don't let him succeed."
Lioli pressed his hand against the glass.
"Stop all of this. End what started because of you. Cleanse your sins. Don't let him destroy Korya."
Kaize placed his hand against the glass as well. Though their hands didn't touch, they could feel each other's warmth.
Kaize wiped away his tears.
"I need time."
Lioli smiled faintly.
"Lijuan… knows… everything."
June 16
After using the bathroom in the hotel, Kaize stepped out and asked Fumei,
"Where did everyone go?"
"They went out for some air," Fumei replied.
Kaize said nothing.
Elsewhere, Liu Ly, Lijuan, and Gu Jie arrived outside Lioli's shop. Gu Jie asked,
"Is it really okay to leave Kaize alone at the hotel?"
Lijuan replied while walking,
"Yeey's mother is there. He'll be fine."
Inside a car nearby, Jianhuo adjusted his seat and drove toward the hotel.
They entered the shop. As Lijuan was about to lead them into the secret room, she turned around and found Sanz lying on the floor asleep. She jumped in shock. Liu Ly hurried over and woke him.
Sanz rubbed his eyes.
"Why are you here?" Liu Ly asked.
"It's unsafe to sleep outside. The shop wasn't locked, so I came in. What's wrong?" Sanz said.
Lijuan ignored him and walked into the secret room. Liu Ly followed. Gu Jie stayed behind, staring at Sanz, who kept his head lowered.
Gu Jie forced a smile.
"Don't blame yourself. Kaize was just too heartbroken and angry."
Sanz turned away. Gu Jie stepped forward and patted his shoulder. Tears dripped down as Sanz whispered,
"Very few people… care about me like this."
Gu Jie smiled.
"Anyone who cares about you isn't human."
Sanz wiped his tears.
"What do you mean?"
Gu Jie shrugged.
"No idea."
Sanz hugged Gu Jie tightly. Gu Jie returned the hug. They seemed to be healing each other's wounds.
Liu Ly and Lijuan entered the armory. Liu Ly lifted the spiked wooden club again after a year.
"Starting to miss last year," Lijuan said.
"Yeah," Liu Ly smiled. "Back then, Oye would tell me jokes."
They exchanged relieved smiles.
Inside the hotel, Jianhuo took advantage of the inattentive front desk and slipped inside. He went up to the second floor and began sniffing the air, using his sharp sense of smell to track Kaize.
A woman walked toward him. Terrified, she looked at Jianhuo. Jianhuo raised his index finger to his lips, signaling her to stay quiet. She nodded frantically and hurried away.
Inside the hotel room, Kaize sat there absent-mindedly. Lioli's words echoed in his head:
"Stop all of this. Don't let him destroy Korya. Lijuan… knows… everything."
The image of Yeey lying in a pool of blood resurfaced in his mind. He didn't know what to do anymore.
Fumei came out of the bathroom.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Fumei stepped back warily. Kaize stood up and positioned himself in front of her.
Kaize walked forward and looked through the peephole.
Jianhuo stood outside, radiating murderous intent.
The moment Jianhuo sensed Kaize watching, he raised his axe and smashed through the peephole. Kaize was knocked backward.
Fumei rushed to help Kaize up. Jianhuo reached through the hole, unlocked the door, and walked inside.
Seeing him, Kaize charged forward and roared,
"Motherf***er!"
Jianhuo slammed the axe handle into Kaize's head. Kaize collapsed unconscious onto the floor.
Jianhuo glared at him furiously. Seeing Kaize fall, Fumei dropped to her knees and began kowtowing desperately.
"I beg you! Please don't kill him! I'm begging you!"
She cried and begged nonstop.
Jianhuo stared at her for a moment, then said,
"For the sake of you saving me before…"
He nodded.
Fumei gasped for air.
"Thank you… thank you."
Jianhuo took out the extractor, aimed it at Kaize's wrist, and stabbed it in. Fumei didn't dare resist. Kaize's blood slowly flowed into the extractor.
After it was finished, Jianhuo held up the extractor and looked at the blood inside.
"What seductive blood."
A sinister smile spread across his face.
Lijuan arrived outside the hotel with a backpack full of weapons, followed by Liu Ly, Gu Jie, and Sanz. To their shock, the area had already been sealed off by the police. The woman who had seen Jianhuo earlier was recounting everything to them.
Gu Jie scanned the area and spotted Kaize sitting at the back of an ambulance, with Fumei beside him.
Kaize's gaze slowly shifted to Lijuan. Their eyes met.
Ignoring Fumei's attempts to stop him and the pain in his head, Kaize walked straight toward Lijuan. Lijuan stood frozen. Seeing Kaize approach, Sanz instinctively stepped back.
Kaize stopped in front of Lijuan.
"Tell me."
"Tell you what?" Lijuan asked, confused.
"Tell me everything you know!" Kaize shouted.
Lijuan stared at him in shock and fear.
Jianhuo, carrying Kaize's blood in his pocket and an axe on his shoulder, arrived beneath the giant tree at the center of the cemetery.
He circled the tree and noticed two roots crossing each other. Raising his axe, he hacked relentlessly at the intersection until a hole appeared. After widening it, he crawled inside.
Standing up inside, Jianhuo froze.
A blue sphere hovered 25 meters beneath the tree, surrounded by rippling waves that surged like ocean tides against the shore.
Recovering himself, Jianhuo opened the extractor and dripped Kaize's blood into it, drop by drop.
The air went silent.
Suddenly, the blue sphere began to shrink rapidly.
Seeing this, Jianhuo immediately crawled out of the hole and fled.
The ripples vanished. A deafening sound beyond human hearing erupted—
BOOM!
Everyone on the streets turned toward the tree. Kaize climbed onto the roof of a car. Liu Ly, Lijuan, Fumei, Gu Jie, and Sanz stepped out and stared into the distance.
A sharp crack echoed.
The hundred-meter-tall tree sank into the ground. Flocks of crows flew overhead. The earth trembled violently.
A massive earthquake struck Korya.
Kaize fell from the car roof. Fumei helped him up as everyone crouched behind cover.
When the quake finally ended, Jianhuo stepped forward, trembling as he stared at the enormous crater.
"Is this hell… or the U-shaped Space?"
The blue sphere—the curse—hovered above the U-shaped Space.
Inside, magma churned violently. A massive hand covered in molten rock clawed its way out.
Jianhuo staggered backward.
When the figure fully emerged, it stood over two meters tall.
Jianhuo's eyes lit up with twisted joy.
"My son."
The towering Chen Kai looked at him. Jianhuo rushed forward and hugged him.
The instant he did, searing pain spread across Jianhuo's body.
Chen Kai pushed him slightly.
"Dad… I'm burning you."
Jianhuo tightened his embrace.
"It's okay. Dad doesn't care. As long as you're alive."
At that moment, a soul watched them quietly from afar.
At Yeey's grave, a hand slowly clawed its way out of the soil.
"Gu Jie! Gu Jie!" Sanz shouted.
The unconscious Gu Jie slowly opened his eyes. He looked around and realized he was inside a vehicle. Fumei was driving, while Liu Ly, Lijuan, and Kaize were discussing something nearby.
Sanz asked anxiously,
"Are you okay?"
Gu Jie shook his head and looked out the window. Military trucks and tanks were advancing toward the U-shaped Space.
Inside the U-shaped Space, a massive army of zombies controlled by Chen Kai crawled out.
Fumei kept driving.
Suddenly, Chen Kai and Jianhuo landed directly in front of their vehicle.
Fumei slammed on the brakes.
Kaize looked at Lijuan and Liu Ly. They both nodded.
Kaize spoke firmly,
"Get out of the car."
Chen Kai narrowed his eyes when he saw Kaize and whispered with a smile,
"Hello, Kaize."
Kaize glared at him angrily. Sanz and Gu Jie instinctively stepped back in fear.
Chen Kai looked at Kaize seriously.
"Do you still love me?"
Kaize hesitated, about to answer.
Chen Kai suddenly burst into manic laughter.
"You lied to me twice! Hahaha! Put nicely, I died for you twice… twice! Hahahaha! Kaize, I won't fall for your tricks again."
Kaize was stunned.
Chen Kai stepped forward.
Fumei moved in front of Kaize and glared at Chen Kai.
"Don't even think about touching my child!"
Chen Kai smiled.
"How interesting."
Sanz and Gu Jie hid behind the car.
Lijuan walked toward Jianhuo and grabbed his hand.
"What are you doing?" Jianhuo asked.
"I want to talk to you," Lijuan replied.
Jianhuo shook her off impatiently.
"Pick the right time."
Liu Ly watched them from the side.
Gunfire echoed in the distance—the military had already clashed with the zombie horde.
At that moment, a two-meter-tall Yeey suddenly leapt out and slammed Chen Kai to the ground. Chen Kai rolled several meters away.
Yeey stood up.
Everyone stared at him in shock.
Seizing the opportunity, Liu Ly grabbed a weapon from the car and threw it to Lijuan. Lijuan pulled a sword from her cane and stabbed it straight into Jianhuo's abdomen.
Jianhuo's eyes widened.
Liu Ly swung her spiked club and smashed Jianhuo in the face. He collapsed to the ground.
Yeey looked at Fumei and shouted,
"Get in the car! Oye will guide you!"
Sanz and Gu Jie stumbled into the car. Fumei jumped into the driver's seat and started the engine.
Kaize stared at Yeey and slowly walked toward him.
Yeey dropped to his knees and hugged Kaize tightly.
"You go first. I'll catch up soon."
Kaize nodded and got into the car.
Fumei looked around nervously—when suddenly, Oye's soul appeared in front of her. She flinched in shock.
"It's me," Oye waved. "Just follow me."
Oye floated forward. Fumei regained her composure and stepped on the gas.
Chen Kai and Jianhuo stood back up.
Chen Kai charged straight at Yeey.
Jianhuo turned toward Lijuan and Liu Ly—just as Zhuang Jianyi appeared in front of him in soul form, startling him badly.
Jianyi smiled.
"Hello, Principal Chen."
Jianhuo stared at him in disbelief.
Chen Kai rushed Yeey.
Yeey spun around, grabbed Chen Kai by the head, and slammed him into the ground. Chen Kai steadied himself and punched Yeey hard in the abdomen.
Yeey dropped to one knee in pain.
Chen Kai grabbed Yeey's hair. Yeey clutched Chen Kai's throat and threw him down.
Meanwhile, Jianhuo was still frozen, staring at Jianyi.
Suddenly, Liu Ly rushed out from the side and smashed Jianhuo's leg with her club. Jianhuo cried out and dropped to his knees.
Lijuan passed straight through Jianyi's soul and drove her sword into Jianhuo's heart.
Jianhuo looked calmly at Lijuan, slowly raised his hand, and gently touched her face.
Blood spilled from his mouth as he collapsed.
Lijuan gasped, frozen in shock.
Liu Ly rushed over and hugged her tightly.
Seeing Jianhuo fall, Yeey released Chen Kai and said coldly,
"You lost again."
Chen Kai sat up and looked at Jianhuo, whose body was slowly turning into soil. A single tear slid down Chen Kai's face.
Yeey walked toward Liu Ly and Lijuan.
"Are you two okay?"
Lijuan looked at Yeey, then at Jianyi.
"Jianyi… I miss you so much."
She began to cry.
Jianyi smiled gently.
"Too bad I can't hug you."
Suddenly, Kong Jukuo's (Mr. Kong) soul appeared behind Yeey.
"Yeey… look behind you."
Yeey turned.
Chen Kai was twisting his body unnaturally as he stood back up.
Yeey, Jukuo, Jianyi, Liu Ly, and Lijuan stared at him in terror.
Yeey picked up Liu Ly and Lijuan and ran.
Chen Kai watched them retreat, smiling quietly.
In his prison cell, Lioli lay on his bed, completely unaware of what was happening outside.
At that moment, Gu Qing's soul appeared in front of him.
Lioli jolted upright.
"Who are you?"
Gu Qing smiled.
"Don't you remember me? Before I died, you held me and said, 'Hold on, kid.' Remember?"
Lioli nodded slowly.
Gu Qing floated around him.
"You must be wondering why I'm here as a soul."
Lioli shook his head.
"I know exactly why. It's because of the U-shaped Space."
Gu Qing looked at him and nodded.
"Then what was written on the torn half of that paper?"
Lioli sat up straight.
"It said: once the U-shaped Space is opened, unless the curse itself is destroyed, killing the main target is meaningless."
Gu Qing frowned deeply.
The scene shifted to Oye's home. Fumei, Kaize, Sanz, and Gu Jie were sitting on the sofa. Gu Jie looked at Kaize and asked,
"What were all those things just now? Why did Yeey become like that?"
Kaize shook his head.
"I don't know either."
Oye, who had become a soul, spoke up,
"The reason Yeey turned into that is because when he was stabbed by Chen Kai, their blood mixed together and entered Yeey's body. The U-shaped Space is a place that only people who died in Korya can reach. Otherwise, I wouldn't have appeared in front of you as a soul."
Sanz asked,
"Who are you?"
Oye replied,
"My name is Pan Oye. You can call me Oye."
Kaize asked,
"When did you become so smart?"
Oye smiled.
"I've always been."
Gu Jie looked at Oye and asked,
"Then why can't you return to your body?"
At that moment, Lee Yan, who had also become a soul, floated out and said,
"Because our bodies are no longer usable. We can't move or do anything."
Fumei stood up and looked at him.
"Lee Yan…"
Lee Yan smiled.
"Fumei."
Oye then said to Gu Jie,
"I fell into the river and died. I bloated up pretty badly. Want to see?"
Gu Jie waved his hands quickly.
"No, no, forget it."
Fumei looked at Lee Yan, unable to say a word. Lee Yan looked at her and said,
"I really wish we weren't people from two different worlds."
Fumei smiled slightly.
"You're not a person. You're a soul now."
Lee Yan rolled his eyes.
"That actually makes sense."
Yeey opened the door while holding Liu Ly and Lijuan, then gently put them down. Kaize rushed toward Yeey, hugged him tightly, and cried,
"I was so scared I'd never see you again."
Yeey said nothing and hugged him back. Fumei also walked over and hugged Yeey.
Liu Ly looked at Oye and said,
"I'm sorry… I didn't manage to grab you back then."
After a brief pause, Oye said,
"Honestly, after dying, I feel like my life got better."
Then Oye and Liu Ly burst out laughing together.
At the doorway, Jukuo looked at everyone. Just as he turned to leave, Kaize stopped him.
"Mr. Kong, where are you going?" Kaize asked.
Jukuo turned around and said,
"I'm going to reunite with my family."
Liu Ly nodded at him as tears flowed down her face. Kaize and Yeey waved goodbye.
"Goodbye, Mr. Kong."
Jukuo smiled at them, then turned and floated away.
Around the U-shaped Space, the military was still fighting against the zombie horde. Suddenly, Chen Kai appeared and kicked over a military vehicle. The soldiers opened fire, but Chen Kai stood there without a single injury. He controlled the zombie horde, swallowing military vehicles and tanks one by one.
Back at Oye's house were Yeey, Kaize, Liu Ly, Lijuan, Fumei, Lee Yan, Sanz, Gu Jie, Jianyi, and Oye.
Yeey turned to everyone and said,
"Everyone, although Jianhuo, the key figure, is already dead, the U-shaped Space hasn't closed yet. As long as it remains open, souls will keep escaping, and the entire world will fall into chaos."
A voice came from the doorway.
"I've brought the answer!"
Everyone turned to look. It was Gu Qing.
When Gu Jie saw Gu Qing, he rushed over to hug him but passed straight through. Gu Qing smiled and said,
"Brother, calm down first."
Yeey asked,
"What answer?"
Gu Qing replied,
"I just went to the prison and found Grandpa Chun. He said the curse must be broken for the U-shaped Space to close."
With a loud crash, Chen Kai smashed through the door. Everyone stared in shock. Chen Kai didn't attack them—instead, he made an elegant inviting gesture. Suddenly, a massive wave of zombies rushed in.
Yeey shouted,
"Run out the back!"
Kaize glanced at Yeey, then led Fumei and the others toward the back door. Yeey dragged the sofa to block the zombies.
A zombie lunged at Gu Jie, knocking him down. They rolled several times before the zombie pinned him to the ground.
At that moment, Sanz grabbed a laptop from the table and smashed it into the zombie's head. The zombie collapsed. Sanz helped Gu Jie up and continued running. Gu Jie grabbed a set of car keys nearby.
A zombie leapt down from the roof toward Fumei. Kaize charged straight into it. The zombie's head slammed into the ground and exploded. Kaize stood up and kept running.
Liu Ly and Lijuan fought their way through the zombies as they moved. Fumei got into the car and started it. Liu Ly and Lijuan jumped in after her.
The zombie horde blocked Kaize, Sanz, and Gu Jie. Gu Jie tossed the car keys to Sanz.
"You drive!"
They ran toward another car. Fumei floored the accelerator and sped off.
Sanz scrambled into the driver's seat and started the car in panic.
"I know, I know!"
"Drive!" Kaize and Gu Jie shouted as zombies closed in.
The car shot forward.
Inside the house, the number of zombies dwindled. Chen Kai stared at Yeey silently. Seeing the military approaching in tanks behind Chen Kai, Yeey kicked him away and ran. A tank fired with a thunderous boom, filling the area with smoke.
Fumei drove away from Korya at full speed as zombies leapt down from surrounding buildings.
Sanz, barely knowing how to drive, managed to reach the watchtower—finally leaving Korya. Sanz, Kaize, and Gu Jie got out.
Oye said to Sanz,
"Your driving skills are worse than my learning ability."
Sanz ignored him and turned to Gu Jie, who hugged him.
"Thank you. You saved me."
Suddenly, Gu Jie grimaced in pain and pushed Sanz away. Kaize stepped forward.
"What's wrong?"
Gu Jie lifted his sleeve—he had been bitten by a zombie.
Sanz, Gu Qing, Kaize, and Oye stared in shock.
Fumei parked the car not far away and got out with Liu Ly and Lijuan. She looked at Kaize and asked,
"Are you guys okay?"
Tears streamed down Sanz's face. Gu Jie seemed to accept his fate and smiled faintly.
"I knew it… the ones who truly care about you aren't human."
Sanz shook his head desperately.
"No… don't say that."
Gu Jie looked at the sword in Lijuan's hand and said,
"Kill me. Consider it setting me free."
Lijuan tightened her grip on the sword and looked toward Liu Ly and Jianyi, who was floating in the air. Lee Yan floated over to Fumei and said softly,
"Turn around."
Gu Jie looked at Sanz.
"I thought friendship would last longer than love."
Sanz shook his head again. Gu Qing suddenly burst into tears.
"Brother… I don't want you to come looking for me."
Gu Jie smiled weakly. His pupils slowly turned blue, and his body began to convulse.
"Hurry… do it."
Tears fell one by one from Sanz's face onto Gu Jie's body. Lijuan raised her sword, about to strike—
—but Kaize rushed forward, grabbed the sword, and thrust it straight through Gu Jie's heart.
Kaize gasped heavily for air. Everyone stared at him in disbelief.
He said hoarsely,
"I can't let your hands… be stained with blood too."
Silence fell over everyone.
Fumei stepped forward and hugged Kaize. Lijuan crouched down and comforted Sanz. Liu Ly locked eyes with Oye, who was floating nearby.
Suddenly, Kaize seemed to remember something. He turned and walked into the elevator of the watchtower. Fumei and Liu Ly followed him. Lijuan helped Sanz up, and they went in as well.
From afar, Yeey watched them enter the elevator and muttered,
"A bunch of idiots."
Soon, the elevator reached the top of the watchtower. Kaize stepped out, searching for Yeey.
Suddenly, Yeey climbed up from outside and smashed through the window, startling everyone.
He glanced around and asked,
"Where's Gu Jie?"
No one answered.
Looking at Sanz, who had just wiped away his tears, Yeey understood everything.
At that moment, the watchtower broadcast came on:
"Just now, the meteor that was supposed to collide with the Moon narrowly missed it. It is now heading toward Korya at a speed of twenty kilometers per second."
Yeey looked seriously at the five of them.
"You need to leave immediately. Get as far away from here as possible. Do you understand?"
Kaize cried,
"No. I don't want to leave you again. I don't want you to die. I want to stay with you forever."
Yeey stepped forward and pressed his forehead against Kaize's.
"Do you remember that show we watched together? It said, 'Death is not the end—forgetting is.' As long as you remember me, even if I die, I'll live in your heart. We'll always be together."
Tears streamed down Kaize's face. Then he smiled in relief.
Yeey leaned in and kissed him. Kaize kissed him back.
They stood side by side.
Yeey looked at Fumei and asked,
"As my mom, is there anything you want to say to me?"
Fumei smiled through her tears.
"You've always been my pride."
Yeey smiled, tears falling from his eyes. He waved at them.
"Goodbye, everyone."
Kaize said,
"Happy birthday, Yeey."
Everyone followed,
"Happy birthday!"
Yeey jumped from the watchtower.
As Kaize watched him disappear, he turned back to press the elevator button—
—and a helicopter suddenly hovered in front of them.
Inside were soldiers pointing guns at them. After realizing they were human, they gestured for them to board.
Fumei got on first, followed by Lijuan, Sanz, Liu Ly, and Kaize.
Lee Yan, Jianyi, Oye, and Gu Qing floated above the watchtower, waving goodbye. Fumei kept her eyes on Lee Yan until the helicopter flew away.
Yeey found Chen Kai and shouted,
"You heartless bastard—no love, no friendship, not even family! Come on, kill me!"
Enraged, Chen Kai charged at him.
He threw a punch. Yeey blocked with his left arm and countered with a right uppercut. Chen Kai staggered back several steps.
As Yeey advanced, Chen Kai grabbed him by the waist, lifted him up, and slammed him hard onto the ground.
Yeey was in too much pain to get up. Chen Kai picked up a steel rod from the ground, aimed it at Yeey's heart—
—but Chen Kai's mother appeared before him as a soul.
His furious eyes softened.
"Mom…"
She smiled and gently shook her head.
The sky roared. The meteor was entering the atmosphere.
Chen Kai looked up, then sat down.
The meteor split into countless fragments, raining straight down toward Korya.
Chen Kai dropped the steel rod. Yeey sat beside him and said,
"So you do have a kind side."
They sat quietly together, watching the meteor fragments fall.
In the prison, Lioli was still lying on his bed, bored as ever. He seemed to sense something and smiled faintly—
—when a meteor fragment destroyed the entire prison.
From the helicopter, Kaize watched the countless falling fragments, like a meteor shower.
He began to sing softly:
"我愿变成童话里 你爱的那个天使～张开双手 变成翅膀守护你～你要相信 相信我们会像童话故事里～幸福和快乐是结局～一起写我们的结局～" (I wish I could become the angel you love in fairy tales…
Spread my wings and protect you…
Believe, believe that we'll be like in fairy tales…
Happiness and joy will be the ending…
Let's write our ending together…)
The meteor fragments struck all at once.
Yeey and Chen Kai closed their eyes.
The meteor pierced through the blue floating sphere.
Crack.
June 16, 2022
Fumei, Kaize, Liu Ly, Lijuan, and Sanz stood by Korya Lake.
"So-called Korya Lake was once Korya Town. After the meteor impact created massive craters, rainwater filled them, forming the lake."
Sanz looked at Liu Ly and asked,
"So… friendship really does last longer than love, right?"
Liu Ly nodded, then smiled at him.
"Did Oye say something to you back then, and that's why you decided to be friends with me?"
Sanz shook his head quickly.
"No way. Of course not."
Lijuan stared at the lake in silence for a long time. Fumei rested a hand on her shoulder.
"I think Grandpa Chun and Jianyi are doing well over there."
Lijuan smiled.
Standing on a chair, Kaize shouted toward the lake,
"Yeey! Happy birthday!"
"And just like that, their story came to an end. But this time, the ending didn't seem to be written in tears," Yeey narrated.
He closed the notebook and looked at everyone.
"So? What do you think?"
Gong Fanling asked,
"This is the novel you've been writing from age fifteen to seventeen?"
Yeey nodded.
"Yeah. Why?"
Zhao Haoyi complained,
"Why did I die so early?"
Shen Yanping said speechlessly,
"I was the first to die. Doesn't anyone care?"
Mei Lijuan hugged Zhuang Jianyi.
"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have known how well Jianyi and I match."
Jianyi smiled helplessly.
Chen Kai gave a thumbs-up.
"I'll be honest—you wrote me way too charming."
Yeey scratched his head shyly.
"No, no, not at all."
Pan Oye reminisced,
"My death in there felt incredibly real."
Gu Qing said,
"You wrote Teacher Xu as a heroic sacrifice. If he reads it, he'll definitely praise you."
Nearby, Sanz and Gu Jie wiped their tears. Sanz hugged Gu Jie.
"Gu Jie… don't die."
Gu Jie smiled.
"You're way too immersed."
Liu Ly stood up and looked at Yeey.
"Is the relationship between you and Kaize in the story… the relationship you want with him in real life?"
Silence filled the room.
Yeey scratched his head awkwardly.
Fanling suddenly asked,
"By the way, Kaize still hasn't arrived yet, right?"
Just then, Liu Kaize pushed the door open.
"I'm here. Sorry, everyone. There was a small car accident on the way."
Yeey rushed over.
"Are you okay?"
Kaize shook his head.
"I'm fine."
Yeey smiled.
"That's good."
Everyone stared at them.
Kaize asked, confused,
"Did I miss something?"
No one answered.
Downstairs, Zeng Fumei shouted,
"Zhang Yeey, it's time to go!"
Yeey looked at everyone.
"It's time. Goodbye, everyone."
Everyone said their goodbyes together.
Yeey looked at Kaize.
"Until we meet again."
Kaize smiled.
"Until we meet again."
Oye gestured for Kaize to come closer.
"Want me to tell you what just happened?"
Kaize walked over.
Downstairs, Yeey saw Lee Yan and Chen Jianhuo saying their final goodbyes.
Yeey placed the notebook into his backpack and walked out the door. Outside, he saw Chun Lioli lying on a recliner by the entrance, fast asleep. Yeey smiled softly and slowly walked toward the car.
Just then, Kaize ran downstairs and shouted,
"Yeey! Wait—Yeey!"
Yeey turned around.
Kaize stopped in front of him and said,
"I like you too."
Yeey stared at him in shock. After a moment, he said,
"But… we're both guys."
Kaize gently held Yeey's head and said,
"I don't care whether you're a guy or a girl. I like you."
Then the two of them kissed.
Cheers erupted from the crowd at the doorway.
Fumei leaned against Lee Yan's chest, watching everything unfold. The noise woke Lioli, and Jianhuo was also drawn outside.
After the kiss, Kaize and Yeey looked at each other.
Kaize said softly,
"One day, tell me your story again—the one you wrote."
Eyes closed, Yeey rested his forehead against Kaize's and replied,
"There will definitely be a chance."
Fumei called out loudly,
"Alright, time to go—stop flirting!"
Yeey waved goodbye to everyone and got into the car.
Lee Yan sat in the driver's seat. Fumei sat in the passenger seat.
Lee Yan looked at Fumei and asked,
"When do you think Yeey will accept me as his dad?"
From the back seat, Yeey replied,
"Now."
The three of them smiled.
As the car slowly drove away, Yeey looked out at Korya Town.
Two Years Later
Yeey and Kaize stood fully equipped, gazing up at the Himalayas.
Kaize leaned in and kissed Yeey, smiling.
"Better kiss now—once we're up there, we won't be able to."
Yeey laughed, then looked toward the towering mountains.
"Let's go."
—The End—