After the light faded, the three collapsed onto the moon's surface.
Ma Rao cradles Xing Yuanche, trembling all over. A deep wound gapes on his chest, spreading with purple light—the curse spell of Yi Sheng.
"Xing Yuanche! Xing Yuanche, wake up!" Mara's tears fell onto his face.
Xing Yuanche opened his eyes weakly, barely able to speak: "Ma Rao... did you... succeed?"
"It's done! You did it!" Ma Rao cried. "The Star Gate is closing!"
Xing Yuanche smiled. It was a faint smile, barely perceptible.
"That's good... I finally... didn't let you down..."
His hand slowly lowered.
"No—!" Ma Rao screamed in anguish.
Qian Lan and Xuan Lin rushed over, gazing at the pale face of Xing Yuan Che as their hearts sank to their feet.
They immediately returned to the lunar base and rushed Xing Yuanche into the medical bay. Doctors fought desperately to save him, but Yi Sheng's curse was too malevolent—it was slowly eroding his life force.
Ma Rao stayed by the bedside, holding his hand without letting go.
One day, two days, three days.
For three days and three nights, she didn't sleep or eat. She just held Xing Yuanche's hand and kept talking to him over and over.
"You told me you felt useless," she said, her voice raspy like sandpaper. "But do you know? In my eyes, you've never been useless. You were the first person who made me look up, the first to call me lightning."
You say the birthmark on my face is what makes me who I am. But do you know? In my eyes, you're the one who gave me the courage to be myself.
Xing Yuanche, please wake up.
Her tears fell onto his hand.
On the morning of the fourth day, Xing Yuanche's fingers twitched slightly.
Ma Rao froze.
She stared at the finger, frozen in fear that it might be a hallucination.
Then, she saw—his eyes slowly opened.
"You..." Xing Yuanche looked at her weakly, his voice barely a whisper. "Are you talking bad about me?"
Ma Rao paused for a second, then smiled. Tears streamed down her face, yet she was beaming with joy.
None. I was complimenting you.
Xing Yuanche also smiled: "Liar... I heard it..."
Ma Rao gripped his hand tightly, weeping uncontrollably.
On the other side of the lunar base, Qian Lan and Xuan Lin are tracking the source of that purple spell.
"It's Yi Sheng," Qian Lan said coldly. "She infiltrated the lunar base."
A flash of killing intent crossed Xuan Lin's eyes. "She must pay the price."
"No rush." Qian Lan pressed his hand. "Xing Yuanche is out of danger; our top priority now is to hold the Star Gate. Yi Sheng... we'll deal with them eventually."
Xuan Lin took a deep breath and nodded.
But in a corner unseen by them, Yi Entropy had quietly left the lunar base. Her stealth was masterful, yet she couldn't escape one person's gaze.
Mo Yuban stood in the shadows of the base, watching the purple figure vanish into the void. He didn't pursue; he just let out a quiet sigh.
"Obsession breeds demons," he murmured, raising his bamboo flute and playing a brief note.
The note transformed into an invisible ripple, chasing Yishan. It wasn't an attack—just a mark. Mo Yupan's signature tracking technique.
"Leave it for the children." He put away his flute and walked away.