The seasons in reality and the game were completely different. In reality, Tang Xiao was already wearing a single-layer shirt, but the thin fabric couldn't withstand the cold wind here. The chill crept up his sleeves, making him shudder instinctively.
Was this the Third Eye's base?
Tang Xiao widened his eyes. If not for the faint sense of familiarity seeping through the mycelium, he would have thought he had randomly landed in some corner of the game world.
The Third Eye's base was originally futuristic and sleek, with a clean, geometric architectural style that reflected the scientists’ rigor and detachment. A small town had been built around the base, and while its scale had diminished significantly after that disaster, the area near the base had remained relatively lively.
But now, it was all gone—only layers of white, snow-like filaments covered the entire perimeter of the base.
And those things… were they mycelium?
Wasn't Jun Tesi’s mycelium red?
Tang Xiao's thoughts were in turmoil. He recalled the intelligence Li Xiaoyi had shared with him, gritted his teeth, and took a step toward the mycelium-covered base.
The biting wind howled against him, as if trying to stop him from advancing. Tang Xiao instinctively hugged his arms, rubbing his hands together for warmth. As he stepped into the white forest, everything around him suddenly became silent.
The mycelium muffled even the wind.
Silence. Deathly stillness.
Just as it had appeared from a distance, this place bore no signs of life. Now that he was inside, the eerie quiet was even more pronounced, as if this entire area was devoid of any living activity. The stark white filaments only reinforced a sense of lifelessness and decay.
A sense of unease crept into Tang Xiao's heart. He bit his lip and quickened his pace, passing through the Third Eye's base gate. He called out softly, “Jun Tesi? Are you here?”
His voice echoed through the vast emptiness of the base, making the desolation even more apparent. Tang Xiao had braced himself for Jun Tesi's immediate discovery upon entry, but even after venturing deep inside, he saw no sign of him.
Had Jun Tesi not noticed him? Or was he in such a terrible state that he couldn't?
Tang Xiao wasn't sure. But judging from the white mycelium around him, something drastic had happened to Jun Tesi. His fingers unconsciously brushed against the sealed vial in his pocket.
He wandered through the abandoned base, finding no one in sight. It wasn't until he reached the experimental area that his pupils suddenly constricted.
Humans…
Several unfamiliar humans were suspended from the ceiling by mycelium. Only their heads were visible, their faces twisted in extreme agony as if they had endured unspeakable suffering. Though still human in shape, their skin was stretched tightly over their bones, making them look like living skeletons—trapped, unable to live or die.
Tang Xiao's heart plummeted.
There was no need to ask who was responsible for this.
He instinctively took a step back, only to bump into something—hard, cold, and completely devoid of warmth. His hair stood on end. He had unknowingly stepped into a horror film scenario, walking straight into the final boss’s lair—only to be caught on the spot. He didn't dare move. Behind him, the figure lowered their head slightly. Long, silver-white hair cascaded over his shoulder, brushing against his skin as if searching for something. A faint ticklish sensation seeped into his bones. “Gun– Jun Tesi…?” Tang Xiao hesitated.
But the moment the name left his lips, it was as if he had triggered some kind of switch. A crushing force pinned him to the ground. Struggling to turn his head, Tang Xiao froze at the sight before him.
Pure white.
The first impression was stark pallor.
Jun Tesi’s skin had completely changed. It had once been a darker shade, contrasting with his silver-white hair, giving him the appearance of a nocturnal elf from an online game. But now, it was as if all color had drained from him, leaving only an eerie, ghastly white—blending seamlessly with the mycelium around them.
Not only that, but faint cracks marred his pale skin, resembling a shattered stone statue. Unlike before, when he had trouble maintaining a human form and occasionally revealed non-human traits, this was an entirely different kind of frailty and danger. His golden, inhuman eyes showed no trace of reason. His gaze, filled with raw hunger and desire, was frighteningly familiar. Tang Xiao knew that look well. It was the same expression 428 had when they first met—fixated entirely on prey, deliberating where to sink its teeth in.
Tang Xiao’s face visibly darkened. He had envisioned many scenarios for his reunion with Jun Tesi—whether he would be angry, vengeful, or completely indifferent—but he had never imagined he would find him in a state of complete mindless frenzy.
This meant the worst-case scenario had come true. Jun Tesi’s evolution had gone terribly wrong. And it was all his fault.
“Jun Tesi! Do you still recognize me? I—”
Before he could finish, Jun Tesi suddenly leaned down. The mycelium tugged at Tang Xiao’s collar, finally locating the scent that had been drawing him in.
It was a wound on his shoulder, not yet fully healed. The bandage had come loose during Tang Xiao’s struggle, causing the wound to crack open and seep a faint trace of blood.
Jun Tesi greedily licked away the crimson drops, slowly and meticulously cleaning the wound. The warm, damp sensation sent a shiver through Tang Xiao. He gritted his teeth, forcing out the words he hadn't finished earlier. “I am… Tang Xiao.”
“…Tang… Xiao?”
The name seemed to stir something in the monster looming over him. Jun Si lifted his head, his expression momentarily blank. “That's right. It's me.” Tang Xiao exhaled sharply in relief upon seeing Jun Tesi still respond to his name. But the next second, Jun Tesi lowered his head again.
Jun Tesi continued lapping at the wound. Once he had cleaned away all traces of blood, he moved to a new target—his tongue trailing slowly along the sweat-dampened skin of Tang Xiao's neck.
For a couple of seconds, Tang Xiao’s mind went blank. Then, based on everything he had seen at the school and the intelligence Li Xiaoyi had given him, he reached a chilling conclusion.
He suspected that Jun Tesi’s evolution had gone wrong, leading him into a berserk state where his instincts had completely overridden his reason. He was in urgent need of nourishment, and Tang Xiao had delivered himself right to his doorstep.
Yet, even in this state, Jun Tesi had not harmed him.
As if the rule to protect Tang Xiao had been etched into his very soul.
Tang Xiao’s eyes felt dry, unable to find words for a moment. He remained silent, letting Jun Tesi lick his wounds. Then, in a soft voice near his ear, he whispered, “Sorry, I’m late.”
The head buried against his neck paused slightly before slowly lifting. Those gold eyes, dominated by instinct, flickered with uncertainty—like reason was struggling to reclaim a place in them.
Seeing this sign of clarity, Tang Xiao immediately called out, “Jun Tesi! It’s me! I’m back! Are you okay?”
“I…” Jun Tesi propped himself up with one hand beside Tang Xiao’s head, putting some distance between them. His other hand covered his forehead, his expression twisting, perhaps in pain, but there was a faint trace of lucidity in his eyes.
“Tang Xiao?”
“It’s me,” Tang Xiao replied hoarsely. “What happened to you?”
“Are you surprised?” Jun Tesi curled his lips into a cold smile, his golden eyes locking onto Tang Xiao’s wavering gaze. “Isn’t this exactly what you wanted to see?”
“You wanted me to evolve, to fight the previous King of Mushroom, to best if we both ended up badly wounded. That way, humanity would be completely safe.”
“No! I never thought that!” Tang Xiao refuted fiercely. “I just wanted to save you! I wanted to end this war! I never imagined you’d end up like this!”
As he spoke, he suddenly froze. He saw Jun Tesi slowly curling his lips again, but there was no warmth in his eyes. “As expected… you were lying to me all along.”
“Eloping, dying together—”
“From the very start, you already foresaw the final outcome, didn’t you?”
Tang Xiao’s heart trembled uncontrollably as memories flooded back—memories of fleeing for their lives with Jun Tesi, of those fleeting moments together.
Jun Tesi, dancing with him before the campfire. Jun Tesi, in the villa, asking him to die together. And now, the berserk Jun Tesi before him—The same sorrow filled all their eyes.
So much time had passed, yet it felt as if he had suddenly traveled back to that moment of choice.
Back then, Jun Bus had been delighted when he agreed to die together, while Tang Xiao had mourned the inevitable end.
For whatever reason, he had chosen the worst, most absolute way to part.
As if he had wanted to sever all possibility between them completely.
“I was the only fool happy about your decision,” Jun Tesi murmured, his golden pupils reflecting Tang Xiao’s image, though the light in them had dimmed, dry and cracked like a barren riverbed. “Even now, you didn’t come back for me.”
Tang Xiao had come to him of his own accord. The plan had gone smoothly. Yet Jun Tesi felt no joy.
Because he knew exactly why Tang Xiao had come.
Because once again, he had become a threat to humanity.
That was fine. Jun Tesi told himself he no longer wished for Tang Xiao to choose him.
As long as he could keep Tang Xiao by his side, it was enough.
Tang Xiao: “No, I…”
Jun Tesi didn’t listen to his explanation—just like that day at the academy.
He no longer believed in Tang Xiao.
His dear Tang Xiao was simply too good a liar. Jun Tesi could no longer tell what was real and what was false. Even with Tang Xiao’s memories within him, he dared not revisit their time together when they had tried to elope.
Perhaps he feared discovering which of his suspicions was true.
Mycelium picked up a small vial from Tang Xiao’s pocket. Though tightly sealed, the mycelium still detected faint traces of toxins.
“This… was it prepared for me?” Jun Tesi stared at Tang Xiao’s face, a sorrowful smile stretching across his pale features. “Of course. After all, Tang Xiao understands my body better than anyone.”
["—If anyone in this world understands your body best, it's me."]
"If anyone in this world understands my body best, it's you."
Tang Xiao stared at Jun Tesi, momentarily losing the ability to react.
The mycelium placed the vial back into Tang Xiao’s hand. Jun Tesi knelt on either side of Tang Xiao’s legs, bent forward, and ran his hands slowly from his own neck downward, finally stopping at his chest. Then, after a brief hesitation, his fingers dug into his chest—And, under Tang Xiao’s shocked gaze, slowly pulled apart his own flesh.
There was no blood. Even his chest cavity was pure white. His empty torso contained no organs—only a single, blood-red, pulsating core bound by mycelial threads.
“As long as this thing dies, I will die.” Jun Tesi’s voice was calm. “Most of the time, I can no longer regain my rationality. Every time I lose control, the beasts, mushroom parasites, and other mycelial entities also go berserk, attacking or assimilating everything around them. "This world has already turned into a chaotic mess, unfit for human survival."
Tang Xiao’s fingers trembled. He lifted his head and looked at Jun Tesi in disbelief.
"That's right," Jun Tesi whispered. A strange satisfaction, almost like revenge, swelled in his chest as he told this lie. "Everyone is dead."
"When the two worlds merge, your world will become just like this one— A lifeless wasteland.”
“So, are you going to kill me?”
Using the threat of his rampage, he lured Tang Xiao into the trap.
Then, he orchestrated this situation—this all-too-familiar choice.
Jun Tesi had gained everything about Tang Xiao, understanding his nature even more deeply. He could use force to keep Tang Xiao by his side, but if he did, they would only clash until they were both covered in blood. The one he loved had a strong and fearless heart, someone who would yield to kindness but never to force. With his rare intelligence, he would always find a way to escape.
Unless… he gave up resisting out of guilt for killing him.
Jun Tesi knew that Tang Xiao didn’t have no feelings for him. And Tang Xiao was a person who valued emotions and loyalty deeply.
…And as long as he chose the other side, he would finally give up.
He would stop hoping for love.
This familiar two-option dilemma.
Kill Jun Tesi here and save his world, or abandon everything and follow Jun Tesi to their shared end.
Tang Xiao's eyelashes trembled.
No, there was never a choice in the first place.
Tang Xiao twisted open the poison bottle’s cap.
Jun Tesi was still smiling, but his heart turned completely cold.
Perhaps this wasn't so bad, he thought. If they fused together completely, then this was also a way to keep Tang Xiao by his side forever, wasn't it?
With such thoughts, Jun Tesi suddenly saw Tang Xiao twist his wrist and drink the poison himself.
Jun Tesi froze. His fingers, already transformed into mycelium, pried open Tang Xiao’s mouth, but it was too late. The poison had already flowed down his throat into his stomach.
“Cough… Cough… Who said the poison was meant for you?” Tang Xiao slapped Jun Tesi’s hand away. “This is a slow-acting poison that I personally formulated. If taken continuously over time, it will take at least six months for me to die.”
Back in school, Tang Xiao had been poisoned by a honey spider. Afterward, he discovered that when he died, he would return to a ‘safe point’ in time. As long as he had previously been poisoned by a lethal toxin or suffered a fatal injury, his death would trigger a reset to the moment before the poisoning or injury.
In other words, while Tang Xiao couldn't conveniently reload like in a game system, by poisoning himself, he could roughly control the timing of his resets.
“I didn’t come here to kill you.” Tang Xiao ignored Jun Tesi’s gaping chest, propped himself up, and cradled Jun Tesi’s face in his hands. “Yes, I came here for my world. But I also came for you.”
He was someone too greedy—he didn't want to give up on either option.
“I came here to find a way to cure you. Until I succeed, no matter how many times I reset, no matter how long it takes, I will never give up.”
In Tang Xiao’s eyes, a light ignited—a light that Jun Tesi was all too familiar with, the same light that once fascinated and thrilled him. A light that once shone for his research, unwavering against all odds. But now, that light reflected only Jun Tesi’s face.
“…Jun Tesi, you are the subject I wish to dedicate my life to studying.”
He didn't choose either option.
Breaking through to a third possibility—this was Tang Xiao's answer.
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