CHAPTER 280: CHAPTER 280: THE TWO BIG LIARS

The face smeared with blood still appeared valiant; he looked as though he was in a deep slumber, his sleeping expression calm and serene. A breeze brushed by, causing his thick, fan-like eyelashes to tremble softly. It was as if he would open his eyes the next second, flash a smile at her, and say, "Shortie..."

"Shortie..."

"Shortie..."

Plop~

Plop~

Plop~

Tears from her eyes fell like pearls off a string, plop plop... uncontrollably dropping one by one... gently landing on the cold, pale face of senior Yang Bin. Ji You’s hand, clutching the towel, loosened, as she forcefully covered her eyes and the corners of her mouth:

"I’m sorry..."

"I’m sorry..."

"I’m sorry..."

"I’m sorry... I failed to control my emotions and disturbed your peaceful rest..."

"I’m sorry... Senior Yang Bin... sorry..."

Ji You, trembling, choked up with non-stop apologies, unnoticed by anyone around as suppressed cries filled the space...

second.

seconds.

seconds.

...

After a while, Ji You released her hands, wiped away the tears from her eyes and cheeks, took a deep breath, and reminded herself to stay in control of her emotions this time before gently approaching Senior Yang Bin.

She carefully positioned his dislocated, slightly bent arm, took a clean towel, and wiped his face diligently, cleaning off the tear drops that had fallen on his cheek... all cleaned away...

As she wiped, tears threatened to fall once again...

But—

This time, Ji You bit her lip firmly and held them back.

Looking at his tranquil, sleeping face, Ji You suddenly said softly, "Senior Yang Bin, I am Shortie, yes, the same one who’s only 1.65 meters tall, the shortest in the entire Space Station. Today, I’m here to help you groom... are you happy?"

"Look—"

"You promised to let me continue to challenge you, but you’ve broken your word, and I didn’t even hold it against you, making you look so handsome. I bet, with that face of yours, you could charm ten or eight brides! How could you not be happy?"

"Humph—"

"Senior Yang Bin..."

As she spoke, Ji You felt her tears starting to disobey again; she hurriedly turned her face away, fiercely wiped her eyes, and then turned back.

The stains had all been cleaned, and apart from being overly pale, there was no sign of anything amiss on Senior Yang Bin’s face...

Really, as if he were just asleep.

Ji You bit her lip, unable to help herself from bending down and leaning close to his ear, whispering gently, "Senior, go to sleep... Rest in peace... The stability and prosperity of the Alliance, I will safeguard."

As her words fell, Ji You no longer gazed at his face, decisively and swiftly placing him into the chamber for honored spirits.

Click—

The chamber door shut.

Ji You stepped forward, resuming her position.

One after another.

Ji You silently, calmly, and coolly attended to the warriors’ grooming. Some she had never met, others she had seen only once at a welcome meeting...

She thought she had been through enough to become detached, sufficiently composed... But when Ji You uncovered the last white cloth, her heart, armored in layers, throbbed violently.

It was Senior Lu Zhen.

Unlike Senior Yang Bin, half of Senior Lu Zhen’s face was gruesomely disfigured, but the other half remained distinct and elegant, his lips, his eyebrows, his eyes... as warm and peaceful as they had been just yesterday...

Ji You bit her lip so hard, fresh blood seeped out without her noticing.

In her ear, she seemed to faintly hear a gentle male voice: "Do you need my help? There, there~ Don’t cry..."

Ji You suddenly bowed her head, but - where was there any sound, huh?

Lu Zhen, the senior, still had his eyes closed, lips sealed...

Ji You clenched her teeth, tensed her face, and said, "Really, falling asleep and still teasing people, don’t think that when you told me to stand on your shoulders to catch senior Yang Bin’s attention you were seriously giving advice, I would believe your nonsense. You and senior Yang Bin, you’re both laughing at me for being short, huh! Humph... The difference is senior Yang Bin is obviously straightforward, while you are just roundabout and implicit!"

"You guys..."

"You guys... such deceivers!"

"Big deceivers!"

"You guys..."

"Come back to life!"

...

Speaking, speaking, Ji You suddenly closed her mouth; her hand was very gentle, very gentle, bit by bit, wiping the cheeks of senior Lu Zhen...

Drip~

Drip~

Drip~

These tears, they simply don’t listen to reason nor the heart.

They just keep falling...

After a while, Ji You stopped. Since getting up in the morning, not a drop of water consumed, she entered this place, and then... up to now, more than a dozen hours have passed, Lu Zhen, the senior, was her last task object...

Pushing senior Lu Zhen towards the rest capsule, the only sounds along the way were footsteps and choking sobs...

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

One step away from the cabin door, Ji You couldn’t help but stop, bow her head and take another look at the gentle face of the senior, whispering, "Senior Lu Zhen, sleep... The hazard of the Star Beast will be eradicated one day!"

"Definitely!"

...

The light of the artificial star faded gradually, signifying the space station’s sunset, marking the end of the day, with night soon to follow...

If only to make it through this dark night -

The old day, it should depart.

A new day, will definitely arrive.

The warriors in slumber, are no longer here, within this grand and solemn building, the hall is empty, when the students are suddenly forced to stop working, their faces all flash with a hint of bewilderment and helplessness...

The honored spirits, have been sent to rest...

What about themselves?

What are they going to do now?

Students looking at each other, all a bit slow to react, some even didn’t know where to put their hands and feet, always sitting quietly on the side, silent, like a transparent person, Mu Jianling suddenly said, "Everyone go back..."

The students opened their mouths: "Teacher..."

Mu Jianling, with a stern face, said softly, "Go back and wash up, I’ll have the AI deliver dinner to your dormitories. After eating, everyone gets a good night’s sleep."

Students, eyes wide, still looked confused and helpless...

Mu Jianling’s voice, very light, very light, was an unprecedented gentleness, she looked at the students, lips slightly curled up: "Be good... Listen to me, all of you were very excellent today, completely fulfilling the task. Now — I order all of you to immediately, right now, return to your dormitories to eat and sleep—"

The students replied in unison and orderly: "Yes."

Then, under Mu Jianling’s gentle, silent gaze,

The students turned as one.

And then—

One.

Two.

Three.

...

The students left in an orderly manner, swiftly but not chaotically, one by one, leaving this place.