Chapter 336: Chapter 321: The Thirty Years She Was Gone (3)

Gu Xi, however, looked at him and said, "Back then, when I agreed to live a quiet life with you in the mountains after everything was over, I was serious."

But Yun Ye had betrayed that sincerity.

The man across from her froze, as if he couldn’t believe what Gu Xi was saying.

After all, for all those years, Gu Xi had been so cold and distant toward him, which had led him to believe...

After a long moment, he looked at Gu Xi and spoke slowly. "Then what about now? Xiaoxi, what if I said..."

"There are no ’what ifs’." Gu Xi looked at him and slowly shook her head.

’She never doubted that Yun Ye did eventually come to like her. But his affection was tainted by too many other things. From the very beginning, his feelings for her were never pure.’

Yun Ye fell silent. He understood what she meant.

But... he couldn’t accept it.

"Yes, Xiaoxi, I admit it. When I first approached you, I did have ulterior motives." ’Attraction and a reverence for the strong are universal instincts, and he was no exception.’

’Gu Xi was the young female he had set his sights on from the very start. For him, the progression from curiosity to affection was only natural.’

’He never intended to truly hurt her. He just wanted to bear the Superpower Seed with her, to stand at the apex of the universe and conquer the stars and seas!’

’Was he wrong?’

’He wasn’t wrong.’

’The ones at fault were those damned people who kept trying to stop him and Gu Xi from being together.’

’And he wouldn’t spare a single one of them.’

The man looked at Gu Xi, his deep, melodious voice tinged with a hint of grievance. "But are your friends really such good people? Do you really think they haven’t used you or plotted against you?"

’If they hadn’t meddled from the very beginning, he would’ve gotten the Superpower Seed from Gu Xi long ago, and they... wouldn’t have ended up like this.’

Gu Xi watched him calmly, remaining silent.

The man looked at her and continued, "Take Li Ming, for example. He knew about the Superpower Seed long ago, but what did he do? He took it from you and never told you a thing. Xiaoxi, have you ever really thought about that?"

"What are you trying to say?" Gu Xi’s voice was even calmer now. "Li Ming must have had his reasons for doing what he did."

’She couldn’t deny that she, too, had once suspected her friends.’

’But what right did an outsider have to question the bond between them?’

The man across from her watched her with a heavy gaze, then let out a soft sigh. "Xiaoxi, you’re too kind. You always want to see the good in everything." ’But human nature is greedy, despicable, selfish, and ugly!’

"How do you know Li Ming didn’t take your Superpower Seed back then for his own selfish reasons?" he countered softly, his gentle voice laced with a persuasive, leading quality.

Gu Xi frowned slightly.

Just then, Li Ming’s voice suddenly echoed through the underground hall. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"I admit, when I first saved Gu Xi and took that little stone of hers, I did have selfish motives."

Gu Xi turned to look at Ye Junhan beside her.

Ye Junhan met her gaze, then activated his personal terminal. An enlarged light screen projected into the underground space, showing Li Ming’s clear image.

"Xiaoxi." On the screen, Li Ming looked at Gu Xi and smiled. He raised a hand slightly, then lowered it, resting it casually on the armrests of his wheelchair.

’Initially, when he’d taken the newborn Gu Xi with him, it had truly been just for the sake of survival.’

’But hearts aren’t made of stone.’

’Two children, relying on each other to survive in a world of chaos... It was something no one could understand unless they’d lived through it themselves.’

’And so, many years ago, Gu Xi had become the only family Li Ming had ever known—the little sister he would die to protect.’

’In the beginning, he didn’t even know what a Superpower Seed was. He only took the small stone from Gu Xi’s hand because he was terrified it would turn his little sister into a monster... a monster like the zombies outside.’

’Later, after he overheard some things from Mr. Fang and learned about the Superpower Seed, he was even more terrified of anyone finding out that Gu Xi possessed it.’

’He didn’t dare leave it with Gu Xi, either.’

’Because for them, as young as they were back then, that thing represented a fatal danger!’

’In a world of chaos, possessing a great treasure was no different from a child carrying gold in a crowded market. Even if Gu Xi’s innate superpower talent was exceptional, if anyone ever found out...’

’Li Ming refused to even think about the consequences. So he simply never told Gu Xi, and he secretly hid the little stone away.’

’He didn’t want Gu Xi to share his constant worry and fear.’

’There was no need for that.’

’Besides, throughout those years, people were always secretly probing Gu Xi for information about the Superpower Seed. But since she genuinely knew nothing, they could never get any answers, and they eventually had to give up.’

’As for himself... of course people had tried to probe him, too. But Li Ming had always been prepared, and he deftly misdirected them every time.’

In the dim underground space, the brother and sister looked at each other through the light screen.

Some things never needed to be said.