When I woke up again, it was already dawn.
It's just that the closed shutters blocked the light, making everything in the house look a little dark.
The flame in the fireplace burned quietly, crackling softly from time to time.
The flames danced, and the shadows they cast also drifted, dyeing the air with a faint smoky smell.
Gu Chi, who was lying on the sofa, opened his eyes and looked at the chandelier with obvious repair marks on the ceiling. A trace of awakening confusion appeared in his sleepy eyes. This confusion quickly disappeared. He seemed to have remembered something. Yes, he sat up suddenly and wanted to reach for the mobile phone on the coffee table to confirm the current time.
He didn't notice at all that there was someone lying on top of him.
The bellcat in his sleep looks well-behaved, his long eyelashes flutter gently with his breathing, his face is light red, and his unconsciously slightly opened lips have a faint glimmer of crystal on them. He looks like he is sleeping soundly.
Until Gu Chi stood up, she rolled off Gu Chi like a slipped quilt cover.
Boom.
"Ouch!"
Gu Chi: "..."
he did not do it on purpose.
"It hurts..." Lingmao held the sofa with one hand and rubbed his head with the other. He got up in a daze. Before he could figure out the situation, he heard a cold male voice: "Don't move!"
Lingmao was so frightened that he tensed up and lost his drowsiness. It took him two seconds to realize that the person speaking was Gu Chi.
This man was staring directly at her.
Lingmao's face was a little heated by this gaze. She didn't understand why Gu Chi suddenly looked at her with such serious eyes. It could easily cause misunderstanding... She hesitated and said: "What, what's wrong? My face Is there anything on it?”
Gu Chi: "Stand up."
Bellcat: "Oh."
The girl stood up obediently.
Gu Chi said again: "Take a turn."
What a strange request... Lingmao complained in his mind, but he still turned around obediently with a red face.
Gu Chi held his arms the whole time, like an experienced chaebol.
His eyes never left Bellcat, and after the girl completed a circle, he came to a conclusion.
"You have grown up." Gu Chi said.
"Eh...?" Lingmao obviously didn't expect that Gu Chi would say these four words after looking at her for a long time. Her cheeks instantly turned red and she wanted to call Gu Chi a stinker, but somehow Yes, but when the words came to his lips, it seemed as if someone had dropped them. Lingmao lowered his eyes and glanced at his chest, and smiled shyly: "Really, really?"
Gu Chi said expressionlessly: "I mean age."
Lingmao: "..."
The air was quiet for a second.
Lingmao's face became more and more rosy, but his expression became very calm.
"Really?" She pinched her toes tightly and said calmly, "I know you are talking about age."
Gu Chi: "Oh."
While the two were talking, Mustard Soup and River Bird also woke up one after another.
Their changes are more intuitive and obvious.
Lingmao has just grown taller, and has a little more femininity between her brows and eyes - just a little more, like she has changed from a college student who has not yet graduated to a white-collar worker who has just entered the workplace. There is something mature about her temperament, but not much. , generally speaking, it is still relatively young.
Judging from appearance alone, Bellcat is not very different from yesterday.
Mustard Soup and River Bird were different. One had gained weight and had a beer belly, while the other had grown a beard and had longer hair, looking like an older otaku who hadn't taken care of his personal appearance in several days.
These are changes that can be seen at a glance.
Wasabi Tang and Jiangdiao, who had not yet figured out the situation, saw each other's faces——
"What a fool!?"
"Are you Tang?"
"Are you a bird?"
"How did you become such a ghost?"
Lingmao also realized at this time that Gu Chi was not joking with her, she had really grown up.
But...she glanced at Gu Chi, why didn't he seem to have changed much?
Not even a single wrinkle could be found on that cold and handsome face, and no trace of time could be seen at all.
It took about three minutes for Jiangniao and Mustard Soup to finally recognize the fact that they were getting older.
"Fortunately, we are relatively young." Jiang Niao said in a thankful tone, "Let's just experience the feeling of being a mature man in advance. It's not a big problem."
Is it really not that big?
"No, the problem is big." Gu Chi threw the phone to Jiang Niao and motioned for the two of them to look at it themselves.
When he noticed the change in Lingmao just now, Gu Chi had a hunch that they might have slept for more than a year yesterday.
As it turns out, his feeling was right.
"November 15th, 5782..." Jiang Niao was confused, "So we slept for five whole years?"
"That's not the point." Gu Chi looked at the two of them and said, "Your hair, beard, his body shape, belly, including Lingmao's height, all prove one thing - our own state will also be affected by this time. Influence."
Yesterday, his attention was attracted by zombies, and since it was only a year, Gu Chi didn't notice any changes in everyone. Now five years have passed overnight, and the power of time has become real.
The first night is one year, the second night is five years, what about the third night?
ten years?
Or twenty years?
What will happen in a few more nights?
Jiang Niao was shocked when he reacted: "We won't die here forever, right?"
Gu Chi stated the facts: "If we can't find a way to stop the passage of time, we will, and we will definitely do it."
"So that's it." Mustard Soup fell to the ground and murmured: "I'm so stupid, really, I would believe that there is really no time limit for S-level dungeons..."
"Wait a minute, did we forget someone?" Lingmao suddenly said.
Hearing this, Jiang Niao's eyes gradually widened with a look of realization. He shook his finger and said, "Yes, yes, yes, Neil! Neil is an NPC, maybe he can help us."
"Where are the others?"
"have no idea……"
"Are you still sleeping?"
"Let's go upstairs and have a look."
They have passed five years, and Neil should have passed five years too. From yesterday's look, Neil looked a few years older than them. He should be in his prime at this time. Even if he can't help them solve the time problem, he is still a qualified fighter. , cannot be wasted.
Unfortunately, they couldn't find Neil.
Only a scrawled letter was found on Neil's bedroom desk.
————————————
Guys, I've got some bad news for you - we've run out of food.
It's all thanks to this damn weather, it froze all the food we worked so hard to grow into ice slag.
A few days ago, there were always some cute little guys coming to our door to feed us, but in the past few days, they have not appeared again, so I had to go find them myself.
Someone has to stand up, right?
Remember when we first met?
I said I would provide you with food, shelter, and keep you safe.
I have been doing this before and will do it in the future.
I know it's dangerous outside, but don't worry, your Neil is not a vegetarian either... Hey, I seem to know why my father chose to rush into the hospital in the first place.
People should not live just to live.
To be honest, I'm reluctant to part with you. I loved the time I spent living with you. Although it's disrespectful to say this to my father and my former friends, these five years were indeed the happiest time in my life.
How many five years can a person have in his life? Time always sneaks away while we sleep.
Fortunately for me, I was treated to a soup that was even better than the chefs at the fancy restaurants in town.
Your exploding gadgets are also an eye-opener for me.
I also saw the most accurate marksmanship in the world - yes, I admit it, you are more accurate than me!
And the only lovely lady among us, I have always suspected that your medical skills are some kind of magic. It can actually make wounds heal quickly. It is incredible...
I seem to be talking too much?
In short, thank you. If we had not met five years ago, I might not be able to survive now.
Okay, I'm going to continue to fulfill my promise. If everything goes well, I plan to go to the clock tower and have a look. Didn't you say you like that clock? I'll take it apart and give it to you, hahaha!
Just in case, and I mean just in case, if I don't come back, please don't feel sorry for me.
Death is not scary, what is scary is loneliness, and from the day I met you, I am no longer lonely.
Love you Neil, 11.09, 5782
————————————
After reading this letter, Mustard Soup was silent.
Neil had been gone for six days and the results were clear.
He knew it was a plot kill, but he still felt a little uncomfortable.
Gu Chi patted his shoulder gently to express comfort.
He had noticed early on that Mustard Soup was not sociable. Such people tend to have richer inner emotions and are more sensitive and fragile than others.
Mustard Soup may not have regarded Neil as simply an NPC from the beginning. It is normal for him to feel uncomfortable when Neil dies.
Gu Chi would not comment on whether it was good or bad. He could only say that he could understand the mood of mustard soup.
Jiang Niao was a little embarrassed. He purely regarded Neil as a tool, even now.
Could it be that his ability to empathize is too low?
He also read the letter carefully and didn't miss a word, but he really didn't feel anything special...
Lingmao looked at Gu Chi and said nothing.
She didn't know where Gu Chi stood.
In fact, Gu Chi doesn't take either side - in his opinion, this letter is not meant to make the players empathize at all. Otherwise, why not just inject the memories of the past five years into their minds?
Obviously this letter is a mission clue and has nothing to do with whether or not one should empathize.
Gu Chi had not forgotten the scene before falling asleep last night. He didn't need Neil to tell him that the time leap must be related to the bell tower. Neil specifically mentioned the bell tower at the end of the letter, which made Gu Chi believe that the content of the letter was not only Neil is saying goodbye to them, and it also contains a lot of key information like "The Clock Tower".
For example, "Damn damn weather" and "The cutie who comes to your doorstep".
Gu Chi glanced at the burning fireplace, walked to the window, and opened the blinds.
"Wow."
Suddenly, strong light rushed in, illuminating the entire living room instantly.
It also illuminates the bellcat's face.
The huge brightness contrast made Lingmao quickly reach out to block her eyes, but when she saw the outside scene clearly through her fingers, her squinted eyes widened again and her mouth opened slightly: "Oh my god..."
Jiangniao was also stunned.
Outside the window is a blanket of white snow.
The road was covered with thick snow, already covering the wheels. The trees and grass were covered with silver and lost their original color. Ice picks formed on the eaves, as if the whole city was frozen. Their doors and windows were closed. Burning wood, I didn't realize when the outside turned into a world of pure white ice and snow.
"So outrageous..."
"But it's also so beautiful."
Gu Chi caught a glimpse of light in Ling Mao's eyes, and helped her put out the light: "Want to play in the snow? If you're not afraid of being frozen into an ice sculpture, go ahead."
"Oh, it's also possible to be eaten by a monster that suddenly jumps out."
Gu Chi has not found the so-called cuties yet, but since Neil mentioned them in the letter, they must exist.
Lingmao: "..."
How does he know what he is thinking?
Can't you just think about it?
hateful!
Lingmao snorted at Gu Chi.
Gu Chi was too lazy to pay attention to her, looked at the mustard soup, and asked, "Have you sorted out your emotions?"
Mustard Soup: "Yeah."
Gu Chi: "Then work, we will depend on you for food in the future, and make something refreshing. We won't sleep tonight."
"Okay." Mustard Tang nodded and gave Gu Chi a grateful look.
This bell cat is a little confused.
You were in a bad mood and he asked you to work quickly. Not only were you not angry, but you were grateful to him?
Is there something wrong with you?
Obviously, Lingmao doesn't understand the logic.
Mustard Soup is sad about Neil's death. In the eyes of others, he is a typical person who is too involved in the drama, or pretentious. What he needs at this time is not comfort or space to be alone, but someone to tell him that he will not let this happen. Even if he is disliked, he will not be looked down upon because of it. He still has irreplaceable personal value.
This is called value affirmation in psychology.
One of the CPU tricks.
As for why you don’t sleep…
the reason is simple.
Both time leaps occurred after they fell asleep, and Neil mentioned the same sentence twice -
"Time always sneaks away while we sleep."
This is almost a clue thrown in the face, and it would be rude not to see it clearly.
Gu Chi looked at the white bell tower in the distance.
Time is related to the bell tower, so where will the prophet be?
…
At night.
There was heavy snow falling in the sky.
Everyone gathered around the fireplace to keep warm.
It didn't feel very cold during the day, but when the wind blew or snow fell at night, the chill rushed into the house.
Lingmao was wrapped in a big cotton-padded jacket, her little face was still red from the cold. She rubbed her hands vigorously and asked in a trembling voice: "Gu, Gu Yuan, is it really, really useful if we don't sleep?"
The hot breath that the girl breathed out as she spoke condensed into mist, floating in the air.
"You have to give it a try." Gu Chi said, "At least figure out how the clock tower hands turn after twelve o'clock."
River Bird and Mustard Soup remained silent, busy warming the fire.
Neil was right, the weather was really too cold.
If the snow keeps falling, they may not even be able to get out.
Lingmao didn't talk to Gu Chi anymore. She felt like she was losing a lot of heat every time she spoke.
Gu Chi was thinking about Sonnier's letter.
The air became silent for a short time, leaving only the sound of burning flames and the breathing of a few people.
Waiting quietly, time passed by minute by minute.
Until twelve o'clock, the bell rang on time.
"Dang!"
…
