At this moment, Hu Tao and Chen Feng locked eyes in mid-air. Everything around them seemed to be continuously receding, until only their figures remained in this world.
The others were fine, as they more or less knew some of the inside story, but Lumine and Paimon, who had rushed over from Chenyu Vale, were completely bewildered.
Wait, wasn't Chen Feng trying to overthrow Liyue? How did it evolve into this situation?
Lumine turned back to look at Zhongli, only to find that he showed no sign of being severely injured at this moment. He was silently watching Hu Tao and Chen Feng, thinking about something unknown.
Zhongli felt Lumine's gaze, snapped back to his senses, and gave her a look. Lumine understood instantly.
Good lord, she exclaimed "good lord." Zhongli, you old actor, you're acting again!
No wonder she had felt a bit strange before. When did Zhongli become so weak? He was the most ancient and most powerful god, he was Rex Lapis!
It turned out he had returned to his old profession as an actor, and this time he was acting even more excessively. Lumine didn't even know what she had been fighting so hard for earlier.
On the other side, Hu Tao spoke up again.
"Chen Feng, your plan is nothing more than to cast yourself as the mastermind behind everything, only to die at my hands in the end. You want me to take ownership of the Death Note and save everyone else by my own hand."
"But Chen Feng, have you ever considered how I would feel?"
"I am telling you now, I don't need this! I absolutely do not need you to do this!"
Hu Tao shouted, her voice trembling with anger. Seeing her like this, Chen Feng couldn't help but shrink back a little, speaking up weakly.
"But... this is the only way I have left."
"Only by doing this can I fulfill the promise I made to you—to open branches of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor across the Seven Nations."
"Only this way can we minimize the prejudices other nations hold against the Parlor, allowing it to smoothly take root in other lands."
"It is just that I cannot walk the rest of this path with you, Director Hu Tao."
The entire group fell into a heavy silence upon hearing Chen Feng's words.
Hu Tao's body shuddered violently, and a faint shimmer of tears appeared in her eyes.
So, Chen Feng had always remembered the promise they had made together—to make the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor big and strong.
"Are you an idiot?! Why do you have to make such a cruel choice?! With your strength, can't you find another way?! Can't you rely on yourself?
"Don't you understand that when we made that promise, what mattered more to me was your company?!"
Chen Feng shook his head, his body seeming to grow even more ethereal.
"Director Hu, I have no other choice."
"According to No. 8's calculations, if a new variable is not introduced to this world, it will be doomed to destruction no matter how we struggle."
"This is the best way I could think of: using my abilities to bring all the most exceptional beings from the afterlife back to the world of the living. I believe that with everyone's efforts, the world will surely find a new turning point."
Hearing the name No. 8, Ningguang immediately recalled that terrifyingly powerful girl from the intelligence reports.
If she hadn't decided not to stand against the world, Fontaine and Sumeru would have likely been completely overthrown by her by now.
"But achieving this requires a heavy price. There is a delicate balance between the world of the living and the world of the dead. This balance must be maintained, or the result could be counterproductive."
"If that weren't the case, I could just sacrifice enough monsters, but that wouldn't work."
"Living humans are required. The more powerful the soul, the more living humans are needed as sacrifices to maintain the balance between the two worlds!"
"Originally, I planned to sacrifice all the most heinous criminals in this world. If that wasn't enough, I would continue by sacrificing those with lesser crimes. If it still wasn't enough, I would choose from those with physical disabilities or the elderly..."
"That's why I obtained these eyes and the Death Note in another world."
"But because of an accident, I became a Consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
At this moment, Hu Tao realized it wasn't an illusion. Under her gaze, Chen Feng's body had indeed become more ethereal and transparent than before. Realizing something, Hu Tao's heart tightened, and a deep sadness welled up in her eyes.
"It was you, Director Hu, who made me understand that the value of life cannot be simply measured."
"The moment I regained my memories, my heart was thrown into chaos."
"I knew that if I did such a thing, you, Director Hu, would never forgive me. During that time, I was very lost, not knowing where I should go."
"Coincidentally, everything Qi Shu did during that time aligned with my original plan. So I let him go, thinking that if he could take all this blame in my place, perhaps we could still continue our journey together."
"But I was wrong. Qi Shu doesn't just target the sinners; he mercilessly kills anyone who poses a threat to him. In the end, he even wrote your name in the Death Note. If I had arrived one step later back then, I would have made a mistake I would regret for the rest of my life."
At this point, Chen Feng paused, his tone gradually softening.
"At that moment, I woke up."
"If I kept hesitating, it would only bring greater harm to this world."
"Since we are parallel lines that were never meant to intersect, then now we should return to the paths we were meant to take."
"If I join in, the number of required sacrifices will be greatly reduced. Besides, Qi Shu has already prepared most of them for me. As for the people who die today, I can only pay for them with my own life."
After hearing Chen Feng's words, tears streamed uncontrollably from Hu Tao's eyes.
"Pay back? Chen Feng, do you think what you've done can be completely settled just by dying?!
"Why do you insist on saving this world?! Why can't you just be selfish for once?"
Hearing Hu Tao's repeated questions, Chen Feng remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking.
"Before, saving the world was just the mission I was born with and the reason for my existence in this world.
"But now, I want to save this world because you are in it."
As Chen Feng's words fell, a loud bang exploded in everyone's minds.
To be sure, Chen Feng had committed unforgivable crimes against the nation of Liyue, but there was one person he had never wronged: Hu Tao.
Furthermore, in his pursuit of a glimmer of hope to save the world, Chen Feng had even become a sacrifice himself. This made it impossible for many to truly hate him; they only felt regret and sorrow in their hearts.
At this moment, everyone turned their gaze to Hu Tao. They couldn't imagine how immense the shock she was feeling after learning the truth.
Hu Tao's figure trembled slightly. Such deeply affectionate words shook her heart.
"Chen Feng, can I understand these words as a response to my feelings for you?"
Hu Tao had been troubled that Chen Feng had never directly responded to her feelings before. But now, no words could be more affectionate and moving than this one.
However, when Hu Tao saw Chen Feng's increasingly transparent body, she felt a sudden sense of suffocation in her chest.
"Whether it's yes or no, what meaning does it even have?"
Hearing Hu Tao's words, Chen Feng sighed softly. At this moment, he no longer concealed his emotions, and the gaze he fixed on Hu Tao held a burning warmth.
"Forget me, Director Hu Tao. Just act as if I had never existed."
"How could I possibly do such a thing?!"
Hu Tao pulled Chen Feng tightly into her arms once again. She had never felt his body so light, as if a single gust of wind could blow him away.
Thinking of this, Hu Tao couldn't help but hug Chen Feng even tighter, as if afraid that if she let go, he would be swept away by the wind in the next instant.
"How could the traces of your existence be so easily erased?"
"Besides, is it just the world of the dead? I will find you. Don't think you can just hide there and leave everything behind without a trace!"
"Chen Feng, listen to this Director!"
"No matter how much time and energy it takes, this Director will definitely find you!"
"So if you don't want to see this Director spend the rest of her life searching for your traces, then wait for this Director in the most conspicuous place!"
The tears streaming from the corners of Hu Tao's eyes completely soaked Chen Feng's chest. Chen Feng hesitantly raised his hand, paused in mid-air, and finally began to gently wipe the tears from Hu Tao's cheek.
"Alright, I will wait for you, Director Hu Tao."
"Waiting for you to pull me from the darkness back into the light once more."
After saying these words, an astonishing light burst forth from Chen Feng's eyes.
"I will also seek a way to escape that place."
"The duties and mission I shouldered have completely ended today. From now on, I want to live for myself, for you!"
"From now on, there is no Number Nine in this world, only Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Consultant Chen Feng."
Seeing Chen Feng's body grow even more transparent, Hu Tao fought back the tears that threatened to overflow and forced a smile for him.
It had finally come to this. Hu Tao knew Chen Feng's sacrifice was a foregone conclusion. No matter what, he would not change his decision, and in the end, she chose to respect it.
In these final moments, Hu Tao wanted to appear strong in front of Chen Feng, so that he could completely let go of his worries. But no matter how she tried to feign it, she could not put on a perfect front.
Only Hu Tao herself knew how painful it was to choose to send the person she loved out of this world with a smile. In fact, if Chen Feng had nodded earlier and agreed to put the past aside and start over, Hu Tao would have been willing to play the fool for him, to let go of her own principles, and act as if nothing had ever happened.
Ultimately, Chen Feng did not make that choice. Perhaps right now, Chen Feng would only think that her words back then were all just playing along with his performance, but Hu Tao herself knew very well that those words were all from the bottom of her heart.
"Director Hu Tao, there is not much time left."
As he spoke these words, Chen Feng's body became even more transparent, and his existence was gradually being erased from this world.
"In this final moment, I will hand over the control of the Death Note to you."
"Besides that, I also have a gift I want to give you."
After speaking, Chen Feng placed his palm over Hu Tao's left eye and withdrew it after a moment.
At this time, Hu Tao's left eye was tinged with black, and in her perception, the world had completely changed. Wisps of black, mist-like substances appeared on many people at the scene. Some were denser, and some were sparser, while Chen Feng's left eye returned to its normal appearance.
"Director Hu Tao, the Eyes of Life and Death is the gift I want to give you. I believe you can use it better than I can."
"In the days ahead, this eye can take my place and continue to accompany you on your journey."
"As for the price... please, in the time to come, simply live each day without a worry in the world."
The moment Chen Feng finished speaking, Hu Tao felt the crushing weight on her heart lift. The sadness that had threatened to consume her faded.
At the same time, Chen Feng's figure dissolved completely into the air, his presence vanishing from her sight and senses.
"What a... scoundrel's power..."
Hu Tao's voice trembled. With Chen Feng gone, she let all her composure crumble, yet strangely, she felt no great sorrow.
"This is the second important person I've lost... can't this Director even have a good cry?"
Hu Tao shook her head in resignation.
"But if this is your blessing, then this Director will reluctantly accept it."
"We will definitely meet again soon, Chen Feng. When that time comes, this Director will never let you run away again! I will hear your answer from your own lips!"
Hu Tao knew why Chen Feng had always run away—because he knew he had no right to make any promises.
But Hu Tao truly did not care about these things. Even if it was only for a few short days, she wanted to leave behind precious memories with Chen Feng.
"Is he dead?"
By this time, Paimon had flown back to Lumine's side. Wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes, she asked Lumine.
Lumine didn't know how to begin. After hesitating for a long time, she could only let out a soft sigh.
He is probably dead.
Lumine had never imagined that there was such an unforgettable bond between Chen Feng and Hu Tao. Recalling her own several merciless attacks on Chen Feng earlier, she felt like slapping herself in the face twice.
If she hadn't struck him so heavily, perhaps Hu Tao and Chen Feng could have spoken a bit longer! Damn it!
"I think that with Chen Feng's soul strength, it's just a change of location for him, not really death."
At this moment, Ningguang stepped forward and voiced her own thoughts.
"Ningguang, did that Chen Feng cause the deaths of many people?"
Hearing Paimon's question, Ningguang nodded.
"Yes. Even considering this incident alone, no fewer than several thousand people should have died at Chen Feng's hands, including himself."
After speaking, Ningguang looked toward Hu Tao and sighed softly.
"I cannot judge Chen Feng's actions, but Director Hu Tao has simply suffered for it."
Just as Ningguang finished speaking, Lumine and Paimon couldn't help but look over at Hu Tao, only to be surprised to find that she didn't seem particularly sad at the moment.
This was truly incredible, after all, anyone could see before this that Hu Tao was merely feigning composure.
The reason this situation occurred might be related to Chen Feng's final words.
What a terrifying power. It's a good thing Chen Feng didn't go to a particularly extreme length. I wonder what kind of abilities the remaining Numbered Members possess.
Just as Lumine was pondering, a situation arose on the other side.
For some reason, the undead resurrected by Chen Feng still looked completely blank, as if they were still under his control...