After midnight

After daybreak, Su Ziling and his companions set out again. This was the twentieth day, which meant that in less than four days, Su Ziling would have to go back. Four days was a time that could be used to count down.

As time was drawing closer, the question of returning home became more and more urgent. Su Ziling didn't know how he got here, so he naturally didn't know how he was going to get back.

He looked at An Yan, who was walking steadily in front of him.

Four days, maybe it is too early to think about going home, but this is a matter of great concern to his safety, and it is the most important thing for him right now. He has been waiting for nearly twenty days, and now it is getting closer and closer. How can he act as if nothing has happened?

He was calm enough, but still full of anxiety. It wasn't that he was anxious about how to get home, but he knew that if he just asked this question out loud and took the initiative to ask An Yan, his anxiety would be relieved. However, he would rather be anxious and uneasy than say it out loud.

In this complex mood, another day passed. On the twenty-first day, Yin found him.

"You can go back the day after tomorrow. Are you happy?"

"I can't say I'm happy, but I'm quite nervous."

"Don't worry, you will come back safely." Yin patted his shoulder.

"Well, I just don't know what will happen when I go back. My parents must be worried crazy."

"Don't worry, as long as you go back, everything will be solved."

"That's true." Su Ziling smiled and accepted Yin's comfort. "I will remember you guys after I go back."

"it is good."

"Actually...you can ask me any questions you have about going back. You don't have to keep them to yourself."

Just hearing these words, Su Ziling relaxed. Someone noticed his uneasiness. Of course, he thought, this is also normal. Everyone will probably feel a little lost when leaving a place.

"Then how can I get back? Brother Yin, you know I came through the table of An Yan's house by accident."

"Yes, but it wasn't through the table. You saw a small black stone."

"Correct."

"It's that little black stone. It can open a passage between the two worlds. But I think you have to know one thing first, that is, people who are not from this world and do not have the ability of this world cannot cross over."

"Ah? Then why am I here? Lin Nuan also said that I am the first person to come from the New World."

"Unexpected." Yin raised an eyebrow. "I think Lin Nuan should have told you that you can only go back after 24 days."

"Yes, this is the rule, and there is a very specific time limit. That is, you can only go back at midnight every twenty-four days."

"Twelve o'clock at night?"

"Yes. As for the black pebbles, we call them spirit stones. They are the medium connecting the two worlds. Most of the spirit stone resources are controlled by the government. An Yan must have used official channels to travel back and forth, so it is impossible for you to go back the same way. But the government cannot control all the resources. There are policies from above and countermeasures from below, and we also have our own way."

"There are also some spirit stones floating around in the black market. Their existence is mainly for profit. So the owners cut up the power of the spirit stones and sell them. The spirit stones in the black market can only allow people to travel back and forth once. I think An Yan must have this. When the time comes, you can ask him to inject power into you, and you can go back safely holding the spirit stone in your hand."

"I understand. Thank you, Brother Yin."

Yin wanted to reach out and pat his hair, but he withdrew his hand halfway and walked away.

Su Ziling's face was heavy, and he did not feel at ease after knowing the details, because he remembered what Lin Nuan had told him before he fled.

They continued on their way, and time passed by little by little. However, when there was still a whole day before Su Ziling returned home, Su Ziling felt the most uneasy.

Anyan and Yin had never made it clear to him what their current situation was, but Su Ziling was not stupid.

An Yan escaped from prison, and his identity was a fugitive. In addition, An Yan's initial caution made everything self-evident. Someone was chasing them. But more than 20 days had passed, and there was no movement behind them. An Yan even boldly started a fire some time ago. Does this mean that An Yan has gotten rid of them?

It seems so. Because hasn't the journey been smooth and safe?

But because of this, Su Ziling felt that it was going too smoothly, so smoothly that it was unreal. Su Ziling didn't know how to describe this feeling, he couldn't explain it but he could feel it.

What are An Yan and Yin waiting for? Of course, Su Ziling is also waiting to go home tomorrow. But this is different. What are An Yan and Yin waiting for? Or, what are they waiting for?

They hadn't talked much in the past two days, and the atmosphere was a bit unusual. An Yan was fine, as he was more reserved and silent by nature. Compared with An Yan, Yin's silence seemed unusual.

But the strange behavior between them was just silence, without any other clues. It seemed that everything was fine, but why did I still feel uneasy?

At one o'clock in the afternoon of the twenty-fourth day, with still eleven hours before Su Ziling returned, his uneasiness was finally confirmed.

The first person to notice something was wrong was An Yan. After lunch, he suddenly put down everything he was packing, grabbed Su Ziling and turned to run. Yin reacted and immediately caught up with him.

Su Ziling was still confused, and he followed An Yan forward in a panic. He felt a familiar warmth in his palms, as An Yan was slowly injecting power into him.

Su Ziling suddenly panicked and stumbled as he ran forward following An Yan.

An Yan took him to a small hidden cave and asked him to squat down. There were several layers of weeds and tree trunks outside the cave, and it would be difficult for ordinary people to find it without careful searching. The cave was not big, just enough for the three of them to squeeze in.

"Listen to me. Take this, stay here and don't move. When the time is up, you can go home." An Yan took out a small stone with a strange shape from his pocket.

Su Ziling took it. This must be the magic stone that Yin mentioned. It turns out he has always carried it with him.

"Stay here and hide yourself. Don't move. I promise that you will be safe for the rest of the time and you will definitely return home."

This was the first time that An Yan, who was always indifferent, spoke to him in such an eager and affirmative tone. Such An Yan made Su Ziling believe him involuntarily.

"What about you?"

"Yin and I must leave here so that you will be safe."

"I mean, what about you and Brother Yin?" Su Ziling knew that they would leave, so this way he wouldn't be a burden.

An Yan fell silent, but Yin assured him, "Don't worry, Su Ziling, no one of us will be in trouble."

After Yin finished speaking, he and Anyan looked at each other, then stood up and left in tacit understanding. Su Ziling stayed where he was and watched them walk out and disappear.

After An Yan and the others left, the world became so quiet.

Su Ziling held the small stone tightly, his heart aching. In fact, he still had a lot of things to say, such as you should be careful, I believe you will be fine... or just promise An Yan that I will stay here well.

There were many things he didn't have time to say, not to mention, he had a more important question he hadn't asked yet, which was - will you come back?

Su Ziling felt very uneasy, not knowing whether they would come back. Although his inner intuition told him that they would not come back. Su Ziling thought he still had time to say goodbye properly, but goodbyes always come unexpectedly. He had not yet said thank you to An Yan properly.

An Yan, yes, in a hurry, he almost forgot what he promised Lin Nuan. Lin Nuan asked him to take An Yan with him when he went home, but what should he do now that An Yan was not with him?

He knew too little at the time and agreed too quickly, not understanding the significance and difficulty of Lin Nuan's request for him to bring An Yan back to the new world. Su Ziling frowned.

This matter is a bit tricky, because it is definitely unrealistic to tell An Yan directly. An Yan will definitely not agree and will definitely not leave.

Su Ziling knew Lin Nuan's thoughts without having to guess. Yin told him that when there was a war in this world, the government would take back the spirit stones, forcibly close the passage, and prohibit people with special abilities from traveling back and forth between the two worlds. So if he took An Yan back, he could prevent An Yan from participating in the war. When everything was over, An Yan would naturally be safe.

An Yan's current identity has lost the official channel, and he can only rely on this small stone in his hand. As long as he goes back and destroys it, An Yan can only wait until the civil strife is over before returning. But this is absolutely against An Yan's wishes.

When Su Ziling thought of this, he gathered the pebbles in his hand even tighter.

He figured it out. He was deceived by Lin Nuan. Lin Nuan... probably really liked An Yan. But since he had agreed, he would find a way to try hard.

But what method should be used? Surprise attack on An Yan at midnight and grab An Yan's hand? It seems that this is the only way. But the current situation is not good.

Wait, do I have to give up the easy way of staying here and just waiting for time to pass? But, I have to wait anyway, so there is no conflict, right?

In the midst of confusion, Su Ziling fell into a long wait.

An hour or two passed, and An Yan and Yin still hadn't returned.

The hour hand of the watch slowly climbed to five o'clock. Four hours had passed. Would An Yan and Yin come back? Would he continue to stay here? An Yan was such a bastard, Su Ziling cursed.

Every extra second was a torment. Su Ziling was inexplicably terrified. Could something have happened to An Yan and Yin? Why hadn't they come back yet? How could he just leave when they might be in danger? If he went back, what would happen next? How could he really feel at ease and forget everything?

Not letting him know anything and just letting him stay here would make him feel uneasy. Su Ziling felt like he didn't want to go back at all. He was simply isolated and abandoned.

An Yan, this bastard! Su Ziling had no expression on his face.

It was ten past five, and Su Ziling walked out, his steps firm and without further hesitation. He knew that he couldn't stand staying here any longer, he couldn't completely stay out of it, and waiting wouldn't bring An Yan back.

After walking out, Su Ziling's heart was pounding. He looked around cautiously, not sure where to go because he came in too hurriedly.

"You finally showed up." At this time, a voice suddenly sounded.

This person is neither Anyan nor Yin.