Liu Buli had always been clear that he was never a timid or fearful person.
It was precisely because of this that when he determined he liked something, he would unhesitatingly find every way to grasp that liking; this was his usual way of doing things.
Perhaps it was because the threat of death felt too distant to him. The explanations Lu Wuming had given him earlier had not fully convinced him.
Because the world here felt so real, both for himself and for the people around him. They laughed and cried, living normal daily lives. He felt pain when he pinched himself, his heart pounded when he kissed, and he could even taste the deliciousness of food. Yet Lu Wuming told him it was all his illusion, and he simply couldn't bring himself to believe it.
But what if the world wasn't real? As long as they truly lived here and quietly passed a hundred years, wouldn't there be no difference between unreal and real?
Liu Buli was quite open-minded.
His only worry was Lu Wuming's subsequent response.
Watching the other man's actions cease, Liu Buli suddenly felt as if he had returned to the age of first love, experiencing his first, albeit late, confession.
His heart beat faster and faster, a frantic reminder of how nervous he was. Yet, even at the peak of his nervousness, Liu Buli's gaze remained fixed on Lu Wuming.
He didn't want to miss any of the other man's reactions.
They remained in silence for a moment, quietly existing together.
Then, Lu Wuming chuckled.
As if he had figured out something very important, his expression suddenly became very calm. Then, looking at Liu Buli's face, Lu Wuming chose his words carefully and said, "If that's how Master thinks, then of course I will stay here with you. However, the time I can stay with you won't be very long. According to Shen Muzhi, it should be at most a month."
A limited romance of only one month?
Liu Buli frowned slightly in dissatisfaction. "Why?"
"Because I told you from the beginning, this is not a real world," Lu Wuming said with a wry smile. "This is your consciousness world, and I am merely an intruder. If we cannot escape from here within a month, both of our spirits will collapse and perish here. That's what Shen Muzhi said, and his views on such matters have always been accurate. However, I don't really care. If I can die with Master, I would be quite content."
He truly adopted an indifferent attitude, which made Liu Buli momentarily unable to understand whether the death he spoke of would truly happen or was merely a cruel joke.
However, this doubt was dismissed by Liu Buli himself after a fleeting moment.
His big dog, though seemingly a bit clumsy and often out of sorts when thinking, never lied about matters of life and death.
Liu Buli could guarantee this.
Moreover, after a moment of silence, Lu Wuming continued to explain, "Of course, the situation I described is the best-case scenario. Before I came here, Shen Muzhi had already warned me. Because I am not a native of this world, the Heavenly Dao is worried I might take you back, so my spirit will be consumed more severely in this world. Although I really want to try my best, I can also feel my condition gradually worsening. In the worst-case scenario, I might not even be able to stay with you for a month."
Lu Wuming wasn't trying to employ any schemes or tricks this time; he was simply telling the truth.
Upon hearing his words, Liu Buli's expression clearly turned grim. He hadn't expected his long-pondered confession to lead to such a heavy topic.
After carefully examining Lu Wuming from head to toe and confirming that, at least outwardly, there were no signs of deterioration, Liu Buli breathed a slight sigh of relief. Then, he thought for a moment and said, "If that's the case, why don't you go back first? Perhaps when I've figured things out, I'll go back with you. Otherwise, if you stay here with me and I never figure things out..."
"Then we die together. It's no big deal."
Lu Wuming's reply was exceptionally straightforward.
Perhaps it was precisely this decisive attitude that left Liu Buli speechless. He stood there hesitating for a long time, and finally sighed. He wanted to say something to persuade the other man to save his own life.
However, as if sensing what he was thinking, Lu Wuming didn't give him a chance to speak and continued, "From the moment I entered this world, I have been bound to you. I can die before you, but I cannot actively leave this world on my own. If you are willing to take me with you, then I can leave with you. Besides that, I am also trapped here like you. The only difference is that you can leave on your own, while I can only rely on you."
Another heavy answer.
Yet, Liu Buli found that upon hearing it, he felt no displeasure or dissatisfaction.
He even felt a strange sense of inexplicability, as if this was the answer Lu Wuming was meant to give. After all, given that man's personality, entrusting his life into Liu Buli's hands wasn't strange at all.
His mood was indescribably complex, but when he looked into the man's eyes, all the complexity subsided into calm.
Liu Buli chuckled softly and said, "Alright, since you'll die if I don't go back with you, tell me, what do I need to do so that I can leave here with you?"
As he said this, Liu Buli was actually being a bit playful.
He expected the man to ask him to perform some kind of shamanic dance.
Or perhaps some strange ritualistic act wouldn't be out of the question.
But he never would have imagined that after hearing his question, the man would stare into his eyes for a while, then give an answer he absolutely did not anticipate: "As long as the you in this world dies, this nightmare will end, and we can go back."