Trembling At A High Altitude

Li Teng turned on his phone's flashlight to illuminate the stone house.

Then he found some matches and relit the candle.

"It's past midnight! Now only the two of us are still alive," Aila sighed softly from behind.

"Yes, only the two of us are left alive," Li Teng turned around.

"That means… among the two of us, one must be a ghost, right?" Aila spoke again.

"Hmm, and we both know who the ghost is," Li Teng walked over and sat down beside Aila.

"Hahaha, you never guessed it before, you suspected everyone else, but never me," Aila said somewhat proudly.

"Yes, I suspected everyone else, never you, because among all people, I trusted you the most," Li Teng nodded.

"Alas, I didn't expect the rules to be like this, making me the ghost. And in my mind, ghosts are supposed to be crazy, brutal, uncontrollable, yet although I was made into a ghost, it's still with my own thinking," Aila sighed again.

"Do the rules require you to kill someone every day?" Li Teng asked.

"Yes, if I break this rule, I will die. I must kill everyone before the tourists find the pass so I have a chance to survive and be the only one to make it," Aila nodded.

"Mmm, that's pretty much what I thought," Li Teng nodded.

"When I decide who to kill that day, really, nothing you do could stop it," Aila continued.

"I can see that," Li Teng nodded.

"Now, between you and me, only one can survive and return. A new day has begun, I could kill you at any moment," Aila looked at Li Teng.

"There's nothing that can be done about that," Li Teng said with an indifferent expression.

"If you agree to one thing for me, I won't kill you. I'll let you take the pass from me and leave this place alive," Aila proposed to Li Teng.

"What is it?" Li Teng asked.

"Kiss me," Aila lifted her head and closed her eyes.

"Impossible, I am a man of principles and boundaries. Last time, just to help you, I already crossed my boundaries, I cannot make the same mistake twice," Li Teng firmly refused.

"You'd rather be killed?" Aila opened her eyes.

"Yes," Li Teng stated firmly.

"You really didn't disappoint me, confirming that besides scumbags, there are indeed real, good men in this world," Aila was very emotional.

Li Teng remained silent.

"I killed Gemma, I killed Richard, my wishes have been fulfilled, I have no attachments left in this world, continuing to live would just be moving like a zombie, so, I want to leave the chance to survive to you. I know there's a woman waiting for you to come home, you must not let her down," Aila said softly to Li Teng.

"Thank you," Li Teng finally spoke.

"As for the pass on my body, as per the rules I can't see it myself, only others can search it from me, and it's just one, that's why I had to kill everyone else, leaving only you," Aila continued.

"Thank you," Li Teng continued to express his gratitude.

"Don't be formal with me anymore, come find the pass yourself," Aila raised her arms.

"No need, I found the pass myself a few days ago." Li Teng pulled out a card and showed it to Aila.

Aila's eyes widened involuntarily.

"I could have left a long time ago, but I wanted to stay and continue to help you, to see if there was a chance for us to leave alive together," Li Teng sighed.

"When did you realize I was the ghost?" Aila was puzzled; she thought she had given Li Teng this chance at survival, finally able to repay him.

Little did she realize Li Teng had already seen through her being a ghost and obtained the pass!

He didn't leave just to help her!

Knowing she was a ghost and could kill him at any moment, he still stayed to help her!

"From the moment you sprinkled salt on Gemma's broken leg, I knew it..." Li Teng answered.

"Why? How did you know I was a ghost then?" Aila was terribly perplexed.

"That's too simple, because the rule is clearly stated in the second clause: 'No one is allowed to attack or harm other tourists during the mission, otherwise you are disqualified.' Unless you are the ghost, by sprinkling salt on Gemma's broken leg, you were harming another tourist, which is a serious violation of the rules, and according to the rules, you should have been disqualified.

"But you weren't disqualified, so you could only be the ghost," Li Teng explained.

"Uh... was it that obvious?" Aila felt a bit embarrassed.

She thought she had played her role seamlessly, perfectly deceiving Li Teng!

Little did she know he had seen through every detail.

This man was simply too perfect.

Sunny, handsome, responsible, loyal, devoted, brave, kind...

And most importantly, so intelligent!

How could such a perfect man exist in the world?

Why hadn't she met him?

If she had met him, she wouldn't have stayed with that scumbag, and the subsequent tragedy wouldn't have happened.

Life, oh!

"Alright, everything is over now, you've got your pass, and you can leave," Aila said, reluctantly gazing at Li Teng.

"Let me stay with you for one last day," Li Teng didn't rush to leave but leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.

"Aren't you afraid... I might change my mind and kill you at any moment?" Aila couldn't believe that Li Teng would stay to accompany her even at this time.

"If I were afraid, I would have left long ago. I've told you, you are the one I trust most," Li Teng yawned with his hand over his mouth, eyes still closed.

Aila wanted to say more, but soon Li Teng's snoring filled the air beside her.

She couldn't help but feel moved.

Moved by his trust in her.

Under the flickering candlelight, Aila scrutinized Li Teng's handsome face closely.

Such a good man, if she had met him, she would have gladly given her life for him!

Unfortunately, she wasn't that fortunate.

After staring at Li Teng for a while longer, Aila couldn't resist moving closer.

He was sleeping so soundly! He probably wouldn't notice, right?

The moment she touched him, Aila felt a shock...

Did Li Teng's snoring pause for a moment?

Aila wasn't sure, as the electric sensation of that moment was too intense for her to notice anything else.

Anyway, Li Teng's snoring still sounded normal.

So... even if she did something more, she likely wouldn't wake him.

Never mind, it would be unethical to do so.

She really couldn't help it!

Hold back.

Today was a clear day.

The waves rolled in, one after another.

The sun was setting in the west.

A man and a woman, snuggled together, sat on the rocks by the sea.

"Thank you for being with me through the last day of my life," Aila turned around and gave Li Teng a tender smile.

Li Teng didn't make a sound, just gazed at the distant sea.

"I'm already satisfied, you can leave now," Aila brought it up to Li Teng.

"It's not even six o'clock yet, I'll leave after midnight," Li Teng shook his head.

According to the rules, Aila also had to kill a tourist today, or she would fail her mission.

Meaning, she would only be deleted by the system after midnight tonight.

If he left, she would confront the long night alone.

Aila didn't say anything more and leaned gently against Li Teng again.

The sky gradually darkened.

"Go back to the stone house?" Li Teng asked Aila.

"No, let's stay here and watch the sea," Aila shook her head.

"It's dark, you can't see the sea anymore."

"I can hear the sound of the waves... I'm tired, can I use your leg as a pillow?" Aila asked Li Teng.

"Yes," Li Teng nodded.

"Thank you." Aila lay down on the rock, her head resting on Li Teng's leg.

Li Teng gently protected her body with his hand.

Listening to the sound of the waves, Aila soon fell into a deep sleep.

Li Teng leaned against the rock behind him.

...

Late at night.

Eleven fifty.

Perhaps it was the effect of their biological clocks in the past few days.

The two of them awoke at the same time.

"Ah, the time to part has finally come." Aila sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

The seaside was quite cold at night, and she subconsciously leaned towards Li Teng's body after getting up.

Li Teng finally opened his arms and embraced her.

"Thank you for the warmth," Aila said, looking up at Li Teng with gratitude.

Li Teng stared at the sea under the moonlight without responding.

"Can you fulfill my last wish in the last ten minutes of my life?" Aila looked at Li Teng's resolute and handsome face, unable to help herself from asking.

"Alright," Li Teng finally agreed.

The waves rolled in one after another.

Producing a rhythmic sound.

Time ticked closer to midnight.

Finally, midnight passed.

...

"I... am still alive?"

Aila was somewhat perplexed.

"Maybe the mission failed, and we won't be erased but instead are permanently trapped in this mission world, never able to return," Li Teng frowned.

"Cough, actually, disappearing at that blissful moment would have been perfect. I didn't expect..." Aila hesitated to look at Li Teng.

Assuming that she would die after ten minutes, she had boldly made an inappropriate request.

Unexpectedly, she did not die.

That was awkward.

Li Teng remained calm, looking at the sea under the moonlight.

Having lived over a thousand years, he had experienced everything.

"You should go, you've been accompanying me for a long time," Aila suggested to Li Teng.

"Let's wait until dawn, then I'll leave after you fall asleep on my lap," Li Teng indicated.

Aila said no more, silently lying down and closing her eyes.

...

Dawn arrived.

Both awoke one after the other.

Today seemed to be a cloudy day, looking as though it might rain at any moment.

The seaside was especially serene.

"Alright, go now. There's a large vegetable patch here; I think I can survive on this island alone. Here, maybe I can start over," Aila caressed Li Teng's face.

"Then take care of yourself."

"Mm-hmm, you have many tasks to complete back at the prison. With your wisdom, courage, and ability, I'm sure you'll successfully complete them all and return to your family. You take care as well!"

"Shall I walk you back to the stone house?" Li Teng offered.

"No, I'd like to sit here a bit longer by myself," Aila shook her head.

"Alright," Li Teng fell silent.

"Go on! There's no banquet that doesn't end. Thank you for your company these days; it will be the most precious memory of my life."

"Okay." Li Teng took out a pass card from his pocket.

Pressing his finger on the card, he would be able to return to the prison.

Just at this moment, a horn sounded from the sea.

A yacht swiftly approached from the distance.

The two hid warily behind a rock.

The yacht docked at the pier.

This was not the yacht they had taken when they first arrived on the mission.

On the yacht's side, a large "Song" character was written.

Some men in uniforms similar to those worn by Li Teng when they first entered the mission world disembarked from the yacht.

Some women also followed them down.

One of them took out a megaphone and shouted towards the island.

"Young master Song Hui! Miss Song Qing! Are you on the island? If you are, please come to the pier, we will take you home!"

"The Song family has come looking for people," Li Teng whispered to Aila.

"Then... what should I do?" Aila was a bit confused.

"Go back with them to the Song family, and continue living as Song Qing. Didn't you say you still have parents and a brother? Although you can't return to them as Aila, you can still protect them silently as Song Qing. That is the meaning of life you are seeking!" Li Teng reminded Aila.

"Parents, brother..." Aila's eyes moistened.

"Go on, I won't accompany you there," Li Teng nudged Aila.

"Thank you, thank you for everything you've done for me!" Aila's face was tear-streaked.

"Go, start a new life! Forget that scumbag, forget all the hurt he brought you, and begin again. I believe your future life will be wonderful!" Li Teng encouraged Aila.

"Mm-hmm, start anew!" Aila wiped her tears away.

"Go on." Li Teng watched her with a smile.

Aila stood up and walked towards the pier.

"I'm here!"

"Miss, we finally found you! We've been so worried these days!"

Two young women rushed towards Aila with great joy, each grabbing one of her arms.

"You finally came..."

"Where's your brother Song Hui?"

"He's missing, probably somewhere on this island?"

While talking, Aila and the two young women boarded the yacht together.

Standing by the yacht's railing, she looked back towards where Li Teng had been.

He was no longer there.

Aila felt a sense of loss.

The bodyguards divided into groups and searched the island.

By noon, they finally found the body of Song Hui (Yang Shunli).

And the bodies of others.

"It was all Richard's doing; I've recorded some of his crimes," Song Qing handed her phone to one of the bodyguards.

"Miss, don't be afraid, don't worry, your father will handle everything once we get back!" the people comforted Aila.

The yacht sounded its horn and slowly moved away from the pier.

Then gradually picked up speed.

Aila stood by the railing, reluctantly taking one last look at the deserted island.

Surprisingly, she saw Li Teng appear by the rock where they had sat the previous night, smiling and waving at her.

"Thank you, I will surely start over!"

Aila's eyes blurred with tears.