Chapter 205: The Chance of Winning is 100%
12 month 3 day.

early morning.

"Wow..."

The rain outside finally couldn't be restrained anymore and turned into a rainstorm.

Su Ming closed the window and the dirty and torn curtains, and the noise became quieter.

"..."

An Xiaoxi sat obediently on the ground. She was wrapped in a black coat. She lowered her head and refused to raise her face. Although her body was not shaking as violently as before, she was still visibly shaking.

Why did it turn out like this?
Missed a great opportunity. In other words, woke up before An Xiaoxi could do anything.

Then she might be too scared to act rashly again.

but……

It might even arouse her rebellious psychology. It will definitely get to the point now. Unless I can finish the mission immediately and get out.

"Clap."

Su Ming lit a cigarette. He used a low-power flashlight and pointed it at the wall.

I think she probably doesn't need a too bright environment right now.

Things have to be resolved.

And the initiative is clearly in our own hands.

Therefore, it is best for you to be the first to speak.

"Xiao Xi."

"..."

It was easy to see her hunching her shoulders again, lowering her eyes even lower, staring at her toes without moving.

Even the sound of her breathing was tried to be as quiet as possible, as if she was trying her best to eliminate all traces of her existence.

"Since when did you start to have that kind of feeling towards me?"

"..."

Don't you want to answer?
"Okay. First of all, this isn't your fault alone."

"I could have prevented this from happening to this point."

"Don't have too much psychological baggage. No one has never made a mistake from birth to death."

"I've made mistakes too. Like admitting my mistake last time. Like... getting your sister to accept that I have two other wives."

"..."

"I'm going to treat this as the same thing I did last time."

"..."

"...brother-in-law."

She finally spoke.

"Hmm? Are you hungry?"

"..."

She shook her head, still not looking up. Her voice was low, "It's different in nature."

"why?"

"..."

"Besides, my brother-in-law admitted his fault. My sister knew that at most she would blame me and then ask if I would feel uncomfortable or something like that."

"..."

"I... am not admitting my mistake."

An Xiaoxi finally raised her face. The sound of her teeth clenching could be heard. Her eyes were red and filled with tears.

"Brother-in-law, I like you."

"……Um."

"It's the love of a lover. It's the love of wanting to do the same thing as my sister."

"I know."

"So, it can't be a mistake. It can't be the same."

"..."

"Brother-in-law, do you already...feel that I'm a terrible person?"

"No."

"I knew my sister loved my brother-in-law so much, and I knew my sister already had a child with my brother-in-law, but I still..."

Her body was shaking and tears were flowing out.

"From now on... I can't..."

"Appearing in front of my brother-in-law and sister. Someone like me..."

"..."

There is no use in talking more.

All Su Ming could do was put his hand on her head and stroke it gently back and forth.

"Sorry, woo."

There is no need to apologize over and over again.

【Favourability: 101】

This problem cannot be solved by just talking beautifully.

Although she certainly won't attempt to do anything for the time being, how should she deal with this relationship?

12 month 3 day.

early.

An Xiaoxi probably didn't sleep all night.

The bright dark circles under her eyes were very clear, her hair was not tied into a bun, and she looked very haggard.

She is still huddled in the corner wrapped in the coat I gave her yesterday.

"not hungry?"

"..."

If she was given something, she would eat it, slowly but surely.

The original plan was to leave here today, but it looks like I have to put it on hold.

First, it was still raining heavily, and second, An Xiaoxi's condition was not very good.

"Let's play some music. See how the future diva is different from the present."

Su Ming is not familiar with Korean and still doesn't know what An Xiaoxi's original song "Am I Not Charming" is about.

But at this moment, the translated lyrics appeared on the small screen of mps.

'What color do you prefer.'

'I like that, too.'

'Where are you going?'

'I want to go too.'

'...'

Surely, something is wrong.

"..."

Otherwise An Xiaoxi would not have buried her head lower.

"I know... my brother-in-law doesn't understand Korean."

"..."

"On purpose, sing this."

The meaning is self-evident.

Knowing that he or she doesn't understand, it's probably... equivalent to deliberately saying "I love you" in front of your loved one in a language that the other person doesn't understand.

Turn off the mp3.

"Brother-in-law, aren't you leaving today?"

"The rain hasn't stopped yet. We still have enough resources at the moment. There's no need to rush."

"..."

An Xiaoxi paused, raised his eyes slightly, and then immediately lowered them.

"Why...after I did that, my brother-in-law is still willing to stay so close to me?"

"Is that a capital crime?"

"..."

"Compared to what I experienced in Sea Island City before, compared to the environment I'm in now, is it really that serious? Think about it carefully, is there really any love between me? Maybe it's admiration, maybe it's just a beautification filter."

"To be honest, things weren't smooth sailing between your sister and I at the beginning. There were a lot of frictions."

"..."

There were some things that Su Ming had never told An Shiyao.

For example, the last ring was not to encourage her, but to try something new before she became successful.

For example, I did feel a little guilty about threatening her at first, but that completely vanished later. For a while, I really treated her like a fluff ball. The only thing that surprised me was that the fluff ball was too proactive.

"So, my brother-in-law was really a jerk at first."

"..."

"But my sister was also too much. She almost hurt my brother-in-law. Her attitude was so arrogant. I can imagine... my sister really didn't like men in the past."

"So, my sister has had special feelings for my brother-in-law for a long time. What about my brother-in-law?"

"me?"

Su Ming held a cigarette in his mouth but didn't light it.

Think for a moment.

"Maybe she knew she moved me out and did something unspeakable. She cried and asked me if I wanted her."

"Sister, have you ever done that?"

"I didn't have much experience in relationships at the time, to be honest... I thought she was very cute back then. The old me would never have dreamed of such a scene."

"Vanity is satisfied?"

"Partly. But more of it is admiration. She is just an ordinary person who can't use a gun, but she dared to take me out with a gun."

"The ring wasn't meant to encourage my sister. But what about the slogans on those signs? They can't be meant just to bully my sister."

"Well... after spending so much time with her, I've pretty much figured out her personality. I know she'll be scared no matter what. Being shy is also a way to divert attention."

"Am I just part of my brother-in-law's play?"

"Who says it's not?"

"It's too much..."

An Xiaoxi's condition has improved a lot and she forced a smile.

silence.

"Brother-in-law, guess how I started to have feelings for you?"

"..."

"Memories. Constant memories."

An Xiaoxi hugged her knees, her voice still trembling, "I compare it with memories, comparing it with my current sister and brother-in-law. My brother-in-law used to be more than just my sister's hero. He would also look at me and ask me if I like the Rascal Rabbit doll, what kind of skirt I want to wear, and if I like the matcha-flavored chocolate rolls..."

"But, when you grow up, everything is different. A brother-in-law can only belong to you."

"I don't want to be jealous. I think my sister deserves it. She's had a very hard time for six years."

"..."

"Then, I thought again. The generation of feelings has nothing to do with whether my sister is sad or not. There is no comparison between whether my sister is more miserable or I am more miserable, and there is no need to compare."

"I like you... I just like you. It won't disappear just because I know my sister has been suffering for six years."

"Jealousy won't disappear just because you know you can't express it."

"I gave my blessing with all my heart...I gave it seriously on the wedding day. But I couldn't be calm."

"..."

“Brother-in-law, do you know?”

"Last night, I picked up the knife... I was thinking about what my sister had done in the past that my brother-in-law had to take care of. I was thinking about learning from my sister."

"..."

"But that's not right. No matter how much I learn, I can never be a sister. My sister and I think very differently. She is...self-harming. She doesn't want her brother-in-law to go out. She doesn't want her brother-in-law to face danger."

“And I just want it.”

"I really... suck."

"..."

Seeing that her cheeks were covered with tears again, Su Ming lit the cigarette in his mouth.

Silent.

Comparing the worst?

Counting down everything he had done to An Shiyao... it was simply not something an ordinary woman like her could accept.

Losing myself and my child at the same time and waiting for six years.

Sudden news, wait ten years.

If you think you have accomplished your mission, wait seven hundred years.

"God is dead, you are free."

"……Eh?"

An Xiaoxi paused.

"I've said everything that needs to be said. It's time to look outside."

"Xiao Xi, do you want a doll? A large-sized rogue rabbit."

"..."

Looking at Su Ming's cheerful smile, An Xiaoxi's nose felt sore and she couldn't hold back her tears.

Why?

But I just can't give up my feelings for my brother-in-law.

However, even though this feeling was conveyed, it did not materialize into fruition.

Just swallow it. Chop it up, chop it into something invisible to the naked eye… and pray never to think about it again.

12 month 4 day.

After the rain stopped, it snowed.

The temperature dropped to an extremely low level again. Even though An Xiaoxi was wrapped in three layers of quilts, it was useless. Her toes were almost frozen.

"Ah!"

Her physical fitness was not as good as Su Ming's to begin with. It was normal for her to catch a cold with such alternating hot and cold weather.

"Sleep on me."

"..."

Before the change, An Xiaoxi would not hesitate to leave only her underwear next to Su Ming.

But that's not possible now.

"Everything else is secondary to survival."

After hesitating for a while, An Xiaoxi took off her coat again and hugged Su Ming.

"Brother-in-law."

"Ok?"

"I...I won't do anything weird again."

"You're shaking like this from the cold and you're not saying anything?"

"..."

Quietly holding Su Ming's arm, An Xiaoxi suddenly understood a lot.

More than just memories.

My brother-in-law has a unique way of caring and speaking... which makes people feel relaxed and not think too much about the words.

The emotions that I had tried so hard to suppress began to fluctuate again.

However, it is impossible to do anything out of line. If that happens... even a good-tempered person like my brother-in-law will really hate me.

12 month 4 day.

earthquake.

"Rumble..."

I don't know the exact magnitude, but the ground did shake slightly.

Su Ming clearly heard the sound of something collapsing not far from the supermarket where he lived.

Sometimes close, sometimes far.

Rather than a natural earthquake, Su Ming felt that it was caused by some kind of biological activity.

"..."

Moreover, there was a layer of fog outside the window.

'The Philosopher's Blade.'

The scene seemed familiar, so Su Ming chose to summon his weapon directly.

"...Brother-in-law?"

"You stay here. I'm going to go out and take a look. Maybe the big guy we've been looking for has come out."

"..."

Being grabbed by the hem of the clothes.

"Escape...Isn't it possible?"

"Of course I would run if things got bad. But I've been here for almost half a month and I don't know anything. The progress is too slow. Don't worry, I'm confident."

"..."

The hands loosened.

12 month 5 day.

One o'clock.

Why does my heart feel so tight?

I know that my brother-in-law is not an ordinary person. He was a fearless hero in Haidao City. He must be even stronger now, right?
I have changed.

I can't expect my brother-in-law to become a hero again and come back to tell me about his deeds as I did in the past.

I completely understand my sister's feelings. Rather than being a hero, she would rather have her brother-in-law right in front of her and not have to do anything. But if I want to go out, my brother-in-law has to speed up the process according to his ideas.

Do you really want to go out?

Even if there is no possibility of anything happening between us, should I let him face danger? Just because I can't get it, should I think like this?
"Rumble..."

The ground shook again.

I got up. Without my brother-in-law, I was still cold even though I was wrapped tightly in the quilt.

"..."

I felt the shaking and heard some scary noises, which were definitely not made by the creatures I knew.

12 month 5 day.

Three o'clock in the morning.

"call."

"It ran away. It's foggy again. Is it hard to see people? It seems that we need thermal imaging to deal with it."

"..."

My brother-in-law is back.

I saw him patting the snow off his clothes in a tired manner, and I could see that the clothes were stained with a lot of unknown blue liquid. It smelled bad.

In comparison, he is the monster that my brother-in-law calls him.

"Xiao Xi?"

"..."

My brother-in-law will definitely be surprised.

After all, I didn't care at all that I was only wearing underwear, so I stood up and walked barefoot to my brother-in-law.

so cold.

But if you just hold on...

"Brother-in-law, please."

"Don't actively look for that kind of monster again... I'm scared."

"..."

I'm not afraid of what will happen to me after my brother-in-law leaves. I just want him to be safe and sound, not get hurt or die.

I can't hide this feeling, and I don't need to hide it.

I just wanted to hug my brother-in-law tightly to let him know that I care about him very much.

I just... don't mind my brother-in-law seeing my body. He can touch it if he wants, and it's okay if he doesn't want to.

Ask if you want a doll.

want to.

That means you are still willing to put aside the past and treat me as your sister.

I accepted it, agreed to it, and faced it calmly.

But no one said that there is nothing in the world that a brother is willing to give to a sister who doesn't care. No one said that if you are rejected or heartbroken... you can't continue to express your feelings.

12 month 5 day.

Four o'clock in the morning.

Su Ming threw away his dirty clothes, while An Xiaoxi carefully wiped his body.

"Brother-in-law, I'm cold, so I want to hold you tighter."

"Uh……"

"Brother-in-law shouldn't have any strange ideas, right? I have given up now."

"..."

"Brother-in-law, tell me what you saw when you went out just now."

"Hmm... I think it's bigger than I thought, but I can't see its shape clearly. The fog was probably caused by that thing. It disappeared as soon as it left."

"Can my brother-in-law win with such a small weapon?"

"I'm very strong now."

It was so strong that Su Ming was able to cut it several times without any damage just by listening to the sound and locating it in the fog. Even he was surprised. It was obviously a bigger creature than the one he faced in the fog in Haidao City. But it escaped after just a few moves in his hands.

"Brother-in-law is so awesome."

so.

Why do you rub your cheek against your shoulder while praising someone?

"But what if they come in groups? No matter how powerful my brother-in-law is, he can't face so many alone, especially with a burden like me."

"..."

"Is there a necessary connection between defeating them and whether or not we can get out?"

“Not much of a connection.”

"Then if they come here, we will leave. Didn't my brother-in-law also say the day before yesterday that this place has no value and we should leave? I am ready."

"..."

That’s not without reason.

Even if Su Ming knew or saw what was in the fog, just like in Haidao City, he would not get much useful information. Either he could see useful information or meet other survivors, otherwise it would be difficult to find useful things under the current situation.

"Brother-in-law..."

"You won't catch a cold from me, will you?"

"will not."

The body has been optimized. To put it bluntly, since practicing dual cultivation with Xia Ye, Su Ming has never been sick.

"Brother-in-law."

"Ok?"

"Thank you."

"Why thank you?"

"Thank you...brother-in-law for not hating me."

"..."

It feels weird.

It might be true that An Xiaoxi let go of the shackles she had previously created for herself.

【Favourability: 102】

But judging by the data, it seems that is not the case. However, even if An Xiaoxi really gave up, the feelings would not disappear suddenly. The possibility of reduction is either due to the passage of time after leaving, or completely transformed into family affection.

None of this really matters. Anyway, the matter has been made clear.

The essential.

Now, at this moment... An Xiaoxi was only wearing underwear. Her flat belly was unreservedly pressed against Su Ming's ribs. In this state... her arms were naturally eaten by the baby canteen. Her legs completely inherited An Shiyao's fine tradition and rested on Su Ming's calves.

But the purpose is to keep her warm. Keeping her close is the right way.

I can only pray that the weather will get better tomorrow. Otherwise, if it continues like this, I will be the first to be unable to bear it.

12 month 5 day.

early.

Contrary to what Su Ming expected, the temperature did not rise but instead dropped a lot.

A thin layer of ice formed in the corners of the window.

The bottled water in the house became semi-solidified.

"Cuckoo..."

In bed, An Xiaoxi's teeth had been chattering since she didn't know when.

Her lips turned pale. In such a cold situation, cold sweat broke out on her forehead. Her forehead felt hot to the touch.

"Brother-in-law, I...feel a little uncomfortable."

"You have a fever."

"Well...it will definitely get better once the temperature rises again."

"..."

Not necessarily.

Maybe it will decrease. The 49-day mission is of normal difficulty. It is impossible for me to take An Xiaoxi on vacation.

The difficulty... is that if we carry An Xiaoxi with us, her physical condition won't be able to withstand 49 days of extreme weather?
"Wait, I'll go out and find some medicine."

"If anything happens, ring this. I'll be right back."

"Brother-in-law...I'm really fine...I didn't take medicine when I was sick before, I just slept well."

"..."

Su Ming didn't say anything, just looked at her.

He took care of everything for her in detail and covered her forehead with a clean towel dipped in water.

"Brother-in-law, if you don't come back for too long... I'll be scared."

"Cough cough."

"I'm more afraid of this than getting sick."

"It will be soon."

"..."

She closed her eyes weakly and whispered softly.

"I'm sorry... I didn't help at all, but I did a lot..."

"Something that bothers my brother-in-law."

"..."

In a sense, Su Ming really saw the shadow of An Shiyao in An Xiaoxi. After all, she was the younger sister who grew up together and was taught by An Shiyao all the time...it was normal.

12 month 5 day.

morning.

Su Ming put on his felt hat and walked out along the road that was already covered with snow.

It wasn't long before the clothes were also covered in white.

Where can I find medicine that has not expired? Many medicines have a shelf life of three or four years, but in this extreme environment... it is not considered normal storage.

Never mind, just get it back first.

12 month 5 day.

noon.

Su Ming packed a lot of medicines he found in the collapsed pharmacy.

Ibuprofen, 999 cold medicine, as long as the efficacy is written as reducing fever, cold, etc., bring it back.

12 month 5 day.

Night.

Nothing has gotten better.

An Xiaoxi's eyelids were closed intermittently, and her face looked very haggard. Her breath was very hot.

"Brother-in-law..."

"If this is a dream... cough cough."

"If I die... I can go back?"

"..."

She has started babbling nonsense.

So how can I reduce the fever? It's so hot.

Su Ming recalled how An Shiyao had wiped various places on her body that were prone to heat accumulation when she was a child, and she would use a towel dipped in boiled water to wipe them for her.

12 month 6 day.

early morning.

The temperature never rose, but An Xiaoxi looked a little better.

"I'm sorry...brother-in-law."

"Don't apologize anymore. Wait until you get better and we can go to a new place. Don't you have a compact camera in your bag? Then teach me photography. Your sister always thinks my photos are ugly."

"how come?"

"Although she didn't say it, I think the photos were not taken very well."

"..."

An Xiaoxi forced a smile. Fortunately, her health was getting better.

12 month 6 day.

early.

"Rumble..."

The ground was shaking again. The windows, already hazy from the snow, were now covered by the gradually rising white mist.

"Woo——"

sound.

It's similar to the whale calls you've heard on TV and in the animal world.

too close.

The eardrums are vibrating.

It's not a tentacle monster? The thing I faced alone in the fog the day before yesterday didn't make such a sound.

"..."

I was shaking so much that I could hardly stand.

The walls of the house, which was originally intact, now had cracks.

"...Brother-in-law?"

An Xiaoxi also realized that something was wrong.

"I'm going to go out for a moment. I'll be back soon."

"..."

It was so cold outside that even Su Ming, who was enjoying the bonus, felt cold.

The fog was so thick that you could only see half a meter with your naked eyes. It was not caused by the snow, just like the fog in Haidao City.

There is something in the fog.

The black outline blocked out the sky...like a whale that should have been in the deep sea, floating up in the waterless sky for no reason.

"Rumble..."

Attack from all directions.

It was no different from a major earthquake. I could clearly hear the sound of buildings being destroyed and collapsed.

What exactly is going on?

The monster that escaped one on one before had a certain intelligence... Called the whole family at once?
"Clang."

Wait a moment.

There was movement behind me, at the bottom of the supermarket.

"..."

Su Ming could no longer stand steadily.

He wanted to run back to the supermarket immediately.

But it was too late.

Visibility was low, and I could only hear something coming out of the ground. As the land was a supermarket, the place where An Xiaoxi lay was naturally a ruin.

[Unfortunately, the target is dead]

【mission failed】

[Current time node: 20671206, 08:03]

"...Brother-in-law?"

"..."

Su Ming didn't answer any questions, he just wrapped An Xiaoxi in a blanket and carried her on his back.

He got it.

Those mysterious creatures that created the 'hole' were not simple-minded goblins. They at least had a little bit of wisdom to unite.

Regardless of whether An Xiaoxi is healthy or not, she is vulnerable in front of those huge monsters.

"Brother-in-law...is there something in the fog?"

"Don't look. Just hold on to me. It's going to be okay."

"..."

An Xiaoxi on his back remained silent for a moment, and her warm face pressed against the back of Su Ming's neck, almost right next to his ear.

"Um……"

"Besides my sister, the person I trust most in this world is my brother-in-law."

"..."

The thing in the fog was chasing him relentlessly. Su Ming almost tripped several times because of the low visibility.

"Brother-in-law..."

"..."

The temperature outside was much lower than in the room with the fire.

Her already poor physical condition became even weaker.

"Should I...exit the dream early?"

I can't quit. It just loops over and over again, and there's no way I can stop after completing this task.

"Brother-in-law..."

"Sometimes... I don't even understand myself."

"I just thought that my brother-in-law would indeed react to my body... I want to be responsible for that kind of reaction... That's fine."

"Even if my brother-in-law is thinking about my sister...it doesn't matter to me."

"I'm not a child anymore... I have so many first times. If I give it to my brother-in-law... I will definitely not regret it."

The result has not changed at all.

"Brother-in-law...I've already admitted my mistake once."

"Anyway...I've done so many awful things, and occasionally...I take the initiative to do something to me."

"I will just pretend...I don't know."

"..."

"what."

Panting. Su Ming could no longer feel whether An Xiaoxi was breathing on his back.

Her cheeks were misted.

The heartbeat is getting weaker and weaker.

Why run?

An Xiaoxi's physical condition made it impossible for her to survive for a long time in an environment that even she felt was a little cold.

Something will appear from underground. Then, just change the place. Put her in a warm place and find a way to drive away the things in the fog.

"Rumble--"

Is he staring at me?

A sickly person like An Xiaoxi is not attractive to them, right? They made such a big scene, just to have a fight with me.

She was just a victim incidentally.

That’s why I say that you should treat it as a trip mentally, but it is impossible to treat it as a trip in reality.

The mist on her face finally turned into ice as her body temperature became unbalanced. Why was it okay to do anything to her even if he treated her as An Shiyao? Why was he so humble? He hadn't done anything special.

I can't understand how it is to love someone deeply through memories.

But now Su Ming understood another thing.

These things in the fog will never understand human language unless you chop them one by one with a knife.

The layout of the ground was completely destroyed, and the creatures that were good at walking underground... maybe they opened their mouths in the fog.

[Unfortunately, the target is dead]

【mission failed】

[Current time node: 20671206, 08:03]

“…Brother-in-law, huh?!”

She wouldn't understand why she was suddenly kissed on the cheek.

Eyes widened.

The spirit and body temperature...all rose. This was what Su Ming wanted.

He still wrapped her in the quilt and carried her on his back.

"Wait for me at a new place."

"Aren't you going to give me a lot of firsts? Then wait until I come back."

"Brother-in-law, why are you suddenly..."

"After all, I am a man too. Even though I am a patient, I can still do a lot of things, right?"

"..."

Of course it's fake.

But at this time, I just trust my long-term experience. For example, if I tease An Shiyao to the extreme, her body temperature will rise quickly.

He wasn't a real hero. He was just a player.

My sister-in-law wouldn't care. As long as she could survive, it was no big deal.

Put her in a suitable place, cover her with a blanket, and take off her coat.

"Take it if you like to smell it."

"Well……"

I'm afraid she has all sorts of questions swirling around in her head right now.

But that was not what Su Ming should consider.

'The sword of philosophy.'

'God is dead, you are free.'

I have long been wondering what my chances would be if I faced the monster in the fog in Haidao City again.

The day before yesterday, we tested the one-to-one situation. So today, it’s one-to-many…

"Rumble--"

Faced with those things in the fog whose size could be calculated based on the volume of a building, Su Ming simply clenched his weapons.

The reality is that we don’t know how high the winning rate is.

But in the game, the chance of winning is 100%.

(End of this chapter)