ISWTDB Ch157

Chapter 157: The End of the World (13, 14)

“No, I didn’t mean to be fierce to you!”

Completely different from the earlier fierceness, the young man now seemed like a child who had done something wrong, not knowing what to do.

Situ Ran naturally sensed that Ying Zhao’s mood was off and was just about to open his mouth to comfort him.

But the young man took a deep breath and said in a somewhat pleading tone, “Situ Ran, I’m sorry, I got too worked up!”

“Anyway, it’s her fault! Just stay in this house, stay by my side! No matter what, don’t have any contact with that woman, okay?”

Seeing the red-rimmed eyes of Ying Zhao, Situ Ran’s heart ached, and he nodded forcefully.

How could he possibly refuse the request of the one he cared about? How could he bear to see him so fearful and sad?

But, was the other person only emphasizing not letting him interact with Situ Shuyao?

The man lowered his gaze, recalling that before he lost consciousness and fell into a coma, the young man across from him seemed to have gritted his teeth and said something to him.

That’s right, he said he knew he liked Situ Shuyao, and that he would make him forget about that woman!

So, Ying Heng had always misunderstood that he liked Situ Shuyao, hadn’t he?

That’s why he wanted to prevent him from coming into contact with her.

Looking at the young man, who obviously breathed a sigh of relief after he agreed, Situ Ran really wanted to explain to him that he had never liked Situ Shuyao, nor had he liked anyone else.

In his whole life, the first and only time he had ever been moved was because of one person — a foolish young man named Ying Heng.

However, he couldn’t.

Because in the eyes of the young man, he had lost his memory, so naturally, he couldn’t remember anything from the past.

Moreover, the young man in front of him was clearly emotionally unstable and would react extremely if provoked.

If the other person thought this was just a stalling tactic to leave, and he went crazy and gave him another injection, that would be bad.

He didn’t want the young man to feel even the slightest bit of sorrow because of him.

Both of them tacitly avoided mentioning these matters again, and Ying Zhao diligently tried to change the subject.

He kept talking to Situ Ran, even telling some awkward jokes, obviously trying to make him happy.

Looking at the young man awkwardly trying to please him, the man felt a sourness deep in his heart.

He wondered to himself what he could do to completely dispel the other’s unease.

Although he had always longed for familial affection, he had long seen through the Situ family.

He had once thought that Situ Shuyao might be different, but just now, she had completely disappointed him as well.

From now on, he had no further expectations of the Situ family.

So now, to Situ Ran, the only family he had left was the young man in front of him.

The days that followed were naturally spent in this big mansion.

Although things seemed calm on the surface, Situ Ran noticed that ever since Situ Shuyao had visited, the young man had become extremely sensitive.

He often stared blankly at him, lost in thought.

Even as the work progressed and the young man became busier, he still always found time to come back to check on him.

He would always come up with various excuses for his sudden returns, like bringing him a glass of water, tidying up the room, or reminding him to rest well.

It seemed as though he was afraid that Situ Ran would feel uncomfortable being watched.

Situ Ran could see that, in reality, the young man was simply feeling uneasy.

It seemed as if he was afraid that he would leave, so he couldn’t settle his heart until he saw him every now and then.

In truth, Situ Ran really wanted to tell him that he didn’t need any excuses.

He welcomed his visits; he would even be willing to be watched by him.

As long as it was this person, no matter what he did, Situ Ran would gladly accept it.

But he couldn’t confess this to him, and there was no opportunity to express his true feelings.

So, he tried even harder to get closer to Ying Zhao, hoping that he would feel his deep love for him.

He even stayed in the room voluntarily when Ying Zhao was working, not going anywhere.

This was so that the young man could see him the moment he returned.

This continued for a long time until the young man finally seemed to relax a bit.

Seeing the young man exhaust himself by juggling both his research and the need to care for him, Situ Ran felt heartbroken.

But deep inside, he couldn’t help but feel a little secret joy — look how much his beloved cared for him.

On the other hand, Ying Zhao was simply fulfilling his role, doing what was expected.

He was, of course, confident that his beloved would never leave him, no matter what.

At first, he only intended to put on an act.

But seeing that despite his concern, his beloved’s eyes were filled with satisfaction, he couldn’t help but keep going.

A certain repressed man seemed very pleased with his strong presence — so, what could be done?

What else could he do? Just keep indulging him as always!

Since his beloved liked it, Ying Zhao decided to let him fully experience what it meant to be doted on for the rest of his life.

However, no matter how much he maintained his role, Ying Zhao still cared deeply about his beloved’s health.

Even though he couldn’t let him go outside, he would still take him for walks around the mansion every day.

After all, moving around was good for his health.

Situ Ran, who had fully regained his memory, had spent the past days thoroughly exploring every corner of the mansion.

He now had a deeper understanding of the value of this estate.

In the apocalypse, the currency of trade was naturally crystal cores.

Looking out the window, and with his knowledge of the northern base, the man roughly understood where they were.

He knew that while this area was somewhat remote, the property was incredibly expensive.

Its solid structure and independence made it very safe, and the facilities were relatively complete, which was quite rare in the apocalypse.

Although Ying Heng was a top talent at the research institute, receiving some of the best benefits and treatment in the entire base, obtaining such a large estate was no easy task.

Typically, a house this size required several people pooling together their crystal cores to exchange for it, then sharing it for living purposes.

Yet, after spending so many days here, it was clear that only he and the young man lived in this mansion.

Situ Ran couldn’t help but wonder if the young man had spent all his savings for him.

With a deep sigh, Situ Ran lay on the soft bed.

He unconsciously found himself staring at the young man sleeping beside him, somewhat entranced.

Long lashes cast a shadow over his fair face in the moonlight.

So serene, it made Situ Ran feel completely at ease.

Since the apocalypse began, Situ Ran had led a group to the northern base, always on the move, working tirelessly like a spinning top, with no time to rest.

He hadn’t expected that after losing his arm, the time spent here in the mansion with the young man would be the most relaxed and well-rested period he had had.

Ironically, this period of hardship had become something he cherished deeply.

All of this was because of the person in front of him.

He, who had once been filled with bitterness and hopelessness, now felt as if he was soaking in a jar of honey, enjoying the sweetness of being with the one he loved day in and day out.

Situ Ran couldn’t help but lean closer, pressing a light kiss to his beloved’s lips.

His eyes were filled with tenderness, as if they held tiny fragments of stars.

Suddenly, he thought that if he could spend the rest of his life like this, peacefully with this person, perhaps he would truly have no regrets.

The next morning, after finishing breakfast together, Ying Zhao left again to dive into his work.

The creation of the arm had reached a critical stage, so he had been unable to spend as much time with Situ Ran lately.

Fortunately, his beloved understood and was only worried about his health.

Seeing Ying Zhao busier than usual these past few days made Situ Ran feel both heartache and helplessness.

No matter how much he said, he couldn’t stop the young man. Once Ying Zhao got serious, just as Situ Ran had imagined, not even ten oxen could pull him back.

That entire day, Situ Ran only saw him at meal times — breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Situ Ran even suspected that if it weren’t for making sure he ate well, the young man might have stayed in the lab all day.

But tonight, as the sky turned completely dark, Ying Zhao still hadn’t returned.

Normally, no matter how busy he was during the day, the young man always cherished the time they spent together at night to rest.

But looking at the time now, they had long passed their usual bedtime.

This made Situ Ran a bit worried. Could the young man have encountered a bottleneck in his experiments and lost himself in work again?

Just as the man was debating whether or not to go look for Ying Zhao himself, the large door was suddenly pushed open with force.

The young man walked in, brimming with excitement, still wearing his white lab coat.

His slightly messy hair reminded Situ Ran of his earlier appearance.

Just as he was wondering why the young man looked so thrilled, Ying Zhao excitedly exclaimed, “My dear, one of the arms is finished!”

“Your right arm is fully completed! Although there aren’t enough materials for both arms right now, I can restore your right arm first!”

Situ Ran’s eyes widened in surprise, and he said in delight, “Really?”

Ying Zhao nodded vigorously, smiling as he said, “Your body has been recovering well lately. If there’s no issue, we can perform the surgery right now!”

Ying Zhao’s words were undoubtedly great news for Situ Ran.

Although the young man had shown him the amazing mechanical arm before, the man hadn’t expected that it could be completed so quickly.

Given how complex the technology was, Situ Ran couldn’t help but feel a bit worried.

But his concern wasn’t about whether his body would recover soon; he was more worried that if the procedure failed, the young man might feel sad.

Seeing the pure joy and anticipation on his beloved’s face at this moment, Situ Ran couldn’t bring himself to refuse him.

He knew that Ying Zhao was eager to perform the surgery and restore his arm as soon as possible.

Even if it failed, he would make sure to comfort him properly.

After all, his situation couldn’t get any worse, right?

With this thought, Situ Ran smiled and nodded at Ying Zhao, saying, “A-Heng, that’s wonderful!”

“I’m ready. For the surgery, I’m all yours — we can do it anytime.”

Hearing this, Ying Zhao broke into a wide smile.

Without another word, he helped Situ Ran up and led him to his research lab.

The room was already set up with the surgical equipment, clearly showing that Ying Zhao was even more eager than Situ Ran himself.

Seeing his beloved trusting him so completely, Ying Zhao felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

He put on his surgical gloves and skillfully administered the anesthetic to Situ Ran.

This time, Ying Zhao chose to use local anesthesia for the surgery.

This era has far more advanced anesthesia technology, allowing even more precise control over the area being numbed.

Once the anesthetic took effect, Ying Zhao carefully picked up the mechanical arm and began connecting it to Situ Ran. Although the right side of his body was numbed, Situ Ran wasn’t entirely devoid of sensation. He could feel a slight discomfort in his right arm as the flesh was being pulled, though it was bearable.

Despite this, Situ Ran didn’t furrow his brows because, compared to the suffering he’d endured before, this level of discomfort was nothing. Furthermore, his attention quickly shifted entirely to Ying Zhao, who was sweating profusely. The youth seemed extremely tense about the operation, executing each step with the utmost care. Seeing this, Situ Ran even lightened his breathing, hoping not to disturb him.

Since the surgery was being conducted in secret, Ying Zhao had no assistant and had to handle this major operation all by himself, something that would be difficult for anyone. Ying Zhao meticulously connected Situ Ran’s nerves to the mechanical arm, focusing intensely on each step, knowing he couldn’t afford a single mistake.

At this moment, Ying Zhao was deeply grateful for his unique identity, for if he were an ordinary person, he wouldn’t have had the stamina and focus required for this task. Still, the surgery was taking a toll on him. Situ Ran, though aware of his lover’s exhaustion, could only silently pray for the surgery to end soon.

As time passed, Ying Zhao’s face grew increasingly pale, but he showed no sign of giving up, determinedly continuing the operation, his eyes full of care and resolve. Outside, the once pitch-black sky gradually brightened, and after what felt like an eternity, the surgery was finally complete.

Ying Zhao let out a long sigh and collapsed onto the ground, too tired to care about his appearance. His hands trembled as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Then, he looked up and, trying to comfort Situ Ran, gave him a weak smile and said, “Just wait a little longer. Though I’ve checked everything and found no problems, we’ll need to wait until the anesthetic wears off to confirm if the surgery was truly successful.”

Situ Ran nodded, seeing Ying Zhao’s utterly exhausted state but unable to find the right words to comfort him. He suddenly felt a pang of self-loathing for possessing the spiritual spring. Situ Ran used to believe that having the spring was a special mission given to him, a recognition and redemption for his innate disabilities. This sense of mission drove him to help those around him, tirelessly working to develop the northern base so that everyone could live better lives.

But now, seeing how much Ying Zhao had to strain himself for his physical condition, Situ Ran wished he didn’t have this supposed gift, this so-called grand mission. The youth before him was his true salvation, the one thing that truly mattered. All he wanted was for the young man to be happy and for them to live a simple, joyful life together. If not for that spiritual spring, maybe he wouldn’t have had to endure all this.

More than an hour passed, and by the time the sun had fully risen, Situ Ran finally regained sensation. Both he and Ying Zhao had stayed awake the entire time, eager to see the results of the surgery. As Situ Ran’s body awakened, so did the sensation in his right arm. He could hardly contain his excitement and tried to move his fingers. To his amazement, the newly attached right hand responded to his thoughts, moving as if it had always been part of him.

What was even more astonishing was that the mechanical arm had tactile sensations, just like a normal limb. He had thought that simply having an arm again would be a blessing and that being able to use it to make life more convenient would be enough. But Ying Zhao had given him a far greater gift than he ever expected. What kind of genius could create such a perfect arm?

Situ Ran looked at Ying Zhao with a complex expression, his joy tempered with concern. He felt a strange sense of relief that no one knew Ying Zhao was the one who had developed the antivirus. Otherwise, people from other bases would surely try to capture him. Situ Shuyao cared too much about fame, not realizing that while the northern base seemed the strongest, it wasn’t invincible. Publicizing the antidote would only invite trouble. Soon, the northern base could find itself in a precarious situation. 

That’s why Situ Ran knew he had to become even stronger, for he now had someone he needed to protect for the rest of his life.

Seeing his lover’s excitement, Ying Zhao couldn’t help but smile as well. He carefully asked Situ Ran about how the arm felt and adjusted and inspected the mechanical arm. As expected, it fit perfectly. Of course, this result was entirely within Ying Zhao’s expectations. After all, in a certain world, it was his mastery of this kind of technology that made him famous.

As he watched Situ Ran eagerly experiment with his new arm, quickly adapting to it, Ying Zhao chuckled and leaned over, proudly pressing a spot on the inside of Situ Ran’s right elbow. In an instant, the appearance of the mechanical arm changed—it was no longer transparent, revealing its internal structure. Instead, it appeared to be covered with a layer of skin, seamlessly blending with Situ Ran’s body. To the naked eye, it was impossible to tell that this was a mechanical arm.

Situ Ran stared in shock at this transformation, even more amazed by Ying Zhao’s abilities.

“Impressive, right? This is a bionic function I specifically added for you. Now, this arm will look exactly like the original one.”

“And that’s not all—I also made it pressure-resistant and heat-resistant. You can even use fire abilities with this arm, and it’ll be perfectly fine!”

Seeing the young man’s eager-to-please expression, Situ Ran couldn’t help but soften his gaze.

He hadn’t expected that his lover would be so thoughtful, even considering his ability use in the design. Ying Zhao had truly created a new arm for him, allowing him to no longer be a cripple.

No, it was more than just returning to the way things were before. In Situ Ran’s mind, this arm was even better than his original one.

He couldn’t help but recall the time when he hadn’t yet understood the young man’s true feelings. Ying Zhao had to protect him under the watchful eyes of the Situ family, all the while suppressing the bitterness and pain of being hated by him. He had to conduct countless tests on his own body and even cut off his own arm. At that time, when he had looked at Ying Zhao with nothing but hatred, how deeply wronged and despairing must the young man have felt?

These past days, the young man had cared for him so attentively, his smile so gentle and kind, approaching him with the utmost caution every time. That joy from a single, light kiss lasting for so long filled Situ Ran with an unbearable sadness.

If this wasn’t love, he didn’t know what was.

Thinking of this, Situ Ran couldn’t hold back anymore. He stretched out his hand, pulling Ying Zhao into his arms. His warm lips pressed against the young man’s forehead as he softly whispered, “A-Heng, thank you. Truly, thank you!”

Thank you for loving me! Thank you for not giving up!

The comforting cool fragrance surrounded his senses, and at this moment, Ying Zhao was no longer the demon he once thought, but an angel! An angel who had redeemed him and was willing to give everything for him.

But in the past, he had distrusted this angel, even hurt him. This thought filled Situ Ran’s heart with deep guilt.

Sensing his lover’s emotions, Ying Zhao hugged Situ Ran tightly, burying his head in the crook of his arm, a slight smile playing at his lips.

In fact, a full-body anesthetic could have been used for the surgery, which would have spared Situ Ran the discomfort from the local anesthesia. However, if his lover had lost consciousness completely, how could he have seen him working so hard, sweating and exhausted, just for him?

Under these circumstances, Ying Zhao had to do his best to perform in front of his man, so that he could feel his sincerity. Judging by Situ Ran’s current reaction, his approach seemed to have worked perfectly.

Situ Ran kissed the top of Ying Zhao’s head, noticing how the young man lowered his head, revealing an adorable swirl of hair. The familiar sight made him even more restless. He couldn’t resist reaching out to touch Ying Zhao’s head and then gently ruffled his soft hair.

Just as he had imagined, Ying Zhao’s hair was silky smooth, filling Situ Ran with a sense of satisfaction—a feeling of finally being able to hold his precious treasure in his arms.

“It’s a pity that for now, there’s only enough material to make one arm. So, you’ll have to bear with it a little longer.”

“I’ll definitely find a way to gather all the materials as soon as possible! Then both your arms can be restored!”

Seeing the apology in Ying Zhao’s eyes, Situ Ran shook his head, kissed the young man’s cheek, and softly said, “There’s no rush. Honestly, things are already perfect as they are now.”