Chapter 173: Future Lovers
Yu Mo noticed that the young cardinal might have been a bit shocked. He led him quite a distance, but Peruth just kept staring at him in a daze.
It turned out that, in his youth, he was quite devout, although the strict teachings from the priest who raised him seemed to have weighed heavily on him, inevitably shaping him into this. It made Yu Mo even more curious about what could have happened in the future to turn him into the faithless person he would eventually become.
After a long silence, Peruth finally said, “I can’t leave here.”
He realized that this mysterious young man was trying to help him find a way out.
“Why not?”
“Because the plague has already spread here, claiming everyone’s lives. I won’t be an exception.”
“That’s not a reason I can accept. Give me one that I can.”
The youth’s tone wasn’t harsh, but it carried a natural authority that was impossible to ignore.
Peruth felt that this tone was somewhat familiar, but he was certain he didn’t know the person.
If he had met him before, he would have remembered clearly.
“I grew up here and will die here… I killed the priest who turned into a monster, and many people in this town. Sooner or later, I will be consumed by them.”
Peruth spoke with a serious tone.
His consciousness was hiding and fleeing in the illusionary town on the edge of life and death, but in reality, he might have already fainted in the town from his injuries, barely holding onto life.
If he couldn’t ignite a desire to live and break free from this predicament, he would truly die.
Yu Mo thought of the Peruth he had encountered on the edge of life and death. This past version of Peruth might not be the one he knew in that world, and he wasn’t sure if the future would change if this Peruth died in the past.
In the dark town ahead, shadows swayed and corpses emerged endlessly. This showed that Peruth’s heart was wavering again, and he was about to be trapped once more.
“Peruth, look into my eyes.”
The young man’s slender hand held half of his neck, and Peruth couldn’t help but look into his eyes. He seemed to be captured, falling into the dark depths of those eyes.
He had once gone to sea, and after leaving the shore, staring into the deep ocean had given him a similar feeling of falling.
The swaying shadows around them slowed, but they continued to approach the two.
Yu Mo looked steadily at Peruth. “This place won’t trap you. Death won’t trap you. I believe that.”
He let go, retreating into the thick, shifting shadows.
Peruth’s eyes widened as he reached out, trying to catch him. “Don’t!”
Yu Mo, as the shadows closed in, smiled at the shocked and panicked Peruth. “I’ll be waiting for you to come find me.”
The darkness swallowed him, yet Yu Mo stood still, without even the faintest tremble of his lashes.
The illusory shadows quickly receded, pulling away the heavily injured Peruth, who could barely stand, dragging him swiftly back and out of Yu Mo’s sight until he vanished.
The black, prison-like town shattered.
With a turn, he found himself beneath a towering stone spire.
The stone tower was cold, dark, and damp, with no end in sight above.
Yu Mo stood at the base, looking up at the winding staircase that spiraled to the top. A figure holding a lantern ascended the stairs, like a lone, rising star.
It was Peruth in his youth, wearing the robes of a magician apprentice, holding a magic lamp—the only light in the dim tower.
Yu Mo’s perspective felt strange, as if, though standing at the bottom, his gaze floated above Peruth, seeing his wavering face in the glow of the magical light.
Unlike the numbness he had shown in the dark town, now this beautiful face wore a false yet flawless smile, already showing signs of the future cardinal he would become.
One shadow of Peruth was climbing the tower, while another of him was falling from its highest point.
His white apprentice robe was stained with blood, as though he had just endured a brutal assault.
His body crashed heavily at Yu Mo’s feet.
Yu Mo watched as he spat dark blood, with blood trickling from his eyes and ears. He struggled to his feet, stumbling out the door and into the chaotic night beyond.
This version of Peruth couldn’t see him and ran past him without stopping.
But Yu Mo saw him clearly, watching him run toward the scent of death, fleeing in the direction of the underworld.
The traitor Peruth had killed his own magic teacher and escaped from that magician’s tower.
He knew he was going to die; he could smell his shattered internal organs shaking and colliding within him, and chunks of bloody matter were being vomited from his mouth.
But he didn’t want to die yet. He wanted to live! He wanted to live!
His eyes had been struck by magic, rendering him unable to see the road ahead; all he could perceive were the swaying blacks and reds, flowing through his vision and the entire world.
Was he stepping on wild grass or gravel? Or perhaps the white bones outside the tower? He couldn’t tell anymore.
Suddenly, a force yanked at his body as he ran forward.
Peruth took a moment to realize it felt like an arm.
Someone was holding his hand, and a sudden cold voice spoke in his ear, “You’re going the wrong way; ahead is death.”
Peruth tilted his head; perhaps he was too injured, as he instinctively didn’t push away the stranger who had appeared, nor did he cast a lethal spell.
His consciousness and body were sluggishly caught in the grip of this sudden stranger.
This person stumbled and turned him around, saying, “This way, go.”
Peruth should have been suspicious; after all, he had experienced so much and was no longer the naive fool he once was.
Yet in reality, his feet obeyed the words whispered in his ear, uncontrollably moving in the direction the stranger indicated.
Moreover… he had even grabbed that person’s hand, pulling him along to run forward, not even questioning who he was or why he had suddenly appeared.
In the darkness, that person didn’t break free; instead, they held onto his fingers, which were slick with blood.
Peruth also heard a soft laugh.
Amidst the barely audible laughter, he felt a strange dizziness.
His injured heart throbbed like a pumped organ, vibrating with a heavy rumble.
“Who are you?”
……
The darkness receded, and Yu Mo once again lost sight of Peruth; the dried blood remaining on his hands gradually disappeared as well.
Underfoot, red poppies sprouted in the blink of an eye.
Vast expanses of fiery red poppies bloomed, their delicate petals fluttering like paper, brushing against his pants.
In this sea of blooming poppies, he saw Peruth lying among them.
The figure in the red flowers showed no reaction to the sound of his approaching footsteps, peacefully keeping his eyes closed, as if he were asleep.
Yu Mo walked over to him and saw that Peruth was dressed in a lavish noble outfit.
This style of clothing did not belong to the Glory Empire; if Yu Mo remembered correctly, it resembled the attire of a small kingdom that had been destroyed several years ago.
The Silver Pine Kingdom was known for its silverware and the silver decorations on its garments.
Among the noble circles of the Glory Empire, there had been a trend of adopting styles from that region; even Charli had once tailored a set for him.
However, he found it too ornate and intricate for his aesthetic taste and had set it aside.
Now, Peruth lay in the flowers wearing such an outfit, his platinum hair adorned with a luxurious silver hairpin, and exquisite silver patterns enveloped him like snow.
Peruth, who seemed taller than him now, appeared a bit more naive compared to the later cardinal.
Yu Mo listened to his breathing and leaned down to pat his face. “Get up.”
There was no response, so Yu Mo kicked him lightly with his toes.
“Friend, why disturb my peaceful slumber?” Peruth replied, eyes still closed, his tone gentle.
“You shouldn’t stay here too long; you need to go,” Yu Mo said, surveying the endless sea of red around them.
“You’re mistaken; this is my place of rest. I will sleep here forever.”
Peruth kept his eyes shut, speaking as if he were in a tranquil state, half his body seeming to sink into the ground.
Yu Mo looked down at his serene and beautiful face from above.
“Open your eyes.”
“……”
“Get up.”
“……”
The curve of Peruth’s smile seemed painted on, unmoving no matter how much Yu Mo urged him.
Realizing he was being ignored, Yu Mo reached out and squeezed a part of him.
The person determined to “rest in peace” stiffened suddenly, eyes flying open as he dodged Yu Mo’s hand and sat up.
The smile at the corners of Peruth’s mouth drooped with displeasure. “My friend, we’re meeting for the first time, and you do this to me? Isn’t that a bit rude?”
Yu Mo said, “I don’t need to be polite with you, Peruth.”
Peruth, intrigued, gave him a curious look. “You know me?”
“If you don’t leave here, you will truly die,” Yu Mo replied, wiping his hands.
Peruth watched his movement, casually crossing his legs to cover a certain awkward spot. “I’m going to die eventually; you and I are no different.
“Before long, this world will perish too.”
Yu Mo sat down not far from him. “What secret did you discover that frightened you so much that you even want to give up your life?”
Peruth rested his chin on his hand, studying him closely, a smirk playing on his lips. “Do you want to know? Tell me who you are, and I’ll share this secret with you.”
“I’m Yu Mo,” he replied nonchalantly.
He always had to answer this question, but what good was it if he couldn’t be remembered?
“Yu Mo? I don’t recall. Why do you sound so familiar with me? It seems I don’t know you.”
“I will appear in your future.”
“Ah… the future, so I still have a future?”
“If you keep lying here, you won’t.”
Yu Mo’s gaze was cold yet penetrating, as if he could see into one’s heart. “So what are you afraid of?”
Peruth averted his eyes, plucking a poppy flower beside him and twirling it between his fingers, his tone wistful. “I’ve seen the future.
“All the gods have fallen; diseases will spread across the earth of the future, and only our esteemed Pope will seize the power of the God of Light.”
“He will eradicate the remnants of other gods’ powers, becoming the new deity, and then this world will be completely purified by the sun.”
Peruth said this simply, carefully observing Yu Mo’s expression, only to find that he showed no signs of fear whatsoever.
He wanted to see through this strange young man, but instead, he felt as though he was being seen through.
“You’re not the least bit desperate with the world on the brink of extinction?”
“Extinction of the world? Because of the Pope? Why not find a way to kill him?”
Peruth looked at him in surprise, suddenly breaking into a wide smile. “Hahaha! You think the same way I do!”
“Too bad my simple attempts have failed; I can’t do it,” he said, retracting his smile.
“You can do it.” Yu Mo paused before adding, “As long as you don’t suddenly act foolish.”
Like putting the power of the moon into a necklace and giving it to him.
Peruth regarded him thoughtfully. “You seem to have a lot of faith in me. Why don’t you come up with another way to convince me? Perhaps I can manage to hold on a bit longer.”
Yu Mo saw right through his thoughts and stood up. “No need. If you really don’t want to live, you can die here.”
Peruth leaned forward, trying to persuade him. “You said you would know me in my future; we should have a decent relationship, right? Are you just going to give up on me like this?”
Yu Mo’s tone was casual. “Our relationship is quite ordinary. Don’t worry; if you die, I’ll find someone else to warm my bed.”
Peruth: “…………”
As expected, Peruth, who had declared the world was about to perish and that he was ready to give up and wait for death, silently got up and followed behind him.
“Suddenly, I feel like I don’t have to die right now after all.”
“Are you serious?”
“……” Yu Mo responded with the same indifference and silence he had shown earlier.
“So in the future, you and I will be lovers?”
“……”
“As for warming the bed, that’s surprising. I don’t particularly like that kind of thing.”
“……”
“However, if it were you, it wouldn’t be so surprising.” Peruth studied him closely, a strange and subtle stir rising within him.
Though he didn’t know this black-haired young man, he felt an inexplicable fondness.
His temper wasn’t usually so amiable; if someone else had offended him the way this youth had, they would already be in the underworld by now.
“You seemed to talk less when you were younger,” Yu Mo remarked.
Peruth was taken aback, his smile fading slightly. “You know what I was like as a child?”
Yu Mo shot him a subtly inquisitive glance.
After walking for a while, they were still surrounded by the vibrant red poppies. Yu Mo turned to the person beside him and asked, “Do you really want to die?”
Trapped here, he couldn’t even find a direction.
“No, I just feel a bit reluctant to leave you. I want to walk with you a bit longer,” Peruth replied.
Yu Mo looked at him coldly. “If you truly can’t bear to leave me, then even if Your Excellency the Cardinal really goes to the underworld, he should crawl back to the living world by himself, rather than needing me to find him.”
“Your Excellency the Cardinal?” Peruth quickly reacted, a hint of grievance showing on his face. “You’re not saying this to the current me, are you?”
“……” Yu Mo’s expression was icy enough to freeze.
“Alright, I should go then.”
Peruth, dressed in his lavish clothing, slowly passed by him.
The poppies on the ground rapidly withered and disappeared. Yu Mo looked down to see that the poppy Peruth had pinned to his lapel had also fallen.
The vibrant sea of flowers vanished, and thorns began to sprout beneath his feet.
Standing on the mountainside overrun with thorns, Yu Mo gazed into the distance at the magnificent golden light, where a grand palace flickered in and out of view.
That was the projection of the divine kingdom on earth.
At his feet, red blood flowed down from above.
Not far ahead, a figure sat exhausted among the thorns.
He looked like a wandering traveler, with mud and dust clinging to his boots and a gray cloak wrapped around half of his body.
The blood pooling at Yu Mo’s feet was seeping from him.
Peruth hung his head, his platinum hair disheveled and tangled in the thorns, losing its beautiful sheen in the shadows.
Yu Mo approached him, knowing this was yet another moment of death for him.
“Have you faced so many near-death experiences in your life?”
