Chen Pingchuan's first reaction upon returning to reality from the simulation was to scan his surroundings. He didn't understand why he had died again!

What unsettled him most was that the manner of his death in the simulation wasn't just similar to how Xia Qingxue had destroyed the planet—it was identical. Who had he provoked this time? He hadn't even seen his enemy before they unleashed a devastating ultimate attack on him.

Life is getting harder. I need to prepare my escape. Otherwise, when the Black Demon tide arrives, judging by that bomb's power, if I'm too slow, I'll be blown to smithereens. On the other hand, the system did mention that if I prepare enough energy beforehand, the next time I die to a world-ending weapon like that, I might receive compensation for dying with a grievance. I'm already dying with a grievance. If I don't exploit the simulator's bug for all it's worth, I'm just being too kind to myself.

After gathering his thoughts, Chen Pingchuan decided to go for a walk. Thanks to the rest he'd had in the simulation instance, his spirit was surprisingly high, even though his body was still exhausted. As for the simulation rewards, there was no rush. His simulation points were insufficient, and Chen Pingchuan couldn't be bothered to stress over it. There was no need to check his attribute panel either; it could wait until after he inherited his attributes from the simulation.

Chen Pingchuan flipped over and hopped off the bed. After throwing on a simple coat, he disappeared from the dorm under the strange gazes of his three roommates.

Night had fallen, and the sky was dotted with stars. The outline of the mining site appeared twisted and mysterious under the dim streetlights. The surroundings were eerily quiet. Chen Pingchuan's footsteps rustled, echoing through the empty grounds and adding a touch of desolation to the air, which seemed permeated by an unspeakable heaviness.

"The moon is bright, the stars are few; oh, how fleeting is this life."

Uh... a pity this world has no moon. But why isn't there a moon?!

Chen Pingchuan had instinctively tried to recite a poem from his past life, feeling an inexplicable wave of homesickness. Including the initial three years after he first transmigrated, he had been in this world for less than five years in total. But in the simulator, he had already lived for decades. An ordinary person's life lasts but a few decades, so it was no surprise that Chen Pingchuan was growing sentimental. Though he could no longer recall the poem's origin or its correct stanzas, he could still amuse himself by reciting a line or two.

"If life could only be like the first time we met, why let autumn winds bring sorrow to the fan?"

"If you don't strive in your youth, you might as well hang yourself from a southeast-facing branch."

...

"If life doesn't go your way, you might as well hang yourself from a southeast-facing branch."

Suddenly, a gentle and pleasant female voice reached his ears, laced with three parts admiration, three parts curiosity, and four parts praise.

Chen Pingchuan wasn't surprised by someone approaching from behind. With his current hearing, as long as a person wasn't deliberately concealing their footsteps or wasn't vastly stronger than him, nothing within a ten-meter radius could escape his perception, no matter how faint the sound.

The voice was somewhat familiar. With a guess forming in his mind, Chen Pingchuan slowly turned around. His gaze fell upon the woman standing not far away; it was none other than nightingale.

At this moment, nightingale was staring at him intently, her eyes sparkling with a heat that made Chen Pingchuan subconsciously avert his gaze. Just like in the simulation instance, he was momentarily at a loss for words, unsure of how to treat her.

After a moment of silence, Chen Pingchuan could only answer her implied question to mask his own awkwardness.

"It's 'appropriated'."

"Huh?"

"Appropriated. Copied. Borrowed. To put it another way, someone else wrote it, and I just 'appropriated' it to recite out loud. Commonly known as plagiarism. I am an unabashed practitioner of appropriation. You get it, right?"

"I... think so..." nightingale's voice was soft, and gone was any trace of the valiant and decisive combat team leader she once was.

Chen Pingchuan lightly pressed a hand to his forehead.

Damn it. Judging by her expression, she's clearly fallen into the whirlpool of love. Looks like I've wracked up another emotional debt.

He sighed internally. In future simulations, I have to stay far away from women, at least until the simulator's bug is fixed. Otherwise, this is just unbearable. There are already women outside waiting to ambush me. If I get a few more clinging to my side... it'll be the death of me! A god's life is as lonely as snow!

He let out a heavy sigh and turned his gaze back to nightingale's pretty face. The pallor from the simulation was gone. Under the dim streetlights, she possessed an extraordinary charm. Her eyebrows were of the sharp, 'sword brow' style—thick but not coarse, slightly raised with an air of defiance. Her face was rosy like a ripe peach, looking fresh and succulent. This was a stark departure from her appearance in the simulation; the blush, a stark contrast to her otherwise cold temperament, created a captivating effect.

Looking at nightingale's eyes, they weren't particularly large but were incredibly expressive. Below her high-bridged nose, her lips were lightly pursed as if holding back a thousand words. Strands of her jet-black hair fell casually beside her cool-looking face. Though she wore a simple combat uniform, it could hardly conceal the fullness of her chest. The proud curve of her silhouette outlined a unique blend of feminine softness and resilience.

Chen Pingchuan suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.

"Do you like me?"

nightingale looked at the man who was candidly sizing her up from a short distance away. She felt as if she had been stripped bare, and a sense of shame warred with a sliver of secret delight. She had just awakened from a memory. In that dream-like state, she had faced the darkest moment of her life but had also met the person who descended from the heavens to be her salvation. In the end, she had burned her life for that man. That thrilling, transcendent sensation was something nightingale had never experienced in her entire life. Faced with death, she had been calmer than she ever expected, ready to accept it with grace, all because of the unassuming brat standing before her.

Although she couldn't make sense of it all, she was certain of one thing: it hadn't been a dream. A dream couldn't conjure up real factions, real Black Demon Giant Beasts, or a real city-wide defensive battle. Such things were simply impossible. Riddled with unanswered questions, she had also decided to take a walk to clear her head, which was how she had bumped into Chen Pingchuan, who was out for the same reason.

Facing Chen Pingchuan's question, nightingale pondered for a moment before her lips parted.

"I don't know."

"Hmm, not knowing is good!" Chen Pingchuan said. "Do you admire me?"

The air fell silent again. This time, her answer came much faster.

"A little."

"Do you like your life right now?"

"Not very much."

"Could you give up your current, comfortable life?"

A strange light flashed in nightingale's eyes; she seemed to be vaguely grasping what Chen Pingchuan was implying.

"I can!"

"Good. In that case, if you're willing, you can come with me. I'll give you an hour."

This time, Chen Pingchuan's words left nightingale utterly stunned.

"What? You're leaving?"