After the wisp of light faded, Ning Li, as if nothing had happened, activated [Reaper’s Decree] for the fourth time.
Yin Que originally wanted to talk with her about the wisp of light, but seeing this, he could only let it go for now.
The fourth person summoned was, once again, a scientific researcher.
Roughly five years ago, quite a few researchers had appeared in this place, so it seemed natural that a casual summon would call forth someone relevant.
For now, Ning Li had not yet found the specific summoning pattern, but it seemed that people who had been in the area before were easier to summon.
Because of the skill’s special properties, most of those summoned were not ordinary people.
The fourth researcher was a Sentinel.
When he first appeared, he even yawned.
His face was full of exhaustion, with faint blue shadows beneath his eyes—he must have worked nonstop during his life, unable to rest properly, so even after death he was still reeking of overtime.
Once the environment changed, he lazily lifted his eyelids, his voice equally lethargic, “Ah, is it my turn now?”
“You know?”
Ning Li didn’t specify what he meant, but both sides clearly understood.
He nodded lazily, “I know, I know about your conversation with that old man, Lü Guang. I also saw how hysterical he was at the end.”
So even the once high and mighty Director Lü had such an undignified side.
As he spoke, the Sentinel suddenly leaned forward slightly, only to be blocked by Yin Que’s arm.
He gave a surprised chuckle, then leaned back to his original position, arms folded, his gaze filled with interest.
“Actually, I’m really curious: for someone like Lü Guang, who died of natural causes, after being resurrected, does he die again immediately, or can he live a bit longer?”
Ning Li did not answer.
He curled his lips carelessly, as if he hadn’t expected Ning Li to answer, “If it’s the latter, then that’s a bit terrifying.”
Ning Li cut off his rambling, “Can we talk about Qi Sihui now?”
The Sentinel was clearly more interested in Ning Li and Yin Que.
“I know we have Seven-Minute Negotiation time, beautiful lady, please don’t be impatient.” After saying this, he turned his gaze to Yin Que, “Commander Yin Que, you look just the same as five years ago. It’s as if time stopped on you. Truly enviable.”
He performed a gentleman’s bow to Ning Li, “Beautiful lady, there’s no need to resurrect Lü Guang. I’m more valuable than he is.”
“The real experiments were done by me and another group of people.”
“He only read the final report. The data he knows, I know too.”
Lü Guang’s age made it impossible for him to keep doing experiments.
Ning Li listened absently.
Her mind wandered a little—so, the more vivid the summoned spirits became, the less of a good thing it was.
At first, the spirits she summoned were all dull and dazed—faces and figures unrecognizable, just a cluster of void, barely able to see a vague shadow, and conversations between them could only be the briefest exchanges.
But now, the spirits summoned were no different from when they were alive.
She could have full conversations with them, and their appearance was entirely clear.
So, some conversations began to become neither easy nor simple.
Human nature is inherently complicated.
Perhaps this was closer to reality.
Fortunately, the summoner had absolute control over the summoned.
At the very least, if they were needed in battle, they could never dare be slack.
“You want to be resurrected too?”
The Sentinel laughed, “Who doesn’t? I’m still young. I wonder if I have that honor?”
“No.”
“Ah, such a cold answer. Aren’t you afraid I’ll refuse to tell you about Qi Sihui, beautiful lady?”
“If you don’t talk, I can always summon another person who knows.”
So, you’re not that special.
The Sentinel shrugged, “That’s a shame. Seven minutes really is too short—maybe only a top negotiation master could exchange this little time for a resurrection spot. But perhaps even a negotiation master couldn’t do it. They don’t know Ning Li, don’t know her weakness. They can’t even start negotiating.”
“By the way, I wonder under what circumstances Commander Yin Que was brought back?”
He was genuinely curious, desperate to know if such a situation could be repeated.
Why Yin Que, of all people?
Was he the first person she resurrected?
Just a coincidence, that the first to come back was the white moonlight of the Sentinel world?
Was it fate or coincidence?
In fact, Yin Que was also curious.
The moment he opened his eyes, he found himself in the Guide Dormitory at the borderland Guide Academy.
The dim light outside filtered in, and he seemed to hear the sound of his own spiritual sea gradually reviving—quieter than the blossoming of a flower, yet impossible to ignore.
He couldn’t describe the feeling exactly; it was like an empty bottle slowly filling up with grains of sand.
Hearing returned.
Sight returned.
The rest of his senses, too, returned bit by bit.
He once again felt the wonder and greatness of life.
Ning Li had given him life once more.
It was a night he would never forget in this lifetime.
Therefore, when it came to his feelings toward Ning Li, he was all the more careful.
If he liked someone, then it was the purest kind of liking, without other things mixed in.
It would not be tainted by the affections between Ranfu and Ranwu, or those tied to Qumaple Cake, nor by the influence of a life-saving favor.
“To marry someone because they saved your life” was, in Yin Que’s eyes, the most irresponsible thing.
But Ning Li called him ‘gege.’
She liked to call him gege.
This was a habit from Ranwu.
Compared to the name ‘Yin Que,’ she clearly said ‘gege’ more often.
Was she still yearning for the days of being Ranwu?
And him?
Was he still immersed in those days when Ning Li depended on him with her whole heart?
Back then, their lives contained only the two of them.
No one else.
Everything else was just illusory decoration—the two of them were the only reality.
They supported each other, propped each other up.
Even if they never found the god-given item, those desperate days still seemed to glow with light.
But after leaving the dream of Ranfu and Ranwu, she didn’t seem to need him as much anymore…
She possessed formidable power now.
Maybe she still needed his company, but perhaps that was only leftover emotion from Ranwu.
Even without him, she could find other outstanding, strong companions.
Having lost the bond of blood, he was no longer irreplaceable.
Just like the Sentinel summoned now—there were plenty of people who wanted to walk with her.
Did she still need him…
Go back.
The circumstances of Yin Que’s resurrection?
At first, it was to deal with the Jellyfish Chief.
But was that truly the only reason?
At the mass grave, she encountered him twice in total.
The first time, he was discovered by Little Black.
If it weren’t for inconvenient circumstances, maybe he would’ve been picked up by Little Black just like the Cat, Dog, or Amber-Eyed Samsara Orb.
Maybe even without the Jellyfish Chief, she would have resurrected him.
Does one really need that many reasons to bring someone back to life?
Maybe it was a momentary impulse, maybe she liked his looks, maybe she simply wanted to.
Ning Li looked down at the time.
“You have one minute left.”
The Sentinel smiled lazily, “Time passes too quickly.”
His time back among the living was limited to these seven short minutes, and he certainly hadn’t given away Ning Li’s ability to resurrect people.
After all, she was right—without him, there would always be another spirit.
There was always someone willing to talk.
As far as he knew, there was an old good guy in their team, honest to a fault, no schemes at all, which was why he died so early.
That honest one would be summoned sooner or later, so he might as well just tell Ning Li the answer now, and maybe she’d do him a favor next time.
Perhaps, then, he’d get a turn at something good.
The Sentinel let out a long sigh and, in a casual tone, spoke a secret known to only a handful in this world:
“Qi Sihui’s spirit form is defective.”
He fixed Ning Li with a sharp gaze.
“This— is his greatest secret.”