The night was very still, very quiet.

At the cold and desolate lakeshore, firewood crackled and snapped as the bonfire blazed.

Lu Yuwen opened his eyes and saw a sky full of stars. For a moment, his mind felt dazed and unfocused.

…Had he not died?

Or had he already died, and entered another world?

Lu Yuwen closed his eyes. The pain from his body came through clearly — his throat burned, and his head was heavy and muddled.

Then he heard a low, muffled sobbing.

He opened his eyes and turned his head to see Su Man sitting not far away, her head buried deep between her knees, seemingly crying.

“Su Man…”

Lu Yuwen tried to call her name, but when he opened his mouth, his voice came out hoarse.

With some effort, he picked up a small stone from beside him and tossed it over, creating a sound to get her attention.

Su Man looked up. Seeing that Lu Yuwen had woken, she quickly wiped away her tears, stood, and walked over.

“You’re awake? Are you feeling any better? Is there anything that hurts?”

Lu Yuwen moved his lips: “Water…”

“Water?” Su Man said, puzzled. “You were soaking in water for so long, and you still want to drink water?”

Lu Yuwen didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and could only look at her helplessly.

Su Man belatedly realized her own response had been rather foolish. She smiled awkwardly, got up, and went to fetch water for Lu Yuwen.

The cool, clear water slid down his throat, and Lu Yuwen’s dry and hoarse voice gradually recovered a little.

He looked at Su Man before him, then looked at the first-aid-treated wounds on his own body, and felt a deep swell of emotion. “How did I not die…”

In a situation like that, no matter how he thought about it, death should have been the only outcome…

Su Man was a little displeased. “Die? What die? Of course it’s because I saved you.”

Lu Yuwen smiled at her with a hint of gentle coaxing. “But in that situation, if you saved me, you might have died too…”

Su Man pressed her lips together and fixed her gaze on the burning fire. She replied in a muffled voice: “Someone once told me to keep going… no matter what, you have to keep going.”

Even when things look hopeless, maybe if you just hold on a little longer — just a little longer — a turning point will come.

Lu Yuwen fell silent at those words. A moment later, he said softly, “Yes… we should keep going.”

…

The next day, they once again began piecing together the land tiles.

Without Zhang Ke’s help, their efficiency slowed considerably. But without Zhang Ke’s threat hanging over them, both were mentally at ease, and things progressed smoothly.

When the final tile clicked into its correct position, all the arrows throughout the maze began to hum and vibrate — like countless bees taking flight, dense yet orderly!

Every arrow pointed in the same direction!

Su Man and Lu Yuwen looked at each other.

They both understood: this time, the place the arrows pointed to was definitely the real exit.

After enduring so many days and nights inside the maze, they were finally going to get out.

As that long-held hope became reality before her eyes, Su Man’s heart pounded in her chest, and her excitement was beyond words.

She carried Lu Yuwen on her back. Though exhausted in body and spirit, when she saw the exit right before her, her steps grew impossibly light — and faster and faster —

Su Man stepped through the doorway the arrows indicated!

“Congratulations, player, on clearing Maze No. 6.”

That long-missed voice sounded in her ears. Su Man was so excited she nearly cried out!

The familiar mechanical voice continued:

“Player is the first to clear Maze No. 6. Reward: three puzzle pieces.”

“Player’s ranking in this round of game clearance: First. Initiating data upgrade for player now… Ding. Upgrade complete.”

“Reward settlement complete. Please continue the game, player. Keep pushing forward to clear —”

The voice ended. The white mist dissipated.

Su Man immediately tore off the bandage on her left hand!

Her left hand was smooth and fair, her five fingers long and nimble and free — her hand had fully recovered!

Su Man could no longer hold back. She wept tears of joy, crying over her own hand like a child.

Lu Yuwen stood not far away, his expression dazed.

Su Man ran over happily: “Lu Yuwen, my hand is healed! Look — completely healed!”

Lu Yuwen lowered his head and looked at his own foot. “My foot… is healed too…”

—