“Lifespan?! That’s the price?”
The bearded man stared in shock, the half-burnt cigarette slipping from his lips and falling to the ground.
In that instant, a rare pang of guilt struck his heart. That talisman—something so powerful—had been purchased from Chen Huaian at the price of 100,000 yuan. A price that now felt almost like robbery.
After all, that talisman had cost Chen Huaian part of his life.
“Then how did you know the price was lifespan? I remember you didn’t even know that the talisman could be used before.”
Chen Huaian had already prepared his response.
“I really didn’t know before,” he said, smoothly and without pause. “As for how I figured it out…”
He rolled up his pant leg.
A dense cluster of osteosarcomas—misshapen, hardened growths—covered his leg like a disease out of control.
“To be honest… I have terminal cancer. But a week ago, I was only in the mid-stage.”
The bearded man’s expression stiffened as he stared at the grotesque tumors.
“So… after you exchanged for the talisman… your condition worsened?”
Chen Huaian nodded solemnly.
“Yeah. The doctor said the spread of the cancer cells is unlike anything he’s ever seen. And it accelerated right after I got the talisman.”
“…Then how long… can you live?”
“Who knows?” Chen Huaian smiled, his expression relaxed and oddly cheerful. “If I’m lucky, I’ll last six months. If not—maybe a month.”
The bearded man’s throat tightened.
It was hard to imagine that the young man in front of him, still glowing with life and confidence, was already on the countdown to death.
But the tumors were real.
The prognosis was real.
And the guilt? It crashed down on him like a landslide.
‘I’m scum…’
He scolded himself bitterly. As the director of the Tianfu Demon Slaying Division, he had tricked a terminally ill young man into parting with one of the most valuable magical talismans he had ever seen—for a measly hundred thousand.
If the other districts found out, they’d rip him apart.
“Brother Huaian…” the bearded man took a deep breath and bowed his head. “I’m sorry.”
“I shouldn’t have deceived you. I shouldn’t have taken that talisman like that.”
“Oh, it’s fine~” Chen Huaian waved it off nonchalantly. “It’s not like I don’t have more. I’m already dying, right? Spending a little more life doesn’t really matter anymore.”
The bearded man clenched his fists.
The guilt deepened.
“Then I’ll transfer you another 100,000!”
“Okay.” Chen Huaian immediately pulled out his phone and opened his payment QR code with lightning speed.
Bearded man: “…”
After the transfer, the atmosphere between them became noticeably warmer.
The bearded man asked softly, “So, Brother Huaian… what are your plans now?”
“Plans…”
Chen Huaian fell into thought.
He and the bearded man sat side by side on the curb, watching the evening traffic rush past.
In truth, his plan was simple:
Make more money. Charge more into the game.
Back when he thought “Electronic Girlfriend” was just a game, he already had no regrets spending on it.
Now that he knew it was a companion spirit, he was even more willing.
Who knows—maybe one day, the game would drop an item that could cure his cancer.
Also, there was one lingering question in his mind:
Was the game’s world real?
If it were fake… why did Li Qingran seem so alive, so human?
But if it were real, then what kind of terrifyingly advanced civilization must that world be?
A basic Thunder-Fire Talisman from that world had enough force to obliterate monsters—maybe even tanks. If there were immortal-grade talismans, wouldn’t they be on par with missiles, or even nuclear bombs?
The power scaling made sense.
If this world was three-dimensional, and that world was only “data,” then the logic wouldn’t work. But everything inside the game—plot lines, choice menus, main quests—felt curated.
It had to be a game.
Chen Huaian was almost convinced the “Electronic Girlfriend” app on his phone was the companion spirit the bearded man spoke of.
But as for whether the cultivation world inside was real or just a simulation…
He still wasn’t sure.
Of course, he hoped Li Qingran was real.
But hoping too much can be dangerous. Because if you believe too hard in something that turns out to be false, the fall back into reality is devastating.
The bearded man mistook his silence as uncertainty.
Gently, he patted Chen Huaian’s shoulder and spoke in a low, solemn voice:
“The world’s only going to get more chaotic. Everything we once protected—may break at any time.”
Across the street, children were skipping home in their school uniforms, singing nursery rhymes.
On a nearby park bench, a couple held each other tightly, kissing as if no one else existed.
In the setting sun, an old man carried a basket of vegetables on his back, while a delivery rider slowed down so as not to knock him over.
Chen Huaian looked at it all quietly, as the bearded man’s voice echoed in his ears…
“Brother Huaian, why don’t you join the Demon Slayer Division?”
The bearded man looked at him with sincerity. “I can help connect you with a few awakened ones who have healing abilities. Maybe we can even find a way to cure your cancer. The Demon Slayer Division now isn’t what it used to be.”
He lowered his voice slightly, almost like he was revealing a great secret:
“Do you know about breathing techniques? Kind of like cultivation methods in xianxia novels. They let you absorb spiritual energy from the world to strengthen yourself. Right now, only our Demon Slayer Division has them.”
“But…”
The bearded man’s expression turned serious.
“My real reason for inviting you isn’t just for benefits or healing. I want you to join us for our mission!”
“A mission to protect our homeland… to protect humanity… to protect peace!”
He finished with a flourish, glancing at Chen Huaian from the corner of his eye.
This speech was textbook—classic recruitment tactics from the Demon Slayer Division.
Most people, especially young ones, would show at least a hint of emotion.
But—
Chen Huaian’s face was completely blank. Expressionless.
The bearded man froze.
Then, finally, Chen Huaian scratched his head and gave a polite smile.
“Thanks for telling me all this, and I appreciate the offer.”
“But…” He looked into the distance, as if recalling something.
“You know, my parents died in a forest fire.”
“They were supposed to receive ¥200,000 in compensation, but after all kinds of red tape and ‘mistakes,’ I only ended up with ¥20,000.”
“I struggled for years after that. Just when I thought graduating college would turn things around, I got diagnosed with advanced cancer.”
“The hospital didn’t ask me about my condition. They asked if I had money or insurance. If not—come back when you do.”
“My girlfriend left me the moment she found out. Cheated on me first, dumped me after.”
The bearded man clenched his fists, pain flashing across his face.
He finally asked, “Do you think the world is unfair, so—”
But Chen Huaian cut him off with a faint smile.
“No. I think the world is fair.”
“It’s fair to let someone die if they can’t afford treatment.”
“It’s fair that compensation gets lost in bureaucracy.”
“It’s even fair that a girlfriend ditches her boyfriend the moment he becomes a burden.”
He looked straight at the bearded man. His tone was calm, but his eyes carried a deep chill.
“But you know what I do feel?”
“I feel that when I was most desperate, this world never once reached out to hold me.”
“So why should I turn around and hug this world back? That’s just disgusting.“
Silence.
The bearded man felt a chill run down his spine.
The warm sun shone on the boy, but in that moment, he looked more like a walking specter.
Chen Huaian turned and gave him one last smile.
“Uncle, you’re protecting your world.”
“But my world isn’t worth protecting yet.”
…
At the end of the street, the young man dragged his suitcase behind him.
His silhouette slowly disappeared into the crowd.
He turned around once, waved casually with a smile, then vanished into the sea of strangers.
The bearded man stayed seated on the steps. He lit one cigarette after another.
Even as people came and went, the boy’s last words still echoed in his ears:
“I won’t join the Demon Slayer Division. At least not now.
I don’t see a reason to. I don’t see the mission you speak of.
But if one day you really need help… come find me.
I can’t promise I’ll be useful—but I’ll try.”
The traffic light turned green.
The bearded man stood up, crushed out his cigarette, and melted into the crowd.
He didn’t return to headquarters.
He just wanted to walk.
To see the people who live under the same sky…
but in different worlds.
