Lu Mingfei, become the King of Elden!

Chapter 333 It’s too late

“First and foremost, listen carefully—those people who were living ‘normal’ lives in the borderlands, once they have a deep enough connection or ‘bond’ with us ‘undead,’ the ‘possibility’ of their lives being reset with the ‘save’ of the world disappears.”

He pointed to himself, then to Lu Mingfei:

"We are the anchor points. We are the 'nails' in this ever-repeating spacetime."

And those locals, they carry their own threads of 'destiny' on them.

When we intervene in their lives and connect with them, our 'anchoring' nature acts like a magnet, firmly attracting and entwining the threads of their 'destiny' around us.

Natsuki Subaru spoke slowly, even deliberately slowing down, to ensure that Lu Mingfei could fully understand the meaning behind the rule:

"Once this entanglement forms, it cannot be broken. The consequence is—"

When a companion like this dies, time will inevitably flow forward.

You will never be able to return to the point in time before his death through 'death'.

That point, that 'past' that could have saved him, was permanently shut down, becoming an irretrievable part of his 'history'.

Natsuki Subaru knew that Lu Mingfei was also a modern person who had traveled from the 21st century, so he used many words that were easy for the two of them to understand.

Lu Mingfei felt a chill rise up his spine.

He instantly understood why Natsuki Subaru had been so concerned about the safety of the merchants.

Because if the merchant dies, it means that Subaru Natsuki will lose this friend forever.

“In other words,” Lu Mingfei’s voice was somewhat hoarse, “if we become friends with a local, then his life or death truly becomes a ‘one-time’ event. We… lose the right to use our return from death to save him?”

"That's right!"

Natsuki Subaru nodded heavily, a bitter look on his face:
"So every time you fight alongside these people who are 'actually going to die' or accept their help, you're walking a tightrope."

We must make sure they survive, because if we fail… it's goodbye forever. There are no second chances, no going back.

As Lu Mingfei digested these suffocating rules, an almost instinctive question slipped out:

"Is this true? Or rather... does this rule apply to everyone? Are there... any exceptions?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Mingfei froze, and then a strong sense of regret welled up inside him.

He asked a stupid question, an incredibly naive one.

Sure enough, Subaru Natsuki turned his head and stared at him with an expression as if he were an idiot.

He didn't answer immediately, but just stared at Lu Mingfei for a few seconds until Lu Mingfei looked away somewhat uncomfortably.

"Ugh……"

Natsuki Subaru let out a long sigh:

"Lu Jun, how do you think we discovered this rule?"

He didn't wait for Lu Mingfei's reply; the silence on the other end was the best answer.

Some lessons are etched with blood and tears, with losses that can never be recovered.

The atmosphere became somewhat heavy.

Natsuki Subaru changed the subject, his tone becoming somewhat serious, yet carrying a hint of senior-like concern:
“Listen, Mr. Lu. I must remind you, don’t linger too long in the border area.”

"Don't confuse reality with the boundaries here... Try to avoid creating too many unnecessary entanglements."

We will eventually have to go back, won't we? Back to where we came from, where the people we love are, and where the life we ​​truly belong is.

Lu Mingfei just stared at him blankly, his eyes somewhat empty.

This was the first time he had seen Natsuki Subaru like this. In his memory, Subaru was always a carefree person who liked to show off and act like a senior, but always messed things up.

But when Lu Mingfei recalled it, he found that Subaru had always been reliable and had never made a mistake at a crucial moment.

Perhaps he was once a reckless kid, and perhaps he occasionally shows his old self, but he has completely grown up during his long life in the border region.

Natsuki Subaru looked Lu Mingfei up and down, his brows furrowing slightly.
"Have you been spending too much time in the border region lately?"

The constant cycle of fighting, dying, and resurrecting can put unimaginable pressure on your mind.

It will wear down your will, distort your perception, and even... drive you insane.

"You should go back and rest, Lu Jun."

Go back to your world, live a normal life for a few days, soak up the sun, see your friends, and have a decent meal...

Give your mind and soul a break.

He pointed to the desolate wilderness, the scarlet earth, and the giant dog lurking in the distance:

"Everything here is very real, but it is ultimately abnormal."

We cannot let ourselves be assimilated by it and forget who we originally were.

His words were sincere and full of concern for his companions.

However, the moment he finished speaking, Natsuki Subaru seemed to suddenly remember something, his eyes dimmed, and he subconsciously muttered something under his breath.

His voice was soft, yet tinged with intense bitterness, as he spoke with a self-deprecating tone:

"Although... even if I go back, there won't be a 'normal' world waiting for me..."

Lu Mingfei was stunned. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, perhaps to comfort himself, or perhaps to comfort him, but found that he couldn't say anything.

Soon, Natsuki Subaru shook his head, as if trying to completely shake off his inner vulnerability.

He straightened his back again, and his signature smile returned to his face.

"All right!"

He clapped his hands, raising his voice slightly to break the heavy atmosphere:

"The fight's over, and I've told you all the rules, both the important ones and the less important ones. There's no point in staying any longer. Shall we... go back now?"

Lu Mingfei looked at Natsuki Subaru, at his efforts to maintain "normality," and simply nodded silently.

He raised his hand, and the strangely shaped "Finger Severing Blade" appeared out of thin air in his hand.

This is a phantom blade that severs the hook-like connection.

Lu Mingfei raised the limb-severing knife high and made a light slash at the empty space in front of him.

A tiny spatial rift flashed by.

Lu Mingfei could clearly feel that the invisible "thread" connecting him with Natsuki Subaru and the world beneath his feet snapped instantly.

A strong sense of detachment instantly washed over me.

The surrounding scenery—wasteland, mist, dilapidated houses, and Subaru Natsuki standing in front of him—began to rapidly become blurry and transparent, like a faded oil painting.

Just before his consciousness was completely pulled back to reality, Lu Mingfei watched Natsuki Subaru's gradually fading figure and murmured very softly in a voice only he could hear:

"It's too late, Subaru...it's too late."

(End of this chapter)