Vol 1: Chapter 7-2.
‘Good people should be blessed. But am I still a good person?’
Zheng knew he’s not a good person. Lori’s death was too much of a shock to him, he became corrupted. Living in a black and white world, games, bars, one night stands, drugs…
He couldn’t imagine how she would react when she learned of it. She was so pure, flawless as a crystal. It reflected his filth.
Zheng had prepared for the worst. He sat on the sofa and lit a cigarette, then prepared to tell her. Lori stood up. “That’s it. Stop. Look at your face, I can guess what you’ve been through. I don’t want to hear it. It will just make me mad.”
Then she put her head close to his. “Pervert. Listen carefully. I am back so you will forget all the mess from now on. Those women or other girls. Forget all this. There’s only Lori, the only one. Understand?”
She started crying as she said. “I’m sorry. So sorry. I didn’t keep our promise. To be together till our hair turns silver. To think about our childhood memories like in the songs. I can forget about you and my memories, but I can’t forget this promise. You’re probably so sad these years. I was selfish to leave you alone. I’m sorry.”
Zheng embraced her without a word. All that’s left in the room was her cries. But they know after all the sadness came out, what they have left is hope. The past was over and their future has infinite possibilities and hope.
Times always goes so fast when you’re happiest. Zheng spent the days training, then looking through the items God had; and his nights watching horror movies with Lori. Yes, horror movies. He found out he could exchange any movie from God. As someone that had to survive through horror movies, it was more important than anything to be familiar with the plots.
This lasted for nine days. Today was the last day they were to stay in this place. They decided to take a rest and wait until the evening when they would be transported to the next movie. But before that, they have one last chance to finish preparation.
Eleven AM. Zheng’s still in bed chatting with Lori.
“Then are you going today?”
Zheng felt a heavy weight. He didn’t know what was next. Perhaps a virus, or monsters, or aliens. Once he’s in there, survival is not guaranteed. So he didn’t answer her. Just held her tight.
“Our promise… to be together until our hair turns silver, to think about our childhood, you have to tell me stories, we have to travel in the real world, to watch auroras, to see the statues in Easter Island… so many promises. Tell me you will come back, and finish these promises with me.”
Lori raised her head and looked at Zheng’s eyes until he nodded.
“Love is like a sand castle. You put it together bit by bit, and have to prevent it from getting washed away. It’s difficult and tiring but when you finish it, you will see how beautiful it is. It’s worth spending so much to protect it.”
He hadn’t heard this for ten years. She always liked to say this, and then looked at him with expectation. He never paid much attention it it back then, but when he heard it again after ten years, he was moved.
“Then… please finish the castle. This time we will keep our promise together.”
Zheng closed his eyes, and when he opened it again, he was determined. He will live no matter what.
“That’s basically it. Three grenades each person, one hemostatic spray, one oral antidote, one bandage, and an amulet. Thanks to Zheng. These cost 100 points. We wouldn’t have the points to exchange for them.”
Zheng looked at his points with a bitter smile, he only had 276 points left, down from 6502. But then he looked at all the support items in his ring and felt better.
Jie packed his stuff then put them in his pockets. “Even though it’s only a few days but you’ve trained everything you should. Just remember one point: Everything can happen in movies, so you must be cautious. And try to help others if possible, but if they affect your safety, kill them.”
Lan and Xiaoyi hesitated, but Zheng nodded. “How are we going to the next movie? Do we just disappear suddenly?”
Jie shook his head. “No. When it’s time, there will be twenty beams. You just have to stand in one.”
They sat on the floor in the platform as they talked. Lori and the other two women didn’t come out to see the go. Perhaps women were all the same when they had to see their lovers go.
After twenty minutes, God became brighter and brighter. Then it shot twenty beams to the ground. A voice sounded inside their head.
“Enter the beam in thirty seconds. Target locked. Transportation to Alien starts.”[1]
1. Alien (1979) is a film about a highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature that stalks and kills the crew of a mining spaceship. Original Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGAHtWV7Ua8 Plot Summary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_(film)#Plot
