Chapter Forty-Seven: At Dusk

At dusk, as evening approached, the immense red sun hung low on the horizon like an old man entering his twilight years, gradually sinking beneath the edge of the world. Warm orange light filtered through the clouds and spilled over the city below.

“What a beautiful and unforgettable dusk—how many years has it been since I last saw one like this?” In Room 1008 of the VIP ward at Area A Hospital, Mu Lin Bershir stood quietly at the window. Her turquoise eyes gazed closely at the orange-red sky, filled with deep longing.

It was a yearning for that distant horizon.

She stood there for quite a while before finally turning away and looking at Zhou Haoran on the hospital bed, and Zhou Lingtian standing nearby. She spoke calmly, “Tonight, when darkness falls, will be your last chance for revenge. Don’t let it slip away.”

At the same time, under the same sky, on Tianhua Street in Area B, the proprietress was leaning lazily against the wooden door of her café, also gazing up at the glorious sunset. But rather than admiring its beauty, she was counting the passing minutes—waiting, anticipating, the final dusk.

Just then, as Xia Yue and Chen Hao finished closing up the café, they called out, “Mela, Hyde, it’s time for us to go!”

“Yes, Lady Marianne!”

...

“Nutrient Solution Shop!”

This shop was bustling with customers, all there to purchase nutrient solutions.

As Nangong Yuchen and his two companions entered, a staff member greeted them warmly, “Welcome, all three of you! How may I assist you today?”

“We’d like to buy some nutrient solutions,” Letian said, glancing at the time on his phone—17:33. He got straight to the point.

“Of course. Please, take a seat.” The staff member led them to an empty spot by the counter and began to ask, “What type of nutrient solution are you looking for?”

Letian looked over at Nangong Yuchen—after all, he was the one buying the nutrient solutions, and Letian knew little about them. In the past, he’d always purchased whatever for Lehán from outside.

Feeling a bit awkward under the attentive gaze of the staff girl, Nangong Yuchen replied, “Could you introduce your nutrient solutions to us?”

Realizing it was their first time there, the receptionist smiled graciously and explained, “Our nutrient solutions come in four types. The first is the standard solution, which boosts all three physical attributes and falls under the ordinary category. Depending on purity, the price ranges from 250 to 350 credits per gram.

“The other three are specialized for different physical training types: strength, speed, and neural reflexes. These targeted solutions offer more precise and effective enhancement and breakthroughs. Their price is also based on purity, at 350 to 500 credits per gram.”

After her brief introduction, she asked, “Which type would you like?”

After hearing the prices, Nangong Yuchen couldn’t help but click his tongue in surprise—wasn’t this outrageously expensive? If he hadn’t just sold the mech for 500,000, affording these would be nothing but a pipe dream.

His monthly salary, even if he neither ate, drank, nor paid for housing, couldn’t even buy ten grams—a mere taste would be gone in an instant. What good would that do?

But for his and Kexin’s physical training, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and go through with it.

“We’ll take the regular, the speed, and the neural reflex types,” he decided.

He chose these because he needed to improve all three attributes simultaneously, making the regular solution essential for himself. His sister Kexin specialized in speed, so that was a must. The neural reflex type was for Lehán—though money was tight, Lehán had certainly tried to persuade his father Letian to let him come and likely paid some price to borrow the city access card. Helping a good friend by buying him some solution was only right.

Even without these reasons, he would have bought some for Lehán anyway.

“Very well. What purity would you like for these three?” The receptionist took out a slip, ready to record their order.

“Purity?” After a moment’s thought, Nangong Yuchen said, “We’ll take the 100% pure solutions.”

Effectiveness was key, so he chose undiluted, full-purity nutrient solutions without hesitation.

“And how many grams of each would you like?”

“One hundred grams of the regular, two hundred grams of the speed, and one hundred grams of the neural reflex,” he replied after a moment’s calculation.

He still had a bottle left over from what he’d gotten off Cheng Tianyou, and the extra hundred grams would last him a month. As for Kexin, she’d probably never had nutrient solution before, so he bought two hundred grams for her. Lehán’s family wasn’t short on money, so a hundred grams was a gesture of goodwill.

“That’s thirty-five thousand for the regular, one hundred thousand for speed, and fifty thousand for neural reflex—totalling one hundred eighty-five thousand. Since this is your first purchase with us, I’ll give you a discount. Let’s say one hundred eighty thousand. Does that suit you?” the receptionist said after tallying up the cost.

“Alright.” Nangong Yuchen handed over his gold card. After paying, within seconds he received a text alert: his balance was now three hundred twenty thousand.

Nangong Yuchen winced in pain. The five hundred thousand he’d just received had already shrunk by a third!

After completing the transaction, the receptionist carefully packaged four small bottles of one hundred grams each and handed them to him.

Letian, seeing everything was done, led the other two out of the Mecha Tower.

“Nangong, why did you buy so much at once?” Lehán hadn’t dared speak up in the shop after his previous scolding, so he’d held in this question until now.

“Of course it’s for training.” Nangong Yuchen couldn’t help but laugh at the pained look on his face, as if he’d spent his own money.

“Here, take this and remember to train properly at home.” He put his and his sister’s nutrient solutions in his backpack, then handed the neural reflex solution to Lehán.

“For me?” Lehán was stunned. Pointing at his nose with a finger, he blinked and said, “You bought this for me, Nangong?”

“Who else? Neither Kexin nor I need it,” Nangong Yuchen replied with a nod.

“Ah, you truly are my best friend—better to me than my own father!” Lehán grinned from ear to ear, excitement written all over his face as he accepted the bottle. In his delight, he even threw Letian under the bus.

Letian, walking ahead, nearly stumbled at the words.

“Ungrateful brat! I’ve fed you, clothed you, and bought you nutrient solution every month—is that not enough?” Letian turned to the two and said sternly, “You two wait here for me!”

He then took out his phone, made a call, and sent the city card to his mecha friend.

Nangong Yuchen and Lehán nodded and waited at the gate of the City of Science for his return.

Left alone, Lehán spoke up, his voice filled with blessing. “Nangong, now that you have the money, you can break through to the first tier sooner and rescue Uncle and Aunt.”

“Yes.” Nangong Yuchen nodded firmly. His heart was full of hope and confidence. With these nutrient solutions, he was sure he could soon advance to first-tier mecha warrior, rescue his parents—and Ningxue.

The more he thought, the more excited he became. It was as if he could already see that bright future unfolding before him.

But just as the two of them were lost in their excitement, the massive crystal at the center of the five surrounding towers suddenly burst forth with dazzling blue light. Like a beacon from the heavens, it illuminated the entire City of Science. From the crystal, a tremendous circular wave of light spread outward, expanding to envelop the whole of Xiashi…

And not only that—following close behind the blue wave was a blinding flash of red light…