[You sat in the coffin, watching the chaos unfold before you without any reaction.]
[Xiangling and Chef Mao helped Keqing up and walked over to you.]
[Sensing something approaching, your eyes turned fierce, and you let out another beastly roar.]
[They realized that you were like a programmed machine. If anyone got too close, you would attack indiscriminately.
But if they kept a certain distance, you would just stare blankly ahead, like a lifeless doll.]
[The three of them didn't dare get too close, standing at a distance and looking at you with longing eyes.]
["Brother, it's me, Xiangling. Can you hear me? If you can, please blink your eyes..."
Xiangling thought your soul was just trapped, and she hoped to wake you up this way.]
[She didn't know that your body was just an empty shell. No matter how much she called out, you couldn't respond.]
["Wait, I'll make Boiled Fish for Kael. He'll definitely react when he smells the familiar scent."
Chef Mao felt he had found a solution and hurried to the kitchen.]
["Keqing, what's wrong with Brother? Why did he become like this... He'll wake up, right? He still recognizes us, right?"
Xiangling asked, her voice trembling with tears.]
[Keqing stared at you obsessively. "Yes, he'll wake up. He will..."]
[Chef Mao quickly prepared a pot of Boiled Fish. The hot oil was still sizzling, filling Wanmin with its strong aroma.]
[He placed the dish near you and returned to a safe distance.]
[The three of them kept their eyes on you, not daring to look away for a moment.]
[They were afraid of missing even the slightest reaction from you, any sign that you were still alive...]
[And so, they stayed with you, waiting from day to night, and from night to dawn.]
[An entire day passed like this.]
Sigh.
Kael couldn't bear to watch any longer.
His body in the Life Simulation was just an empty shell.
Even if they waited a lifetime, it would be useless.
He wouldn't react to anything except violence.
It was time to end this tragedy...
"System, switch to Sensory Mode."
As soon as the perspective shifted, Kael was overwhelmed by intense pain.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
He couldn't help but cry out in agony.
During his third Life Simulation, he had used Sensory Mode to duel Kujou Sara in Inazuma.
At that time, he had suffered many injuries, but the physical pain was still within his tolerance.
But this pain was completely different.
He was being eroded by endless hatred and despair, as if his body was being burned by raging Karma.
This pain pierced through his soul.
In just a few seconds, Kael felt like he was going insane.
Hearing Kael's scream, Chef Mao, Xiangling, and Keqing rushed over.
Xiangling, seeing Kael's twisted expression, asked anxiously, "What's wrong with Brother? Why does he look so pained?"
Keqing, who had personally experienced the pain of Karma, knew Kael was being tormented by it.
Faced with this situation, she had no idea how to help.
In a panic, she placed her hand on the corroded side of Kael's face.
"Kael, transfer the Karma to me. Let me share the burden... Hurry! Transfer it to me!"
Keqing's desperate cries brought Kael back to his senses slightly.
What a fool.
Karma couldn't be transferred to others.
If it could, Xiao wouldn't have been tormented by it for thousands of years.
And even if it were possible, he would never do such a thing.
[Detecting the host's mental state is on the verge of collapse, 20 Attribute Points have been forcibly used to reduce pain. Pain level decreased by 70%.]
As soon as the system finished speaking, Kael felt a weight lift from his body. The pain had indeed lessened significantly.
Although he still felt pain all over, it was now within bearable limits. At least he wouldn't feel like he was going mad.
Damn it, 20 Attribute Points gone just like that. His Sensory Mode time was now reduced by 4 hours.
He only had 18 hours left.
But these points had to be spent.
If the pain wasn't reduced, he wouldn't even be able to move.
He'd just be sitting there howling in agony for the remaining hours.
After regaining his composure, Kael took Keqing's hand off his face and held it tightly.
His gaze swept over everyone's faces.
"Dad, Xiangling, Keqing, I'm back."
-------
Chef Mao was overjoyed, tears streaming down his face as he looked at Kael. "You're finally back... It's good that you're back!"
"Brother!!!"
Xiangling, tears flowing, rushed toward Kael.
"Wait!"
Kael knew his body was still filled with Karma and was afraid of hurting Xiangling. He tried to dodge, but the coffin was too small. There was no space to avoid her, and he could only watch as Xiangling landed on the corroded side of his body.
"Ugh..."
The sudden pain made Xiangling cry out, her face turning pale instantly.
Kael quickly pushed Xiangling away with his uncorrupted hand.
Xiangling stood to the side, taking a moment to recover.
She looked at Kael in shock. "Brother... you..."
Kael quickly gave Xiangling a look, signaling her not to say anything in front of Chef Mao.
Xiangling clenched her fists and lowered her head, hiding her expression from Chef Mao.
Chef Mao, overwhelmed with joy, didn't notice Xiangling's reaction.
He reached out, wanting to give Kael a hug.
This time, Kael was prepared. He flipped out of the coffin and landed on the ground.
Keqing also reacted, pulling Kael back to avoid Chef Mao's outstretched hand.
"Dad, I'm a bit hungry. Can you make me something to eat?"
Chef Mao, though a little confused, nodded and hurried to the kitchen.
Once Chef Mao was gone, Xiangling raised her head.
Her eyes were red as she looked at Kael.
"Brother... are you in a lot of pain...?"
Kael forced a relaxed smile. "Pain? I don't feel anything. I'm fine now..."
"You're lying!!!"
Xiangling's tears burst forth as she shouted at Kael. "You're lying!!! I just touched you for a moment, and it hurt so much I could barely breathe... How could you not feel any pain... How is that possible... You're lying... lying..."
She crouched on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. "What did those bad people do to you?! Why did they do this to you?! It's all my fault! Why did I run off? If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have to suffer like this... You were tricked because of me... It's all my fault!!! I'm the one who should have died!"
Kael scolded her. "What nonsense are you talking about?!"
Ever since learning of Kael's death, Xiangling had been blaming herself.
She believed she had indirectly caused Kael's death.
Her suppressed emotions finally erupted at this moment.
Xiangling's voice grew hoarse from crying, but she stubbornly kept repeating, "It's all my fault... It's all my fault..."
Kael looked at Xiangling, who was crouched on the ground, her face red from crying and gasping for breath. He sighed.
This was why he was willing to spend all his Attribute Points to use Sensory Mode and come back to settle things.
Both Xiangling and Keqing believed they were the ones who had caused his death.
Guilt was the deepest torment in the world.
Especially when you thought you had caused the death of someone you loved deeply. This kind of guilt could drive a person mad.
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