There are many ways to solve problems; it's not as if death is the only option.
What this means is that to make a child independent, one way is to let them leave the family and strive in society, not to have their parents die.
Seeing Bai Cha's helpless gaze, Lucifer finally realized that Bai Cha had always been a person who prioritized missions and the bigger picture, always at the forefront to resolve dangers. This made Lucifer forget for a moment that Bai Cha also had the concept of retirement.
"When I was on duty, I had to accept whatever tasks they gave me, but if I retire, they can't possibly force me to work anymore." Seeing Lucifer's awkward expression, Bai Cha chuckled, "So, even though you're so smart, you've always been thinking that I'm about to die?"
"No, this subordinate doesn't mean that." Lucifer waved his hands in a panic, but from his slightly raised and tightly pressed lips, Bai Cha could clearly see Lucifer's happiness and relief.
Was he happy for her?
"Thinking back to the beginning, you seemed intent on treating me as your meal. Now, are you being so dedicated to a chicken leg?" Bai Cha walked forward with a smile. Moonlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating Lucifer's face. His skin was smooth and soft, and under the moonlight, Bai Cha felt it was like bouncy jelly and couldn't resist reaching out to pinch it.
As the delicate body suddenly drew near, the warmth of her breath and the faint scent of lily of the valley made Lucifer's breathing hitch.
Soft, beautiful, pure, indifferent, enchanting... Lucifer couldn't find words to describe her. He couldn't understand how one person could blend all these words together and embody them without any conflict.
She was so close, as if about to kiss his lips, making his breath almost stop.
Her eyes shimmered with water, and up close, they were like a calm sea reflecting the vast expanse of stars, more beautiful than the universe he saw during his fall.
Her fingers were soft, and when they touched his cheek, there was a tingling warmth. Her lips were like a fallen cherry blossom, soft, and seemingly sweet. If he were to kiss them, he wondered if...
No, what was he thinking?
His almost stopped heartbeat, because Lucifer suddenly came to his senses, began to pound like a drum, its rhythm thrown into disarray. The army of thousands in his heart seemed to be defeated because the war drums had lost their rhythm, all defenses and formations in chaos.
At this moment, the moonlight outlined their figures. His master's eyes held stars, moonlight, and him.
At this moment, Lucifer suddenly awoke and was certain that his feelings for his master were more than just concern, more than possession. He loved his master, buried deep in his heart like magma deep within the earth, hot and restrained.
So this was human passion, was this love at first sight?
"What's wrong? Spacing out?" Bai Cha had already retracted her hand. Lucifer's face indeed felt good to the touch, like stroking a contented cat, which made Bai Cha feel satisfied. "The moon is nice today, shall we go to the rooftop for some air?"
"Okay." Lucifer obediently agreed. The moonlight shone on Bai Cha's face, adding a touch of ethereal quality to her, but Lucifer felt the moonlight might be scorching, because his gaze was mixed within it.
When did he start liking her?
Lucifer was unsure.
Perhaps everyone thinks this way when they discover their feelings, pondering and reminiscing, yet not knowing when this person had already entered their heart.
Was it every time he saw her protect everyone without hesitation, brave and fearless? Was it every time he saw her calm and rational when everyone else was flustered? Was it every time he saw her standing alone atop a tall building, gazing at the bustling city lights, her loneliness and indifference? Or was it the occasional hint of laziness and pride when she relaxed?
Perhaps it was all of it, or perhaps, right from the very beginning, in that vast laboratory, the embryonic demonic dragon opened its eyes a slit when it felt that favored soul, its elegant silhouette reflected in its eyes.
At that very moment, the wind whistling through the hall had triggered a mountain torrent, and dandelions, having broken through the long-defeated defenses, landed in the monarch's hand. The petals scattered, and the world was painted in her image.
"I often come here for air, but it's not as high as the Wanguo Building, and you can't see the traffic or the city. It's a bit lonely." Bai Cha held the railing of the rooftop, smiling with rare ease, "Although I like quiet, I like to see others lively. It makes me feel that my efforts are valuable."
"Then let's go to the Wanguo Building." Lucifer stepped forward, put a jacket on Bai Cha, and just like when they first met, he directly picked her up.
Bai Cha immediately stiffened, which made Lucifer chuckle. Bai Cha's reaction was the same as before; she had never been comfortable being the one who was protected.
"Why so sudden? I was thinking about whether I should go on a mission tomorrow." Bai Cha recovered, leaning on Lucifer's shoulder with relief, and looked at him speechlessly, "Also, why the sudden action? I'm not injured this time."
"Yes, I wanted you to rest a bit longer." Lucifer replied very naturally.
Absolute honesty can indeed be impeccable. Lucifer's directness left Bai Cha unsure of how to respond.
Should she say she didn't need to rest?
That didn't seem right, it would be too ungrateful.
Lucifer was in a good mood. Initially, he saw Bai Cha as food and thought he was protecting his property. Later, he began to care about Bai Cha and thought it might be a misunderstanding caused by resonance, which led to many complex emotional fluctuations around Bai Cha.
But he didn't mind. If there were emotional fluctuations, so be it. He wasn't as bored as people in some brainless Xianxia dramas who would become agitated upon realizing their emotions were off. He preferred to let things happen naturally, and besides, he didn't dislike taking care of Bai Cha.
Who knew that despite his attitude of letting things flow, he had unknowingly secretly wished to spend his life with her, a greedy and almost laughable thought that made him afraid to speak.
The Wanguo Building was the tallest building in Z-nation, located in the capital. It was a landmark building integrating various fields such as military, scientific research, and hacking. Its exterior was handsome and highly designed. The hackers of Z-nation occupied the twenty-third to twenty-sixth floors of this building, and the firewall of this building was established by Bai Cha together with Xiang Nan and others.
The building's armed forces were perfected by Bai Cha and a few others, including Lang Mo. Once, someone maliciously tried to crash a plane directly into the Wanguo Building, but it was detected as suspicious as soon as it entered the airspace. After hacking into the automatic flight system and determining the flight path, it was intercepted before it could even get close to the city.
Being able to hack or infiltrate Z-nation's Wanguo Trade Center, and even to leave without doing anything and get away clean, would significantly boost one's international standing and speaking power, showing its robustness.
This building was so tall that the cars below them looked like ants. The flowing traffic formed fine lines. Even from the rooftop, one could faintly hear the prosperity and noise from below. Looking at the brightly lit streets, it even made one imagine how bustling it must be with the small vendors and crowds.
Even in this technologically advanced future, even though food could be transmitted directly by machines, replacing delivery drivers, and even though it was so convenient, various districts still retained diverse streets and squares, with noisy and prosperous markets continuing for thousands of years.
Humans seemed to be like this: disliking loneliness and yearning for liveliness and warmth. In lively places, they shopped with friends, and even their appetites and desire to buy would become stronger. Even on the rooftop, looking at those small black dots scattered in twos and threes, Bai Cha could imagine the happiness and joy of those people.
"Sometimes, I'm really tired. I wonder what I'm doing. Why, even though I try my best to do everything well, I still don't get fair treatment." Bai Cha brushed a strand of her long hair aside, and her smile actually made Lucifer feel a sense of gentle pity.
"But someone has to play different roles. If I stepped down as a guardian, then all this prosperity would turn into ruins." Bai Cha sighed softly, "Many innocent people would be implicated. How could I abandon them?"
She was a beast lurking in the darkness, a monster crawling in the swamp. She used every means, only hoping that the people of this world could live their sunny lives undisturbed, hoping that the lights would shine as usual at night.
"Do you think I'm very foolish? No one is forcing me to be a hero." Bai Cha looked at Lucifer beside her, a bitter smile on her face. "Many times I've wanted to give up, but when they give me a mission, I still complete it without hesitation."
Even with a sense of urgency, wanting to resolve it as soon as possible.
"No, everyone's pursuit is different. Time will eventually bury all beings, but heroes will live forever." Lucifer stepped forward and held Bai Cha's hand. He could do it naturally before, but this time he was actually a little nervous. "This world has demons and monsters running rampant, but as long as they look up, they will find that gods and angels are protecting them."
"You're getting better at speaking." Bai Cha laughed, somewhat helplessly. "I didn't realize you were so sweet-tongued before."
He had elevated her to the status of gods and angels. Even though Bai Cha believed her achievements were remarkable, a sense of shame began to creep in.
"I am serious. The glory of heroes is eternal. You exchange your life for responsibility and vows, embodying the meaning of a guardian. I have always been proud of you." Lucifer knelt on one knee and placed a devout kiss on Bai Cha's middle finger. "However, you are the guardian of everyone, but I hope you can be yourself again."
"Be myself again?" Bai Cha was stunned for a moment, then she laughed. "I haven't done anything against my will."
"But you've always been living for others, and you're only seventeen." Lucifer felt a pang of heartache. At this age, many children should be doted on by their parents, but Bai Cha had already waded through mud and carved out a bloody path, often making people overlook her actual age.
"I'm almost eighteen, just a little bit more." Bai Cha expressed dissatisfaction with Lucifer's coaxing tone. "At worst, next time, in the next life, I won't do this job. It's not too late to do well in this life and live for myself in the next."
Lucifer was speechless. Not too late was an understatement; the next life was after death.
"Actually, these are nothing. I am very willing to clean up the filth of this world. Seeing others happy makes me feel emotional. I think it's good this way." Bai Cha shrugged, actually used to it. "However, what I didn't expect was the attitude of the neutral faction."
Lucifer was speechless. He understood perfectly. Bai Cha was doing this for them to govern the country better, but their hesitation and suspicion were more hurtful than words.
"And Meng Qinghuan and them, they've actually become good samaritans." Bai Cha sighed again. "But this is probably my problem. Being too well-protected can indeed lead to this situation."
Losing too much sharpness was not good news for the current situation.
"Mr. Meng and them probably just haven't realized the seriousness of the situation." Lucifer pursed his lips, unable to find better words to excuse Meng Qinghuan.
"Hmph, let's hope so." Bai Cha stretched, then offered her hand to Lucifer. "But now, we can go back. Do you still want to carry me?"
"Yes, my master."
Of course, he did. He wished to hold her hand forever, to look straight ahead, and to remain this way forever.