The old man stopped laughing, and then he said with some difficulty, "...Isn't it useless?"
...
"No."
Xiao Xiao stood quietly where he was, not approaching the old man.
The laughter that could not be heard in his ears made the emotions in his eyes settle down even more.
After hearing the old man's question, he spoke.
"It's a monster, and its meat doesn't have that magical effect."
"Yes, really?"
The old man slowly put down the hand covering his face and said, "Monster."
"Aren't all monsters turned into spirits?"
"Now that I've become a sperm, then-"
"grandfather."
Xiao Xiao interrupted the old man's soliloquy with a voice, and there was a hint of coldness in the corners of his eyes and eyebrows.
Zhizuku saved the old man.
The flesh of the stingray is of no benefit to the old man's illness.
This result is actually the best result.
There is no need for an old man to make a difficult decision.
Perhaps, it is not a difficult choice for the old man.
The old man always has only one choice.
However, for him, there is no need to make a dilemma.
...
Are you helping the old man catch the turtle and extend his life?
Or should we side with the monsters and refuse the old man’s request?
...
The old man was a little unable to react when he was suddenly interrupted.
He subconsciously raised his eyes and looked at the young man in front of him.
But soon, the old man, who couldn't stand the young man's eyes, looked away.
When the blue water appeared in his eyes, the old man realized that he was somewhat withdrawn and guilty.
He suddenly became angry.
He turned around and glared at the young man not far away, "What are you doing? You think I'm selfish, don't you?"
"You look down on me, don't you?!"
"young people."
The old man gasped loudly, "You are still young, you don't know-"
"In the face of survival, everyone is selfish."
"I just want to live, what's wrong with that?!"
After roaring for a while, the old man seemed a little tired. He whispered to himself, "This time, I will take good care of my child."
"I won't make the same mistake twice."
"do you know?"
"When the child just died, I had nightmares every day."
"Dreaming about my bloody child."
"I dreamed that my child told me that he was in pain."
"I dreamed that my child was asking me for help!"
"I want to save him."
"In the dream, I stretched out my hand again and again."
"But in the end, all I touched was blood on my hands."
"My child fell in a pool of blood and had no breath."
"My mind went blank and I was so sad."
The old man's voice was slight and trembling, "I was even hysterical."
"I hate myself. Why didn't I take care of my child?"
"But, I'm really scared."
"I wake up in the middle of the night every day."
"Can't sleep."
…
"My wife hates me too."
"She didn't even forgive me when she left."
"Although she didn't say anything."
"But I know."
…
"I never thought that my life... would end up alone."
"Even though I stopped dreaming about my child's death, my life didn't improve much."
"I thought I would be like this for the rest of my life."
"Just living a good life like this."
…
"But, my life took a turn."
"I won the jackpot!"
"I'm rich!"
"I have a new wife and will have a new child soon."
"I have a chance to start my life over again!"
"But!"
The old man's voice became louder again, almost hoarse, "I'm sick!"
"I don't have much time left!"
"How could this be?!"
"How could this be……"
The old man's chest rose and fell violently, like an old windmill, and he made a harsh and rough breathing sound.
"Huchi~huchi~huchi..."
The old man's body trembled, his lips trembled a few times and then he spoke with difficulty, "Now, I'm starting to dream again about what my child will look like when he dies."
"Obviously I haven't dreamed about it for a long time."
"I know what this means."
The old man's mouth curved into a stiff smile, "I'm going to see my child."
"He's coming to pick me up."
"But, it's too early."
The old man murmured, "It's too early."
"I haven't even seen his brother's face yet."
"I don't want to see him yet."
"I am afraid."
"I don't have the face to see him."
"I……"
The old man's subsequent articulations were almost in his mouth, as if he was just pronouncing meaningless syllables.
Even with Xiao Xiao's sharp ears, he couldn't hear clearly what the old man said.
He made no sound to disturb the old man who seemed to be immersed in his own world.
The death of a child is a big blow to the old man.
The subsequent death of his wife undoubtedly worsened the blow.
Even though the old man tried to let himself go, the vague feeling of guilt remained like maggots in the tarsal bones.
The child in the belly of his current wife is the old man’s final self-salvation.
The old man wants to prove that he has changed by taking good care of the child.
…
"Seven years old."
The old man's voice suddenly became clearer again, "The child was only seven years old when he died."
"Seven years, I just want to live another seven years."
"I want to take care of this child for seven years."
…
"Dad really didn't mean it."
"Dad, after taking good care of your brother, can he come and see you again?"
The old man looked in a daze and was a little incoherent.
Xiao Xiao, who had been quiet and expressionless, suddenly moved and supported the old man who was leaning to one side.
The old man, who narrowly escaped death and lost his last hope, finally couldn't bear the huge blow and fainted.
Looking at the old man's old and gloomy face, Xiao Xiao couldn't help but sigh softly.
…
"Zhizuku, thank you for your help."
Xiao Xiao turned to look at the monster who had been quietly watching the developments here.
"We're leaving."
"Are you leaving?"
Tsumugi felt a little regretful.
This human being was the first human being he encountered after a long time with a monster by his side.
It is quite interested in this human being and wants to chat more with this human being.
It's a pity that this human being will leave so soon.
"If we don't go up there, there will be chaos up there."
If Xiao Xiao was the only one, he wouldn't mind staying with this monster for a while.
However, so many people on the sea are looking for the missing old man.
In order to avoid more trouble, he had better send the old man up as soon as possible.
…
Chizuku didn't stay.
It knows what this human being means.
In fact, it has been very noisy up there from just now until now.
It thought it would be better to wait and go further to the bottom of the sea.
The monster looked at Xiao Xiao silently, silently expressing his farewell.
…
Xiao Xiao laughed and said, "My name is Xiao Xiao."