The flames of war in Linhai City consumed all of Qingzhou. Soaring flames lit up the night sky red, reflecting the tragic scene of corpses littering the city walls.
The allied forces of the wokou and the Pirate King Alliance pressed closer step by step, and the Qingzhou army retreated in defeat. Cries and the sounds of slaughter echoed through the streets and alleys. The once-prosperous Linhai City had been reduced to a purgatory of Asuras.
Amidst this scorched earth and chaos, two figures staggered through the ruins, searching for a glimmer of survival.
Lin Wanying tightly supported the heavily wounded Chen Hui, exhausting all her strength to traverse the burning city. His chest was mottled with blood, the wound deep enough to show bone, and his face was as pale as paper. Yet he gritted his teeth without making a sound, only using heavy breaths to vent the agony within.
"Miss Lin... why must you do this?" Chen Hui managed a bitter smile, his voice weak but carrying a hint of tenderness. "If you were alone, you probably would have escaped long ago."
Lin Wanying did not stop. Staring firmly ahead, she said faintly, "If I left you behind and escaped alone, what then? I cannot watch you die."
Hearing her words, Chen Hui's heart trembled. His gaze slowly turned to her face. The afterglow of the flames of war illuminated her steady and resolute features, making him feel an unparalleled tenderness.
"We still have a chance." As if sensing his gaze, Lin Wanying's tone softened slightly, "Hold on, okay?"
Chen Hui nodded gently, his tone carrying a bit of teasing: "If we can escape, I must properly study your mathematics."
Lin Wanying paused slightly, a faint smile involuntarily appearing on her lips: "You, an outer disciple of the Holy Scholar Academy, are willing to learn my mathematics?"
"Yes." Chen Hui's voice grew much gentler, even carrying a hint of unconcealed affection. "I not only want to learn your mathematics, I also want to understand you more."
Lin Wanying's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly masked her inner flutter, saying softly, "You'd better remember the words you said today."
"I will definitely remember." Chen Hui's tone became firmer, and the pain in his chest seemed to ease slightly with those words.
A momentary silence fell between them, but this silence carried a sweet warmth, alleviating the pain and despair brought by the war.
Lin Wanying gently draped his arm over her shoulder, whispering: "We have to hurry. A wokou patrol will pass by here soon. We must cross this alley within a hundred breaths."
Chen Hui responded softly: "With you here, I believe we will definitely escape."
Lin Wanying turned her head to look at him, her gaze gentle yet firm: "I believe so too."
In this instant, their gazes met in the light and shadow of the war. The romantic feelings within each other's hearts gradually became clear. It was as if the desperate plight of their escape had instead made their feelings purer and more ardent.
"Then, let us survive together." Chen Hui's tone was resolute.
Lin Wanying smiled and squeezed his hand: "Okay."
At the harbor, on the deck of a Pirate King Alliance warship.
The sea breeze blew. The red-clad figure of the "Blood Empress" Isabel stood beneath the mast. Gently rolling a golden twelve-sided die in her hand, she gazed coldly at the burning Qingzhou.
One of her lieutenants quickly stepped forward, whispering: "Empress, the blockade of the harbor is complete. However, as per your instructions, one small boat was left behind."
Isabel smiled slightly, tossing the die in her hand, letting it roll across her palm.
Isabel's eyes shifted, her tone gentle yet dangerous: "Very good. We are pirates. Since when did we start taking orders from someone surnamed Chang?"
She turned, her gaze landing on the distant dock. A small fishing boat bobbed quietly on the water, unguarded, its mooring rope hanging loosely at the edge of the deck.
The golden die in Isabel's palm spun continuously before stopping. She looked at the number: "Oh? A one-in-twelve chance works too? This is interesting..."
The corners of her mouth curled up, and she waved her hand lazily: "Move the harbor patrol a little further away. Give those two little mice a way to live."
The lieutenant's expression was complex, but he ultimately whispered: "Yes, Empress."
Lin Wanying and Chen Hui finally reached the dock. The fishing boat before them was swaying with the waves.
Her gaze quickly scanned the surroundings, noticing that the nearby patrolling soldiers had decreased. She frowned slightly.
"This isn't right..."
Chen Hui was already incredibly weak, only able to ask in confusion, "Is there a problem?"
Lin Wanying's tone was heavy: "This boat seems to have been left deliberately. But we can't worry about that now."
She quickly helped Chen Hui onto the boat, drew her sword to cut the rope, and unfurled the sail. The small boat immediately caught the wind and rode the current out, heading away toward the pitch-black sea.
The sea breeze brushed their cheeks. The salty air carried the scent of moving away from the war.
Chen Hui leaned against the side of the boat, panting as he said: "It seems... your algorithms won again."
Lin Wanying was silent for a moment. The look she gave him contained an unprecedented gentleness she had never shown before: "This is not a competition. As long as you are alive, I haven't lost."
Chen Hui froze, then smiled tenderly: "I find myself liking this kind of algorithm more and more."
Under the moonlight, their gazes crossed among the sea waves, exchanging a knowing smile, as if certain feelings had quietly sprouted during this dangerous escape.
The night was deep. The waves gently slapped against the hull. The sea breeze brought coolness, but also an unknown fear.
Lin Wanying and Chen Hui had successfully fled Qingzhou. The boat had sailed into the vast ocean. All around them lay only endless water and the distant starry sky.
As Lin Wanying tried to adjust their course, she noticed something was wrong.
She frowned, steadied herself, and walked toward the ship's wheel at the stern, preparing to control the direction.
However, when she grabbed the helm with one hand and turned it gently, the entire wheel shook violently, followed by a crisp "crack"—
The ship's rudder couldn't turn at all!
Her heart sank. She quickly inspected it, only to find that the bottom of the rudder had snapped off. Broken pieces of wood hung from the edge of the stern, bearing scorch marks and cracks.
"This is... where it was hit by a catapult rock when we were escaping earlier..."
Lin Wanying's face instantly turned ugly. This meant—they couldn't control their direction; this boat could only drift with the sea breeze!
She turned her head slowly to look at Chen Hui. He was leaning against the side of the boat. His wounds had been simply bandaged, but his eyes were still sharp. He had clearly sensed that something was amiss.
"Miss Lin, what's wrong?" His voice carried a slight weakness, but he remained calm.
"The rudder is broken." Lin Wanying said deeply. "We... cannot choose our direction."
Chen Hui paused slightly, then gave a low chuckle: "It seems we can only leave ourselves to the mercy of fate."
Lin Wanying shook her head, her tone indifferent yet firm: "We can choose how we face it."
She looked up at the sky. Starlight twinkled, and the sea breeze was blowing from the east. They were being uncontrollably pushed toward an unknown distance.
"Chen Hui, we might have to drift for a while." Her tone was gentler than ever, a hint of unconcealed worry in her eyes.
Hearing her call him directly by his name for the first time, Chen Hui's heart inexplicably warmed. He replied softly, "Wanying, with you here, even if we drift for a lifetime, I won't feel afraid."
Hearing him respond with her name, Lin Wanying froze slightly, then a faint smile appeared on the corners of her mouth: "Are you really not afraid?"
"What is there to fear?" Chen Hui chuckled lightly, reaching out to gently hold her hand. "As long as you are by my side, we'll always find a way."
Feeling the warmth of his palm, Lin Wanying's heart softened. At this moment, she suddenly felt that fate might not always be cold and heartless.
Night fell. The two sat side by side on the deck, looking at the boundless starry sky. The sea surface was like a mirror, reflecting the brilliance of the night sky, as if only the two of them were left in the world.
"What if we really can't go back?" Chen Hui asked softly, a hint of emotion in his tone.
Lin Wanying was silent for a moment, then whispered: "As long as you are still here, I don't feel hopeless."
Chen Hui gazed at her, endless tenderness in his eyes. After a long while, he said warmly: "Wanying, do you remember when we first met?"
Lin Wanying smiled slightly and nodded: "Of course I remember. At the time, I thought you, someone wearing the Holy Scholar Academy's 'Luoshu Bead', didn't seem all that impressive. So, seeing you distressed by the riverbank, realizing you were doing it for the lives of the commoners, I couldn't help but step forward to remind you and help you find the iron ox."
Chen Hui chuckled lightly, his tone carrying a bit of guilt: "Back then, my eyes were only on the imperial court and the people's livelihoods; I hadn't paid any special attention to you at all. Furthermore, I doubted how a woman like you could possibly inherit the Lin family's mathematics. It wasn't until the knowledge and speed you displayed when we solved the iron ox mechanism together that I felt I had truly met an opponent and a kindred spirit in mathematics."
"Fate always loves to play jokes," Lin Wanying whispered, though her eyes revealed tenderness. "But it also gave us the chance to meet."
"I never thought there would be a day like this..." Chen Hui sighed softly. "Walking this path for so many years, I have met many people and lost many people. But only you, Wanying, are someone I am unwilling to lose."
Lin Wanying tilted her head slightly, looking deeply at him: "I feel the same."
Chen Hui squeezed her hand tightly again, his tone firm and gentle: "Wanying, we will definitely survive, no matter what fate brings."
Lin Wanying smiled faintly, her fingers tightening: "Okay, I believe in you."
The night wind blew gently, carrying away the smoke of war, but leaving behind two hearts gradually drawing closer on this boundless ocean.
On the vast, boundless sea, the tides surged. The waves slapped against the hull, emitting dull and rhythmic sounds.
An unknown number of days and nights had passed. Lin Wanying and Chen Hui relied on their remaining dry rations and rainwater to hold on. Their mutual care and willpower had become the pillars they depended on.
"Can we... really survive?"
Chen Hui leaned against the side of the boat, looking at the horizon, his tone weak but still carrying a hint of a bitter smile.
"I haven't calculated our survival probability yet," Lin Wanying said softly. Although her voice was calm, it hid unspoken anxiety.
For several days, her mathematical deductions had been unable to predict the variables of the ocean currents. The calculations she excelled at seemed insignificant in this boundless ocean.
However, just as she looked toward the distant horizon, she suddenly noticed a strange dark shadow.
For a moment, she doubted her own eyes, but as the waves rose and fell, the dark shadow gradually grew larger, and her heartbeat accelerated accordingly.
"Chen Hui!" She abruptly shook him awake, a hint of trembling in her voice. "Over there... there's an island!"
Chen Hui forced himself to sit up, following her gaze. The blurry silhouette of an island loomed faintly in the morning light.
He froze for a moment, then let out a long breath, chuckling in a low voice: "This time, the wind sent us to the right place."
Propelled by the tide, their boat finally ran aground on a soft sandy beach.
When his feet stepped onto solid ground, Chen Hui could barely stand. Lin Wanying immediately reached out to support him, saying gently: "Be careful, don't hurt yourself again."
Chen Hui looked at her concerned gaze, a sudden warmth welling up in his heart, and whispered: "I'm fine, you be careful too."
Lin Wanying smiled slightly, making no response, but her eyes already revealed unconcealed tenderness.
Propelled by the tide, their boat finally ran aground on a soft sandy beach. Dragging their exhausted bodies, the two began searching the island for a suitable place to live. The side of the island they landed on was mostly covered by dense forests. A clear stream wound its way down from the mountains, providing ample fresh water, and there were several natural caves along the coast that could be used for shelter from the wind and rain.
Night fell. A bonfire flickered gently in the sea breeze, illuminating the figures of the two sitting side by side.
"Chen Hui, does the wound still hurt?" Lin Wanying asked softly, reaching out to adjust the clothes on his shoulder.
Chen Hui shook his head slightly, looking at her face, and whispered: "With you taking care of me, I am already much better."
Lin Wanying looked up at the starry sky and sighed softly: "I never thought we would drift here together."
Chen Hui slowly held her hand, his tone earnest and gentle: "Although fate has treated us rather cruelly, if it weren't for this, how could I have truly seen the desires of my own heart?"
Lin Wanying's heart trembled. Looking down at their joined hands, she asked softly: "Your desires?"
Chen Hui smiled, his eyes gentle and firm: "It is you."
A slight blush spread across Lin Wanying's cheeks. She did not speak again, but her fingers gently returned the squeeze, her silent response speaking louder than a thousand words.
"Wanying," Chen Hui fell silent for a moment, then spoke softly again. "No matter what the future holds, I only want you to know that the time I've spent with you is already the most precious memory of my life."
Lin Wanying's eyes softened as she responded softly: "I feel the same."
The night wind blew gently. They leaned against each other, listening to the sound of the waves and looking at the dotted stars in the night sky. Even stranded on a deserted island, their hearts were filled with warmth and hope because of each other's presence.
No matter how the future might change, at least at this moment, they had each other, and that was the greatest fortune and comfort.
The morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the forest, bringing a sliver of warmth.
Life on the island gradually got onto the right track. Lin Wanying and Chen Hui began exploring their surroundings, looking for various resources to sustain their lives. After a few days of rest and Lin Wanying's careful tending, Chen Hui's injuries had significantly healed.
Lin Wanying found the source of the fresh water, a clear, babbling stream. After carefully inspecting the water quality and ensuring it was drinkable, she finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Chen Hui, there is water here. We won't have to worry about drinking water anymore." She turned and smiled at him, a hint of joy in her eyes.
Chen Hui also revealed a relieved smile: "With you around, I can always find hope."
In the following days, they began building a simple shelter. Although Chen Hui's wounds had not fully healed, he insisted on helping. Watching Lin Wanying's busy figure, his heart felt incomparably tender.
By evening, the shelter was preliminarily completed. The two sat by the fire. Lin Wanying gently wiped the sweat from Chen Hui's forehead with a damp cloth, her tone carrying concern: "Your wounds haven't healed yet. Don't push yourself too hard."
Chen Hui smiled and shook his head, gently holding her hand: "I want to share some of the burden with you."
Lin Wanying chuckled softly but didn't refuse: "Then you must promise me to take good care of yourself too."
Day after day, the two lived a simple and warm life on this deserted island. They built their dwelling together, foraged for food, and lit fires on the beach to try and attract the attention of passing ships. But during this time, they completely failed to spot any ships passing by on the sea, nor did they find any traces of docked boats on the shore. This made them start to feel disappointed about their chances of returning. They decided to shift their focus to improving their survival skills and exploring the island.
A sudden rainstorm forced the two to huddle tightly inside their crude hut. Listening to the fierce wind raging outside, their hearts were nonetheless filled with warmth.
"Wanying, if we truly can never go back, will you regret looking for me to decipher the secret letter and helping me defend the city?" Chen Hui looked at her and asked softly.
Lin Wanying gazed into his eyes, a firm light shining within: "I will not regret it, because in my heart, they were things I felt I had to do. And... don't I still have you here?"
Chen Hui felt a stir in his heart. Gazing deeply at Lin Wanying, he said affectionately, "Wanying, if we truly can't go back, are you willing to spend the rest of your life with me?"
Lin Wanying froze for a moment, her heart suddenly accelerating. Looking into Chen Hui's earnest gaze, her heart was filled with warmth and emotion.
"I am willing," she responded softly, her eyes gentle and firm.
Chen Hui slowly revealed a gratified smile, gently pulling her into his embrace, feeling each other's warmth and heartbeat. After the storm passed, the sky outside became even bluer, and their hearts drew even closer.
No matter how many unknowns the future held, they had both decided that from now on, they would walk hand-in-hand, never abandoning each other.