Chapter 602: Farewell

The time for parting always comes.

After exchanging a few pleasantries with the two healers, Li Luo silently walked toward the white airship.

She was still not very good at goodbyes.

Block followed behind Li Luo, floating gently. Mo Ling could sense Li Luo’s reluctance to leave, but whenever it was time to part, she would always put on an indifferent act.

Her expression would turn cold, and she would simply turn and walk away.

Her acting was poor, but it served its purpose.

She boarded the airship without a backward glance or a single word. In the distance, the two healers could only watch in silence, their lights flickering, unsure of what to say.

The signal tower slowly rotated. By the time Li Luo pressed the takeoff button and turned back around, the airship’s cabin door had already sealed completely shut, leaving only the seamless hull in view.

She paused for a moment, then ran to the edge of the porthole and peeked outside.

A low hum sounded as the airship left the ground. It all happened much faster than expected; before Li Luo could get one last look, a light mist had already enveloped the airship, obscuring her view.

Li Luo let out a soft sigh and sat down in front of the porthole.

The airship followed the airflow trajectory through the mist, drifting higher and higher.

Just as Li Luo thought that was the end of it, the airship’s eight pairs of winglets suddenly began to shake, and its ascent came to an abrupt halt.

“Destination: Pipe Fortress.”

“Recalculating turbulence route.”

The instrument panel inside the gondola suddenly emitted a notification tone. The winglets on the airship’s balloon slowly extended, moving like fish fins to adjust the vessel’s trajectory.

Before Li Luo could realize what was happening, the airship suddenly plummeted downward. Caught off guard, she was plastered against the porthole.

Reacting instinctively, Li Luo splayed her hands against the window to brace herself.

The airship plunged into the deep mist, then broke through it in an instant, returning to the airspace just above the ground. The winglets reversed direction, and it began to decelerate immediately.

The airship came to a screeching halt, stopping just before it hit the ground. Inertia kept Li Luo pressed tightly against the window.

She looked up and saw the two healers standing right outside the window.

Seeing Li Luo with her palms pressed against the window, they thought she was waving at them, so the two healers raised their hands and waved back.

“Goodbye!” Xi’s voice even penetrated the gondola and reached Li Luo’s ears.

Li Luo’s face instantly turned bright red. Just as she was about to duck away, the airship made a sharp turn and shot off into the distance again.

The wildly maneuvering airship quickly drew the healers’ attention. They all noticed the human at the porthole bidding them farewell and responded with their most enthusiastic waves.

Li Luo’s face was beet red as the airship finally seemed to find a suitable flight path and soared into the sky.

Li Luo slid limply down from the porthole. She touched her face; it was frighteningly hot.

The airship re-entered the mist. Li Luo’s heart was still pounding. She hadn’t expected this airship to be autonomous, let alone so agile.

‘Those eight pairs of unassuming winglets can actually control the airship through such difficult maneuvers.’

However, thinking of the healers’ enthusiastic response, the corners of Li Luo’s mouth curved into a small smile.

“It was nice, in the end.”

To prevent the airship from tossing her around again, Li Luo decided to release Xiaozhi to secure herself. She pulled open her wristband.

Xiaozhi had just flown out when it made a beeline for Block, who was floating nearby. Fortunately, Li Luo called it back in time.

“Why are you being so dense again…” Li Luo sighed in resignation and had Xiaozhi secure her in place.

The airship, likely to save on space, wasn’t equipped with any restraints like seatbelts. If what just happened occurred again, she could easily get hurt.

Sure enough, the airship lurched again.

It seemed to be maneuvering around something, but the surrounding mist was too thick for Li Luo to see where she was.

Not until a field of crimson flowers appeared outside the porthole did the airship’s speed suddenly decrease…

“Hundred Flowers Island?”

‘So this is the route…’

Outside the porthole, the Red Spirit Flowers were all chattering at once about the sudden appearance of the “white thing.”

“It’s a missile! An enemy is attacking us! Take cover!” one Red Spirit Flower shouted, burying its head in the dirt. But with most of its body still exposed, it looked utterly ridiculous.

“That’s an airship, not a missile. No flower knows more about humans than I do,” another Red Spirit Flower stated calmly.

“How would you know? You’ve never even left Hundred Flowers Island! You’re talking nonsense!”

“Yeah! You’re the same age as us! What makes you think you know more?”

“You say it’s an airship? I object! That’s not an airship!”

“I just know!” The contradicted Red Spirit Flower got angry and insisted, “I just know more! I’ve already eavesdropped on the beacon’s signal. That’s an airship!”

“What’s a beacon? I object! Why can’t I hear it?”

“Because you’re an idiot.”

“I object!”

“Is ‘object’ the only thing you know how to do?”

“I object!”

The bickering of the Red Spirit Flowers grew louder and louder, even reaching inside the gondola.

“Look! It’s a Purple Person’s ride!”

“A Purple Person? Where’s the Purple Person? I want to see the Purple Person!” Upon hearing there was a Purple Person, this Red Spirit Flower began to shake back and forth wildly, bumping into its neighbors and earning a string of curses.

“Stop shaking! You’re bumping into me!”

“I want to see the Purple Person!”

“Stop shaking! Right there by that window, the Purple Person is secretly watching us.”

That Red Spirit Flower finally stopped shaking and turned toward the porthole. Sure enough, it saw the Purple Person inside.

“The esteemed Purple Person is looking at me! Has she taken a fancy to me, planning to make me her underling? Ah, but alas, I cannot betray my father. The human path conflicts with the path of my heart. What can I do? An outstanding flower like myself always draws such covetous gazes. But I know the most important thing for a flower is to stay true to its roots. I will never forget that afternoon… the setting sun, my father and I standing in the wind, watching the sky fill with petals…”

“Stop with the monologue. The Purple Person seems to be laughing.”

“Really? Is she smiling at me? Ah, I knew it. A smile is the most precious thing in the entire Abyss. The Abyss is misery, its creatures are sorrowful, all living things weep, making laughter ever rarer. Water can quench the thirst of the Abyss, food can fill its hunger, but those are not what’s most important. Only a smile can cure the sickness of the Abyss. If everyone could just greet each other with a smile, there would be no room for wicked thoughts to grow.”

“For the Purple Person to smile at me, it must mean she truly treasures me. I’m so conflicted, so conflicted! Should I accept her? She smiled at me, after all! Maybe I should forget my father and run away with the Purple Person? Yes, yes, that would be good…”

“I object!”