When I woke up again, it was already dawn.

It's just that the closed deciduous windows block the light, making everything in the house look a little dim.

The flames in the fireplace burned silently, crackling from time to time.

The flames danced, and the shadows that lit them drifted with them, staining the air with a faint smoky smell.

Gu Chi, who was lying on the sofa, opened his eyes, looking at the chandelier on the ceiling with obvious traces of repair, a trace of confusion appeared in his eyes, and this blankness quickly disappeared, as if he remembered something, he sat up suddenly, and wanted to reach out to get the mobile phone on the coffee table to confirm the current time.

He didn't notice that there was a person lying on his stomach at all.

The bell cat in his sleep looks well-behaved, his long eyelashes are gently fanning with his breathing, his face is light red, and his unconscious lips are slightly open with a crystal that seems to be nothing, and he seems to be sleeping soundly.

It wasn't until Gu Chi got up that she rolled off Gu Chi's body like a slippery quilt.

Boom.

"Ouch!"

Gu Chi: "......"

He didn't mean to.

"Hurt ......" Ling Cat held the sofa with one hand, rubbed his head with the other, and got up in a daze, and before he could figure out the situation, he heard a cold male voice: "Don't move!" ”

Frightened, the bell cat tensed up, and the drowsiness was gone, and it took two seconds to react, and the person who spoke was Gu Chi.

The man was staring straight at her.

Lingmao's face was a little hot from this gaze, and he didn't understand why Gu Chi suddenly looked at himself with such serious eyes, it was easy to cause misunderstanding...... She hesitated, "What, what's wrong?" Is there anything on my face? ”

Gu Chi: "You stand up." ”

Suzuki: "Oh. ”

The girl stood up obediently.

Gu Chi said again: "Take a turn." ”

What a strange request...... Suzuki complained in her heart, but she still turned around obediently with a red face.

Gu Chi copied his arms the whole time, like an experienced chaebol.

His gaze never took off the bell cat, and when the girl had finished spinning, he came to a conclusion.

"You've grown up." Gu Chi said.

"Huh......?" Lingmao obviously didn't expect Gu Chi to look at her for a long time, and finally popped out such four words, her cheeks climbed up in an instant, and she wanted to scold Gu Chi for a stinky hooligan, but somehow, when the words came to her mouth, it seemed that someone had dropped a bag, Lingmao looked down at her chest, and smiled shyly: "Really, really?" ”

Gu Chi's face was expressionless: "I mean age." ”

Bellcat: "......"

The air was quiet for a second.

The bell cat's face became more and more ruddy, but his expression became very calm.

"Really?" She clenched her toes and said lightly, "I know you're talking about age. ”

Gu Chi: "Oh. ”

While the two were talking, the mustard soup and the river bird also woke up one after another.

Their changes are more intuitive and obvious.

The bell cat is just taller, and there is a little more femininity between the eyebrows and eyes - only a little more, just like from a college student who has not yet graduated to a white-collar worker who has just entered the workplace, and the temperament has the ingredients of a mature woman, but not much, and generally speaking, it is still relatively young.

Judging from the appearance alone, the bell cat is not very different from yesterday.

Wasabi soup and Jiang Bird are different, one is fat and has a beer belly, and the other has grown a beard and hair, like an older otaku who hasn't taken care of his personal image for several days.

These are changes that can be seen at a glance.

Wasabi Soup, who hasn't figured out the situation yet, and Ebird see each other's faces-

"I'm grass!?"

"You're Ah Tang?"

"Are you a bird?"

"How did you become like this?"

Lingmao also realized at this time that Gu Chi was not joking with her, she had really grown up.

It's just that...... She glanced at Gu Chi, why didn't he seem to have changed much?

There was not even a trace of wrinkles on that cold and handsome face, and there were no traces of time at all.

It took about three minutes for Etori and Wasabi to finally recognize the fact that they were getting old.

"It's good that we're young." Jiang Niao said in a happy tone, "It's time to experience what it's like to be a mature man in advance, it's not a big problem." ”

Isn't it really big?

"No, it's a big problem." Gu Chi threw the phone to Jiang Niao and motioned for the two of them to look at it for themselves.

When he found out about the change in the bell cat just now, Gu Chi had a hunch that they might have slept for more than a year yesterday.

As it turned out, he was right.

"5782, November 15th......" Edniao wondered, "So we slept for five whole years?" ”

"That's not the point." Gu Chi looked at the two of them and said, "Your hair, beard, his body shape, belly, including the height of the bell cat, all prove one thing - our own state will also be affected by this time." ”

Yesterday's attention was attracted by zombies, and after only a year, Gu Chi didn't notice any changes in everyone, but now that five years have passed overnight, the power of time has become real.

The first night is a year, the second night is five years, and what about the third night?

Decade?

Or twenty years?

What about a few more nights?

Jiang Bird, who reacted, was shocked: "We shouldn't die of old age here, right?" ”

Gu Chi stated the facts: "If you can't find a way to stop the passage of time, it will, and it will." ”

"I see." Wasabi Soup sat down on the ground and muttered, "I'm so stupid, really, I would believe that S-class copies really don't have a time limit......"

"Wait a minute, have we forgotten about individuals?" Bell Cat suddenly spoke.

When Jiang Niao heard this, there was a sudden look in his eyes that gradually widened, and he shook his finger and said, "Yes, yes, Neil!" Neil is an NPC and might be able to help us. ”

"What about others?"

"I don't know ......"

"Are you still sleeping?"

"Let's go upstairs and have a look."

They have passed five years, Neil should have passed five years, looking at Neil yesterday, he is not a few years older than them, and he should be in the prime of life at this time, even if he can't help them solve the time problem, he is a qualified thug and can't be wasted.

Sadly, they couldn't find Neil.

Only a scribbled letter was found on the desk in Neil's bedroom.

————————————

Guys, I have bad news for you - we've run out of food in storage.

Blame the damn weather, which freezes all the food we've worked so hard to grow into ice slag.

A few days ago, there were always cute little ones who came to our door to feed us, but in the last few days, they have not reappeared, so I have to look for them myself.

Somebody has to step up, right?

Remember when we first met?

I said I would provide you with food, shelter, and keep you safe.

I've been doing this before, and I will do it in the future.

I know it's dangerous out there, but don't worry, your Neil isn't vegetarian either...... Hey, I seem to know why my dad chose to rush to the hospital in the first place.

One should not live just to live.

To be honest, I'm reluctant to do it, and I love living with you guys – and while it's disrespectful to my father and former friends, these five years have been the happiest I've ever had.

How many five years can a person have in his life? Time always sneaks away while we sleep.

Thankfully, I was able to enjoy a soup that was even more delicious than the chefs at the luxury restaurants in town.

Your explosive gadgets were also an eye-opener for me.

I've also seen the most accurate marksmanship in the world – yes, I'll admit it, you're better than me!

And the only lovely lady among us, I've always suspected that your healing skills are some kind of magic, and it's unbelievable that it can heal wounds so quickly......

I seem to be talking too much nonsense?

Anyway, thank you, if we hadn't met five years ago, I probably wouldn't be able to make it to now.

Okay, I'm going to go and keep my promise, and if it goes well, I'm going to go to the bell tower to have a look, didn't you say you liked the clock? I'm going to tear it down and give it to you, hahaha!

Just in case, I mean just in case, in case I don't come back, please don't feel sorry for me.

Death is not terrible, what is terrible is loneliness, and since the day I met you, I have not been alone.

Neil who loves you, 11.09, 5782

————————————

After reading the letter, the wasabi soup fell silent.

Neil has been gone for six days, and the results are clear.

He knew that this was a plot killing, but he was still a little uncomfortable in his heart.

Gu Chi gently patted him on the shoulder as a sign of comfort.

He could see early on that mustard soup was unsociable, and that such people were often more emotionally rich and sensitive than others.

Mustard Soup may not have seen Neil as an NPC from the beginning, and it is normal for Neil to be uncomfortable when he dies.

Gu Chi would not comment on whether it was good or bad, he could only say that he could understand the mood of the mustard soup.

Jiang Niao was a little embarrassed, he was pure and used Neil as a tool man, including now.

Could it be that his empathy ability is too low?

He also read the letter carefully, and he didn't miss a word, but he really didn't feel anything special......

The bell cat glanced at Gu Chi and didn't say anything.

She didn't know which side Gu Chi was standing on.

In fact, Gu Chi didn't stand anywhere - in his opinion, this letter was not used to make players empathize at all, otherwise why not directly inject the memories of the past five years into their brains?

Obviously, this letter is a task clue, and it has nothing to do with whether or not to empathize.

Gu Chi didn't forget the scene before he slept last night, and he didn't need Neil to say that he knew that the leap in time must be related to the bell tower, and Neil specially mentioned the bell tower at the end of the letter, which made Gu Chi believe that the content of the letter was not only Neil saying goodbye to them, but also hiding a lot of key information like "bell tower".

For example, "Damn Ghost Weather" and "The Cutie Who Took the Initiative to Send It to the Door".

Gu Chi glanced at the fireplace with a flame, walked to the window, and opened the blinds.

"Wow."

Suddenly, a strong light rushed to the face, instantly illuminating the entire living room.

It also illuminates the face of the bell cat.

The huge contrast in brightness made Lingcat hurriedly stretch out her hand to block her eyes, but when she saw the scene outside clearly through her fingers, her squinted eyes widened again, and her small mouth opened slightly: "My God......"

Jiang Niao was also stunned.

Outside the window was a snow-white patch.

The road was covered with a thick layer of snow, which had already passed the wheels, and the trees and grass were covered in silver, losing their original color, and ice picks had formed on the eaves, as if the whole city had been frozen, and their doors and windows were closed, and they were burning wood, completely unaware of when the outside had become a pure white world of ice and snow.

"It's outrageous......"

"But it's beautiful."

Gu Chi caught a glimpse of the light in Ling Mao's eyes, and helped her extinguish the light: "Want to play in the snow?" If you're not afraid of being frozen into an ice sculpture, you can go. ”

"Oh, and it's possible to be eaten by a monster that suddenly popped up."

Gu Chi didn't find the so-called cuties for the time being, but since Neil mentioned them in the letter, they must exist.

Bellcat: "......"

How does he know what he's thinking?

Can't you just think about it?

Damn it!

The bell cat snorted softly at Gu Chi.

Gu Chi didn't bother to pay attention to her, looked at the mustard soup, and asked, "Have you sorted out your emotions?" ”

Wasabi Soup: "Hmm. ”

Gu Chi: "Then work, we will rely on you for the food after that, and make some refreshment things, we won't sleep tonight." ”

"Okay." Mustard soup nodded, and handed Gu Chi a grateful look.

This bell cat is a little confused.

You are in a bad mood and he still asks you to hurry up and work, not only are you not angry, but you are grateful to him?

Is there something wrong with you?

Obviously, the bell cat doesn't understand the logic.

Wasabi soup is sad for Neil's death, and falling into the eyes of others is a typical too deep into the play, or hypocrisy, at this time what he needs is not comfort, nor is it a space to be alone, but someone tells him that he will not be disliked because of this, nor will he be looked down upon because of this, he still has irreplaceable personal value.

This is called value affirmation in psychology.

One of the CPU tricks.

As for why not sleep......

The reason is simple.

Both time leaps occurred after they fell asleep, and Neil mentioned the same sentence twice-

"Time always sneaks away while we sleep."

It's almost a clue thrown in the face, and it's rude not to see it anymore.

Gu Chi looked at the white bell tower in the distance.

Time is associated with the bell tower, so where will the prophet be?

……

Night.

There was heavy snow in the sky.

People gathered around the fireplace to keep warm.

During the day, I didn't feel very cold, but at night when the wind blew and the snow fell, the chill poured into the house.

The bell cat was wrapped in a big cotton jacket, her little face was still red from the cold, she rubbed her hands vigorously, and asked in a trembling voice: "Gu, Gu Yuan, is it really, really useful if we don't sleep?" ”

The hot breath exhaled as the girl spoke turned into a mist and wafted in the air.

"Always give it a try." Gu Chi said, "At least figure out how the hands of the bell tower turn after twelve o'clock." ”

The river bird and the mustard soup didn't make a sound, and they were busy roasting the fire.

Neil was right, this hellish weather is too cold.

If the snow had been falling, they might not even be able to get out.

Lingmao didn't talk to Gu Chi anymore, she felt that every time she opened her mouth, she would lose a lot of calories.

Gu Chi was in Ssnone's letter.

The air was quiet for a short time, except for the sound of burning flames and the sound of a few people.

Quietly waiting, the time passed minute by minute.

It wasn't until twelve o'clock sharp, that the bell rang on time.

"Phew!"

……