Capítulo 40: Flender's Long-buried Feelings

Flender's heart sank as he surveyed the scene before him. The air was thick with the metallic scent of blood, and the ground was littered with the broken bodies of spirit beasts.

Amidst the carnage, Flender's eyes landed on Liu Erlong, standing at the center of the chaos. Her form was engulfed in flames, as she unleashed her fury upon the surrounding spirit beasts.

It had been a long time since Flender had seen Erlong in such a state, consumed by the overwhelming urge to unleash her destructive abilities.

The sight filled him with a mixture of concern and sorrow, knowing that her inner turmoil must be immense to drive her to such extremes.

"Erlong!" Flender's voice rang out, cutting through the chaos like a knife. He approached her cautiously, his heart heavy with concern.

As he drew nearer, Liu Erlong turned to face him, her eyes ablaze with a feral intensity that sent a chill down Flender's spine. Before he could utter a word, she unleashed her power, striking him with a force that sent him crashing to the ground.

Pain coursing through Flender's body as Liu Erlong's soul power tore through him, leaving him gasping for breath. "Erlong, please" he pleaded, his voice barely audible amidst the roar of the flames. "It's me, Flender. Don't you recognize me?"

But his words seemed to fall on deaf ears as Liu Erlong remained lost in her own turmoil. With terrifying swiftness, she lunged forward, her movements fluid and deadly. Flender braced himself for the attack, feeling the searing pain of her power tearing through him.

He cried out in pain as he stumbled backward, the flames scorching his skin. "Erlong, listen to me" he bellowed, his voice trembling with emotion. "You're not alone. I'm here with you"

For a fleeting moment, Liu Erlong hesitated, her eyes flickering with uncertainty amidst the swirling chaos that threatened to consume her.

Seizing the opportunity, Flender closed the distance between them and enveloped her in a tight embrace. "Erlong, you have to fight it! Please, come back to your senses" he pleaded desperately.

With a deafening roar, Liu Erlong's flames intensified, searing Flender's flesh with their ferocious heat. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Flender summoned every ounce of his soul power to shield himself. It was clear that her madness had reached unprecedented levels, surpassing anything he had ever witnessed before.

Through the pain, Flender continued to call out her name, his voice a desperate plea for her to awaken from the grip of her own turmoil.

…

Amidst the darkness, a woman's figure curled up tightly, lost in her thoughts, her eyes devoid of vitality.

Suddenly, she heard a faint voice calling out her name, and a light appeared in the darkness. "Xiaogang?" she asked instinctively, rising to her feet and moving towards the light.

As she approached the light, the darkness surrounding her began to dissipate, replaced by a warm glow that enveloped her like a comforting embrace. With each step, the voice calling her name grew louder, pulling her closer to the source of the light.

As she slowly opened her eyes, she was met not with the man she once loved, but with the slightly scorched face of the man who had always been by her side.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized the depth of Flender's love and sacrifice for her. With newfound clarity, she made her choice, her heart finally free from the shadows of the past.

"It's you, Flender" she whispered, her voice filled with emotion. "It has always been you who have always been there for me, giving your all for my happiness"

As she reached out to touch his scarred face, she felt a wave of remorse wash over her. "I'm sorry, Flender" she murmured, her voice trembling with emotion. "I have been such a fool" With a gentle touch, she traced the scars on his face, her heart overflowing with a newfound sense of clarity and purpose. "I'm sorry" she said again, her voice choked with emotion. "I've been blind to the love that has been right in front of me all along while chasing something that doesn't want to be caught. But now, I see it clearly. And if I'm ever given another chance, I promise to make you the happiest man alive"

And as she smiled through her tears. She embraced Flender tightly, knowing that she had finally found true love in the arms of the man who had always been here for her all along.

Looking at the woman standing before him, Flender, already dizzy from pain and exhaustion, couldn't discern her words. All he could manage was a foolish smile as he exclaimed "Welcome back, Erlong" before darkness overtook him, and he fell unconscious.

As Flender drifted into unconsciousness, Liu Erlong held him close. "Thank you, Flender" she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "For never giving up on me, even when I had lost my way. I promise to never let you go again"

…

Waking up from his slumber, Flender found himself under a familiar roof. slowly adjusting to the soft light filtering through the room.

Suddenly, a sound echoed, a thud followed by hurried footsteps, as the familiar woman rushed towards him, tears glistening in her eyes. "Flender, you finally woke up!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with relief.

Surprised by the sudden embrace, Flender couldn't help but express his shock. "Erlong? No, this must be a dream. There's no way Erlong would actually hug me" he mused aloud, his voice tinged with disbelief and sadness. With a sigh of relief, he continued, "Anyways, it seems Liu Erlong had woken up from her madness at that time"

Closing his eyes yet again, Flender allowed himself to sink into the embrace, feeling a sense of peace wash over him. If this was indeed the afterlife, he thought to himself, then it isn't so bad.

With a faint smile playing on his lips, he whispered his final thoughts, "Xiaogang, take care of her for me. I will go first" And with that, he surrendered to the comforting embrace of unconsciousness once more.

"You can't die!!" Liu Erlong shouted, her grip on Flender tightening as if to emphasize her point. Startled by her words, Flender jolted awake, only to be greeted by searing pain. Still, a rush of relief flooding through him. "I'm not dead?" he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"Of course you're not dead! From now on, you can't die without me, understood?" Liu Erlong's voice was stern, her eyes locked onto his with unwavering determination.

Flender couldn't help but feel a surge of warmth at her words, despite the pain coursing through his body. He nodded in response, his heart racing at the intensity of her gaze.

Breaking free from the embrace, Liu Erlong swiftly rose to her feet, her demeanor shifting as she took charge. "You stay put" she instructed, her tone brisk yet caring. "I'm going to call Sheng Jun and the others, and then I'll get some food for you" With that, she strode off, leaving Flender to ponder deep in thought.

…

"What!? I have been sleeping for a week?" Flender asked in shock as Sheng Jun proceeded to recount how Liu Erlong had hurriedly taken him out of the Great Star Dou Forest in search of a Healing System Spirit Master.

However, they could only find a Spirit Ancestor in the nearest town, which proved insufficient to heal Flender's wounds. It wasn't until Sheng Jun's subordinate Qinyu deployed Healing System subordinates from the closest location that they managed to treat Flender's injuries.

Unfortunately, despite their efforts, Flender still needed to recuperate for at least a month, and the scar on his face remained unhealed. Eventually, they transported him back to Shrek Academy.

As Flender nodded heavily, absorbing Sheng Jun's explanation, he couldn't help but be surprised at the thought of Liu Erlong caring for him over the past weeks.

His emotions stirred as he observed Liu Erlong returning with a tray of food. Sensing the tactful departure of Sheng Jun and the others, Flender found himself alone with Liu Erlong.

Gazing at Liu Erlong's face, filled with gentleness and concern as she fed him, Flender felt a surge of emotions overwhelm him. Long-buried feelings surged forth from his heart like an unstoppable tsunami.