The two pulled the car doors open and got out.
Fu Qingdai was in front, having already run ahead to a distance of about twenty meters from the two.
Seeing Su Jin and Cheng Du safely exit the vehicle.
Fu Qingdai's face lit up with joy, and she quickened her pace, throwing herself into Su Jin's arms.
Su Jin grunted softly, reaching out to hold her.
Cheng Du silently walked over toward the others.
"Brother, are you okay? Are you injured?" Realizing her actions might be inappropriate, Fu Qingdai loosened her arms and looked up at Su Jin.
Su Jin's eyes were rimmed with red, and he showed a faint smile, shaking his head. "Just a minor injury, it's nothing."
Fu Qingdai felt a wave of relief, then quickly added, "Brother, while you were gone, that woman came again, but I killed her."
"Really!" Su Jin was immediately astonished, reaching out to pat Fu Qingdai's head, saying with immense pride, "Impressive... well done. It seems you no longer need my help."
Fu Qingdai beamed with a smile.
"Since you did so well, I'll give you a gift."
Su Jin took out his phone, quickly adjusted some settings, and removed the SIM card.
Finally, he placed it in Fu Qingdai's hand.
"Although it's not something great, it's the most valuable thing I have on me." Su Jin grabbed Fu Qingdai's hand, opened the front camera, forced a slight smile, and took a photo together.
Fu Qingdai's smiling face, covered by her hand, was frozen on the screen, with Cheng Du and the others chatting happily in the background.
"Brother..." Fu Qingdai frowned slightly, suddenly feeling uneasy, carefully holding the phone and saying, "This thing must be important, right? I don't even know how to use it properly. Why are you giving it to me for no reason?"
Su Jin was about to speak when Sun Ya approached with the others.
Looking refreshed and energetic, he said, "Ah... everyone's back! Then don't just stand here! Whatever you have to say, let's talk in the vehicle."
"Didn't you and Cheng Du have bone injuries? Let me check and bandage you two up."
Su Jin lifted his gaze to stare at Sun Ya. "I'm afraid I can't continue on this journey with you all."
Everyone's expressions varied but froze on their faces.
Sun Ya frowned deeply. "Xiao Li, what do you mean by that?"
"I have to go. I have to go home. Someone is coming to pick me up." Su Jin's face stiffened.
For a moment, everyone was shocked.
"Brother!" Fu Qingdai suddenly looked up, staring at Su Jin in disbelief. "You're joking, right? You said you couldn't leave!"
"I'm sorry, I lied to you." Facing their gazes, Su Jin said with difficulty, "Even my name was fake. I am Su Jin."
"Director, did you hit your head..." Cheng Du hurried forward, only to be stopped by Sun Ya, who looked grave. Sun Ya turned to Su Jin and said, "Xiao Li... I'm still used to calling you that. Is it okay if I explain your situation to them?"
Su Jin nodded.
Sun Ya let out a long sigh, pulling the others a bit farther away.
"Don't go, brother! I don't want it! I'll give it back to you!" Fu Qingdai cried out loudly, frantically trying to stuff the phone back into Su Jin's hands.
"Qingdai, don't do this!"
Su Jin kept pulling his hands back, and in the end, Fu Qingdai hugged him tightly again.
"Ah... why are you always crying? How can a leader cry all the time? How will you command respect?" Su Jin tried several times to push her away but was still held tightly.
He sighed helplessly. "This is the last time. You told me before that you wouldn't cry when I wasn't around."
"In the future, when I'm not here, when anyone is not here, you have to shoulder the responsibility. Without you, the others won't be able to organize."
Fu Qingdai's hands gripping Su Jin's clothes gradually turned white, and she looked up, choking back sobs. "I... I don't want to be a savior, brother... I can't hold on without you. Can't you stay?"
"I'm sorry, I have my own family too."
As soon as these words were spoken, all the words in Fu Qingdai's heart were stuck in her chest, and tears flowed continuously.
The two embraced, silent for a long time.
Nearby, the others who had finished listening to Sun Ya's explanation all looked over in silence.
People from the distant convoy got out one by one, looking over curiously, unaware of the situation.
After a long while, Fu Qingdai sniffled and whispered, "Brother, do you like me?"
"Didn't I tell you already? I'm like opium; you need to quit early."
"What if I can't quit?"
Su Jin had no words to respond.
Seeing that she wouldn't get a reply, Fu Qingdai didn't press further but continued murmuring, "Brother... will tomorrow be better?"
"I... I don't know, Qingdai. I don't want to lie to you."
"Will we be able to meet again in the future?"
"I don't know."
Fu Qingdai tightly closed her eyes, hugging Su Jin's waist.
Su Jin's face turned pale, and he said softly, "Qingdai, the person picking me up is waiting. I don't have much time left. After I finish talking to the others, you can't cry anymore. I want you to order the convoy to depart immediately. Can you do that?"
"Mmm..." Fu Qingdai buried her head in Su Jin's chest, her tears soaking his clothes.
A moment later, she gently pushed Su Jin away and stood to the side.
Fu Hu and his wife stepped forward, looking at Su Jin and saying, "Director, are you really an alien?"
Su Jin smiled and nodded.
Fu Hu forced a smile, his eyes red. "Heh, none of that matters anymore. Will we be able to meet again?"
"I don't know... maybe."
"Director, thank you for saving our family of three." Zhang Wan stepped forward with tears in her eyes.
Su Jin shook his head. "No need to say such things. Without you, I wouldn't have survived until today... In the future, you must take good care of Qingdai. She still has a long way to go in handling personnel matters."
Fu Hu, a man nearly fifty, finally shed tears.
"Director, take care!"
"Director!" Cheng Du quickly stepped forward, wanting to say something but momentarily speechless.
"Say whatever you need to quickly. I don't have much time."
Cheng Du twitched the corner of his mouth, his eyes blurred with tears. "I've already said everything I needed to tell you. Actually, I don't have much to say... How did you suddenly become an alien? Is this real? This is too absurd. Those two old men aren't lying to me, are they?"
"It's true. I really am an alien."
"Do you aliens have homosexuals?" Cheng Du asked, his voice tight.
Su Jin's expression was hard to describe. "Yes, we have a province and a city full of them. The people there won't even go to the bathroom if they don't eat chili peppers."
"Director, don't tease me... I really... sob!" Cheng Du burst into tears, reaching out to hug Su Jin.
After a brief embrace, Su Jin walked toward Wei De and Sun Ya, the two elders.
"You two are older; be careful not to overexert yourselves. Fu Qingdai and the others will rely on you two for major decisions."
The two elders sighed deeply at the same time.
Sun Ya said, "Xiao Li, you've said all you needed to say. I don't have anything else to ask. I'm genuinely happy for you that you can go home... If we can't meet again, don't worry too much about us. Live your life well."
"Take care, Xiao Li..." Wei De was concise, lowering his head with a bitter laugh before adding, "If you get the chance, come visit us."
"I know... Prepare early. You should leave now!" Su Jin stepped back a few paces, his eyes sweeping over the tearful group before finally settling on Fu Qingdai's face.
The two locked eyes. Fu Qingdai wiped away her tears, stepped forward, and walked toward the convoy.
The others followed behind her one by one.
Everyone in the convoy had already gathered on the street, watching the situation.
As Fu Qingdai approached, everyone's gazes gradually shifted from Su Jin to her.
When she reached the front of the convoy, Fu Qingdai climbed onto an open-top off-road vehicle, and all eyes finally converged on her.
Turning back to look at Su Jin's figure standing and watching from afar, Fu Qingdai's lips trembled slightly before she finally withdrew her gaze and looked at the convoy.
"Move out!!!"
...
The convoy moved forward into the light, while Su Jin stood watching on the street.
In his blurred vision, the vehicles disappeared one by one.
When the last vehicle vanished from sight, he could no longer bear it... his breath hitched, and tears fell on the street.
He had prayed every day to leave this world.
But when the moment finally arrived... it felt like a piercing, bone-deep pain.
He could no longer protect everyone...
What would happen to them? Would tomorrow be better?
Everything was unknown, and he... could only pray.
When his tears dried, Su Jin straightened up, wiped the remaining traces from his face, and looked back.
He tightened his grip on the Silver Gun, picked up his briefcase, and resolutely walked toward the street corner.
The company... he could finally face the company directly.
Whatever demons and monsters had tormented him to this state, he would find out as soon as he saw them!