Chapter 96: A Toast to the Fallen

As they returned to the ship, Bei moved as if he were in a trance. His steps were sluggish, his eyes half-lidded and his mind numb with exhaustion. He didn't acknowledge the relieved expressions of the crew, nor did he react to the whispered words of admiration and gratitude.

Each person who had survived the battle had their own way of processing what had happened, but Bei had spent two relentless days in a battle of will, pushing through pain and mental torment as he absorbed the 100,000-year soul ring and soul bones. Now that it was over, he felt like a walking corpse.

"Hey, Kid, you alright?" one of the crew members called out to him, a hint of concern in his voice.

"Never better," Bei muttered without looking up, brushing past them like a ghost.

"Are you even listening?" another crew member chuckled.

"Yes, yes."

He kept walking until he found a relatively peaceful corner of the ship. The moment he lay down, his consciousness faded, and sleep swallowed him whole.

Twelve Hours Later

When Bei finally woke up, his body ached, but he felt much better. His first instinct was to grab something to eat, and he soon found himself munching on a piece of bread and drinking water as he walked toward the main deck.

As he approached, the crew greeted him with laughter and teasing. "So, our mighty warrior finally awakens! We thought you had gone into hibernation."

"Did you even move an inch?" another joked. "You slept through the storm last night like a rock."

Bei rolled his eyes. "What can I say? Some of us actually do hard work."

They all laughed, but beneath the mirth, Bei sensed the underlying heaviness in the air. The ship wasn't as lively as it had been before the battle. The energy was subdued, the laughter forced, the smiles tinged with sadness. It wasn't long before Bei's eyes drifted toward the empty spaces left behind by the fallen crew members. Among the missing faces was Old Tom.

Old Tom, the old sailor who had been nothing but kind since their journey began. He was the one who had told stories of his youth and always had a way of making people feel at ease. Gone.

Bei's expression darkened slightly, the bite of bread in his mouth suddenly tasteless.

Liu Erlong, ever perceptive, seemed to notice his shift in mood. Without a word, she reached over and plucked the water bottle from his grasp.

"Hey, that's mine!" Bei protested, but he didn't try to take it back.

She took a sip, then frowned. "Water? Really?" She gave him a look of pure disappointment. "Don't you have anything hard?"

Bei smirked mischievously. "Not for you," he winked at her.

"You pervert!" She shouted and swung at him, but he dodged easily, laughing. Then, his expression turned thoughtful. "Actually, you just gave me an idea," Bei said.

Without another word, he disappeared below deck. When he returned a few minutes later, he carried several bottles of rum in his arms. The crew's eyes lit up as soon as they saw what he had brought.

"Alright, everyone!" Bei called out, raising a bottle. "Let's get drunk and toast to our fallen comrades!"

There was a moment of silence before the crew erupted into cheers. The mood shifted instantly as the sailors eagerly grabbed bottles and gathered around. The Madam, as the captain, stood at the center, holding up her drink.

"To those we lost," she said, her voice steady but heavy with emotion. "To those who fought bravely. To the ones who gave their lives so we could live. May the seas carry their spirits gently."

"To the fallen!" the crew roared in unison before downing their drinks.

As the night progressed, the air was filled with laughter and chatter. The sorrow didn't disappear, but for now, it was softened by the camaraderie and the warmth of shared memories.

At some point, Dugu Xin approached Bei, who was sipping his own drink with a relaxed expression. With a swift movement, Dugu Xin plucked the bottle from Bei's hands.

"Hey!" Bei protested. "What was that for?"

"You're too young to drink this much," Dugu Xin said firmly.

Bei crossed his arms. "I'm not a kid."

Dugu Xin raised an eyebrow. "If you drink too much, you won't grow much taller."

That struck a nerve. Bei froze, looking down at himself. He wasn't short, per se, but compared to others his age, he wasn't exactly towering either. His biological parents were both tall, and he trained regularly, so why wasn't he growing taller?

Grumbling under his breath, Bei finally let go of the bottle. Dugu Xin smirked in satisfaction.

Hours passed, and as the effects of the alcohol took hold, the crew grew more boisterous. Bei found himself helping Dugu Xin carry a completely wasted Liu Erlong toward an improvised bed. She was barely conscious, mumbling incoherently as they propped her up.

"You know," Liu Erlong slurred, her head lolling slightly, "I really do deserve a good relationship. I'm funny, I'm smart, I'm kind."

Bei snorted and whispered, "Kind of a bitch."

Dugu Xin shot him a look and smacked his shoulder in reprimand.

Liu Erlong, blissfully unaware of Bei's comment, continued rambling. "I should just move on. Yeah. Forget the past. The past is stupid."

She collapsed onto the bed, snoring almost immediately. Bei and Dugu Xin exchanged looks before quietly stepping away. However, before leaving, Bei reached into his pocket, pulled out a small scrap of paper, and quickly scribbled something down. Folding it neatly, he slipped it into Liu Erlong's pocket before walking away.

The Next Morning

Liu Erlong groaned as she woke up, her head pounding. Her mouth was dry, her limbs heavy. She immediately drank some water, "I shouldn't have drunk so much," she murmured to herself. 

When she started to feel better, she began to fix her clothes to start the day. While doing so, she reached into her pocket absentmindedly and felt something crumpled inside. Pulling it out, she unfolded the small note and read the words scribbled across it:

Sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.

She stared at it for a long moment. Then, slowly, a tear slipped from her eye, followed by a small smile. For the first time, she felt like she had finally closed a dark chapter of her life.