He Signed My Death, So I Left His World Forever Chapter 09

Keeping the underground laboratory running required an enormous amount of electricity.

To power the cryogenic chamber and the holographic equipment, Enzo had modified the lab’s electrical

supply without authorization.

Late one night, the alarms went off.

“Warning! Electrical system overloaded! Core server temperature critical!”

The harsh automated warning shattered the silence.

Enzo jolted awake.

An electrical panel in the corner was belching black smoke, with sparks flying everywhere.

“No! Aubrey’s data!”

He scrambled toward the main control console.

The fire spread rapidly, igniting the surrounding soundproofing material. Within moments, thick smoke filled

the entire underground laboratory.

“Mr. Rosetti! You have to get out! The whole place is about to explode!”

A security guard’s frantic voice crackled over the radio.

The doors of the emergency elevator leading to the surface stood open.

All Enzo had to do was step inside, and he’d survive.

But he didn’t move.

Instead, he clung to the core server containing the data for my hologram, desperately beating at the flames

with his clothes.

“Don’t be scared, Aubrey! I won’t let you disappear!”

The fire had already reached his pant legs, and the heat was searing his skin.

Yet he held on to the machine as though he couldn’t feel the pain.

Then the cryogenic chamber’s cooling system exploded.

The blast threw Enzo across the laboratory. He hit the floor hard and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Amid the flames, the holographic projector lit up one last time as its wiring shorted out.

My image flickered into view through the fire and smoke.

Enzo struggled to lift his head, barely able to see through the blood in his eyes and the thickening smoke.

He stared at the figure in the flames and reached toward it with his badly burned hand.

“Aubrey… Take me with you…”

“I want to be with you…”

I hovered above him, watching quietly.

It was the last time I would ever see him.

In the firelight, my holographic double looked back at him with clear eyes and not a trace of longing.

Then it slowly turned away and walked into the darkness.

“No! Aubrey! Don’t leave me!”

Enzo’s final scream was filled with despair.

Then came the biggest explosion of all.

Fire engulfed the entire underground laboratory. The ceiling collapsed, burying everything beneath the rubble.

Enzo and the digital fantasy he’d created were completely destroyed.

At last, the System’s emotionless voice sounded in my head.

[The male lead’s vital signs are no longer detectable.]

[Worldline convergence complete.]

[Host exit sequence initiated. Preparing to return to the real world.]

I looked down at the scorched ruins and let out a long breath.

Finally, it was over.

“Let’s go, System.”

[Of course, Host. Welcome home.]

A blinding white light flashed before me.

An overwhelming force pulled at my soul, carrying me away from the world that had brought me nothing but

lies and suffering.