Chapter 43 | The Gatekeeper's Choice

The evening wind, carrying dust, blew against Li Xing's face.

Outside the town, outside forces were stirring, attempting to breach the rules once more.

They were no longer acting alone, but approaching the border in an organized and strategic manner.

Li Xing stood at the town entrance, watching the indistinct figures moving under the distant streetlights.

He knew that this time, it wasn't simply about guarding the threshold.

If he chose to stand idly by, the townspeople, the transgressors, and even the spatial records would accumulate risks.

A single mistake could trigger irreversible consequences.

His body was fatigued, his wrists ached, and his cognitive chains were strained; the side effects of the high-level calibration were still evident.

His heart pounded heavily in the empty wind.

This was the price of being a high-level gatekeeper—every choice meant enduring both physical and cognitive strain.

Li Xing closed his eyes, three images flashing through his mind:

The future safety of the town—if he didn't intervene, the transgressors would break the rules, potentially causing a chain reaction of accidents, even injuries.

His own physical limits—the advanced calibration had already pushed him to his limit; further forced operation could result in permanent damage.

The balance of the spatial rules—the rules themselves observe and judge, but they won't bear the consequences for him; if he doesn't actively maintain them, the threshold will be breached.

He took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes.

His consciousness clearly told him:

This was the only chance, the only choice.

Li Xing began to act:

First, he sent a clear signal to the transgressors, using the boundaries of the rules to block their operational space—both language and actions strictly adhered to the rules' limitations.

Then, he personally entered the risk point, using his targeted activation of advanced synchronization abilities, his movements precise and calm—this was the first time he had acted entirely as a gatekeeper, his body and cognition pushed to their limits.

Each operation was accompanied by pain and mental tension, as if every millisecond was a weighing of cost and effect.

Half an hour later, the risk was suppressed.

The equipment was safe, the transgressors retreated, and the town temporarily returned to peace.

Li Xing slumped to the ground, his clothes soaked with sweat, his fingers trembling slightly, his breathing rapid.

The boundaries of his physical and cognitive limits had been thoroughly pushed.

He slowly looked up at the night sky.

This time, he clearly realized:

The gatekeeper's choice was not just a decision,

but also maintaining order at his own cost.

Any lapse would cause the entire system to collapse.

Li Xing gently clenched his fist, silently resolving:

Even if the cost was enormous, he had to bear it.

At this moment, he truly became—

the guardian of rules and order.

The wind blew, and his breathing gradually became steady.

The night was deep, the starlight faint.

Loneliness, a sense of responsibility, and the feeling of physical limits intertwined,

forming the gatekeeper's most complete identity.

From this day forward, the balance of the town and the surrounding space was inextricably linked to him.

His choices not only determine his own future, but also the boundaries of the rules and the world.