Three months later.
Tiangu.
An extremely tall mountain peak. At the summit was Tiangu’s headquarters.
The highest point was called the Firmament Peak.
A huge pendulum hung above, the pointer moving forward bit by bit.
Nine special-grade ability users spent much time researching and creating a huge, complex ability array that could transmit energy.
The array lasted a long time. Just as it settled, a glimmering white light slowly disappeared.
The hooded young man sitting in the center opened his eyes. His lips were somewhat pale, vaguely glimpsing some blood. He unobtrusively raised his hand to wipe it away.
Shi-ge stood up.
The nine Tiangu ability users around him came forward one after another, thanking him. “Thank you, Mr. Shi, for informing us in advance about the Yuan Marrow’s insufficient energy. Otherwise, it would have caused huge trouble.”
“Yes, yes, thank you…”
“If we offended you before, let’s find a restaurant to drink. I’ll treat you to apologize!”
A few months ago, Chi Yu brought back from outside an ability user who supposedly could prophesy the future. As soon as he opened his mouth, he revealed their Yuan Marrow’s storage location.
And said the Yuan Marrow’s energy would completely disappear the next time it was sent to sea.
They didn’t believe it at first, but with Old Chi’s strong guarantee, half-doubtful, they spent a huge price. Only with this Mr. Shi’s help did they test the remaining energy in the Yuan Marrow.
It really only had a little left.
And the consumption speed was accelerating.
They hurriedly researched an energy transmission array, wanting to refill the Yuan Marrow. This mysterious Mr. Shi served as the array’s core.
Of course, choosing to trust this odd person meant their internal review argued for a full month.
Today was the first transmission.
Shi-ge avoided their excessive concern. “It’s fine. Once a month, not much effort.”
Chi Yu in the distance was waving at him. Shi-ge bid farewell to these people and walked toward where Chi Yu was.
The instant he lifted his foot, his motion suddenly paused.
White transparent chains invisible to everyone were tightly wrapped around his ankle. The red patterns on them had become more vivid.
He paused for less than half a second. Shi-ge continued walking forward. The moment he stepped down—
The chains snapped and vanished without a trace.
…
It was now December.
Winter in the Northern Yu Region was particularly cold. Fine snow drifted from the sky. Fortunately, there was no wind. New Year’s Eve approached. Merchants on both sides of the street had already hung bright red lanterns.
The young man wore about the same as when they first met.
After all this time, he still hadn’t seen this guy’s face.
Chi Yu wore thick cotton clothes, incredulous. “Aren’t you cold at all?”
Tiangu’s headquarters and training base weren’t that close, but with one spatial ability user and one time ability user, when they reached the street in front of the training base, they were still quite fast.
He didn’t know Shi-ge was materialized and couldn’t be considered fully human. As long as there was energy, body temperature could remain constant.
“Not cold.”
Chi Yu assessed him. “Um, this kind of energy transmission conducted today—it doesn’t have any bad effects on you, right?”
Shi-ge smiled. “No.”
That level of energy transmission could indeed be transmitted into the Yuan Marrow, but it was utterly useless. This method had already been tested during all those previous resets.
He just needed an aboveboard excuse to approach the Yuan Marrow.
“Tell me, how did I come to trust you? We haven’t even known each other that long. I practically had to cut off my head and put it on the table before those long-winded people would agree…”
“Hey, hey, I’m talking to you. Why are you spacing out?” Chi Yu followed Shi-ge’s gaze and discovered it was a cart of sunflowers covered with a layer of transparent insulation film.
Shi-ge withdrew his gaze. “This season, people still buy sunflowers.”
“Rich people—forget buying sunflowers in winter. If they wanted to see the sun, they could probably make that happen.” Chi Yu sighed a couple times. “But I don’t really like this kind of flower.”
“Reason?”
“Always chasing the sunlight. So tiring. Just those few days of blooming period.” Chi Yu took a drag on his cigarette, squinting. He said leisurely, “Might as well close your eyes and sleep.”
Xiao Deng—
Or rather, when he was little, he also really disliked sunflowers.
Fine snowflakes landed on the young man’s hood and slid off with his movements.
Shi-ge said, “Perhaps they don’t want to themselves, but it’s their nature. When blooming no longer faces the sunlight, they meet their demise. Pursuit becomes a habit, so they don’t feel tired.”
Chi Yu found this quite reasonable. The two chatted along these lines for a while when his phone vibrated.
It was Zhi Ze calling. Chi Yu didn’t answer, utterly exasperated, and directly hung up.
Shi-ge: “What’s wrong?”
Chi Yu: “During this time, those three brats under me, I don’t know what’s gotten into them—they insist on recommending someone to become an external support member of the elite team.”
He exhaled smoke rings. The fine snow on his tobacco pipe melted away. He couldn’t help but feel somewhat curious. “But to be so strongly recommended by them, I really do want to see what this person’s like.”
“The elite team originally wanted to recruit four people but didn’t fill the quota. Although three have been confirmed now, still… if suitable, that would be good too.”
“When those kids finish their mission and I go for inspection, I’ll see what that person’s like.”
Shi-ge: “Mm.”
A smile passed through his eyes. He probably knew who this person was.
***
F City.
By the time the first snow fell, Yuan Ting and the other two had already completed their missions.
This training yielded great results. Cen Le rose to level 9, Yuan Ting to level 9, and Zhi Ze, tangled up with upgrading his prophecy technique, temporarily remained at level 8.
They were already outstanding among advanced ability users. However, the threshold between advanced and special-grade was extremely high. Future leveling wouldn’t be as easy as now.
Because of the three-tailed fox incident earlier where he’d revealed part of what he’d been hiding, Shi Deng no longer pretended to be weak. He displayed part of his ability and often went out hunting with Yuan Ting and the other two.
Five months of training—aside from Shi Deng remaining as before, the other three had grown considerably.
The four of them cooperated extremely well.
Near the time to leave F City, Cen Le and the other two were very reluctant. After obtaining Shi Deng’s consent, they submitted an application to Old Chi, hoping to make Shi Deng an external support member of the elite team.
So-called external support members were members the elite team could request help from when receiving missions or encountering trouble. External support members could accept or refuse—high degree of freedom.
Of course, this kind of relationship similar to ‘friends’ was purely voluntary between both parties. External support members had no qualification to enter Tiangu nor were they under Tiangu’s jurisdiction.
Shi Deng agreed to become an external support member here, but the elite team still needed Chi Yu’s approval.
Chi Yu came here today to take them back. Zhi Ze and Cen Le were in the room reporting the situation to him.
“Shi Deng, don’t be nervous. Aside from during missions, Coach Chi is actually quite easy to talk to at other times.” Yuan Ting patted Shi Deng’s shoulder.
“When you go in later, just tell the truth. The coach won’t make things difficult for you.”
Shi Deng wasn’t nervous, only felt the anticipation of meeting an old friend. He gave Yuan Ting a reassuring look and gently pushed open the door. “Hello, Coach Chi.”
Chi Yu: “Come in. Cen Le, Zhi Ze, you two go out first.”
Only the two of them remained in the room. Chi Yu’s gaze fell on Shi Deng’s hair. He made a sound of surprise, then looked at the youth’s face.
An unmistakable sense of familiarity and affection suddenly surged in his heart.
He held Shi Deng’s application form in his hand. Cen Le and the other two had good judgment when assessing people. Originally, he’d just intended to go through the motions, but seeing this youth, the name ‘Shi Deng’ suddenly seemed to come alive, gaining color.
“Your name is Shi Deng?”
The youth nodded.
Chi Yu frowned slightly. After a long while, he said hesitantly, “…Have we met somewhere before?”
Also, this kid’s surname was also Shi.
Did he have any connection to that Mr. Shi who suddenly appeared and never showed his face?
Shi Deng knew Chi Yu was very perceptive. He didn’t let himself show the slightest abnormality, obediently shaking his head.
The room fell into silence.
After a long time, pen tip scratching across the document paper, Chi Yu had prepared a bellyful of words. Inexplicably, he forgot them all clean. He signed his name and left behind a badge. He stood up and walked before Shi Deng. “Here.”
Shi Deng accepted it.
Every Tiangu member had a badge belonging to them. When going out to battle, they’d wear it on their chest.
His external support member’s identification badge only had qualifications to participate in missions and battles, or some discounts and benefits at hotels and shopping centers under Tiangu’s name.
The most direct benefit was the opportunity to meet some of Tiangu’s upper-level personnel.
Aside from that, nothing else.
But external support members from different groups had different badge specifications.
In Shi Deng’s palm was a black, rectangular one with his name carved on it. The lower right corner had a small dagger pattern.
However, the difference from official members was that Shi Deng’s identification badge was made of ordinary iron. The two characters of his name carved on it, along with the dagger pattern, wouldn’t emit a faint glow at night.
Even though it was only an external support member badge, Shi Deng still froze for a moment, as if what he’d once lost had returned again.
Chi Yu suppressed his impulse to pat the other’s head and extended his hand according to procedure. “Hope we have pleasant cooperation in the future.”
That’s right. They could only be considered mutually voluntary cooperation.
The youth lowered his eyes, extended his hand, and said softly, “Pleasant cooperation.”
A broad, warm palm grasped the youth’s slender fingers.
“We’re leaving soon. Want to come with us?”
Shi Deng smiled. “Okay.”
Chi Yu nodded and went out to prepare things. New Year’s was approaching. They planned to leave F City today. Starting now, by eight or nine tonight, they’d arrive precisely at Tiangu’s training base.
When going out, the serious look on Chi Yu’s face receded. Unable to understand his own behavior of skipping the routine questioning before signing, even less able to understand the joy that surged in his heart when seeing that youth, he scratched his head and muttered about strange matters.
Meeting the bright, expectant eyes of his three kids head-on, Chi Yu chuckled. “Alright, approved. Go help him pack. We’re all leaving together.”
“Wuhu~” Yuan Ting’s mouth curved with a smile, excitedly shouting.
The three hurried through the door.
Sunlight streamed in from outside. Inside the room, the youth looked at his identification badge, eyes curving. He treasured it, gripping it tightly in his palm, then turned back and beamed at them.
“Please take good care of me from now on.”
Yuan Ting rushed up with a bear hug. “Hahahaha, feels like we’ve lured someone into our family.”
Zhi Ze grabbed his collar from behind, disdainfully saying, “Give it a rest. Let go quickly. Aren’t you afraid Shi Deng will turn and leave?”
“I won’t let go!”
“…Sister Le, save me.” Shi Deng’s plea for help gazed toward Cen Le.
Cen Le smiled with pursed lips.
The four of them became a tangled mess. Old Chi smoked at the door watching, his eyes inevitably tinged with a smile.
The inexplicable emptiness when seeing only three people on the admission list that day dissipated somewhat.
***
Night fell.
A modified RV drove at steady speed along the wide road.
“It’s snowing!”
Old Chi drove. The four sitting in back all looked out the windows.
Fine snowflakes drifted from the sky. Under the gray-blue sky, like spirits dancing lightly.
The four of them opened the large window on the RV roof—
Reportedly designed so weapons could be mounted from the vehicle to kill exotic beasts.
The four climbed onto the roof. The cool, stimulating wind rushing toward them infinitely provoked their senses. Yuan Ting, facing the scenery continuously retreating behind them, cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “Amazing—!”
“I love snow—!”
“I want to be friends with my friends for life!”
“I don’t want to be alone anymore!”
Emotions were contagious, excitement and joy even more so. Adrenaline subtly rose, easily infecting those nearby. Yuan Ting said cheerfully, “So exhilarating! You guys try shouting too?”
Cen Le smiled. Not as boisterous as him, she said, “I hope all the wishes in my heart can come true.”
Zhi Ze let himself go, stepping onto the rooftop railing. Prophecy light glowed in his palm. Imitating them, he shouted, “I prophesy the future of this world will definitely be bright—!”
Maximum dramatic feelings.
After five continuous months of high-pressure combat, everyone had pent-up breath in their hearts. Shouting it out now felt refreshing from head to toe.
Yuan Ting mumbled, “Only when contamination disappears will there be light.”
People said over three hundred years ago, before contamination appeared, exotic beasts weren’t as violent as now. Human ability users and exotic beasts could coexist peacefully, maintaining ecological balance.
Children developing abilities could attend school normally instead of voluntarily or forcibly becoming ability users early, beginning cruel training, bearing the heavy responsibility of saving cities.
“If there were no contamination, I’d probably be in… first or second year of high school now, carrying a backpack, attending school normally, going home to eat meals made by family.”
Cen Le: “I’m half a year older than you. I should be in third year, taking college exams.”
As if remembering something, she turned her head to the side. “Shi Deng, I don’t think we’ve asked—how old are you?”
“Me?”
Shi Deng didn’t know what he was thinking. His reaction was half a beat slow. After thinking, he smiled. “I’m almost a hundred years old.”
His appearance was fixed at age 19 from the first time he reset.
Each time he reset, he’d replace himself at that original time point. Uncle Xiao Fu was the same.
But he could never reset beyond the time point where Xiao Deng existed—Xiao Deng at age 6. Adding up all the bits and pieces, plus his original age of 19, he was indeed almost a hundred.
Yuan Ting laughed without courtesy. “Who are you fooling? I think you’re younger than all of us. Can’t you make up something more realistic?”
They discussed ranking Shi Deng as the youngest brother, winking and making faces.
But Shi Deng, watching them bicker and play, reached across countless torrents of time to touch the reality hidden behind illusion.
Barring accidents, this would be his last reset.
If the plan proceeded smoothly, Shi-ge wouldn’t have the possibility of disappearing either. He’d find a way to make Xiao Deng stay too. Yuan Ting, Zhi Ze, Sister Le, Coach Chi…
They’d all have a very, very good future.
Through one reset after another, Shi Deng had long grown accustomed to farewells. If initially it was only to change the outcome of Yuan Ting and the others’ deaths that he reset, then later, it wasn’t entirely that anymore.
Having glimpsed a corner of the world’s devastation after contamination fully broke out—if there was a chance to change it, why not try?
After all, he…
“I love this world,” the youth said softly.
They sped along the wide, empty road, standing atop the RV talking about the future. In the distant fields were low houses with lights just turning on. Further away, the brilliant city.
Fireworks, the human world.
“Hm? What?” The voice was too soft. Zhi Ze beside him didn’t hear clearly.
Shi Deng thought perhaps afterward he’d disappear forever.
A future without him would be good.
Shi Deng exhaled. The youth’s eyes lit with faint light. He shouted toward the night sky, “I love this world—”
Because all the warmth he’d experienced came from people in this world’s generous giving.
Even though when having episodes, he’d want to commit suicide. Even though through so many resets, he’d been misunderstood and reviled. Even though in the process of completing the plan, he’d be rather painful…
Zhi Ze laughed aloud, saying, “I love it too.”
Cen Le: “Me too.”
Yuan Ting: “Add one, add one.”
Inside the RV, Old Chi driving sneezed from the cold, cursing, “Love it or not, get your asses down here! Trying to freeze to death?!”
Xiao Deng nestled in Old Chi’s pocket yawned.
Laughing and joking all the way.
…
Yuan Guang.
Shi-ge watched the four people on the mirror’s surface, his gaze lingering on the genuine smile on Shi Deng’s face that hadn’t appeared in so long.
After a moment, he grabbed a coat and left.
…
Tiangu training base entrance.
Old Chi still had a meeting to attend, so he’d turned off halfway in the middle of the night.
Yuan Ting and the other two lived at the training base, but they didn’t know where Shi Deng’s home was.
Zhi Ze said, “Why don’t you squeeze in with us tonight? We can play some games. I feel like after this, we won’t have opportunities to gather together for long periods like in F City.”
Yuan Ting had no family and planned to mooch food at Coach Chi’s house. Zhi Ze and Sister Le would both go home.
Shi Deng held Xiao Deng, somewhat hesitant.
“I…”
“Hey, just register.” Yuan Ting removed Shi Deng’s identification badge and pulled him jogging to the guard booth.
Badges swiped to enter. Yuan Ting, Zhi Ze, and Cen Le all swiped through smoothly. Only Shi Deng’s got stuck.
The guard immediately felt the different material, looking up. “External support member?”
It was nighttime now. The name on Shi Deng’s badge wasn’t glowing, while the names on Yuan Ting and the other two’s badges all emitted a faint light.
Zhi Ze said, “Yes. It’s too late. We wanted to register and let our friend sleep here one night.”
The guard returned the badge, gently refusing.
“Regulations—only official Tiangu members can enter. If you really have nowhere to go, you can go to Tiangu’s hotel on the street nearby. I can make a call and have your friend stay for free.”
Yuan Ting was a bit anxious. “Not even with registration?”
Cen Le: “Uncle Guard…”
The guard shook his head. “Miss, really can’t.”
Tiangu’s rules were very strict. Can’t means can’t.
Yuan Ting immediately said, “Then we’ll all go stay outside…”
“No need,” Shi Deng gently interrupted him. “Actually, I already called earlier. My brother will come pick me up soon. New Year’s approaching—perfect time to go home.”
Tomorrow was New Year’s Eve. People who couldn’t contain themselves had already started setting off fireworks.
The banging sounds were very lively, but when they stopped, seemed lonely.
The youth retrieved his identification badge, teasing jokingly.
“You were so enthusiastic just now. I was still conflicted about how to politely decline. This is actually perfect. Otherwise, Shi-ge might get angry. There’ll be plenty of opportunities in the future.”
Yuan Ting and the other two remembered Shi Deng’s brother who intimidated them all. They hissed, and Zhi Ze immediately backed off. “Then forget it. We won’t stay with you.”
The badge gripped in his palm pressed a shallow red mark. Shi Deng refused their suggestion to accompany him while waiting for Shi-ge to come, smiling. “You all go in. I’ll be leaving soon.”
“Alright then. We’re heading back first.”
“Mm.”
Snow fell from the sky. Hidden light draped over the youth. Behind him, that long, empty street seemed endless, only sporadic streetlights casting illumination.
Only after they disappeared from sight did he lower his head, petting Xiao Deng’s fur, and turn to leave.
The fresh snow covering the street was especially soft to step on, leaving a trail of footprints behind.
The youth walked forward with lowered head until he saw shoe tips that didn’t belong to him. Shi Deng froze, looking up.
“Shi-ge?”
“Mm.”
“How did you come?”
Shi-ge wore a gray turtleneck sweater. His profile in the light woven by snow and streetlamps seemed gentler than usual.
He shook out the thick long coat draped over his arm, placing it on the youth’s shoulders. He also put on a scarf for him, lowering his head and saying faintly, “Didn’t you tell them you called me?”
“But I didn’t call.”
“Mm. I know.”
“But you still came.”
Xiao Deng burrowed into the warmer scarf, pawing around. Together with Shi Deng, he looked up at Shi-ge.
Shi-ge only said, “New Year’s approaching. Uncle Fu made dumplings.”
Thinking of his own plan, Shi Deng felt his nose sting. That tiny bit of grievance that had instantly dissipated when blocked at the guard booth seemed to resurface. The more he thought, the more uncomfortable he felt.
Shi-ge noticed, looking down and asking, “What’s wrong?”
Two or three seconds later, the youth with lowered head tugged his coat corner, then extended his hand, palm open.
The identification badge lay quietly. On his palm were marks from being pressed. Gentle snowflakes landed on it, melted by body temperature. The carved name was somewhat dim now.
“Brother, my name doesn’t glow.”
The kitten meowed once.
Shi-ge picked it up and examined it, digging through distant memories for official badge materials and specifications.
But he said nothing, put it in his own pocket, then held the hand of his younger self who’d made different choices than him.
“Let’s go. Go home.”
They walked forward together. At the corner, they disappeared into the snow filling the sky.
***
wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 50.1