The Proper Use of Time Stop

"The master wants you to come down for dinner."

"Eh? Mr. Liu, Liu Bai?"

"Hmm... what's wrong?" Acheron felt that Firefly seemed a little strange.

"No, it's nothing! It's just a normal meal! I'll go downstairs now!"

Chapter 132 The Correct Use of Time Stop

A very pleasant dinner.

Even though Xueyi doesn't seem like someone who likes to fit in, she just doesn't take the initiative to talk to others. On the contrary, she is quite responsive when others ask her questions.

It's clear that she's trying very hard to integrate into this group environment.

Cocoilia, needless to say, was actively trying to integrate herself.

After the meal, Liu Bai went to feed Raiden Makoto, while Guinaifen helped arrange rooms for the group—again, at Inazuma's place.

Well, these few are enough for us— Little Gui, you're being despicable right now!

In short, no one objected.

Night.

As Firefly lay in bed, she took out the hypnosis pocket watch that she had hidden under her pillow.

Although reason told her she should return it, instinct...

This is an opportunity.

Trying it... seems like it might not be a bad idea?

The problem is how to get Liu Bai to stare at the pocket watch for five seconds.

Hmm... the only option is to catch them off guard, right?

Firefly frowned, pondering tactics.

After all, Liu Bai had used the hypnotic pocket watch, so it was impossible to lure Liu Bai into staring at it out of curiosity.

She couldn't possibly force herself on Liu Bai.

The only option then is to "ambush," for example, during the current bedtime.

Wake up Liu Bai from his sleep, and while his mind is still foggy, have him stare at the pocket watch for five seconds, and then...

Well, we can't do whatever we want. When Liu Bai used it on Acheron before, he was unhypnotized just by asking if he was directionally challenged.

But that should be enough for me to have a proper conversation with Liu Bai, right?

... My heart fluttered.

Action speaks louder than words.

Her guiding principle is to cut through the mess quickly and decisively.

It's... 1 a. m. now.

It feels just right.

Firefly sneakily pushed open her bedroom door.

"Firefly?"

"... Miss Acheron?" As soon as she opened the door, Firefly found Acheron leaning against the railing eating a peach at the end of the dimly lit corridor.

Firefly quickly stuffed the pocket watch into her pajamas pocket.

"What are you doing here...?"

"I can't sleep."

"..."

Everyone knows that people who come out at this time can't sleep!

Ah, of course, I'm an exception.

"Why exactly can't you sleep?" Firefly didn't want to just close the door and go back—wouldn't that make her seem guilty?

Firefly let out a breath, gave a polite smile, and walked to Acheron's side.

"Er... because of the past?" Acheron looked down at the living room below, and thought that just a few hours ago, the room was still filled with the warmth of home life—well, that's an analogy for how his own home had been hit by a disaster. "Firefly, what about you? Why can't you sleep?"

"Me? Well..."

"Is it also because of the past?"

Acheron's tone was calm, but his words first startled the girl, and then the expression on her face dimmed slightly.

"Huh? This... um... maybe?"

After saying that, a silence fell between the two of them.

But it was Firefly who couldn't bear the silence any longer. "However, the past is the past, and I'm ready to move on."

"That's amazing."

Acheron commented.

"Isn't that amazing...? Actually, I used to be confused too." Firefly never expected that she would one day find common ground with Acheron, "Like questioning the meaning of existence."

"Have you found meaning now?"

"Found it... probably." Although I felt like I was acting a little strange.

Ah... I'm actually going to have to prepare for a night raid on Liu Bai...

Thinking of this, Firefly suddenly felt her cheeks burning.

Fortunately, the corridor was dark, and Acheron's gaze did not linger on Firefly.

"That's amazing." Acheron praised again in a calm tone, but Firefly inexplicably felt that there seemed to be some envy in Acheron's tone.

"Miss Acheron, haven't you come out yet?"

"I don't know." Acheron's answer seemed to be an attempt to end the conversation, but Firefly could still detect the hesitation in his voice.

This is not a perfunctory response; Acheron is truly... in a state of confusion that contradicts his appearance.

"According to what I said to Little Gui Guizi before, Miss Acheron, you were searching for traces of nothingness before this? Isn't that the goal?"

"That's not the target." Bai appeared out of the room at some point. "Acheron, you're sneaking food."

"... Shall I share half with you?"

"No, no need. I'll go downstairs and find something to eat, then I'll go to sleep."

"... You're still awake?" Firefly looked at Liu Bai, who was yawning, her back covered in cold sweat.

Thankfully, I didn't go straight in...

"I'm hungry... I feel like I exercised too much today," Bai sighed.

"Oh." Firefly nodded to indicate that she understood.

That means Liu Bai will go to sleep after eating?

An opportunity!

But...

Why do you say this goal isn't a goal?

The Firefly was very curious about this statement.

"Ah... well, there's an old saying on this planet."

Liu Bai scratched his head.

"Well... 'Life is finite, but knowledge is infinite. To pursue the infinite with the finite is perilous!' Some things seem meaningful, but in reality, they are most likely meaningless—of course, miracles happen occasionally, but miracles... heh!"

Acheron neither confirmed nor denied this.

Is her journey a journey of self-destruction? Will she first find the traces of the "mechanism," or will she perish on this journey from which there is no end in sight?

Who could possibly know?

"Sisyphus pushed the boulder his whole life, but it was all in vain. How can nothingness give true 'meaning'? In fact, the Chaos Physician and their group were really amazing. Even if they couldn't save themselves, they did their best to prove the existence of 'meaning' to others and to the Star Gods."

Liu Bai mentioned a story that neither of them had heard before, but Acheron and Firefly understood the second half of it.

"Does it seem meaningful, but actually meaningless?" Firefly muttered.

This statement sounds far more cruel than the simple words "meaningless".

Although she felt lost about the meaning of life, she kept searching for this "meaning"—and this act itself was meaningful.

This is self-rescue.

However, according to Liu Bai, Acheron... has become completely obsessed with "meaningless" things.

"I'm trying to let go of my obsession," Acheron finally spoke.

The influence of nothingness is fading, and with the return of various emotions and feelings, as well as increasingly clear Remembrance, Acheron is also gaining clarity about himself.

"Even in nothingness I never linger... You don't need to worry about me—I'll share half with you."

Acheron's tone remained calm, but without saying a word, he broke off the intact half of the peach in his hand and gave it to Liu Bai.

"If you have something to say, then say it to everyone... Hmm! These peaches aren't sweet. What kind of nonsense was the Boss Liu spouting about guaranteeing they'd be sweet?"

"Not sweet...?" Acheron was taken aback. "No wonder the taste was a bit strange, but it was very juicy... In my Remembrance, this kind of peach has always been very sweet."

Looking at Acheron's expression as he finally realized what was happening, Liu Bai sighed inwardly... Is this person really alright?

"Next time, bring your big knife and let's go buy better peaches. I'm going to get some food. Anyone want to come along?"

As Liu Bai spoke, he turned on the corridor lights.

[Acheron's Favorability: 4448]

Aren't you going?

Acheron looked at Firefly, who was watching Liu Bai's back.

Firefly shook her head. "I'm not hungry, and eating too much in the middle of the night will make me fat, right?"

Acheron glanced at the peach in his hand.

... It's just a peach.

Acheron ate the fruit pulp clean, put the pit in his pocket, and then casually licked his fingers, which were covered in juice.

"I thought you meant something to me now, sir."

"Eh!? Miss Acheron, why... why do you say that?"

"Just a guess." Acheron stepped away from the railing. "So, now that you've found meaning, what are you worrying about?"

"It's not Liu Bai! Miss Acheron, don't think such things!"

"Hmm." Acheron nodded calmly.

"Well... if I had to say something, it would be about things from the past. There's no point in talking about these things, right? I just think about them occasionally. After all, not dwelling on them doesn't mean I've forgotten them."

Realizing she had made a fool of herself, Firefly hurriedly tried to find an excuse.

"In that case, I'll head back." Acheron seemed unfazed by Firefly's reply, glanced at Liu Bai cooking noodles downstairs, and then turned and went back to his room.

"..."

How strange...

However, since that's the case, Firefly decided to go back and wait a while longer.

Let's wait until Liu Bai finishes his meal and comes back before we take any action.

Three points.

The lights outside have been off for over an hour.

Firefly got out of bed again and went outside.