I Said This Isn't a Life Simulation Game! Section 19

Sakura has been seen less often lately; perhaps she's busy with her child? Kevin, on the other hand, has become much more active. I heard he's close to becoming a vice-captain. However, he's been speaking less and less, and even saw a therapist a couple of times... He's still just a student, after all; he hasn't experienced enough battles. But I think he'll get used to it after a few more missions.

I ran into Sakura at noon and we exchanged a bag of candy. She gave me pink sakura-flavored ones again. They taste a bit different from the white stars I usually eat, but I like them a lot. She seems to have encountered something, always hesitating... She's always like this, keeping so many things from me, yet not telling me about them, which makes me worry...]

Xi Wang paused here, took a white star candy from the box, and changed the written [39] to [40] before continuing.

[In the afternoon, while walking with Sakura, Dr. Mobius caught me again. She seems to know about my special constitution and wants to capture me for research all the time... Honestly, I find it a bit unpleasant. It brings back bad memories.

In the evening, I saw another team leaving. They're probably going to deal with the Honkai again. Although I don't know anyone on that team, I still wish them good luck.

There hasn't been any activity from the Poison Chrysalis lately. I wonder if they've encountered any obstacles or something major. I just hope they can still provide me with information on "those guys." If they could find the coordinates for the "Island," that would be even better.

But... never mind. These past few days have been quite peaceful, and I'm happy. I hope it stays this way.]

At this point, Xi Wang put down his pen, glanced over what he had written, then tore off the page he had just written on along with the next one, and lit it with a lighter.

He stared blankly at the flames for a while. Once the paper had burned to ashes, Xi Wang took out another white star candy and put it into his mouth along with the ashes.

Today is the [41]th.

Xi Wang corrected the number in his mind again, then got up and returned to his makeshift bed to rest—he had sparring practice in the morning and couldn't be late.

I wonder when Elysia will return.

Before closing his eyes, Xi Wang's mind flashed with that pink figure. He moved his arm, touched the candy box he had placed beside him, and took one last look at the white stars inside.

Perhaps I should eat a little less.

Xi Wang thought this and decided to reduce his candy intake from now on. Well... although the process would likely be very painful.

But he would persevere.

He closed his eyes and gradually fell asleep.

...On an island somewhere...

What is it like... outside?

The girl leaned against the small window, gazing at the early morning sky.

Birds... are so nice.

She saw a few more birds soaring and heard a few cheerful chirps, and couldn't help but think this.

They can fly freely, fly freely in the beautiful and dazzling blue sky. That is the "home" of birds.

It's so nice... she thought, wishing she could live there too.

Even though none of them are human, she's the only one stuck here.

The girl looked back at the dim room. Only the small window she was leaning against allowed her to see outside, to be illuminated by the light from outside.

Although this place is also very good—there's food when she's hungry, medicine when she's sick, and painkillers when she feels pain. She doesn't feel cold either... In fact, no one bothers her no matter what she does. Even if she just lies in bed sleeping, no one scolds her. Even if she imitates a bird and flaps her hands, no one laughs. She could be considered quite free—as long as she's within this room.

She should be happy, right? She must be happy, right? After all, she has nothing to worry about, and even her work is taken care of.

But... she still wants to go out, to live in that dazzling and beautiful blue sky like the birds.

She thought of the person she received a few days ago. He was very gentle and patient, at least more patient than most people she had met during her work before.

He took her to eat many things she had never eaten before, things that were tastier than usual. He also took her for a walk around the area and danced with her at the dinner party. He even took her to watch a movie—a movie about a person pursuing birds, yearning to fly, and finally succeeding in breaking free from the earth's constraints.

Although his actions at night were as rough as others', she was really happy at that moment.

Birds... are so nice.

She thought this.

"Rustle—"

A faint, strange sound brought the girl back to her senses. In a daze, she realized she wasn't in her room anymore, but in a more enclosed secret chamber. In the dimness, only the reflection of the projector on the screen could slightly illuminate the surroundings, much like the small window in her room.

On the table beside her were several medicine bottles, their caps already opened, along with some used syringes, cotton swabs smelling of disinfectant, a few bloody cotton balls, and the bandages she had just removed.

She gradually regained sensation in her body and slowly curled up, but her gaze remained fixed on the screen.

"Have you come back to your senses?"

Someone asked from the darkness.

"Birds... are flying..."

"..."

The person in the darkness made a gesture, and the doctor beside them inserted the prepared syringe into the girl's neck.

The girl did not resist, appearing very quiet. After a while, her consciousness seemed to return to this place, but it was as if something was missing, her eyes filled with bewilderment and confusion.

"...What did you mean when you said some people don't deserve to be human?"

"...I've explained it before."

"I forgot..."

Her memory seemed to be stuck at a certain point in the past, or perhaps she had lost the memory from that moment until now.

"It's not a complicated concept, so I'll say it again—"

The person in the darkness said patiently and calmly.

"Everyone has their own essence, and there's a hierarchy between people."

"The superior are destined for nobility, the inferior for baseness."

"Inferior people have many characteristics, such as hair that's too long and they're unwilling to manage it."

The girl subconsciously touched her somewhat messy long hair.

"For example, they enjoy low-class entertainment."

The girl looked at the short video playing on repeat before her.

"For example, they have poor skin."

The girl touched her forearm, feeling a slightly rough texture.

"For example, they are unwilling to accept education from superiors, and other such characteristics."

The girl vaguely remembered someone saying these things to her, but she couldn't recall who...

"And these inferiors cannot be called human, they are not worthy of being human, they are simply consumables, merely wearing human forms."

"Now, do you know what you are?"

"So... that's how it is..."

The girl responded hazily, her consciousness seeming to blur again.

The doctor beside the girl slowly wrote on the paper, "Memory impairment, consciousness disorder, difficulty concentrating, severe hallucinations..." By the end, even the doctor couldn't help but click his tongue and speak.

"If this isn't dealt with soon..."

"It's fine, people who come to the island enjoy this sort of thing."

The person in the darkness waved their hand, interrupting the doctor, and then continued to press.

"Now, do you know what you are?"

"I am... inferior..."

The girl whispered softly.

"Not human... not worthy of being human..."

"Yes."

The person affirmed the girl.

"But even so, you don't need to feel sad or wronged. Even those born inferior, as long as they learn to accept and obey, many, many happy and joyful things will flood into your life, just like before."

"Yes... yes... like before..."

The girl was dazed.

Beep beep—

It sounded like some kind of communication device.

"Look, we have a guest."

The person said with a smile.

"You can be happy with the guest."

It's time to work—the girl thought subconsciously.

The girl slowly got up, and with the person's support, she wobbled out of the dim secret room and into the sunlight outside.

All sorts of decadent music came from all directions, some unrestrained, some soft, but no matter where she went, she couldn't escape it.

"Coo coo..."

She heard birdsong again. She slightly raised her vacant eyes and looked towards the rising sun. A few seagulls were flying along with the sunlight.

Birds... are so nice...

They can live in the beautiful and dazzling blue sky...

I also want to see... I want to have beautiful wings like the birds, wings that can fly freely...

She thought this.

Then, azure wings unfurled behind her. A gentle breeze blew, dyeing them emerald green, and lifted her.

"Hah..."

Seeing the azure sky getting closer and closer, she couldn't help but smile. She reached out, wanting to touch it.

"Ah..."

It wasn't until her body was level with the flying birds that her expression suddenly stiffened, and she stopped in mid-air.

She reached out towards the azure sky, touched it, but felt nothing. She subconsciously grasped again, but caught nothing.

So the sky... can't be touched...

The girl's consciousness froze at this moment.

Then a strong wind swept through, engulfing all the surrounding birds and tearing them apart.