Past, and Future

The stars twinkled in the sky, and under the warm moonlight, in this quiet city, the girl walked up to the boy.

"What's wrong, Feng? You look so troubled." The girl looked at the boy and smiled. "Let me guess what you want to say. Are you also feeling guilty about what happened to the girl, and need to confide in a girl as beautiful as a blooming flower? I'm quite confident about that~"

The boy pursed his lips, looking as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Oh, don't be so shy. Some things can't be kept buried in your heart all the time, you know~" the girl said, holding up a finger. "Everyone feels guilty sometimes, even Kevin is no exception, so you don't need to be shy about it. Besides, you're my right-hand man, and I'm happy to listen to what's on your mind~"

"Elysia ...I..." the boy began with some difficulty, and the girl could clearly see the hesitation and fear in his eyes.

He knew what he was going to say next, and he really wanted to change the subject. After all, when he first asked the girl out, it was just a spur-of-the-moment decision, but...

There's no turning back now. His stammering and hesitant manner, followed by his eventual admission that he, like Kevin, was affected by the Third Law incident... it all seems suspicious, doesn't it? And... actually, he really did want an answer to put his mind at ease, didn't he?

He harbored unspoken affections, yet never received her attention. Even though he knew there was no possibility between her and Kevin, the flame of "jealousy" never went out.

One must know one's own limitations. After arriving in this world, he could clearly feel the vast gap between himself and Kevin. However... from their first meeting, to their reunion after the Fourth Law incident, and their subsequent actions, he came to understand his own heart.

He really liked her, so much so that he wanted to get close to her and save her from an ending that shouldn't have happened.

When it comes to confessing your feelings, if you succeed, everyone is happy; if you fail, it's probably hard to even remain friends.

However, he could no longer bear the burning flames of jealousy in his heart. He had even thought of his escape route: if he failed, he would run away to Europe... that way, even if she wouldn't mind, he wouldn't feel embarrassed to meet her in his daily life.

In a way, this could be considered his first confession of love? Unfortunately, he wasn't quite right in the head and didn't know what to do. He could only try his best to make sure he was dressed appropriately, and in order not to cause her any unnecessary trouble, he chose this deserted city as the location.

"Since it's a confession, since it's about liking someone, how can you avoid eye contact? No matter what the outcome, at the very least, you should look her in the eye and not let her feel like you're just going through the motions..."

Having made up his mind, he hardened his gaze, raised his head, which was almost bowing, and looked earnestly into the girl's eyes, saying, "Elysia, I... like you."

He wouldn't use any fancy words or create any romantic scenes; his brain simply wouldn't allow him to do so.

He gazed at her, waiting for her answer, not thinking about anything else, because at this moment, all he needed to do was focus on her; he would deal with the rest later.

The girl paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "I like you too, Maple~ I like everyone from 'Fire Moth '~"

Boy. "..."

Is he... trying to save face? But... he doesn't need that excuse. He can fool others, but he can't fool his own heart. He chose to confess because of his overwhelming emotions. He knows that if things continue like this, he won't be able to take it anymore.

"No, that's not what I meant..." he began, "Elysia, what I meant was that I have feelings for you, the kind of liking that comes from admiring a lover... yes, that's how I like you."

The girl remained silent, looking into the boy's eyes. He showed no fear, continuing to meet her gaze, waiting for her answer.

Does he like this...? She knew it. She knew it from the moment he confessed his feelings. However, she didn't really have those feelings, so she said that to give the boy a way out.

However, he did not choose that step. Instead, he laid everything bare. He looked at himself so intently, and at that moment, he only had himself in his eyes.

This was a sincere and passionate feeling, she admitted. She also enjoyed being with him, but... she wasn't sure if her feelings for him were equal to his feelings for her.

This was his heartfelt sentiment, and also the first confession she had ever received from him. She didn't want to give him a perfunctory response.

So, should we refuse?

If I just refuse, this should end...

That's what she thought, but when the words reached her lips, she remembered the fireworks they had watched together that night, and the words he had spoken to her then, just as earnestly as they were now. So what came out of her mouth was. "I'm sorry, Feng. I... I might not be able to give you an answer right now. Please give me some time, okay?"

Yes, give her some time. She needs to seriously think about the relationship between the two of them and sort out her feelings... Whether she agrees or refuses, she is somewhat confused at this moment.

What she was thinking about was their experience of working together and spending time together over this period of time. To her, he might indeed be more special than others, but... she was a little confused about her feelings for him.

She had never thought about such things, nor had she ever had any experience with them...

She knew that her reply this time was very cunning, but she couldn't think of any other way to do it. She looked into the boy's eyes and saw a hint of disappointment and resentment, but then relief appeared.

"Is it because I'm not Heroes like Kevin?" His tone was filled with resentment, but she also felt that he was just asking her for an answer.

She decisively and firmly rejected his idea. "Why would you think that? Feng, you are you, you don't need to be anyone else."

Everyone is unique and doesn't need to imitate anyone else; he shouldn't even have that thought...

"But... I understand. I'm sorry, I was being presumptuous."

"It's okay, I don't mind."

"But I will still try my best to become a Heroes, after all... I really like you, and I also want to get more of your attention like Kevin does..."

"Well, how about this? We'll make a promise. I'll keep an eye on you until you become the Heroes you want to be. Maybe then I'll know my answer."

"... I understand."

The two of them remained silent for a very long time.

As they were parting, she heard him say, "Thank you, Elysia."

It seems... he took her words as a form of comfort... but she was truly serious. She meant what she said, and she would keep her promise, watching him intently while searching for her own answers. Moreover... she also felt uneasy about some things about herself.

There's plenty of time ahead of them; they have plenty of time left.

"Elysia, the council has approved your proposal to establish the Fourteen Schicksal." The white-haired girl conveyed the council's answer to the girl with a blank expression.

"Huh? Didn't they refuse before? Did you also think I did the right thing, and then you brought Heavenfire and Mei to persuade everyone?" The girl was a little surprised, but this answer was indeed what she wanted to hear, and she even made a joke.

The Fourteen Schicksal were formed, and he was among them, once again serving as their leader... In that case, it's somewhat acceptable...

"It was Feng who went to talk to the council," said the white-haired Qing. "I'm not very clear about the specifics, but the result is that the council agreed to the establishment of the Fourteen Schicksal. However, he also put forward his conditions."

He probably just didn't want to see her anyway... After that, she never saw him again...

"Oh? What is it?" she asked.

"He has no intention of becoming the leader, nor the deputy leader," the white-haired Qingyi relayed his conditions. "He also said that if necessary, the position of Flame-Chasers does not need to be reserved for him."

"How can that be?!" she retorted. "We are the last remaining Fusion Warrior, humanity's last soldiers. How can we abandon him alone..."

The white-haired Qing said coldly, "Elysia, I think you need to realize one thing: even if the Flame-Chasers Rudu is established, the Fourteen Schicksal will still not be the Thirteen Fallen Angels. Moreover, you and I both know why the Council is worried about the Flame-Chasers Rudu. If he doesn't take the position of Flame-Chasers, the establishment of the Flame-Chasers Rudu will be much easier."

She remained silent for a while before stubbornly saying, "I don't care. He's been a comrade-in-arms who's fought alongside us all along. Even if he's unwilling to be a leader... he's still our comrade-in-arms and should be Flame-Chasers!"

The white-haired Qingyi looked at her for a while, then turned and left. "I understand, I will tell him."

She watched the white-haired Qingyi's departing figure, momentarily lost in thought. She knew that they were now close friends, and probably few of the remaining people remembered that their relationship had never been good at all... And now, her communication with him could only be relayed by Qingyi.

Communication... if this counts as communication...

"Finally... we meet again, Feng..."

She stood at the door of the operating room, quietly looking at Qingyi lying inside. His face was much paler than she remembered, and his originally black hair had turned the color of his deceased lover... This was the first time she had ever seen him like this. After all... before this, she was the only person he didn't want to see.

She finally understood her feelings and found the answer she needed, but... it was too late.

It's really... too late.

She gazed at him as promised, unaware of the side effects of his Fusion Warrior surgery. She had been watching him the whole time, yet she was oblivious to the pain he had endured. She should have known the answer to her question long ago, but only now did she understand.

At this moment, she gazed at him; at this moment, he was all she could see. She no longer cared about the surroundings; all she wanted was for him to wake up.

Even though she was looking at him the same way he had looked back then, she was no longer in his eyes.

"Is it the torment of the side effects that makes you so indifferent even in your sleep? Or perhaps, you haven't had a good night's sleep in so long that you've forgotten what sleep feels like? Maple... really, you've become a Heroes, just like we promised back then, a... even more powerful Heroes than Kevin."

"I really want to tell you that I already have the answer to that confession I made back then."

"But... it doesn't matter to you anymore, right?"

"I long to touch you again, but I can't... The distance between us has become so vast that we can never get any closer..."

"Even with Mobius, even with Mei... even with them together, the final estimated survival rate for you is less than 1%!... (MISSING)... That's a familiar probability. Back when the Seventh Herrscher incident happened, when you and Kevin decided to participate in the Fusion Warrior Project, the probability was even lower than it is now..."

"Ha... Back then, Kevin was doing it for Mei, and you... were doing it for me. And I only found out about this now, it was Mobius who told me... Isn't that a joke? We promised to always watch over you, but in the end, I'm the one who knows the least. What Lilith knows, I don't know; what Mobius knows, I don't know; even... Kevin knows, I still don't know... Why? Why... did it end up like this?"

"The probability is clearly higher than it was at its lowest. You managed to pull through back then. But this time, is there anyone who can save you...? Don't die... okay?"

"Don't die..."

The moonlight was as gentle as I remembered, and the stars still twinkled.

Elysia looked at the person in front of her, pulling her thoughts out of her memories. She probably knew why Lilith did this. It was because... she no longer needed to act out the past in her dreams, even if she could make up for the regrets of the past this time.

The past is called the past because it cannot be returned to, so we must move on to it.

She stepped forward and could tell that Zhu Yufeng was quite speechless, after all, he had just accepted Lilith's confession in the previous dream.

Before he could speak, Elysia gently pressed her index finger to his lips and chuckled, saying, "We already know everything, don't we?"

Zhu Yufeng: "?"

Something's not right about this. Wait, isn't that really Elysia in front of him? But why is she...?

"Let the past be the past, let it be a shared memory. Our destinies have intersected once again, and we already know each other's feelings, so..." Elysia lowered her hand, gently tiptoed, and kissed Zhu Yufeng.

Then, she took a half step back with her hands behind her back, and said with a smile, "That's enough."

On the building in the distance.

Lilith shrugged, seemingly somewhat helplessly. "Well, it wasn't exactly an accident... but I'll have to come up with a good excuse for seeing Feng tomorrow..."