Fear

Certain that it was an accident before the Honkai, Huang Hao finally returned after a busy day. As soon as he got back, he saw Angela playing her own game.

"What's Angela playing?" Huang Hao leaned over, intending to take a good look.

Without turning her head, Angela said, "I'm playing my prototype."

"Oh, come on. Don't keep dwelling on the past. You're not her, anyway. By the way, how's it going?" Thinking Angela was still upset about what had happened before, Huang Hao apologized without giving it much thought.

But Angela had only said that because she pitied him. She wasn't dwelling on the past. After explaining her thoughts to Huang Hao in detail, she came to understand as well.

After hearing Angela's thoughts, Huang Hao realized that he had misunderstood. He simply smiled and let it go. After a busy day, he went straight to bed, intending to sleep.

Just after he lay down, Angela suddenly ran over, a USB drive in her hand. "Oh, right. There are a few more games later on. One of them is called Library or something. There's no plot in Father's memories, but I know some of the code, so I..."

Before Angela could finish, Huang Hao abruptly sat up and knocked the USB drive out of her hand.

Angela was startled. Then she looked at Huang Hao in confusion, unable to understand why he had done that.

Huang Hao also realized that he had overreacted and quickly apologized to Angela. "Sorry, An'er. Actually, I've heard some rumors. Playing the first one is enough. Let's forget about the rest."

Hearing what Huang Hao said, Angela understood his thoughts based on her memories. She slowly said, "Father, you're actually afraid, aren't you?"

"...I don't know."

Angela continued, "You know that my future wasn't very good. You said so yourself before, so you're afraid to face it."

Angela had exposed Huang Hao's innermost feelings, leaving him unsure what to say. Every time he tried to open his mouth, he ended up closing it again.

In the end, Angela changed her tone. "But I'll listen to Father. I won't play it anymore."

Angela eventually returned to her room and quietly burned the USB drive on the floor.

Hearing what Angela had said, Huang Hao struggled inwardly, wondering why he had become like this and what he was afraid of.

After thinking for a long time without reaching an answer, he simply went to bed as well. He stopped dwelling on it, but after lying down, Huang Hao tossed and turned for a long while before finally falling asleep.

When Huang Hao opened his eyes again, he found himself in some kind of space. Unlike before, however, this space wasn't black.

Several dark lines appeared across Huang Hao's face. He said speechlessly, "Fine, it's the space of consciousness again. At least you're considerate enough to come while I'm sleeping."

As Huang Hao spoke, someone walked out and said out of nowhere, "That's what I thought, too."

"What the hell—ghost!" Startled, Huang Hao instinctively dodged backward and jumped away, then assumed a battle stance.

The person merely wore an innocent expression. "Is that really necessary? Do you know how much effort I had to use to contact you?"

Huang Hao calmed down and took a careful look at the other person. That voice, that ability...

"Su?"

That's right. The person who had come was none other than Su—Peacock Aventurine—crossed out. Only he had an ability like this, at least as far as Huang Hao knew.

Su said, "You finally remembered me. Do you still remember..."

Huang Hao interrupted him directly. "Skip the small talk. What do you want with me?"

Su first shook his head with a smile. "After all these years, you still haven't gotten over your habit of interrupting people."

Huang Hao said, "What, want some lemon juice?"

Su said, "I'm only here to remind you of something."

Huang Hao said, "Get lost. I don't want to deal with someone who only speaks in riddles."

After saying that, he began gathering his strength, intending to force his way out.

Seeing this, Su hurriedly said, "Wait, wait. Do you know how difficult it is to find your space even once?"

Huang Hao said impatiently, "Then spit it out. I'm getting numb from you always coming here."

"What are you worried about?"

The moment Su spoke, Huang Hao immediately became alert, and the power he had just gathered slowly dispersed.

"You're not the first person to say that to me. I don't have an answer either."

"Are you afraid that it won't match your prophecy?"

Su once again said something shocking. Every word struck at the deepest part of Huang Hao's thoughts.

"You're afraid of the unknown. You're afraid that your actions will no longer be under your control," Su continued.

Huang Hao said, "This is for the future I want."

"But you're destroying that future."

Su said, "You're always in such a hurry because you've seen it. You appear lazy on the surface, but you're extremely anxious inside. I don't have the kind of foresight you and Aponia possess, but I can see it."

Huang Hao said, "But you've never even opened your eyes."

Su said, "...That was a metaphor."

Huang Hao nodded, confirming Su's deduction, but then changed his tone. "But what else can I do? It was my first encounter, and it'll be my last."

Su said, "But everyone is like you were during your first time."

"But this isn't my first time seeing it."

Huang Hao suddenly retorted, "I'm afraid of sacrifice. I'm afraid I won't be able to solve everything. I used to think I could save everyone, so I deliberately killed one person—Himiko—and the Honkai told me that I was wrong. But I can't undo it anymore."

Su said, "Then what are you afraid of?"

Huang Hao answered with a bitter smile, "I don't know either."

Su said, "If you don't know, why are you afraid?"

Huang Hao said, "Because I don't know. That's why I'm afraid."

Seeing how deeply Huang Hao was trapped in this, Su shook his head and turned to leave. Before going, however, he said, "Actually, everyone is afraid. The meaning of that fear is simply different for each person. As for you, you only need to let go."

As soon as Su finished speaking, the space dispersed. Huang Hao suddenly opened his eyes. It was already daylight.

Huang Hao lay blankly on the bed and voiced his greatest confusion this time.

"I didn't even hide my address. Why didn't he look for me in reality first? I even went to Kevin's place and passed by him. Why didn't he discuss it with me first?"