Seele's Great Escape

This was the first time Seele had faced the outside world alone, yet for some reason she no longer felt fear or rejection.

She walked along the avenue of the school, glancing at the fountains that kept appearing in the central pool, lost in thought.

So... I really don't feel scared anymore.

Even if you are alone, the unease, terror, and distress that well up inside you cannot become a prisoner's chain around your ankles again.

Go out.

It was such a simple and ordinary act, but after truly confirming that she could do it alone, Seele was stunned for a long time.

In this short month, what Su Qing'an gave her seemed to be far more important than she had imagined. Perhaps the boy's care was clumsy and not very meticulous, but the result was... she was healed.

I'm cured.

She murmured those words, her fingertips resting on her chest beneath her sweater.

What welled up in my chest were poems and nursery rhymes, while the despair and sorrow that had once been so intense melted away like snow into the depths of my consciousness.

She no longer doubts whether the world is only black.

If this world had an older brother.

So even if it's just him, even if he's the only one who has proven to himself that humanity, aside from the bad guys, still exists.

Even if that's all... it's enough.

This was enough for Seele Fulei to believe that something pure white still existed in the world.

The more she thought, the lighter and more graceful her steps became as she landed on the ground.

The heavy cashmere boots tapped out a peaceful rhythm on the granite floor.

The little girl kept walking, ignoring the stares of others.

I kept walking, ignoring the people who tried to talk to me.

She didn't stop anywhere, but touched the broad palms of the white stone statues along the way, her eyes glancing down at the colorful paintings.

Only after her calves had stepped over the lush green grass, and her figure had passed the towering White Tower, did Seele successfully walk out of the academy on her own.

She knew that the transmitter on her body was not a disposable item.

The most likely utility is the ability to send location information at regular intervals or even synchronously; this is not simply a result of analysis.

The constant, faint burning pain emanating from the back of my neck tells me that its effects are still ongoing.

Therefore, staying in place would only allow the enemy to get closer to one's important people.

In the little girl's eyes, leaving was the only option.

Su Qing'an's combat strength is unknown even to Fu Hua, so Seele would naturally assume that the boy himself does not have the means to fight against him or the laboratory.

Even if Su Qing'an proves this, the little girl will still choose to leave.

The reason is simple: unlike herself, who is destined to live in that kind of world, her brother and Sister Hua can continue to live under the sun and grow old together. But if her existence affects or even destroys the happiness that they should have had, then she is wrong.

Seele Fulei will never forgive herself.

Seele's biggest mistake was her inability to be completely selfish; she was in a half-hearted state before making this decision.

That's a very contradictory feeling.

Seele wasn't sure if the transmitter's existence would delay its activation due to the Quantum State, and even if she were certain, she couldn't pinpoint exactly when it would be reactivated.

Given this context, Seele was even more confused about whether her body would experience any unusual symptoms when the transmitter was activated.

However, if the transmitter sends a signal silently, it will inevitably affect the people around it.

To understand all this yet still enjoy the boy's care is undoubtedly selfish.

In Seele's own eyes, this was an act worthy of being hated, despised, and insulted.

But even with this approach, she couldn't stick to it.

She craved the hard-won freedom, clutched the warmth she had never received, and embraced the rare and precious tenderness.

Finally, in the moment when Seele understood reality amidst the excruciating pain, she made the decisive decision to let go. She left behind all the things she cherished and departed cleanly and decisively.

Seele was sincerely grateful for the pain that had almost stopped her heart from beating. It was this pain that had reopened the cruel curtain of reality, stripped away her innocence, and led her to make a choice she would never regret.

Even now, the little girl has no intention of completely giving up.

She couldn't imagine what life would be like back in that lab, and for that reason...

Even if it means mutual destruction, Seele is willing to do it.

The little girl tightened the red scarf around her neck, her gaze cold as she looked at the colorful flags fluttering in the winter wind atop the school tower.

Her lips, muffled inside, moved slightly as she whispered:

"Assuming the people in the lab set off five minutes after receiving the signal, when exactly would they arrive in Canghai City?"

This is a question that can be largely guessed without any data.

The time will not exceed half a day at most.

12 hours—that's the latest they can possibly arrive here.

In fact, barring any unforeseen circumstances, they should be able to reach their destination within two hours.

The reason is simple: according to the old man, the United Nations itself is behind the laboratory.

Therefore, the closer a region is to the heart of the United Nations, the more numerous and rapid the spies and agents dispatched by these forces will be.

Based on the above reasons, the prosperity and uniqueness of Canghai City itself proves that a force like the laboratory must also have its own tentacles in this area.

The United Nations background is the reason why Seele will choose to leave no matter what. Even if Su Qing'an has the strength to defeat ten thousand people, what can he do?

In the face of the United Nations, which almost represents human civilization itself, the will and power of an individual are far too insignificant.

The only option is to escape.

The only option is to escape.

She fled to a place where her brother would never find her in a short time, a place where she would never affect the academy.

Only when her existence is completely confirmed by the people in the laboratory can Seele Fulei feel at ease to carry out her plans.

Her deep blue eyes suddenly turned cold, and at that moment...

The course progressed smoothly as always. Su Qing'an glanced at the clock face; it was already three o'clock.

In just fifteen minutes, it will be time to leave work.

They'll probably face condemnation from China later, right?

However, judging from her personality, she probably wouldn't dare to approach him directly without sending her friends away.

So cute.

Let's take her and Seele out to buy groceries later.

The eggs in the fridge are all gone, there's only one carton of the orange juice the kid likes to drink, and only half of the seaweed and pork floss that goes with the porridge for breakfast is left. I should just go and get all the rest at once.

It's far more enjoyable to fill a refrigerator with food than to wield a sword and slay an enemy.

This weather is perfect for hot pot. Buying some beef rolls and soup base to cook for dinner would be a good idea.

The boy was absentmindedly pondering these everyday matters, while outwardly maintaining his usual pace of attending classes.

The sky outside the window is still a clear blue; it's exactly three o'clock in the afternoon.

An hour and a half had passed since Seele left the academy.

Seele collapsed beside the pool filled with white doves, her brown coat spread out like a canvas on the cold ground, her petite body trembling involuntarily in the thin warmth.

Her inner shirt was soaked with cold sweat, and a sharp pain slowly radiated from her spine. The color in her eyes had darkened, and her consciousness seemed to have completely left her body. Only the white doves that gathered around her, seemingly very affectionate, added a touch of life to the scene.

The transmitter's function differed slightly from what the little girl initially imagined. This so-called restraint effect was not a one-time use product; the other party genuinely did not want to harm the precious experimental subject, but that was all.

After giving Seele half an hour to recover, the transmitter's punishment began on its own.

Fortunately, by then the little girl was already riding in a smart, driverless taxi.

Her mobile phone account was linked to Su Qing'an's personal account, so she could freely pay for even long-distance travel expenses.

In order to prevent Su Qing'an from finding her through this connection, she first took a taxi to an ATM that didn't require facial recognition and allowed withdrawals with a PIN, and withdrew the corresponding travel expenses.

Then Seele used Su Qing'an's personal account to call two driverless taxis, placing her phone and hat in one car and having them drive in completely opposite directions.

She then used cash to call another car, having endured the negative effects of being unable to move before finally making her way here.

This is an old amusement park that is rarely visited by people. Although it has achieved a fully automated operation policy, it is far from the city center and its facilities lack novelty and vitality compared to modern amusement parks, so the number of people here is very low.

There are fewer than ten patrol robots deployed in the rather large area, and the number of tourists is probably not much more than here.

I've heard that the deeper reason for this phenomenon is that the amusement park has announced a renovation plan, so it no longer sells tickets online. In addition, there are very few people living nearby. These factors combined have naturally led to the current situation where no one is visiting.

Seele didn't intentionally choose to come here; she simply directed the taxi towards the least populated and most remote areas.

The exact distance was determined by the handful of cash the little girl casually tossed out.

Judging from the fact that she spent more than an hour doing this, Su Qing'an's account must have been unexpectedly wealthy, which led to the little girl's careless spending without any psychological pressure.

As for where the money came from, only the boy himself probably knows the specifics.

The reason Seele came here is simple: it was a location automatically selected by the AI based on the little girl's age.

Children naturally like amusement parks; that's a no-brainer.

After a moment of stunned silence, Seele bought her ticket and entered the amusement park, and the device inside her body began to punish her body for the third time.

The result was that she collapsed beside the pool full of white pigeons, unable to move at all.

"I'm...almost used to it. This time... Seele ...won't lose." She whispered softly, her voice hoarse and stubborn as it came from her throat.

Surrounded by white doves and a spring, the girl slowly rose alone under the azure sky. Her dark blue hair clung to her pale cheeks, and her clear eyes reflected the white doves that fluttered around her. Her struggle to rise made her look like an angel with torn and shattered wings.

Seele used her slender arms to lift her coat, carefully and meticulously brushing off the dust, but she didn't care about her hands, which were bleeding from the ground.

Does it hurt?

But it wasn't as painful as before, nor was cleaning the clothes that Sister Hua had picked out important.

She glanced at the unfamiliar amusement facilities in the distance and murmured to herself:

"It's an amusement park..."

Accompanied by melodious piano music, a driverless minivan stopped in front of Seele, and a crisp sound from the loudspeaker reached her ears:

"Beep beep beep, dear child, would you like to ride the White Horse Sightseeing Car?"

"Want."

"It's only 15 yuan!"

"Give."

Seele obediently stuffed the hundred-dollar bill into the container, and with a ticking sound, the 85-dollar change leisurely fell into the groove below.

But she didn't even glance at it, clearly indicating she had no intention of taking back the change, since she was unlikely to need it again.

The girl simply sat in the last row, leaning against the metal railing, her mind still somewhat muddled from the electric currents that had been coursing through her body.

Where do you want to go play, little one?

"Casual."

Where do you want to go play, little one?

"You're so annoying."

Where do you want to go play, little one?

Faced with repetitive questions and answers that clearly lacked intelligence, Seele could only rack her brains trying to recall the amusement park attractions she knew. Finally, she turned her head away, pursed her lips, and whispered:

"... I want to ride the carousel."

"Also, Seele isn't a little kid."

As the piano music grew more cheerful, the car slowly moved forward, while the loudspeaker once again announced in a synthesized electronic voice:

"Kids, get ready! The White Horse Sightseeing Car is off!"

Upon hearing Seele kicked the chair next to her in frustration.

This AI is so stupid; it can't understand human speech at all.

No wonder there's no one here. You can tell from the smart technology that this amusement park is really outdated, and the other facilities must be old too.

Five minutes later, the piano music changed from a soothing melody to a passionate one.

"Kids, you can get off now. The carousel is down below!"

"White Horse Sightseeing Car is dedicated to serving you and looks forward to seeing you again."

Seele carefully got out of the car. Her steps were still a little unsteady, as the aftereffects of the device inside her body would be difficult to fully alleviate in a short period of time.

She glanced at the car that was still lingering behind her and asked:

Aren't you leaving?

What followed was the same conversation we had when we first met:

"Beep beep beep, dear child, would you like to ride the White Horse Sightseeing Car?"

It seemed there were no other customers nearby, so I just stayed by her side.

Ignoring the profit-driven and stupid AI, Seele boarded the rocking horse.

Soon, a corner of her trench coat swayed to the music, both cheerful and melancholic, as the project began.

We should be... almost there.