The internet café before him was both familiar and strange.
Familiar because its layout was just as it had been before: the position of the counter, the direction of the restroom, even the crossroads outside the window were still there...
Strange because all the café's computers had been replaced with enormous LCD screens. The flashy proprietress looked vaguely familiar, though many more crow's-feet had appeared at the corners of her eyes, impossible to hide even beneath her heavy makeup...
He glanced at the time on the monitor. It was actually 2017.
At once, he realized that he hadn't merely guided Liao Chen into the river of memories; he had also sent Liao Chen's consciousness directly into the original, ever-advancing flow of time.
After who knew how long, Xu Yi finally recovered from his shock. He saw that Liao Chen had already found a seat in the internet café and was playing a game he'd never seen before, called something like Honor of Kings.
After watching for a while, he saw Liao Chen die several times. The screen filled with insults, though more people asked which elementary school Liao Chen went to.
After who knew how long, Liao Chen appeared before him. His face was flushed, and he muttered to himself, shouting that he'd kill them all.
Xu Yi was deeply shocked, afraid that Liao Chen might lose himself or suffer some damage in the river of memories. He didn't dare interrupt him, and waited quietly for Liao Chen to recover on his own.
Suddenly, Liao Chen grabbed his arm. His eyes shone as he stared at Xu Yi. "Do you know what it's like to go a thousand, ten thousand years without feeling pain, failure, or excitement? No wonder a natural chasm has sealed off your river of memories. Maybe