Target

"Qin Feng, you were hiding this really well."

Once this blind spot was broken through, the logic of spacetime instantly became clear.

Qin Feng's objective was very clear—

[To save his biological father.]

Since Qin Feng's spacetime message was indeed sent 10 years into the past;

Then the ten-year-old Qin Feng at that time, having learned of his father's death in advance, would inevitably try his best to change it, so that his father could avoid that accident and be saved.

From that moment on...

The worldline changed, and the trajectory of history altered.

Saving an adult who had been dead for ten years created a massive spacetime butterfly effect, like a tornado that ravaged the history of those 10 years.

Many things changed, and the fates of many people were altered as well.

From Jiang Ran's perspective, the three most direct changes were:

1. Qin Feng's growth trajectory changed. He didn't attend Hangshi No. 1 High School, didn't become good friends with Jiang Ran, and his current whereabouts are unknown.

2. Cheng Mengxue, who should have been growing up healthy, died in a car accident on June 8, 2023, her life forever frozen at 18 years old.

3. His own life also underwent a huge transformation. Although he didn't know the details yet, he was actually able to date a girl like Nan Xiuxiu and hang out in this kind of circle... He felt his life could absolutely be described as topsy-turvy.

"Heh heh."

He let out a laugh for no reason.

He didn't know what he was laughing at.

"I miss my father very much, and I cherish you all. The scales on both sides are the same to me."

These were Qin Feng's words.

Jiang Ran didn't believe he was lying.

If Qin Feng truly betrayed their trust and wanted to send the spacetime message to hide it from him and Cheng Mengxue, there were clearly simpler methods.

The positron cannon was in the activity room; he could have secretly used it at any time.

This was also the point Jiang Ran couldn't understand the most:

"Since Qin Feng had plenty of opportunities to send the text message behind our backs, why did he have to put on this act in front of us?"

In his mind, Qin Feng's last look at him resurfaced.

"Sorry, Jiang Ran."

It was a look of guilt, yet it also held anticipation:

"Forgive me."

Could it be...

Qin Feng was still hoping that he, who possessed the memories of the original worldline, would find him again, forgive him, and the three of them would become friends again?

Hmm.

Very likely.

Because when the first attempt to send the text message was interrupted, Qin Feng had discussed this topic with him.

At that time, Qin Feng had asked him:

"If the worldline changes and I get separated from you guys, becoming strangers in the new worldline... in the new worldline, would you look for me?"

At that time, Jiang Ran hadn't thought that deeply and had answered truthfully from the bottom of his heart:

"Yes, I definitely would."

"No matter how the worldline changes, I won't abandon any of you."

"No matter how the spacetime butterfly effect changes our relationship, I will definitely find you both and we'll be back to how we were, just like now."

So.

This was why Qin Feng had waited until the last moment to implement his plan?

He wanted a promise.

He wanted a promise that Jiang Ran would still find him.

"You're too cunning."

Jiang Ran muttered to himself.

He understood Qin Feng's feelings about wanting to save his father, but he completely disagreed with Qin Feng's methods.

"Little Xue is dead..."

This was something Jiang Ran could not overlook, could not forgive.

He wished he could find Qin Feng immediately and have a good argument with him, perhaps even a physical one.

But now.

With the fact of Cheng Mengxue's death before him, he could no longer distinguish right from wrong.

He must correct history, He must save Cheng Mengxue, He must revert the worldline, His mind was now filled with only one thought--

[Find the positron cannon again, send another spacetime message, and save Cheng Mengxue!]

This was also why he immediately took a taxi to Donghai University.

He had to confirm if the positron cannon was still at Donghai University, and if it was still in the Film Club.

As long as he found the positron cannon, he could save Cheng Mengxue.

This wasn't difficult.

He had used the spacetime message to save Xu Yan before, and Qin Feng had also used the spacetime message to save his father... The spacetime message was omnipotent; as long as he found the positron cannon again, he could make up for everything he had lost!

Screech--

The taxi braked to a halt.

The driver turned his head:

"Kid, we're here at the west gate of Donghai University."

Jiang Ran paid and got out.

The west gate was the abandoned old gate of Donghai University, long out of use, tightly shut, and never opened.

There was a reason he came here instead of the main gate.

It was one in the morning, and the main gate had long been locked. Not only could he not get in, but he would also inevitably be questioned by the security guard, who would then notify his counselor... It was better not to go in at all.

The west gate, however, had been abandoned for a long time. A section of the fence was rusty and corroded, and a gap had "conveniently" appeared, large enough for someone to crawl through. This was the solution countless heroic seniors had found.

Of course, this "conveniently" was definitely man-made; heroes don't ask about their origins, and they keep their achievements hidden.

Jiang Ran had studied at Donghai University for two years, so he was naturally an old hand and skillfully found the broken section of the fence to crawl through.

The campus at midnight was incredibly quiet. As he hurried along the tree-lined path, he could only hear the croaking of frogs by the lake and the chirping of cicadas.

This was his first time walking through Donghai University late at night. Besides being nervous, he felt utterly lonely.

Thinking back on the past two years.

When had he ever acted alone?

He was always either with Qin Feng or Cheng Mengxue, never feeling lonely for a moment.

But now.

Especially considering that on this worldline, Qin Feng hadn't become his friend, and Cheng Mengxue had died during the college entrance exam.

How had he spent these past two years?

Had he just come to Donghai University alone, like this? Going from his dorm to the cafeteria and classrooms alone? Experiencing sunrise and sunset, spring, summer, autumn, and winter alone?

A moment of empathy brought back Qin Feng's words:

"After the worldline changed, we, who were such good friends, instantly became strangers; all our emotions and experiences ceased to exist, and we each lived our own lives... No one would remember our current 'iron triangle'."

"Jiang Ran, don't you think that feeling is cruel?"

Yes.

It was indeed cruel.

So.

Jiang Ran clenched his fist.

He had to find the positron cannon and correct all of this!

Soon, he slipped into the club activity building.

The spare key to the Film Club had always been kept under a flower pot on the corridor windowsill. Jiang Ran picked up the flower pot and indeed found the small silver key.

"Lucky."

It seemed the Film Club's tradition hadn't changed.

He took the key and walked to the familiar wooden door. He inserted it and turned, and the lock clicked. The door gave way slightly, revealing a small gap.

Somehow, it felt like the gears of fate were turning, connecting the two spaces, the two timelines, inside and outside the room...

Years, time, history, cause and effect, the past and future intertwined.

In the distance, the streetlights shone through the gaps in the leaves onto the door, swaying like hundreds of eyes blinking... staring intently at the one who had crossed worldlines; whispering softly, all the answers lay behind this door.

Jiang Ran took a deep breath.

He pushed the door open forcefully--