"Ah..." He let out a hoarse breath, feeling the pain throughout his body. "Am I still alive?"
Mirai slowly opened his eyes. The blurry image gradually came into focus. Unlike last time, what entered his vision was not the top of a tent, but an orange sky stained red by the sun. It seemed to be evening.
Watching the setting sun, the warm yet dim sky, and several birds flying overhead, Mirai slowly opened his mouth. He was smiling, but tears streamed from his eyes. His feelings at that moment were too complicated to describe.
"It's over. The battle is finally over..." Mirai closed his eyes, stopping more tears from spilling out. "It's good to be alive..."
"Hey, kid, you're awake!" A familiar voice came from beside him. When he opened his eyes, he saw Chi Jingyou. He and Zuo Wei had each brought back bundles of dry branches and chunks of wood, smiling as they spoke.
"Uh, kid, it looks like you were crying. Hahaha, you really are a little brat!" After setting down the wood, Chi Jingyou suddenly noticed the tears on Mirai's face and pointed at him with a laugh.
"No! This..." Being called out by Chi Jingyou made Mirai feel awkward, and for a moment he did not know how to explain himself. Still, he had returned to Team 40 once more, escaped danger, and once again suffered Chi Jingyou's mockery. Yet Chi Jingyou felt that, after half a month, his entire body was more relaxed and comfortable than ever before.
Seeing Chi Jingyou still wearing that teasing expression, and Zuo Wei looking puzzled as well, Mirai had no choice but to break the awkwardness and quickly change the subject. "By the way, Teacher, did yesterday's battle finally end?"
"Yesterday?" Chi Jingyou lit a fire and