Growth

The visitor center was quiet.

A gray beam of light shone in from the window, and the dust in the room floated and tumbled slowly in the air.

Qing Chen remained seated cross-legged, while the frail little girl slept soundly on his lap.

The boy glanced silently at the little girl, then at the gradually brightening sky outside.

Most people spend their entire lives searching for security: enough money, stable relationships, and a safe haven. These are the sources of security.

However, this is utterly useless to people like Qing Chen and Jingūji Maki.

Qing Chen sat for six hours, then patted the little girl's head without any mercy. "Get up, get to work."

"It's not even dawn yet..." Jingūji Maki asleep...

"Fold up the tent," Qing Chen said calmly.

"I haven't had enough sleep yet..." the little girl whispered.

Before she could react, Qing Chen had already walked out of the visitor center.

The little girl got up with a pitiful look on her face and followed, wanting to run up and grab Qing Chen's sleeve.

But Qing Chen dodged ahead of time, preventing her from catching him.

Jingūji Maki paused for a moment, then stood there in shock.

Qing Chen pushed open the door of the visitor center, letting the wind and snow outside rush in. "Fold the tents."

"I'll fold it! I'll fold it right now!" Jingūji Maki said in a panic.

Standing in the wind, snow, and sunlight at the doorway, Qing Chen turned back and calmly asked the little girl, "Why aren't you crying? Aren't you upset?"

Jingūji Maki remained silent, pursing her lips, and after a long while, she finally said, "I'm sorry..."

After saying that, she returned to the visitor center, squatted down and began to dismantle the tent frames, folding both tents neatly and putting them back in their original positions.

Only then did Jingūji Maki speak again, cautiously saying, "I won't complain anymore."

She is indeed a sensible little girl.

Although she didn't know why Qing Chen was so cold to her, she knew that he had sat cross-legged all night so as not to wake her.

She also knew that if Qing Chen hadn't been trying to save her, he wouldn't have needed to hide in the mountains at all.

The little girl had heard from the villagers of Shirakawa-go that the Mysterious Affairs Department was very powerful, but now this older brother had gotten into trouble with them because of her.

Qing Chen said, "You are a person with a hard life. A person with a hard life should be aware of that hard life. You have to work harder than others in order to find your own destiny."

"I understand," the little girl cautiously approached Qing Chen and reached out to grab the boy's sleeve again. This time, Qing Chen did not dodge.

Only those who have experienced hardship can truly understand the suffering of others.

So when the small, thin Jingūji Maki burned down that hot spring inn.

Only Qing Chen could understand how much yearning for life was contained within that flame of despair.

He has also repeatedly severed ties with his past.

Time and again, through the long years, I have forgiven myself, freeing myself from the darkness, breaking free from it, and moving towards the light.

So, when the little girl stood in the firelight, Qing Chen saw his former self.

The brilliant flames burned the past to ashes.

Yesterday's events are like yesterday's death.

All that happens today is like the birth of today.

But after walking this path, Qing Chen understood even more that the hardships he had endured were not in vain.

The little girl doesn't need someone to protect her; she needs someone to show her a way out.

But just as the two were walking out...

Outside the door, two elderly people, dressed in thick work clothes, walked from the ski resort's staff dormitory in the distance.

The island nation has a serious aging population, so you can often see very old men and women in hot spring hotels or other service industries.

For example, in the taxi industry in island nations, a large majority of drivers are elderly people who are past retirement age.

Jingūji Maki nervously tugged at Qing Chen's sleeve.

When the two elderly men saw Qing Chen and the little girl in the distance, they were first taken aback, and then they turned around and went back to their dormitory at the same time, as if they had not seen the two of them.

At this point, everyone in Shirakawa-go should know that the Mysterious Affairs Department is investigating a boy and a little girl.

The two old men were clearly doing this to help cover for them.

Qing Chen pondered for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Let's go, let's go up the mountain."

The two, one big and one small, slowly climbed the mountain. Last night, another heavy snow fell, and the snow had already reached the little girl's waist.

She could only follow behind Qing Chen, treading the path he had paved as Qing Chen went uphill.

Compared to such days, the hardships of taking care of the hot spring inn are nothing.

Suddenly, Jingūji Maki noticed Qing Chen's scarred hands again.

She knew that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Qing Chen would be training on that ridge again today, over and over again, until he was completely exhausted.

But she didn't know why Qing Chen did this.

"Onii-chan, did you come to Shirakawa-go alone?" Jingūji Maki asked curiously.

"Yes," Qing Chen nodded.

"Is someone in your hometown waiting for you to go back?" the little girl asked.

Qing Chen stood in the wind and snow and thought for a moment, "There should be."

Daytime in front of the villa.

A Maybach S-Class slowly drove up, and after the car came to a stop, little Li Tongyun opened the car door, jumped out with her little schoolbag on her back.

Now that daylight has gradually taken hold, Xiao Tongyun is being diligently escorted to and from school by Luo Wanyai's security personnel.

Every day when she goes to school, she feels like a little princess, like a rich heiress.

Xiao Tongyun glanced back at the car and said to the security personnel, "Let's wash the car. We don't want outsiders to think we're in a panic during the day. Everything here must be in perfect order until Brother Qing Chen comes back."

The security personnel were stunned for a moment. They hadn't expected this young girl to display such a calm demeanor, and they were momentarily speechless.

Soon, someone responded in a low voice, "Okay, I'll go wash the car in a bit."

"Thank you," Xiao Tongyun said as she strode into the villa, where she saw Nan Gengchen and Liu Dezhu sitting dejectedly on the sofa.

Xiao Tongyun calmly looked around the house. "Where's my mother?"

"I went out to buy groceries," Nan Gengchen said weakly.

"What are you doing?" Xiao Tongyun asked expressionlessly.

"We're thinking about how we can help Brother Chen," Nan Gengchen explained.

Li Tongyun sneered. She was a completely different person when Jiang Xue was present. "You've been acting like this ever since you came back. If someone didn't know better, they would think it was the two of you who were arrested."

Liu Dezhu scratched his head. "Isn't it because I can't help? I know Brother Chen is suffering, but I can't do anything to help..."

Li Tongyun shook her head and said, "Then go cultivate, cultivate day and night. In your spare time, give initiations to Luo Wanyai's subordinates. What you need to do is spare no effort to improve yourselves until one day you can be of help. If I didn't have to go to school, I would want to cultivate every moment so that I could help Brother Qing Chen as soon as possible. You have plenty of time, but you are wasting it."

Nan Gengchen and Liu Dezhu, who were about to come of age, were taught a lesson by a little girl.

But strangely enough, neither of them felt there was anything wrong with it.

The two exchanged a glance, Nan Gengchen suddenly asked, "Xiao Tongyun, Brother Chen said you have the best aptitude for cultivation. What level are you at now?"

Li Tongyun glanced at him and said, "I'm already at C-Class. Don't waste your time. Since there's nothing you can do right now, then cultivate. Even if Brother Qing Chen really gets into trouble, you'll need to have the strength to avenge him. Hu Xiaoniu is better than all of you at that. He left Baizhou Villa temporarily because he knew what Baizhou needed."

Nan Gengchen was stunned for a moment. Xiao Tongyun's cultivation progress was not lagging behind at all, and was even a step ahead of his.

He hadn't taken Qing Chen's comment about Li Tongyun having the highest cultivation aptitude to heart.

It's important to know that, under Jiang Xue's supervision, Li Tongyun still has to spend half of her time at school every day.

Normally, this young girl seems carefree and doesn't care about anything during the day, An Xin to play the role of a "Little Rich Girl" in the group chat.

After Qing Chen's accident, she seemed to become a different person, going straight to her room and refusing to come out every day as soon as she got home.

Nan Gengchen thought the other person was in a bad mood, which was why he locked himself in the room and felt sad.

It now appears that this is not the case; the other party has devoted all available time to cultivation.

Liu Dezhu watched Xiao Tongyun's retreating figure as she went upstairs and muttered, "It feels like the girl has become a different person."

Nan Gengchen sighed, "Nothing has changed. It's just that when Brother Chen was around, she didn't need to show this side of herself."

The "Azure" parachute training base outside Haicheng.

This was originally a skydiving base open to the public, but it was suddenly bought by the Hu Group just over a month ago.

Then it was shut down.

This is an unbelievable thing, after all, a skydiving base is very valuable, and the four helicopters inside alone cost a lot of money.

After the Hu Group bought the property, it closed down and ceased operations, as if it were deliberately throwing money away.

Only a few people know that the "Azure" parachute training base is not completely closed, but is only open to one person, and all its equipment and instructors serve only one person.

An SUV sped up, and several young people were waiting at the door.

The SUV slowly came to a stop, and the windows rolled down.

Hu Xiaoniu, sitting in the car, frowned and looked at the group of young people. "Chen Sui? I made it very clear on the phone that I will not join the Matrix."

Zhang Tianzhen sat cross-legged in the passenger seat, meditating. After the car stopped, she didn't even lift her eyelids, showing no intention of interrupting her meditation.

At this moment, Chen Sui said seriously, "Xiao Niu, Tianzhen, we've known each other for a long time, and you're both considered relatively successful Time Walker in Haicheng. Why do you want to join a Time Walker organization from another place?"

"Is that not allowed?" Hu Xiaoniu asked back.

Chen Sui thought for a moment and said, "The purpose of the Matrix is to protect the Time Walker of Haicheng. As you know, the civil war of the Inner World Federation is about to start again. Given your special status in City No. 18, joining the Matrix would be of great help to it. Therefore, I sincerely want to invite you two to join the Matrix."

Hu Xiaoniu shook his head. "We prefer daytime."

Chen Sui said, "You are members of Bai Zhou, so you must know that Qing Chen was arrested by Shen Dai. Now that Bai Zhou has unwisely gotten involved in the crisis, your departure is a wise move to protect yourselves. This way, when Shen Dai purges the entire Bai Zhou, it won't affect you or your families."

Zhang Tianzhen suddenly opened her eyes. "This time, when Daylight was in trouble, we both left to protect ourselves. Next time the Matrix is in trouble, we can do the same. Do you want people like that?"

Chen Sui said, "I won't let the Matrix get into such a situation, at least I won't drag the entire organization into this risk with me."

"That's an interesting point," Zhang Tianzhen said after thinking for a moment. "Actually, you want to recruit us into the Matrix because of our position in Heng Society and our relationship with the Li Corporation. You think we've become the best among the Time Walker, so we shouldn't be implicated by Daylight. But you're wrong about that, and terribly wrong. Little Niu, let's drive."

After saying that, Hu Xiaoniu stepped on the gas and drove into the parachute base.

Only a few people from the matrix remained outside the door, looking at each other blankly, unsure of what they had done wrong.

The helicopters at the parachute base are ready and have obtained air traffic control clearance, just waiting for Hu Xiaoniu and Zhang Tianzhen to arrive.

On the ground, a worker wearing a helmet and goggles waved a signal light stick, indicating that takeoff was possible.

After Hu Xiaoniu put on the flying squirrel suit, Zhang Tianzhen Hu Xiaoniu him over and over again after the helicopter took off to make sure there were no mistakes in his attire and whether the main and reserve parachutes had been tampered with. These were all things that he, as the protector, had to do.

The helicopter gradually ascended into the sky, the door was open, and Hu Xiaoniu and Zhang Tianzhen sat on the edge of the cabin, letting the wind blow on them.

Zhang Tianzhen laughed and said, "Back then, we offended the Chen family in City No. 7 and fled to Luo City in a sorry state. I doubt anyone expected that we would become such a sought-after person one day."

Looking at the azure sky, Hu Xiaoniu said, "Well, Chen Sui's biggest mistake was that he thought, with our abilities and our status in the Inner World, there was no need for us to take risks with Bai Zhou. But the problem is, everything we have today is actually thanks to Bai Zhou."

It's unclear when it started, but they have become the envy of many Time Walker.

But Hu Xiaoniu and Zhang Tianzhen still remember very clearly how they got to where they are today.

The helicopter was swaying precariously. Zhang Tianzhen asked, "Are we going to finish this Life and Death Trial today? Actually, we can wait a bit longer; maybe we'll encounter some good weather."

Hu Xiaoniu said with a smile, "This is the best weather in half a month. I don't want to wait any longer. The sooner we complete the eight Life and Death Trial, the sooner we can return to daylight. Someone is waiting for us."

"Actually, I've never quite understood why you insisted on taking on this Life and Death Trial challenge," Zhang Tianzhen sighed. "What exactly is the purpose of this Life and Death Trial?"

Hu Xiaoniu pondered for a moment and said, "Perhaps it's on the edge of life and death, pursuing inner order. Tianzhen, we can't delay any longer; we can't let Brother Chen bear all the pressure."

The pilot in the front seat gave a thumbs-up to indicate that they had reached the expected flight altitude.

Zhang Tianzhen suddenly said, "I won't try to persuade you anymore... After all, I also miss the days at the Daytime Villa."

Hu Xiaoniu felt the howling wind outside the cabin, and he knew that he needed to grow faster.

He turned to Zhang Tianzhen and smiled, "See you at the finish line."

After saying that, Hu Xiaoniu took a deep breath and put on his goggles.

He glanced at the vast, boundless sky one last time, then spread his arms and leaped down.

I'm back. There will be another chapter at 11 PM tonight.