Summoning a Spirit

(Brain storage)

After that, it was much the same as with the other companions who had arrived before her: shopping for food, being asked for photos—he wanted to buy the girl a set of clothes, but she refused, then explained a whole bunch of things about cosplay. He introduced Furina to the game-related content of Genshin Impact and confessed that he was the Traveler, while she was a virtual character.

But unlike the others, Furina was clearly overwhelmed by disbelief and shock.

"Am I... fake?"

The information seemed to shatter Furina's worldview. She sat in her chair, unable to calm down for a long time.

In the café, Lin Yiyi sat across from her, silently watching the endless traffic beyond the window and the setting sun of the evening.

Five hundred years of loneliness had been like an endless, boundless night—agonizing and unbearably long. Yet now she had been told that this prolonged torment, all of it, had been nothing but emptiness, vanishing like a dream.

An ordinary person, as insignificant as dust, had been forced to wear a false mask like a venomous snake cloaked in disguise, sparing no effort to play an unattainable god for the sake of that so-called grand trial.

"Everything has its reason for existing." After a long while, Lin Yiyi still looked out the window, unwilling to meet those azure eyes.

Those eyes had seen far more than his. Joy and anger, sorrow and happiness, meetings and partings—those mismatched eyes had witnessed no less than someone like him, who had only traveled for a few years.

"Whether you pretended to be a god, or whether you really are just a string of cold data.

"Everything you experienced is etched into your mind, real and true. It is because of your deeds and your unwavering faith that so many people in this world admire you so deeply."

"You've worked so hard all this time, Furina."

"Please live happily, just as she wished."

Furina was left completely dumbfounded and asked:

"Who is 'she'?"

"Another you."

"Bro, how's Fang Yaya doing?"

"She's fine. Are you out of school yet?"

"Almost. You can come in directly when you get here."

"Alright. I brought a friend."

After briefly talking with Liu Chao on WeChat at the entrance of Guo City No. 3 High School, Lin Yiyi turned to Furina and asked:

"Are you afraid of ghosts?"

"Huh???"

Lin Yiyi smiled and ignored her, walking straight toward the school gate.

After registering, the security guard merely stared at Furina in surprise before letting them both in.

Guo City No. 3 High School was not strictly managed. The school was not particularly good and was basically a vocational high school, so no one really cared.

"Hey, hey, it's Furina!"

"Someone's cosplaying Furina!"

"Furina, can I get a photo with you?"

It was already dismissal time, and students soon began talking among themselves. Some came over to ask for photos as well.

"Where did these Genshin haters come from?"

"Haha, Genshin players are here!"

"I'm cosplaying a Primogem. Can I test your luck?"

"Genshin Impact, launch!"

Of course, there were also some deranged people who liked making memes. Fortunately, Furina did not understand them yet and simply followed behind Lin Yiyi.

As for whether those jokes were genuine or not, Lin Yiyi chose to treat every last one of them as guilty.

Later, those people either lost money, had their phones confiscated, or got caught smoking.

"Where are you?" He sent Liu Chao another message, then slowly headed toward the high school classroom building.

There were still many people on the field—running, jumping rope, working out, playing badminton, playing volleyball, dating in secret. Adolescents had endless energy, releasing the pressure brought by their studies.

Go wild and sweat to your heart's content. Youth should be spent fooling around like this, not studying without end.

Then his phone received a message. Lin Yiyi opened it and found that they were in Class 5, First Year, on the third floor.

Lin Yiyi led Furina upstairs to the classroom.

"Bro, you're here. Huh, this is...? Furina?"

As soon as they entered, Liu Chao was waiting inside with several boys. Tian Heng was among them as well.

"I didn't expect my popularity to be this great. Even in another world, people can still recognize me?"

"Well—what can I say? I'm just that famous."

Lin Yiyi lightly patted Furina. Ignoring her resentful expression, he asked Liu Chao, "Has everyone else left?"

Liu Chao nodded. "Yeah. Only the few of us are left now. We all took part in that so-called Pen Fairy ritual."

After turning off the lights, Lin Yiyi counted heads. Including Tian Heng, there were exactly four people.

"Does your classroom have surveillance cameras?" Lin Yiyi noticed the black camera on the wall and asked.

"Uh, we broke that thing a long time ago."

"..." Lin Yiyi paused, then said:

"Next, the Pen Fairy may randomly possess one of you. The other three, don't move around."

"But before we begin, I want to ask you something." Lin Yiyi looked at Liu Chao and Tian Heng.

The two exchanged glances. Their conflict from the afternoon had already been resolved, and they had made up again.

Tian Heng thought for a moment and said, "Better to believe it exists than believe it doesn't."

"There's no better solution right now. Besides, students like us have all heard some supernatural rumors one way or another."

Lin Yiyi smiled, then said, "Then let's begin."

A sheet of paper, a pen, and a candle for light. Liu Chao and Tian Heng both held the pen at the same time.

"Pen Fairy, Pen Fairy, you are my past life, and I am your present life. If you wish to continue our bond, draw a circle on the paper."

After a while, nothing happened.

"Again," Lin Yiyi softly reminded them. Then he concealed his presence and, without anyone noticing, silently vanished into the shadows in the corner.

"Pen Fairy, Pen Fairy, you are my past life, and I am your present life. If you wish to continue our bond, draw a circle on the paper."

Suddenly, the pen moved.

In the hallway outside the classroom, the lights flickered on and off, as if foretelling the arrival of something mysterious.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—" For some reason, a light breeze brushed across everyone's faces, making them all shudder.

"Continue." The flickering lights made it impossible to see the dark surroundings clearly, but Lin Yiyi's voice echoed beside everyone's ears.

"Pen Fairy, Pen Fairy, you are my past life, and I am your present life. If you wish to continue our bond, draw a circle on the paper."

Liu Chao and Tian Heng's hands seemed to move beyond their control, slowly beginning to turn the pen across the paper.

"So cold..." For some reason, Furina felt the temperature suddenly drop. Instinctively, she moved closer to Lin Yiyi beside her, taking a few steps, only to realize she could not touch him at all.

"? Lin Yiyi? Lin Yiyi! Where did you go?" A powerful sense of insecurity surged through Furina's heart.

Furina's voice startled everyone. The two people watching from the side turned on their flashlights and shone them around, but where was Lin Yiyi's shadow?

Their only support had suddenly vanished, and fear instantly began to grow in everyone's hearts...

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—" Another breeze swept past, and everyone's hair stood on end.

Though he was still terrified, Liu Chao forced himself to calm down and asked, "Are you the Pen Fairy we summoned last time?"

"If you are, draw a check mark on the paper."

Then, beneath their horrified gazes, the pen slowly drew a ✓.