Her voice was soft, but steady.
"Without you, I might still be all alone even now. My days at school were so much happier than I imagined... all thanks to you."
The footsteps stopped.
The girl doubled back.
She planted her hands on her hips, her tone tinged with exasperation.
"Hua, have some confidence! Everyone wants to hang out with you because you're a good person! What does that have to do with me?"
She leaned closer. "You're a hidden gem. Even without me, someone would've discovered you sooner or later. Stop giving everyone else the credit. You're selling yourself short! Get moving. The plane won't wait!"
Spurred on by that relentless barrage of nagging, Hua hurried along.
She ran all the way to the airport.
Ever since she met that girl, her world had changed.
She was no longer alone.
There was more laughter, too.
Night fell, and the lights shone brightly.
"Goodbye, Canghai City."
Through the glass, she took one last look at the city.
Though her stay had been brief, the memories remained vivid and warm.
In just a few hours, she would be back in that familiar place.
Dad, I have friends now.
She repeated those words silently, the corners of her lips lifting.
The next second.
A piercing alarm tore through the night.
Sharp and urgent, it made her scalp prickle.
A cold, mechanical announcement came over the speakers:
"Emergency announcement! An incident has occurred! The airport is closing immediately! All personnel, remain where you are..."
The air froze in an instant.
Hua stood rooted to the spot, her mind a muddle.
What had gone wrong?
Instinctively, she looked out the window. Canghai City's skyline was being torn apart.
High above, several massive rocks hurtled down, trailing eerie light.
That light was distorted and murky,