Understanding

"I got promoted."

"But I wasn't actually very happy, because a higher rank meant greater responsibility. I felt that my responsibilities had already exceeded what I was capable of handling. I even reported this to my superiors, but they all told me to adapt properly, urged me to calm down and grow. If my abilities weren't enough, then I should slowly improve them."

"But how could something like that be so simple? The higher I stood, the more people I needed to protect. Lately, I often couldn't sleep, thinking about how to handle all those complicated matters the next day."

"I was never like this at home. At night, I'd fall asleep the moment my head touched the pillow, and no one could wake me. Xiao Ling even said I was a robot, with a command that made me fall into hibernation as soon as I touched a pillow. Thinking about it now, my sleep quality back then was really good. Unfortunately, I couldn't go back anymore."

"My Relic ability was powerful, and the cost wasn't fatal. That was a rare case. My superiors all thought highly of me and gave me many opportunities. Even though I wasn't especially smart, they kept encouraging me. I couldn't let down their expectations."

"Not just for myself, but for my family above the Abyss, for my comrades, and for those who believed in me. These responsibilities that I ought to bear—I could only take them on bit by bit."

"Sometimes I was quite envious of Liang Liang. Children didn't need to think about so many things; they only needed to eat, drink, play, and sleep. Thinking about it, Liang Liang should be almost old enough for elementary school. Had I really spent nearly six years in the Abyss?"

"Time passed so quickly. Liang