Luo Li: Castorice, When We Get Back, We're Going to Go All Out

Two and a half months flew by in the crucible of blood and fire.

The "Ironwall" fortress is like a giant Furnace, constantly devouring life and energy, and forging the will and strength of the survivors.

Luo Li's squad has become a well-known elite force in Zone C and even the entire frontline base.

Kong Yan'er's [Trickster Hands] combined with his Clone became increasingly unpredictable and elusive; Qingqiu Ze's sonic control proved remarkably effective in large-scale cleanup operations; Yang Shan's defense remained as solid as a rock.

Luo Li, on the other hand, is the team's sharpest blade.

His [Spacetime] Path has steadily grown through countless life-and-death battles. The range and precision of [Time Retardation] have improved, the consumption of [Space Folding] has decreased, and [Causal Tracing] can capture the enemy's weaknesses more quickly.

Bloodblade Enma has drunk its fill of the blood of various powerful vampires. Its dark red blood light is restrained, yet it appears even sharper and more domineering, with a faint tendency to evolve into its next form.

However, what made the entire front line somewhat uneasy was that the large-scale "blood tide" led by high-ranking vampires, which was expected to erupt every now and then, had not materialized for nearly three months.

There were only sporadic, insignificant small-scale disturbances.

Something unusual must be going on.

Beneath the surface calm, the atmosphere at the base was turbulent. Patrols and reconnaissance missions were becoming more frequent, and various defensive facilities were being reinforced. Everyone was on edge.

Luo Li also dared not relax.

That day, he had just completed a reconnaissance mission alone to an unusual energy point on the outskirts of the fortress—he had only discovered some low-level vampire lairs there, and there were no signs of a large-scale gathering.

Back at base, after handing over his mission, he habitually headed towards Zone E.

Only half a month remains until the end of the three-month service period.

According to regulations, ability users who wish to rotate back to the rear on time need to apply in advance and have sufficient merit points as support.

Luo Li already has more than enough merit points. He has submitted his application and is just waiting for approval so he can return to Jiangcheng with Castorice and end his first frontline career.

The thought of soon leaving this place filled with the smoke of gunpowder and the smell of death, and returning to their small but cozy rented room, filled Luo Li's heart with excitement.

He has so many things he wants to do.

I want to take Castorice to try all the newly opened restaurants in Jiangcheng, I want to accompany her to see a real movie, I want to be with her... well, to make up for all the longing I've had over the past three months.

"Castorice..." he thought to himself as he walked, "Once we get back, we absolutely have to... pull off something big!"

The phrase "go all out" has a rich meaning, encompassing both a yearning for a peaceful life and a mix of passionate and unspoken thoughts.

Just as his thoughts drifted, and a mischievous smile unconsciously crept onto his lips—

[Ding! Detected that the host's understanding of [Spacetime] Path has reached a critical point, mental strength and physical strength meet the standards, and the host has a strong desire to summarize the "past" and plan for the "future," meeting the hidden conditions!]

[Loading the compatible add-on module "Eyes of the Time Abyss" for the host!]

Without warning, the system notification sounded again!

Luo Li suddenly stopped in her tracks, stunned.

Here we go again? This time it's... eyes?

Before he could react, a power far more violent and profound than when he awakened his Path before, like a torrent bursting through a dam, suddenly poured into his eyes.

"Ugh--!"

Excruciating pain! Indescribable pain!

It felt like countless red-hot steel needles were piercing his eyeballs and then being violently stirred.

His vision instantly transformed into a chaotic torrent of colors, fragments of past experiences and possible phantoms of the future flashing and intertwining uncontrollably.

He saw the moment when he first met Castorice, the instant she descended from that dark vortex;

I saw her awkwardly learning to use modern appliances in her rented room in Jiangcheng;

I saw the resentful look in Murong Xue's eyes;

They witnessed Chen Zihan, icy figure crushing the "Venom Queen" with his bare hands;

I saw Kong Yan'er's sly smile;

We saw Qingqiu Ze joking around in front of the live streaming equipment;

I saw Yang Shan's honest and kind face...

Then, fragments of the future, like shattered glass, pierced his mind with a cold, sharp edge—

Fragment 1: He stood on scorched earth, surrounded by burning ruins and countless vampire remains. The Bloodblade Enma hummed, and he was covered in blood, his eyes weary yet resolute. Castorice stood behind him, her purple eyes filled with worry. In the background was the tattered banner of the "Ironwall" fortress.

(This is not what he wanted; he just wanted to take her home, not be trapped on the battlefield forever.)

Fragment Two: On a familiar street in Jiangcheng, he and Xia strolled hand in hand, the setting sun casting long shadows. But the next second, shadows loomed, and a huge, bat-like monster swooped down from the Blood-Erosion Clouds, causing the crowd to flee in panic. He drew his sword to meet the attack, Castorice's body surged with the aura of the River of Souls.

(The peaceful daily life is shattered, and crisis looms large.)

Fragment Three: A lavishly decorated room, like some kind of celebration. He and Castorice were dressed in formal attire, surrounded by familiar faces such as Yang Shan, Kong Yan'er, and Qingqiu Ze, seemingly celebrating something. But beneath Castorice's smile lay a subtle, almost imperceptible, sense of loneliness.

(It seems perfect, but it appears to be missing the most important thing.)

Fragment Four: In the vast starry sky, countless warship (?) wreckage floats.

A massive, indescribable shadow loomed over everything, radiating an aura of despair. He stood on the deck of a wrecked ship, Enma in hand, gazing at the shadow with a resolute expression. Castorice was not by his side.

(The threat is too distant and grand, filled with the unknown and loneliness.)

Fragment Five:... (More jumbled, blurry fragments flash by—laughter, farewells, battles, tenderness—but without exception, they all deviate from or hinder his deepest desire to "return to ordinary happiness with Castorice.")

No... it's not these...

Luo Li covered her eyes, which felt like they were about to explode, and knelt down on one knee. Sweat instantly soaked through her combat uniform.

These fragments of the future, whether tragic or joyful, war or peace, are not what he truly desires.

All he wanted was to go back to that little home with Castorice and live an ordinary life without worrying about whether he would see the sun tomorrow.

Why... why can't I see that kind of future?!

[Loading complete for "Eyes of the Time Abyss"!]

[Function Summary: Left eye "Tracing Causes" - can glimpse fragments of the target/region's past, Tracing Causes; Right eye "Peering into Secrets" - can capture fragments of possible future branches, predicting fortune and misfortune. The two eyes work together, allowing for preliminary interference with local Spacetime continuity. Specific abilities are unlocked as the host's strength and understanding increase.]

[Warning: "Eyes of the Time Abyss" consumes a great deal of mental energy. Overuse may lead to confusion in Spacetime Perception, depletion of mental energy, or even permanent damage.]

The future is full of uncertainties, and what we see is not necessarily the whole story. Please remember this!

The system's notification sound, like the final tolling of a bell, pulled Luo Li back from that chaotic illusion of Spacetime.

The excruciating pain receded like a tide, replaced by an unprecedented clarity and... exhaustion.

He slowly released his grip and tried to open his eyes.

The world is completely different now.

Looking to the left, the cold alloy walls of the passage seemed to be covered with countless tiny energy patterns that recorded the past – residual information automatically captured by the Eye of [Tracing Causes].

As far as the right eye could see, there seemed to be extremely faint, constantly appearing and disappearing specks of light floating in the air, representing different possibilities for the future—those were the ripples of the future passively perceived by the [Peering into Secrets].

He could even vaguely "see" that a few minutes later, a researcher would hurry past around the corner, a page of the documents he was carrying falling out of his hands.

This feeling of being simultaneously caught between the past, present, and future is incredibly strange, and it also brings a huge information shock and mental burden.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the power of his pupils to restore his vision to normal.

But that ability to glimpse the mysteries of Spacetime was deeply imprinted on his soul.

"The Eyes of the Time Abyss..." he murmured the name, feeling the throbbing in his eyes that was closely connected to the origin of his Path in [Spacetime].

These eyes perfectly embody the power of [Spacetime].

But it also made him realize more clearly how many thorns and uncertainties lie on the road to the ordinary future he longed for.

He continued walking towards Zone E, his steps steady.

Arriving at Castorice's dormitory building, he activated [Eyes of the Time Abyss] again, this time cautiously and primarily using the [Peering into Secrets] ability of his right eye to look at the window of Castorice's dormitory.

He "saw" that a few minutes later, Castorice would open the door, see him standing downstairs, and a surprised smile would appear on her face before she quickly ran down.

This brief, definite glimpse of the future calmed the anxiety in his heart caused by those chaotic illusions.

At least for the moment I met her, the future seemed bright.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, the dormitory door opened, Castorice appeared.

When she saw Luo Li waiting downstairs, her purple eyes lit up instantly, as if they were filled with starlight.

She even forgot to put on her coat, and ran down quickly in her soft loungewear, throwing herself into his arms.

"Luo Li! You're back!" Her voice was filled with undisguised joy and dependence.

Luo Li held her soft body tightly, burying his face in her fragrant hair, feeling the reality and warmth of this moment.

Those unsettling fragments of the future have been temporarily dispelled.

"Yes, I'm back," he replied softly, tightening his grip on her arm.

"I just... submitted my application to be rotated back to the rear." He said, looking at her beautiful face, so close to his, filled with concern.

Castorice's eyes widened suddenly, filled with anticipation. "Really? We... can go back?"

"If the application is approved, we can go home in two weeks."

Luo Li nodded firmly, and seeing the light shining in her eyes, she felt that it was all worth it.

"Go home..." Castorice repeated the two words softly, her purple eyes rippling with tenderness and longing.

She tiptoed and planted a light, quick kiss on his lips, then blushed and buried her face in his chest, whispering but firmly, "Yes, let's go home."

Feeling the warm, soft flesh in his arms and that pure joy, Luo Li's desire to "make a big splash" burned brightly once again.

However, this time, it's not just about those passionate ideas.