A Vow to Grow Stronger

When Lu Yan heard the term "big brother," his fingers holding the controller paused slightly.

He turned his head, his eyes filled with obvious suspicion, and looked Chun up and down as she lay sprawled on the sofa beside him.

Big brother?

From any perspective, calling oneself "big brother" feels strangely incongruous, doesn't it?

Chun noticed Lu Yan's scrutinizing gaze, but instead of withdrawing it, she lifted her cheek with one hand.

Her eyelashes curved slightly, and a strange yet meaningful smile slowly crept onto her lips.

She stared at Lu Yan with a smile, her red pupils flashing with a dangerous light, as if she were examining an interesting toy, or perhaps plotting some wicked scheme.

Lu Yan felt a slight chill run down his spine from her wicked gaze.

The words he was about to say were swallowed back the moment he met that smile.

He wisely chose to keep quiet, silently averting his gaze and refocusing his attention on the screen directly in front of him.

Accompanied by cheerful game startup sound effects, the TV screen flashed with dazzling light and shadow effects of the hardcore mechanical battle between Rinascita and others.

This game was clearly developed by a genius from the Star Torch Academy. Although the graphics are a bit dated, the combat feel and control lag are very well designed.

"Left! Left! A-Yan, that red mech is about to fire a laser! Get out of the way!"

Little Aemeath bounced around on the sofa like an excited little rabbit, almost clinging to Lu Yan's arm.

Her two small hands gripped the controller tightly, and as the mech moved on the screen, her own little body swayed left and right, as if this would increase her evasion rate in the game.

"Don't worry, leave it to me."

A smile played on Lu Yan's lips.

His fingers moved across the buttons on the controller in a blur, and the crisp "click-click" of the buttons rang out like a torrential downpour.

On the screen, the blue-white mech that had been cornered narrowly escaped the red laser beam with a sliding tackle, then struck its weak point with a backhand sword.

"Boom--!" A huge burst of special effects fireworks exploded on the screen.

"Yay! I hit it! A-Yan awesome!" Little Aemeath excitedly raised her hands, almost throwing the controller away, her face beaming with pride that said, "Our team's leader is the best in the world."

"Tsk tsk tsk, this is really infuriating..."

Chun, sitting at the other end of the sofa, was sitting cross-legged without any regard for her image, her twin ponytails flying wildly in the air with her vigorous movements.

Watching the red mech he was controlling evaporate a large portion of its health bar on the screen, he puffed out his cheeks in anger, his eyes now filled with a competitive spirit.

"Are you really an ordinary person? This kind of predictive speed is like Shorekeeper playing around!" Chun muttered in dissatisfaction, but her hands didn't stop moving at all.

Chun rolled her eyes, a wicked smile playing on her lips. Suddenly, she stretched out her white-stockinged foot and, from a distance, kicked Lu Yan's knee without any hesitation, attempting to disrupt his rhythm with this physical interference.

"Hey, big brother, don't you know you should hold back a bit in front of girls? You'll never find a girlfriend if you keep acting like this!"

Lu Yan was kicked so hard that he swayed slightly, but his fingers remained as steady as a mountain.

He sighed helplessly, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Chun, who was trying to have an 'offline PK', his tone full of teasing:

"Miss Tsubaki, if I remember correctly, you were the one who provoked me just now, saying you wanted to show me the strongest technology on Black Shores. Now that you can't beat them, you're resorting to personal attacks?"

"Who, who can't beat me! I was careless just now, I didn't dodge!" Chun raised her voice instantly, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

A suspicious blush appeared on her stunningly beautiful and alluring face, then she immediately gritted her teeth and stared at the screen, "Again! Again! I refuse to believe I'll lose to this guy of unknown origin!"

"Alright, then I'll play a few more rounds with you before Rover finds out." Lu Yan accepted the challenge with a smile.

"Hey--! Don't Rover! My mech is about to go berserk, take this--!"

"A-Yan, run! She's about to use her ultimate move!"

The small Glimmering Lakeside Lodge was filled with the sounds of controller buttons, game sound effects, and the laughter of the three of them.

Lu Yan was caught between Little Aemeath and Chun, having to deal with Chun's unsportsmanlike gaming style (offline PK) on one hand, and protect Little Aemeath, who was so excited she was about to fall off the sofa on the other.

Although his fingers were a little sore from pressing, he felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.

He looked at Little Aemeath beside him, who was grinning from ear to ear, and then glanced at Tsubaki, who was grumbling but whose eyes were sparkling with pure joy.

Lu Yan suddenly realized that, whether it was Aemeath or this seemingly crazy Chun, deep down they were both little girls who were afraid of being alone and longed for companionship.

How fortunate he was to participate in and protect this warmth within this dream.

Time slipped away quietly amidst this carefree frolicking.

When "GAME OVER" flashed on the screen for the fifth time, and the winner was still the blue mecha representing Lu Yan and Little Aemeath, Chun finally deflated like a punctured balloon and threw the controller onto the sofa.

"I'm not playing anymore! You're a monster!"

Chun collapsed onto the sofa, her chest rising and falling slightly.

Although she complained, there was no anger in her alluring eyes; instead, there was a sense of exhilarating pleasure.

She turned her head lazily, her gaze passing over the back of the sofa and looking out the window.

I don't know when, but the once bright light outside the window had completely gone out.

The unique polar night winds and snow began to howl against the windows of Rinascita, and a thick layer of leaden gray filled the sky, indicating that night had completely fallen.

"Oh dear, it's already so late."

Chun suddenly sat up from the sofa, her previous demeanor instantly vanishing.

She stretched languidly, revealing her breathtaking figure, then ruffled her hair with a hint of annoyance.

"I'm doomed, I'm doomed. If that bot on Black Shores finds out I've been sneaking out for so long, he'll definitely start nagging me again."

More importantly, judging by the time, Rover should be back from outside soon.

If she caught him red-handed, the scene would be unimaginable.

Chun got off the sofa and casually straightened her skirt.

She turned around and looked at Lu Yan and Little Aemeath, who were still sitting on the sofa, a barely perceptible hint of lingering affection flashing in her eyes.

"Alright, happy times always pass too quickly. I have to go back to being a confined patient now."

Chun walked up to Little Aemeath, reached out her fair fingers, pinched her rosy cheek, and said in a low, seductive voice:

"Little Aemeath, the fact that we fought monsters together today is a secret between the two of us."

"If Rover asks, you absolutely mustn't give me away, understand?"

Although Little Aemeath was a little reluctant, she nodded her little head seriously and held up her little finger. "Yes! I swear, I will never tell Sister Rover! This is a secret between us and A-Yan!"

"Good girl." Chun smiled with satisfaction.

Then, she straightened up and turned her gaze to Lu Yan.

In Chun's eyes, there was less of a playful tone and more of the profound and inquisitive look that belonged to the upper echelons of the Black Shores.

"As for you..." Chun tilted her head slightly, looking Lu Yan up and down, "Although I don't know where you came from, or why your Frequency is so similar to Rover's."

"However, considering your decent gaming skills and how you made Rover's brow less furrowed, I'll tentatively approve of you for today."

She suddenly moved closer to Lu Yan, so close that Lu Yan could even smell the strange floral scent emanating from her, which carried a dangerous aura.

"If we have a chance to meet again, I won't lose to you in the game this time," Tsubaki said with a sickly yet alluring smile. "Then, let's have a 'real' competition."

"I'm really looking forward to seeing what surprises your abilities will bring me."

Without waiting for Lu Yan's reply, Chun turned around nimbly and walked towards the door like a graceful cat.

With a soft "hiss," the technological door of the Glimmering Lakeside Lodge slowly opened.

A biting wind suddenly rushed in, blowing Chun's long hair.

She didn't turn around; she simply waved her hand high in the air with her back to the two of them.

"Bye-bye, Little Aemeath, and... the mysterious big brother."

The door closed again, completely shutting out the wind, snow, and Chun's figure.

The cabin returned to silence, with only the occasional soft crackling from the fireplace.

However, at the very moment the door closed...

Lu Yan's body stiffened abruptly.

He lowered his head, his gaze falling in astonishment as he looked at his hands.

The feeling of being stripped away, which had receded like a receding tide, returned without warning at this moment!

One drop, two drops... tiny golden rays began to peel away from his fingertips, like morning dew rapidly evaporating under the scorching sun.

That feeling of weightlessness deep within his soul was tearing at his consciousness.

"A-Yan ~"

Little Aemeath's voice rang in my ears.

Lu Yan raised his head.

Little Aemeath was already standing in front of him without him even noticing.

Her golden eyes, as bright as stars, were fixed on the golden specks of light that kept drifting around Lu Yan.

This wasn't the first time she'd faced this kind of situation.

Compared to the toddler who used to cry and try to catch the light, Aemeath now seems to have grown accustomed to these unexpected partings.

But getting used to it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt anymore.

She bit her lower lip so hard it almost drew blood.

Her eyes quickly welled up with tears, but she stubbornly kept them wide open, refusing to let them fall.

Because A-Yan said that she is now a hero.

A brave person cannot cry when facing parting.

"Are you leaving again?"

Little Aemeath's voice was extremely soft, as if she was afraid of disturbing something, or as if she was afraid that if she spoke too loudly, her feigned strength would crumble instantly.

Looking at Little Aemeath's reluctant expression, Lu Yan felt as if his heart was being gripped by an invisible hand, a wave of indescribable bitterness and dull pain washing over him.

He slowly squatted down and opened his arms.

"Come here, Little Aemeath." Lu Yan's voice was gentle but hoarse.

Little Aemeath could no longer hold back and quickly buried herself in Lu Yan's arms.

She stretched out her two short arms and hugged Lu Yan's neck tightly and with all her might, burying her face, which was trying to hold back her tears, deep into the still-smoldering fabric of his clothes.

"Don't forget me... A-Yan, you must come back soon..."

Her voice, thick with a nasal tone and soft, sweet tone, rang intermittently in Lu Yan's ears.

She gripped it tightly, as if the figure made of golden specks of light would not dissipate as long as she held on.

Lu Yan felt the warm, soft touch in his arms, and the faint, milky scent unique to the little girl lingered around his nose.

He knew this might be the last time he would embrace her in his dreams during this phase.

"I won't forget. I said it before, even if I forget the whole world, I will never forget you."

Lu Yan pulled his arms around and hugged Little Aemeath tightly.

His chin rested gently on the top of Little Aemeath's pink hair, feeling her body trembling slightly as she tried to hold back her emotions.

He raised his hand, which was already half-transparent, and gently, one last time, tenderly and lovingly patted her head.

"Listen to me, learn skills diligently from Rover. No matter how much time passes, no matter where you are..."

Lu Yan's voice grew increasingly ethereal, as if it came from a very distant place, but the tenderness in his eyes was so intense it almost became tangible, "Only then could we possibly meet."

"Mmm..." Little Aemeath nodded heavily in Lu Yan's arms.

The golden light spots became increasingly dense, and Lu Yan's body had become almost transparent.

He could feel his perception of the world rapidly fading away; his sight, hearing, and touch were all being stripped away by that irresistible force.

In the last second before his consciousness completely sank into darkness, he lowered his head and left a fleeting kiss on her forehead.

Goodbye, my little hero. Goodnight.

The golden light reached its zenith in that instant, then burst forth like fireworks, transforming into countless tiny starlight fragments that gently drifted down into the warm Glimmering Lakeside Lodge, ultimately merging completely into nothingness.

Lu Yan's presence had completely vanished.

Little Aemeath's arms tightened suddenly, but she only managed to hold onto a wisp of air.

She stumbled forward half a step due to inertia and finally fell onto the soft cashmere carpet.

The room fell silent instantly, a silence so profound it made one's ears ring.

The clicks of the controller buttons were gone, as were Tsubaki's teasing and the young man with his always helpless and indulgent smile.

Only the fire in the fireplace continued to burn tirelessly, emitting a lonely crackling sound.

Little Aemeath sat quietly on the carpet.

She didn't cry or make a scene, nor did she become hysterical.

She slowly lowered her head, stretched out her small hands that still retained Lu Yan's warmth, and pulled out the amulet she wore close to her body from her collar.

The amulet, illuminated by the firelight, shimmered with a faint yet resolute glow.

That Frequency contained his own.

Little Aemeath pressed the amulet tightly against her pounding chest, closed her eyes, and felt the faint Frequency that belonged to Lu Yan.

After a long while, she reopened her eyes.

The fear and unease in those golden, star-like eyes were gone, replaced by a calmness beyond their years.

"I will become stronger, A-Yan."

The little girl sat alone in the empty little house, facing the air, and in a voice only she could hear, made a vow that would last a lifetime.

I will become stronger than anyone else... so strong that I will never let you disappear again.