"Welcome. Oh, it's Mei."
Yae Sakura smiled as she watched Raiden Mei walk in. However, she quickly noticed a certain someone with abysmal tracking skills hiding behind a utility pole not far from the shop.
"Has a problem come up?"
Yae Sakura wasn't worried that Raiden Mei was under any kind of threat or duress. After all, she herself had been blessed with Xin Yu's power and understood just how formidable it was, so she didn't think there was any issue in terms of martial strength.
"It's nothing. I think Kiana is just following me because I called out her name at the school gate earlier and looked at her a bit strangely. She's always been very curious, after all."
"Because of her special circumstances, she can't remember anything related to him right now. But that's not a bad thing. He'll arrange everything properly," Raiden Mei replied with a smile. Since it was Xin Yu's arrangement that prevented Kiana from recalling her past, there was nothing for her to worry about. She just had to interact with her like before, though perhaps she shouldn't say anything too provocative.
Yae Sakura nodded, then brought out some pastries. "These are some osmanthus cakes I made specially," she said with a smile. "My sister said they taste great. Would you like to try some?"
"Of course."
The two of them sipped tea and savored the cakes, chatting about times gone by. Yae Sakura recounted stories from her time as a miko in Yae Village, serving by Xin Yu's side. Raiden Mei spoke of the hardships she had once endured and the transformation she underwent after meeting Xin Yu.
Outside the flower shop, Kiana, who believed her tracking skills were top-notch, was still convinced she hadn't been discovered. Seeing the two people inside chatting so happily, she scratched her head, feeling that there was no point in continuing to peep. She decided to get lunch first. She could always just ask them openly in the afternoon.
Fortunately, she was on a commercial street where there was plenty to eat. Kiana chose a fried chicken shop, walked in, and started ordering a variety of fried foods.
After taking a seat, Kiana saw a young man in a white lab coat, looking somewhat disheveled and radiating a gloomy aura. He was nibbling on french fries, his eyes staring blankly out the window.
"Funding... funding... how on earth am I going to get more funding?"
Director Oono stared blankly out the window. This quarter's funding was almost gone. If he couldn't find a way to make some extra cash, his research would have to be put on hold for a while. That was unacceptable! This was a critical moment! If he stopped now and lost his inspiration, what would he do later?
Oh, heavens, could you just drop a patron from the sky who will fall in love with my experiment and throw heaps and heaps of money at me?
Just as Director Oono was thinking this, the phone in his pocket suddenly rang, snapping his vacant eyes back to reality. After he answered the call, his expression transformed into one of ecstatic joy in just a few moments.
"There's really a huge sucker—ahem! I mean, a patron is willing to invest in our project? And with that much money!?"
"Great, great! I'll be right back!"
The delighted young man shouted for a bit, drawing the attention of everyone in the shop. He first apologized to the people around him, then quickly grabbed his things and ran off.
The peaceful and beautiful days repeated, one after another. Everyone was able to live happy and joyful lives in this blissful, perfect world.
Until one day, outside the world, Xin Yu took off his glasses. He let out a long breath and stretched his body.
"Finally, all the bugs have been dealt with. And I've finished weaving the network, ensuring there won't be as many problems with the bug programming later."
"Then, it's time to officially begin my plan."
"I've already set up the most critical historical nodes in the modern era. Next is to go to an even earlier and more crucial historical node, the worldline from 500 years ago."
"As for Otto and Kallen's side, I've already intervened before, so there's no need to worry about them. That just leaves one other person."
Xin Yu cast his gaze toward a certain fragment of the timeline. In the next instant, his figure vanished.
Mount Taixu. The Celestial, Azure Empyrea, was meditating as usual when she suddenly seemed to sense something. She opened her eyes to find a somewhat familiar young man standing not far away.
"Who are you?"
Azure Empyrea was slightly surprised. The other party had appeared without a sound. If he hadn't deliberately released a sliver of his aura, she probably would never have noticed that he was already so close.
And why did he seem so strangely familiar?
She saw the young man clasp his hands in a fist-and-palm salute and bow slightly. "It has been a long time, Master."
"So it's you. It has indeed been a long time. The last time we met was, for me, over a hundred years ago. For you, it must have also been quite some time."
A trace of reminiscence flashed through the Celestial's eyes. She still remembered the young man who had suddenly appeared by her side over a century ago, a boy with the ability to traverse worldlines. On a whim, she had said she would teach him, but she had barely taught him anything before his ability activated and he vanished without a trace. After all these years, she never thought they would meet again.
"Master, it was you who taught me the fundamentals of cultivation. It is by relying on this cultivation method that I have been able to achieve what I have today. This is a debt as great as giving me a new life, and I have always kept it in my heart. Today, your disciple has achieved some success and gained some meager skills. I have come back specially to repay this debt of gratitude."
As Xin Yu finished speaking, Azure Empyrea felt her mind suddenly clear. It was as if a shackle she had borne for years had been unlocked. Her entire being relaxed, and her mind and consciousness became sharper than ever.
Memories that Hua had all but forgotten surged forth. The events of the past, the experiences of the past—scene after scene flashed before her eyes.
"To think so many years have passed..." Hua couldn't help but murmur in a low voice.
"Blockhead."
Suddenly, a voice rang out. Hua's body trembled. She then saw a small figure, floating curiously in mid-air, looking at her.
"Ah, I'm not dead?"
"To be precise, we were dead. But it seems someone has resurrected us."
"Cangxuan. Danzhu."
To be reunited with old friends after who knows how many years—in that single moment, even the Celestial, Azure Empyrea, even the MANTIS warrior, Hua, who had survived countless battlefields, felt her spirit waver.
"Long time no see, Hua. You've had it rough all these years," Cangxuan said with a smile.
"Yeah, yeah! I wonder if that blockhead took good care of herself after I powered down."
"So how did we come back to life? It feels like I just closed my eyes, and when I opened them, I had a new consciousness and appeared right here."
And the young man who had appeared out of nowhere had, just as he arrived, quietly departed.