After Baili finished his task, he helped Lanling expand the two domes, finally getting a look at the person he'd been sent to find.
'There's no way I could have found the right one... Especially up north—they all look the same to me...'
He cleared his throat, berating himself for being racist.
A few minutes of silence passed between Baili and Lanling. Though they stood on high alert, backs straight, their postures never wavered.
Then, both Haruki and Meixi stirred. Their eyes fluttered open as they exhaled in unison, simultaneously kicked out of Haruki's core.
Meixi stared at the ground, processing what she had just learned.
Meanwhile, Haruki, realizing he was back in the real world, immediately turned to find Lanling. The moment their eyes met, he beamed.
Lanling's insecurities melted away at the sight of that cheerful smile. "How did it go? Are you okay?"
