"Isn't the current ending pretty good already? Why try to reverse it?"
Lin Wei felt that He Kun was acting really strange now. What's with this interrogation vibe, huh?
Although his mind was buzzing with retorts, Lin Wei answered seriously. Again, if the other person asked seriously, he should respond in kind. Lin Wei considered it basic courtesy.
He thought for a moment, then explained.
"I used to think about it, because the story was just too painful. But later, I stopped thinking that way, because the suffering endured was genuinely worth it."
"Let me tell you my story. When I was little, my parents often fought. My father liked to drink, and every time he finished drinking, he would beat my mother, often in front of me."
"Then, when I was eight, one afternoon, my mother was in the bedroom and asked me to get her a knife from the kitchen. A little later, she gave me some money, said she wasn't feeling well, and asked me to go to the pharmacy to buy some medicine for her."
"And then, my mother died. It wasn't until I grew up that I learned it was sleeping pills. She had essentially been killed by me. After that, I often thought, if only I had been a little more rebellious back then, not so obedient, things might have been different."
"When I was nine, my father was stabbed eight times by my maternal grandparents and two uncles. Blood poured out of him uncontrollably, pooling on the floor. I watched him get wheeled into the operating room, and I also saw him being turned away at the hospital entrance because the doctors initially said he couldn't be saved. But they saved him anyway."
"I'm very grateful to that doctor. His desperate efforts saved me from becoming an orphan, ensuring I still had at least one relative in this world. Even if it was just my terrible, utterly useless father."
"I'm also grateful to my father. He gave me something to rely on in this world, kept me off the streets, prevented me from starving to death in some unknown corner someday. Even if life afterwards wasn't happy, even if I was beaten at home and bullied at school, I could endure it. Because at least I could keep living, right?"
"As long as you're alive, it's enough. If you're alive, you have a future. If you're alive, you have hope."
"But I often wondered, couldn't someone come and save me, pull me out of all this?"
"Unfortunately, no one did. So I endured and endured, and for a while, I felt like I was going crazy."
"Luckily, I didn't."
"When I finally made it through, when I had the courage to look back at my past, I realized my salvation was already complete."
"I don't want to go back to the past. Those experiences were too painful. I also don't want to deny the past, because it is an indispensable part of me."
"So I often wondered later, if someone had really come to save me from that sea of suffering, what would the story afterwards have been like? Maybe I'd be better off now, or maybe I'd have become reliant on others and ended up accomplishing nothing. There's no way to know."
"But at the very least, I am satisfied with the current me, so I don't want to deny the past."
Lin Wei pulled himself back from his memories and continued speaking frankly to He Kun.
"Experiences shape personality, and personality shapes destiny." Lin Wei pointed to the box now overflowing with figurines and merch. "Since the existing ending is decent enough, why should I rashly interfere?"
"Changing their life trajectories would naturally lead to infinite possibilities – maybe better, maybe worse. But how can you be sure you'd bring them a better outcome?"
"Relying on some vague cheat ability? Forget it..."
Another long speech.
Huh? Why did I think 'again'? Lin Wei felt puzzled.
He Kun listened intently without comment. After a moment of silence, he spoke again.
"Since you've supposedly transmigrated into it and know the future, then I have another question for you."
He Kun leaned in close, his presence suddenly intense.
"Can a future that has already been foreseen still be the future?"
Huh?
Lin Wei felt bewildered. It's just a game, why are you taking it so seriously?
Then, suddenly, a wave of panic washed over him, equally inexplicable.
It was just a game, why was he panicking?
He Kun leaned back, the previous intensity vanishing as if it were an illusion.
"Besides, you know that the reason Kiana, Mei, and Bronya could defeat Kevin in the final battle was because the player Captains outside the screen pulled a deus ex machina and helped them out immensely."
He paused slightly, a teasing glint in his eyes.
"Guess what? If it were the real world, do you think those three would still have so many 'Pinduoduo friends' helping them land that final blow?" (Translator's Note: Pinduoduo is a Chinese e-commerce platform known for group buying deals where friends 'help' each other get discounts, used here metaphorically for collective help.)
"And if they didn't... what would the ending be then?"
Lin Wei felt even more panicked.
He wondered why. What am I panicking about?
Failing the thesis defense?
(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
This isn't a freaking thesis defense!
"Hmph, boring."
He Kun waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away a fly.
"Alright, get going. Otherwise, you'll be late for your train."
Lin Wei scratched his head, somewhat confused. How did I manage to annoy him?
Tsk, what a weirdo. I'm done dealing with this. Bye-bye now.
Picking up the box full of figurines and merchandise, Lin Wei turned to leave.
Suddenly, a faint glimmer of light flashed. Lin Wei looked down. It was the model of the Fenghuang Down reflecting the sunlight.
He couldn't resist reaching out to touch it. As his fingers made contact, another flash of light erupted, and the model transformed into a single feather, floating gently upwards.
Lin Wei suddenly understood everything.
He slammed... no, wait, he couldn't bear to.
He gently placed the cardboard box on the floor, turned around, and shouted,
"He Kun!"
"What's up, Da Wei?"
He Kun seemed startled by Lin Wei's shout and couldn't help but complain,
"Can you not be so scary?"
Now THAT'S the roommate I know.
Lin Wei smiled warmly. "Because I felt like it!"
He strode back to his desk, pulled out the chair, and sat down assertively.
"Order takeout! I'm hungry. Gotta eat before I go."
"Your treat. Daddy's gonna bleed you dry today."
It's now or never. Seizing the rare opportunity, Lin Wei acted completely unrestrained.
He Kun grumbled as he pulled out his phone, tapping away furiously, muttering curses under his breath as he ordered.
"You damn brat. Count yourself lucky Dad loves you, otherwise, I'd have slapped you silly already!"
Lin Wei brazenly flipped him the bird, retorting, "I'm your dad!"
Less than a minute later, there was a knock at the door.
Lin Wei sighed. All his boisterous energy vanished like a popped bubble. No matter how much he tried to play along, he couldn't truly go back.
It really is a dream. Normal takeout never arrives this fast.
He opened the door, took the food, muttered a "thanks," and gently closed it.
"Kun-ge, I'm leaving soon. Have one last meal with me?"
He Kun, still confused, pulled up a chair opposite him, broke apart his chopsticks, and started digging in.
Does dream food have taste?
Lin Wei had never considered it before, but now he didn't need to.
He swallowed a mouthful of shredded potatoes, keeping his head down. He stuffed a piece of steamed bun into his mouth and asked He Kun, his voice muffled,
"Kun-ge, how's the takeout today?"
"Weird. Did they change chefs or something? It's so sour! Was the vinegar free? Not ordering from them again. Maybe you shouldn't eat it either, Da Wei. Dealing with this crap during the holiday... I'll order from somewhere else."
"No need, I think it's fine..." Lin Wei still didn't look up, just stuffed another piece of bun into his mouth. It still had that same sourness that made you want to cry.
Ordering from somewhere else would be the same.
"Ha! This is freaking terrible! Are they crazy? Hope they go out of business soon!"
Halfway through the meal, Lin Wei couldn't hold it in anymore. He looked up and burst out laughing, loud and unrestrained. He laughed so hard he inhaled bun crumbs, choking until tears streamed down his face.
Then silence returned. Lin Wei continued to silently eat the unpalatable food. He didn't want to make any more noise; the quiet atmosphere always brought him a sense of healing tranquility. He Kun seemed to understand and remained quiet too.
"I'm leaving!"
Lin Wei wiped his mouth and announced loudly. It was unclear if he was saying goodbye to his roommate or to his former self.
He walked over to the cardboard box sitting quietly nearby, knelt, and took out the figurine of the pink-haired girl with fox ears. Then, he gently picked up the feather shimmering with faint light.
Only these two items were real here – tickets to the next stop.
"The rest is all yours!"
"Tch, you weirdo. Where'd you get all this random junk?"
He Kun glanced at the box, looking somewhat disgusted.
"Ha, who knows? Maybe I was born for this?"
Lin Wei mocked himself.
Can't delay any longer. Lin Wei took one last, lingering look back at the familiar dorm room and waved his arm high in farewell.
The passage he'd read from the book earlier suddenly came back to mind.
—When war fades away, becoming a legend of glory and romance, stories in books and paintings in museums, vanishing from people's daily lives, they will cheer for the soldiers boarding trains in books, movies, and their own imaginations, rushing towards victory and glory, wave after wave. Then they imagine themselves becoming symbols of heroism and honor just like them.
But only those who actually board that train understand. They wish constantly to leave, constantly wish to return to their old lives, but there's no turning back.
There's no going back. Pointless to dwell on it.
Lin Wei sighed and strode away.
With one step, the scenery changed abruptly.
The door was gone. Looking back, the dorm room was gone too.
Although he had expected it, Lin Wei couldn't help feeling a little lost. That place had once been the most familiar to him, a world that wasn't wonderful, perhaps even somewhat terrible...
But it was a world without Honkai energy, an ordinary world where everyone could live normally.
"What a dream I didn't want to wake up from."
Lin Wei couldn't help but sigh. Humans are lazy creatures. In familiar environments that provide a sense of security, it's easy to become immersed, even if the security is false.
He gently held the feather and smiled faintly.
"Still, I have to thank you, Fu Hua."
Lin Wei murmured to himself, knowing she could hear him.
Without that feather, he probably wouldn't have woken up so easily from the engulfing dream.
No matter how beautiful a dream is, it's ultimately not real.
The feather flashed and disappeared.
Lin Wei didn't feel regretful; its purpose was served.
Uhhh... wait...
Cold sweat suddenly beaded on Lin Wei's forehead. He remembered something he had done.
That comment about flat chests...
It's over. No point sweating anymore. His forehead was probably, maybe, possibly, likely, almost certainly doomed.
Lin Wei's thoughts ran wild, feeling his future prospects dimming rapidly.
He couldn't even be bothered to sigh; what was done couldn't be undone.
Lin Wei straightened his back, held his head high, and strode forward with imposing dignity.
Since it's already like this, might as well just roll with it! Whatever happens, happens!
He gathered his thoughts, focusing on the present.
Lin Wei looked around as he walked, confirming he had left the previous dream. The scenery before him was both strange and familiar – perhaps a new dream, or perhaps the legendary Stigmata Space.
A clear river flowed gently, its banks lined with lush reeds rooted in the shallow mudflats. A simple yet solemn wooden bridge spanned the river, connecting a "village" on one side with a small hill on the other.
The village was dotted with fruit trees, branches heavy with leaves, full of life. A small path made of stone steps wound its way up the hill. The path was swept clean, passing through a dense bamboo forest and extending towards the horizon, where a line of solemn torii gates could be seen.
In the distance, mountains encircled the area, covered in dense forests. The air was filled with the chirping of birds, the buzzing of insects, and the rustling whisper of the wind.
"No wonder Kallen didn't want to leave when she ran here back then..."
Lin Wei pursed his lips, deeply understanding. This place is gorgeous. Honestly, I wouldn't want to leave either.
But he couldn't stay.
Though beautiful and enchanting on the surface, he knew full well that terrifying monsters lurked here.
Actually, Lin Wei had been momentarily surprised. He had arrived in the world of 500 years ago, not the anticipated hellscape of 50,000 years ago.
Lin Wei had braced himself to step out directly into the Moth of Flame base from 50,000 years ago, ready to face the Herrscher of Corruption, sharpening her knives, hating him with gnashing teeth, ready for an immediate life-or-death confrontation.
But that didn't happen.
Putting himself in the Herrscher's shoes, Lin Wei roughly guessed the reason—
If it were me, I wouldn't want to bare my deepest, most humiliating nightmares for others to see either.
It's only human nature, isn't it?
Tsk... Is this really a Herrscher?
Lin Wei felt a pang of sympathy, both for Rin and for that desperate, yet united and resilient era 50,000 years ago.
They were fortunate enough to receive two gifts, but sadly, they only managed to grasp one.
The other gift ultimately turned into a calamity.
The rights and wrongs of it all... perhaps only the people of that era truly understood.
Lin Wei stopped dwelling on things that couldn't be changed and focused on the present.
He glanced around, first confirming one thing: there were no Honkai Beasts or Deadwalkers in this Yae Village. That relieved him considerably. Although he had expected it – reality, after all, isn't a game where respawning monsters are placed at every corner of every map –
Speculation was still just speculation. Seeing it for himself provided a sense of security.
"Is this really the village?"
Lin Wei climbed higher for a better view, looking down at Yae Village nestled at the foot of the mountain by the water. Cobblestone streets, stone walls, tile roofs, crisscrossing paths...
The facilities seem way too good, right? Lin Wei found it hard to accept.
He scratched his chin, curious. "Did the real Yae Village look like this?"
Isn't this more like an embellished 'Yae Village Plus' from a Stigmata Space? he speculated maliciously.
"The real Yae Village looked exactly like this."
A female voice spoke from close behind him. The voice was clear and pleasant, diction precise. Though the tone was somewhat cool, it wasn't cold, instead evoking a sense of goodwill.
Lin Wei tensed. He hadn't sensed anyone approaching.
Then he relaxed, smiled faintly, and turned to see the familiar figure of the shrine maiden. Only now, she didn't have fox ears atop her head, just beautiful pink hair cascading down, stirred by the breeze.
"Hello, guest from afar."
Yae Sakura spoke again, calm and composed.
"May I ask if you've come to Yae Village to visit relatives or friends living here?"