"So... you're all my minions now?"
"Correction: Tactical support."
Pela adjusted her black-framed glasses, struggling to process the Supreme Guardian's order to obey these outsiders.
It made no sense.
"Pee~laa~jie~jie~"
"Don't call me that!"
The blue-haired girl dodged Stelle's grabby hands like a startled cat. "The Fragmentum's edge is here. If it spreads further, the Administrative District is doomed."
"Then let me tell you the tale of the Great Stellar—"
March clamped a hand over Stelle's mouth. "She's... uh... going through a breakup! Ignore her!"
Dragging Stelle away, March caught the "Who's the heartbroken one here?!" glare.
Stelle wasn't stupid. March's behavior around Firefly said everything. But how? Anming had boarded the Express with them.
If he'd subconsciously charmed March in this short a time, it wasn't skill—it was brainwashing.
Stelle knew March well enough by now. The girl took love seriously. This wasn't like her.
Unless...
Had Anming appeared in March's lost memories?
But they were all amnesiacs. Who could say?
"It's fine."
Pela motioned Silvermane Guards to flank the Fragmentum's entrance. "Beyond this point, survival rates plummet. Still proceeding?"
"Risk is our middle name!" March brandished her bow.
Stelle glanced at Dan Heng—then at Anming's empty spot. Probably cuddling Firefly somewhere.
The thought made her bat feel limp.
Not jealous! Nope!
She definitely didn't want to smash a "Brave the Cosmos" bottle over his head.
The Fragmentum creatures never stood a chance.
Stelle's bat became an outlet for something.
Dan Heng reached for the rift—
—when a hand yanked him inside.
"Ambush!"
"Uncle Sampo to the rescuuuue—!"
A flash of pink smoke. Rose-scented chaos.
"Sampo Koski! Again?!" Pela coughed, vision swimming.
"You remembered me?~"
Like a phantom, Sampo snatched March and Stelle past the guards.
"Ta-ta~" He bowed at the rift. "We'll return these—"
WHOOSH.
A gale split the smoke. A green blade shot through like a dragon.
"If Heaven made no Sparrow God—"
Qingque materialized before Sampo, sword at his throat.
"—the path of swords would stay unlit."
Sampo's grin didn't waver. This icy backwater just got interesting*.*
"You're... odd." Qingque frowned. Something about him felt layered.
And his eyes held zero fear. Only amusement.
"I surrender!"
Sampo tossed the unconscious duo into the rift.
"You—!"
Qingque hesitated—what if she nicked them?—then kicked Sampo's ass through the portal, diving in after.
No way was she letting them die in there. She'd promised Anming.
Outside the Fragmentum
The smoke cleared. The guards turned to Pela.
"Should we report their... suicide?"
Pela: "..."
Normal people died in the Fragmentum. These weren't normal.
"I'll inform Bronya."
She walked off—only to spot Anming and Liuying holding hands in the snow.
...Priorities, huh?
Snowfield Date
"You're really not going?"
"Qingque's got it."
Anming knew Penecony would be their next reunion. Who knew what memories that would trigger?
His system had been spamming notifications:
[Life Simulator Cooldown Over]
[Life Simulator: ACTIVATE]
Unsubscribe!
It wasn't the memories he feared—it was the aftermath.
Last time, Stelle and March had livestreamed his sobbing. Next run, he'd hide.
"Elio mentioned your fate," Liuying said, leaving tiny footprints.
"That I'm destined to marry you?"
Her smile could melt glaciers. "Elio can't see your fate."
"Or rather... you don't have one."