novelnext Chapter 742 - 652: Return to the Future
Chapter 742 - 652: Return to the Future
"18:00:01"
...
The clock on the table ticks, the slanted shadows cast inside the window sway with the wind.
"19:20:02"
...
"20:40:03"
...
"22:00:00"
Xu Xiaoyou slowly sits up, a whistle is heard outside the window, fireworks dye the night sky red, young beautiful girls in kimonos walk hand in hand through the streets of Chisaka Town, they wear thick-soled sandals, their hair fashioned stylishly in pine-shaped buns, fingers pointing toward the brightly-lit shopping street.
The outside is...
New Year?
Xu Xiaoyou thinks, her head currently a bit dizzy, like she just had a nightmare, many things happened in the netherworld, yet she seems to not recall them.
The curtain beside her lights up, dozens of pending messages pop up all at once, the top few messages are exceptionally eye-catching in the dimness.
"Mori Natsuki: You, I went back first, by the way, the pine nut mille-feuille cake in Chisaka Town is quite tasty."
"Tang Xin Bubird: Are you up yet? There’s something I’d like to discuss with you."
Xu Xiaoyou sits at the edge of the bed, her eyes reflecting the messages scrolling past on the screen.
After browsing most of the messages, she tightens the bath towel draped over her shoulders, looking out the window, the New Year’s Eve bell rings for the first time at this moment.
Walking on the street, in new attire, Xu Xiaoyou blows into her palm, the cold wind of deep winter brushes against her face, dry like a knife.
She looks around, straw ropes hang under the eaves of every house, green pine decorations placed at the main entrance, young people go with the flow, advancing in the same direction.
Vaguely, she remembers something, feeling a shove from behind.
Xu Xiaoyou turns her head, there’s no one behind her. A young couple greets her kindly, several kids chase past her.
From afar comes the sound of fireworks and firecrackers, the New Year’s Eve bell rings over and over again.
The city’s prosperity and festive air are heavy, yet she feels out of place with it. Xu Xiaoyou thought she would spend this New Year with the people from the Light Chasing Garden, have a lively party, climb the highest snow mountain in the world, watch the aurora dissolve in the sky curtain, anything would be better than being alone.
The city’s prosperity and festive air faded into the distance, the street scene turns bleak, the passing people seem to return to their usual hurried manner.
Xu Xiaoyou arrives at a vending machine, buys a bottle of honey grapefruit tea.
Looking at the stuck drink in the outlet, she silently lifts her leg, kicks the vending machine.
"In the new year, the past year, everyone must have had many inconveniences and troubles, right? Whether they failed to fulfill their ambitions, still chasing the self they yearn for, or failed to reunite with close ones?"
"In this festive day, I wish all of you success in the coming year, may the new year surpass the old one, may everything go smoothly..."
Xu Xiaoyou walks by the lakeside, one hand in her pocket, one holding that can of honey grapefruit tea, burying her face into the thick scarf, head down, fragments flash in her eyes, forming scenes.
Large screens at the city center broadcast congratulations, people’s faces are full of joy.
"Good news from the Eastern Battle Zone, the new round of attacks by the Eight-legged Spider Race has been suppressed, a full counterattack is imminent, regarding the simulated battle zone matters, Patriarch Chichu claims negotiations are underway."
"The league has concluded, the results of this league match were as most predicted..."
Xu Xiaoyou pauses, the screen’s image switches at this moment, Spring Festival movies begin warming up.
She feels her hand being gently tugged.
A sharp pain attacks her brain, more fragments form images, creating in her mind. A strong sense of alienation begins to grow.
Xu Xiaoyou instinctively scans around, wanting to find the source of this alienation, only to find she’s always alone, people around cast puzzled glances.
"Follow me."
A girl’s soft voice rings in Xu Xiaoyou’s ear.
She turns her head, the voice already dissipating among the crowd.
Xu Xiaoyou slightly furrows her brows, pushes through the crowd, chasing the direction of that vanishing voice.
Groups of people get pushed aside in front of her, until light shines through crevices, she realizes she’s arrived at the forefront of the crowd, looking up to see the New Year’s Eve clock above the square, on the big screen, the countdown to the New Year is ticking.
"23:59:50"
"Ten!"
Someone started it, the square echoes with people’s overwhelming shout.
Xu Xiaoyou looks to the left, a pair of young lovers excitedly gesture with their hands before their mouths, shouting loudly.
"23:59:51"
"Nine!"
Xu Xiaoyou glances right, trying to find the owner of that voice in the crowd, everywhere she looks, heads are bobbing, young faces full of celebratory smiles.
"23:59:52"
"Eight!"
Something’s not right...
...
"23:59:53"
"Seven!"
Something’s wrong...
...
"23:59:54"
"Six!"
Xu Xiaoyou once again tries to push through the crowd, a voice in her head urges her to leave, yet the overwhelming crowd, like mountains, moves in closer with each countdown shout.
...
"23:59:55"
"Five!"
Somewhere along the way, people’s faces lost expression, replaced by smooth surfaces, as they clap together, moving uniformly toward the center.
The New Year’s Eve bell rings for the one hundred and fourth time, the one hundred and fifth rings in Xu Xiaoyou’s brain with a resounding buzz, intensely fluctuating.
"Six!"
"Get lost."
Xu Xiaoyou painfully covers her head, wanting to leave quickly, yet the people around, like mechanical puppets, follow wherever she goes, the clapping and the New Year’s Eve bell constantly echoing in her brain.
...
"23:59:57"
"Seven!"
More and more memories surge from the cracks in the rocks, blood-stained fragments quickly forming images in Xu Xiaoyou’s mind, piecing into a film, each film forming memories.
...
"23:59:58"
"Eight!"
A pair of hands slowly reach from behind, embracing Xu Xiaoyou’s shoulders, a red-haired girl’s head leans against her shoulder, chest pressed against her back, those crimson eyes glow, as if intending to completely imprison her shadow within.
"Haven’t you remembered yet?" March smiles slightly.
The girl’s voice carries a hint of flippant seduction.
"The league is over."
"The final winner is the Light Chasing Garden."
"That president of the Queen’s Armament deceived you, it was a montage-style lie."
"The match will end in thirty seconds, but the loser is the Queen’s Armament."
...
"23:59:59"
"Two!"
"Look."
March’s hand slowly extends towards the screen.
At the instant the countdown reaches one, blood begins to seep from the screen, the text turning eerily crimson, a line of striking red words starts to arrange and compose.
"New Year failed."
"The future does not exist."
The people who were counting down look bewildered, halting in their places.
"People’s future has vanished." March’s smile grows triumphant.
Xu Xiaoyou comes to her senses.
Everything around her returns to normal, the New Year square bursts with dazzling fireworks, people warmly embrace, celebrating the arrival of the new year, as if everything just now was a mere illusion of hers, the girl’s final words echo in her ear alone.
"The guiding key to the future is in your hand."
"You must lead the people,"
"Back to the future."