Chapter 57 [Forget-Me-Not] Bai E and Mimi ran against the flow of people...

Bai'er and Mimi ran against the flow of people.

Mimi's fluffy hair and skirt were blown backward by the wind. She was anxious, but seeing Bai E's furrowed brows and expression as if he had lost the whole world, she suppressed her anxiety and comforted him:

"Bai'e, don't worry, she's not helpless... as long as there's no emergency, she shouldn't get hurt."

Bai E's voice was scattered in the air by the wind:

“I understand, but I just…”

I just don't know how to explain my feelings to her.

Although you have no memory of these past few days in the Ai Li Secret Pavilion, the emotions you shared were real. You knew and accompanied each other in your dreams, growing from childhood to youth, and even... experienced that intimacy. Bai E's love for you has long since become thick and deep.

Suddenly waking from his dream, before he could even process the memories of being an ordinary villager, he was confronted by the black tide. At this moment, the two memories intertwined and fought in his mind. Simplifying the memories was manageable, but Bai E couldn't help but recall the wheat fields of his hometown and the sacrifices he had made on the journey to chase the fire, causing him pain that made it almost impossible for him to breathe.

Bai'e and Mimi ran through the market, through alleys blooming with wisteria, and through the bathhouse, finally arriving at the heart of the vortex of creation.

His mind is filled with all sorts of images of you, all kinds of expressions of you.

You flirt with him, bribing him with soft kisses to avoid morning exercise, your golden eyes filled with tears.

You said you wanted to explore every corner of the universe, witness the stories of the world, and see how vast the galaxy is.

You gently stroke the floral wreath ring on your hand; its slender, layered petals conceal the band, and the deep blue blends seamlessly into your skin tone.

[Are you my hero? ...Why are you ignoring me? Don't you like me?]

[I don't dislike you. You're adorable.]

...

At the center of the world, at the end of everything, bathed in a shimmering starry sky, a gray-haired girl stands.

Hearing the noise, she slowly turned her head and smiled back.

*

So what is the meaning of the forget-me-not flower?

"Hmm... eternal love? Because it's [please don't forget me]."

"It sounds a bit ominous... If they could always be together, why would they forget each other? Did Xiaobai choose this kind of flower for her wreath with any particular meaning?"

"That's true. But I didn't really think that much about it at the time. I just thought the forget-me-nots nearby were blooming beautifully, and, well, the blue color is a bit like my eye color... I hoped my partner would remember me when he saw it."

"Then I don't want this ring to remind me of you. If I need you, I want Xiaobai to be by my side anytime. So don't do anything to hurt yourself, okay?"

"...Yes. I will."

As the battle progressed, the ring slid across your neck and collarbone, leaving a cool sensation.

“You didn’t need to do this.” Lai Gushi dodged your fiery spear and said calmly, “You don’t belong here. I understand the will of [the pioneers], but in the end, everything you care about is just a few strings of data, just like deleting your save file and starting over in a game.” “Here, the only equals are you and me…!” he said, “I have already given you the utmost respect, why turn against me for the sake of an ant?”

You know perfectly well that arguing with someone who holds a different view is a complete waste of breath. As for Lucas, he believes he is also on the side of justice and has no possibility of repentance. You alone cannot persuade him.

When Lai Gushi saw that you weren't speaking or angry, he seemed to be just genuinely confused—confused as to why you were arguing with him over a few strings of experimental data. He actually quite liked you, to be honest.

“Alright,” he said. “Are you concerned about [Karslana]? I’ve noticed his recent emotional fluctuations and behavioral logic are different from before. If you really like it, I can give you the source code of this data. You can trigger an adventure on the path of [exploration] at any time and generate an individual that is extremely similar to him…”

You closed your eyes, wishing you could shoot him to death:

"If you can't speak properly, then shut up. Who are you insulting?"

To you, not only Bai E, but also Xi Lian, the Golden Descendants, and the common people of Onfaros… are all unique individuals. After going through so much together, how could you possibly treat them as ordinary data?

Because the ancients wanted to explore the boundaries of knowledge and pursue the truth of the universe, they naturally used the pretext of "doing what's best for them" to carry out acts of destruction.

But he never cared about people's feelings. He simply looked down from above and manipulated the fate of all living beings.

History is never shaped solely by geniuses.

The Golden Blood have already proven the determination of mortals.

Besides, besides—you love Bai E, and only Bai E. His experiences, his memories, his knowledge and beliefs constitute who he is now, and you can even tolerate that little bit of self-sacrificing consciousness—because these are all part of him.

If a person's memories and upbringing are completely different, is that person still the same? ...This question may require a long discussion, but think about it, you love everything Bai E possesses right now. Not just his glamorous image, but also his scars and weaknesses.

"If we don't see eye to eye, there's no point in talking," you said. "Stop talking nonsense, I just want to kill you right now."

Although this kid is definitely hard to kill, it's good to stab him to vent my anger.

Lai Gushi lowered his hands that were used to defend himself.

“Even if he kills me, Caislana will have to face his fate.”

He said, "Stop wasting your time. Faced with the vast and boundless knowledge, he will surely merge into the foundation of this world and forge a new and great life...!"

“I know,” you said, “but that doesn’t change the fact that I hate you. And don’t call me that so affectionately, who are you talking to?”

Faced with your angry accusations, Lai Gushi simply raised his face and smiled in an ambiguous way.

"Don't rush," he said. "We have guests, so I'll take my leave now."

*

Mimi had disappeared. Bai E stood in the center of the vortex, looking down at the pool of water.

The starry sky continued to turn as always, and in the blink of an eye, only the two of you remained at the heart of the cosmic vortex. Even though this place was isolated from the outside world, you could still faintly hear the sounds of battle outside, and the howling wind passed through the broken pillars like the whispers of ghosts.

A ray of golden light slowly climbed up his clothes, and in the blink of an eye, it had already covered his calves.

Is this necessary?

He held your hand tightly, his five fingers gripping your palm firmly, even to the point of pain, as if without you as his anchor, he would drift away.

You know this is his mission, but you still feel a little reluctant to let him go.

“…We agreed that the one who leaves the other first is the puppy,” you said. “This time, Little White broke his promise.”

Bai E then raised his head and looked directly into your eyes.

You don't know what those complex emotions in his eyes are. Reluctance, determination... perhaps even a trace of guilt, making his usually smiling blue eyes appear dark and somber.

"Um."

Just like when they first met, he took your hand, placed it against his cheek, and rubbed his cheek against your palm, his voice low and husky.

"We agreed to keep our word, but honestly, we had no choice. Now we're even."

You sniffed, "...I'm not going to argue with you. Xiaobai is a jerk who doesn't keep his promises."

Bai E's eyes drooped down, and he kissed your wrist.

“Okay, then I’ll be the puppy,” he whispered. “Never forgive me.”

Never forgive me, but always remember me.

Golden light climbed up to his waist.

Am I being a little selfish?

Bai E muttered to himself, his voice muffled by your hand, "Your future is so bright, but you're only doing this for me... I don't want you to stop for me."

After this parting, he doesn't know if he'll survive. If... things really come to that, he still hopes you can let go of everything, get back on the train, and live a good life—even without him by your side.

You are such a wonderful person, there will definitely be many people willing to accompany you and take care of you until you completely forget his shadow and usher in a better new life...

You punched him in the neck. "Don't think about those things. I'll never forget Xiaobai. Did you ask for my opinion before you decided to let me go?"

Golden light climbed up his neck.

His torso was completely soaked in gold. His once-neat armor was torn apart by the uncontrollable surge of energy, revealing patches of skin beneath.

"If it weren't for Xiaobai, I'd rather not have this kind of freedom," you said, unable to resist pinching his ear. "Or are you happy to see me with someone else?"

Bai E froze for a few seconds, involuntarily imagining you smiling radiantly as you linked arms with someone else, and a sharp pain suddenly surged from his heart.

He felt as if he couldn't breathe, the pain making it difficult to speak—it turned out he wasn't as generous as he had imagined. Just imagining the scene made him feel an overwhelming urge to destroy.

“…No.” He gritted his teeth.

Golden light swept over his chin.

He is about to leave the group and set sail.

The warmth of his tightly clasped hands had vanished. You looked down and couldn't feel his body heat. Instead, you saw a large number of shimmering golden fragments, like withered butterflies, fluttering back to the center of the vortex.

"...Finally, is there anything you'd like to say to me?"

Ask him.

Bai E narrowed his eyes and smiled.

His body began to shatter. Just hours before, he was alive and well, and you had just woken up from that beautiful dream, only to be suddenly faced with such an abrupt and tragic departure.

Will you remember? Will you remember the time you spent with him? Will you remember the pond echoing with the croaking of frogs and the wheat field where crows perched?

He just said...

"[Forget-me-not]".