·73｜Exclusive to Jinjiang·73

Embark on this journey of redemption.

At 13, Lai Chuan and his wife divorced, and Lai Chuan Huang Quan became rebellious. She stopped obeying and turned into a little hedgehog covered in thorns.

Time was turned back, the soul was extracted, and the little hedgehog had its core replaced.

...

Mr. Lai Chuan was extremely tired when he got out of bed. He had a long dream, a dream shrouded in the shadow of death and tragedy.

In his dream, his beloved daughter secretly applied to study mechanical engineering behind his back. She even had a big fight with her boyfriend, a policeman, and ran away from home in order to marry him. But later, the policeman died in a bombing, and Raikawa Yomi suffered from severe depression as a result.

In her dream, Mr. Lai Chuan visited her after Lai Chuan Huang Quan suffered from depression. However, every time she glanced at Mr. Lai Chuan's face, she would let out a beast-like roar and struggle violently like a dying person until the doctor, disturbed by the noise, rushed over and injected her with a sedative.

With great difficulty, accompanied by another police officer, Yomi Laichuan gradually moved from severe depression to moderate depression, and there was even a possibility of recovery to mild depression. However, that police officer, Matsuda, also sacrificed his life.

In the end of the dream, Mr. Lai Chuan's most beloved daughter jumped from a high-rise building and blossomed into a blood-red flower.

"ha--"

Awakened from a nightmare, Mr. Lai Chuan let out a long sigh, rubbing the stray hairs falling across his forehead as he got out of bed. Yesterday was the day he and Mrs. Lai Chuan divorced, and also the turning point in his dream when Lai Chuan Huang Quan became rebellious.

The unease was like the gradually increasing drumbeats. Knowing it was all just a dream, Mr. Lai Chuan still knocked on Lai Chuan Huang Quan's door: "Huang Quan, are you awake?"

The room was quiet for a few seconds before Lai Chuan Huang Quan's soft voice came through: "Awake..." It was soft and dazed, as if she had just woken up.

"Get up, brush your teeth, and get ready for breakfast."

"Okay, Dad."

Ten minutes later, Lai Chuan Huang Quan, with long hair and sleepy eyes, had changed into her school uniform skirt, brushed her teeth, and was sitting obediently in a chair, munching on her bread.

Mr. Lai Chuan held the newspaper, but his gaze secretly drifted to his beloved only daughter: "Huang Quan."

"Yes, Dad."

"I've prepared a gift for you; it's on the living room table. Go open it and see after you finish breakfast."

Watching Lai Chuan Huang Quan get up to unwrap the gift, Mr. Lai Chuan nervously pursed his lips. The image of Lai Chuan Huang Quan falling from the building in his dream was still vivid in his mind; her rebellious act of smashing the gift he had carefully prepared on the ground was the beginning of the tragedy.

Thirteen-year-old Lai Chuan Huang Quan's round, chubby face was still a little babyish. She picked up the unwrapped gift and smiled happily: "Thank you, Daddy, I like it very much."

Seeing this, Mr. Lai Chuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Dreams are often the opposite of reality; his daughter remained obedient.

He would never let the tragedy in his dream happen.

But gradually, Mr. Ryukawa noticed something unusual—Ryukawa Yomi was too obedient, to the point of almost losing his most primal human desires.

Mr. Lai Chuan even deliberately had the housekeeper cook a large pot of carrots: "Huang Quan, this bowl of carrots is yours, you have to eat it all."

Mr. Lai Chuan thought that Lai Chuan Huang Quan would resist, or at least show a reluctant expression, but she actually smiled and said "Okay, Daddy," and then obediently ate it all. She used to hate carrots the most, and would cry and throw a tantrum if he forced her to eat them.

Mr. Lai Chuan suddenly recalled that many years ago, when Lai Chuan Huang Quan was only eight years old, after watching the animated film The Little Mermaid, she kept tugging at her little tuft of hair and saying that she wanted to dye her hair red. At that time, Mr. Lai Chuan said with a stern face, "What kind of talk is it for an Asian to dye her hair red? You dare to try it." This made the little girl, who only reached his waist, cry and run to her mother.

Mr. Raikawa remembered that although he had scolded Raikawa Yomi, she would still draw her hair red whenever she hummed a song and doodled on paper. In middle school, Raikawa Yomi was obsessed with a type of dress called Lolita, and she even secretly bought a red wig for it. This little girl really longed to dye her hair red.

So after the university entrance exam, Mr. Lai Chuan casually remarked, "Why doesn't Huang Quan dye his hair red?"

He thought Lai Chuan Huang Quan would be happy, overjoyed. But she just smiled quietly and obediently: "Okay, Daddy."

Lai Chuan Huang Quan dyed her hair red, which she liked, but Mr. Lai Chuan remained uneasy. He increasingly felt that his daughter was just an empty shell without a soul.

What surprised Mr. Lai Chuan even more was that just as he had almost completely forgotten the nightmare, the two police officers who had appeared in his dream were actually killed in an explosion, just like in the dream. The only difference was that they did not know his daughter, and Lai Chuan Huang Quan did not die.

Mr. Raikawa once asked Raikawa Yomi, "Is there anything you want to do?"

Lai Chuan Huang Quan would obediently report his future plans to Mr. Lai Chuan one by one, and would always add at the end: "If Dad has other arrangements, I will listen to Dad."

Lai Chuan Huang Quan: "I will always listen to my father."

Because this is a pre-edited, established procedure, Mr. Lai Chuan's words always have the highest priority.

The ominous premonition grew stronger, as if an invisible force was altering the world's original trajectory.

It's as if...

Everything he's experiencing now is a dream, while the nightmare he had on the night of his divorce from Mrs. Lai Chuan years ago is the reality. However, Mr. Lai Chuan is busy dealing with the black-clad organization that has recently become active internationally and doesn't have much time to continue investigating the situation of Lai Chuan Huang Quan.

Three years after the Black Organization was destroyed, Mr. Lai Chuan died suddenly at his post due to overwork.

The man who should have died opened his eyes again, and Mr. Raikawa experienced everything that Mr. Raikawa Yomi had experienced—the tragic scene of Mr. Raikawa being forced by the Time and Space Administration to personally visit Mr. Raikawa Yomi twice and commit suicide.

Fresh blood stained Matsuda Jinpei's clothes, while Yomi Yorikawa was completely drained of color and his breathing grew weaker.

"No...no no no!"

Mr. Lai Chuan's breathing became disordered, and he felt a pain in his chest as if his ribs were breaking.

The emaciated Lai Chuan Huang Quan applied lipstick in front of the mirror, his eyes numb, before jumping off a high-rise building.

"Yellow Springs! My Yellow Springs!"

He clutched his hair, his eyes wide with tears streaming down his face. Lai Chuan Huang Quan was the apple of his eye; if the price for Lai Chuan Huang Quan's obedience was her life, then he would rather she remain rebellious forever.

"Mr. Raikawa, do you want to know the truth?"

A being claiming to be from a higher-dimensional world told Mr. Lai Chuan in a cold, mechanical voice that his dream from back then was the truth of the world. The real Lai Chuan Huang Quan was already dead; what remained beside him was merely an empty shell, a body operating on a programmed system.

Mr. Lai Chuan was in tears, his face was flushed red, and several veins bulged on his neck: "When was Huang Quan replaced?"

"The day you divorced your wife when you were 13 was also the day you had your nightmares."

Mr. Lai Chuan closed his eyes tightly and remained silent for a long time before asking in a trembling voice, "Why did you take my daughter away?"

"This is based on your daughter's wish; she wants you to have an obedient child, not her."

Lai Chuan Huang Quan glared at her with hatred in his eyes: "So you stole my daughter?"

"We didn't steal it, we just fulfilled her wish."

His jawline trembled. No matter how unwilling Mr. Lai Chuan was to face it, he had to admit that he was a complete failure. He was unworthy to be the father of Lai Chuan Huang Quan.

Mr. Lai Chuan's lips trembled, his beard, streaked with white hairs, was wet with tears and snot: "I also have three chances to make a wish, right?"

"Yes, but it must be used all at once."

"Alright! Listen carefully! My three wishes!"

"My first wish is that I can stay by Lai Chuan Huang Quan's side in the days to come!"

I'm sorry I haven't been a good father. I hope I can still make up for the lack of time and attention I've given him.

"My second wish is that Yomi Yomi can be happy every day."

"This description is a bit general and vague; you need to provide more details."

"I want Lai Chuan Huang Quan to live a carefree life. I want her to be happy and carefree every day, and to be able to get out of any trouble or predicament she encounters quickly."

He doesn't need his daughter to be obedient, well-behaved, studious, successful, or an elite; all he wants is for his precious daughter to be happy.

So please, smile, and stop crying.

"but."

"What I need to tell you is that as long as Yomi Laichuan remembers their deaths, she cannot be happy until she fulfills her wish. You should know that too, right?"

Mr. Lai Chuan nodded slowly: "I know, but she will eventually have her wish fulfilled, won't she?"

"And your third wish?"

"I don't want any other daughters, I only want Huang Quan. Lai Chuan Huang Quan, I only want her to be my daughter."

"I'm sorry, but your wish conflicts with Yomi's second wish. According to the time priority, we cannot grant this wish."

"Yeah……"

Mr. Lai Chuan lowered his head, his sky-blue eyes, as clear as the sky itself, slowly darkening. Time slipped by, and after a long silence, he finally spoke: "Then, my third wish is—"

"Wish received, now begin delivery."

"Good luck."

...

The Time and Space Administration possesses a timeline independent of each world. Mr. Lai Chuan entered the Time and Space Administration at a point in time prior to his own death. He fought his way through various worlds, scheming and narrowly escaping death time and time again. Mr. Lai Chuan was already one of the few elites in his original world, and even in a completely unfamiliar world with vastly different operating rules, he climbed from the initial D rank all the way to S rank, becoming one of the only S rank members in the Administration.

"Congratulations, Mr. Raikawa. You will be granted the role of administrator to assist Raikawa Yomi in completing her mission."

"Are you ready? I'm going to take you to see Yomi Yomi."

“Wait a minute,” Mr. Lai Chuan called out to the other person, “Could you please change my face and voice as well?”

"Are you still afraid to see her?"

Mr. Lai Chuan remained silent and did not answer. Fortunately, the Administration did not press further. They could rationally and accurately analyze human emotions, but they could not fully understand them.

The Administration changed Mr. Lai Chuan's face and voice—this was easy for them, and there was no need to charge extra for it, especially since Mr. Lai Chuan had always been able to exceed expectations.

Inside a glass column containing what appeared to be a nutrient solution, Raikawa Yomi floated with her eyes closed. Her black hair, like seaweed, was scattered in the water. Raikawa Yomi wore white clothes that covered her body, and she looked as if she were asleep.

Mr. Lai Chuan felt his eyes well up with tears just looking at the person in the glass pillar. He took a few deep breaths and nodded to the people from the Administration Bureau.

The sleeping Raikawa Yomi was awakened. She suddenly opened her eyes and spat out a series of bubbles. The next second, the liquid was drained, and Raikawa Yomi's wet, black hair and clothes quickly dried.

Mr. Lai Chuan, with his hands behind his back, steadied his breathing and slowly spoke: "Lai Chuan Huang Quan, from today onwards you will officially become a Class D employee of the Time and Space Administration Bureau. I am your administrator. Now, get up and come with me."

From today onwards, I will stay with you and protect you.

When Lai Chuan Huang Quan looked over with his blue eyes, Mr. Lai Chuan held his breath nervously, afraid that Lai Chuan Huang Quan would recognize him. Fortunately, the Bureau's advanced technology was indeed solid and reliable. Lai Chuan Huang Quan only glanced at him for a moment before frowning and looking away.

Mr. Lai Chuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "Central system, what number is the employee number?"

Before the central system could respond, Lai Chuan Huang Quan spoke up first: "1107, if this number is not in use, I want the number 1107."

As soon as he finished speaking, Mr. Lai Chuan caught his breath again, feeling a sharp pain in his heart.

Mr. Laichuan knew the meaning behind the number 1107. But he was powerless to stop it, and could only watch silently as Laichuan Huangquan was given the number 1107.

Mr. Laichuan accompanied Laichuan Huangquan through one crisis after another, watching her escape death and witnessing her decisive and ruthless actions. Finally, when the opportunity to return to her original world and fulfill her wishes arrived, Laichuan Huangquan suffered repeated failures.

Watching Lai Chuan Huang Quan slowly crumble again, Mr. Lai Chuan was no less distressed than Huang Quan. His Huang Quan was the one who had brought her to this state.

The more he watched Lai Chuan Huang Quan struggle to achieve his wish, the less he dared to show his true identity in front of her.

Lai Chuan Huang Quan, a law-abiding citizen her whole life, mustered up a lot of courage to pick up a gun for the first time, coldly watching the zombies scatter into rotting chunks of flesh in front of her.

All of this was just so I could see them one more time.

Lai Chuan Huang Quan's body was pierced by a steel pipe during her first failure. This little girl, who would cry her eyes out if she just slipped and fell down the stairs, now had a hollow steel pipe piercing her ribs and muscles at an angle. She vomited mouthfuls of blood as Lai Chuan Huang Quan was forcibly removed. After her body was repaired, her first reaction was to sit on the ground and wail, shouting that she wanted to go back to them, as helpless as a child.

The timeline was repeatedly rewound. She broke down, and so did he. But Mr. Lai Chuan had to maintain his composure, encouraging and comforting her.

Mr. Lai Chuan watched helplessly as Lai Chuan Huang Quan failed time and time again, nearly dying in that world each time. The Bureau did not allow administrators to directly intervene in their employees' worlds; he could only assist, not directly intervene. Moreover, another version of him now existed in that world, and the same world could not accommodate two identical souls.

Even so, Mr. Lai Chuan repeatedly helped Huang Quan in ways that violated the rules. Therefore, when the timeline was rewound for the fourth time, Mr. Lai Chuan had been downgraded to A+.

But after three failures, Lai Chuan Huang Quan was almost numb. Her eyes were empty, just like the day she decided to die: "Administrator, can you erase my memory? Maybe only by temporarily forgetting everything can I successfully complete the mission."

Mr. Lai Chuan frowned and looked at her: "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

Mr. Lai Chuan sighed and said, "I understand. I will erase your memory now."

When Raikawa Yomi woke up again, everything about them had been erased.

"Mr. Raikawa," the voice of the Time and Space Administration echoed in Mr. Raikawa's mind: "One of your wishes has now taken effect. As long as Raikawa Yomi doesn't remember everything before the mission is completed, she will be happy and carefree forever."

Mr. Lai Chuan gazed longingly at the world beyond the virtual screen, where his little girl lay on the bed, swinging her legs, her eyes crinkling as she stuffed a bear-shaped biscuit into her mouth, her smile radiant.

"Ken 2 ken 2~!"

"Officer Matsuda, don't think I won't hit you!"

"Me! Me! Me! I want to eat barbecue!"

She was so vibrant and flamboyant, she was radiant and dazzling.

Watching Lai Chuan Huang Quan run in the sunlight, Mr. Lai Chuan's shoulders began to tremble uncontrollably. His eyes burned with heat, and Mr. Lai Chuan took a deep breath, muttering to himself in a trembling voice, "You brat, you look strangely pretty when you smile."

Mr. Raikawa never imagined that he would actually enjoy sitting in his office watching Raikawa Yomi and the ace of the Mobile Unit bicker and banter. He thought to himself that he was probably really getting old, like an old man who likes to sit in a rocking chair in the sun and reminisce about the past.

After losing her memory, Yomi Laichuan once snapped at Mr. Laichuan, "Administrator! If you don't tell me, I won't continue doing the mission!"

Mr. Lai Chuan was not angry at all; on the contrary, he found his sulking daughter adorable and full of energy.

The only unexpected thing was that Lai Chuan Huang Quan actually went to follow the red-haired Huang Quan, which almost caused his soul and body to reunite.

Just as they were about to recast Raikawa Yomi, she did something completely unexpected. A split second before being teleported, she suddenly turned around and gave Raikawa a bright smile: "Thanks, you old geezer."

The word "Dad" was short and powerful, like an ancient bell ringing in one's ear, making Mr. Lai Chuan's whole body buzz and his mind go blank.

"You brat..."

Mr. Lai Chuan looked up, his eyes filled with tears.

This is a long journey of redemption.

It's not just about the mutual redemption between Yomi Yorikawa and the ace of the Mobile Unit, but also about the redemption between Yomi Yorikawa and Mr. Yorikawa.

Loving you is my motivation to keep moving forward.

[Author's Note]

1. Why did Yomi Lai Chuan seem so carefree during her fourth playthrough of the mission, indifferent to many seemingly crucial matters? Even after realizing she had lost her memories, she didn't delve into the underlying issues?

One of Mr. Raikawa's wishes was for Raikawa Yomi to live a carefree life, and to be able to quickly get out of even the biggest troubles he encountered.

2. Mr. Lai Chuan once excessively helped Lai Chuan Huang Quan, which led to his own demotion.

3. The reason why Jingguang and Date Hang will be added to the relief list will be explained in the later plot.

Have you all pieced together the foreshadowing from before, including why the administrator said she hated Mr. Lai Chuan; when Huang Quan asked the administrator why she didn't stop her from dating the second-year graduate student, and the administrator's response of "I won't"?

-