Elemental Magnetic Star

Chapter 149 Revisiting Old Places

The bizarre lights and atmosphere of the control center made Flame Wave feel stifled, especially the ambiguous video footage that added to his sense of oppression: "Since we can't do anything now, why not go back?"

"Go back? Back where?" Aurum Aspire, engrossed in his research, retorted, "What do you mean we can't do anything? With all these precise instruments and equipment, don't you think it will take a lot of time just to get a half-understanding?"

"But we have no energy now. Besides looking, you can't operate anything; what's the point?" Flame Wave thought if the energy issue could be resolved, recovering the memory and all operations wouldn't be a problem; but if the energy supply couldn't be assured, doing nothing might be better than being left hanging in uncertainty.

Aurum Aspire disagreed, his curiosity and longing for human civilization so intense that he firmly believed they could find a way to solve the energy problem amidst these wondrous devices. He planned to persevere here, considering it a crucial issue for humanity's future. If a stable energy source could be found, these high-tech devices could be revitalized for their use.

Seeing Aurum Aspire so focused and unmoved, Flame Wave gave up trying to persuade him: "I need some fresh air. Call me if you need anything."

Leaving the City of Benevolence, Flame Wave wandered aimlessly until he found himself at the endless sea's edge, surrounded by a familiar lotus pond. He chuckled, remembering how he had caught up with Raina Grace jumping into the sea here, and then he himself had slipped. He cautiously looked down, not wanting to repeat the incident, as there was no Raina Grace to save him this time.

"Be careful, sir. People often fall into the sea here," a timid voice said.

Turning around, Flame Wave saw a dark-skinned little girl hiding behind a lotus leaf, staring at him curiously. Was Raina Grace as dark when she was young? He chuckled at the thought.

"Is that true? You don't believe me?" the girl asked, widening her eyes, "But you do have a nice smile."

"Thank you for the warning," Flame Wave replied warmly, "I'll be careful."

Seeing the man so gentle and handsome, the little girl boldly offered a lotus root: "Want to eat? It's sweet and crunchy."

Raina Grace used to mention the lotus roots of the Water Realm, her childhood staple food, always fondly remembered. Even after tasting various fruits and other lotus roots Flame Wave specially found, none compared to the "fresh, sweet, and never tiring" taste of fresh lotus root. Flame Wave knew that what Raina Grace missed more was the tenderness of Granny Rain handing her a lotus root from the pond.

"Sure," Flame Wave wanted to taste this freshest lotus root, to see if it was as delicious as Raina Grace described.

The little girl was thrilled, watching Flame Wave eat, finding even this action charming, and couldn't help but move closer: "Sir, are you from the Water Realm? Where do you live, can I come to visit?"

To navigate the Water Realm more easily, Flame Wave maintained his eyes in a blue state, a new skill developed after regaining his elemental magnetic power, inspired by Raina Grace.

Escaping the persistent lotus pond girl, Flame Wave lost interest in staying by the endless sea and headed into the city, arriving at "Water and Earth Residence" where he and Raina Grace had once stayed. The bustling scene, filled with mundane liveliness, made Flame Wave feel relaxed, thinking how perfect it would be if his beloved were here with him.

"Ah, sir, is that you?" Indeed, a familiar voice called out, "Do you remember me? I'm Qingjing."

Flame Wave, interrupted in his thoughts, frowned at the woman speaking to him and shook his head, walking past her towards the inn's counter.

The woman followed: "Are you booking a room? I'm now the manager here. My name is now Lingjing."

She lifted her brown eyes to blink at Flame Wave, only then noticing his blue eyes and covering her mouth in surprise: "How come... I remember you're from the Fire Realm, sir?"

"I'd like to book the top-floor room on the far right," Flame Wave said, sparing no extra words.

"Oh," Lingjing flipped through the ledger absentmindedly, stealing glances at Flame Wave, noting that aside from his blue eyes, he seemed unchanged, if not more dignified. "By the way, the girl who was with you," she tried to recall another topic, "Raina Grace, was it? How is she?"

Lingjing hadn't forgotten Raina Grace's name; the girl had left a deep impression on her, not just for her unique beauty but also for her inscrutable inner world and grace.

As Lingjing remembered her, it was with a mix of nostalgia and a need to assert her disdain for blue eyes, a complex sentiment that made her wonder about Raina Grace's well-being. Was she abandoned by Flame Wave and fallen into misfortune? If Raina Grace ever returned to Water and Earth Residence, Lingjing resolved to help her.

Even in Lingjing's daydreams of adventure, Raina Grace often appeared in various roles, becoming her best imagined friend.

"She's fine," Flame Wave answered simply.

Was it Lingjing's imagination, or did she detect a gentle tone in his brief reply? Thinking she deserved gentle treatment too, she offered: "Want to try my hospitality? Room's on me."

Flame Wave looked up, surprised, but replied without hesitation: "I have elemental currency."

Lingjing, feeling rebuffed, slammed the ledger down in frustration: "Who needs your Water Realm currency? Keep it for your living expenses. You're not welcome here." She immediately regretted her words, "I'm sorry, I meant to say the room is already booked. You..."

But Flame Wave had already turned away, leaving Lingjing standing there, mixed feelings swirling within her, sighing in resignation...

The Surface Domain's population was always denser than that of the Sky or Celestial Domains, its streets busier and its mundane disturbances, like the two women's inexplicable flirtations, not offending or disgusting Flame Wave, just part of the world's ordinary follies.

Suddenly, a chill from behind made him alert. Flame Wave stopped and slowly turned around. Amid the bustling crowd stood a tall, imposing man with a cold gaze fixed on him. A name abruptly invaded his thoughts, and without hesitation, Flame Wave uttered, "Flicker Shadow!"

The man was indeed Flicker Shadow, who coldly responded, "Commander!"

The two men stood still, neither willing to make the first move. After a standoff, it was Flicker Shadow's deep yearning that prompted him to speak again: "Is she... alright?"

Flame Wave knew whom "she" referred to but hesitated between "fine" and "no comment."

Flicker Shadow, understanding the implication, smirked, whether in scorn or loss, and merged back into the crowd.

"Free citizens can now freely enter the Surface Domain?" Flame Wave mused aloud after a while, then turned and left, leaving the complexities of human interactions behind in the bustling streets of the Surface Domain.