The parting was a lot more hurried than expected.
No one expected that this case of time and space hijacking would end like this.
As the returning teammates sat in their capsules, every one of them felt strong unease inside —-This was something they had earned through hard work but for some reason they felt that it came too easily.
Every time they thought they could return home, they had found themselves sent to an even more difficult situation.
Especially the bubble world which made it difficult for one to distinguish between reality and fantasy….Was this so-called ‘Tianqiong of all eras’ really going to give them what they want so easily?
The seventh squad shouldn’t be separated like this.
What they wanted wasn’t to return like this but to return as a group with all seven of them.
However, Song Qinglan was right.
He was the captain. He had the ability and the power to order everyone.
Everyone had things they wanted to do. If they got back and finished their reports earlier, they could reunite with their family and loved ones earlier and realise their wishes earlier.
Ji Yushi had already fastened the safety belt. His hand however stayed on the buckle as if the next moment he would unbuckle it again.
He was the only one there so there was no need for him to conceal his emotions. Confusion and hesitation were written all over his face.
If he hadn’t ran into that person just now, he would’ve definitely chosen to stay. His current condition however was no longer suitable to stay and continue with the mission. He moved his hand away and his calves and the rest of his body was strapped in.
The communicator on his wrist glowed green. It showed the positions and physical states of the teammates in the three capsules nearby.
It was a sign that the equipment was working normally again.
When he entered the capsule last time, he had heard Song Qinglan’s voice for the first time through the subcutaneous communicator.
““Everyone get ready. Tianqiong’s seventh squad, the thirteenth A-level mission, let’s go!”
This time, his mind was completely silent.
Tianqiong’s voice sounded, “Ji Yushi, before returning to your era, you have a reward that can be redeemed. Would you like to redeem it now?”
Ji Yushi closed his eyes.
Unsurprisingly, all the thoughts in his mind had been read by Tianqiong through the subcutaneous communicator.
Tianqiong’s female voice asked, “Would you like to be sent back to April 6, 1439, 7 o’clock in the morning?”
Ji Yushi opened his eyes. His eyes were dark.
Tianqiong’s female voice continued, “It has been detected that you have already accumulated enough points in your time and space to redeem this wish, so using the reward to redeem it now is not recommended. If you insist on it, you need to agree to these conditions: You can only return to that time as a bystander and cannot directly interve—–”
“Redeem.”
Ji Yushi cut off Tianqiong’s words.
His tone could be regarded as calm and his eyes had gradually regained clarity.
For some reason, as soon as he said those words, Ji Yushi’s originally silent heart began to beat harder and harder.
Tianqiong: “Please confirm again.”
Ji Yushi said: “I choose to redeem the reward immediately.”
His heart pounded even more quickly.
The expectations he originally had gradually faded away, along with the illusion of a new start to his life.
He didn’t lie to a certain someone. After all, he hadn’t promised.
Ji Yushi’s heart raced faster and faster. It was almost throbbing with pain now.
It was his strong desire for liberation.
“Understood. Your reward will be redeemed immediately.”
“You will be separated from your teammates and will return to your time and space after completing the reward. Now setting the new time and space coordinate for you.”
“Please wait.”
“Connection successful.”
The lights in the capsule gradually went out.
A second later, a familiar dizzy sensation started.
A strong sense of weightlessness surged. Ji Yushi held tightly onto his seat as the capsule shook violently before falling into darkness.
*
[1439.04.06 06:00:21]
The transparent panel lit up.
Immediately following that, all the lights in the capsule turned on.
Under the slightly dazzling light, Ji Yushi saw the robotic arm hand over a bag of nutrient solution. He received it and took a few sips and was able to barely suppress the nausea incurred from the transition.
Six o’clock.
Tianqiong had given him an hour of preparation time.
The capsule had landed in an unmanned warehouse nearby.
Ji Yushi got out of the capsule. Using the communicator on his wrist, he made the capsule turn invisible.
Rain was pattering down from the sky.
Ji Yushi turned around a street corner and saw that the old cake shop in his memory had already opened.
The early spring morning was very cold, and the light rain had dampened Ji Yushi’s hair and clothes.
“Would you like to buy a cake?”
A plump female owner walked out of the shop and asked with a smile.
She was just like how he had remembered; wearing the flower apron she most often wore along with the sweet aroma of cake lingering around her.
Ji Yushi said, “I don’t have money.”
The boss from more than ten years ago continued to smile, “It’s okay. Seeing how friendly you look, I’ll treat you.”
Caught unprepared, the enthusiastic boss had stuffed a piece of hot honey cake into Ji Yushi’s hands. The boss said, “Hurry and eat. It just came out from the oven so it’s still hot! Eat something to warm your stomach in the morning. If you like it, you can come and buy it next time!”
Ji Yushi gave his thanks.
Step by step, he walked to a residential building not far away.
Rain continued to fall.
At this moment, the early risers in the residential building had turned on their lights inside. Those lights looked foggy in the rain.
Every house seemed to contain life.
Ji Yushi didn’t waste too much time. He stood outside the community and slowly came to a step. He found a street bench nearby and sat down. Lowering his eyes, he looked down at the small cake in his hands.
One hour later, the number of people hurrying to work will increase.
One hour later, a child will pass by wearing a yellow raincoat.
One hour later, someone would die.
Ji Yushi took out the black and white game consol from his pocket.
Somthing fell to the ground as he did that.
It was a piece of golden foil.
“Picked it up just now. Only have one. It’s very clean.” A voice said to him, “Now you can think without a problem.”
The memory allowed him to recall the taste.
The taste of the bitter chocolate seemed to still linger at the tip of his tongue.
Ji Yushi picked up the golden foil. Twisting it lightly with his fingers, one could faintly smell chocolate coming from the wrapper.