"This isn't just some cryptic riddle, little March."
Himeko's slender fingers tapped lightly on the table as she pulled up a split screen, rearranging the text of the passage.
"'Here, a long life breeds enduring memories, within which lies boundless suffering'—that corresponds to the Xianzhou."
"Here, the instinct to survive coalesces into shared memories, within which lies countless sorrows'—that's Belobog."
"'Here, the growth of wisdom nurtures overflowing memories, within which lies endless seeking'—that's Herta Space Station."
Hearing Himeko's explanation, March 7th reread the passage and suddenly had an epiphany.
"Oh! So the fourth line must be about my past, right?"
"Ugh, of course that's the part that got erased!"
Stelle frowned, muttering, "This feels... kinda ominous."
"We're diving into my memories—shouldn't be dangerous, right?"
Now, March 7th had taken over the controls. After all, this was her companion mission, and once they entered the instance, it would unfold from her perspective.
She assembled her team: the legendary "Quantum Fleet"—Seele, Silver Wolf, trial Fu Xuan, and Asta.
"With this lineup, we'll crush whatever comes our way!" March 7th was brimming with confidence.
Entering the instance...
A brief loading screen appeared, usually displaying tips related to the upcoming scenario.
But this time, the message was different:
[Do Not Look Back]
[March 7th, don't look back. Keep moving forward.]
March 7th froze. Her confident expression stiffened.
"Huh? What does that mean?"
She glanced at Stelle, Himeko, and Mr. Yang, but they seemed unfazed.
"Did I misread it? Or... is this just a coincidence?"
Before she could dwell on it, the memory scene materialized around her. Shaking off her unease, she focused on the task at hand.
Fu Xuan (in-game) spoke: "The Matrix has reconstructed your past. This space is built from the memories and items you provided."
"Are you alright, Miss March?"
March 7th rubbed her temples. "Mmm... my head feels a little fuzzy."
"Do not worry. Most experience dizziness under the Matrix's influence—it's merely an overload of information."
As the dialogue continued, the surroundings came into view: Stelle chatting with someone, Tingyun at a stall, Jing Yuan deep in thought... and another Fu Xuan standing beside the first.
Fu Xuan explained: "That is no illusion. One is my projection for communication; the other's presence means I existed in this memory of yours."
"If I'm correct, this should be when we stormed the Alchemy Commission."
But March 7th frowned. "Wait, this doesn't match my recollection at all!"
"Hmph. The Matrix's 'simulation' may have distortions, but this level of inconsistency is absurd."
"Try speaking to the other 'Fu Xuan.' Let's see what she has to say."
Since March had placed trial Fu Xuan in the first party slot, the scene now featured three Fu Xuans—a trifecta of diviners.
Stelle smirked. "Wow. Truly... innovative design?"
March approached the cross-armed Fu Xuan.
"Miss Fu Xuan? Is that you?"
A curt reply: "You've got the wrong person. Talk to the other one."
Next, she tried the Fu Xuan with a hand on her hip.
"Miss Fu Xuan? You there?"
The memory-Fu Xuan launched into a monologue:
"To resolve the Stellaron crisis, we must first identify the core issue. Conventional wisdom holds that once the crux is grasped, all else falls into place—"
March 7th: "..."
"Stop answering questions with questions! Since when did Yu Ling design NPCs like this?!"
"She sounds like some long-winded bureaucrat spouting nonsense..."
Welt adjusted his glasses. "Likely, this is how your subconscious perceived Fu Xuan in that memory."
Further dialogue confirmed his theory.
Their next objective: identify and eliminate the "distortions" to proceed.
"Who doesn't belong here...?"
March 7th circled back to Jing Yuan.
"General! Hello?!"
"Jing Yuan!!!"
No response. The general stood motionless, eyes closed.
"Ugh! How infuriating! Who just stands around napping like this?!"
Fu Xuan's voice chimed in: "This is clearly your subconscious bias. The general wasn't present during the Alchemy Commission operation—he's the distortion here."
The moment March selected "Remove Distortion," memory-Jing Yuan suddenly spoke—his voice icy.
"March 7th."
Even the real March 7th flinched.
"Are you dissatisfied with your current life?"
"I-I'm pretty content..."
"Then why cling to the past?"
[Combat Initiated]
As March fought, unease gnawed at her.
"Why does everyone in my memory feel so... off?"
"Ugh, this eerie vibe... Since when were my memories so creepy?!"
She was suddenly grateful to be on the train. If she'd been alone in a hotel room, her hair would've stood on end.
But here, with Himeko, Mr. Yang, and Stelle nearby—and Pom-Pom quietly sweeping—she felt safer.
After the battle, a Belobog heater appeared—the key to the next memory segment.
Touching it triggered another loading screen.
And there it was again:
[Do Not Look Back]
[March 7th, don't look back. Keep moving forward.]
"Himeko! Mr. Yang! Look at this!" March 7th's voice trembled.
"It showed up last time too! It's like someone's whispering to me!"
Himeko's expression darkened. "I saw it earlier. This is deliberate—a directed message."
March hugged herself, shivering. "Is this Yu Ling's doing... or part of the story?"
Welt's voice was steady. "Don't fear, March. We're here."
Himeko nodded. "Whatever your past holds, we'll face it together."
Taking a deep breath, March prepared to delve into the Belobog memory.
Then—Stelle suddenly stood and walked toward the cabin door.
The others barely noticed, assuming she was heading to the restroom or getting a drink.
But Stelle stopped near a potted plant. To its right was a wall... and in the narrow gap between them, a mirror materialized.
Stelle blinked.
"Huh. So it was here."
To be continued…
Guys, I apologize for being inactive for a long time. Some poisonous bug had bitten me on my arm on multiple spots which I mistook for some allergy and things got bad. My skin literally got burnt cuz of the poison and the wounds took days to recover.