Raiden Mei and Acheron walked side-by-side. Although the two exchanged no words along the way, for some reason, they gave others the impression that they were engaged in a kind of heart-to-heart communication, a conversation imperceptible to anyone else.
Xin Yu walked ahead. Unable to bear the pleading of the little raccoon beside him, he could only sigh helplessly, extending his hand to conjure a few ice cream bars.
"Yay!" Star cried out joyfully, then took two ice cream bars, handing the red bean paste flavored one to Firefly beside her, while she herself began to eat the chocolate-flavored one.
"The ice cream sold here is so expensive, much pricier than outside. The prices here are at least several times higher than on the Xianzhou Luofu. For the price of one ice cream bar here, I could buy three on the Luofu. And this is even a dreamscape; we know what we're eating is fake."
"Perhaps it's precisely because of that, that the prices become so much more expensive. After all, as long as you're not mentally satisfied, you can keep eating the food here. It won't make you fat, nor will it make your body uncomfortable. It's a delicacy that can be enjoyed indefinitely."
"By the way, Xin Yu, can you see this Clockie next to me? It seems like he hasn't spoken since just now. Was he scared by you?"
"Clockie, so that's what it is. Is that special existence faintly appearing beside you this thing?"
"However, since he doesn't want to see me, there's no need for me to force him to appear. Perhaps I am indeed a bit intimidating," Xin Yu licked the ice cream bar in his hand and shrugged, indicating he didn't particularly mind.
"Oh right! I also got a new ability from this new friend I taught. Would you mind if I used it on you?"
Seeing Star looking like a curious baby who couldn't wait to try out her newly acquired ability everywhere, Xin Yu said with a smile, "Sure, let me see what kind of ability you've obtained."
"Okay, then let me see where the limits of this ability lie! Clockwork trick, activate!"
Subsequently, Star was dumbfounded. When using the Clockwork trick on others, she could clearly perceive four options appearing on them, allowing her to make them happy or sad, calm or angry.
But when Star used it on the person before her, she couldn't sense anything at all. No happiness, no resentment, no sadness or pain, no despair or hatred, no hope, and no love.
Void. All you could perceive was a vast emptiness.
It was as if you were facing the boundless, star-strewn cosmos. You could see the stars twinkling in the pitch darkness, could intuitively feel the many existences drifting within the universe, yet all you could truly sense was an expanse of emptiness and nothingness.
Then, within that infinite blackness, a dazzling star suddenly lit up.
You could see within the star: one being chanting softly, another singing at the top of their lungs, one reciting a eulogy, and another remaining silent.
However, you could sense that there should be one more being, deeper within, in a place even more profound, an utmost depth that could not be seen.
[Your line of sight is forcibly twisted]
You could vaguely sense that within that star lay what seemed to be the most beautiful place in the human world. If you immersed your spirit into it, you could reach that paradise of mortals.
You would forget all past pain and sorrow; you would no longer have to face any choices or tragedies.
Sink into it, for it is the only light within the void.
Suddenly, in a flash of red within the nothingness, Star saw a flicker, followed by a familiar snap of fingers. All the fantastical visions before her dissipated.
Star's originally hazy eyes suddenly cleared up, but what exactly happened just now? Why did her memory feel so fuzzy?
It seemed like she had used the Clockwork trick on Xin Yu, and then… Star couldn't remember what happened.
"This ability of yours is quite dangerous. Peeking into my heart… that's a very dangerous place, don't look. You should also use this ability with caution. The hearts of many people in this universe cannot be looked into."
Xin Yu smiled and ruffled Star's hair. Star nodded as if she half-understood, then silently held out her hand, indicating she needed compensation for mental distress.
Xin Yu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He rummaged in his pocket, took out some pretty stones, and handed them to Star.
"I don't have anything particularly valuable on me, but I saw you quite liked collecting these stones before, so I made some myself to give to you. I hope you'll be satisfied."
"648 Star Jade… Godfather!"
"Agh! Let go! What are you doing suddenly hugging my leg in the middle of the street?! Get up quickly! This is indecent in public, let go quickly!"
Faced with Star inexplicably collapsing to the ground, hugging his leg, and yelling "Godfather," Xin Yu was instantly covered in a cold sweat. He hadn't expected this child to have reached such a level of madness.
They were just some pretty stones, or rather, gems. Was it necessary to directly call him Godfather?
Raiden Mei chuckled softly as she watched the somewhat chaotic scene unfold before her, then turned to Acheron beside her and said, "Is your name also the same as mine?"
"Mm, Raiden, Guardian of Wangchuan, Mei."
Acheron nodded.
"I never thought the universe would be so vast that there would truly be someone with a similar appearance and the same name as me… However, you are far stronger than I, and you carry a heavy past that I cannot match."
"This has never been a good thing. A heavy past symbolizes death, separation, pain, and sorrow. If possible, I too would like to become as carefree as you."
"Perhaps you could try seeking his help. That fool has never been able to refuse anyone's cry for help."
"…You two seem to have a very good relationship."
"Yes, I am one of his lovers."
"So that's how it is."
"In fact, the development of our feelings was rather strange. We met several times due to fate. He helped me many times and encouraged me. Later, even more wondrous things happened, making him leave a very deep impression on me."
"Perhaps it was thinking about him day and night, or perhaps the distance between us deepened this profound impression, and gradually my feelings for him started to change… In the end, I entrusted myself to him. He also responded to my plea, changed me a lot, and helped me find my lost self."
"…You are vastly different from me."
"Yes, I have already found my salvation, I have already found a place where I can put my heart at ease. But you are still on the road; you ultimately have to rely on yourself to find your existence."
The two, with similar appearances and names, yet fundamentally different in essence, had made their distinction at this moment.
Raiden Mei would not be Acheron, and Acheron would not be Raiden Mei.
Ultimately, they were merely similar flowers.
"Godfather, have some tea! Godfather, have some ice cream!"
"Alright, alright, stop acting so strange. I'll give you some more, just stop this weird behavior."
"Yay!"