[Night, Rock City, Temporary Relocation Zone]
After bidding farewell to the others, Tendo went alone to the rooftop of an abandoned building and looked up at the night sky.
Having just endured a catastrophic beast tide, Rock City was currently without ninety percent of its basic infrastructure and lighting. Yet, this night, devoid of urban neon, made the starry sky above seem even more brilliant.
Gazing at the stars, Tendo found himself rarely reminiscing about his childhood. Although for the dimensional audience on Site 13, only three seasons had passed, for Tendo, he had lived here authentically for over a decade.
"What are you thinking about?"
Caroline's voice came from behind. She held a neatly organized list of supplies, her silver-white hair glowing with a soft luster under the moonlight.
Tendo turned his head. After a moment of thought, he said, "I was wondering if things will ever be as relaxed as they are now in the future."
Caroline paused, then walked to his side and said softly, "They will be, Tendo. As long as you want them to be."
Caroline's "confidence" in Tendo even exceeded his own to some extent. In response to her words, Tendo simply smiled without saying more.
Then, looking at her, he spoke: "Caroline, if the Doctor could see you now, he would be pleased. After all, you're becoming more and more human."
At the mention of the Doctor, Caroline fell into a brief silence. That strict yet gentle "father" may not have given her a normal childhood, but he had been her most solid pillar for a very long time.
After a long while, Tendo spoke again.
"Caroline, once things in Rock City are settled, let's go back to the old Ember Base site."
A flash of surprise crossed Caroline's eyes, which then melted into a soft smile.
"Alright. I thought... that place was long gone."
"It isn't." Tendo shook his head. "Too many of our things are hidden there. We can't lose it."
Like the candy jar Jing Liuli hid in the corner of the wall as a child, or the notebooks Caroline used for her records. To others, Ember might have been an eccentric, daunting underground organization. But to Tendo and the others, Ember was their true "home."
Since Tendo was suggesting they go back, it meant that "home" still existed. It had simply survived in a way she didn't yet know.
The next morning, Jing Liuli was awakened by a burst of cheerful laughter. Rubbing her eyes, she stepped out of the tent to find the relocation site exceptionally lively.
The first batch of temporary housing had been completed. Citizens were moving into their new homes in an orderly fashion; children chased each other in the open spaces, their faces finally wearing long-lost smiles.
"Liuli, you're awake?" Tendo walked over, holding a warm breakfast bun. "We need to complete the final round of global energy purification today. After that, we can wrap everything up."
"Caroline has already gone to meet with the Star Envoy Association to confirm the follow-up reconstruction guarantees."
Jing Liuli took the bun and bit into it, her eyes lighting up instantly. "It's a red bean rice ball! Tendo, how did you know I wanted this?"
"Did you forget how you used to snatch the red bean rice balls from the base cafeteria when we were kids?" Tendo's tone was flat, but a smile touched his eyes. "Caroline had someone prepare them specifically."
Hearing this, Jing Liuli felt a warmth in her heart. She quickly finished the rice ball and patted her stomach.
"I'm going to help too! Today, I'm going to give candy to every child and use 'Daydream' to create a massive fairy-tale illusion for them, so they can completely forget the fear of the beast tide!"
Liuli was a woman of her word. She immediately grabbed a bag full of candy and flitted through the children like a cheerful butterfly.
Her purple hair bounced in the sunlight, and a faint violet Star Source slowly diffused. Before the children's eyes, clouds of flying marshmallows, singing squirrels, and streams of fruit juice appeared—a vibrant, multi-colored fairy-tale world.
Under the influence of this magical scene, the children—who had been timid and terrified due to the beast tide—finally lowered their guard and cheered around Jing Liuli.
On the other side, Tendo worked with the support personnel from the Star Envoy Association to conduct the final round of global energy purification.
An azure vector field swept across Rock City like a tide, thoroughly purifying the last traces of residual Star Beast energy hidden in the corners. His movements were steady and efficient; in every purified area, the air grew crisp, and the vegetation seemed to regain its vitality.
Near noon, an unexpected event occurred.
Weak energy fluctuations accompanied by the sound of a child crying came from an abandoned warehouse in the south of the city.
Jing Liuli sent a message through the communicator immediately, her voice laced with urgency: "Tendo! Caroline! There's a situation at the south warehouse! A child is trapped here, and there are strange energy fluctuations around!"
"We're on our way," Tendo and Caroline replied in unison.
Tendo arrived first. From a distance, he saw several anxious parents gathered by the warehouse entrance. Jing Liuli was squatting there, using her pale violet Star Source to soothe their emotions.
"What's the situation inside?" Tendo walked up quickly.
"I tried to enter with my Star Source, but there's a faint energy barrier inside the warehouse. It seems to be formed by residual Star Beast energy. Plus, the building is at risk of collapsing at any moment; I didn't dare act recklessly." Jing Liuli stood up, her amethyst eyes full of worry. "Tendo, there's a little boy inside, about five or six years old. He's been crying. I can feel his fear through the Star Source."
At that moment, Caroline arrived. She took out a tablet and scanned the area, her green eyes focused on analyzing the data.
"It's a barrier formed by the aggregation of energy left behind after the Star Beasts died. It's not strong, but it creates a sense of pressure for the child."
"Forcing our way through could break the structural balance of the building and cause a collapse, which would injure the child inside."
Tendo nodded. He walked to the warehouse entrance and closed his eyes. The Star-Eclipsing Heavenly Eye slowly opened, precisely probing the structure of the barrier.
"The energy flow in this barrier is very turbulent. I can use the vector field to guide the energy flow and open a gap without destroying the overall structure of the barrier." Tendo paused and looked at Jing Liuli. "Liuli, when I open the gap, use your 'Daydream' to soothe the child and guide him out."
"Got it!" Jing Liuli nodded immediately, gripping her candy bag tightly. She had specifically picked out the largest strawberry-flavored candy for the boy.
Tendo's azure vector field expanded slowly, like countless slender threads precisely piercing the energy barrier. His fingertips moved slightly, guiding the turbulent energy to flow along a specific trajectory.
After a moment, a gap just large enough for a child to pass through opened in the barrier. The energy around the opening was firmly fixed so it wouldn't harm anyone.
"Little one, don't be afraid. Big sister is here."
Jing Liuli immediately leaned toward the gap, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze as her violet Star Source seeped into the warehouse.
"I have sweet candy here. Why don't you come out and see me? There are so many fun toys out here."
The crying inside the warehouse gradually subsided. After a while, a small figure slowly shuffled toward the gap. It was a little boy in a small blue coat, tears still on his face and fear in his eyes.
When he saw Jing Liuli's gentle smile and felt the warmth of the Star Source, he finally gathered his courage and slowly walked out.
Jing Liuli immediately knelt down and handed the large strawberry candy to the boy. "Don't be afraid anymore, the danger has passed."
"Here, this is your reward. It's sweet; once you eat it, you won't feel sad anymore."
The boy took the candy, whispered a small "Thank you, sister," and then threw himself into his mother's arms as she rushed over.
The parents gathered around to offer their thanks, and Jing Liuli's eyes curved into happy crescents. "There's no need to thank me so much, I didn't really do anything, hehe."
After resolving the warehouse incident, the three returned to the relocation site under the afternoon sun. Caroline looked at the final data on her tablet, a look of relief on her face.
"Global energy purification of Rock City is complete. All temporary housing is in use, supply lines are sufficient, and the public sentiment is stable."
"The wrap-up of the reconstruction is finished."
Jing Liuli jumped up happily. "Great! It's finally over!"
She ran over to Tendo and Caroline, holding out her hand. "Come on! High-five! Let's celebrate!"
Tendo and Caroline shared a look, both showing rare smiles as they reached out and lightly slapped Jing Liuli's palm. The crisp "snap" felt like a promise spanning across time—from their childhood in the Ember Base to fighting side-by-side in Rock City, their chemistry and bond had never changed.
By evening, the sky over Rock City was dyed a warm orange-red by the setting sun. The temporary settlement was mostly empty, as people had moved into the new housing.
Tendo, Caroline, and Jing Liuli stood in the central city square, overlooking the city as it slowly regained its life. The streets were cleared, the temporary houses were lined up neatly, and children played in the square while adults settled into their new homes with smiles of peace.
"I didn't expect it to end so quickly." Jing Liuli sighed softly, a hint of reluctance in her voice. "Even though it was exhausting, helping out here with you guys felt really special."
"If you want to come back, you can do so anytime," Tendo said to her softly. "The people of Rock City will remember your help."
Caroline nodded and added, "The Star Envoy Association has recorded your and Tendo's deeds, though they kept your identity private since you're a public figure. But the Mayor of Rock City asked me to tell you that you will always be a VIP here."
"Wow! Does that mean if I come here for a concert in the future, I can get the venue for free?" Jing Liuli's eyes lit up, immediately thinking of something fun.
Tendo and Caroline were both amused. Tendo shook his head helplessly. "You, always thinking about playing and eating."
Just then, Jing Liuli's communicator chimed. It was a message from her concert team. She glanced at it and a look of surprise crossed her face. "My team said they've rushed over! They want to see the rebuilt Rock City with me and said they want to hold a charity concert here for the citizens!"
"That's good," Caroline said with a smile. "A concert full of hope will help this city recover its vitality even faster."
Tendo nodded. "If you need help, just say the word."
Over the next few days, Jing Liuli busied herself preparing for the charity concert while Tendo and Caroline helped coordinate the venue and security.
On the day of the concert, the Rock City square was packed. Jing Liuli wore a pale violet gown, standing on the stage with her long purple hair fluttering in the wind like an elf descended to earth. Her voice was gentle yet powerful, and her "Daydream" Star Source slowly diffused, enveloping the entire square in a warm illusion.
In the illusion, there were no ruins and no disasters—only bustling streets, laughing crowds, and blooming flowers.
Tendo and Caroline stood at the side of the stage, watching quietly. Caroline took out her phone and snapped a photo of the heartwarming scene, her silver hair shimmering under the lights.
After the concert, the three stood in the square watching the crowd gradually disperse, satisfied smiles on their faces. Jing Liuli walked over to them and handed them two bottles of warm energy water.
"The concert was a success! So many people told me that they feel hopeful about life again."
"That was all your doing," Caroline said softly as she took the water.
Jing Liuli shook her head and said seriously, "No, it was the work of all three of us! Without you two, I couldn't have done it."
The evening breeze blew gently, carrying the lingering echoes of the songs and the scent of flowers.
Tendo looked at his two partners and said softly, "Since things in Rock City are finished, let's go back to the Ember Base together."
Jing Liuli was stunned for a moment, then her eyes sparkled. "The base is still there? I thought you blew it up, Tendo?"
In the next second, she seemed to realize something. Narrowing her eyes, she said, "Wait, you're fine, Tendo, so that means the core area of the base must have been fine back then too."
"Alright then, we said we were a team of three—why do you two have a little secret I didn't know about?"
Caroline replied expressionlessly, "I only found out one day earlier than you."
"Really?" Jing Liuli looked skeptical, but Caroline ignored her.
Tendo laughed. "Alright, instead of discussing secrets, we should get on the road early."
Jing Liuli chimed in immediately, "You're right! I wonder if the candy jar I hid in the corner is still there!"
At the same time, Caroline showed a rare, expectant smile. "I want to see if my notebook... is still there too."
The three shared a smile and turned toward the distant aircraft. The moonlight spilled over them, casting long shadows.
The aircraft slowly ascended, flying toward the direction of the Ember Base. Inside the cabin, Jing Liuli leaned by the window, watching Rock City grow smaller below with a sweet smile. Caroline organized the reconstruction data for Rock City, occasionally looking up to exchange a knowing glance with Tendo.
There might be more challenges on the road ahead, but as long as the three of them walked together, nothing could stand in their way.
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