Apocalypse Forecast

Is it the thoughts during the day or a shared connection of the hearts?

Zhenxi did not know either, but just the appearance of Miss Huaizhi in her dream made her inexplicably happy.

The Miss Huaizhi in the dream was just like she usually was.

Cold and aloof, making her seem unattainable.

But when you muster the courage to sit beside her, it’s as if you could feel the warmth. Gather more courage to shorten the distance, you’d feel like you’re snuggled up together.

Hands intertwined.

Joyful.

Unfortunately, this Miss Huaizhi seemed unable to speak, showing no reaction at all.

Was it because my imagination was too lacking?

At this moment, I should muster my willpower, and then start imagining the domineering Miss Huaizhi pushing me against the wall, and raising my chin with one hand...

Thinking about it, Zhenxi started giggling foolishly, drool dribbling from her mouth.

Unfortunately, such a situation did not occur.

Sometimes dreams are just like this, right?

Even though I know it’s a dream, many things are hard to change, like the warm Miss Huaizhi. Although it’s a pity, just this alone made me feel very content.

”Does Miss Huaizhi want tea? Oh, drinking tea in a dream seems rather strange... Too bad there are no books or anything else here. It’s rare for you to visit my home, how about we go inside and have a look?”

Zhenxi muttered to herself, summoning the courage to tug on Miss Huaizhi’s hand.

Then, Miss Huaizhi stood up, standing to the side, as if waiting for her tour. Zhenxi, on the other hand, suddenly blushed.

Bringing Miss Huaizhi home... how to say, it’s really exciting.

Unfortunately, this place was no longer as cozy as it once was.

”Sorry, I didn’t know a guest would come... even in a dream, it’s such a mess, enough already.”

Upon pushing open the wooden door, she saw the floor covered with dust.

”Indeed, it hasn’t been lived in for a long time, right? After grandma passed away, it was abandoned here, but back in the day, it was carefully tended to.”

”I still remember how, in spring, flowers from the garden would be placed in a vase by the entrance every day.”

Zhenxi sighed.

Now, in the shattered and toppled vase at the entrance, only withered branches remain, devoid of the fragrance of days gone by.

The living room still holds sun marks on the floor, hidden by furniture, yet it is empty now... only a broken chair standing lonely in the moonlight.

”Guess it’s best not to look.”

Zhenxi shook her head and turned around: ”Let’s go to a different place.”

”Isn’t this your home?”

For the first time, she heard Miss Huaizhi in the dream speak. That figure passed by her, walking into the living room, looking around curiously.

”Tell me about it,” she suddenly said, ”about the stories that happened here.”

”...”

Zhenxi was stunned in place, nodding vigorously after a long silence.

”This chair was grandma’s favorite when she was alive. She loved sitting here, watching outside the window. When she saw me, she’d wave to me.”

”This nick here, it’s where I chipped my tooth as a kid.”

”... Most times, mom would sit here doing some crafts, and sometimes she’d make dolls for me. Dad would come back very late every day, but sometimes when falling half asleep, I’d hear the sound of the door at the entrance. Sometimes Dad would ask if Zhenxi was asleep, sometimes Mom would tell him to hush... ”

”There used to be photos of grandma when she was young hanging here, and grandpa, and mom when she was little, then it got replaced by ones of me and grandma... and later it wasn’t hung up anymore.”

Just like showing off her treasures.

Zhenxi walked through her dream, carefully dusting off those memories, narrating the past to her only visitor.

Until the end, in a barren bedroom, she blew away the dust on a canvas, seeing the graffiti of the past from the mottled, peeling paint.

”This is still here?”

She held the picture frame, sighing softly before chuckling lightly: ”If only this weren’t a dream, I’d really want to take it back.”

”Is it something very precious?” Miss Huaizhi asked.

”I would say so.”

The teenage girl sighed with emotion, recognizing the now faded markings on it.

”This was drawn for me by Father... When I was being unreasonable, I often pestered to go to the big city as mentioned on TV, but I actually didn’t know what a big city was like. Just knew that people there wore beautiful skirts, with lots of cute dolls and toys, and endless candy to eat.

But what Dad and Mom said was different from what I imagined. Later, one day Dad drew me a picture. But it turned out so ugly that you couldn’t make out anything, and it was this.”

She displayed the picture frame in her hands, which was only covered with indistinguishable blotches of color, impossible to discern the original form.

”This is the sun, this is a tall building, this is probably a car? I forget what this was, seems like even Dad forgot.”

Zhenxi shook her head, softly murmuring: ”Mom told me that Edo was like this. At dusk, white tall buildings were tinged pink, and windows gave off a golden glow.

The streets were filled with countless people, and cars raced like a raging fury... I always thought they were lying, but the first time I left Dàoquán Village, I found that the outside world was exactly as they described.”

”Has Miss Huaizhi been to other places? Other countries and borders?” She turned back, asking curiously: ”Someone as amazing as Miss Huaizhi, you must have been, right?”

Miss Huaizhi just looked at the picture frame in her hands, without answering.

As if admitting it, yet seemingly not.

It was uncertain if she was even listening.

Like hidden in the mist, hard to reach, always hard to see clearly.

Yet, even if indifferent, there’s a sense of comfort.

As if, with this person by your side, there’d never be fear. Holding hands feels warm, like being in the sunlight.

But just this isn’t enough.

Because she is lonely.

Zhenxi lifted her eyes, words left unspoken.

Never before had she wanted to know her so deeply. Wanted to stand more closely by her side... wanted to be just like Miss Huaizhi!

In that moment, the teenage girl finally gathered her courage.

”Miss Huaizhi, I...”

Then, the dream was shattered.

Cut off at the cruelest part.

The teenage girl opened her eyes in bed, staring blankly at the pale ceiling.

Her palm had somehow reached out, as if trying to touch something, but without connecting to anything.

”Huh?”

She remained stunned in place.

.

.

Just below the Stone Marrow Pavilion.

Unnoticed until now, a basement had expanded to a size tens of times greater than aboveground, appearing like a gigantic plaza.

Tong Ji paused for a moment with the Event Branch in hand, looked away from the Book of Fate’s projection, and raised her head to see a small light point floating before her.

”Hmm? Is this... a Believer?”

Almost in disbelief, she remained silent for a long time, suddenly smiled softly.

Unexpectedly, after completing the surrogate and creating Huai Zhisu’s reflection, the divine nature of the Soloist emerged from the essence of the soul?

And this divine nature pointed directly toward the Eastern Monarch, vaguely possessing Xihe’s characteristics? No matter how profound the foundation is, isn’t this a bit too far beyond comprehension?

What does this count as? A surprise or a shock?

It’s truly fascinating.

”Huai Shi, we really are the world’s most compatible Contractors...”

She closed her eyes joyfully, humming those obscure and ancient tunes,

Behind her, God’s Wedge, like the Sun, quietly suspended, glowing faintly.

.

.

Huai Shi felt something amiss the moment he opened his eyes.

It wasn’t simply seeing Huai Zhisu hitting a Raven, but rather perceiving some sort of change.

Something felt different.

While dazedly brushing his teeth in the morning, he glanced in the mirror and saw his reflection — now completely transformed into the likeness of Huai Zhisu.

This was nearly a complete state.

Huai Shi’s shadow fully merged with Huai Zhisu’s records, using the Soloist’s Afterimage as a medium; she could be considered an embodiment of Huai Shi’s Source Substance.

She could even substitute him in handling some simple tasks and work.

If it was just swift progress, he might not be so shocked... but who would explain the faintly emerging halo atop his mirrored reflection?

”Mother, I’ve become immortal!”

He put down his toothbrush in disbelief, raised his head, and watched the tiny, veiled halo shine with a faint light under the sun outside the window.

What on earth is this...

But when he lightly touched it, the elusive halo quickly dispersed.

As if it had never existed.

While rubbing his chin, calmly analyzing, and preparing to angrily call that dishonest woman to find out what she had done again, his phone rang first.

Amber’s number.

”Was it you?”

The moment he answered, an angry voice came through from the other side.

”What?” Huai Shi asked, bewildered. ”What did I do now? Wait, did someone see Huai Zhisu do something last night?”

He looked down in surprise at his shadow.

Suddenly clueless on how to explain that his vest seemed to have become sentient and gained a halo on top. Who knew what had happened — something incredibly absurd.

He had merely slept after a binge.

Looking on the bright side, at least he didn’t wake up beside someone he didn’t know, like in the movies.

That would indeed be harder to justify.

”Li Jian Bu Jing is dead.”

”Just that?”

Hearing Amber’s words, Huai Shi instinctively breathed a sigh of relief. ”You scared me! I thought you were going to falsely accuse me of something! By the way, Li Jian Bu Jing is dead, what’s that got to do with Huai Zhisu?”

”It’s really not you?” Amber still sounded deeply suspicious. ”Huai Shi, we’re in the same boat, I don’t need to spell it out, right? If you want to do something, there’s no need to hide it from me...”

Huai Shi couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

”He’s off the stage, yet with me having drunk like that last night, barely able to walk, you expect me to steal chastity from miles away, let alone slay a middle-aged uncle — am I crazy? How did he die? Who did it?”

”Who else could it be?”

Amber sighed, troubled. ”Of course, it was the Agleam Murder Demon.

At this juncture, with a retired candidate dead, the situation has blown up. Be careful, Deer’s Sing Hall might come looking... If they do find you, say nothing, do nothing unnecessary, I’ll come immediately.”

”...Are you sure?” Huai Shi asked.

”What else?” Amber was furious. ”Do you seriously believe if I ignore it, many people wouldn’t be eager to pin this on you?”

”No, I’m not doubting you.”

Huai Shi raised his head, looking toward the door. ”I mean, if you intend to act as a defense attorney, you might want to prepare now.”

At that moment, the door shattered into dust with a loud noise.

A large figure wearing a bamboo hat stormed into the room, roaring in anger: ”Surrender, Huai Zhisu, you Murderer!”

Huai Shi sighed and shook his head.

”But this doesn’t seem like a situation where we can discuss things calmly...”