0p0 Chapter 156 She once wandered along the path of time
Chapter 156 She once wandered along the path of time
In the desert night, the air seemed to be filled with wisps of frost, and the continuous footsteps made a soft rustling sound as they stepped on the loose gravel.
The two figures left Aru Village and headed northwest, soon entering the territory of the Liezhu Sand Plain.
A relentless, year-round gale sweeps across the desert, whipping up withered leaves and yellow sand that dance wildly in the air.
Does storytelling require traveling to such a faraway place?
Farusan didn't understand, but immersed in the devastating news of her loved ones' deaths, she couldn't muster the energy to ask questions. She simply followed the boy silently, mechanically moving forward.
A bento box is... good for relaxing.
A brilliant starry sky hangs over the vast desert border, the night wind washing the clear horizon spotless, as if one could see the distant end of the starry sea at a glance.
If her friend from the Littoravibhāṣṭī school were still around, he might tirelessly barge into her dorm to try and drag her out to stargaze, and then launch into a long, rambling discussion about destiny, astrology, and the like.
The teacher is probably still grading students' papers all night, while her parents are probably anxiously waiting at home for the letter she sent home through Tamimi.
As for her lazy students, they're probably already complaining about being exhausted and going back to bed to enjoy some sleep.
It won't do if young people lack energy.
A smile unconsciously crept onto Farusan's lips, but it quickly turned into a deep bitterness.
Yes... but they're all gone now.
After realizing this once again, Farusan stopped looking at the azure starry sky and lowered her head to gaze at the endless sand beneath her feet.
More than a hundred years ago, when her relatives and friends tried to find her, did they also cross the same desert?
But in any case, she was alone now.
In an instant, loneliness overwhelmed her like an avalanche.
The girl walked forward silently until the boy following her suddenly stopped.
"Here we are."
Farusan slowly raised her head, and a cave, accidentally formed by a landslide, suddenly appeared before her.
The cave was pitch black, and even with the faint moonlight, it was impossible to see its interior.
here it is……?
She had no recollection of this place and didn't know why she had gone to such lengths to come to a place like this to tell a story.
Seemingly sensing Farusan's confusion, Mu Feng patted the back of her hand to comfort her, and then gently pushed her shoulder.
“Go... Senior Farusan.”
"Go inside and take a look, and then if you'd like, come out and listen to my story."
His tone was gentle, as if he were coaxing a child who didn't want to sleep.
In the past, the face-conscious senior, Farusan, would probably have been furious and exploded, but now, she suddenly felt a strange sense of peace.
Although he didn't know what was in the cave, he had saved her life and seemed to have no reason to harm himself.
Anyway... things can't get any worse than they are now, right?
Farusan took a deep breath, gripped the newly arrived Eye of the Wind Elemental, and walked towards the cave by the faint blue light.
As she approached the cave entrance, she looked into the deep cavern and, for some reason, she suddenly felt as if something inside was calling her closer.
Her heart raced, and a sudden sense of familiarity made her feel as if an invisible hand was squeezing her heart.
The girl suddenly quickened her pace, turning from walking to running, and almost frantically ran towards the end of the cave.
There, a relic dragon sat quietly in the corner, as if it had been indefinitely put to rest.
The metal shell of the relic dragon beast was covered with moss and rust, and its body had incongruous marks from being pieced together from various sources. Its eyes, which served as its energy core, had been extinguished for an unknown period of time.
It's like a toy abandoned by the old era, a lonely record of the mottled marks left by the fragmentation of time.
However, when it sensed someone approaching, the battered and bruised Ruins Dragon Beast suddenly sprang into action, its bright yellow energy eyes flashing in an instant, and it abruptly spread its sharp wings toward the girl.
But when faced with the attack stance of the Relic Dragon Beast, Farusan did not dodge. Instead, she stood there blankly, staring intently at the bright yellow energy core of the Relic Dragon Beast.
It looked exactly the same, but even after a hundred years, her memory of it and its appearance had become blurred.
"is it you……"
"Tamimi".
The girl's voice trembled as she slowly reached out towards the direction of the ancient dragon beast.
She felt her blood freeze for a moment, and then rush back through her body like a volcanic eruption.
She could hear her own heartbeat, which was beating faster and faster.
As if in response to Farusan's call, the body of the Ruin Dragon Beast suddenly began to collapse uncontrollably.
The wings, energy reserves, and walking modules—everything belonging to the relic dragon beast—began to slowly disintegrate until, amidst the scattered parts, the bright yellow energy core at the center still shone brightly.
"Gulu."
The inverted triangle-shaped robot pushed aside the scattered parts, and its cold outer shell slowly touched the girl's warm palm.
It has been a full hundred years since this action was last performed.
Memory and appearance can deceive the eye, but the warmth of the palm cannot.
"Long time no see... Tamimi."
Farusan gently stroked the little robot's mottled shell, her trembling fingertips skillfully finding the hidden box.
Several pieces of parchment, already yellowed, fell out.
"My dear Farusan, are you alright?"
"Twenty years have passed since the day you disappeared, and the people of the Order of the Church all believe that you are in grave danger."
"But I always feel that you are still alive, somewhere in this world, stubbornly searching for your way home."
"Unfortunately, I won't be able to welcome you home; my time is running out."
"Only Tamimi is still the same as before, liking to run to the places you often go."
"So, your teacher and students came up with a plan: Tamimi will go find you in our place..."
"My dearest daughter, when you read this letter, have you already found your way home?"
This is the mother, the kind mother, who, while personally transforming Tamimi, pondered repeatedly and wrote down her last letter, word by word, not knowing if it would ever reach her.
……
"Hurry home and eat. Your mom always makes an extra bowl."
This is the father, a taciturn father. He doesn't know how to express his longing. He can only scribble and revise, eventually coming up with the sentence, "Hurry home for dinner."
……
"When I was modifying Tamimi, I kept thinking, would you have done a better job if you had been in charge?"
"After all, you are the most outstanding student I have ever seen."
This is a mentor, a strict and demanding mentor. He may always appear serious, rigid, and hypocritical, but in his heart, he has already acknowledged the excellence of his students.
……
"The notes and manuscripts left by Tamimi have all been organized and transcribed, and all are signed with your name."
"I only hope that a hundred years from now, future scholars will still remember the name of our predecessor, Falushan."
These were her students, the students who usually outwitted her. This was the first time they had written such solemn words in their last letter.
……
"Although it's a pity I couldn't say these words to you in person, I'm still genuinely happy for you, my dear daughter."
"——Welcome back, Falusan."
……
Welcome back.
When the girl looked up again, the energy core of the little robot beside her had already dimmed.
It was already very tired.
For a hundred years, it barely survived by plundering and scavenging parts from all over the place. When no one was around, it would quietly hide in the cave to conserve energy, just waiting for its master to appear.
After a century of hard work, its self-generated modules are already overburdened.
Now that the letter has arrived, it's time to get a good night's sleep.
Goodnight, Tamimi.
The girl murmured, gently stroking the shell of the little robot inch by inch with her palm, while holding a thick piece of parchment in her hands.
She had wandered through time, and now she has finally returned home.