Honkai, why do you only throw me into high-level battles?

The Merlion Park is famous. Every day, countless tourists come to take photos, making it crowded and bustling.

"Xiao wen, slow down, be careful not to bump into anyone…"

In the crowd, a gray-haired boy walks closely behind a little girl who's running around, his eyes fixed on her, not interested in anything else.

"Okay, big brother!" The little girl answers in a clear voice and then is drawn to another interesting spot, running over with bright eyes.

Some tourists who are taking photos hear the childlike voice from behind. They can't help but turn their heads and move out of the way, allowing her to pass. Then, they resume taking pictures with their companions.

Chen Tianwu thanks them with a glance and quickly follows his overly excited sister, not wanting her to run into danger in the crowd.

"Big brother, big brother, the Ferris wheel over there is so tall! Can we go on it?" The little girl suddenly runs back to him, grabbing his arm and acting spoiled.

Chen Tianwu looks in the direction she's pointing. He sees the Ferris wheel slowly turning, past the park gate, along the coast, and across the bridge. He does some calculations about the distance, the money in his wallet, and the time until his return flight, then squats down and says to his sister, "I'm afraid there isn't enough time. We still need to get to the airport or we'll miss the flight home. Mom and Dad will be worried, and changing the ticket will be really expensive."

Chen Tianwu feels helpless. He's traveling abroad alone with his young sister. While the reason is valid, if they don't go back early, his parents will go crazy.

Seeing his sister look back at the slowly turning Ferris wheel with disappointment, then obediently walking beside him, Chen Tianwu can't help but reach out and pinch her rosy cheek before laughing at her protests, "Look who's so upset now. You kept sleeping this morning when I tried to wake you up."

"It's okay. You'll be going to university in Singapore, and there will be more chances to come here again. Next time will be the same! Uh…" The little girl pulls her hand away from her brother. She gives him an angry pout. She thinks for a moment and looks up at her brother, unsure, "Will you take me out to play next time?"

She remembers that her brother was supposed to submit some paperwork to the university today. She had insisted on tagging along.

"Weren't you the one who wanted to see your brother's future university and set a goal to work toward? Hmph, you're good at making up reasons, but as soon as we get here, you just go wild." Seeing that his sister's face is turning red, Chen Tianwu pulls her closer to him and has her lean against his back.

Then, he points towards the Ferris wheel in the distance. "How about this? If you get an 'Excellent' grade on your final exam, I'll take you out to play again this summer. We can have a nice ride on the Ferris wheel, and if one ride is not enough, we can go a few more times. And we can go to other places too…"

He points at other places, introducing her to the Art Museum, the Design Museum, the Garden by the Bay…

He tells her about everything he can see, making the little girl's eyes light up with anticipation, "Really? Don't lie!"

The little girl links her pinky with her brother. Her big eyes are full of anticipation.

"Of course, it's true." Chen Tianwu links his pinky with hers, then pulls her up, holding her hand tightly. He smiles warmly, "Let's go home."

"Carry me, big brother!"

"Okay…"

With clear skies and bright sun, a boy carries his little sister on his back, walking against the flow of people towards the subway station. Warm sunlight falls on them, and the sea breeze carries a comfortable coolness, making them feel pleasantly at ease.

"Big brother, do you think, what can we see from the top of the Ferris wheel?" The little girl rests her head on her brother's shoulder. She looks at the slowly turning Ferris wheel in the distance. With the gentle swaying of their steps, she gradually feels sleepy.

"It's so high there. Maybe we're close to the stars?"

Chen Tianwu has to correct his words. Just as he's about to answer, he suddenly pauses, tilting his head to look at his sister's closed eyes. She has already fallen asleep, so he stops talking, and keeps walking in silence.

After a moment, the boy whispers to himself, "Who knows?"

......

At the same time, Lin Wei steps out of a slowly descending gondola. He looks back at the gondolas, now full again, slowly ascending on the other side. He feels satisfied with this trip.

On one side is the blue ocean, with ships like ants moving in formation. On the other side is a bustling city, with buildings and roads harmoniously combined with lush greenery. The ocean and the land are separated by the gondola, with the view being all-encompassing but in unity at the same time.

"Sakura, do you want to go again? Or do you want to do something else?" Lin Wei asks softly in his heart. "It's such nice weather. It would be a waste not to enjoy it."

"There's no need to go to such lengths. Whether the scenery is beautiful or not, whether I see it or not, it doesn't make any difference to Yae Sakura now," Yae Sakura's voice slowly sounds.

"Does Mr. Lin Wei think that I'm boring?"

"Why would I? I promised to let you see this world, but instead I always involve you in some crazy things. If anything, I'm the one who has to ask you not to dislike me for being such a terrible 'tour guide.'" Lin Wei knows that deep down, Yae Sakura is a bit insecure, so he doesn't want to push her.

"The truth of the world isn't here. These superficial beauties are like cherry blossoms, ephemeral and not lasting. If I see too much of them, I'll be more melancholy." Yae Sakura smiles. "But it's enough that Mr. Lin Wei has these thoughts. If you want to see other places, you don't need to worry about me."

You… Lin Wei complains in his heart. If I was like you, I'd rather be home playing games!

But it's you who said it first, so let's go home!

He doesn't delay and heads to the subway station, and Yae Sakura doesn't object.

It's not peak hour, so there are more tourists entering the subway station. It's noisy but not crowded. Lin Wei isn't in a hurry, so he slowly moves forward with the flow, even making way for a boy who was in a hurry.

That boy was carrying a sleeping girl on his back. He thanks Lin Wei before hurrying to another platform. Lin Wei watches him leave, pondering for a moment before dismissing it.

"What's wrong? Was there something strange about that person?" Yae Sakura asks. She's very worried about Lin Wei's safety.

"No, I was just wondering if that boy was a trafficker. Should I have stopped him?" Lin Wei shakes his head with a smile. "But seeing that their hair color is similar and their features are a bit alike, I think they must be siblings. If that's the case, then there's no need for me to intervene."

"..." Yae Sakura doesn't speak again. Lin Wei guesses that this topic might have triggered some memories, so he says no more.

The train arrives. They board and find a seat. Lin Wei starts to rest, closing his eyes.

"Are you... Lin Wei?!" A man's voice comes from his left front, his voice hoarse. He sounds tired and incredulous.

Lin Wei's heart skips a beat. The man's voice is unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar. Where did I hear that before?

So, he opens his eyes and looks at the source of the voice. He sees a middle-aged man with a haggard face. He's dressed in a suit, implying he's successful, but he looks messy, and there's a faint odor of sweat. He's holding a handrail, staring at Lin Wei in disbelief.

Lin Wei is certain that he has never met this man before.

Seeing Lin Wei look up at him, the man's eyes light up. Then he opens his mouth, and looks at Lin Wei for a few seconds before he dejectedly shakes his head and says, "Sorry, I mistook you for someone else. It's embarrassing…"

Although they look similar, his eyes are completely different from the person he remembers.

"I think you didn't mistake me." With just those few words, Lin Wei recalls the information he needs. He says with a complicated feeling, "Brother Liu, I never thought I would meet you here. It really makes me happy..."

Lin Wei looks at the man before him, his emotions complex.

He knows who this man is. He is his former "leader" at the company. The one he called on the phone to quit at the beginning of the year.

He had talked to him about why he needed to leave Nagazora City, and that was his only memory of his former "leader." He never thought he'd meet him in person.

Perhaps he followed his advice and left Nagazora City. Perhaps he left for another reason. That doesn't matter.

What's important is that he's right here in front of him now.

This feeling, it's as if a bird you once freed with a kind heart came back to you one day. The feeling is beyond words.

Hearing Lin Wei's confirmation, Liu's eyes light up. He rushes to Lin Wei's side, grabbing his hands, squeezing them, and touching his legs, as if he needs to confirm that the person before him is real, not a hallucination. He even reaches to touch Lin Wei's face, but Lin Wei stops him.

"That's great! You're still alive... There are still people alive..." The man starts murmuring, his voice trembling. Then, his face turns red, and he starts to sob. He finally puts his face in his clothes and cries loudly.

"Ah, yes, there are still people alive. That's great..." Lin Wei replies, as if he is also infected by the man's emotions. He looks up, reaching out to pat the man's back gently, "It's all over, it's all over…"

Lin Wei remembers all of his reckless actions, those foolish acts he did with no expectations, now bearing fruit before his eyes, and a living, breathing life is right here before him.

This must be the most amazing thing in the world.

Lin Wei whispers inwardly.

There are many passengers in the train car, and they are attracted by the sudden event, whispering and gossiping about what's happening. Some even take out their phones, planning to record videos and post them on social media for views.

A few black feathers fall, and everyone falls asleep.

Lin Wei can't help but grunt. His heart is about to explode. Controlling so many people at once is a little too much.

"Huff… huff... Seriously, why did I do that? You must be laughing at me." The man takes a few deep breaths, suppressing his emotions. He raises his head, wiping his tears and snot on his clothes, and forces a smile, saying awkwardly.

"It's okay, I understand you. Brother Liu, have a seat." Lin Wei smiles, his face still pale, and invites him to sit next to him. "Can you tell me what you've been doing lately?"

Lin Wei is very willing to talk with this "familiar stranger."

"Back then, you suddenly called to quit on New Year's Day, and then not long after, I..." The man stops abruptly, thinking that after that, he had become restless and ultimately couldn't help but leave Nagazora with his family to return to Shenzhou.

But then, he remembers that Lin Wei had advised him to leave Nagazora City during that call. Suddenly, it felt like his heart was being squeezed, and he stopped talking.

"No, no. He's a fake. That's not Lin Wei!" The man screams inwardly.

He had worked with Lin Wei for a long time, so he remembers his expression, his subtle movements, and all his details.

Even twins can be distinguished by familiar people using those small details.

This guy is giving him an unfamiliar feeling from head to toe, other than his appearance.

Seeing the change in the man's expression, Lin Wei looks at him curiously.

"I remember we used to have a lot of dinners together, and you liked to eat tofu, and you also liked spicy food..." The man says with nostalgia.

Lin Wei looks at him and sighs, "Brother Liu, don't try to test me. I don't remember any of that."

"...Was it you who called to quit that day, or was it him?" The man lowers his head and is silent for a moment before asking with gritted teeth.

"It was me," Lin Wei admits.

"You know?"

"Yes, I know,"

The man suddenly stands up, looking at Lin Wei with the eyes of a demon. His eyes are bloodshot. He moves away, walking to the other end of the car, as if he wants to get away from the most evil thing in the world. He nearly trips.

Lin Wei smiles helplessly, then looks up at the station information, raising his voice and asking, "I'm getting off soon. Do you want to have a meal together, Brother Liu?"

The man on the other side of the car just trembles and curls up, not saying a word.

The train stops. Lin Wei sighs and gets up to leave, "Take care…"

Hearing that, the man turns back to look at Lin Wei's departing back. He looks lost, not knowing whether he feels hate or sadness.

Lin Wei doesn't look back either. He leaves.

"Aren't you going to erase his memories?" Yae Sakura, who has been silent all this time, can't help but ask.

"He might be the only person in this world who remembers 'Lin Wei.' How can I do that?" Lin Wei shakes his head, his footsteps not slowing. His expression is both a smile and not. "Besides, it also makes my existence feel more 'real' in this world. That's not a bad thing…"

"Are you talking about the people you saved, or the person you replaced?"

"Both, I guess. It made me clearly see that I do have some meaning in this world."

"...Mr. Lin Wei, I don't want you to live for someone else." Yae Sakura says. Just as she doesn't want to be seen as a shadow of the person in the Elysian Realm, she doesn't want Lin Wei to bear the shadow of anyone else.

Her eyes are only on the Lin Wei of the present, and just like that, Lin Wei sees Yae Sakura as Yae Sakura and not the Flame-Chaser Sakura.

"You're overthinking it, Sakura. I won't be anyone's shadow." Lin Wei smiles, his smile relaxed.

"Even if I didn't suddenly replace his identity, he would have been another victim in Nagazora City. I don't owe him anything, so naturally I won't become a shadow. I am me."

"A wandering stranger, nothing more."

"...Okay then, that's good." Yae Sakura answers softly.

"But right now, I suddenly feel the weight under my feet become heavier." Lin Wei looks back at the empty platform. "Let's go home."