CHAPTER 574: CHAPTER 347: EPILOGUE (PART 2)_6

"Of course, how could I miss out on such an interesting event?" Black Cocoon grinned, "Let’s stir up some trouble together then."

"Alright, see you in China."

Having said that, Urushibara Osamu turned and walked towards the windowsill. His figure then transformed into a flurry of gray crow feathers and vanished into the clear blue sky.

At the same time, a series of task settlement panels slowly emerged in the pupils of Black Cocoon.

[Main Task 1 Completed (Stage Six): Assisted Gu Qiye in killing four Rainbow Wing Members affiliated with the Salvation Society faction.]

[Mission Reward Earned: 3 Split Points, 3 Skill Points, 3 Attribute Points.]

[Main Task 2 Completed (Stage Four): Assisted the supercriminal "Ghost Bell" in killing four Rainbow Wing Members affiliated with the Salvation Society faction.]

[Mission Reward Earned: 3 Skill Points, 3 Attribute Points, 1 Split Point.]

[Note: All main tasks of Unit 1 "Black Cocoon" have been completed.]

[Graduation Reward Earned for the Unit: 2 Attribute Points, 2 Skill Points, 2 Split Points.]

"Well then... Since the Salvation Society’s base has been found, next comes the final preparation phase."

Black Cocoon looked down at the vast expanse of glaciers on the map, murmuring softly to himself.

He scratched his chin, "Oh, right, it’s about time for Unit Four to make an appearance. Let me see what this perfect unit is all about."

As the words fell, Black Cocoon stretched out a restraint belt, gripping the windowsill like a dark bird soaring outward, descending from a hundred meters high towards the city below.

....

....

August 15th, 11:00 a.m.

You Ruirui woke up in her hospital bed, with the first light of morning casting over her pale face through the window. She opened her ice-blue eyes and stared silently at the ceiling, daydreaming for a while.

The white-haired girl was expressionless, like a robot sorting its memories.

Due to the side effects of her superpowers, You Ruirui had become a hyperthymesia patient, unable to forget anything she had experienced. Even though subconsciously she didn’t want to recall things, those memories were as vivid as photographic film.

On that deserted island, her last memory before passing out was Gu Qiye suddenly holding her hand, gently hugging her, whispering something in her ear, then pressing a finger against her neck. At that moment, a current spread through her body, and she fainted.

"Where is this..." She finally spoke after a long silence, asking the person playing on their phone by the bed.

"Osaka, in the Osaka Mutants Association building," Fan Dongqing said without looking up.

"What’s the situation?" She asked softly after a moment of silence.

"They ran away, and the Mutants Association is currently still investigating."

"Did anyone die?"

"They killed the Father of Puppets and Kalina last night. Oda Ehgo was also killed by their people, and Liuli....." Fan Dongqing paused, his expression darkening, "is currently missing."

"I understand."

You Ruirui said nonchalantly, opening the tablet beside her pillow.

"Blue Arc is now wanted internally. If he contacts you in the future, you must report it to the higher-ups immediately," Fan Dongqing said without expression. "White hair, he deceived you, from the very beginning he..."

"I’ll make my own judgment."

You Ruirui interrupted him.

She lowered her icy blue eyes, took her phone from the bedside, and opened WeChat. The last message she received from Gu Qiye was before heading to the deserted island. At that time, he had sent her a pre-recorded video.

In the video, Gu Qiye had donned his Blue Arc uniform, which he hadn’t worn for some time, and smiled gently at the camera.

After a moment, You Ruirui closed her phone and got up from the hospital bed.

"Where are you going?" Fan Dongqing asked.

"China," You Ruirui said expressionlessly, "I’m taking sick leave."

"Don’t you understand your current situation?" Fan Dongqing said, "You’ve been very close to Blue Arc, so the higher-ups are focusing on observing you."

You Ruirui remained silent for a moment: "Let them do as they please."

"They likely won’t restrict your movements, but they will heavily monitor you," Fan Dongqing added. "If you’re intending to see Blue Arc, I advise you to abandon the idea."

"I don’t know where he is."

Fan Dongqing was silent for a moment, "Forget it... White hair, take care of yourself. But if you know where Liuli is, I hope you won’t keep it from me. Otherwise, we’ll be enemies." With that, he stood from the chair and slowly walked toward the exit of the ward.

And that afternoon, You Ruirui boarded a flight at Osaka International Airport heading to the Chinese capital.

By the time the plane landed, it was already dusk. She sat silently in her seat, tilting her head to look out the airplane window. The setting sun glowed red, slowly withdrawing the last of its light from the city while birds flitted between the power lines.

After leaving the airport, You Ruirui hailed a taxi to take her to the Welfare Institute in Li Jing.

She leaned her head against the car window, gazing outside absentmindedly, as if searching for someone’s figure amidst the bustling crowd, but everything outside the car window gradually faded into outline without color.

Upon reaching the Welfare Institute, the children, upon seeing her, excitedly ran over from the lawn in the yard, holding onto her waist tightly without wanting to let go until the nurses arrived to restore order.

You Ruirui’s face remained expressionless.

Amidst the enthusiastic greetings, she extended her hand, casually patting their heads. Then, she leaned against a banyan tree and sat down on the lawn.

In the shade of the tree, the children’s persistent questions continued to echo.

"Sister You Ruirui, didn’t you say you know Blue Arc?"

"Yes, yes, you also said you’d bring them to meet us next time."

"Where is he? Why haven’t we seen him?"

"Blue Arc must be hiding, right?"

"He’s very busy, can’t come," You Ruirui said softly, "He’s a great hero, saving people in many places."

"How could that be, he promised us," a boy said.

At this moment, You Ruirui opened her tablet, entered WeChat, hesitated for a moment, and clicked on the video Gu Qiye had sent her.

The children, full of curiosity, drew their heads closer, crowding by the wall, each small head craning to watch the tablet’s screen.

The video background showed a room in the Osaka Mutants Association building. The camera turned on, revealing a figure wearing blue and metal armor, a deep blue helmet entering the view.

He adjusted the moving camera, coughed twice; even the cough sounded gentle.

You Ruirui, eyes lowered, silently watched the scene unfold in the video. The hero everyone was mourning sat cross-legged on the ground, clumsily greeting the camera, the city outside brightly lit.

Blue Arc folded his arms, reciting seriously yet humorously the names of the children before waving at the camera with a smile.

You Ruirui was stunned for a moment.

The names of those orphans she had casually introduced to him, he hadn’t forgotten a single one, recalling each with unfailing accuracy.

At the video’s end, Blue Arc shared some of his little stories, urging them to study well in the Welfare Institute to help Sister You Ruirui in the future.

"Is Blue Arc really alive?" a girl nestled in You Ruirui’s arms, cheeks in her hands, asked her.

"Yes, he’s still alive," You Ruirui replied.

"Then what kind of person is Blue Arc?" the girl asked again.

You Ruirui paused for a moment, shook her head.

"I don’t know."

"Didn’t you say you know him?"

"Yes... but I don’t know what kind of person Blue Arc is," You Ruirui said softly, "I only know he prefers people to call him Gu Qiye."

"Then, what kind of person is Gu Qiye?" The girl thought for a moment and suddenly asked.

Upon hearing this question, You Ruirui remained silent for a long, long time. At that moment, the sunset withdrew its final glow, and night enveloped the courtyard, the children’s faces flushed with excitement also swallowed by darkness, with everything around covered in pitch black.

"He..."

In the darkness, her lips moved slightly, "is a very good person."