Ironclad Group Chat: Red and Black Lists Engraved with Heroic Epics

"At the crucial moment, when you came to save me—"

[Hanabi: Oh wow? I get to hear Grammer's amazing double-pitched voice again? N-Excuse me! Please help me...]

[Sambo: What's wrong? She's here to help you. Protecting beautiful girls is the duty of the Trail Blazers!]

[Star: Coffee isn't enough for you guys anymore, is it? Next time we meet, I'm going to smear coffee all over the Fool's Mask and slam it right onto your faces!]

"However..." In a flash, Firefly suddenly had a good idea.

"We could also assume that we were complete strangers and just happened to meet there."

Perhaps their wishes coincided at this moment, for Xing closed her eyes and found a scene unfolding before her.

Liu Ying, dressed in a clean and elegant white school uniform, with a blue and white kitten and a matching origami bird hanging from her shoulder bag, radiated youthful energy and was as carefree as any ordinary girl.

As she turned around, her smile shone brightly.

【star:!】

Is this... the life that fireflies dream of?

For a moment, she was so stunned by that familiar face that she was speechless.

A vibrant look is the best makeup for a young girl, and the charm of fireflies rises sharply, enough to make your heart flutter at first glance!

[Hiei: Hmm!!! As expected, high school girls are the most charming!]

[Yao Guang: In the North dwells a beautiful woman, aloof and independent. One smile could topple a city, another could topple a nation…]

[March 7th: So beautiful... Should I make an outfit like this too? And one for Pam as well.]

[Long Night Moon: Hmm...]

[Pam: Pam?]

As she thought about it, Liu Ying said, "Well... I'm a student traveling during Golden Hour, so it would be best if I had a little more pocket money... and when I show up there, I should dress up nicely."

With things mostly settled on her end, what kind of persona should Xing adopt for this perfect reunion?

"You...you're a student too! But you've come from a planet that's so far away, and you're completely unfamiliar with the environment."

She searched through the stories she had read before, piecing them together clumsily to plan a parallel universe that belonged only to the two of them.

"Then, a few really fierce thugs jumped out, wanting to bully you."

[Hanabi: I don't know where this scoundrel came from, so blind. No, I should say he has exceptionally good taste. Out of a crowd, he immediately spotted those two who could make me die a horrible and gruesome death.]

[Saifeier: They're practically comparable to the gangsters who gamble on the underworld and Mikhail.]

"And then, I will step forward—yes, this time, let me save you."

[Sangbo: I understand. Thump → Thump ↓ Step → Step ↑ Step ↓ Leaving now, no one will get hurt! Remember, it was the ordinary high school girl, Ryuho, who saw you off on your final journey!]

[Fireworks: Hahaha, then I punched the thug so hard he couldn't climb out of the wall!]

[Xi Lian: Hmm, as expected of Miss Liu Ying. Even at this moment, all the background designs are geared towards helping her companions. Hmm, she's even so thoughtful as to remember to prepare extra money.]

[March 7th: How much of an impression did Xing's appetite leave on her?]

Faced with Liu Ying's vision, Xing responded as usual: "We can't beat them, so let's run away together."

"It's okay, that's how I'm going to do it," Firefly laughed. "The result isn't important, and even the process isn't important. What's important is how we participate in this journey and how we perceive it."

"So, Star," she said, her voice pleading, a little spoiled, "grant me one more wish..."

Xing's heart clenched. She naturally wouldn't hesitate to grant a few wishes that she knew wouldn't be too excessive. What truly concerned her was that Liu Ying's voice had become even weaker.

If she could pretend to be healthy just now, now it's as if she's clutching her chest, which has been stabbed, and she's gritting her teeth as she speaks to her.

But Firefly was really looking forward to those things, and didn't want to rest for even a moment: "Do you remember? When we were fighting against the [Dream of Taiyi], I held you and flew into the sky. At that time, I didn't know if I would wake up again, but I was very happy."

Xing didn't dare interrupt her at all, and even many people outside the light screen didn't dare to breathe.

They had the illusion that if they blew another breath, this piece of pure white paper, which was barely holding on, would be blown away in the storm.

But if she were to truly disrupt her conversation with the Savior, it would be a grave sin!

Firefly took a deep breath and revealed her true feelings: "Because we can stand shoulder to shoulder to fight against things we think are wrong, and we can do anything for our community."

"However, I still have a little selfish reason—I believe you won't forget this scene, but if you think back on it, I want to make it a little lighter."

"Maybe there was no enemy, it was all just a prank. And when I held you and flew into the sky, there weren't terrifying swarms of insects, but... fireworks that I couldn't see."

The chat group was silent.

[March 7th: I...I feel like someone squeezed my heart. I really want to cry...]

[Star: I see, is that so?]

Xing bit her lip, her heart aching as if cut by a knife.

It turns out that the fake ending she saw before was not just a rumor, but a dream that firefly could not reach!

Xing clenched her fists, and unconsciously dug blood-red marks into her palms.

She understood now, understood Sunday's pursuit of a beautiful dream. Compared to reality, that false memory was far too wonderful, so wonderful that it nearly drove her to the brink of collapse!

What's even more regrettable is that the dream is destined to kill only Firefly.

If there's any consolation at all...

[Star: You've already seen it...]

"You've already seen it, you idiot!"

But her playful banter went unanswered.

"Fireflies?"

There was still no movement.

On the train, Xing's heart clenched, gripped by fear. Could it be...? No, absolutely not!

They were just daydreaming together a moment ago...

This is a prank. Yingbao tried to scare me. She's gone bad! She's gone bad...

Not just her, everyone in the galaxy realized what might have happened.

The train crew held their breath, watching Xing's shoulders tremble, their hearts aching but daring not to utter a sound.

……

"I'm going to open my eyes now?"

"..."

"...Firefly?!" Xing exclaimed in shock, her pupils shrinking to the size of pinholes.

The firefly before me still smiled sweetly and charmingly, but her eyes had lost their sparkle, and her cheeks were covered with bluish-green lines. Apart from the ribbons and long hair still swaying, she was utterly lifeless, like a beautiful but now shattered statue!

"Star..." The firefly's voice was faint, but the smile still came from the bottom of her heart.

But the more beautiful this fragile picture was, the more heartbroken Xing felt.

"Elio said that we are destined to have different ends and cannot have a future."

"So you said you would give me a daydream that is better than any ending."

"I'm really looking forward to it..."

"But can't we really get through that ending together?"

"I'm not afraid to die... but don't let me die alone."