At the same time, in the empty piano hall.
Red's fingertips gently brushed the grand piano, playing a short, all-too-familiar melody, then she looked at the blonde girl beside her:
"That's it, no mistakes, right?"
Xu Xiaoyou's hands rested on the black and white keys, moonlight flowing peacefully in her eyes. Noticing Red calling her, she snapped back to reality and smiled:
"Yes, no problem, Miss Red."
Red suddenly felt that this person, who had been trying to coax information out of her, wasn't so annoying after all. In some ways, she was quite good: her speech was gentle and polite, she had a good sense of humor, and she was an excellent listener, understanding social etiquette better than anyone in her own family.
"By the way, Miss Red, did you used to practice?"
Red, dressed in pajamas, seemed to recall something, a hint of confusion flickering across her face.
She had always yearned to be proficient in all arts, like her mother, winning applause at the end of every evening party. Perhaps it was that beautiful artistic sense that attracted her, or perhaps the feeling of being immersed in music brought boundless longing to her young self.
Whenever she had free time, she would secretly slip into the woman's study, sit on her lap, listen to her gentle words, and watch her practice a melody, her slender, soft fingertips gliding over the keys, humming along. Every time, she would get lost in thought, her mind blank, feeling a sense of release from exhaustion.
She often thought, if only she could be like other girls her age, able to attend piano lessons, hold her mother's hand, ride on her father's shoulders, wear pretty dresses, occasionally throw a tantrum, or be willful.
But everyone around her repeatedly emphasized the heavy burden she carried, that she should accomplish certain things, rather than merely trying to do them. Because of the talent she displayed from a young age, everyone in the Chi family placed their hopes on her.
Especially the man in her memories, who was always serious and stern, always turning his back to her.
Her father was very strict with her. Often, a small mistake in training would earn her a loud reprimand from him, and defiance would lead to physical punishment.
The Chi family rules were always very strict, so she grew up in a rather oppressive environment.
Her time with her mother was a rare moment of ease in her life.
Her thoughts gradually returned, and Red shook her head:
"I just remembered it from watching my mother play so often."
"Miss Xu, have you heard about Red Heaven?"
Xu Xiaoyou nodded thoughtfully:
"I've heard that most of Universal Heavy Industries' military facilities are located there. It's Universal Heavy Industries' military heartland."
"Due to the Eight-Spider Hive Mother and the deteriorating relationship with Gaotianyun, Red Heaven is constantly under high military tension. That's why the Chi family rules are very strict."
"I displayed personal talent at a very young age, and because I'm a battle standard bearer, my family highly valued me, cultivating me as the family's blade, wanting to send me to the battlefield early."
Red didn't elaborate.
Her body was far more resilient than an ordinary person's. Through twenty-three human modifications, from every life-sustaining organ down to her skin and nervous system, all were completed before she was eight. The Chi family and Universal Heavy Industries longed to turn her into the ultimate humanoid weapon.
Even in extreme cold of minus forty or fifty degrees, without any insulation, her skin could maintain a constant internal temperature. The delicate skin and graceful figure she maintained daily were only for the sake of family social needs. With a single thought, her entire body would instantly be covered in scale-like calluses, and thousands of different bones throughout her body would interlock, forming an airtight bone armor, enhancing her resistance to strikes. At that time, her physique would also resemble that of a beast.
Her will had been tempered by the grueling training with poisonous insects, and the modification of the fou-ren body in her brain made her immune to fear. This is why she always charged to the forefront of battlefields and urban legend incidents, earning her the title of the Red Rose of the Battlefield, leading the charge on the front lines of dawn, from everyone in the association.
"I used to always think, could I just be willful for once, loudly say no to everyone around me, and just sit in my mother's usual chair, even if my back was flayed bloody, I'd bury myself in playing, doing what I loved?"
Red sounded as if she was lamenting her past immaturity.
Every child has thought of hurting themselves to appear pitiful, thereby drawing attention to their grievances.
"Let's not dwell on those things. I was just reminiscing."
"When I grew up, no one dared to restrain me or force me to do anything."
"But if you hadn't invited me today, Miss Xu, I would have almost forgotten that there was a stubborn little girl who yearned for these things."
Red stood up, her fingertips reluctantly caressing the black and white keys before resting on the maple piano body. She said, half-jokingly:
"I have to go. That monster might have already appeared, and my comrades are in a hurry to find me."
"Why not try to learn?" Xu Xiaoyou suddenly asked.
Red's expression froze for a few seconds. Just as she was about to wave her hand in refusal, Xu Xiaoyou's voice continued.
"If you have fewer regrets from the past, you can walk forward more easily."
"Consider it a farewell handshake with your past self."
"If you have a foundation, learning a piano piece is very quick."
Red remained silent. After a long pause, she slowly sat down, expressing her inner thoughts through her actions.
"My memory is excellent. Teach me once, and I'll remember it. Play it once, and my hands will form muscle memory."
Xu Xiaoyou nodded. Red sat beside her, the two girls making no unnecessary movements, like two strangers who occasionally meet in the desert, sharing their feelings by a campfire under the vast night sky, watching the flames slowly burn as stars traverse the heavens.
Xu Xiaoyou's gaze was calm as water as she slowly played the familiar melody, a tune from the past. Red sat beside her, silently watching and remembering. When her hands touched the keys again, it was like a gentle high-five with a pair of tender, small hands.
...................
In the opera house, the battle had been raging for nearly half an hour.
The crisscrossing blades separated again, like two duelists in a sword fight. After parting, neither relaxed their guard, gripping their weapons, observing the other's every move to maneuver.
For Xu Xiaoyou, simultaneously splitting her energy to control her Substitute was a significant burden. Coupled with the prolonged use of the gaze of spiritual vision, her vision was already becoming blurry, and throbbing pain and incoherent words in her mind interfered with her judgment.
The good news was that the commotion in the distance had disappeared, indicating that Anya had successfully escaped and was now hidden somewhere on the ship. This restless night was coming to an end.
Bai Zhou, in the distance, also had no intention of dragging it out further. The more he fought this person, the more he was surprised by their unpredictable and bizarre methods.
It was hard to imagine what combat class they belonged to, or how they had grown to master abilities in ranged combat, close combat, elements, and buffs, all at once.
They were simply like a monster. Apart from the section chief, he had never used the word "monster" to describe anyone else.
He decided to unleash his divine endowment, "Tyrant's Blood Garment", to end this farce with decisive action!
"Hmph," Bai Zhou exhaled a deep, foul breath. "Let me see the source of my pain."
With a sudden stomp, the ground within a dozen meters around Bai Zhou collapsed, and sturdy rock barriers rose high around him, shielding him completely. He then entered a state of extreme relaxation, his consciousness sinking into the depths of his mind. In just one second, he could complete his self-liberation, manifesting his divine endowment and determining the course of the battle.
In that single blink, Xu Xiaoyou, who was dozens of meters away, had already anticipated it. She used the long whip in her hand to tear open a crack, and her entire arm actually passed through the spatial barrier, reaching for his head!
Bai Zhou's eyes widened. He instinctively reacted, but it was too late. The girl's hand delved into his head. Bai Zhou's entire body stiffened for a moment as if struck by lightning, then began to convulse violently, his consciousness rapidly draining away. Before losing consciousness, he saw a multicolored thing being pulled from his brain.
Rate on N.U.
