In Zhang Yuan's eyes, Yoren had been missing for three whole days. So this reaction was completely normal.
Zhang Yuan raised his hand and tossed the broom aside, his expression complicated as he looked at Yoren.
"Where the hell have you been these past few days? No one answers when I knock on your door, and your phone's been off every time I call."
Yoren lowered his head, his face unreadable.
"I'm sorry… something happened."
"Something happened? What, did you get caught up with loan sharks?"
"No, just... don't ask."
It was clear Yoren didn't want to talk. His mind wasn't here at all.
He sank into his chair like a lifeless puppet, but Zhang Yuan wasn't about to let him off so easily. He immediately followed and sat beside him, eyes sharp with concern.
"Yoren, do you realize that if you hadn't shown up today, the teacher was going to call the police? Hell, even if she didn't, I would've."
Yoren mumbled, barely loud enough to hear.
"It's no use. They wouldn't find me."
"What the hell are you saying?"
Zhang Yuan reached out, gripping Yoren's shoulders to shake some sense into him.
"Ah—don't!" Yoren flinched violently, and Zhang Yuan immediately let go.
Only then did he notice the gauze wrapped beneath Yoren's collar.
"What happened to you? Why are you hurt? Were you attacked?"
"It's nothing. Just drop it. I don't want to talk right now."
Yoren slumped forward, resting his head on his arms, lost in thought once more.
It wasn't long before a group of otaku students in the classroom noticed Yoren's return and swarmed around him excitedly.
"Yoren! Where the hell have you been? Oh, by the way, guess what? I pulled Silver Ash yesterday! Jealous, aren't you? Hehehe!"
"Hey, Yoren, have you cleared Raid 4-10 yet? Want me to teach you? Don't worry, even if you don't have 'Little Lamb,' I promise you can beat it if you follow my strategy!"
"Yoren, you totally used up all your luck last time. Look at you—you haven't been the same since. Haven't seen that golden glow again, have you? Hah!"
It was routine. Every time they flexed their gacha pulls, Yoren would call them "stinky seals," but everyone could see the envy in his eyes. That's why they loved showing off to him—it had become an addiction. Three days without showing their cards? Unacceptable.
"Yoren, are you even listening—"
"Enough already!" Zhang Yuan shot up from his seat, glaring at the group. "All you guys ever do is sunbathe and waste time on your stupid rolls! Can't you see Yoren's not in the mood?"
As a longtime friend, Zhang Yuan could tell something was truly wrong this time. This wasn't like when Yoren failed a pull or lost a game. No, this was deeper.
The students chuckled awkwardly, one of them scratching his head. "Jeez, we're just talking—"
"Just fuck off already!"
"Tch. Boring."
As Zhang Yuan bickered with them, Yoren sat motionless, his chin resting on his palm. His expression was blank—like his soul had wandered far from his body.
Noon.
Same place, same time. Yoren sat on the rooftop, absently chewing on a straw.
The midday sun warmed his face, a warmth he hadn't felt in what seemed like forever. It reminded him—this world he was in now, it wasn't cold. He wouldn't freeze to death without a fur coat.
But at the same time, in another world, on this very same timeline… people were still fighting to survive in a city of death and frost.
A while later, Zhang Yuan arrived, two grilled sausages in hand.
"Dude, why the hell are you roasting under the sun? Come over to the shade."
"...Oh."
Yoren moved mechanically, settling against the wall beside him.
Zhang Yuan handed him a sausage, nudging him with a knowing look.
Yoren shook his head. "I'm not hungry—mmph!"
Zhang Yuan stuffed the sausage straight into Yoren's mouth.
"Shut up and eat. You didn't have lunch, did you? Whatever happened, food comes first."
Watching Yoren nibble at the sausage, Zhang Yuan finally let out a relieved sigh, wiping his hands clean.
"Yoren, if you're in trouble, just tell me. I'll help however I can. But I'll be real with you—I'm broke as hell. Spent all my money on gacha rolls. Heh."
Normally, Yoren would laugh and curse at him for it. But now, he couldn't even crack a smile.
He lifted his gaze to the sky. "Zhang Yuan… can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Do you like Arknights?"
"The hell kinda question is that? I've got half my squad at Elite 2, and I just blew half my living expenses on banner pulls. You tell me."
There was a flicker of hesitation in Yoren's eyes. "What if… a door to Terra appeared before you right now? Would you go in?"
Zhang Yuan hesitated, sensing Yoren wasn't joking. He thought for a moment.
"Logically speaking… yeah, I'd go."
"Why?"
"Because I'd get to meet my favorite operators, obviously."
Yoren's voice dropped to a whisper. "What if the sky there was always gray? What if the land was drowning in despair? You might meet your beloved operators, but you'd be powerless. What if your very presence caused the world's fate to spiral out of control? What would you do then?"
A cloud passed overhead, casting the rooftop into shadow. Zhang Yuan couldn't fully grasp what Yoren was getting at.
But at the same time… he did.
He looked up at the sky alongside Yoren. "Then you change yourself."
Yoren's eyes widened slightly. "Change… myself?"
Zhang Yuan nodded. "Yeah. If you can't change the world, then change yourself until you can. Sounds impossible, but you said there are people there that need saving, right? If you have that kind of reason driving you, then even changing the world doesn't sound so hard."
Yoren's grip tightened. "But… I'm just an ordinary guy. The enemies in that world are real monsters."
Zhang Yuan grinned, gripping Yoren's shoulder. "Then stop thinking of yourself as 'just an ordinary guy.' Ordinary people aren't weak. If you need power, find a way to get it. Science, forbidden magic, pacts with demons—who cares? As long as the cost is worth it, then take the plunge. No regrets."
Yoren was stunned. Those words… as childish as they sounded, they made perfect sense.
"Where did you hear that?"
Zhang Yuan scratched his head sheepishly. "Ah… saw it in some anime. Forgot which one. Cool, though, right? My delivery was spot on."
Yoren stood, head lowered. Then, suddenly, he swung his arm toward Zhang Yuan.
Zhang Yuan flinched, laughing. "Whoa, whoa, wait—!"
"Thump."
Yoren's hand landed firmly on his shoulder.
"Thank you… brother."
That night, Yoren lay in bed. The anxiety and doubt had disappeared.
He reached into his coat, fingers brushing against a small syringe.
Vina's parting gift. An inhibitor, meant to suppress his condition.
But to Yoren, it was more than that.
It was trust.
This game isn't over.
No matter how weak he was now… no matter how far he had fallen… he had to go back.
Because this was his Arknights.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and hurled his phone into the air.
"Arknights!"
In the darkness, his mind swam, but the dizziness wasn't as intense as the first time. Yoren closed his eyes, focusing on the sensations around him.
The chill in the air stung his skin. Beneath him, the ground was solid and steady.
He opened his eyes.
The summer breeze swept through the empty streets of District E in Mandel City. The night had fully settled, draping the ruins in silence.
Yoren had chosen to return under cover of darkness, unsure of what awaited him at the landing point. If danger lurked nearby, the shadows would be his ally.
Now, it seemed his caution had been unnecessary.
He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a power bank. The device had a flashlight function—his only reliable source of light. He had considered carrying a weapon, but it wouldn't have made a difference. Even without Big Bob, the infected were far beyond his ability to fight at his current level.
This situation was far from ideal.
Though he hadn't been attacked upon arrival, Yoren knew better than to relax. He was a lone lamb, separated from the flock, vulnerable and exposed.
His priority was clear: find Vina and ACE. But Mandel City was massive, and an entire day had passed. They could be anywhere—nearby, miles away… or worse.
No. He refused to believe anything had happened to them.
After a moment of thought, he decided the safest option was to return to City A. He would follow A-6 Street out of Mandel City and head back to the dead woods where they had left their car.
If the vehicle was still there, it meant Vina and the others hadn't left the city. He would wait for them.
If it was gone…
Well. That would mean they had chosen to move on without him.
Yoren tightened his grip on the power bank. The light was bright but made him more visible. He kept close to the edge of the street, angling the beam downward as he moved cautiously in the direction he had come from.
The city was a graveyard of destruction. Buildings on either side were reduced to rubble, evidence of the battle that had raged here earlier.
He had barely taken two steps when the power bank's glow illuminated a small figure.
Yoren stopped.
His eyes widened in surprise.
A turtle?
No. Guigui.
The small girl was curled up beside a collapsed wall, her backpack still strapped to her back. She looked like she had fallen asleep.
Yoren hurried over, crouching beside her. Keeping his voice low, he called out, "Guigui! What are you doing here?"
Her head stirred. Slowly, she lifted her face from her knees, her drowsy eyes adjusting to the light.
When she saw him, she shot up in an instant, throwing herself into his arms.
"Brother Yoren! You're alive! I knew you'd come back!" Her voice trembled, thick with tears. "I waited for you. I didn't leave."
Yoren placed a hand on her head, a mix of relief and concern flooding him. He glanced around, wary of potential threats, then gently took her hand and led her to a more concealed spot.
They slipped through the wreckage of a broken house, settling in the shadows.
Leaning against the wall, Yoren looked at her seriously. "Guigui, why are you here alone? Where are Vina and ACE?"
She blinked. "They left."
"Left? Where?"
"I don't know."
Yoren placed his hands on her small shoulders, his voice firm. "Tell me everything that happened after I disappeared."
Guigui frowned, thinking. "I was hiding when I saw a man with a dagger coming toward you. I wanted to help, but before I could do anything… you were gone."
"What happened next?"
"Vina realized you were missing and went crazy. She knocked the big guy down, grabbed a hammer, and kept hitting the dagger guy. She thought he had done something to you. Then Brother Kate and the others came to help ACE, who was trapped. But more infected appeared. Vina wouldn't stop fighting. She was out of control. In the end, Brother Kate and the others dragged her away."
Yoren exhaled, piecing it together.
Kate must have rallied the others, forcing the infected back. When Vina lost control, they had no choice but to pull her out of the battle. At least they were alive. That was all that mattered.
He looked at Guigui. "Then why didn't you go with them?"
She hesitated. "I didn't want to. I wanted to wait for you."
Yoren's breath caught.
"I didn't know where you were," she continued, "but you promised me. You said as long as I was alive, you'd find me. If I ran off, you wouldn't be able to. So I stayed."
"You waited here all day?"
She nodded. "After Vina and the others left, I used my Absolute Domain. The infected couldn't touch me, so they all chased after the others instead. I had food in my bag—I could have waited for three days. If you hadn't come back by then… I would've left."
She looked up at him, a small smile on her face. But Yoren could see the sadness behind it.
"If you had died," she said quietly, "I would've been sad. But I can't do anything about that. Maybe I'd cry for a while… but eventually, I'd forget you."
Yoren felt something tighten in his chest.
He reached out and ruffled her hair. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm back now. As long as we stick together, you'll never forget me."
Guigui's smile grew a little brighter. "Okay."
With her found, Yoren's next step was clear: find Vina and the others.
He helped Guigui to her feet. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head. "No."
"Good. We can't stay here. Follow me."
"Where are we going?"
"The church where we stayed before heading to City A. It's close to where we parked. We'll pass through the main city—maybe we'll find Vina and the others along the way."
Guigui nodded. "Okay."
Yoren turned on the power bank's LED light, ready to crawl out of their hiding spot.
But as he lifted his head, the light flickered over a figure standing barely a meter away.
Yoren froze.
A long blue coat. A tall, imposing frame. Silver hair flowing past broad shoulders. Cold, emotionless eyes locked onto his.
His breath caught in his throat.
Shimotsuki.
The infected warrior who had turned the tide of battle single-handedly.
Yoren didn't move. Neither did Shimotsuki.
The night held its breath.
And then...