In truth, Angel Yan was also pondering her own memories.
The memories Zod Hess had written for her weren't perfect—there were still plenty of gaps.
But those very gaps were what made the memories feel more real.
She'd asked Esdeath and the others about it too.
It was just that Esdeath was passionate about combat, war, and interrogation, and had no interest in her question.
Tifa felt that as long as Zod was by her side, that was enough. As for memories—let them take their natural course.
Yan Lingji was even less the scheming type. She was completely hooked on video games now.
"What are you thinking about?"
Seeing her pensive expression, Zod asked.
"I'm thinking about my missing memories."
Angel Yan didn't hide it. Perhaps because, in her memories, Zod Hess was the person closest to her.
"No need to rush. Take your time, and they'll come back to you."
Zod comforted her.
"But—"
Angel Yan still wanted to say something.
"Don't let your mind wander." Zod took hold of Angel Yan's hand. He could feel the faint coolness emanating from her palm. Looking at that face tinged with melancholy, the corners of his lips curled into a trace of a smile.
"I'm your male god. If you don't mind, just lean on me all you want. And likewise, in this brand-new world, you're also someone I lean on!"
Angel Yan came back to her senses. She looked at Zod's face, so close to hers, and her cheeks reddened before she could stop them. Yes—this old hand at flirting actually blushed.
Zod was very satisfied with his lethal charm. Then he looked over at Tifa, who was wearing a pink apron and carrying dishes out from the kitchen, looking every bit the picture of a virtuous wife.
Tifa noticed Zod's gaze. Her slender fingers gathered her black hair, her poise impossibly graceful, and her every movement was strikingly alluring.
After the meal, Zod took them out shopping. Although Angel Yan was both a mutant and a Kryptonian soldier, she could control her wings and conceal them. Zod had put considerable effort into that back then.
Still, with their distinctly different looks and ethnicities, along with outstanding features and gentle, elegant auras, they were like beauties who had stepped right out of legend.
On top of that, each possessed a transcendent air. The appearances of Yan Lingji, Tifa, and Angel Yan made pedestrians stop in their tracks again and again. The rate of people turning their heads was alarmingly high. It wasn't until they entered a store that the enthusiasm of the onlookers cooled off—but at that point, it was Zod's turn to feel awkward.
Things like the shop assistant recommending couple outfits, asking about underwear sizes…
"Is Zod really not good at dealing with this kind of thing?" Angel Yan seemed a little surprised.
"I've rarely ever bought clothes in physical stores before," Zod grumbled. It had been like that on his old Earth, and the same on Krypton.
After all, Zod was a bachelor. On Earth, he had no time to look. On Krypton, he had no time to look.
After they finished buying clothes, all three women wanted to experience riding a bicycle.
Zod was a bit puzzled but agreed anyway.
It's just riding a bike, right? What's so hard about it?
"The streets of New York aren't as chaotic as we imagined after all. It really was just our preconceived notions."
Riding the bicycle at a leisurely pace, Zod smiled in a relaxed way. Carrying a cute girl on a bike, pretty romantic, isn't it?
"Yeah." Holding Zod's waist with one hand, the black-haired girl sat sideways on the rear seat, her shoulder leaning against Zod's back. Dressed in light blue loungewear, a baseball cap on her head, her soft expression—if you looked closely, you could see her cheeks faintly flushed. No matter how you looked at it, they seemed like a couple, didn't they?
And if you added the newly bought clothes Tifa was holding in her arms, didn't they look a bit like newlyweds who'd just gotten married not long ago?
Honestly, Tifa rather enjoyed this kind of simple, peaceful feeling.
As he pedaled, Zod looked up and could see Spider-Gwen swinging through the air, whipping past at high speed on her web. Because she was too high up, Spider-Gwen didn't notice Zod.
Right after she swept by, Super Spider-Man Peter Parker followed close behind.
"Do you like coffee?"
Zod came to a stop with Tifa on the back.
"Compared to coffee, I'd prefer tea."
After the bike stopped, Tifa dismounted from the rear seat and said with a light smile, watching Zod fuss with the bicycle.
"Two cups of coffee, please."
An open-air café. Pedestrians hurried past all around them. Zod rather enjoyed taking in this kind of scene.
"Although I'm better at setting bones for people—or taking them apart—honestly, I've always kind of wanted to open a coffee shop. Making money would be secondary. Sitting in the café on a rainy day, looking through the glass at the people rushing by outside, feels like it would have a lot of mood to it."
Zod spoke with feeling.
"Then why not open one now?"
Tifa asked, intrigued.
"Even if I did, I might not have the energy to run it. And besides, my identity would probably be recognized in an instant. It wouldn't be fun anymore."
Zod shook his head.
Tifa didn't push it further.
After they finished the coffee, the person sitting on the bicycle became Yan Lingji.
"Zod."
Yan Lingji suddenly spoke up.
"Hm?"
Playing the role of chauffeur, Zod answered without turning his head.
"I heard that the Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One, has a Time Stone. Do you think it could take me back to the Baiyue of that time? I want to see it."
Yan Lingji leaned against Zod and said.
Zod paused for a moment.
"Yan Lingji, you should know—this world and our world aren't the same world."
"Mm."
"So, even if we got the Time Stone, we couldn't return to the Baiyue you know. No high heels, no stockings, no gauze skirts, and none of the people or things you're familiar with."
Zod Hess said calmly.
"I know… but aren't we never going to make it back to our original world anyway?"
Yan Lingji wrapped her arms around Zod's waist and pressed her face against his back.
"We will go back."
Zod thought for a moment, then said.
Not only would they go back, he would also go to all the worlds he wanted to visit. Since he could go from DC to Marvel, there was no reason he couldn't go from Marvel to Qin's Moon, to Honkai, to the Holy Grail, to Chaldea, to Final Fantasy…
Yan Lingji didn't say anything more after that.
And then it was Angel Yan's turn.
"Want to go see a movie?"
Zod asked.
"Mm."
Angel Yan narrowed her eyes slightly, stretched her arms out lazily, and let out a comfortable stretch. She looked a little like she'd been born anew.
"This really is a nice…"
Turning her head at a forty-five-degree angle, the young woman's lips drew a beautiful arc.
"…afternoon."
The fair nape of her neck and delicate collarbones filled Zod's sight. Paired with that side profile tinged with a lazy charm, what followed was the feeling of his heart skipping a beat.
Zod sped up the bicycle.
When they reached the movie theater, he was quite curious what film Angel Yan—whom he had crafted one hundred percent—would choose.
"Zod, let's watch this one."
Angel Yan revealed a meaningful smile as she spoke.
/-\
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