Story Reader / Affection / Wanshi: Lucid Dreamer / Story
When you wake up to the crackling of a campfire, the night has already draped its darkness over the dense forest.
Wanshi sits by the tent while you find yourself in a thermal sleeping bag with a soft pillow tucked beneath your neck—clearly Wanshi's way of preventing neck strain.
I should be the one apologizing. I just double-checked—that herb actually stimulates the poison from the mushrooms temporarily.
And you aren't supposed to engage in any intense physical activities for the time being...
Wanshi lowers his eyes and checks your pulse once more.
Good news—you're doing fine.
Gazing at the darkening sky through the canopy of leaves overhead, you let slip the question that's been sitting on your mind.
Hmm, you were out cold. You didn't really think I could just carry you back like that all the way back to the clinic in town, did you?
Plus...
Wanshi yawns as he pulls out several positioning and navigation devices... and dumps them in a messy pile next to the sleeping bag, apparently meaning to show you the state they're in.
These things have all stopped working.
I tried retracing our way here, but somehow ended up right back where we started.
Looks like we'll have to make do with staying in the mountains tonight, which I don't really mind... yawn... Spending the night here means we get to head back for the Rain Flower Festival tomorrow.
Watching Wanshi's second lazy yawn and the camping equipment scattered about, you feel more certain about your suspicions.
Yeah, everyone in town knows it's easy to get lost in the mountains at night. We could brute-force our way out, but it'd be a real hassle.
I figured the mission might keep us out until nightfall, so I came prepared.
—I might end up staying here with you until evening without realizing it.
What do you mean?
You crawl out of the sleeping bag and stretch your limbs, shaking off the numbness from being wrapped up inside.
...Me? Rest?
You point to the faint dark circles under Wanshi's eyes.
Mmm... okay...
Never one to pass up a chance to rest, Wanshi immediately takes a seat next to you and closes his eyes for a brief respite.
The warm campfire sways gently, its light warming the misty mountain air.
No, not yet.
I probably just need something to rest my head on.
At these playful words, Wanshi keeps his eyes closed, a gentle smile tugging at his lips.
Don't worry about it. Your rest is what matters most. I was planning to recommend this place for your vacation... Never thought you'd come here on a mission and have to deal with all these.
And I can tell you've been worried about me these days.
Is it because of what you saw in my M.I.N.D. at that time?
Wanshi's long bangs fall over his eyes, suddenly making his expression unreadable.
Deep in the abandoned research facility, the sudden M.I.N.D. fluctuation caught everyone off guard, not only shattering Wanshi's consciousness but also dragging you into the chaos.
Your Mind Beacon pierced through the raging waves, embracing Wanshi's consciousness and telling him to seek a new beginning.
Within Wanshi's M.I.N.D., you walked him through his life with him and saw the memories that had been haunting him.
Yeah... Those were things I used to be fixated on...
From the very beginning, he was forced to walk a path of endless farewells.
He's had to cut people out and abandon people... and even bid farewell to his human self. It was only through this endless cycle of sacrifice that he was able to become the Wanshi of today.
He learned to compromise with reality, to let go of what he had to throw away—only then could he preserve what truly defined his core self.
But eventually, he's going to have to face the final reckoning of what he has done.
His mother, who gave him his very life; his stepmother, who protected him in her own way; his childhood friends, who trusted him enough to hold an empty medicine box... and countless Constructs who placed their hopes in the lie of Recall...
Now, as twilight falls, he stands upon this path walked by many before him, willingly embracing the farewell that awaits.
But this time, he won't let anything be sacrificed ever again.
...I've made many wrong choices and paid more than enough for my mistakes.
But now I finally understand what I want, since there are more people in my life now who really matter to me.
Just like back then, Wanshi is breaking free from amber as he yearns for rebirth.
As he says this, Wanshi turns to look at you.
The firelight may be dim, but the resolve in Wanshi's eyes shines crystal clear.
There's one thing I'm certain of—you won't meet such a dark fate.
Among all the possibilities this world may hold, the one where you don't exist will never come to be.
Neither tonight's moonlight, the stars, nor the campfire shine as bright as the golden gleam in Wanshi's eyes.
Yet amidst all this brilliance, there is but one human meeting Wanshi's gaze with equal intensity.
Hearing your reassured response, Wanshi stops dwelling on matters from the past.
He returns to his usual self, like a child who's just finished trick-or-treating.
Honest people need to be rewarded, don't they? What's my reward, Commandant?
Well, let's see...
Hearing what you said, Wanshi sways his body to the side...
Hmm... I'll go with this one.
Suddenly, Wanshi sways his body to the side...
He rests his head on your lap and closes his eyes.
Doesn't really matter... Having the right pillow is all that matters.
Seeing Wanshi's messy curls right before you, you can't help but reach out to smooth them down.
The white synthetic strands feel delicate against your palm, and they keep springing back up no matter how much you try to smooth them down.
Wanshi's cheek feels somewhat warm when you accidentally touch it.
Still awake. I was just thinking about how fascinated you are with my hair.
A gentle breeze rustles by and fireflies dance in the air as you look up to see the Summer Triangle gleaming clearly in the starlit sky.
You can't even remember the last time you were able to rest peacefully on solid ground like this, gazing up at the vast universe above.
Everything feels as beautiful as a dream come true, making you wish you could freeze this moment in time forever.
The night sky looks peaceful from here, doesn't it?
For a long time during the Golden Age, humans living in cities on Earth couldn't see the Milky Way.
In the 1990s, a massive blackout struck a country along the ocean's edge... In darkness, people suddenly discover an unfamiliar sight hanging above their heads.
They thought it was the end of the world—some even called the police about it.
The brilliant, vast Milky Way stretches across the entire city's sky, yet for decades, humanity has remained completely oblivious to its presence.
Wanshi lifts his gaze, his eyes piercing through the moonlight toward the zenith above.
The Milky Way has been there all along.
The neon lights of industrial civilization obscure it, blocking out the radiance from billions of light-years away.
Wanshi's gaze returns from the distance, settling once more upon your face.
Humanity can now explore the cosmos far beyond the Arctic, yet sometimes remains blind to what's happening right here on Earth...
People can still be a mystery to us even when they're right next to us.
And I don't like that.
I've answered you honestly... Now it's your turn. You know everything about my past. What do you make of me?
Wanshi's words crack open the amber of distant memories. Countless thoughts pour out from within.
Within it, you've seen everything about him. You understand what he has given up and what he has chosen along the way.
Hmm... I think I've heard that line before in class at the Basic Education Center.
Wanshi seems to be getting sleepy, too. He lets out a soft sigh.
Yup.
I don't like the way the principle puts it, though.
I prefer what you said before...
Everything we see now is the culmination of all our past choices.
Wanshi takes hold of your hand resting on his hair, his eyes growing heavy with drowsiness.
Hah... I'll keep pressing forth... and I'll never stop protecting those who matter to me...
We won't have to worry about one another... anymore...
Wanshi gradually quiets down, as if trying to preserve the tranquil night.
His words always carry a mysterious charm that inevitably draws one into a sense of peace before gently sending them into sweet dreams.
Before long, you start nodding drowsily as your hand slowly comes to rest in Wanshi's curly hair.
In that hazy moment before you drift off, however...
Someone seems to leave a warm trace in your palm.
