When they returned to the temporary shelter in the Valley Corridor, barely any time had passed—yet with supplies in hand, the secondary Integrated Core produced an almost shocking result.
The shelter's ramshackle structures had been refurbished in a matter of days. It still couldn't be called "safe," but it had at least crossed the line into "livable."
Talulah found the whole thing astonishing.
Chen Qianyu and Perlica were busy handling matters inside the shelter. Judging by how everyone was moving, the stash they'd discovered beneath the Valley Transit Station had been even richer than expected.
"Talulah! Can you come give me a hand?!" Chen Qianyu called out as soon as she noticed them.
Talulah reflexively glanced at Bai Ling, then walked over anyway.
Since she was here to help, she might as well help properly before leaving.
Bai Ling, on the other hand, was tugged aside by Little Penguin.
Little Penguin could do these tasks herself, but Perlica had told her she'd only just woken up and shouldn't overexert—so Perlica took over personally. That left Little Penguin as one of the few people with any real breathing room.
The shelter itself was built into the mountain. There was only one main road up the slope and a narrow path through a tunnel; plus, Bai Ling had previously set up turrets using the secondary core. The Reclaimers had launched a few small, organized probes, but most of the time they fled before they even saw a defender.
And once the workers had food in their bellies, they weren't exactly weak.
A well-fed worker was a one-person powerhouse. With weapons in hand, it wasn't clear who was hunting whom anymore. Even refugees—once they realized they could pick up weapons to protect themselves—found strength they didn't know they had.
Little Penguin led Bai Ling toward a patch of grass near the edge of the secondary core. There was a small spot where sunlight reached—quiet, secluded, and rarely visited.
She sat down first, then patted the grass beside her, inviting him to sit.
Bai Ling sat naturally and smiled. "If Perlica can't find you later, she'll worry."
"…Probably not," Little Penguin said. "This shelter was something the Hub Center wanted arranged long ago. Qin Jiangchi is busy with something else and doesn't have time to come—otherwise she'd have come herself."
"I see…"
The weather was excellent. Sunlight warmed their skin, lulling the body into a lazy, sleepy comfort.
"How do you feel," Bai Ling asked, "since you woke up?"
"I've been busy," she said softly, "but when I suddenly have time to breathe… I don't really know what to do with it."
She raised one small hand. With only a slight squeeze, grains and fragments formed in her palm—thread after thread of Originium crystal.
From the moment she awakened, she could feel how tightly Originium was bound to her, along with countless authorities she still couldn't understand.
She was certain those powers were things her past self had left behind.
But she had no memory of them at all.
Like a child who suddenly inherited an enormous, terrifying strength—strong, yes, but still a child at heart.
She didn't know what kind of person her "complete" self had been. All she could do was mirror the people around her and wear a mask of competence.
But in front of Bai Ling… she didn't seem to need that mask.
That was one of the reasons she cared about him.
He didn't look that old himself, yet staying beside him wrapped her in a sense of safety—one that loosened her shoulders…
…and felt oddly comfortable.
"If I had to sum up your past in one sentence…" Bai Ling said, "then the road of survival for humanity on Talos-II—that's your past, Administrator."
"Me?" Little Penguin pointed at herself, sounding genuinely startled that he'd say it.
"Yes."
"You matter more to everyone than you think you do."
As he spoke, Bai Ling produced two bottles of soda out of thin air. He handed one to her, then twisted open his own and took a sip.
Cold sweetness paired with warm sunshine—comfort so perfect it felt unreal.
"I don't know if I can carry that kind of responsibility," she admitted. "I just want to do what everyone expects of me."
"Isn't that exactly how it was before?" Bai Ling replied.
He shifted closer, scooting until he was near her.
Little Penguin didn't hold back either—she took the soda, opened it, and drank. Her eyes were hidden behind her mask, but the satisfaction was obvious.
Perhaps because the sunlight was getting warm, she pulled off her jacket, revealing a soft white fleece hoodie beneath. Her slender frame showed through the fabric's lines.
Without the jacket, she looked more comfortable. She laid it on the grass like a mat and simply lay down, hands resting on either side of her abdomen—relaxed, vulnerable.
Bai Ling sat right above her head, positioned like a natural pillow she could lean against.
From this angle, Little Penguin looked truly thin.
The close-fitting hoodie traced her contours cleanly. Even lying flat, her figure carried a fullness that—crudely speaking—looked like it could "feed a child." Her waist was exquisitely narrow, barely wider than an adult man's palm. Her calves, sheathed in black stockings, caught the light with a faint sheen; and with her feet tipped at rest, her shoes looked as though they might slip off at any moment.
([There was an illustration here: a portrait of Little Penguin.])
"If you keep pushing yourself the way you used to," Bai Ling said, gentle as if soothing a child, "it probably won't change much."
"Why?" Her confusion came through clearly even with the mask hiding her eyes.
"Because you've already set so many things in motion," he answered. "Your personal effort isn't the deciding factor anymore."
He spoke softly, letting her rest against his thigh without moving her away.
"…If I arranged so many things," she murmured, "why didn't I leave even one clue for myself…?"
She sounded like someone who couldn't quite relax even when given the chance.
Bai Ling's answer came cleanly, almost too calmly.
"Because… maybe even you felt like you were too tired."
Whether she liked that answer or not, she didn't respond.
Sunlight spilled warmth over them. The girl resting against him breathed in small, steady rhythms.
Bai Ling looked out toward the shelter under construction.
Honestly… she was such a cute kid, yet she had to bear so much pressure and responsibility she didn't even understand.
Even heroes needed rest.
And she… she was probably a great hero.
Time passed—how long, he wasn't sure.
Little Penguin opened her eyes.
The sky hadn't changed much. When she lifted her head, the first thing she saw was a face wearing a gentle smile.
It made her relax again.
"There's nothing urgent right now," Bai Ling said softly. "You can rest a little longer, if you want."
....
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