Reenactment

Walking out‌​‍​​⁠‍​‌​‌‍⁠‌​​‍​‍‌​⁠⁠⁠ of the White Tower entrance, before getting into the car, An Yu saw Bo talking to Chao Wu in a corner. Bo was holding that large bouquet of flowers. Some of Chao Wu’s rose-red long hair was tangled in the flower stems as she held a conch shell to his ear for him to listen.

Yan Xi looked back in the direction An Yu was looking and smiled. “Who says there’s no human warmth among the Spire’s high-level officers?”

“Does anyone say that?” An Yu asked in surprise.

“Mhm. They all say Protectors with high aberration levels gradually lose their humanity. People who say that might be using Law as a reference.”

An Yu turned his head to watch Bo and Chao Wu until their figures disappeared.

Actually, it was quite the opposite. He felt much more human warmth in the Spire than he ever did in the slums. These people, who strictly speaking could no longer be considered human, gathered together, supporting and warming each other, far surpassing those numb in decay.

“Commander has not lost his humanity,” An Yu suddenly said. “Please don’t say that about him.”

Yan Xi’s hand on the steering wheel paused. “Sorry, I didn’t express myself clearly. I don’t think Law lacks humanity. Quite the contrary, he is a leader of utmost kindness and decisiveness. It’s just that perhaps in the public mind, that is his image. After all, he killed his whole family with his own hands when he was young, and later ordered the clearing of the entire District 95.”

Seeing An Yu remain silent, Yan Xi added, “By the way, Jiang Xiao is preparing to come back.”

“Hm?” An Yu looked up. “Did he give up?”

“He said he accidentally discovered the Arctic Willow gene he obtained in the Equality Zone can do more than just resist cold. But its specific potential can’t be fully determined yet. He decided to undergo extreme genetic testing at Brain before making it public. Let’s look forward to it. Jiang Xiao is a very ambitious and capable Protector. I always felt that perhaps he can become a high-level officer too.”

Yan Xi smiled, his mechanical eyeball rotating slightly in its socket. “Every high-level officer of the Spire is someone worthy of expectation and trust. They are treasures, and also humanity’s final confidence in this struggle.”

An Yu brought Qin Zhilu an ice cream, plain cream flavor, without the fancy sauces drizzled on that you saw on social media pictures.

But when he arrived on the 199th floor holding the ice cream, he saw Tang Feng in the Commander’s room. Both looked solemn.

In the wall projection, A higher-up had just finished reporting. Tang Feng frowned. “This is a bit tricky. It seems several high-level officers will need to be deployed simultaneously.”

Qin Zhilu hummed. “Is Yan coming back tonight? Was he badly injured?”

“Minor injury, won’t delay another mission. I don’t know what’s wrong with the higher-ups recently; everyone seems to be unlucky.” Tang Feng sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “But after thinking it over, the swamp terrain was still most suitable for him. What’s more worrying is the sky anomaly in District 77. Xi De is still…”

“District 77 isn’t that urgent. A few days of recuperation won’t make a difference. As for District 99, I’ll go myself.” Qin Zhilu turned his head to look at An Yu. His gaze lingered on the ice cream for a moment. He said, “I need to go out on a new mission. If anything comes up with Black Tower these few days, you and Feng discuss and handle it for me.”

An Yu froze. “District 99 anomaly? I’ll go with you.”

Qin Zhilu said decisively, “I’ll go alone.”

“Why?” An Yu suddenly had a bad feeling. “Do you want me to become independent…”

“No.” Qin Zhilu shook his head.

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Snowflake fragments
[Xi De (1/2)]
[Ice-Releasing Fire]

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That sound whistles, seeping into skin, flesh, marrow, making cold crawl all over your body.

Don't scrape

Don't copy

I hated him. Hated the title ‘father.’

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Following the pipes of the cooling unit above, and escaping this cold hell.

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But perhaps because I liked it, and An and Ning often ate it, he gradually got used to it.

Don't scrape

Don't copy

He was clearly the same age as the three of us, but he always pampered us like children.

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There was one sentence I never dared to say to the Commander.

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Snowflake fragments
[Shen Yang (1/2)]
[Painting the Sea]

I used to be a painter, painting only the sea.

Few people can understand my obsession with the ocean, except my sister.

She had a terrible temper, but whenever I painted the sea, she would sit quietly on the sand dune beside me.

Until she was killed by an aberrant in the sea.

After distorting, I dramatically gained the genotype of the ocean’s apex predator, yet I could never find her again.

Later, I supervised a little girl around her age, also with an explosive temper.

Perhaps it was a coincidence of fate, but this little girl, like her, would also become obedient and quiet whenever she was near me.

I didn’t tell her much about my past with my sister, but she would also stubbornly stay beside me when I painted the sea.

I’m not grateful for what I’ve lost, but I’m grateful for fate’s compensation.

Just as I hate the aberrants in the sea, I’ve never hated this beautiful seawater.

Snowflake fragments
[Chao Wu (2/3)]
[Ebb and Flow]

The algae genotype makes me extremely sensitive to the tides.

The tides are the calming, most powerful rhythm.

I met an existence similar to the tide.

Her name was Chellia, codename Shen Yang. She is my Commander, and the sister in my heart.

She is gentle and powerful, just like the tide that roars in silence.

I can sense the tide, and I can also sense her joys, anger, sorrows, and happiness, although she never speaks of them.

I once advised Bo, if he felt Lord Xi De was too cold, he should find a way to warm him.

This is also what I’ve always wanted to do.

Whenever the Commander spreads her paper on the coast, I really want to extend all my long hair.

Like how she used to gently embrace me, to embrace her.

Let her know that someone is always behind her, accompanying her to watch the ebb and flow.