Arknights is too real, right?

"Xia Feng, do you want to hear a story?"

Saying these words meant that Xiao Yunye seemed to feel some kind of relief.

It is self-evident who the story is about. In fact, Xia Feng has always been curious about this story, but he had no intention of asking Xiao Yunye before.

Xiao Yunye was willing to speak out at this time, probably because in these days of getting along, he sincerely regarded Xia Feng as a friend whom he had known for many years.

Xia Feng drank up the wine in the glass in one gulp and then refilled their glasses.

"Senior Xiao, I am willing to listen."

Under the cold moonlight, Xiao Yunye's story begins.

Some distant era.

A baby girl was born in a tribe in the southern continent. Her birth had been predicted by the tribe's prophet. Naturally, the baby girl was regarded by the tribe as a saint to save the tribe.

As time went by, the baby girl grew up day by day. Because of her status as a saint, other children in the tribe did not dare to approach her. She was always alone.

One day, a strange boy who was in a coma due to hunger and injury was brought back to the tribe. He came from a destroyed tribe in the distance. At this point, there was a boy of similar age beside the saint. Only he from afar was willing to come close. she.

After the boy's injury healed, he stayed in the tribe. Because he was too young, he could not participate in hunting and labor, so he played with the saint all day long.

They looked up at the stars together and played in the streams together. The boy and the saint told many stories. His former tribe was close to the sea, and the sea was an existence that the saint had never heard of since she was born.

“What does the sea really look like?”

"The sea is a boundless lake, containing inexhaustible salt grains. My people are nourished by the sea, and we call ourselves children of the sea."

"What's on the other side of the sea?"

"On the other side of the sea, it should be the end of the world."

The saint's eyes showed longing.

“If only I could see the ocean with my own eyes one day.”

The boy grinned at her.

"You can definitely see it. When we grow up, I will take you to see the sea."

"But. I can't leave the tribe. I want to pray to the gods for everyone. My tribe will not leave this land, so I can't leave either."

Seeing the girl's disappointed look, the boy's immature eyes showed a hint of determination.

"My father once told me that people live for freedom. The sea is boundless, and so is the human heart. As long as you want, you can go wherever you want."

"But...I can't live alone without the tribe."

"I will be with you forever."

When the boy said the words forever, he did not really understand the meaning of forever. The so-called forever is an endless road of loneliness.

In that distant era, tribes stood along rivers and made a living by hunting. Because of their different physical characteristics, the tribes lived together.

While fighting hunger and disease, they also had to avoid a destructive natural disaster. In that era, this horrific disaster had no name.

In that era, life was fragile, and even an occasional cold could cause death.

One day, the saint fell ill.

Fever and severe cough were her initial symptoms, and a few days later, the things she coughed up were bright red.

Including the great prophet of the tribe, there is nothing to do about this disease. The tribe leader said that the saint has shouldered the punishment sent down by the gods for the tribe, and this is her mission.

Her death has been acquiesced by the so-called mission.

In front of the straw mat, the boy held the saint's hand. She looked pale and her chapped lips moved lightly.

"I'm dying. Sorry, I may not be able to go see the sea with you."

The boy held the girl's hand tightly.

"I won't let you die. I said I will always be with you."

The girl's voice became weaker and weaker.

"Why."

"because I like you."

"like."

Repeating these two words softly, a tear fell from the corner of the girl's eye, and then the tears flowed out like a fountain.

She lay on the straw mat, crying and sobbing.

"I don't want to die, I want to live."

The boy left the tribe alone and embarked on a journey to find a way to save her.

Spring passes and autumn comes, time flies.

One day, the boy finally returned to the tribe with a precious herbal medicine.

But the scenery in my impression has turned into a sea of ​​fire.

The boy stood on the hillside and stared blankly at the burning tribe, his brain having lost the ability to think.

In that era, wars between tribes occurred frequently, and the losing side would be deprived of all survival resources, including life.

The boy held the herb in his hand, and after a moment, he rushed towards the burning tribe like crazy.

"No!"

The fire was not extinguished, which meant that the war broke out not long ago. Adults with fighting capabilities would be killed, and children would run away out of fear, but bedridden patients would be difficult to find.

but

If discovered, they would 100% be killed together. The predators had no mercy at all. He knew very well how the boy's former tribe was destroyed.

While running, tears came to my eyes.

He had been away from the tribe for too long, and the saint's condition was already very serious when he left. Perhaps, she did not survive until this moment, and she was gone before the war burned everything.

The boy rushed towards the burning house regardless of his own safety. As he ran, he shouted the saint's name heartbreakingly.

"Xina!"

Under the silver moonlight, Xia Feng picked up the wine glass and drank it alone.

"Then the saint of the tribe is Xina herself?"

Xiao Yunye's expression was very indifferent.

"Yes, this is incredible. You can think that I am talking nonsense, or you can think of this as an unrealistic story."

Xiao Yunye picked up the wine glass and drank it in one gulp, and then he filled it up again.

Looking at Xiao Yunye's old face, Xia Feng certainly did not doubt the authenticity of this story, but there was one thing he was a little curious about.

"Master Xiao, when did the tribe in the story exist? 300 years ago?"

"No, it's much longer than that."

"how long?"

"It's been so long that this world still doesn't have a name."

Xia Feng's hand reaching for the wine glass stopped in mid-air. It was so long that this world had no name. In other words, this had exceeded the historical records of the Terra world.

This is when the embryonic form of civilization has not yet been formed.

"What happened next? Did the boy find the saint?"

"found it."

"She's not dead? Oh no, I mean, she's still alive and well?"

Xina will not die because she lives in the house across the street at the moment. However, the saint in the story is obviously still an ordinary person. In the face of disease and war, her chances of survival are already very slim.

Xiao Yunye cast his eyes on the house, and the vicissitudes of life came from his mouth.

"She is still alive, but it can no longer be called a normal life."

Xia Feng asked immediately.

"Why?"

"Because she met a person between life and death."

"who?"

"You should be very familiar with this person. No matter in which era he has only one name, his name is Styx."