Honkai, why do you only throw me into high-level battles?

Lin Wei suddenly realized something and looked down. The "Yae Sakura figurine" that he was supposed to be holding was gone.

"Hello, Miss Yae Sakura. It's an honor to meet you. My name is Lin Wei. You can just use my full name."

It truly was an honor. He knew how much effort he had put in to see this face!

Yae Sakura was clearly hesitant. How could he know her?

She took a step back, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Lin Wei. I don't remember this name at all. I... I shouldn't know you, Mr. Lin Wei."

It was decisive, direct, and even a little hurtful in its frankness.

Actually, there was a faint feeling of familiarity. It was as if she had seen him in a dream. But Yae Sakura thought that that was too ridiculous, so she would not mention it.

It might just be an illusion. After all, the differences between people were actually just in their heights, weights, and the size and position of their facial features.

"It's fine, Miss Yae Sakura."

Lin Wei understood. After all, Yae Sakura's true consciousness had long since sunk, and the person in front of him could be said to be her, but could also be said not to be her. She was just a part of her subconscious, or something else mixed in.

Two consciousnesses had been fighting and struggling with each other in the same body for five hundred years, almost becoming one. But because of his sudden intervention, it was like a huge stone had been thrown into a stagnant pool, stirring up the almost solidified sediment, and bringing new vitality to the unsolvable stalemate.

"I came for you, Miss Yae Sakura."

Lin Wei felt that he was a little cruel. This dream world clearly looked so peaceful, but he was going to tear it open, revealing the cruel reality behind it.

"I was entrusted by someone to bring you a message from a 'friend'."

When Yae Sakura heard this, she was stunned. The words "friend" weighed a thousand pounds, piercing through her heart and making her lips tremble. She felt a little excited, but mostly just confused.

"A 'friend'? Who is it?" Yae Sakura felt that it was important, but she couldn't remember it at all. When she tried to recall it, her head ached terribly.

She grabbed her head hard with both hands, using the pain to fight the pain, desperately trying to remember in order to find the answer.

"Is it the person that I am waiting for?"

Having been unable to do so, Yae Sakura could only give up in despair. She looked at the clear river with a sorrowful expression.

She had been wandering around and stopping near the river for the past few days. She didn't understand why she was doing this, she just felt like an important person would drift down the river in the next second and appear in front of her.

She?

Why did she know that it was a "she" and not a "he?"

Her head was starting to ache again...

But why couldn't she remember? She had to remember!

Yae Sakura felt endless grief rise in her heart, an intense emotion that had been accumulated over hundreds of years. She couldn't help but clench her fists and hit her head hard, making herself dizzy and unable to stand properly.

Lin Wei stood to the side, looking at the helpless girl in front of him. He felt a pang of sympathy in his heart.

Although he knew that what he was doing was the real way for Yae Sakura to find freedom, the scene before him still made him feel like he was truly a bastard.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Mr. Lin Wei, I was rude."

Yae Sakura, who had calmed down after a long time, had still not found the answer she desired, so she could only give up for now in resignation.

She raised her head, pursed her pale lips, and tried her best to show a proper smile, so that she wouldn't look so miserable.

"As an apology, please come with me to my humble home for a moment. I will serve you tea, Mr. Lin Wei."

And then begged, "Also, please tell me the message that that friend sent, so that I can let go of my regrets."

After she finished speaking, she bowed slowly. Her expression was sorrowful and resolute.

"She has finally realized something."

Lin Wei sighed slightly. He had deep respect for this girl, who looked so gentle on the outside, but was so tenacious on the inside. He hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and hardened his heart. He plastered a gentle smile on his face.

"It's fine, Miss Yae Sakura. It was my abrupt behavior that made you feel troubled. I sincerely apologize."

He paused. "Later, I will tell you everything I know. I just hope that Miss Yae Sakura will not think that I'm a bad guest who has come to her door."

"How could I? You're too kind, sir."

Yae Sakura revealed a smile of relief upon hearing this, and bowed again. Then, she reached out to guide her guest to follow her.

The two walked side by side onto the wooden bridge, heading towards the village. The feeling of the wooden bridge under their feet was strangely comfortable. There was no creaking sound as he had imagined, just the cool water vapor that rose as the water flowed beneath them.

"What a beautiful place!" Lin Wei sighed. He had always been powerless to resist this kind of beauty that could purify the soul. Then he curiously asked Yae Sakura, "It's an honor to have met you in such a place. Does Miss Yae Sakura come here often?"

Actually, she was waiting for someone. Yae Sakura thought secretly. But none of that mattered. She felt that she would soon know everything that she wanted to know.

"You're too kind, sir. Yae Village is just an ordinary village. The scenery here is also ordinary. It's not special at all." Yae Sakura said modestly, "However, if you have time later, you can take a walk around Shinano. Perhaps you will find the real beauty there? It's a pity that it's not spring right now. Otherwise, you would surely be able to see the fields filled with cherry blossoms when you visit Shinano. That's the most enchanting scenery."

When she said this, Yae Sakura felt a bit of regret.

"Unfortunately, as a shrine maiden, I am bound by my duty and cannot leave Yae Village easily. Therefore, I cannot accompany you on your sightseeing tour, and do my best as your host."

Lin Wei quietly listened. He always felt that there was some underlying meaning in Yae Sakura's words, but he had no evidence.

"Miss Yae Sakura is too humble. This place is clearly like a paradise, intoxicating people."

"It's only because the gods have had pity on us these past few years, and blessed Yae Village with good weather. The river is swollen with water, so there is enough for irrigation and drinking. This is the only way such a magnificent view could exist before you. If it was a drought like in previous years…"

Yae Sakura suddenly stopped talking, pursed her lips and remained silent for a moment. She gave Lin Wei an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I've made you laugh again, sir."

As she spoke, the two of them had already walked past the country lane and entered the village.

When he had seen it from a distance, he had thought it was prosperous, but when he walked into it and saw it again, it was even more outrageous.

The roads were wide and straight, wide enough for horses to run side by side. They were all paved with large pieces of bluestone, making them durable and spotless;

On both sides of the road were rows of residences, which were tightly connected to each other. The alleys were deep, and it was impossible to see how many families were there.

In front of every house, there was a neat pile of firewood, cured meat hanging from the rafters, water vats full of clean water, and some tightly covered vats or cabinets. After asking Yae Sakura and getting permission, Lin Wei stretched out his hand and lifted the lids of a few of them to check.

As expected, they were all filled with grains.

For the people of ancient times, this was the most wonderful world that they could imagine.

Lin Wei sighed inwardly.

But this rich and prosperous "village" was so quiet that there wasn't a sound. The sun was already slanting, and it was almost dusk. Normally, even if it was the harvest season, people should be returning to the village in succession, not to mention the women and children.

And when he was walking along the fields just now, everything was also quiet.

There was not a single person here. It was a dead city.

However, Yae Sakura seemed oblivious to this. She would talk to the air beside her from time to time. Sometimes her tone was casual, like she was talking to a friend her age; sometimes she would nod her head repeatedly, like she was receiving teachings from an elder; sometimes she would reach out and pretend to be petting something, obviously as if she was with a well-behaved child; sometimes, she would adopt a serious tone, and her tone would become slightly strict, as if she was dealing with naughty children.

But clearly there were only two people there.

Looking at this eerie scene, Lin Wei felt a chill down his spine.

Again, even though he was mentally prepared, it was hard to stop the feeling of uneasiness in his heart when he personally witnessed a creepy reality.

"Hmm? You're looking at me like that, Mr. Lin Wei. Is there something wrong with me?"

Yae Sakura was very perceptive. She had sensed that Lin Wei's gaze was a little strange, so she first reached out to one side as if she was saying goodbye, and then turned back to look at Lin Wei, even more strangely.

"Ah, it's nothing." Lin Wei pursed his dry lips. This eerie scene of him openly seeing a ghost was truly making him feel uneasy. He steadied himself, and asked a question he was curious about.

"I see that you're always greeting people. But you never talk to me. Won't they ask you about the stranger?"

"It's okay, don't worry. They can't see you, so they naturally won't ask."

Yae Sakura's expression was matter-of-fact.

Thud, thud, thud, boom!

Those words were just too terrifying! Lin Wei almost cried in fear.

Big sis, please don't say such creepy things with such a calm expression, it's too scary!

Alright, Lin Wei knew that Yae Sakura had a hidden dark side, but could you not use it like this?

This kid is still young, and he can't handle this!

"Is there a problem?" Yae Sakura looked at him strangely.

"No. Nothing." Lin Wei felt like he needed to calm down.

This place was truly filled with an eerie aura. It really didn't make him feel safe.

Lin Wei started to act up again. He looked around, and saw a very full apple tree, with plump red fruits hanging down from the branches, its heavy burden caused the branches to extend over the courtyard walls, as if it were begging for help from the pedestrians on the road.

"Oh my, the food is overflowing in Yae Village. I should help them out, so there won't be any waste."

Lin Wei rubbed his hands like a fly, walked over, jumped, grabbed a large fruit, grinned, and then didn't even bother to wipe it off. He opened his mouth and bit into it.

It was surprisingly sweet.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Lin Wei looked himself up and down, and then asked with his mouth full.

There was something wrong with either Yae Village or Yae Sakura. If that was the case, then he should take the initiative to test her.

"I can give you money. Miss Yae, you can pass it on to the villager, and apologize for me on my behalf."

After he finished speaking, he looked seriously into Yae Sakura's eyes.

"Or, I can personally hand over the required fee to him. I just need Miss Yae Sakura to introduce me."

Yae Sakura had probably understood the subtext of what Lin Wei had said. She smiled magnanimously, and bowed slightly. "You're joking, Mr. Lin Wei. You are a guest, there is no reason for us to let you pay. It is only a fruit. If you like it, I can prepare more for you before you leave."

Then she changed the topic. "It's not too far from here to my humble home. It is a pity that my family is poor, and the furnishings are simple. Please forgive any inadequacies."

"How could it be?" The testing was over, and Lin Wei had gotten his answer.

This Yae Sakura had probably indeed sensed something and was trying to maintain the status quo.

Lin Wei politely lagged behind Yae Sakura by half a step, and followed her in the direction she was leading. He didn't look at her anymore, and just calculated things in his heart.

Perhaps this was an area of balance that had been created by the entanglement of three wills. This Yae Sakura, as the original owner of the Stigmata, was trying her best to maintain the balance here.

He would still have to break the balance.

Lin Wei didn't plan on condemning himself anymore.

Did condemning yourself while doing evil change the nature of the "evil" itself? It was just self-consolation.

If that was the case, he should be decisive. A long period of pain was worse than a short one. It was best to have a quick battle that would be good for everyone.

He really was a bad guy. He was even able to be so comfortable with doing bad things.

Lin Wei came to that conclusion about himself.

In the center of the village was a tree that was so big that it would require at least three people to wrap their arms around it. According to Yae Sakura, it was a cherry blossom tree. Every spring, it would bloom with lush cherry blossoms that could perfume the entire Yae Village. It was just too bad that Lin Wei had come at the wrong time.

Yae Sakura felt regretful because of this.

Then, she led Lin Wei past the last curve and pushed open an ordinary wooden door.

It was very unexpected. The other houses, which were supposed to be the homes of the villagers, were all sturdy brick and tile buildings. Not to mention the huge plaza in the center of the village, which had been built in a dignified and solemn manner. No matter how he looked at it, Yae Village didn't seem to be lacking in money.

But what was reflected in his eyes right now, was a rather run-down looking residential building. The wooden corridor, wooden windows, and thatched roof, the eaves were also quite short. Between the door and the wooden house was a dirt path that had been swept very clean.

Both sides of the path were planted with unknown small flowers, some tall and some short, interspersed with each other, vibrant and lush. It was obvious that they were being taken care of very well.

Lin Wei looked back at the outside of the door, at the wealthy Yae Village and at this simple wooden house. Which one was real?

Or perhaps this simple but warm-looking wooden house was the self-imposed prison?

Lin Wei wasn't clear, but it didn't matter. He would figure it out.

Yae Sakura brought Lin Wei into the house, and took out a clean cushion, asking him to rest there while she went out to prepare the tea.

The kneeling position didn't look comfortable to Lin Wei. But he still remained quiet and seated, looking out through the window at the silhouette of the girl busy near the water vat.

Actually, instead of drinking tea, he would much rather taste the large onigiri that Miss Yae Sakura made herself.

Lin Wei thought, but he was too embarrassed to say it.

Fetching water, boiling water, making tea, the whole process took a long time. Yae Sakura could only pour a glass of warm water for her guest first. Then she lit the charcoal, and put on a clay pot that had been scrubbed very clean.

Lin Wei didn't know why Yae Sakura had warm water readily available. Lin Wei took a sip, feeling the warm moisture of the water in his mouth, and roughly guessed the answer.

"I'm sorry. Because we haven't had a guest in a long time, the preparations were not sufficient. I've kept you waiting, sir."

Yae Sakura brought over the tea set and placed it on the small table. She sat across from Lin Wei, turned the teacup upside down, held it in both hands, and carefully placed it in front of Lin Wei, before filling it with steaming hot tea.

"My humble home is simple and the hospitality isn't sufficient. Please forgive me."

"How could that be? I'm the one who is disturbing you." Lin Wei waved his hand repeatedly, his words heartfelt.

Lin Wei picked up the teacup in front of him, gently blew away the steam, and carefully tasted this rare tea.

It was so bitter…

It was so bitter that it was hard to swallow, so bitter that it went to his heart and lungs.

Lin Wei hesitated for a moment, then drank all of the tea, slowly, sip by sip, carefully tasting the bitterness that had been deposited there over five hundred years.

"Are you satisfied, sir?"

Lin Wei had already become a bit muddled by the bitterness. He cleared his head and saw that Yae Sakura was drinking the tea calmly, as if she was already used to it. Although she had asked if he was satisfied, her expression was calm, with no expectations for any response.

Unless you were someone else, how could you know if she was suffering or happy?

Now Lin Wei knew, it was really bitter. So bitter that it made you want to die.

If that was the case, then shouldn't she stop suffering?

Lin Wei put down his teacup, and hardened his heart.

"Has Miss Yae Sakura ever thought about seeing the world outside?"

Lin Wei cut straight to the chase.

But Yae Sakura was clearly unmoved, and politely declined, "The outside world? Sir, do you mean Shinano, or other places? I thank you for your kindness, but as a shrine maiden, I am bound by my duty..."

"It's already been five hundred years outside. This is the message that I'm going to deliver to you from a friend."

Lin Wei interrupted Yae Sakura. At this moment, he was both incredibly cruel, and incredibly sincere.

"Kallen is dead."

"Would you like to come with me and see the outside world?"

After that, there was a long silence, a silence where no one answered, no one spoke, and it was as if the passage of time had stopped.

Click.

Until a slight cracking sound came from somewhere. Then it got louder, and the source of the sound spread in all directions.

Until the entire world collapsed like a mirror.

A helpless sigh came.

"Why be so cruel, sir?"