Fantasy Clock～Dream Ruler～

The day I met the sisters for the first time was the day before the domination war officially started.

【Me, Xiao Luoluo, you can call me Luoluo...by the way, you can just call my sister Lulu】

The girl who called herself Lolo introduced herself generously, then added maliciously, "Although she's not too embarrassed", and playfully stuck out her tongue at her younger sister who had become shy.

【Xiao Lulu, Xiao Luoluo. Not only the appearance is exactly the same, but even the name is so similar. 】

[But we have already worked hard to distinguish each other. 】

Xiao Lulu pursed his lips in displeasure, seemingly habitually stroking the white cat's hair ornament.

I carefully observed the two, the younger sister Xiao Lulu's long hair reached her waist, while the older sister Xiao Luoluo only reached her shoulders; The face is surprisingly fair, and this is probably an important reason why some people always regard Xiao Lulu as an older sister and Xiao Luoluo as a younger sister; the last thing is the different hair accessories of the two.

The white cat has lazy eyes, and its small mouth is in the shape of an inverted triangle. For some reason, it always makes people think that it has a pair of charming eyes. It has to be said that they are extremely similar to their owners, almost like the cat-like forms of their sisters.

I looked left and right at the two cat hair ornaments with different expressions, and suddenly blurted out a presumptuous thought.

[I think it's better to call my sister Black Cat and my sister White Cat. 】

Remember now. The atmosphere was actually quiet for a few seconds, and Xiao Luoluo didn't immediately agree to her. Her hesitation was hidden in her eyes. The hesitation is not because she doesn't like such a title, but because she has never seen such a natural acceptance.

She is used to pretending her sincerity with a smile, so she is not used to other people's sincere smile. Especially when she realized that this smile represented the other party's sincere and natural acceptance of her, she was really at a loss for everything she could do with ease.

Xiao Luoluo has never seen the kindness of others, so naturally she doesn't know how to treat the kindness of others.

Confused, shaken, she hesitated. Perhaps as early as that time, she once again imagined the worst possible future, reconsidered how the future dominance war will evolve into the battle between us, so she hid her hesitation in those few seconds.

[You can shout whatever you are used to~]

Finally, as always, she hid her sincerity. It was hidden in that smile of unknown meaning.

The memory fades. A circle of bitter forgiveness fainted.

"What are you looking at me for?"

The drifting consciousness returned to the reality in front of him, and the focus of his sight was restored immediately. Xiao Lulu tilted his head slightly, and pouted at me.

"Sorry... there are too many things I want to ask, and I can't think of where to start."

Although this is not the reason for my distraction, the above is also an indisputable fact.

"For example...why did I withdraw from the domination war?"

Xiao Lulu closed the heavy book and put it gently at hand. When she said this, her eyes never looked at me deliberately.

"This is indeed one of the issues I am concerned about... However, I can guess a little bit of the reason now."

Compared with Black Cat, I naturally know less about Xiao Lulu, so I shouldn't be able to guess her motives. After all, we don't have much communication, probably because she and Lin Yu often act together, but Lin Yu and I often act separately.

Leaving aside the daily bickering between her and Lin Yu, what impresses me the most now is her withdrawal during the last stand against Fallen Soul.

Xiao Lulu used her black mist capable of interfering with space to send me, Xia Yinci, and Su Huilin, who were not there at the time, to the Xinghai Tavern, and they were never seen again. Her departure seems to have hidden secrets and difficulties from beginning to end.

"...Then you can guess."

Xiao Lulu raised his lowered eyes and looked at me with interest.

Presumably she was also wondering how a person who didn't know her well would think of her leaving without saying goodbye.

"One reason is because you can't bear to witness the final stage of the domination war, and the teammates who turned against each other killed each other. The second reason is that behind the domination war is not as pure as we imagined at the time, and you knew this earlier than us. thing."

For some reason, Xiao Lulu's eyes flashed with astonishment, and then turned into a shallow smile.

"You and Lin Yu are really similar... Even the direction of guessing is exactly the same. No wonder you are destined to win or lose."

Although Xiao Lulu acquiesced in the correctness of my guess, that seemingly inadvertent emotion made my inner anxiety arise spontaneously.

"No, the war of domination is over! Why are you all saying things like 'destiny'?"

Lin Yu said something similar. He said our struggle is not over, he said domination of war is forever engraved in our destiny.

"Us?" Xiao Lulu frowned slightly, and soon relaxed again, "Ah...the person who just broke into the restricted area was indeed you."

"What restricted area?"

This time it was my turn to frown.

"It seems that you still don't understand. Didn't you just meet Lin Yu?"

As soon as I finished speaking, I suddenly remembered the heavy railings blocking Lin Yu, and the cordons everywhere in the secret path.

"The restricted area...was it you who was outside the secret path before?"

My thoughts were suddenly cleared, and I raised my eyes to look at Xiao Lulu again. And she didn't know when she took out a flashlight, and played with it casually in her hand. She raised her eyebrows briskly, as if deliberately trying to wake up my memory.

"You should know that Lin Yu once planned a prison break, right?"

Thinking of what the middle-aged man told me, I put away the turbulent anxiety in my heart and nodded to Xiao Lulu.

"I just know a little bit... Actually, I can't even say I know a little bit, I can only say that I know this thing."

After listening to my words, Xiao Lulu raised the corners of his mouth, as if he had expected my lack of information.

"That was already three years ago. He has been plotting an escape plan since he came here. He has tried many methods, but none of them worked. Only the last time—he was only one step away from success." .”

"The last attempt...was three years ago?"

"Well. The time he was closest to success was also the one that made him most desperate. I don't know how many difficulties he has gone through for so many years before he finally summoned most of the people in the prison. All I know is that he should have been exhausted long ago. gone."

While speaking, Xiao Lulu's expression changed a lot. At first it was a smile, full of longing for the person you like, then the smile became bitter, and you felt embarrassed for the person you liked, and finally the smile disappeared, leaving only a trace of angry sadness in the eyes.

I felt a little guilty in a daze. I feel sorry for bringing up bad memories for the other person.

"That... I'm sorry..."

"Ah? What, you don't have to feel sorry...it has nothing to do with you. And I was the one who asked you to come to me, so you have no reason to apologize. Even if someone upset me, that person must be Myself."

Xiao Lulu tilted her head and turned her gaze to one side. She caressed the book in hand and smiled stubbornly.

I thought of the vicissitudes of life and extremely cynical Lin Yu I saw again. Suddenly, I couldn't predict how many years he had experienced here, and I felt a sense of resistance to the answer to this question, and I was even afraid of knowing the answer.

But I finally took the liberty to ask.

"Lin met him... When did he come in? And what crime did he commit?"

The robin in the cage chirped untimely. Xiao Lulu looked at me again, then turned his face sideways again, and raised his right hand to touch her fair neck, as if there were unknown bugs teasing her, making her at a loss as to what to do.

"It was about forty years ago. I was not here at the time, and he never told me the exact time. You should also know that the flow of time here is different from the outside world, right? So I don't know When exactly did he come here?"

Having said that, she was finally willing to look directly into my eyes, and the hands on her neck carelessly fluffed up her thick hair. But this time, instead, my vision lost focus, and my eyes lost focus in an inexplicable direction.

"But...it should be that day."

Xiao Lulu's cryptic words hit my heart directly through her cold gaze, as if she had predicted which direction I would go.

According to my previous speculation, the 20 years here are equivalent to 3 months in the outside world, and the 40 years are equivalent to 6 months. And 6 months ago happened to be the time when the domination war did not come to an end, and Lin Yu also happened to lose track of him and did not keep the appointment during this time.

If the day when Lin Yu was imprisoned was the same day as the day when he was supposed to make the appointment, does that mean that this prison was the direct reason why Lin Yu failed to make the appointment?

He was imprisoned here for forty years and could not get out, so he planned one escape after another, until finally he brought the matter to the light, caused troubles that cannot be ignored, and was finally handed over to the so-called "restricted area" It took another three years.

No wonder Lin Yu firmly believes in playing with his fate in the palm of his hand. He has more reasons and qualifications to compromise in front of fate than I do.

The incessant clamoring and incredible resonance in my heart seems to be called sympathy. It said it could empathize, but the despair it experienced was probably only one ten-thousandth of what Lin Yu felt personally. However, the accompanying doubts do not allow me to continue to be depressed for him.

Forty years were enough to sharpen everything about Lin Yu, including his appearance. But the Lin Yu I saw, who was already in his sixtieth year, only had the vicissitudes of life that matched his age. His appearance had not changed much, so I recognized him immediately.

Abnormal time, abnormal reality... everything seems to confirm the weirdness of this space.

I slowly regained the focus of my sight, and landed on Xiao Lulu who seemed to be waiting for me to digest the information.

"Then... what crime did he commit?"

As soon as the words fell, Xiao Lulu crossed his arms and met me with a sad gaze.

"As far as I know. He was imprisoned for killing someone."

"Murder?" I involuntarily raised my voice, "Impossible, how could he—— at such a crucial moment?"

"Doing this kind of thing that ruins the fate of your life at the moment when you are about to decide the outcome between you, isn't it?" Xiao Lulu said my thoughts before me, and interrupted me, "This kind of question, I'm afraid only he himself knows the answer."

"Didn't he mention it to you?" I stared at Xiao Lulu who was looking distressed, and noticed that there was a trace of expectation hidden in her distress. I suddenly felt that she had ulterior motives, so I immediately asked again, "Or, do you want me...to ask him the answer for you?"

Think carefully. The purpose of Xiao Lulu looking for me today is probably only related to one thing.

Xiao Lulu raised his right hand to support his cheek, put his index finger into his hair, and wrapped the slender hair in a circle.

"Lin Yu's prison escape failed three years ago, but a large part of the followers he summoned three years ago are still willing to follow him. Therefore, even for him now, if he is willing to regain his strength, it is very possible Let the turmoil of three years ago repeat itself."

As soon as these words came out, I completely understood Xiao Lulu's intentions.

"Although I don't know much about you, I think, Su Luoyang, you also don't want to be locked up here for the rest of your life, do you?"

Xiao Lulu kept watching me with smiling eyes, waiting for the answer she expected from me. I naturally know that Xiao Lulu wants me to cooperate with Lin Yu, and this is actually what I want.

only--

"Aren't you afraid that walls have ears when you tell me this kind of thing?"

As soon as the voice fell, the air fell into silence. Xiao Lulu suddenly panicked, his eyes widened and he covered his mouth.

I thought Xiao Lulu had a countermeasure long ago, but I didn't expect that the reality is that she is extremely stupid.

"I, of course I have considered this kind of thing! And anyway, I was once considered an expert in tactical monitoring. No one else will know about this matter, only you and I will know! Don't worry..."

Xiao Lulu tried her best to defend her innocence, and finally stretched out her hand and patted my shoulder decently.

"No... I haven't heard of the monitoring expert. I only heard from Lin Yu that you took him to monitor the conversation of clock number one and he was discovered."

"Ah? There is no such thing, haha, Lin Yu must have made it up."

There was blatant panic in the eyes that pretended to be calm. I really don't know whether Xiao Lulu has stayed here not long ago, or whether her stupid character will not change no matter how many things she has experienced. I arbitrarily put her in the latter category.

I ignored Xiao Lulu's continuing self-deceiving sophistry, and looked around to confirm the surrounding situation. Perhaps there is some truth in the saying "stupid people are blessed with stupid people" in this world, but for the first time there is no one around. I just breathed a sigh of relief in my heart.

"Although it's a bit presumptuous... But don't you mistakenly think that a quiet place is a safe place?"

"I don't quite understand what you mean, but I think you're calling me stupid in disguise."

Xiao Lulu looked me up and down vigilantly, and then he propped up his arms angrily as if he had confirmed that I was thinking this way from the bottom of his heart.

"I really can't compliment you on other aspects, but your intuition is surprisingly accurate."

"You really are calling me a fool in your heart! Do you think I'm stupid? I often come here to read books, and I know when there are many people and when there are few people. I only let you come here when there are few people! Even if you can't say it's thoughtful Is it delicate too?"

She probably misunderstood the term "delicacy of mind". Frequent reading does not mean that a person is stupid or not. Although it may be difficult for her to know how to choose the time, I may be asking too much of her.

"Let's get back to business..."

"Shut up! I won't talk to people like you who think I'm an idiot!"

So how did Lin Yu talk to you? It's a miracle that he has been with you for so long.

Just when Xiao Lulu lost his temper, someone walked into Fenglin silently. Fortunately, Xiao Lulu heard the footsteps, and his anger suddenly subsided a lot, but he looked at me at a loss.

I silently lamented how quickly Xiao Lulu's face changed, and stood up pretending to be calm.

"Come on, let's go outside and talk. Calm down."

Xiao Lulu looked up at me like a frightened wild cat. After two or three seconds, he understood my intention and followed me to stand up and walk outside. The person who just came in didn't pay much attention to us, but just took a second look at Xiao Lulu.

After leaving Fenglin, Xiao Lulu couldn't bear it anymore and hurriedly grabbed my arm.

"What should I do? That person has been looking at me just now, did he become suspicious?"

Xiao Lulu was shorter than me, and continued to look up at me with pitifully blinking eyes. For the first time in my life, I felt like I had a stupid daughter in my family. Why did Lin Yu recognize her as a younger sister back then, when it was obviously more appropriate to be a daughter.

"You yelled so loudly with that anger just now, it's strange that people don't stare at you. Don't worry, he didn't become suspicious when he heard our previous conversation, it's just that you made too much noise. "

"Sorry..." Xiao Lulu glanced away embarrassedly, and muttered again, "But, who told you to take me for a fool."

I quietly glanced at Xiao Lulu, she kept looking away, as if she didn't dare to meet my gaze.

Although it was her fault that she didn't consider the safety of the environment, my half-joking remark later was really over the top.

I don't know why I said that, maybe it's because Xiao Lulu is the only person I've met so far who hasn't changed much. But even nostalgia for a bygone era cannot be unbridled.

"Sorry, what happened just now was my fault."

My apology seemed a bit abrupt, Xiao Lulu trembled with his shoulders in a hurry, and looked up at me. I quickly raised my hand and scratched my cheek to block her unwillingness to look away, but for some reason she chuckled a few times.

"As expected, no matter how similar you are to Lin Yu, you are still different from him. He will never apologize for such a thing."

I didn't expect her to respond like this, I put down my hand hesitantly, and Xiao Lulu beside me smiled like a flower, hiding her nostalgia and sadness, just like the black cat hiding its hesitation in the few seconds of hesitation. I suddenly didn't want to talk, so I just took her to continue walking.

Ever since I was locked up here, I hadn't thought much about avoiding listening to conversations with others. I later found out that it was safer to go to crowded places than to be alone. After all, there seems to be surveillance everywhere here, and crowds are the best cover-up in crowded places.

"Let's get back to the topic." I paused, "You want me to cooperate with Lin Yu, and I also want to, but he is not happy."

Although I said at the time that I would go back to him, until now, I still haven't thought of a set of arguments that will make him accept me.

Rather, after learning that Lin Yu experienced eighty times as much suffering as I did during the six extremely torturous months, it was even more difficult for me to face Lin Yu, and I even gradually understood his anger towards me. In other words, I may not necessarily do better than him.

"Apart from you and me, there are many people who want Lin Yu to get back on his feet. Because he is the only person who has ever been close to the outside world. But no one has been able to convince him in the past three years. Now he only believes in that set of fatalism blindly. I also I can only watch him slumped from a distance. I saw you until today... If you were the opponent in the battle that he will never regret, you must be able to wake him up, right?"

Unknowingly, he had come to the vicinity of the secret path, Xiao Lulu couldn't help looking in, his left hand instinctively touched the flashlight on his body, the movement was so natural that it seemed to be out of a day-to-day habit. Her gaze pierced through the abyss-like darkness, longing to be pierced.

"Haven't you ever thought that my appearance might just add to his loathing and hatred?"

"Even if he only has loathing and hatred for you, that's the most abundant emotion he has in the past three years besides self-denial. I understand that you have your own concerns, but even if Lin only has loathing and hatred after meeting you, it's the same for him. Great antidote."

Xiao Lulu never looked at me when he said this, it was not as good as Xia Yinci's pity when he asked, not as cold and domineering as Su Huilin, and even less as stubborn and entangled as Xue Xueer. Xiao Lulu's request should not have any coercion for me, she just told her request, and I just listened to her reasons, I don't have to agree, and she doesn't want to force it.

But even so, I still did not refuse her request.

"Then I will try my best. After all, in the Arena of Imprisonment, in the Core Research Association, and in the battle with Fallen Souls, I have fought against him so many times. I believe that as long as I cooperate with him, This prison is not an impenetrable cage."

This time it's not because of guilt towards others, I don't owe Xiao Lulu anything.

Just like that boy, the boy who met because of the haunted bed for years, said:

No responsibility, no obligation, only my own will.

In an instant, I saw Xiao Lulu turn his head to look at me, his wide-open eyes were filled with surprise, so his eyes gradually curved into a seductive arc, and the corners of his mouth seemed to rise frame by frame. Is she laughing too slowly, or am I subjectively slowing down time?

I have no idea. The girl's smile, my deep understanding, the world in a stance. Everything in this world comes too slowly. I am also too slow, the war engraved in my destiny, which will take my whole life to complete, has already begun, but I don't understand it deeply, and I only noticed it not long ago.

The old world was too slow. In the future, it will run at a hundred times or even ten thousand times faster.

How many times faster do I need to catch up with the gear of fate?