death of hope

Chapter 1024 "Psionic Storm" (98) Escape Plan
Tjaldur líur stenduríólívi, ágrenir liguir og barkur frjáls, eins og einn sem tapai meallegaálíf, einsamur og slysandi.
—inn (kóngurásaí norrnum myndsemi) rá
A dead fir tree stands in barren land, its branches and leaves withered and its bark peeling off, like someone who has lost a loved one, all alone and heartbroken.

—Odin (King of the Aesir in Norse mythology)
·
In a spacious exhibition hall of the museum, a blonde girl dressed in a JK uniform stood blankly beside an exhibit.
It was a Viking artifact excavated from the homeworld of Terra, encased in a transparent acrylic shell; its surface was covered in mottled rust.

The ancient Icelandic script engraved on it is blurry and illegible. Unless you are a senior archaeologist or linguist specializing in Nordic history, you will need the translation and annotations on the display stand to understand it.

Leon Vilnius, dressed in a tuxedo and carrying a water bottle, squatted quietly on the granite tiles, waiting.

What are you looking at?

"N-nothing..." The blonde girl was startled, and her consciousness returned to reality.

"I told you to meet outside the museum! I've been calling you for ages, really!" the middle-aged man said irritably.

"The visit is over, and all the other students have boarded the bus, but you're still dawdling here!"

"I'm...I'm sorry...Takagi-sensei...I was so focused on watching...I didn't hear you..."

"You're not an archaeologist, what's the point of being so engrossed in your work! Are you physically weak or mentally disabled?!"

The middle-aged man impatiently flung his hand away, muttering under his breath, "Damn sickly wretch... as slow as a maggot!"

·
Li Ang coughed deliberately; (Try yelling at your employer again!)
"Oh?"

The middle-aged man quickly turned around and noticed Li Ang squatting nearby. Startled, he trembled, scratched his head awkwardly, and said in a low voice:
"Uh... so Tetsuya-kun is here..."

"If you have a P, just fucking spit it out!"

"Well... well... the event is over... all the students have boarded the bus, but the bus driver is still waiting..."

Before the other person could finish speaking, Li Ang rudely interrupted: "Bullshit! Nonsense!"
The event is supposed to end at 11:30, and it's only 10:50. All the other team members are still here! What the hell are you doing going back early? Are you in a rush to go home for a funeral?!

"You...you..." The middle-aged man trembled with anger.

"What about me?!" Li Ang stood up abruptly, towering over the other man by a head and a half.

"How dare you..." The middle-aged man trembled with anger, swallowed hard, but reason prevailed. "Sigh... never mind..." He turned and left, seething with resentment.

·
Li Ang smirked, "Ignore that grandson. Let's see enough before we leave. Let him wait."

"I'm not watching... It's not right to keep everyone waiting..."

"What's there to be afraid of with me here?" Li Ang shouted at the middle-aged man's back as if afraid the other person wouldn't hear him.
"Takagi's grandson is a complete idiot! He's got some nerve!"

Yuna wrung her hands nervously; "No...don't do this...after all, he's Director Madara..."

“The derelict director,” Li Ang added;
"The whole Sakamoto bullies you, and that guy Takagi just pretends not to see it and joins in the bullying. That bastard should have his teaching license revoked!"

"Never mind, never mind..." Yuna shook her head, trying to avoid recalling those unpleasant memories. "Let's go..."

"Go GO GO! Let's go eat~"

·
As they approached the museum's main entrance, Yuna suddenly slowed her pace and hesitated before saying, "Tetsuya-kun..."

"What's wrong?"

"Why is Takagi-sensei so afraid of you...?"

"Well~" Li Ang grinned mischievously, his hand touching the tactical quick-draw holster and PPK automatic pistol hidden inside his clothes:

"Because that bastard Takagi has dirt on him, I have something on him, hehe~"

"Huh? He's a teacher... what kind of scandals could he possibly have..." Yuna was shocked.

"You have no idea, that old bastard Takagi is absolutely disgusting. He doesn't go after girls his own age, he just likes to mess with younger girls." "What do you mean?"

Li Ang blinked: "Yuna-chan is too innocent, it's better that she doesn't know~, so it won't affect her appetite for lunch later~"

"It's better...not to know..."

The two boarded the bus. Li Ang put his hands in his pockets, glared at everyone with a nonchalant attitude, and escorted Yuna to her 'private seat' in the last row.

These seemingly honest students and faculty members are all bullies who prey on the weak and fear the strong. If Li Ang hadn't suddenly appeared here, she wouldn't have been brought along for extracurricular activities like visiting the museum today.

·
Back at the academy, the two didn't go to the cafeteria, but instead went to a nearby izakaya (Japanese pub). Li Ang chose a quiet private room.
While eating sushi, Yuna said timidly, "Tetsuya-kun...you've changed so much lately..."

"Huh? Is that so?" Li Ang feigned ignorance, picking up a piece of fried tofu with his chopsticks.

“Tetsuya-kun seems to have become quite aggressive lately…” Yuna said, looking at the bulging veins on his temples.
"I always feel like Tetsuya is holding back some kind of energy, like he's on some kind of drug and is looking for trouble to start fights everywhere."

(That's because I'm in a hurry... I can't find a good way to get you out... so I can only take it out on those unlucky bastards...) Li Ang thought to himself, and said with a smile:

"Haha, it's just that I've been having liver fire lately. I'll just have an ice pop and some herbal tea to cool it down when I get home~"

“I know… Tetsuya-kun is doing this for my own good…” Yuna whispered softly, leaning on his shoulder.

"But I... still prefer the gentle Tetsuya-kun..."

Li Ang shook his head: "Reasoning is too inefficient. It's the classical physics method that works. If I didn't show off my muscles now and then, you would have been bullied to a terrible degree."

“I know… they all look down on me for being sickly, pointing and commenting on my skin color and hair color… on the scar on my head… they all talk about me behind my back… they're afraid I'll spread diseases, the girls are jealous of my appearance, and the boys laugh at me for not having parents…”

But we've been classmates and teachers, there's no need to make things too awkward... I don't want Tetsuya to hurt or intimidate others because of me..."

(Yuna, Yuna…) Li Ang thought to himself: (You care about others… but who cares about you…)
He said, "Alright, let's not beat up Takagi for now, let's see how he performs."

·
Leaving the izakaya, Yuna took out her planner and started flipping through it:
"I'll visit the museum in the morning, and I don't have classes in the afternoon. After lunch, I'll go to the library to review some material and catch up on what I've missed. Then I have to go back to the hospital. Dr. Joseph said he needs to do an EEG... and Dr. Lane said he needs to..."

"You're so obedient," Li Ang remarked.

"Well... I just felt... Tetsuya-kun spent so much money on my treatment... no matter how uncomfortable or painful it is, I have to cooperate..."

"Are you going to listen to the doctor or to me?"

"Huh?" Yuna was taken aback. "Is there a difference...? Could it be... some kind of incomprehensible lame joke...?"

"Look at my expression, do I look like I'm joking? Are you willing to trust me unconditionally, Yuna?"

"Oh... what happened... how did this happen all of a sudden..."

"It's a bit complicated and I can't explain it right now, but please believe me, it's all for your own good, Yuna. Will you do as I say, even if what I say is different from what the doctor says?"

"Tetsuya-kun..."

Despite being completely baffled and looking utterly confused, Jinguji Yuna nodded to the man in front of her.

"I don't quite understand... Maybe I'm just too stupid... But I trust Tetsuya-kun... I'll do anything I can..."

Li Ang glanced at the corporate warriors in black suits who were following him across the street, and whispered to Yuna:

"Don't tell Dr. Joseph, don't tell Dr. Lane, don't tell the hospital security or anyone else."

It's just you and me, because it concerns our fates...