I am a hero of the former civilization.

Chapter 207 Summer Festival

As you climb the stone steps, the mountainside widens considerably, with a paved stone path extending all the way to the summit, lined with small, square shops on both sides.

Ryan was overwhelmed by the variety of snacks, souvenirs, and games available, while the crowds on the road were slowly making their way up the mountain, with long queues forming outside every shop.

"It's so lively!" Hua looked around, his eyes widening in amazement. "Senior brother, does this remind you of rushing to market days when you were a kid?"

There were quite a lot of people, and apart from a slightly higher proportion of people 'playing', there really wasn't much difference.

"It's my treat today. Eat whatever you want, do whatever you want." Ryan casually waved his wallet; he had a little stash of money.

Hua was about to offer to pay, but then remembered Carol's advice and nodded slightly: "Okay, then let's start with candied apples."

Because there were too many people, Ryan didn't want to use Honkai energy in such a crowded place, so he grabbed Hua's hand.

"First, candied apples, then fried bananas, and finally some takoyaki to fill our bellies, then we can play with them one by one."

"Okay."

Neither of them used Honkai energy; they lined up like ordinary people, jostling each other as they went to the small shops. Before long, Hua's hands were overflowing.

She had no choice but to abandon her reserve and devoured a sweet apple candy in two bites. As soon as her hands were free, she put a glutinous rice ball in her hand and simply ate one after another. Just as she caught her breath, another takoyaki arrived.

"The most important thing is femininity. Figure out what kind of woman your senior likes, and then develop in that direction. Of course, your chest is beyond saving."

Carol's warnings had long been forgotten by her. This wasn't a moth drawn to a flame, where she didn't need to maintain the dignity of a senior officer while having lunch. Nor was this her home, where she was afraid of being lectured by Ryan.

Just as she was enjoying her meal, she suddenly heard laughter next to her and pouted, "Why are you laughing at me?"

"No, no, it's just that it's rare to see you so energetic. You've finally done something that's appropriate for your age, and you've even figured out a problem that's been bothering you for a long time." Ryan raised his head slightly, a smile still lingering on his lips.

He didn't know why Fu Hua had that personality in the original timeline, but in this world, her taciturn and steady demeanor might be related to him.

After all, Fu Hua was still young when the two met. Although he was only three years older, he had the soul of an adult. Maturity was his label, which did not match his age at all. Even Fu Hua's father commented that he was "mature beyond his years".

So, subtly, she was shaped into this way. Once a personality is formed, it's hard to change. Could it be considered that I ruined her life?

Ryan turned his head to look at Hua's puzzled face, and reached out to wipe the crumbs from the corner of her mouth: "Just enjoy the festival today, do what a 17-year-old girl should do."

Hua was momentarily bewildered. She had long since left the ranks of 'girls' and become a 'soldier.' Just as she was wondering what to do, Ryan grabbed her hand.

"Go pop the balloons first, but remember not to take it too seriously, or the shopkeeper will cry. Hee hee!"

The two started running. Hua glanced at the man's hand, saw the smile on his lips, and suddenly realized something.

"Senior brother, do you like Miss Alicia?"

"Why bring her up all of a sudden? I can only say that no one dislikes her."

"But I always felt that you preferred mature and stable women."

Ryan paused slightly, as if the darkness had tugged at his clothes. He turned around, his face full of smiles: "Wrong. I only like real people, whether they are crazy, passionate, cold, or... dull and steady."

Hua was speechless for a moment, and even began to doubt the meaning of life, but as he thought about it, he laughed.

'Carol, you were wrong after all. I don't need to change at all. Just being myself is enough. Why bother wasting my brain?'

She immediately relaxed. As for her senior brother, there was no question of pandering to his preferences. Although she didn't want to admit it, he and Miss Alicia were indeed very similar.

"Let's go, I want to have a good competition with you."

Ryan could tell from the look in Hua's eyes that she understood. Whether it was her usual taciturn and composed demeanor or her youthful exuberance at this moment, this was still Hua. Why should she have any psychological burden and rack her brains to become someone else?

It's small, but it's also very cute.

"Heh, then you'd better be serious." Ryan slapped down a banknote and picked up the air gun under the shopkeeper's wary gaze.

"I've also practiced with firearms, and this is my first time competing with you, so of course I have to take it seriously." Hua also picked up the air rifle, exuding an air of determination to determine who was better.

Gulu.

The boss swallowed hard, realizing from the way the two men raised their guns that they had met experts today, and silently gave his underling a wink.

Just a heads up, guys, someone's come to buy some goods.

The gunshots were brief, stopping a few minutes later, leaving only the mournful-looking boss and Hua carrying two enormous plush toys.

"I won. You need to practice your marksmanship more. You take too long to aim."

“I’ve always used my fists and feet…” Hua muttered under his breath, then pointed to a small shop in the distance, “How about we play darts?”

"Don't you think it's simple?"

"Then throw it from 100 meters away. I've had special training."

"Okay, that'll do as you wish."

......

As night deepened, the festival became increasingly lively. However, later visitors were surprised to find that all the challenging shops along the roadside were closed. Upon inquiring, they learned of a legend.

A couple swept through the entire festival, winning every game from air guns, darts, and ring toss to goldfish fishing and the eating contest, leaving the shopkeepers speechless with frustration.

They're not here to attend a festival; they're clearly here to buy goods.

But they soon discovered that the prizes that had been won had been returned, neatly placed in front of each small shop, but the owners felt too embarrassed to open their doors.

Passing through the commercial area, you'll reach another plaza. Around the plaza are several wooden houses selling ice cream and cold drinks, with tables and chairs set up in front of the shops.

Ryan ordered an iced coffee and sat down, watching with great interest the twinkling lights in the square. The girls were playing with fireworks, among whom Hua, with her gray-blue hair, was particularly eye-catching.

She half-squatted, watching the sparkler gradually burn, illuminating her bright eyes and white teeth. She had a kind of innocent, dazed look, and the sparks reflected in her pupils, making everything seem extremely beautiful.

Hua lit one cigarette after another, occasionally chatting with the girl next to him. It was unclear what they were talking about, but Hua's face was slightly flushed, and he would occasionally steal a glance at the edge of the square.

"She's never even played with a sparkler before. Hmm, it seems like her life has been rather monotonous these past few years." Ryan paused, holding his coffee cup, noticing that Hua was being overly diligent and serious.

Before, besides going to school and working, all I did was practice boxing. But after joining the Fire Moth, it's been a different story. They're constantly striving to become stronger, all to catch up with me.

It's really tough on Hua. Her skill level is the lowest among the thirteen heroes. She has made up for her shortcomings with hard work and has come a long way.

Overly serious, overly hardworking, and overly sensible, he noticed I was a bit tired and decided to play by himself. I really wish that certain troublesome guy could learn from him.

Ryan took a sip of bitter coffee, propped his head up with his hand, and thought it would be nice to let Hua relax a little sometimes. This guy just liked to keep himself too tense. Luckily, he was still young and some of his nature was still stubborn.

This thing is also very fragile; it will be swept away by time and disappear completely.

Fifty thousand years, fifty thousand years. What will she become if I'm gone? Will the aftereffects of using Feather Crossing Dust make her forget me?

Lost in thought, Ryan put down his coffee cup and suddenly felt a stomachache. He quickly pulled his wandering thoughts back and raised his head slightly.

"Taking a girl out on a date must be fun, right?"

A glass of orange juice was placed in front of him. The blond youth stood quietly, but his head was turned towards the men and women in the square. After a long while, he finally sighed.

"It's so beautiful, just like a crystal ball, pretty yet fragile."

Ryan frowned slightly; he had already noticed the man's presence. He casually remarked, "You think your work is very meaningful?"

"Of course, even if there are many unavoidable difficulties, it's good to be able to ensure the peace of a small group of people. I also want to have a passionate love affair."

"But you got slapped a lot."

“That’s because they don’t understand my charm. Brothels have their advantages, but you still have to pay.” Coleman sat down, flicked his blond bangs, and proudly took out his phone and waved it: “Besides, there are people who know their stuff. I’ve made quite a few new friends after a busy night, so I don’t have to rack my brains to get reimbursed.”

Got it, you want to get something for free.

Ryan couldn't quite understand the man in front of him and didn't want to waste time with small talk. He asked coldly, "Your method of surveillance is quite interesting. Are you trying to make a deal?"

"Don't worry, I'm on vacation too. Those idiots are overthinking things. You're just taking your girlfriend out for some fun, aren't you?"

"She's not my girlfriend."

"I know, I know. I've had my share of cheating on three women. As someone who's been there, let me warn you: you could end up in serious trouble. Women can be very dangerous."

You don't know anything! We're not even on the same wavelength.

Ryan shifted his posture and frowned, "So, what brings you here tonight?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed that Coleman suddenly became serious, even his posture became upright, and he gently stroked his chin with his hand.

"To be honest, it's because of... sexual desire."

Ryan almost lost his composure, using a light cough to cover his shock, his lips twitching slightly.

"You really are a, uh, pure person."

“Yes, the most important thing in life is to follow your instincts. I am truly honored to be praised by Dr. Lane.” Coleman said, bowing with his hand on his chest, and then slowly stood up.

"As one of our kind, I hope to be your friend, not your enemy. Some people here in Japan are getting impatient. It would be good if you could stay calm. At least within the framework of the Moth of Flames, there is no absolute power. Just bear with some things."

He dropped a nonsensical remark, picked up the orange juice on the table, and went to the next room where several beautiful young women were sitting. Then, the serious fusion warrior pulled out a business card and grinned lewdly.

Snapped.

Ryan heard a sharp slap and, before he could even process Coleman's words, simply tossed his empty coffee cup into the trash can.

Bah, who's your kind?

Chapter 208 Oh, you're blushing!

Could it be that mental abnormalities have become a common phenomenon during surgery?

Ryan looked at Coleman, who wasn't angry even after being slapped, and who had a rather masochistic temperament. Coleman was also a wonderful person who maintained his 'true self'. His confession, 'To be honest, I did it because of sexual desire,' echoed in his mind again and again.

What a gentleman, true to his word.

Ryan spat, smiled at Hua who was waving at him, and then lowered his head to think.

This person is neither friend nor foe. He only said he didn't want to be my enemy, and he went on and on about patience and resolving the issue within the framework of the "moth chasing the flame" mentality.

Without even thinking, Ryan looked up at Hua, who was waving at him.

'After waiting for so many days, they finally couldn't hold back anymore and were preparing to warn me.'

Ryan walked over with a smile, not taking it to heart at all, because his vacation was almost over and he couldn't slack off any longer.

"Is it all burned?"

"Hmm, I remember playing with fireworks when I was very, very young, but I haven't had the chance since." Hua Yi said contentedly, standing slightly on tiptoe and glancing at Coleman. "What did he say to you? Was he here to spy on you?"

“No, he was on vacation too. We just happened to run into each other and chatted for a bit. He’s a pretty humorous guy,” Ryan replied, not wanting to spoil the girl’s mood.

"Really?"