Arknights' Lock of Heaven

Amiya really works hard.

She carries the expectations of many people: Kal'tsit, the Sarkaz, the Babel operators, the Infected, and so on.

Although no one ever urged her or tried to avoid overworking her, in the face of the Demon King's power... all these pretenses were futile.

She could clearly sense everyone's expectations of her, and she was doing her best to respond to those expectations.

Therefore, you can see that she can call out the names of almost every operator, and you can see that she can chat with every operator and is trusted by everyone.

You can also see that every day is spent either studying or processing various documents, with almost no time for personal rest. Every day is frighteningly full.

The violin I loved as a child has been gathering dust and hasn't been touched in a long time.

Although she is only fourteen years old, she is already a qualified leader in everyone's hearts.

In response to people's expectations.

She really works hard.

Their hard work is heartbreaking.

She went to bed earlier than me last night, and now she's already washed up, dressed, and holding her notebook, standing in front of my door.

"Can you feel the expectation in my heart?" Xia Yu looked at Amiya and said softly, "You have met the expectations of so many people, and worked so hard..."

"In that case, here, right now, may I respond to the expectations in my heart?"

327 violins

For some inexplicable reason, as Xia Yu looked at Amiya's figure, it was as if she saw King Arthur.

Of course, they are different; they are different in many ways.

But they are all trying their best to meet the expectations of those around them.

Although Amiya is still very young, she clearly knows what she is doing and why she is doing it, and she has made up her mind.

All I can do is shelter her from the wind and rain while she is still young, and wait for her to soar to great heights.

After all, she's only fourteen years old...

What was I doing when I was fourteen?

Oh, I was still in junior high school. Compared to the future of the infected, the suffering of the land, and the way out for civilization, I was thinking more about how good this TV series was, how good that cartoon was, how good that female classmate was... cough cough. In short, at fourteen years old, I was still too young to understand anything.

And she already carries the expectations of so many people on her shoulders.

“I can’t feel it,” Amiya said timidly, looking at Xia Yu. “Mr. Xia Yu, what are you hoping for in your heart?”

"Me?" Xia Yu smiled slightly, "Well, I'd like to go to a concert with you, Amiya."

“Hmm,” Amiya exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.

Before Xia Yu could finish speaking, she said, "I heard you've studied violin? How about we give it a try? Let's find a place to play a piece?"

"Or we could go to the amusement park at the foot of the mountain. Do you like roller coasters? Or pirate ships? Or the giant swing?"

Amiya's mouth dropped open.

“So,” Xia Yu held out her hand, “are you going to fulfill my expectations?”

“What is this?” Amiya lowered her head and reached out to grasp Xia Yu’s right hand. “How can these things be called expectations…”

“Nobody ever stipulated that this thing has to be high-end, great, or dazzling,” Xia Yu shrugged. “It’s perfectly fine if it’s ordinary.”

Having said that, the two smiled at each other.

“Yes, that’s it,” Xia Yu encouraged. “Let’s put our studies and responsibilities aside. We’re here on vacation.”

"Just have fun."

Hearing this, Amiya felt a lump in her throat. She rubbed it and muttered, "I haven't touched a violin in so long..."

"Wouldn't it be laughable to play on a half-baked violin at such an important music festival?"

“It’s alright,” Xia Yu smiled slightly upon hearing this, “Anyway, I know absolutely nothing about music, and besides…”

He raised his fist and shook it. "Even if something goes wrong, who dares to laugh? See my fist, as big as a sandbag?"

"And how old are you?!" Xia Yu said seriously, "Fourteen! Still a child! So what if you're a bit immature? When they were fourteen, they were probably still playing in the mud somewhere!"

"And you, you're already our leader, that's amazing."

Hearing this, Amiya lowered her head in embarrassment.

Ifrit looked at Xia Yu with longing and anticipation.

"What about me? What about me? What about my story? Can I come with you?"

"Oh, you," Xia Yu said, cupping her face in her hands and pulling her up from the ground like a radish.

"Hey! What are you going to do to me?"

Ignoring the panicked Ifrit, Xia Yu turned her around.

"I think you'd rather shop with other people."

At the end of the passage was Saria.

She stood there quietly, a hint of tenderness in her eyes as she looked at Ifrit.

"Ah! Saria!!!"

Upon seeing this, Ifrit disregarded the story and ran towards Saria.

Seeing this, Xia Yu and Amiya smiled with relief.

Then, watching as Saria nodded gratefully to them, she took the hand of an excited Ifrit and led her back to the room.

She only arrived last night; she was still outside when Rhodes Island decided to grant her leave.

Upon learning that Ifrit had been granted permission to travel to Siesta, and that Himer was too busy to accompany her, she quickly and efficiently completed the task in the most direct way.

He fought his way in and then punched the leader of the robbers who had stolen Rhodes Island's medicine into the head.

Then they rushed to Siesta without stopping.

“Now,” Xia Yu said, looking at Amiya after Saria and Ifrit had left her sight.

"Go back and change into something lighter. Everyone's on vacation, why are you and the Doctor all bundled up so tightly?"

Amiya nodded repeatedly upon hearing this.

“Then we’ll meet at the doctor’s office,” Xia Yu said with a mischievous grin. “I need to wash up too.”

"Um, Mr. Xia Yu, weren't you going to sleep?" Amiya asked, tilting her head.

“Now that we’ve come this far,” Xia Yu sighed, “how can I possibly sleep?”

-

"..."

The doctor looked at Amiya and Xia Yu listlessly, then looked up at the sky.

"I said...you guys go have fun, why did you have to invite me along..."

"Didn't I say I was going to sleep?"

"Alright, alright," Xia Yu put her arm around the professor's shoulder, "How did you manage to fall asleep?"

"Yesterday I spent the whole day drawing a protective barrier on the volcano, and you slept next to me all day, and last night you slept for six or seven hours..."

"Are you still going to sleep?"

"What do you know?" The doctor disdainfully brushed Xia Yu's hand away. "Sleep, like time and money, is never enough!"

"Why sleep so much before you die? You'll have plenty of time to sleep after you die," Xia Yu said, putting her arm around her shoulder again without waiting for a reply. "Come on, come on, aren't you interested in Amiya's violin performance?"

"Oh?" Hearing this, the doctor immediately perked up. "You should have said so earlier! If you had told me, I wouldn't have been sleepy at all!"

"This..." Amiya looked embarrassed upon hearing this. "Actually, I haven't played the violin in a long time..."

“It’s alright, it’s alright,” the doctor said enthusiastically, “as long as it’s Amiya who pulled it.”

Then she turned to look at the empty beach.

It's seven in the morning, and the city is still asleep after a night of revelry.

Apart from a few shadowy figures, the beach was quite empty.

The early spring sun shone on the lake, scattering golden scales. The Doctor turned to look at Xia Yu and Amiya's empty hands.

"Wasn't it supposed to be a violin performance?" She blinked. "Where's the violin?"

“No!” Xia Yu said matter-of-factly, “Amiya was never brought from Rhodes Island!”

"Um, I originally thought I wouldn't need it..." Amiya turned her head away.

“So, we still need to get a violin first,” the professor stroked his chin, “whether we buy one or borrow one…”

“That’s right,” Xia Yu gave her a thumbs up when she heard this, “That’s exactly what you thought.”

“Then why are we here?” the doctor looked around. “There doesn’t look like there are any violins here.”

“Oh, there isn’t one here,” Xia Yu nodded. “But I saw you looked so listless and maybe you needed a refreshing sea breeze to perk you up, so I brought you here.”