Pokémon, but cultural invasion

Communication interruption means that it cannot reach other ports via the network.

Looking at the increasingly shallow puddles, Quanshu sighed leisurely: "I have to walk the road ahead on my own."

Unbeknownst to many, even Water-type Pokémon can no longer swim in water up to half their calves deep.

"Thank you for your hard work. Go back to the orphanage now."

Lanxing spoke gently, but her tone left no room for argument.

"Jenny~"

The Squirtles lowered their heads and reluctantly left, leading a group of Water-type Pokémon.

Quanshu carried her on his back, moving forward in the torrential rain.

The floodwaters were still there, but they were no longer an obstacle. Bright streetlights guided the way, leading all the way to the city center.

"Wait a little longer, we'll be there soon."

Sweat mingled with rainwater, streaming down Quanshu's forehead. Time ticked by amidst his heavy breathing.

...

"Boy!"

Ibrahimovic ran ahead excitedly, already able to see the tall building with its red lights on in the distance.

"Almost there, I'm exhausted."

Quanshu's legs ached and he was panting heavily.

He was a lazy director, a game developer who sat in front of a computer typing on a keyboard, and had never done any heavy work.

This trip really cost him his life.

"Lanxing, are you still awake?"

The girl on his back seemed to have been silent for some time.

The streetlights overhead cast shadows through the rain, hiding her expression in the darkness.

A strong back, powerful arms, heavy breathing, and dim lighting ahead...

Although they should have been drifting apart, Lanxing's eyes were misty, yet for the first time she felt that Quanshu was so close to her.

The day he unexpectedly returned and invited her to a movie, Lanxing understood that the two people on parallel lines would eventually return to their own positions.

Getting any closer or getting involved will only increase the troubles and the pain of parting.

"I...don't want to go to the hospital."

She murmured, the tearing pain in her right leg constantly reminding her of the reason for the closer distance.

If we didn't walk this asphalt road, if we didn't step into that hospital, if this rain never stopped...

The two will forever remain in a state of being neither too close nor too distant; no one will separate, and no one will get hurt.

Even so, Lanxing knew that the only one who could avoid getting hurt was herself.

Quanshu has a new life and friends, clear goals and a bright future.

Izumi doesn't need her. He has the wildly popular streamer Kiju, the powerful esper Sabrina, and maybe even some female friends he's not familiar with...

Even without her, Izumi's life wouldn't change much.

But for her... in the end, only she is selfish.

"What do you say?"

Her murmurs were drowned out by the sound of rain, and Quanshu couldn't hear them clearly, so he shouted:

"Don't fall asleep. Although infection and fever don't happen that quickly, everyone in this world is different, so I can't say for sure."

"It's nothing, you must have misheard me."

The dean's weak voice rang out.

Quanshu frowned and said, "Speak up as soon as possible if there's anything wrong. Don't hide anything or make yourself suffer."

"I've carried you all this way, is there anything I can't say?"

The hand gripping the collar gradually tightened.

Words cannot change anything.

Lanxing's voice sounded like it was being squeezed out of her vocal cords, as if it were being choked, causing anxiety.

The parents who abandoned her in the orphanage will not change their minds because of a few cries.

Quanshu wouldn't abandon everything and return to the orphanage just because of a few words.

Human language is the most powerless thing in the world; it cannot change the trajectory of all things, nor can it move a person's heart of stone.

"Yes, but there's no harm in saying it."

Quanshu said in a hoarse voice, "Language was invented by humankind to express grievances and complaints."

"Is the wound too painful, or are there other injuries? Tell me, it will make you feel much better if you don't keep it to yourself."

He lifted her back, carrying the young lady of the hospital even tighter.

Does saying it make any difference?

How am I supposed to know if you don't tell me?

What good would it do you if you knew?

"Then if you don't tell me, I'll never understand!"

Even if I tell you, and you understand, it won't change anything!

"You're talking nonsense!"

Izumi, who was breathing heavily, stopped talking and said, "Sorry, I swore. I'll correct myself."

He continued, "Why hasn't anything changed? We must give full play to people's initiative."

"I...I won't argue with you anymore."

Lan Xing calmed her violently heaving chest; arguing was pointless.

Panting, Quanshu laughed and said, "How are you feeling? Aren't you much better now?"

"Human beings need language to vent their frustrations, pain, and sadness. It's very unhealthy to keep everything bottled up inside."

"I've wanted to tell you for a long time that it's not good to keep everything bottled up inside, and it's not good to dress yourself up like a hedgehog."

"I kept quiet because I didn't have a position to preach, but now it's different. I'm saving your leg, so I have the right to criticize you."

Lanxing remained silent, her gaze wandering aimlessly in the rain.

After just a couple of arguments, much of the bitterness in my heart dissipated.

She made a mistake again. Quanshu had carried her all this way, yet she had to become her emotional dumping ground.

It shouldn't be like this.

His words didn't stop there: "I've wanted to criticize you for a while now. You always have that cold face. You're not an invincible superhuman who can stay high and mighty forever."

"No, even superpowered individuals can fall into the mud. You have to be at least at the level of Champion Dan Emperor to have the right to give everyone a sour look."

"He has no skill in running a welfare home, his attitude is cold and hard, he lacks the ability to summarize and reflect, and his personality is stubborn."

"If the old man hadn't asked me, I wouldn't have bothered with the mess you left behind..."

"To be honest, I want to throw you into the water right now."

The frustration and bitterness in her chest were stirred up again, and Lanxing finally couldn't stand it anymore and interrupted him: "So noisy!"

"You're really annoying, you know?"

The urgent shouts shook a few drops of water from the brim of a hat, echoing through the rain-soaked streets at night.

"I didn't ask you to save the orphanage, although I'm very grateful that you did!"

"I didn't ask you to carry me here; you asked for it yourself, and I'm very grateful!"

"My leg hurts so much, but you keep nagging in my ear. So what if I'm incompetent?"

"That's just my personality, so what do you want to do about it?"

"Even if you abandon me here now, I won't complain at all!"

Quanshu stared in disbelief, almost stopping in his tracks.

Unexpectedly, the trash talk was very effective. The usually calm and restrained Dean suddenly exploded and threw a tantrum for the first time, acting unreasonably and irrationally.

I heard struggling sounds and suppressed sobs coming from behind me.

As lights gradually came on on both sides of the street, residents were all curious about who was arguing on the street on a rainy night.

"Hahaha!"

Quanshu burst into laughter, panting.

"why are you laughing!"

Unable to suppress her sobs, Lan Xing choked out through tears, "My legs really hurt, you know?"

"I know."

"You know that, yet you still laugh?"

Hearing her sniffle, Izumi laughed even harder.

He saw the hospital's brightly lit security booth at the end of the street.

"Besides leg pain, what else?"

The girl's shoulders twitched, and she sniffled after each word: "It's still so cold!"

"It's normal to feel cold, I feel cold too, anything else?"

Quanshu walked step by step. Even though she had shown a maturity beyond her years, she was still a child and had a vulnerable side.

"And another thing is, you're really annoying!"

"That's great, so what's next?"

Lanxing pressed her forehead against his back, her voice trembling as she sobbed, "And...don't leave me...I don't want to..."

The last few words were barely audible. Quanshu asked in surprise, "You were just joking when you said you were going to leave you, didn't you realize?"

"Don't worry, I won't abandon you."

"The hospital is just a few steps away."

Quanshu carried her through the slowly opening electronically controlled door.

When he walked up to the emergency room reception desk, the nurse on duty was startled by the sight of the two of them.

The nurse went to wake up the doctor who was sleeping in the break room.

"Wipe it."

After taking off his raincoat, Quanshu used a towel he bought from the hospital's convenience store to dry the director's face and snow-white neck.

"I...have hands..."

Her eyes reddened, and she cried, tears streaming down her face.

By the time the X-ray was taken, Lanxing had completely calmed down.

The doctor stared at the black-and-white image on the screen with a serious expression. After a moment, he said, "A crack is seen in the lower segment of the tibia shaft, with no obvious displacement at either end."

"It's a bone fracture. You need to use a plaster cast to immobilize the affected limb and elevate it to reduce swelling."

"Go and complete the admission procedures. You came all in the rain, so take a shower first. Maintaining hygiene will be good for your recovery."

The hospital's emergency and inpatient departments continued to operate normally during the heavy rain.

The private ward has brand-new hospital gowns.

"Bring a stool inside, I can wash myself."

The crying subsided, and her delicate face returned to calm.