I'm not Yingjie

"..."

Delta pointed at Alicia, and Lin spread his hands, meaning that he could do nothing about it.

"I've posted a betting pool about Lin's true identity on the Fire Moth's intranet. After eliminating the 'girls' and 'robots' who have the highest popularity, the remaining ones include sane death squads, humanoid Honkai beasts, and super-realistic projections..." Alicia listed all her ideas, and with each one she mentioned, Lin's face became darker. In the end, he didn't even need a bandage to cover his face, and the shadows alone were enough to cover his face.

Delta became interested when he heard this, and took out his communicator to find the post: "Really? Then I'll take a gamble, too."

Lin leaned back in his wheelchair, speechless. Even Delta started to act weird, and he didn't know what to say.

"Okay, I'll bet a month's salary on this, Lin, please don't let me down."

Delta smiled, patted Lin on the shoulder and left, going to find something to eat somewhere else.

"Huh? Why didn't the voting list change?" Alicia searched the interface and didn't see Delta's vote. Then she found Delta's vote at the bottom of the entire betting board, which was the option with the least votes.

"This option is... a stunningly handsome guy? There are only three people who voted."

"..."

Lin's expression did not change.

……

Lin spent the entire dance quietly watching the couples dancing on the dance floor. By chance, he saw the captain of the fourth team, Hen, and Mebius' assistant Blanca dancing together. After seeing their smiles, his icy face softened a little.

Days like this are rare for the soldiers whose lives hang on the line.

"Does it look good?"

"..."

The girl's hair fell on his neck, gently brushing the back of his neck, and a gentle voice came from above his head.

"This scene is what everyone is pursuing, and it is also the reason why Lin fights, so it must be beautiful in Lin's eyes."

"...What about you? Alicia."

"Me? Of course I'm beautiful too."

"..."

She dodged the question deftly.

The wine glasses clinked and the music played.

The dancing figures tell of humanity's momentary respite.

Lin Qi looked at these people in a daze.

It's so far away.

Lin moved his fingers, wanting to stretch out his hand, but froze in the air halfway. He stared at his bandaged fingertips, shook his head and prepared to put it down.

"Snapped."

A hand grasped his palm.

Just like then.

"Oh, the maid will strictly follow the master's orders."

Alicia used a little force to pull Lin up from the wheelchair, and with her other hand she held his waist, allowing him to stand.

"My name is Alicia. May I invite you to dance with me?"

"……it is good."

The girl's smile looks so bright under the light.

Like the spring breeze in March, blowing across my cheeks.

Chapter 27: Human Despair

Lin's body was softer than he had imagined.

In Alicia's imagination, according to what was written in Lin's physical examination report, Lin's whole body should be covered with strong muscles, which should feel like metal to the touch, and you might even hear an echo if you knock on it.

But perhaps it was because he was weak now, when he touched this boy who usually felt like a robot, the feedback from his touch was exceptionally soft.

Lin is now unable to raise his arms more than 90 degrees, his hands and feet are weak, his limbs are limp, and it is difficult for his legs to even move. For him now, the thought of dancing is simply a fantasy.

However, these were not a problem for Alicia. She easily held Lin's left hand with one hand and supported his waist with the other hand. With just her hands, she firmly supported his entire body weight, allowing Lin's free hand to firmly hook her waist to maintain balance. Then she took the lead in controlling the advance and retreat between the two of them.

After stepping onto the dance floor, Lin, who had never learned to dance, wanted to imitate others' dance steps. With his learning ability, he should be able to learn a few steps just by watching them a few times. But before he could take his eyes off Alicia, Alicia whispered, "Lin, look into the eyes when dancing with a girl~"

Lin looked into her eyes, which were filled with autumn water: "...I can't dance."

"It's okay." She moved closer.

why?

The captivating pink eyes left Lin speechless. There was a magical power that made him believe what Alicia said involuntarily.

In the shadows of the dim lights, no one noticed that two people quietly joined the dance floor and danced gracefully surrounded by pairs of dancing "petals".

"despair--"

With a step forward, Lin came closer to Alicia, and a faint fragrance lingered in his nostrils.

Perfume? Probably not, he had never seen Alicia wearing any cosmetics.

He held Ai Lishia's slender hand, and every time Ai Lishia took a step forward, he took a step back; every time Ai Lishia took a step back, he took a step forward. Their movements were coordinated and smooth, and with Ai Lishia's standard and graceful dance posture, even the most basic slow dance was quite entertaining.

It was strange. Although he had no dancing skills and could hardly use his lower limbs, Lin subconsciously followed Alicia's steps as if he was a natural dancer.

Lin soon understood why. He just instinctively cooperated with Alicia's movements. Her every step was so precise that it could be written into a dance textbook. This allowed Lin to land in the right position, and Alicia would also help him adjust his posture imperceptibly.

The awkward dance steps became skillful. Just as Lin thought, he learned quickly.

As the number of people increased, the beat of the dance music quickened, and the dance steps changed from slow three steps to fast three steps. Lin felt the force on his waist increased a little.

Turning around, swinging, tilting, rising and falling, all the movements are done in one go. On this girl who is like a crystal clear flower, everything is so natural and moving.

Lin stared at the girl's pink eyes, moved his lips, and asked almost inaudibly: "Were you talking to me at that time?"

The voice that told him to live sounded exactly like Alicia's.

But why could Lin hear her call in that empty space, and why did she say those words to him?

"When?" The girl smiled slyly, her ambiguous expression making it hard to read.

"When I fell into the abyss."

"Lin." The long pink hair drew a perfect arc in the dance. The girl's thin lips were delicate and charming under the dim light, outlining the lines of her smile. "Secrets will add some mystery to a girl, won't they?"

"..."

Everything before his eyes seemed like an illusory dream. Lin could hear people laughing. They forgot their pain, buried their tears and sorrow in this dance, and walked towards the new sunrise with strength again.

Yes, to Lin, all of this seemed unreal and untouchable, as if it would fall apart at any time.

Including the girl in front of him.

"But no matter when and where, Alicia will be here. This is the only thing that is not a secret."

The girl blinked and her smile sparkled like stars.

Lin murmured, stopping his dance.

The dance ended and a new one began, but the two were nowhere to be seen.

……

"Wow."

The night sky above the sea is vast and clear, like the Milky Way scattering stardust, dotted above people's heads.

Lin wiped the pistol in his hand in the moonlight. This standard-issue gun, which had never been fired many times, inevitably had scratches after several battles. He stroked the rough marks with his fingers, thoughts surging in his black pupils.

"Click."

The flash captured Lin's profile, freezing the frame.

Lin glanced at Alicia who was taking out a photo from the Polaroid camera. The night breeze blew through her hair, pouring down like a waterfall.

"It's a good photo. When I put it on the promotional poster of Fire Moth, I'll label it as the Thinker of Fire Moth." Alicia turned the photo over so that Lin could see herself in deep thought.

Lin asked softly, "Does Fire Chaser have a promotional poster?"

"Yes, because we have to consider everything, we predicted that sooner or later the Honkai and the Fire Moths will be exposed to the world, and we made preparations for publicity and recruitment in advance."

If that day comes, it will mean that the Fire Moths can no longer conceal the disaster caused by the collapse. By then, human society will probably collapse instantly like a sand castle hit by the tide.

How far away is that day? Will it be after he dies or before he dies? Or will it be tomorrow?

The future is full of frightening unknowns.

"Lin, how long will it take before the next major collapse?" Alicia looked back at the brightly lit base, smoothed the hair by her ears, and asked Lin.

"I don't know." Lin raised his head and looked up at the sky. In this starry sky, he had the illusion that he was being watched. "But I believe that humans can continue to win."

"'Win'..." Alicia chewed on the word, she murmured, "Lin, do you believe in humans because you believe in yourself?"

"No." Lin huffed, "On the contrary, I believe in humans before I believe in myself."

“I can always see it.”

"what?"

Alicia smiled and said, "I always see Lin Mingming looking rational and smart, but saying some emotional and impulsive words."

"This is my judgment based on reason." Lin lowered his head and looked at the pistol.

"What if humans let you down one day?"

"That would only be me disappointing myself."

Lin brushed his fingers along the patterns on the pistol, then turned the muzzle and pointed the black, round mouth at himself.

Once human beings become despair, they will block the road to the future.

He believed that humans would not be that stupid.

"But if there really comes a day like that..."

The finger on the trigger slowly tightened.

"That day will never come, I promise you."

A pink finger blocked the muzzle of the gun.

Chapter 28: Daily Life in Flow Again

"Good morning, Lin."

"..."

At 8:05 in the morning, Lin was doing rehabilitation in the second gym. Kevin walked in with a towel around his neck and wearing short-sleeved sweatpants. After greeting him quite naturally, he started his morning exercise.

"I thought I was the only one who knew about this gym. I used it alone for a month."

Kevin jogged on the treadmill, his muscles rising and falling regularly under his control. In just one month, his figure was no longer comparable to that of his student days.

Perhaps it was his extremely strong adaptability to Honkai energy that caused his body to begin to change after coming into contact with Honkai energy. At least ordinary soldiers could not undergo such a drastic change in their physical condition in a short period of time.

Lin retracted his gaze and continued his simple and effective rehabilitation exercises: "Before you came, I was always using this place."

"Oh, that's strange."

After Kevin joined the Fire Moth, he had heard most of the weird rumors about Lin. To sum it up, Lin was a freak whose right hand could eliminate Honkai energy, his left hand was equipped with a Gatling gun that could spin 3,600 times per breath, his eyes could emit petrifying rays, his legs could transform into acceleration wheels, and he could turn a day into 25 hours.

There is even a book dedicated to Lin, called "One Hundred Questions about the Silent Helmet", which is now in its second edition.

"Lin, yesterday I... um... was wrong." Kevin's expression was very strange. He wanted to show off something, but it seemed inappropriate, so he asked calmly, "Where did you and Alicia go last night? A girl with highlights was looking for you everywhere."

"I……"

"How did you know that Mei and I secretly ran to the plywood to admire the moon?"

"..."

Lin stretched his joints expressionlessly without saying a word.

The wisest thing for him to do now is to get up and leave immediately. Otherwise, based on his understanding of Kevin, what will follow will be a barrage of meaningless sentences composed of a bunch of useless words, which will be used to rape other people's brain nerves and make them have to listen even if they don't want to.