The Protagonists Keep Adding Scenes For Me | Chapter 25 | A Dream Within the Woods | Novela.app

"So... what exactly is your relationship with the Wanderer? Why was he waiting for you?" 【Friends.】 "Hmm? Just friends?" 【Yes.】 "...Fine, have it your way." "This meeting—are you planning to say goodbye?" 【...】 "Tsk. Why play the mute? At least make a sound! Weren't you quite proactive when discussing things with us earlier? Even if you come to our island, we wouldn't mind you visiting him. You could even bring him here." 【There is no need for you to trouble yourselves. I will handle it.】 The white fox clung to the mask, its words projected onto the black fabric like falling snow. 【This is between him and me.】 ... *Hmph, with a look like that, he still insists they're 'just friends'...* Watching Yi Meng’s livestream, Bai Shan chuckled to himself. Earlier, when the youth hadn't been woken up, the young man had seemed to possess a sense of gentle detachment. But once the youth opened his eyes and looked at him... That detachment had long since been shattered. The young man likely hadn't realized it himself, but the tenderness in his eyes when he looked at the Wanderer was deep enough to drown a person. "You..." The Wanderer’s eyelashes trembled slightly. His emerald eyes shimmered with a kaleidoscope of intense, dizzying emotions; even the onlookers felt their hearts skip a beat at that single glance. "You came." He seemed to have much to say, but in an instant, he lost the ability to speak. A long sigh fell softly. The young man cast aside his superficial smile and replied in a low voice, "Yes." The two stared at each other for a long time under the hazy, cold light of dawn. A sense of temporal displacement manifested between them. No one knew how long the Wanderer had lingered here waiting, nor if disappointment flooded those beautiful green eyes every time they opened to an empty forest. No one knew if he had doubted himself while adhering to the young man’s teachings, only to be misunderstood by passersby time and again. The Star Lords could use teleportation arrays to pinpoint specific coordinates in time and space, but a wanderer could not. Once cast into a certain timeline without the means to traverse it, he could only endure the loneliness and wait for time to pass. *I think... I understand why the young man chose to possess animals to accompany the Wanderer first.* Watching the livestream projection, Bai Shan’s clouded eyes were clear and peaceful for the first time. With someone watching over them so lonelily, who could have the heart to truly walk away? The young man’s brief words earlier were enough for them to piece together a complete story. ... A wandering spirit, ignorant of the world and the human heart, had encountered a Soul User who had fled here after a failed contract ritual while wandering through chaotic dimensions. Two lonely, cold souls met. The Soul User entered the youth’s dreams, teaching him about human nature and survival. Amidst the blurring lines of growing affection, he had impulsively made a promise. "When you wake from this dream, I will come to see you." However, he could not fulfill that promise. He was well aware of the risks he carried. Self-loathing led him to flee, shrinking back into a hollow shell. When he saw the Wanderer again, the other party misunderstood his hiding, believing only that he himself was not good enough. The wandering spirit guarded the forest, attempting to lend a hand to ordinary passersby. This was partly out of his own nature, but also out of a faint, infinitesimal hope. —*If... if I can do these things well...* The Soul User did not dare enter the Wanderer’s dreams again, yet he could not bear to see him wander alone. Thus, he frequently possessed small animals, using those shells like a coward to stay close to the other whenever possible. Until these spatial coordinates were locked by the Star Lords. ... "Tsk." Glancing at the screen, Bai Shan couldn't help but confirm again, "Does he really intend to clear his memory and come to the island after saying goodbye?! Just leaving the kid like that?" Yun He pursed his lips, his expression grim. Qi Mo lowered his eyes. "He probably... wants to resolve the other's obsession so he can go to a freer world." Yun He: "Foolish." To take it upon oneself to arrange someone else's life without listening to their thoughts. He looked up slightly, focusing on the youth in the projection, recalling the fragile yet determined gaze he had seen when he first asked why the boy lingered there. In this relationship, it wasn't certain who held the lead. ... "I could always feel you, as if you never left." The youth’s voice was cool, but his words were earnest and burning. "I... missed you very much." ... "Can you stay?" The usually cold and reserved youth was finally overcome by the longing in his heart. He reached out toward the person before him. The young man froze at those words, his movements turning stiff. The spectating Star Lords grew anxious: "What are you hesitating for?!" The few people far away on Lost Island knew the reason. The young man had only intended to say goodbye; this body was being sustained remotely by them; the Wanderer had been repeatedly swept into Central Island incidents, and the young man only wished for him to leave as soon as possible... But even if there were a thousand rational reasons, they could not withstand a single emotional impulse. "...Is it not allowed?" The Wanderer’s hand remained raised in the air without wavering, but his gaze gradually dimmed in the agonizing silence. A layer of mist rose, making his eyes look like emeralds covered in dust. ... The young man finally moved. He gently took the youth’s hand and pressed it against his own face. The slight chill of the palm made the corners of his mouth curl upward. The complex hesitation in his deep blue eyes faded, replaced by a sense of relief and resolve as he spoke softly. "Okay... I’ll stay." His voice was soft and gentle, like a helpless compromise or a whispered comfort. "Didn't I tell you not to cry so easily?" "Really... when you cry, it feels like anyone could bully you." The Star Lords, busy taking screenshots and swooning, expressed their total agreement. "..." The youth blinked away the mist. The cold loneliness that had always lingered between his brows vanished, replaced by a small spark of surprise and joy. He looked incredibly soft. "I'm not crying." "It just feels... like a dream." As if he had laid down a heavy burden, the young man naturally reached out to tidy the youth’s hair, which had become slightly messy again upon waking. "It’s not a dream. ...But you need to wait for me a little longer while I handle some things." He smiled, his eyes curving. "After that, I’ll go wandering with you~" "...Mhm." As soon as he spoke, the young man’s figure abruptly vanished, leaving behind a somewhat dazed white fox. Beyond surprise, the youth’s face held a sense of expected realization. He scooped up the fox, cradling it in his arms and gently smoothing its fur. "Wandering together... is it?" As if thinking of something, he smiled softly. When his cold and haughty exterior truly broke into a smile, his aura became exceptionally gentle and sweet, like rock candy melting in the sun. The Star Lords who witnessed the whole process were beyond excited: "What do you mean 'wandering together'! That's called eloping!" "What eloping! That's a lifelong pledge! Two people—that's a little family!" "Waaaah, he finally smiled, he finally smiled... This old mother is moved to tears." While the people on Lost Island felt strangely gratified, they suddenly realized that the young man’s original goal was just to say goodbye... Now that the plan had suddenly changed, what about their arrangements...? *** A day later, Lost Island received a dazed and confused Lan, who had been hiding in a cave. Two days later, Yi Meng, who had made over a dozen fruitless trips, finally confirmed on the forums that the Wanderer had left. 【Waaaah, I'm sad but also so happy.】【Baby, you have to live well! It's a good thing to leave that forest; there are so many interesting things outside!】【This is the first time I've seen a Soul User whose wish was actually fulfilled... So touching, finally no regrets left behind QAQ.】 The Star Lords were reluctant to see him go but could only accept it. ... Day Four. Mu Ran, draped in a black robe, walked out of the forest and exchanged a look with the System in his arms. No one had come for over four hours. Safety confirmed! Start working! — "Hmm..." The receptionist, Yun Luo, looked at the report Mu Ran submitted, rubbing her chin in deep thought for a long time. After excluding the interference from the various Star Lords and Soul Users, the experimental progress had been lightning-fast. In just three days, the two had completed the remaining tasks. Mu Ran’s eyes darted around as he asked in a small voice, "Did... things change much this time?" *How should I put this... you completely changed an entire world! The Good/Evil rating jumped straight from the low-tier to the upper-middle tier...* Just as Yun Luo was about to speak, the red-haired woman beside her pressed a hand on her shoulder. "They changed a lot~ Even I was alerted." Ye Lan, the leader of the Plot Group next door, spoke as if joking. "I was looking at the derivative worlds and thought, 'Huh? I don't remember sending anyone to overhaul the plot?' Oh, now I know. The Experimental Group actually has such a dark horse." Mu Ran was confused. "Ah, um... thank you?" "Hehe, the most interesting part is that because the plot you two improvised was so convincing to the main characters, traces of the discussion remain on the forums... Your story has become part of that world's background lore~" Mu Ran: ! "W-Wasn't it said that memories of our existence would be cleared after the experiment ended? qwq" "Oh my~ but the plot was just so interesting. So when they reported it to me, I couldn't help but approve it." Mu Ran: !! His voice felt faint. "Actually, it wasn't really necessary..." Ye Lan twirled her red hair and smiled. "Don't be shy... You were very cute in there~ Your partner was too~ Though that hesitation at the end really made me want to scream 'scumbag' at him..." The System floating beside Mu Ran: ... Seeing both of them silenced by her words, Ye Lan gave an apologetic smile and winked at Mu Ran. Her long, curled lashes were as vivid as a butterfly's wings. "I'll keep an eye on you~ Good luck, baby~" Ye Lan strolled away gracefully. ... *Don't panic, don't panic... I'm in the Experimental Group anyway, there won't be follow-up visits.* Mu Ran comforted himself. "Ugh, I smell something bad..." Yun Luo muttered. "She wouldn't be trying to poach people, would she..." Mu Ran didn't hear clearly. "What?" Yun Luo immediately shook her head. "Nothing, nothing." To shift his attention, she proactively opened the small world interface. "You submitted this one quite late; you'll have to work harder next time!" "The next world... Huh? It actually randomized to this one?" Mu Ran: "Which one?" "This world has a fairly mature villain group... Based on your previous performance, if you catch their attention too, things might get complicated." "Normally I wouldn't need to introduce it, but your situation is a bit special, so I'm giving you a heads-up." A villain group? Mu Ran, who was already exhausted just dealing with the protagonist group: ... He asked humbly, "Are there any items that can reduce their attention?" "Why would our Experimental Group need such items... But if you want one, you can go ask Sister Ye Lan. Didn't she just say she liked you?" "Um... I'll think about it." ... But in the end, the fear of the experiment dragging on indefinitely outweighed his hesitation. Holding the small tool gifted by Ye Lan's friendship, Mu Ran and the System entered the new world. ***