He didn't answer right away.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWpOORgUDg
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUNPssmz5O
Because he knew—it wasn't a question one could answer in a single breath.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmdiFUMcfr
It was a riddle that required the soul to slowly shed its layers,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pWDDycv99
to be rewoven before it could respond.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbi5nIpgQOi
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjBH3GJ6NG
"Do you think I still have a choice?" he whispered, as if asking himself.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9srJ9GXXe
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pX8tCgwy8
"You were never given a choice,"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ278n6AEh8J
Bai Zi-Ming replied, his gaze calm like a still river,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXgimZG10L
but with currents hidden deep beneath.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpOO3LWL3c
"What you've always had—was burden."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5njA8ybux2
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwErM5W2jJr
He tried to speak,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8xAGupP1v
but his throat was parched,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwtmBuZ2YE
his voice buried beneath layers of fractured time.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFbmKNvH9p
The ungrasped past, the names too dangerous to recall,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhXRqh975O
and the cross in his pocket—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3AI5nsUJYq
all pressed against his breath like a weight.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJalpaaWEqZ
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7AP59oaUO
"You want the truth behind the 281 days?"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WazUuZDa1
Bai Zi-Ming asked suddenly, his voice nearly a whisper.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyLi59MiWR
"Then understand this:19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXGL6uAOBo
your memory was never from a single source."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZIJMOuy4Va
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfsKKBXh8V
"…Meaning?" He looked up, brow furrowed.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1DMQFULYj
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3Wqd5Zkdn
"You've been… adjusted.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡniDfto1Xdv
Or rather, your time has been written, rewritten, and folded again."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0ERlL23aw
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1nA95bNte
"Each moment you remember—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kk1GCPX8v
may come from yourself,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSZRF2MbUB
another version of you,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRDn92eWox
or a future that hasn't yet occurred."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1F7F6qu3t
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJqz0TcLxz
Silence stretched between them,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwcqGnH8PR
like the broken timeline unraveling inside his mind.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cs8MPDkNS
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt2OElT7xi6
He suddenly remembered the photo—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtMmSfYPik
the clock frozen at 28:01.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0zi5RqzHB
It wasn't the end of time.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NxpsFJqhw
It was a new beginning, in another form.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63IOH26LyR
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Q0iY1t7Sk
"So who am I now?"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2N6Mi6kLL
He asked softly. But this time, there was no tremble in his voice.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RttGYQwQE
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaHp5Idt89
Bai Zi-Ming didn't answer immediately.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTudFNU2d5T
Instead, he stepped closer, and said quietly, with clarity:19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnKUZeAxuz
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vE4O2jFGb
"You are the one who—across every version—chose to remain."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMAgAX754n
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnA70FivNUf
The moment those words landed,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlUKgFL5xJ
something inside him stirred—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYre26GpnqE
not breaking,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQmSNb1lVZ
but realigning.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcviFQA20WE
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGsHv0dtAs
"When you're ready," Bai Zi-Ming said, turning into the shadows,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK61nK0SiHf
"come back to me.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQ1EFWboK1
But remember—don't be late again.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecY0OjpklM
One more delay, and you will forget who you are."19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZs0ARBRHIp
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSn29KV4TX
The lights in the hallway flickered,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbYB0iFgmr
like a memory signal about to be severed.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2uPsUHsqB
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjiTxGd5pt
He stood still.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNSzMovK82
Didn't chase,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4odF8fvDD
didn't turn back.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnbDGKUFrP
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauQg5ACKdU
Because he knew—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54EWgMtVw7
the silence in that moment was already a kind of wordless promise.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHSGCsIsxum
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE0Xf23LZsN
He lifted a hand and held the cross in his pocket.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZulV8DT3H3
His fingertips trembled slightly.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9UqMsxsPlZ
It wasn't just cold metal—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEHzwR9Zw3
it was a key to every possibility.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJBcIoLAp2
A key to memory,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChfoZNdfgt
and to the fate he could no longer avoid.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDdOagfoBu
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxEpzSTbwt
The door was opening.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgEFeHiOdL
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRr0wotZWZK
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqtvFhhwgO
---19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbI7fGob9g5
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9BDL93IX9
When he left the LUOYEH base,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExC5sYHo1B
the sky outside hung between two extremes—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77cEC0G6Id
not day,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrqWoPhXJW
not night.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS8Aidc9DGg
A soft light drifted through the air,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3GnzYefd1
carrying whispers left unfinished.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXA8AEMZQ5
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfftW1B4LCk
As he entered the alley,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxS6n6OXtrO
his phone screen lit up on its own.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMOt0Pp72g
The time flickered for a second, then displayed:19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjv8PeSrgub
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf48O6poa5w
February 23, 2025 (Sunday) — 18:4019Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdEdshI1Az
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qQ567sNIK
He froze.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZNHaX38Yz
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMViBVSwMS
That was impossible.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRtxdanrzZp
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5UD5l7CWn
When he entered the base, it was 3:47 PM.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMibdPm8k9j
The conversation hadn't lasted more than a few minutes.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUQCJLxWJD
There should've been no gap of nearly three hours.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzH7VNT8DH8
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9F8sgNjKHv
Even stranger—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIruXI6GIQf
he couldn't recall anything from the moment he left the inner room until now.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH56USebMj1
As if someone had sliced out an entire stretch of memory—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVHK8h230D
cleanly, surgically, without even ash remaining.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuOWzUBmcG
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3gdoF8ck8
"How long have I walked again?"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5BKBOzFYSB
he asked himself, voice so low not even the wind bothered to reply.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDqPwQL7Hxz
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAXnm09Pj0
He opened his notes app,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGeQUD0xKr
intending to record what Bai Zi-Ming had said—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwnmeiJrkq
only to find a line he never remembered writing:19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMnbzlmwOK
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBu79PBut6e
[Tuesday – fracture : 2/25, 03:00 tentative]19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6mKb6ZnqT
[Reverse Axis remains unstable.]19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLnTB52Yrb
[Do not return.]19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTS1kKwJGm
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81jPRYPbA5
He hadn't written that.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ffZfg4PNa
But it was in his voice—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbySI3kdHW
his format, his rhythm, his syntax.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCotFtv94q
Exactly like something he'd write to his future self.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdk9NMhZZ7
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYjrb47Urq
He tried deleting it—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjc8y7BjzB
but nothing happened.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9vuifUl15
His finger brushed the screen,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hZaEiwPpu
and the entire device seemed to chill.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9z70W2Cpa
Tiny static flickers danced across it—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZxIYNVjhK
like interference.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCiPBXoiap
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHFEJUGijU
Then he knew—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3I30fDDGNi
this wasn't a warning.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHdn0fJxw5
This was a trace of timeline interference.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbZSlb8FXm
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXP6CwV8bYZ
He looked up quickly, scanning the distance.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5vr66Fy1a
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvlUO7zdNa5
At a far corner,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmoXOWtEjd
a figure flashed past—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQafEPB7dI
so like the reflection he'd once seen in a mirror.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LRP0llsw4
But the stride was different, the posture foreign,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzvjw7TNFr
the eyes not his.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Phe51JQX1
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDhhXIeol6
Yet—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQMa80DlwV
not entirely not his.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMxlYXMdUn
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXs17O2pGd
He turned sharply,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6116B1XYp
ready to chase—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ983AsPMtPL
but stopped.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMNnsYv1PA
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5mVsTVFWK
Because he understood:19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVG0OFQhGPL
if he approached,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tgTSSzLQJ
he could never come back.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdl6pjEXxJn
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1EZL0oFH4b
He whispered,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKMVgxY4i4
"28:01… is it beginning?"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSX64b6MxC
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RYaA1ua69
He drew the cross from his pocket,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4uBeE2Umx
held it in his palm—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazccVxR8wP
as if testing whether it would respond again.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhb5LxY8u3W
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiizT03hvg7
Cold.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZbZK04w8n
Silent.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrapA9EwhFw
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9VmK6WaHx
But as his gaze settled on the point where the bars intersected,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg61udhzHVl
he saw it—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdoYAlbhC3
a fine fracture running along the surface,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnk7JShu0H8
and at a specific angle,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3fjGqpKH3
a hidden reflection emerged:19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhAR9dO1Lm
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonwu2Y6UtT
X-Ω Layer // Phase 1 Initiated19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0IBQrMdPxh
First Reversal Expected: 火曜日 28:0119Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLLBIJf2sZc
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqM79QS330
Not "Tuesday".19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo86FPkjKv4
火曜日.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZK3FmnxHiM
He'd never seen that word in his phone or system—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2WsvVBSI7
an ambiguous name,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEFgrtpZif
a term that only surfaced19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFvR9ahJ6h
when events had crossed into irreversibility.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmhSGu0GRU
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQmpFKUH7s
"He really did stay behind," he murmured.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6Md02m4mn
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgBBaTDMEL
"But now…19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUsPYYwTU9
can I still leave?"19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMZ3wNoNhe
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMhwNLweP9
No one answered—except the wind.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MA7vEpj7Y
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZ1EKyHHgp
The wind had never truly stopped.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6R3e0c2i6X
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZl9aWbfBI
And now,19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmeGcCnXmTR
it was no longer just the movement of air.19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLisXJFkARy
19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdY7Ip0Lpd
It was the echo of memory—19Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnQnj7UB9z
and of fate.
Penana
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