Aventurine, still in the dream, stared blankly at the screen in the live stream. The bustling noise of the dreamscape filled his ears, and the cheerful laughter of tourists surrounded him. But he just repeated blankly... "Sister... Mother..."
These were the voices he had longed to hear again, even in his dreams. But now that the moment had arrived, his once silver tongue, the thousands of words once suppressed in his heart, now couldn't form a single sound.
Aventurine just stared blankly, his mind a void, his heart filled with emptiness. His current state couldn't support any other unnecessary actions.
"March 7th: How pitiful... But the 'outsiders' mentioned by the mother in the video, that must be the Company, right? The Company will save them, won't it?"
"Dan Heng: Hard to say."
"Boot Hill: Heh, sis, don't be so naive. The Company isn't necessarily a good bird."
"Bai E: Alas, every world has its own difficulties."
"Na Kexia: So, only the people of Omphalos can save Omphalos. Some people shouldn't always be thinking of calling for help."
"Bronya: The disaster of one world is still too insignificant compared to the entire galaxy."
"Qingque: Xianzhou is still the best. At least when the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up."
Just then, the screen, which had gone dark, lit up again.
"Kakavasha, where did you go tonight...? You're injured?!"
An anxious female voice rang out. On the screen, in a desolate wilderness, next to a very crude small tent, a blonde girl held a small boy's hand, her face full of worry.
"I brought it back, Sister."
A tender voice spoke, without any fear or tension, but rather with some happiness, sharing with his sister.
"You went to find them...? That's too dangerous! This is just a necklace, you can't eat it, and it's not water. We can live without it."
The girl's voice was full of concern, with hints of admonishment and care.
"But I can't be without you, little brother... Don't go near those Katikans again, okay?"
"Sister, don't be afraid. The Katikans are stupid, but I'm very smart. If I play games with them, I'll definitely win."
Kakavasha looked at his sister's worried expression and couldn't help but offer comfort.
"Win? What exactly happened? Tell me."
The girl seemed to recall something bad, gripping Kakavasha's hand tightly as she questioned him.
"I made a bet with them: which of the two little birds in the sand desert and I would die first. I won. They suspected I cheated, but I didn't... I won fair and square."
"March 7th: This is too absurd! How old is this child?!"
"Welt: Alas, such tragedies are happening all the time in the universe."
"Star: @Pam, where is this planet? Is it in our route? I must go and uphold justice."
"Dan Heng: @Jiang Lin, why don't you take your things back? I'm afraid it might cause a diplomatic incident."
"Jing Yuan: Heh heh, it's just a child's prank. The Alliance still has that much tolerance. But then again, @Jiang Lin, you should still take it back."
"Jiang Lin: Mm, it's already been retrieved."
"Star: No! My artifact..."
"Oswaldo Schneider: The purpose of our Company is precisely to reduce such occurrences in the future. For this, no matter how great the cost, it is worth it."
"Boot Hill: I'll go to your Wuwu Bird! This matter is probably related to you. Don't let me find you, or I'll shoot you dead."
"Ms. Emerald: @Aventurine, check your phone."
Aventurine, still in a daze, noticed Ms. Emerald's message and finally snapped out of it, taking out his phone.
In the group chat of Ms. Emerald, Topaz, and Aventurine, there were already more than a dozen unread messages.
"Topaz: Aventurine, this in the video is you, right?"
"Topaz: The person in that video... Never mind, let's not talk about that."
"Ms. Emerald: @Aventurine, what's wrong?"
"Topaz: @Aventurine, why aren't you replying? Did something happen on your end?"
"Ms. Emerald: Where are you?"
"Topaz: Reply quickly, Aventurine, if you don't reply, Ms. Emerald and I are coming to find you."
... After reading through the dozen or so messages in the group, Aventurine couldn't help but smile slightly.
The figures of Topaz and Ms. Emerald appeared in his mind, and a warm current surged through his empty heart, as if a life-representing sprout had regrown from nothingness.
Aventurine silently exhaled and slowly sent a message.
"Aventurine: I'm fine... And, thank you all..."
And at this moment in the live stream, the blonde girl's voice was heard again.
"I know you can win... You've always been a very lucky child. Your luck is a gift from the Earth Mother God..."
At this point, her voice became stern, but it still couldn't hide her concern for Kakavasha.
"But that's not a reason for you to go head-to-head with the Katikans. They are bloodthirsty, cruel, and insatiable—don't forget about Mom and Dad..."
The girl's voice suddenly stopped, as if she couldn't bear to continue, then she changed the subject.
"This is just a necklace... But Kakavasha, you are my last family."
At these words, Kakavasha's originally triumphant expression instantly vanished.
"Sister, I'm sorry... I thought you would be happy. Because this is the necklace Mother left for you... There won't be another one."
"It's very important, but what's more important is you, my dearest little brother... I won't blame you, but you must remember what Mother said..."
"Pain and poverty are the Mother God's trials. She also granted us an opportunity, and that is your luck, Kakavasha. Your good fortune is our most precious wealth, and that of all Evigin people."
"You are a child blessed by the Mother God; you can lead the clan to happiness. So always remember to protect yourself, and never resent pain and poverty, okay?"
"..."
"Be good, swear to the Mother God."
"... Okay, I swear to the Mother God, I will always protect this wealth..."
And at this moment, the screen plunged into darkness, and Kakavasha's bewildered yet tender voice was heard again.
"But, Sister... If the Three-Eyed Earth Mother God truly watches over us..."
At this point, even Kakavasha's voice carried a hint of a sob.
"Then when Father was swallowed by quicksand, why didn't the Mother God protect him...? Father went to where the Katikans were to prepare an offering for Her..."
"When Mother slowly grew cold in our arms, where was the Mother God? Mother, until the moment she closed her eyes, still begged for Her forgiveness."
"Sister, everyone says I'm smart, but I don't understand. If every rain is the Mother God's forgiveness and grace..."
"Then how many mistakes have we made... to be born into this world only to die...?"