Lin Xiao sat in silence with his cats, their comforting presence offering a small reprieve from the turmoil inside him.
It had been a few hours since his conversation with Mei, and he had deliberately avoided talking to her again, fearing it might trigger an emotional conversation.
Ever since his father's death, Lin Xiao had steered clear of anything that might stir his emotions. He hadn't even spoken to his mother about it, burying his grief deep within.
His father's death has always weighed heavily on him, a constant reminder of a guilt he couldn't shake.
Lin Xiao always felt responsible, as if there was something he could have done to prevent it.
Whenever some kind of sadness threatened to overwhelm him, he would delve into those painful memories, making himself even sadder to numb the current pain.
It was a coping mechanism, albeit a destructive one, but it was all he knew as a 15-year-old boy.
Sitting there, he stroked his cats absentmindedly. Their soft purring was the only sound breaking the silence.
Lin Xiao's thoughts spiraled further into the darkness of his past, and he wondered if anyone could ever truly understand him, let alone fix him.
He felt broken in ways that seemed irreparable, and the more he dwelled on it, the more convinced he became that he was beyond saving.
The thought of returning to the modern world brought little comfort. He missed his mother and sister, but the idea of facing the reality he had left behind was daunting.
He had found a sense of purpose here, albeit temporary, and leaving it all behind was bittersweet.
Lin Xiao knew he had to go back because this world was just a dungeon, but a part of him wished he could stay, where the distractions of survival and the newness of his surroundings kept his deeper pain at bay.
His mind drifted back to Mei. Her strength and resilience, despite everything she had been through, were admirable.
She had faced her demons head-on, while he continued to run from his. The irony wasn't lost on him.
He was supposed to be the immortal, the all-knowing powerful one, yet it was Mei who had shown true courage.
As the hours passed, Lin Xiao remained lost in his thoughts, Lin Xiao didn't know what the future held, but for now, he allowed himself this moment of stillness, hoping that somehow, he would find a way to face his past and heal the wounds that ran so deep.
Lin Xiao knew he had to go back to school, train with Li Jin, his new teacher, and try to make some money to lessen the burden on his mother. But a nagging doubt plagued his mind: did any of it really matter? Why was he even doing all this?
He had a system now, superpowers that everyone wished for. Yet, despite all this, he felt like a broken, fragile fifteen-year-old boy, unable to properly talk to his crush, let alone handle the complexities of his life.
The weight of his father's death and the responsibilities that followed were crushing his spirit. The system might have given him extraordinary abilities, but it couldn't mend his fractured heart or fill the void left by his father's absence.
Lin Xiao stared at the ground, his thoughts a tangled mess. His extraordinary abilities, which once seemed like blessings, now felt like barriers. The power to control thoughts and memories, and having a system left him feeling more isolated than ever. He felt like he was living in a game with mods.
The question that haunted him was simple yet profound: would he ever be able to have a genuine connection with someone, even when he had the power to control their every thought?
He wondered if anyone could ever see past his abilities to the person he truly was. Could he ever trust someone enough to let them in, knowing he held such power over them?
The fear of unintentionally or even worse 'intentionally' influencing other's feelings or actions made him wary of forming close relationships.
He yearned for genuine connections, but his abilities seemed to create an insurmountable chasm between him and the rest of the world.
"Is this how those superheroes in those comics feel?" Lin Xiao thought to himself.
The system was supposed to be a blessing, a way to achieve greatness, but it only seemed to highlight his inadequacies and deepen his insecurities.
Lin Xiao sighed and pushed these thoughts aside. "Let's just go with the flow," he thought to himself, trying to lighten his mood.
He began to survey his surroundings, taking in the sight of the villagers huddled together for warmth.
The storm outside still raged, but there was a quiet determination among the people. some of them had faced this eternal cold before, and they would do it again.
Lin Xiao knew that before he left this place, he had to ensure the safety and stability of the village.
He had to manipulate the memories of the villagers so they wouldn't question his sudden disappearance.
Just in case this dungeon existed somewhere in the universe, he couldn't leave any loose ends.
He approached Mei, who was busy distributing the last of the rations. "Mei," he said quietly, drawing her attention.
"Yes, Lin Li?" she replied, her eyes filled with concern.
"I need to make sure everything is set before I leave," he said, his voice steady. "I want to make sure the villagers are safe and won't question where I went."
Mei nodded, a little sad. "What do you need me to do?"
"Just gather everyone here," Lin Xiao instructed. "I need to speak to them all at once."
Mei quickly relayed the message, and soon the villagers were assembled, their faces lined with worry and exhaustion. Lin Xiao stood before them, his expression calm and reassuring.
He took a deep breath and activated his memory manipulation skill.
Focusing on each individual, he implanted the idea that they would not question his absence and that they had the strength to overcome the eternal cold on their own.
As he worked, he saw their expressions change, becoming more confident and resolute.
When he finished, he felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him, almost all of his mana was consumed, but he was satisfied that the village would probably be safe.
Turning to Mei, Lin Xiao gave her a reassuring smile. "I've already told you all the tactics you can use to protect against the cold, just in case it lasts longer. I hope you stay well, and I hope to see you again."
Though he said the words with sincerity, Lin Xiao knew they were unlikely to meet again.
Laughing to himself, he thought, "This is technically my first dungeon and I'm already so emotional. What's gonna happen in future dungeons? I wish I had some kind of button to just turn my emotions off,"
Just as he finished his thought, a system notification appeared:
[Days Survived 3/3]
[Returning to Real World]
[3... 2... 1...]
Lin Xiao and his cats vanished before Mei's eyes as if they had never existed.
Mei stood there in shock, processing the sudden disappearance.
...
...
Back in the real world, Lin Xiao found himself standing in the cave where he had discovered the dungeon portal.
He was wearing his modern clothes again. Quickly taking out his phone, he saw that not even ten minutes had passed in the real world.
As he was processing this, another system notification appeared:
[Calculating Rewards...]