The crisp autumn breeze, usually refreshing, carried a bone-deep chill that seemed to cling to Leo as he stood at the entrance of Greenhill Cemetery. In just an hour, his own memorial service would begin.
Leo walked in through the side entrance after being dropped off at the main gate. The taxi driver had mentioned that the place was packed, making it impossible to enter from the front. Fortunately, Leo knew about a smaller entrance. After dropping him off, the driver casually pointed him toward the memorial service venue, leaving Leo with a complex mix of emotions at being mistaken for one of his own fans.
As Leo made his way in the direction the driver had indicated, he caught sight of the massive crowd from a distance. Many held banners with his name, while others displayed light boards. However, unlike the usual chaos found at airports or set visits, this crowd was eerily silent, standing in neat and orderly lines. No one spoke loudly; the atmosphere was heavy with solemnity.
Leo's emotions were undeniably complex. His fans had always been respectful and well-mannered. While there were the occasional excited screams when they spotted him, that was just human nature. After all, what kind of fan wouldn't express their enthusiasm upon seeing their idol? If they didn't let out some emotion, who knows what might happen—they could even faint from excitement.
Without realizing it, a few tears rolled down Leo's face. He frowned slightly, convincing himself it was just the wind bothering his eyes—perhaps cutting his bangs last night wasn't the best idea.
An hour passed quickly, and as the memorial service was about to begin, Leo felt the sudden urge to slip away. Standing quietly at the back, he had gone largely unnoticed. But just as he was about to leave, a few young people nearby spotted him.
After some whispered discussions, a girl began to approach him. Panic surged through Leo—he wanted nothing more than to run away.
"Hi! We noticed you standing here earlier. Did you not get a flower? We've got a spare, so you don't have to leave," the girl said, mistaking his hesitation for awkwardness over being empty-handed for the ceremony.
"…I…" Leo tried to respond, but tears welled up in his eyes again. He wasn't sure if it was equal parts gratitude and anxiety. Before he knew what he was doing, he bowed deeply, a perfect 90 degrees, and then fled, covering his face.
"(Expletive, expletive.) This is so embarrassing, Leo thought. Everything he had built over the years—gone in an instant.
In some sense, he wasn't the same Leo anymore, but the humiliation still felt just as real. He regretted cutting his bangs again—keeping his face hidden would've been the smarter choice."
Despite the fact that this body came with a social anxiety debuff, its other attributes were quite impressive. Leo had nearly run the entire way back to the side entrance without feeling winded. No wonder he had been such a skilled photographer—it seemed even his stamina was top-notch.
After leaving the cemetery, Leo didn't rush to call a cab. Instead, he walked slowly along the roadside, feeling that he needed some time to think about the life ahead of him.
Leo wasn't without goals—he needed to investigate his death—but where could he even begin?
The original owner of this body had elite hacking skills, yet Leo wasn't sure how to use them effectively in this situation.
As he mentally sifted through the people in his life, he quickly ruled out his close friends. None of them had serious issues with him, certainly not enough to plot something this extreme. But if not them, then who?
Frustrated by the lack of answers, Leo began to ponder which influential connections he could reach out to for assistance in investigating this matter.
The original owner of this body had almost no social connections apart from his own abilities, and as a secret son, he belonged to the Devereux family, one of the elite families in New Terra. After his mother's death, he had signed an agreement with his estranged father: a monthly living allowance of 50,000 credits and a biannual payment of 100,000 credits, with the stipulation that he must never disclose his relationship with the Devereux family. At just 14 years old, he had no choice but to agree; otherwise, he would likely face starvation. He couldn't understand why revealing his identity was used as a threat in the first place—what difference would it have made?
Perhaps scandals were something the upper class sought to avoid at all costs. Regardless, the agreement allowed the original owner to maintain a relatively quiet life in New Terra. He was intelligent, and despite his peculiar personality, he had managed to gain admission to the prestigious New Terra Film Academy.
As for Luca, that amusing chatterbox had dragged Huo Jun'an around since high school, claiming he was the first person who didn't pay him any mind, and everyone should see what that was like.
And that "first encounter" had lasted for seven or eight years—Luca was still a chatterbox, while Huo Jun'an remained as socially anxious as ever.
Lost in thought, Leo suddenly realized he had walked much farther than expected. Just as he was about to call for a ride, a memory surfaced—he had passed the audition site earlier, the same one he had been headed to before his death.
But it was still a long walk. Leo's eyes landed on a shiny rental bike nearby… perfect.
After paying the deposit, Leo confidently mounted the bike, only to nearly fall onto the asphalt.
"…"
Apparently, the original owner of this body had never learned how to ride a bike?
Luckily, Leo's own experience kicked in, and after a few minutes, he got the hang of it. Soon, he was riding smoothly toward his destination.