But Xia Pingzhou wasn't in the photograph.

By then he had already left, leaving the kimono-clad girl standing dazedly in the shot, she turned her head to look around absentmindedly for his departing figure. A dolphin leaped from the water, and the photo froze that moment.

"Why didn't you call out to me last time?" Xia Pingzhou asked.

"You left without waiting for me last time," Ayase Origami said softly.

Xia Pingzhou glanced at the photo on the phone and looked away, "Next time we go to the aquarium, I'll take one with you again." After saying that, he returned the phone to Ayase Origami.

Ayase Origami nodded and looked down at the photo they just took.

"Compared to me, you're even worse off," the voice of Restricted Level 1001 suddenly resounded in his mind.

Xia Pingzhou asked in his heart, "What are you referring to?"

"In making people miss you," Restricted Level 1001 said calmly, "Knowing you'll rebel against the troupe, all your actions will become harmful."

"How can you be sure she won't leave with me when the time comes?" Xia Pingzhou asked, "If she leaves with me, then what I did will have meaning. I'm just winning hearts, which is a purposeful action."

"It's unintentional for me, unlike your malicious intent."

"It's kind of funny hearing that from someone who once destroyed the world," Xia Pingzhou replied in his heart.

Just then, Ryukawa Chiba suddenly came over from the bar, sat next to Xia Pingzhou, and smiled, "It's so lively, reminds me of how wild it was when our group used to get together."

"Doctor." Xia Pingzhou turned to look at him, "Speaking of which, I have a question for you."

"What question?" Ryukawa Chiba met his gaze.

Xia Pingzhou pondered for a moment: "Can you make people controlled by Spiritual Ability return to normal?"

"In theory, yes," Ryukawa Chiba said, "I am confident... not many spiritual abilities in this world can surpass mine."

Xia Pingzhou nodded, thinking that's great, then there might be a chance for Ryukawa Chiba to lift the spiritual control over those children when attacking the Salvation Society, reducing casualties, though it would only be a chance after all.

He knew he couldn't traverse time like Restricted Level 1001, so those lost wouldn't return, dead means dead, with no chance for redemption, so he had to be cautious enough, plan thoroughly enough.

At this moment, Ayase Origami lifted her eyes from the phone screen and suddenly glanced at Yanmo Lin, who was sitting on the sofa.

"What?" Yanmo Lin asked.

"Jack, take a photo," Ayase Origami said.

"Why take a photo?" Yanmo Lin continued to ask.

"Perhaps afraid you'll turn into Yan Duoduo, leaving some photos as a memento," the Hacker said lightly.

In an instant, an arc of light flashed through the air, Yanmo Lin's Demon Blade had already come down, slicing the table in front of the Hacker in half. Meanwhile, Andrew at the bar called forth Celestial Driver, turned around with a grim face, and pointed the muzzle of his sniper rifle at the Hacker's head.

"Alright, though I shouldn't have joked about that." The Hacker raised his hands, posing a surrender, "But no need to be so fierce, right?"

Andrew, with a stern face, put away his sniper rifle, coolly saying like a western bull, "Not again, kid."

"Take a photo." Ayase Origami looked at Yanmo Lin and said again.

Yanmo Lin looked at her expressionlessly, hesitating for a moment, "Alright then, I'll take one with you."

"Why not invite me to the photo?"

Anluns said as he came over, standing behind the sofa, drinking and glancing at Ayase Origami's phone screen. This suit-wearing gambler was as fond of the hustle and bustle as ever.

"Go away." The kimono-clad girl said flatly.

"A bit hurtful, Missy." Anluns smiled, clutching his chest.

The Bloodline came over, sat in the middle of the sofa, hugged Ayase Origami and Xia Pingzhou, and looked at the phone screen, "What about me?"

Ayase Origami raised the phone, Xia Pingzhou helped adjust the angle for her, she obliviously pressed the shutter button, and with a "click," the photo appeared on the screen.

In the photo, Yanmo Lin stood with arms crossed at the sofa's back, glancing disdainfully at Anluns, who wore a sly fox-like smile, turning his head to stare at Yanmo Lin. The Hacker also rushed over at the last moment, lying on the sofa and making a face. Ryukawa Chiba on the edge of the sofa smiled without a word.

In the background, Andrew and Robert were drinking at the bar, the latter's mechanical head remarkably visible even in the photo's farthest corner, while Tong Zizhu couldn't make it into the shot, only managing to pose a "peace" with a single right hand capturing the frame.

After taking the photo, everyone dispersed, returning to the bar to drink.

Only Xia Pingzhou and Ayase Origami were still sitting on the sofa, heads together, quietly gazing at the group photo.

Suddenly, a page of paper fluttered up like snow, shielding him and Ayase Origami.

Xia Pingzhou raised an eyebrow, lifting his head to look at this page of paper.

At the moment he lifted his head, he suddenly felt a cool touch on his cheek. Clearly, there was a commotion all around, yet the whole world seemed to fall silent for an instant.

Xia Pingzhou was slightly stunned.

As he snapped back to reality, he realized the kimono girl had gently pressed her lips against his cheek.

"Don't go." She said in a very soft voice.

Xia Pingzhou was stunned.

He suddenly understood that this kimono-clad girl actually understood everything.

He had hinted to her countless times that he was about to leave, and no matter how naive and slow-witted she was, she couldn't possibly not understand what was implied in his words. Yes... how could she not know?