Only I Walk Alone

“Brother, brother, shall we go watch the fireworks?”

Wu Ge began dreaming again. Since returning from the Nine-Tailed Fox, he had constantly dreamt of Xiao Li, with the dreams becoming increasingly realistic.

One night, when Wu Ge woke up, he suddenly saw the Fox Immortal standing at the head of his bed, her fox eyes wide open, and three white fox fires floating in the air, making the Fox Immortal appear particularly terrifying.

Wu Ge sat up and asked, “Fox Immortal? Do you need something from me?”

The Fox Immortal said, “Don’t you know? As long as a human continuously thinks of me in their heart, I can sense it. Your thoughts are so loud that I can’t sleep. So, I’ve come to warn you.”

“My thoughts? What I’ve been dreaming of doesn’t seem to be…” Wu Ge suddenly stopped himself, paused, and then said, “I’m sorry, I’m almost unable to distinguish between reality and dreams now, and I haven’t found the key to tranquility you mentioned.”

The Fox Immortal explained, “The so-called tranquility is about treating the unusual as usual, getting accustomed to it naturally, not to think or dwell on it, but to face it calmly.”

Wu Ge said, “I keep dreaming about Xiao Li pestering me to take her to see fireworks.”

The Fox Immortal said meaningfully, “Then why don’t you just take her to see them?”

Wu Ge realized, “I understand now, Fox Immortal, could you come again at this time tomorrow?”

The Fox Immortal collected her fox fires, and her large fox eyes became smaller. She said, “I’ll give you one last chance. If you disturb my sleep again, I’ll come to kill you.”

The Fox Immortal left.

But Wu Ge couldn’t sleep anymore. He wryly smiled to himself, thinking it wasn’t his fault since dreaming is beyond one’s control.

The next day, Wu Ge got up early and had Xiao Chao start preparing fireworks, while he himself got ready for Xiao Li’s visit.

Wu Ge waited, but when the agreed time came, the Fox Immortal did not show up. Wu Ge was startled and suddenly asked, “Xiao Chao, you should have the recording of me sleeping last night. Did the Fox Immortal visit my bedroom?”

Xiao Chao replied, “Retrieving and reviewing the footage… review complete. Last night, no living being visited your bedroom. If there had been a visit, my security system would have reacted.”

Wu Ge understood, murmuring to himself, “So it was still a dream? I really can’t tell the difference between dreams and reality now.”

Was the encounter with the Nine-Tailed Fox from the beginning just a dream? Was it really a dream, or did my spirit leave my body?

Wu Ge was truly confused, feeling like he was dancing on the edge of a cliff, one misstep away from falling.

Xiao Chao’s voice suddenly brought Wu Ge back to reality, asking, “The fireworks are ready. When shall we light them?”

Wu Ge remained silent, a fireworks display just for himself?

“Let’s do it!” Wu Ge said.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

The fireworks soared into the sky, then burst into the night, the beautiful and colorful display illuminating the entire sky. Wu Ge stood on the balcony, squinting his eyes, watching this grand fireworks display alone.

Wu Ge watched the fireworks show, still not coming back to reality even after the display was over.

Xiao Chao said, “360 barrels of fireworks have been released.”

The fireworks display ended, and Wu Ge looked at the quiet night sky in silence, his heart neither joyous nor sorrowful, but his eyes gradually became misty.

Then, a voice suddenly came from behind him, “Brother, have the fireworks started?”

Wu Ge turned around in surprise and saw a fox girl with reddish-brown long hair and a reddish-brown tail, exactly like the Xiao Li from his dreams.

Wu Ge said, “I’m sorry, the fireworks have already ended.”

Xiao Li’s ears drooped, she said, “Is that so? Sorry, I came too late. But, I’m happy just to see you, brother. Brother, I have to go now.”

Wu Ge asked, “Leaving?”

Xiao Li said, “My wish has been fulfilled. Brother, I’m leaving now. If fate allows, maybe we’ll meet again in the next life.”

Xiao Li ran over and gently hugged Wu Ge, then turned around, her body slowly fading.

Wu Ge suddenly called out, “Xiao Li.”

Xiao Li turned back, then saw Wu Ge holding a sparkler in his hand. Wu Ge said, “There’s one last firework left, shall we light it?”

Xiao Li’s body suddenly became solid again, she excitedly said, “There’s still a firework? I want to light it!”

Wu Ge lit the thin, long sparkler and handed it to Xiao Li. She held the sparkler up high with one hand and covered her ears with the other hand, fearfully.

She leaned against Wu Ge, her reddish-brown tail swaying back and forth, clearly excited.

“Bang!”

The sparkler began to release fireworks.

“Ah!” Xiao Li was startled, then watched the fireworks burst into the sky, squinting her eyes, “So beautiful!”

“Bang! Bang!”

As the fireworks continued to burst, tears streamed down Xiao Li’s cheeks, she choked up, “No, it’s just ash getting in my eyes.”

Wu Ge also looked up; the countless fireworks before did not compare to this moment’s solitary beauty. Fireworks were best when shared with someone.

Xiao Li slowly spoke, “Brother, I have no regrets now. I’m sorry for bothering you these past few days. Now, I should leave.”

“Plop!” The sparkler fell from its stand into a swimming pool below. Wu Ge looked down, and the Xiao Li leaning against him had vanished.

Wu Ge suddenly woke up. After arriving in the classroom, he saw Xiao Luo and Sister Meii, seemingly having returned from orbiting Earth. Wu Ge greeted them, then asked Xiao Chao, “Did we set off fireworks last night?”

Xiao Chao replied, “A total of 360 barrels of fireworks were released.”

Wu Ge asked again, “Was I there until the end?”

Xiao Chao answered, “After the fireworks were done, you returned to your bedroom.”

Wu Ge rubbed his temples, “Is that so? Was it all just a dream?”

His clothes suddenly fluttered as a breeze encircled him, drawing surprised looks from Xiao Luo and Sister Mei.

Sister Mei noted, “His psychic power… seems to be growing!”

Wu Ge understood then, the events of last night, the past few days, whether they were dreams or reality, it didn’t matter. What was important was that whether in dreams or reality, his choices would remain the same.

Whether true or illusion, he remained himself. He wouldn’t act recklessly just because it was a dream, nor would he be timid and cowardly if it was reality. He would do what needed to be done, facing any change calmly.

Even if he was still in a dream at this moment, even if Xiao Luo, Xiao Chao, Sister Mei, and others were illusions, he wouldn’t change himself.

Whether humanity disappeared or not, he would continue on his lone path.

“Boom!”

Having realized all this, Wu Ge felt as if a surge of spiritual energy had opened his crown chakra, and his psychic power began to increase rapidly. He felt a deeper connection with everything in the world. With a thought, a cup filled with warm water flew towards him, and with a wave of his hand, the water in the cup flew out and turned into a lifelike ice dragon.

The ice dragon soared through the air, leaving Xiao Luo and Sister Mei in awe.

At that moment, a female voice came from outside the villa, “Congratulations, congratulations, Dao friend, you have broken through the delusion and can now be called a true person.”