4.5 Third Blue Star - A Glimpse of the Future

Dream.

Gui Lan took awhile before he entered sleep as he laid beside the unconscious Xie Ye. He closed his eyes on the bed intending to sleep while hugging the warm person beside him. In his slumber, a hazy feeling fills his body feeling heavy and uncomfortable. Slowly he opened his eyes revealing the pair of pearl orbs which had the shade of aqua.

Gui Lan opened his eyes and saw two full body mirrors in front of him. A black and a white one. Looking around him he couldn't perceive the size of the place. The place is an endless white area with no bounds or horizon. Just simply white. The hazy feeling in his eyes pointed out that this is a pace similar to his soul domain but it was not under his control. After all this is a separate realm from the living. The dream realm only a Dream God can govern such a place. Even he is unable to muster his real capability in such a place much less than most of his skills were sealed now except for few.

Upon remembering his newly acquired ability before he entered this world, Gui Lan understood that it was his precognition skill at work. It was a dream that let him glimpse in the future. A normal user of this skill is usually only able to see a few seconds ahead of time. Most humans do, but who is he? Even without his complete memory he knew that he isn't an ordinary existence. When he trained for the two cognition skills in the system's training ground there was no limit in duration of how much he could see. He could even perceive an ordinary human's full lifetime if he wishes too or see the future options of one's life can have. This familiar scene before him is that skill to see someone's future. That was the mirror he used as a medium to peek through the timelines of the future, which will not cause any disruption to it as long he chooses not to. But this is the first time two mirror's appeared before him.

At first he was bewildered seeing that his precognition skill had activated on it's own, but upon remembering that his skills in cognition is a bit hard to control, Gui Lan knew it must have activated on it's own after using the Retrocognition on Yun Li and Xu Lun this evening.

[A/n: Precognition, the power to perceive future events before they happen. On the other hand, Retrocognition, the power to discern events of the past.]

Gui Lan forward until he was in front of the black and white mirrors. They sat before it to watch the scenes unfold. He first focused on watching the events in the black mirror. The pictures in the mirror unfolds letting Gui Lan see the situation within it. Gui Lan saw the plan he and everyone made. The escape plan was successfully with the help of Gui Lan's father and his people who attacked from the outside. The Institute branch was destroyed and Gui Lan's Second Uncle was caught for his involvement to human trafficking and murder attempts to his two nephews, Gui Lan and Yun Li.

After that event, the scene continues to play. Gui Lan returned to his clan and Xie Ye came with him. They grew up together and not even separating much. As they grew into adulthood, the feelings they shared also matured from close friends to lovers. The minister accepted their relationship in exchange Gui Lan was removed from his position as the heir of the seat. Gui Lan and Xie Ye accepted this condition and the minister had given them the freedom they'd wanted. The couple had left the minister's place when they decided to live on their own. With the inheritance Gui Lan received from his clan, he and Xie Ye had chosen to hide themselves from the world and didn't get involved in it at all. A new heir was chosen for the minister's seat who leads a group to save and capture the other Esper suffering under Inferno Syndicate.

Yi Zheng grew up and reached his destined position as Chief of the Supernatural Investigation Department [SID]. With the promise to meet, Li Xing and him separated that night when they successfully escaped. Li Xing was returned to the Li Family while Yi Zheng was adopted by Agent K and Agent Q as their future successor. But unfortunately, Li Xing who returned to his family had suffered even worse than when he was in the institute. In the end he died under the secret orders of his twin brother, Li Guang. When Yi Zheng first took his position as chief, he had sent an invitation to Li Xing to work with him as a partner, but at this time Li Xing was already dead. Li Guang using the same identical face of Li Xing came instead. He took Li Xing's identity, even tricking Yi Zheng into thinking that he is Li Xing.

[A/n: Esper is an individual who uses scientifically based supernatural powers and emits AIM.

SID, Supernatural Investigation Department, is a special police department. Their focus is about supernatural events that even the crime division is unable to solve. Most cold cases the crime division is unable to solve are those incidents involving ability users like espers. Some espers who were saved that day when the group escaped the institute facilities after receiving counseling were gathered in a newly created division for espers. Some agreed to join while the rest left and live in the city with the normals [non-ability user]. The main facilities of Inferno remained unknown and cases involving psychopaths serial killers were ability users Inferno planned to use to spread the existence of espers to the world.

Yi Zheng and Li Guang tried their best to capture all those psychopathic espers released by Inferno and at the same time look for the trails that will lead them to where the main members of Inferno Syndicates hide themselves. But because Gui Lan and Xie Ye choose not to get involved with this, Li Xing the real protagonist shou of this world died and Yi Zheng not having Gui Lan who helps him in surface and Xie Ye who helps in eliminate the enemies in the shadows, things had gone beyond his control. Some espers in his department were hypnotized and started leaning back to the syndicate. As most ability users were not really welcomed in the city, they were secretly retreating as monsters, especially those who can inflict damage mentally and physically like Gui Lan's abilities.

In the first place the former children in that institute branch sees Gui Lan and Xie Ye as their leader instead of the innocent and naïve Yi Zheng of their group. Once these two disappeared those that used to fear them started doing whatever they wanted. In the end Yi Zheng died under the hands of Inferno's main force as he was protecting Li Guang. Li Guang without Yi Zheng's protection is no different from an ordinary person. After all he really is not an ability user but just a normal person. He didn't have supernatural abilities. It just happened that he is a bit smarter than others and his memory is extremely good, but that it is all in it and nothing more.

The Inferno syndicate successfully spread the notoriety of espers in the world. It didn't take long for those ability users to take the leaderships in the country controlling everything using their supernatural abilities. The downside is that espers from Inferno were cruel and merciless. They kill those they hate without question and harm normals as if they weren't from the same species. These events lead to population dropping and world destruction is imminent. When Gui Lan and Xie Ye return to the surface, everything is already beyond them. Xie Ye was killed and when that happened Gui Lan chose to destroy the world himself.

Seeing the scenes that showed on the black mirror, Gui Lan almost lost his temper when he saw Xie Ye die miserably in that timeline. He didn't need to watch the other situation in the white mirror. The events that unfold in it is what the world is destined to have. The group split up. Gui Lan returned to his clan and chose to separate with Xie Ye temporarily. He brought Yun Li and Li Xing with him. Xie Ye who woke up not seeing Gui Lan had almost gone crazy, but under Gui Lan's orders some espers whose ability is to seal memories had used his ability on Xie Ye. His memories of Gui Lan and the other two were sealed. The same was done to Yun Li and Xu Lun. This is a seal that will unlock itself slowly when they meet once again in the future.

Agent K and Agent Q decided to adopt the three remaining boys. Of course! This is under Gui Lan's orders. They were tasked to train the three to be not as secret agents but special agents that will take the lead for all other children espers like them. They knew that since Inferno's main quarters were not found, more and more man made espers will appear thanks to this evil syndicate whose goal is world domination. Only when these three pairs made choices not in accordance to their emotions that the destined ending of this world would not be destruction. But before they reach adulthood they need to live their own lives first.

Gui Lan doesn't need others to help him make a choice. He already made it on his own. Though once he woke up, the emotions of sadness filled his little heart. He closed his eyes as he made his decision, leaving that surreal realm of dreams.

Evening.

Dormitory Room 0373.

As Gui Lan opened his eyes from his sleep. Tears strolls down on his face while dazed. Scaring those other children inside the room seeing his current abnormal state. Especially Xie Ye who was stiff as he looked at him with confusion and fear in his eyes. Unable to think of what he should do in this kind of situation when the most important person of his life showed such an extent of sadness.

Li Xing and Yi Zheng approached the bed and looked over at Gui Lan with worry in their eyes. Even the newly joined pair, Yun Li and Xu Lun, watch him from the side in silence and surprise. After Gui Lan isn't the type to show his emotion on his face.

Li Xing asked, "Why are you crying, A'Lan? Are you hurting somewhere?"

Yi Zheng started running around looking for medicine. Panicking like a headless chicken, "Meds. Meds... Ah... What to do? What to do!? A'Lan is crying in pain. Wa~"

Yun Li spoke, "Calm down."

Xu Lun, who grabbed the panicking little bun Yi. "Too noisy."

Receiving two cold responses from his newly made friends Yi Zheng looked like he was bullied as he stared at them. Li Xing could only pull him over so he won't act so foolishly again. On the other hand, Gui Lan, who finally got his emotions under control, could only hug the frozen little statue before him.

With his current smile hidden within the embrace, his following thoughts are: 'Pfft! Normally this person would pull me in a hug as long as he feels that I'm unhappy, but this is the first time I've seen him frozen because he didn't know how he should react. So cute~'

Xie Ye who finally got over his shock, felt the warm body grab on him. He at first flinched before wrapping his arms around the small figure in his embrace while patting the latter's back in comfort. He thought that maybe Gui Lan is still frightened of his nightmare. Gui Lan hugged the other until he was satisfied. In a while he finally spoke up while rubbing his tummy.

Gui Lan, "A'Ye, I'm hungry."

Xie Ye reached out his hand and rubbed Gui Lan's tummy without any change of expression on his cold face though obviously one can see his gazes softening. The serene atmosphere between the two children was broken when they heard a loud stomach rumbling from the background. Looking for the source they saw Yi Zheng's tall figure hiding behind Li Xing's small body while grabbing his grumbling tummy.

Xie Ye stood up and didn't forget to hold Gui Lan's hand. "Let's go eat dinner. The cafeteria should be opening soon. Leave the introduction for later." he said.

Everyone was preparing to leave the room when a sudden announcement was heard in the dormitory.

[Ding! Dong! Announcement: The cafeteria will be open only for take-out today. At least two representatives from each room are allowed to get the take-out for the whole group. Cafeteria closes after 3 hours. I repeat. The cafeteria will be open only for take-out today. At least two representatives from each room are allowed to get the take-out for the whole group. Cafeteria closes after 3 hours.]

This announcement was made because most children suffered from the chaos that happened in the gymnasium this morning. There are lots who were injured, some even hurt their ankles and dislocated their bones leading to them not being able to walk properly. The dormitory building is a bit too far from the location of the cafeteria especially for those with injuries to take such a long walk at their current states. Moreover, this institute had to make sure that their future subjects wouldn't be broken before they could even begin their experiments. Which leads to three days rest for the children and adults working in the facilities.

From room 0373, the ones who volunteered were Xie Ye and Xu Lun. Since Xu Lun needs to meet the adult named Lin Ke (Agent Q) for the information Gui Lan asked him to prepare. He received the orders through a telepathy message before he and Agent K left the dormitory building this morning.

Before the two left, Xie Ye's lingers longer on Gui Lan while the latter just gave him his usual smile. Playful and cute, but for some reason seeing Gui Lan's smile made his heart unease. He couldn't understand or explain what the difference was from before. Thought just seeing Gui Lan's current smile gives him a forbidding feeling, as if something he doesn't like would happen. But despite that he couldn't ask the other person, Xie Ye knew that if Gui Lan doesn't wish to say anything he wouldn't even say a word at all. Forcing him to say it is even more impossible. So for now he could only keep his silence waiting for the right moment to ask him what is the problem. Only in the near future that Xie Ye would realize that he should have asked the question his heart wanted to say. If only he did then, that wouldn't happen.

After Xie Ye and Xu Lun left, before they reached the cafeteria the two had first separated. Xu Lun needs to meet Sir Lin Ye in his office before he joins Xie Ye in the cafeteria. Xie Ye took his time but didn't head straight to the place when they could get their food, instead he roamed around secretly in the institute while avoiding the camera security and staff. The place he's heading for is that place he saw from the memories from the child of first group clearance. It was the test location for the experiments. Xie Ye was only intending to peek through the location's escape routes in secret, but what he saw in those rooms shocked his young heart.

The location he went through is the same place where Yun Li and Xu Lun had experienced the nightmare. Obviously the place is supposed to be all cleaned up and the people inside were doing a late scheduled sterilization of the room. Xie Ye hides his presence in the darkness shadow in that dim lit hallway as he watches a group of adults carrying a black long bag which seems to be full of something. The bag is about to burst from it's inside contents, and the zipper of the bag was left half open. The four adults were holding the four corners of the black bag. Xie Ye while hiding in the shadows watch the men come out of a room. Because most of the lights in the hallway of this part of the building, it would be hard for people to accidentally trip into a potted plant on the hallway.

"Shit! It's so dark in this place. Could they leave a few lights on!?"

"Be careful. The lights on this floor are almost all turned off."

"Stop complaining. What do you think we are holding? Do you want others to see what's in the bag?"

"Your voices are too loud."

"Shut it! I know!"

"Hey! There's a pot on that way!"

It was too late when the other person heard his comrade's warning and he successfully tripped on the potted plant by the sides of the hallway. The man who tripped was holding on to the corner of the bag but accidentally let go of it when he tripped. The half zipped bag fell on the floor with a loud sound and some of its contents fell out from the opening. What fell from the bag gave Xie Ye the feeling of extreme fear for the first time.

The thing that fell from the black bag is a cold dead body of a child. The child's eyes were wide open almost falling from the socket. It was shaded in gray and lifeless. The expression on the child shows immense pain and fear in his last moments. The child couldn't even close his eyes before he took his last breath. There are traces of drool and foam on the corner of his mouth, blood trails on his nose and ears. Obviously this child had lost his mind in the process. Xie Ye almost gasped loudly if not because he covered his mouth on time. He hid his small body within the corner of the wall and darkness while holding his breath. Not allowing anyone to catch his presence nor his breathing sounds. Fortunately the adults didn't notice his sudden movements.

"Tsk! Watch it! Bring it back in!"

"I know. I know. Why the hell are you shouting!?"

"Move fast. We are running out of time."

"The next scheduled cleaning should happen after a year or so."

"If not because this clean up task gives away huge rewards who the hell would do it!?"

"Shut your mouth and get moving, if you want to get paid."

It didn't take a while before the adult left the floor with the huge bag. Only when there is silence in the dark hallway that Xie Ye finally took back his breath and gasped for a few moments. There's a nauseous feeling building up in his stomach but holding it back well.

"They are insane." muttered Xie Ye with a slightly trembling voice.

Only then he remembers those memories he saw from that boy who successfully completed the experiment's first clearing. Their almost lifeless eyes say it all of what kind of hell they suffered. Xie Ye left that horrid place to meet back with Xu Lun. Take their food and return back to the dormitory. That nightmarish scene made him fear and realize that if they didn't pass those terrible experiments, that would be the same ending they would have.