Chrono Revixio [3]

"I can't breathe, I'm waiting for the exhale. Toss my pain with my wishes in a wishing well. Still no luck, but oh, well. I still try even though I know I'm gon' fail."

Both Mickeys listened to Juice WRLD's song, reminiscing about the hip-hop icon who had passed away before World War 3. As they did so, the novel they were reading became increasingly engrossing.

According to the future Mickey's expectations, it was time for him to take his younger siblings to school.

...but, a sudden realization struck him.

"No! It is that day!"

Mickey's face was filled with frustration for a second. He might have forgotten what he read, but the events of this day were tattooed in his mind.

Just the thought of it, made his eyes flash in hatred.

"Such a thing won't happen again!"

With no clue what his future self was thinking, Mickey, oblivious to the events that were about to unfold, woke up and quickly changed into fresh clothes.

He then washed his face, and looked at the mirror while slapping his cheeks.

"You can do it!"

His looks were ordinary, and had no time to get absorbed by them, as he took his already packed bags, and left the house.

A optimistic grin was visible on his face, as he headed towards towards the gate of the apartment building.

Mickey, who was being pulled next to his past self out of his own will, heaved a sigh.

"It was better to stay behind and play with the dogs. You put in effort, at least that's a plus."

The curly-haired Mickey remained oblivious, unaware that someone stood beside him. After all, he was merely a part of a flashback memory.

This also made his thoughts appear in Mickey's mind.

'I have to get to Fourth Street before 9 a.m. and buy a kidney belt. After that, I will head out of town and move to the Navotos-Malabon industrial area, waiting for the truck to pick me up at 10 a.m.'

Mickey exuded confidence, a sense of self-assurance that radiated from his very soul. Perhaps it was the fact that he was wearing a double-breasted suit - something a person born with a silver spoon, not someone like him, would typically wear.

He headed to the unofficial bus station and was fortunate enough to board a van traveling in his desired direction. However, the driver, fearing arrest by local police for operating without a license, dropped him off short of his destination, Fourth Street.

Mickey didn't waste time; it was money after all. He quickly boarded a taxi to the city's biggest industrial area - Navotos-Malabon.

He arrived at the Navotas-Malabon fuel filling station, and compared to its pre-World War 3 state, the facility was in a state of disrepair, badly in need of renovation.

This sight of the forth-grade industrial area made Mickey swore in his heart.

"When I become president, I'm going to make our country the best it's ever been! We'll be even stronger than the United States, Russia, and China. I'm going to do things that nobody else has ever done, not even the most powerful leaders in history!"

At the moment he had to do his first step into developing his country!

He rushed to the nearest hardware store to purchase a kidney belt, it was a required accessory for the job he was applying for.

He went back to the fuel filling station, and 10 a.m. arrived. He quickly called the truck driver who was going to pick him up.

Beep...

Beep...

Beep...

Mickey called and called again, yet the call kept going to voicemail.

He didn't feel heartbroken.

He told himself, "If he doesn't appear now, he will show up in the next second."

Mickey gazed at his former self with an air of detachment.

He was taken aback by the unwavering determination burning in his dark eyes; his former self exuded a quiet heroism.

'He will come! I am sure the driver will come. He is going to fill his tank at this service station after all.'

'I heard this from a reliable source.'

An hour ticked by, and the curly-haired Mickey remained remarkably patient, as if waiting for a doctor's appointment.

Confidence burned brightly in his eyes, and he finally decided to pass the time by watching some "Immortal Wizard".

'He will call me, right?'

The future Mickey knew the answer all too well and let out a deep sigh.

He crossed his legs and arms, settling into a relaxed pose as he watched the content on his former phone.

The black-eyed Mickey wasn't giving much attention to the anime and just waited for funny moments to appear so he could laugh. On the other hand, the future him made sure to not miss a thing.

He knew some of these parts, but watching them again made him know the correct sequence. He had shuffled up most of the things.

"There are fewer major events than what I expected. There is only the beast tide and the vampire attack." Mickey made mental notes.

"Maybe I can use this chance to kill my sister."

Mickey immediately scoffed at his ridiculous thought. His sister was someone he wouldn't dream about killing at the moment.

"Is he going to come?" Mickey's attention was taken by his past self, who was naive enough to not go back home, "It's already 1 p.m. According to his words, he should be here."

Mickey called the truck driver and the person who had given him the job offer... but the result was the same as a DNA test.

'Sigh...as they say, patience pays.'

The past Mickey assured himself and started reading novels to pass the time.

Mickey could only click his tongue in frustration as he looked at his old self.

"...that is really stupid of me."

Time continued to pass, and the curly-haired Mickey started playing video games on his other mobile. Luckily, he had found a spot to charge his other mobile.

Mickey's ghostly form hovered beside him, taking in the enticing aroma of freshly cooked fries, braving the harsh gusts of wind, and absorbing the cacophony of car horns and engines roaring to life on the street before him.

The curly-haired Mickey's stomach churned; he hadn't put anything into his mouth since morning, not even water.

Looking at his wristwatch again, he found out that it was 5 p.m., and more doubt kept on rising in his mind.

"...something must have happened, right?"

He was about to lose the final thread of hope he had when he made a phone call, and misfortunately, it connected.

"Hello, are you still coming?" The curly-haired Mickey didn't beat around the bush with the driver.

— "Hahahahaha! What do you think! It is your fault for believing someone you met for only three days! Hahahaha!"

The driver's voice was alive with amusement, reveling in the absurdity of the situation. Mickey's foolishness was comical, and the silence that followed only seemed to heighten the driver's hilarity, sending him into fits of laughter.

"Hahahaha! If you still have money, go home kid!"

Beep—!

Did he still have money to travel back home?

No!

Mickey's funds were dwindling, with only $10 left in his pockets. Due to the devastating effects of World War 3, the city's subway system had been destroyed, leaving Mickey with limited transportation options. Unfortunately, his meager $10 could barely cover the cost of a meal.

Tears were forming in his eyes, but he sucked them back. This was life; the current situation wasn't reversible.

"Ah, my stupid luck."

The old Mickey forced a smile as he looked at the growth point before him.

The area was teeming with activity, boasting a vibrant array of bars, clubs, restaurants, and cafes. Every establishment was open for business, packed with patrons, which inevitably meant that thieves would also be lurking in the shadows.

It was starting to get dark, and his parents didn't have a car to pick him up, and they wouldn't come here to assist him anyway.

"Where am I going to sleep?"

The future Mickey sat cross-legged in the air, as he gazed at the setting sun. He knew everything that was going to happen.

His expression remained indifferent... trying to advice his old self.

Alas, this was only a memory.

"As the sun rises and sets, we're reminded that time waits for none. Knowing when to surrender is a profound act of courage. Some threads in life's tapestry are not meant to be woven together."

All he could do was stare at the he curly-haired Mickey buying his food, before sitting on his bag.

He was between a bank and a local hardware store. This was the perfect place to rest, but he didn't dare to sleep.

The wind brushed on him, and he didn't do anything to shield himself from the cold. The only thing he had was his phone to keep him company.

"Babe! What are you doing here?!"

Before Mickey could locate the source of the voice, he was jolted back to the present. It was as if his head had been abruptly submerged in icy water, leaving him disoriented.

Regaining his composure, Mickey glanced at his tablet, letting out a low, exasperated mutter.

"...so, it was only for a second."

Phew...

He let out a cold breath of air. He didn't feel anything against his former self.

That was part of gathering experience, and he had done it in the most painful ways.

At this point, one could say he was already a senior at not trusting people.

He only believed in himself!

I need strength...

Mickey knew that for him to continue believing in himself, he needed the ability to, but he wouldn't just wake up strong.

Just like building blocks, achieving greatness requires taking small steps, one at a time.

Lao Tzu — "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Mickey went back to sleep after meditating for a few minutes to restore the Qi in his jindan. He was only left with 15 units thanks to the use of "Chrono Revixio".

The next day at school, the exams were still continuing, but something unexpected happened.

Mo Bing had returned after getting expelled for a single day!

He had killed the neighborhood drug dealers single-handedly and had become the neighborhood hero.

All the attention was drawn to him. Even those two-faced individuals who were happy when he got expelled were now boot-licking him.

This was a person with the opportunity to become a Book Lord at the 'Golden Rain Spring Festival.'

And everyone started seeing Mickey as the bad guy. How could such a person ever think of bad-mouthing Mo Bing the hero?

Although he lied, everyone thought that Mickey deserved the beating he got - some even said Mickey was just a waste of oxygen. Good for nothing!

The principal had done her best to make such rumors spread around the whole Levels High School campus.

This was an attempt to lower Mickey's self-esteem.

Little did the Mo family know that Gu Mickey didn't care about all that. He was planning to walk his own path in the book lord world.

What could a little bad-mouthing do?

It was the same as praising him.

It wouldn't change a thing!

To a god, even a fatal wound to the heart would be merely a temporary setback, as he would simply grow a new one. In his eyes, human lives and blades of grass were equally insignificant.

Mickey finished his exams earlier than any other student, like the previous day, and he went out of the school campus. He didn't want trouble with Mo Bing yet.

However, he still got beat up!