As time continued to pass, people gradually came to understand Chang Yuan anew.
By now, everyone knew that the reason humanity had been able to maintain its current stability was largely thanks to him.
Countless people praised him, countless people looked up to him, and his reputation had spread across the globe.
Some even hailed him as the savior of humanity.
However, Chang Yuan knew that the title of "savior" was not one he could bear—or rather, everyone who was willing to sacrifice themselves to save civilization deserved that title.
"It's been a year. I guess it's about time."
In his private office, Chang Yuan stood up from his chair.
Under normal circumstances, the Herrscher should have already been born by now.
And after being enhanced by the Cocoon, its intelligence would likely have increased significantly. In that case, its primary target would undoubtedly be him.
Since the Cocoon didn't know how much of the future Chang Yuan truly understood, eliminating him first would be its top priority.
In this office, all items that could potentially serve as vectors for memetic infection were extremely rare.
This was part of his plan—to minimize casualties while ensuring the Herrscher's defeat.
As usual, Chang Yuan took out the pink crystal flower Elysia had given him.
And at that very moment, his vision suddenly went dark. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself back in his own world.
Looking at the familiar rental apartment and the pink crystal flower in his hand, Chang Yuan was filled with confusion.
"Did I travel back? No, this must be the memetic infection. All I need to do is find the key point to defeat the Herrscher, or wait until they discover it, and I should be able to return."
Tucking the crystal flower back into his pocket, Chang Yuan pushed open the door and stepped outside.
Compared to his somewhat hazy memories, everything here felt both unfamiliar and familiar at the same time.
Subconsciously, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a bulging wallet.
It was the same wallet he used to carry cash during his part-time jobs in the past.
"Still quite a bit left, huh? How about some breakfast?"
Acting on impulse, he took out a red bill and followed his instincts to a breakfast shop.
After buying a meal, Chang Yuan began eating heartily.
"Hey, Yuan, weren't you supposed to come find me to hang out today? You didn't even call me for breakfast."
Hearing this voice, Chang Yuan froze mid-bite.
Before he could swallow the bite of meat bun in his mouth, he looked up.
A pink-haired girl stood before him, her eyes shining like gemstones, her every smile and gesture captivating.
But unlike the girl in his memories, she didn't have the pointed ears of an elf—she was just an ordinary girl.
"You're... Elysia?"
"What's with the doubt? I just agreed to be your girlfriend yesterday, and you've already forgotten?"
Hearing Chang Yuan's response, Elysia puffed out her cheeks in annoyance, hands on her hips.
"Sorry, I must've been half-asleep. I forgot, haha."
Seeing how even her mannerisms perfectly mirrored the real Elysia, Chang Yuan couldn't help but marvel at the 8th Herrscher's power.
If he hadn't been fully aware of the Herrscher's abilities, he might have truly believed he had traveled back.
"Yuan, you're such a big dummy. How could you forget something like that? Fine, I'll forgive you, since you're my boyfriend after all."
Faced with Chang Yuan's explanation, Elysia ultimately chose to forgive him.
She then sat down across from him.
"Ah, I want some too. Feed me, Yuan."
Propping her chin on her hands, Elysia playfully blinked and opened her mouth.
Looking at the last remaining meat bun—which he had already taken a bite out of—Chang Yuan decided to go ahead and feed her.
"Mmm, it tastes like Yuan."
Satisfied, Elysia swayed her head and looked at Chang Yuan.
After finishing the last bun, Chang Yuan turned to the illusory Elysia. "Anything else?"
This question seemed to annoy Elysia a little, and she pouted. "You promised to take me out today. I even reminded you earlier, and now you've forgotten again. Do you not like me? Is that why you don't care about me?"
At this thought, Elysia lowered her head in disappointment.
But Chang Yuan couldn't bear it. Even if this was an illusion, it was still the most real version of Elysia from his memories.
"My bad, my bad. I'm sorry. How about we go out together now? No, wait—let me invite you to hang out, okay?"
Standing up, Chang Yuan extended his right hand in invitation.
Hearing this, Elysia didn't turn her head, but she glanced sideways at him before looking away again, refusing to meet his gaze.
Seeing Elysia still acting this way, Chang Yuan was momentarily confused.
But then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he walked around the table to her side.
Before she could react, he kissed her on the cheek.
"My dear Elysia, forgive me this once, okay? I promise it won't happen again."
Caught off guard by the kiss, Elysia's face turned red. "Hmph, fine, I'll forgive you this time. But don't let it happen again."
"Of course, it won't happen again."
"Alright, let's go have some fun. Hehe, today's the second day of being your girlfriend, and our first date. We have to make it memorable."
Now in a better mood, Elysia stood up and took Chang Yuan's hand, leading him toward their destination.
Chang Yuan didn't resist as she intertwined her fingers with his.
It felt just like before—no, exactly like before.
Time flew by, and two years later, the two got married. Since both were orphans, they didn't have many relatives, so they invited neighbors and friends instead.
Fortunately, their love was blessed by everyone.
In the bridal chamber...
"Two years... Is the flow of time different here? Or did I really travel back?"
Having been here for so long, his memories of the world before the "travel" had grown increasingly faint. He couldn't be sure what his past life had truly been like.
Then, a voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Yuan, it's our wedding day. Why are you staring at the mirror? Are you an idiot? Come over here and lift the veil."
"Huh? Oh, right, I'm coming."
Awakened by her call, Chang Yuan turned to see Elysia sitting on the specially decorated bridal bed.
The red veil covered her head, but her pink hair still peeked out.
She sat there, her red bridal gown stunningly beautiful, her hands fidgeting nervously on her lap.