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perhaps-in-anotherdream · 7 months

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[CN] Victor’s R&S: Unknown Return Date (Eng Translation)

After all, in a world devoid of time, he wasn’t even allowed ‘death’.”

⌚ This post contains detailed spoilers for a R&S, 无所归期, that is yet to be released on the global server. ⌚

[Note]: The R&S covers the events from S2 CH 44 - CH 49, and contains crucial details inlaid with knives that set the premise for CH 49, so the R&S needs to be read before the chapter itself~ (⁠｡⁠ﾉ⁠ω⁠＼⁠｡⁠)❤️‍🩹

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

[Subbed Video: Fully Voiced]

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Victor’s dialogue’s will be in bold and italics, and the others’ dialogues will be only in bold.

【Chapter 1】

As the curtain of evening hung low, the colorful lanterns adorning the eaves illuminated the entire lantern festival with brilliance.

Victor’s gaze swept to the end of the sea of people, where the girl’s form had just disappeared. He gazed in that direction for a long time, as if afraid that he would forget something. Eventually, he simply released a heavy sigh, and his breath transformed into a delicate white mist, veiling the barely perceptible hesitation in the corner of his eyes.

The time he had bought for himself by reaching an agreement with Zero is nearly up.

Throughout these two months, he did everything he could possibly think of, mapped out a long-term strategic plan for LFG, entrusted Souvenir to Mr. Mills... everything seemed to be perfectly arranged, except for her.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

Victor lowered his gaze to his wristwatch, where the hands quietly advanced to the next scale, wordlessly announcing the imminent moment. He hesitated for a moment before taking a tentative half-step forward, only to come to a standstill amidst the surging tide of people.

She had no inkling of what was to happen, and for now, it might not be a bad thing after all.

Sure enough, the black vortex appeared on time, and the sensation of space-time distortion enveloped him instantaneously. He turned sideways and stood there, watching quietly, with the vortex signifying the path he was soon to confront. When it came to the unknown, no one could remain entirely unshaken, but Victor displayed no hesitation and even leaned into it before the magnetic force set in.

He must ensure not to leave any room for error – this was a pledge he had made to himself in the deepest recesses of his heart.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

When Victor opened his eyes again, an endless white desert sprawled across his vision, commandeering every color under the sky.

“Now you’re finally being well-behaved.”

The fiery sun was beating down upon the crest of the sand dunes, where an oddly dressed little boy stood, gazing down at him from the height. Victor knitted his brows and turned his gaze to the boy who was waving at him. He felt as if he had met this little boy somewhere before.

“How about you just stick around here for now? You’ve got loads of time anyway.”

Without leaving Victor any chance to inquire, in the blink of an eye, the white sand dunes stood utterly empty.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

Victor glanced at the billowing sand and dust in the distance, and he fell into a brief moment of contemplation. The information obtained from the other party was far less than he had anticipated. But he didn’t remain paused in place for too long, turning around and heading toward the tallest nearby sand dune.

Climbing to the highest peaks in the world often serves as a fast track to gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire picture, a feeling he had known from experience countless times before. Even though, in his heart, he knew full well that there might not be any such thing as an “exit,” just like no one would leave the key to their shackles inside the cage.

Nevertheless, Victor knew he must return, not only for his sake but also to honor the promise he had made to her.

He was acutely aware of the girl’s nature, and Victor didn’t want himself to be the reason for her venturing into danger.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

Victor lifted his foot and stepped beneath the sand dune, and the soft sand instantly swallowed his lower leg. Yet he merely paused for a moment before his other foot stepped onto the sand dune in the same fashion, only this time he was a bit more careful.

As he stands now, he didn’t have the capacity to concern himself with these inconsequential matters. The sand dune at the top of his sightline was his singular focus right now.

And by the time this goal was achieved, Victor’s palms had long been ravaged by the swirling wind and stand. Nonetheless, he unconsciously furrowed his brows, as his bright pupils seemed to mirror some kind of non-committal fact——

The farthest end of the horizon still held an endless expanse of white.

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 2】

In the desert, there are several things that you’re prone to lose effortlessly: hydration, the perception to gauge distance, and the concept of time.

Victor was well aware of this fact, especially when he found himself in a barren desert. Losing the sense of time could plunge a person into a quagmire of emptiness, much like having one’s soul being trapped in the quicksand.

He could only silently engrave the feeling of time passing in his mind, and this was his way of combating this thing otherwise known as “deathly silence.” Yet, even so, his consciousness instinctively began to blur, and “time” gradually became a noun distant enough to be elusive.

The blistering gravel imprinted searing scars on his body, and the bone-crushing pain began to become numb, but Victor never once considered giving up. After all, in a world devoid of time, he wasn’t even allowed “death.”

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

This place was akin to an infinite cage, imprisoning him relentlessly within its bounds. After enduring this repetitive cycle for who knows how long, Victor drew two obvious conclusions. One of which was, this world wasn’t just composed of sand; it also held various peculiar objects.

There were vintage radios, sharp swords, casually discarded water cups... they lay quietly buried amidst the gravel, as if they were abandoned garbage left here by someone.

He glanced down at his own feet trapped in the sand. In this space, the way he was being treated was no different to theirs.

A fierce sandstorm blew in from afar, streaking pale traces of blood on his lips that had long been cracked.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

Victor cast a sidelong glance at the vortex behind him, and this was his second discovery. He wasn’t sure when it had materialized or what it symbolized. However, his intuition told him that he must not allow this vortex to catch up to him; otherwise, it could trigger events he was unable to predict.

The blazing sun shone on Victor’s face, and the dripping sweat had already soaked his clothes countless times. His toes forcefully lifted from the scalding sand, only to plunge heavily into even deeper gravel. Even though every step demanded his entire strength, Victor continued pressing on relentlessly, heading toward the next sand dune in search of a way out.

At this moment, he had lost all scales of time, and no matter how deep his footprints sunk, their trails would eventually be obliterated without a trace beneath the veil of shifting wind and sand.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

The scorching sun continued to burn, and his pace gradually became sluggish. Beads of sweat constantly dripping from his forehead blurred his vision. Layer upon layer of memories projected before him like a kaleidoscope, occasionally flashing dribs and drabs of moments spent with the girl, only to disappear in the blink of an eye. He relied on the physical pain to remind himself that everything before him was merely a prolonged tug-of-war.

Yet another sand dune, and he climbed to its summit once again.

The distant landscape showed no signs of change, and it was still an endless expanse of white. He silently gazed up at the sky, feeling as though his body had been frozen in place by some force. A sentence floated to his mind, “Eternity is the greatest adversary of plans, not fleeting moments.”

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

But this “long-term failure” was also destined to be solved by long-term means.

Victor felt the willpower he had been holding onto for so long quietly slipping away beyond his control, accompanied by sweat blurring his vision. He drew a deep breath, planning to take a short break and trying to regain some physical strength.

This was the first time he had stopped in his footsteps, and he came to regret it soon enough.

When he woke up again, what greeted him was the scenery of Loveland City projected in the sky, the sights that he couldn’t be more familiar with.

His throat quivered slightly, and the sensation of being torn apart coursing throughout his body rendered him unable to move. He was left with no choice but to silently gaze at the sky.

–

[Tidbits]: Taking a break b/c I just want to commend Li Zeyan’s writers for such microscopic attention to detail. The long-term failure, though there’s no need to explain it but I love how it’s a clever call back to the exact phrase (长远的失败) from S2 CH 31, when we first saw the “oblivion” taking effect! (T⌓T)

–

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

Even though Victor clearly knew the difference between reality and illusion, even though he was aware it was a fleeting glimmer of light not worthy of clinging to, he still couldn’t help but pause, even if it was for only a moment. Victor couldn’t help but self-derisively smile at himself— that he would actually be distracted by such a thing.

Nevertheless, the scenery before his eyes etched an indelible mark in his heart, and at the end of that crevice was her image. Within an instant, the moments of the past gradually faded from his mind, reminiscent of sand dunes drying out in the wind.

The girl’s silhouette kept appearing in his mind, and it was both vivid and hazy. At the same time, another question occupied his thoughts.

She... who was she?

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 3】

He gave a reflexive nod when the girl offered to purchase some things for him while they were taking a break.

He couldn’t fathom where this natural acceptance had come from, as if everything was inherently meant to be this way.

The girl had also given him a name, “Vic-Vic.” Even though he was somewhat reluctant to accept it, compared to that peculiar name “Mr. Benevolent Enigma,” “Vic-Vic” always sounded nicer to hear.

And what’s more, this name evoked an indescribable sense of familiarity within him.

Until now, he never felt a need for anything. After all, in his memory, the concept of “possession” had never appeared.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

But as he thought back to how that tireless girl joyfully gave him nicknames and passionately introduced the city, he didn’t find it displeasing. On the contrary, it was the girl’s occasional daring and imaginative actions that made him irresistibly pay more attention to this person who had suddenly appeared before him.

He shook his head, catching a glimpse of the girl’s busy figure through the store window. Toothbrushes, pajamas, even socks and razors... she didn’t leave anything out, stuffing her shopping basket to the brim.

The corners of his lips formed a subtle curve. It seemed that just by looking at her, an entirely novel emotion surged up in the depths of his heart, something he’d never known before.

Even he himself couldn’t put a finger on the reason; this girl always seemed so magical–– miraculously, she brought him out of that place, and miraculously, he was allowed to embrace “life” once more.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

He turned his head, taking in his surroundings. Mottled branches were sprouting tender, jade-green buds, and the area was crowded with people in a rush.

Thump– thump––

Suddenly, the crisp sound of a soccer ball drew his attention.

It was a very young boy, appearing to be at the age of having started elementary school recently.

The boy was exerting himself to swing the soccer ball under his feet, but his amateurish footwork denoted that he was still relatively unaccustomed to instep control.

If he keeps up with this level of force, the next kick will probably send the ball flying out— Victor subconsciously made this assessment to himself.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

Sure enough, as the boy’s toe tapped the soccer ball, an overly vigorous pull at that instant caused his body to lose its natural balance. The ball, previously under control, drew a distant arc through the air following his touch, flying directly toward the middle of the road.

“Ah, my ball!”

As the soccer ball soared toward the center of the road, the boy could only stand there with his mouth agape, helplessly watching it move farther away from him.

“Stopping a ball like this might not be that hard for you.”

As this thought suddenly crossed his mind, Victor’s body reacted as if by reflex.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

He nimbly chested the ball in front of him, and then his thighs moved up and down in fluid and graceful movements as he steadily controlled the soccer ball at his feet.

“Here you go.”

He gently passed the ball back.

But the young boy simply froze in place after he caught the ball.

“Whoa! I actually kicked a ball that had a curve! That’s so cool! I have to show everyone!”

The young boy excitedly ran off while hugging the ball in his arms. But Victor simply remained rooted in place, gazing in the direction the little boy dashed.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

It was a small park. There were swings, seesaws, a slide, and a sandbox teeming with children. Tiny little figures huddled in the sandbox, crafting a multitude of unique sand formations using their shovels and imagination.

He found himself taking steps toward the sandbox. He couldn’t explain why; he just felt like he was following some sort of subconscious judgment. He squatted down and scooped up a handful of fine sand from the sandbox. The solid, fine grains slowly trickled through his fingers, creating a tiny cascade of sand in the air.

He kept his eyes downcast and watched in silence like this— until the reflection of fine sand in his eyes unexpectedly rendered him somewhat lost in thought.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

In a certain sense, his world had once been nothing but a boundless expanse of sand and illusory goals. He had grown accustomed to silence, accustomed to facing the future with action, and had never once considered stopping. But now, for the first time, he felt the urge to pause, as if the surging tide of time had unexpectedly encountered a minute moment of stillness.

Suddenly, the girl’s shout reached him from a distance, akin to a gently turned gear, propelling his time forward with force.

Everything felt so strangely familiar, as if he had already lived through all this before. But he knew for sure that he had never been through any of this in the past. Even so, in this moment, this sweeping sensation, reminiscent of a tidal wave, bestowed upon him something he had never had before.

“Memories.”

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 4】

Countless shimmering starlight danced on the floor, and underneath the gigantic clock face, two small chairs were placed. It left one wondering whether it was a courtesy to welcome guests or the setting for some sort of interrogation.

This is the place the man named Zero brought him to.

“Victor, I think it’s been a while since we’ve had a chat like this.”

...Victor.

He silently repeated this name to himself, which felt unfamiliar yet familiar at the same time, and sunk into a sudden contemplation.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

Even though there was no indication that he had found the answers to his questions, it didn’t matter at the moment; the clues were already laid out before him.

Seemingly picking up on the wariness in Victor’s eyes, Zero attempted to change the topic.

“You seem to be much more cautious than the last time we met.”

“Is that so?”

“However, apart from caution, I also see something else in your eyes.”

“Unknown.”

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

The stifling air reverberated in the space as the two locked eyes, each seemingly filled with an element of probing.

Zero carried on with his line of words, as if he didn’t intend to give Victor too much time to ponder.

“I hope this doesn’t affect the deal between us.”

Faced with Zero’s words, Victor had no plans to hide anything. He slightly straightened his posture, and his gaze held no sign of evasion.

“You should know very well that currently, I have no idea what the deal you’re talking about is.”

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

In Zero’s probing and evaluative gaze, Victor gleaned certainty and confirmed his conjecture.

During the brief, tense silence, Zero lifted his gaze, but his eyes were sharper than they had been moments ago.

“But that won’t have any impact.”

He paused,

“For the Space-Time Bureau, the existence of ‘Victor’ in and of itself is enough.”

“Since you can use your Evol, it won’t hinder the normal progress of the plan.”

Victor never broke his eye contact with Zero. He was well aware that what the other party had revealed was merely the information he wanted Victor to know, and what he was purposely holding back was the crucial point.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

In any case, he had to find a breakthrough in the conversation. Suddenly, something flashed in his memory: the girl’s astonished expression the moment she saw Zero. Did she also know this person? He firmly held onto this seemingly inconspicuous lead, and a notion sprang to his mind.

It’s highly likely that his existence is connected to Loveland City.

Victor pondered for a moment, and his mind had already formulated the next strategy.

“Tell me about the deal you mentioned.”

“You have to use your ability to bridge the gaps in time.”

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

“You have my word.”

Victor’s sudden lightning-speed response caught Zero off guard.

“However, I too have my own conditions.”

Victor straightened his posture and cast his gaze toward the doorway. He was taking a gamble, betting that Zero wouldn’t dare to let him walk out of here, betting on his own importance in this deal. And he won the gamble.

It seemed as if Victor had Zero’s lifeline firmly in his hands, and Zero’s expression gradually began to sink:

“What do you want to know?”

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

“The execution of the deal will depend on what you’re willing to offer in exchange.”

Victor cast a sidelong glance at Zero, then sat back down in the seat opposite Zero and lifted his head.

“I want to know everything about myself.”

—

•─────⋅◍♡◍⋅─────•

—

【Chapter 5】

The corridor was silent, and it was so spacious that it felt like observing the infinite expanse of deep space with the naked eye.

Aside from the darkness of the faraway cosmos, nothing else could be seen. The clear and crisp footsteps echoed from afar, reminiscent of a tiny speck of light descending from the distant starry sky.

Victor came to a halt at the entrance of the Space-Time Bureau, and the doors behind him silently opened.

“Remember, do not try to use your ability to probe time.”

“After all, your existence itself is already wrongly placed. At least, that’s what it appears for now.”

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

Victor lowered his gaze in acquiescence, while his feet had already taken a step forward. He had already been delayed here for too long.

Although during this time at the Space-Time Bureau, he had finally managed to find some leads in his quest for finding himself, it was far from enough. He had never forgotten everything that happened in the disordered space, and that voice still echoed in his mind.

Move forward, and then go find her.

The girl’s visage appeared before him once again. He wasn’t sure if it was a hint of some sort or simply a lingering imprint of his own thoughts. Nonetheless, he had already firmly decided on his next destination: Loveland City.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

When Victor returned to Loveland City again, he found himself standing on a bustling street teeming with vehicles and pedestrians.

The hurrying crowd brushed past him. Just like before, everyone was oblivious to his existence. He took a step forward and blended into the stream of people, heading in the direction he had planned. It was all thanks to the girl’s incessant chatter back then, which had left him with enough clues.

“Next stop: Loveland City Center.”

Victor remained silently in place, not letting a single passing figure escape his gaze. The days continued to follow the nights, but the girl still hadn’t shown up. He brushed off his shoulders, dampened by the drizzle, and proceeded toward his next destination. Loveland City wasn’t that big, at least not as vast as the desert he had walked through.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

In the garden of the central hospital, the setting sun beneath the distant overpass... and in the park where the stars adorned the sky time and time again.

These were all the places mentioned by the girl, but Victor still hadn’t found a trace of her.

Victor always kept thinking back to the girl’s chirping, her excited manner as she introduced these places to him, and how she would insistently clamor to have him experience them fully – and the way her eyes overflowed with sparkles when she spoke.

Victor couldn’t help but lift the corners of his lips. He had etched these seemingly insignificant memories into his mind without missing a single detail, and it was through them that he had solidified his next goal.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

A lofty building stood in the distance.

“Loveland Financial Group (LFG).”

He quietly murmured the signage in front of him, recalling what the girl had previously mentioned about her connection to this company.

What appeared to be a vague hint now held a substantial hint. “If you go there, you should be able to see her.”

With this thought, Victor took a step forward, leaving the bustling crowd behind him.

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

Clack, clack, clack.

His ears caught the hurried rhythm of footsteps, contrasting with the composed demeanor of the other people in the hall. Victor instinctively lifted his head, and in a trance, he caught sight of that familiar figure.

His time, which had been suspended, resumed its flow forward in this very moment.

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[Translation Update Notice]

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#kid you not when i say the R&S got me staring into the space for two nights straight lmao LZY writers how do y'all write knives like this #LIKE MAN HOW DO YOU GUYS FIND NEW WAYS TO MAKE IT EVEN CRUELER THAN IT ALREADY COULDN'T BE //#we've got another 10K years incoming no biggie hahaha and the mental images are literally fcking killing me #༼⁠;⁠´⁠༎ຶ⁠ ⁠۝ ⁠༎ຶ⁠༽༼⁠;⁠´⁠༎ຶ⁠ ⁠۝ ⁠༎ຶ⁠༽#mlqc victor #mlqc li zeyan #mlqc #mr love victor #mr love queen's choice #恋与制作人 #李泽言 #love and producer #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc translations

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