Chapter 396: Changes (1)
At this moment, Nami hugged Tolle from behind, pressing close to him and comforting him softly. "Master, this is only your assumption. It's probably just a coincidence. There shouldn't be any trouble."
Tolle gently held Nami's delicate hand and said helplessly, "I hope I'm just overthinking it. But even if my future self really did come back, it shouldn't cause any major problems.
"At worst, it would just create some minor complications. The biggest downside is that the plot becomes uncertain.
"The advantage of knowing the storyline would be gone, and some things would have to be handled on the fly."
"Then, Master, if it really were your future self, wouldn't he leave behind some information? Or maybe neo DG Cells, or something to pass on solar furnace technology and future intel to us?" Nami asked.
Tolle thought suspiciously for a while before replying, "Probably not. Even if something were left behind, I wouldn't necessarily believe it, so what's the point? It would also be easy for others to notice, and there'd be all kinds of uncertainties.
"Besides, I'm not stupid. I definitely wouldn't leave any written messages to transmit information—not even neo DG Cells would be safe.
"Solar furnace technology is even more impossible. That runs straight into the chicken-and-egg problem.
（In Huaxia, this was never really a problem anyway. 'Chicken and egg, chicken and egg'—haven't the ancestors already hinted at it long ago?
Of course the chicken comes first; otherwise it would be called an egg-chicken.
And an egg-laying hen is still a hen whose job is to lay eggs, so no matter what, the chicken comes before the egg.)
"Technology I've never obtained myself—how could my future self give it to me?
"Did I give it to the future, or did the future give it to me?
"Nothing can appear out of thin air. If you're not careful, you end up creating paradoxes, and that's real trouble.
"After all, didn't that bald female mage say it herself? While you're playing with time, time is also playing with you.
"The most likely scenario is just changing certain events, or leaving some hint that I've been here before.
"Once we assimilate the Celestial Being colony ship and check VEDA's records, everything will become clear."
"I understand, Master. In that case, there's nothing to worry about. Nami will definitely find the Celestial Being ship as soon as possible."
Tolle reached back and patted Nami's hair, sighing. "Originally, I was still troubled by the fact that I had no chance to obtain the power of Ohma Zi-O, meaning Kamen Rider 01 couldn't transform into Ohma Zi-O.
"But judging from the current situation, my future self might actually have obtained Zi-O's Rider powers. That's actually good news."
Nami asked in confusion, "Then why couldn't it be the system that sends you to different points in time within the same world? Since it can traverse worlds and control return timing, it should also possess some level of spacetime power, right?"
Tolle frowned and thought again before answering, "That's also possible. But aside from helping me travel between worlds, the system's activity level is extremely low.
"Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't do something like reversing the order of traversal.
"Sigh, forget it. There's no point overthinking this. Let's just go with the flow. When the boat reaches the bridge, it'll straighten itself out; when soldiers come, we block them; when water comes, we dam it.
"No need to scare ourselves. Worst case, we just charge through everything head-on."
Nami nodded in agreement. "Understood, Master. We won't overthink it anymore.
"But what should we do next? Where are we going—AEU or the Human Reform League?"
Tolle answered without hesitation, "Human Reform League. No need to even think about it. Based on my personality, if there are any clues or changes, they'll definitely be there.
"We'll wait here one more day, then tomorrow start heading toward the White Bear Nation, deliberately exposing our whereabouts.
"If this really is a setup by my future self, someone will definitely come looking for us."
"Yes, Master. Then we'll set off tomorrow morning. But tonight, Nami will still rest together with Master."
Tolle supported his aching waist and sighed, thinking that giving Nami a physical body might not have been such a good idea after all. His rest plan had fallen apart again.
…
The next day, after changing to a more handsome hairstyle, Tolle looked at himself in the mirror—more handsome than Kira—and said speechlessly, "As expected of a Hirai-style face. Just changing the hairstyle turns me into a super handsome guy, just like all the readers."
Nami asked in confusion, "Master, what did you just say? I only heard some strange noise."
Tolle looked up at the sky. Sure enough, the will of the great universe's readers was everywhere. "It's nothing, Nami. Don't worry about it."
Over the next few days, he and Nami openly headed toward the cities of the White Bear Nation.
Along the way, whenever they encountered shops, they purchased large amounts of supplies and paid using Dax Xiao's bank account, deliberately trying to attract the attention of those searching for him through the transaction records.
Sure enough, a week later, several armored vehicles arrived and stopped in front of the camper by the roadside. Someone called out from outside, "Is anyone inside? Is Mr. Dax Xiao here?"
Tolle lazily stepped out of the camper. Instead of answering directly, he asked first, "Who are you? What do you want?"
When the officer saw Tolle's face, he immediately broke into an excited smile. "Hello, Mr. Dax Xiao. I am Second Lieutenant of the Human Reform League's White Bear Nation, Andrei Smirnov.
"We were commissioned by the Xiao Group to locate you and escort you back."
The moment Tolle heard that name, he thought: Isn't this Little Bear? To run into Bear Uncle's unfilial son right away—what a coincidence.
He really wanted to teach him a lesson on Bear Uncle's behalf, but one shouldn't hit a smiling face. Besides, the man had come to help confirm his identity, so it wouldn't be appropriate to fall out with him.
Tolle deliberately played dumb and asked, "Andrei Smirnov… that surname sounds familiar. I feel like I've heard it somewhere before."
Andrei replied enthusiastically, "My father is Sergei Smirnov, and my mother is Helene Smirnov. They were acquainted with your father, Huaisite Xiao.
"And your father was my mother's lifesaver. Even now, she often talks about him."
Damn it! Tolle cursed inwardly. So future-me really did come here and start messing with things. He even saved Bear Uncle's wife. Looks like disciplining this unfilial son later won't be possible.
Who knows how many more 'surprises'—no, 'pleasant surprises'—future me has left behind.
"So it's Brother Andrei," Tolle said with a look of sudden realization, warmly closing the distance. "I never expected to meet you here. What a coincidence.
"My father used to talk about you as well. He said Uncle Sergei was extremely handsome and imposing, and Aunt Helene was even more beautiful and kind.
"From what I can see, Brother Andrei, you've inherited all of their strengths."
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