151: A special "holiday" and the deepening of emotional anchors

Although the shadow of the Abyssal Resonance attack gradually receded, the shock it left in Excellence's heart, and the overall tense atmosphere in Homeland, still needed time to heal. Wang Jianguo knew that continuous tension and pressure were detrimental to Excellence's recovery and growth, and also drained the morale of the entire team. After careful consideration, he specially approved a three-day "special holiday." This was not an ordinary break, but a collective activity with a clear therapeutic purpose.

The core principle of the holiday was: complete relaxation, zero pressure. During this period, Excellence was allowed to temporarily put aside all established ability training, cultural courses, and any assessment-related tasks. The only "task" was to be accompanied by Su Mu and Evelyn throughout, to purely rest, play, and explore within the absolutely safe areas inside and around Homeland, aiming to heal his traumatized mind and rekindle his curiosity and joy for the world through natural immersion, warm companionship, and carefree experiences.

This news made Excellence ecstatic. He was like a little bird that had been caged for too long and was finally released, hopping around Su Mu and Evelyn, his eyes sparkling with a long-lost, pure excitement. Su Mu and Evelyn also breathed a sigh of relief; they, too, needed to temporarily disengage from the highly tense state of guarding and rescuing. This holiday was also a valuable mental recharge for them.

The three-day holiday unfolded like a slowly revealing, brightly colored and warm scroll, filled with simple and genuine happiness.

Day 1: Valley Exploration and "Energy Exchange"

In the early morning, sunlight streamed through the thin mist, filling the valley. The three traveled light, embarking on a path into a pristine forest behind the base, undeveloped but safely cleared. The air was filled with the fresh scent of earth and vegetation, and the birdsong was crisp and pleasant. Excellence was full of curiosity about everything, sometimes squatting to observe a strange mushroom, sometimes pointing at squirrels leaping among the treetops and exclaiming loudly.

When they reached an ancient tree, its bark gnarled and weathered, requiring several people to embrace, Excellence suddenly stopped, looking up with a solemn expression. He turned around and solemnly announced to Su Mu and Evelyn, "Squad Leader, Sister Evelyn, I want to 'exchange' energy with this big tree grandpa! It has lived for so long, its energy must be especially strong and stable!" After saying that, he ignored their suppressed smiles, walked forward, spread his arms, and tightly hugged the rough tree trunk, even pressing his cheek against it. He closed his eyes and mumbled, as if listening to something. He remained motionless for nearly half an hour, with sunlight casting dappled shadows on him through the branches and leaves. Su Mu and Evelyn exchanged glances and did not disturb him, simply sitting on nearby rocks, enjoying the tranquility of the forest. When Excellence finally released his grip, satisfied, and ran back saying, "I felt it! It's that slow, thick heartbeat, like the earth!" they both laughed and ruffled his hair, not delving into the authenticity of this "energy exchange," but simply happy for his rekindled, boundless imagination.

Day 2: Streamside Barbecue and the Failure of the "Quantum Grill"

On the afternoon of the second day, they came to a clear stream at the edge of the base, ready for an outdoor barbecue. Su Mu brought prepared ingredients and a traditional charcoal grill. Excellence, meanwhile, excitedly brought out his latest "invention"—the "Quantum Grill"—a peculiar device cobbled together from discarded parts, supposedly capable of rapidly heating food using "solar energy focusing and thermal molecular resonance principles."

He confidently placed a few ears of corn on the grill, pressed the switch, and the device hummed, with several small solar panels reflecting sunlight. However, ten minutes later, the parts of the corn near the "focal point" were charred black, while other parts remained ice-cold, a catastrophic failure. Excellence scratched his head, looking at his half-cooked "masterpiece" with a puzzled expression. Su Mu suppressed a laugh and pulled him aside: "Alright, little scientist, your 'Quantum Grill' can be improved next time. For today, let Squad Leader's traditional skills fill our stomachs!" She skillfully lit the charcoal fire, and the grilled corn was golden and fragrant, the skewers sizzling with oil, the aroma wafting everywhere. Excellence ate with a greasy mouth, praising repeatedly: "Squad Leader's 'classical energy transmission technology' is still the best!" Evelyn recorded this warm scene with a portable device, a faint smile always playing on her lips.

Night was the most peaceful and beautiful time of the holiday. They went up to the top floor terrace of the living area, where the view was open and far from light interference. The night sky was like a huge black velvet curtain, studded with brilliant diamonds. Excellence, wrapped in a blanket, looked up, completely absorbed.

Evelyn, in her calm and clear tone, pointed to the starry sky, telling ancient Greek myths, Roman legends, and mysterious stories of Eastern star officials behind the constellations. She spoke of Orion's bravery, the guidance of the Big Dipper, and the magpie bridge meeting of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. Excellence listened with great interest, occasionally asking various strange questions: "Is that brightest star also doing Resonance Mapping?" "Is the Milky Way a super big and bright 'Chaos Mapping' of the universe?" Su Mu, meanwhile, listened quietly on the side, sometimes looking at the starry sky, sometimes at the two most important people in her life beside her, her heart filled with a calm sense of happiness. There were no training tasks, no research pressure, only the gentle breeze of the night, the twinkling of stars, and the warmth of each other's company. This pure relaxation and emotional closeness healed past traumas more effectively than any medicine.

A small accident during the holiday, unexpectedly became a catalyst for deepening the emotional bond between the three.

On the way back from a hike, passing a downhill path with a lot of loose stones, Su Mu was so focused on reminding Excellence to watch his step that she accidentally stepped on a loose stone, twisting her ankle sharply. She cried out, "Ouch!" and instantly squatted down in pain, sweat beading on her forehead.

"Squad Leader!" Excellence cried out in alarm.

Evelyn reacted quickly, immediately kneeling to check Su Mu's injury, determining it was an acute sprain that needed to avoid weight-bearing. Without a word, she unhesitatingly turned her back to Su Mu and calmly said, "Get on, I'll carry you back." Su Mu was still a bit embarrassed, but under Evelyn's firm gaze, she had no choice but to lie on her back. Although Evelyn was slender, at this moment she appeared exceptionally reliable and strong.

On the way back, the setting sun cast long shadows of the three. Evelyn carried Su Mu, her steps steady. Excellence, on the other hand, suddenly became exceptionally sensible and reliable. He proactively took on the roles of "navigator" and "cheerleader," running ahead to scout the path, and loudly reminding them when he encountered potholes: "Sister Evelyn, there's a pit on the left, keep to the right!" He also occasionally looked back to encourage them: "Squad Leader, hold on! We'll be home soon! Sister Evelyn is the best!" His small figure was busy in the sunset, his face filled with concern and responsibility. This scene was full of warmth and mutual help, as if they were an inseparable little family, naturally supporting each other through any difficulties.

That evening, after treating her ankle injury in the infirmary, the three lit a simulated campfire (electronic fireplace) in the common lounge of the dormitory area. The flickering "flames" illuminated their faces. Excellence hugged his knees, looking at the warm glow, silent for a while, then suddenly looked up, with a hint of imperceptible worry and a desire for confirmation in his eyes, and very seriously asked:

"Squad Leader, Sister Evelyn, if... if there's another terrible 'noise' like last time attacking me, will you still stay with me and help me block it?"

This question touched upon his deepest insecurity.

Su Mu immediately reached out, gently pinched his cheek, her tone without the slightest hesitation, full of resolute warmth: "You silly boy! Of course!" Her gaze met Excellence's, incredibly firm: "No matter what you become, or what trouble you encounter, even if you poke a hole in the sky, Squad Leader and Sister Evelyn will absolutely never abandon you! We are your family!"

Evelyn also put down her water cup. Her expression was as calm as ever, but her eyes were exceptionally gentle and firm. She looked at Excellence and said clearly and solemnly, "Excellence, you must remember, you are never alone in facing anything. We are your eternal support, your strongest 'firewall.' No matter what happens in the future, this protection will not change."

Without flowery words, these two simple promises, like the most solid cornerstones, were firmly placed in Excellence's heart. His eyes sparkled in the firelight, and he nodded vigorously, saying no more, but that wholehearted, unreserved trust and sense of security clearly flowed like a warm current to Su Mu and Evelyn. At this moment, their relationship had transcended simple friendship or guardianship, sublimating into an unbreakable bond, almost like family.

On the evening of the last day of the holiday, the three sat by the artificial lake within the base, watching the sunset paint the sky and water a brilliant golden-red. The lake surface shimmered, and occasionally fish leaped out, creating ripples.

Excellence looked at the beautiful scenery, then suddenly seemed to remember something. He fumbled in his pocket for a while, then somewhat shyly pulled out two rings meticulously woven from tender green grass stems. Although they were crooked, it was clear he had put effort into them. The grass rings were rough and not perfectly sized, but they were tightly woven.

"These are for you," he handed the grass rings to Su Mu and Evelyn, his small face flushed, "I... I wove them from the grass on that lawn that has 'the strongest life energy'! I 'felt' it!" He tried hard to explain, his eyes full of anticipation: "Wearing them, our three energy fields will be connected forever! Like... like forming a super stable 'triangle'!"

Su Mu and Evelyn looked at this small gift, full of childlike innocence and incredibly sincere intention, and instantly understood his meaning. They exchanged smiles, and a warm sense of emotion welled up in their eyes. Without disdaining its simplicity, Su Mu and Evelyn solemnly accepted the grass rings and carefully placed them on their fingers. Su Mu even deliberately held her hand with the grass ring up to her eyes, looking at it against the sunset again and again, smiling and saying, "It's so beautiful! This is the most special ring I've ever received!"

This small, spontaneous ceremony, seemingly childish, was incredibly touching. It seemed to provide a warm and firm footnote to the deep affection between the three. This grass ring was Excellence's unique way of expressing his most simple yet profound desire for connection, for protection, and for "home."

The three-day special holiday ended. Although short, the effect was significant. Excellence's mood had clearly improved, the smiles on his face became natural and frequent, the fear in his eyes had largely faded, and his usual clarity and agility had returned. Even more pleasing was that, in a completely relaxed state, his oversensitivity to the environment gradually subsided, and the stability of his abilities unknowingly recovered, becoming even more harmonious and restrained than before.

Su Mu and Evelyn also felt fully relieved physically and mentally, and their tacit understanding and friendship deepened. This holiday was not only a successful psychological healing but also a deep emotional tempering.

Excellence, with his fully recovered state and a more resolute heart, was ready to embrace a new stage of growth. And this holiday, full of warm memories, and the insignificant yet extraordinarily meaningful grass ring on their fingers, would become their most precious and warmest source of strength when facing all future storms. The holiday drew to a close, but the story of guardianship and growth continued.