BA, I just want to save the world

"...How should I put it?" He rubbed his swollen and painful brow and sighed, "Dreams are the most beautiful, I hope they will be with you, right?"

"You mean the teacher has to come too?!"

"Huh? Me? Well...I really didn't have anything to do in the afternoon, but..." He was still hesitating and even suspected that Meng didn't understand what he meant.

Before he could think of an excuse, a little white kid appeared in the activity room where the two had been arguing. He subconsciously handed over the drink: "Want a drink?"

"....Thank you." Bai Zi took it subconsciously, opened the can and took a small sip, then cast his heterochromatic eyes towards him: "I am also interested in the Sand Festival. If the teacher is interested...can we go treasure hunting together?"

“Even Baizi said that…” He sighed as if he had a headache, but in the next moment he snatched the map from Meng’s hand: “——Then let’s go together!”

"...... Just because Baizi-chan said so, it's OK?" Has she been doting on him to this extent? - Meng was somewhat dumbfounded.

But Mo Lu put his surprised dream aside, and stroked Bai Zi's head as if it was a matter of course, and said seriously: "Anyway, we still have time, and it's not completely hopeless, so it's not a bad idea to look for it and try a little harder, right? After all, isn't it my duty as a teacher to support children's dreams?"

"Teacher....were you really like this just now?"

"Of course, didn't I say 'Dreams are the most beautiful, and hope follows'? The dream is you, and hope is me! Isn't the meaning obvious?"

"....Did I really misunderstand what the teacher meant?" Meng's face was full of suspicion.

He was usually quite careless, but now he was so sharp? —— Although he wanted to rest after working every day, Mo Lu wanted to find a chance to play with Bai Zi more, so he clicked his tongue in his heart.

In fact, no matter whether he can dig out anything good in the desert, he will definitely go there.

After all, knowing that Meng might die, he couldn't just watch Meng running around alone. It was just Bai Zi's interest that made him completely give up trying to persuade her to take the risk, and he was ready to go together. Now he was acting like a teacher, and he put his hand on her shoulder and said seriously, "Do you know? Meng, there are two professions in this world that create dreams, one is a writer, and the other is a teacher. As a teacher, how can I turn a deaf ear to my students' dreams?"

"Is that so?"

"Of course! Believe me, I will support your dreams unconditionally! Now let us explore the dreams of dreams together!"

Facing the half-believing girl, he directly ended the topic with a passionate attitude.

"Forget it...Since Sensei and Shirako-chan have decided, let's go together!"

Although he couldn't let it go, Meng regained his energy, pointed his finger at the desert, and led the way.

It was also when everyone was happily heading towards the desert that the tablet in Mo Lu's arms lit up automatically. Prana sighed silently as if she saw through everything and kept shaking her head.

..........................

Before heading out into the desert to search for treasure, the group headed to the dormitory building to prepare the necessary supplies.

But when Mo Lu was going upstairs, he noticed an unignorable sight at the corner of the stairs above.

This made him quietly separate from the crowd and walk up quietly.

At the corner of the corridor, the girl who was always covered with thorns, Hoshino, subconsciously wanted to turn around and run away when she saw him, but he quickly reached out and held her shoulder.

He said in a teasing tone: "What's wrong? Why do you look so worried today? Is there something that makes you unhappy?"

"...You're asking even though you already know the answer!" Hoshino crossed his arms and glared at him, "That's why I hate adults like you."

Mo Lu smiled gently, as if he had already seen through her thoughts: "You are obviously regretting getting so angry, but now you are still being stubborn and unwilling to lose face and reconcile. So you are still just a child."

"Long-winded!"

"Okay, I won't tease you anymore." He shrugged and put his hand on Xingye's head, ruffling her hair.

"Wait, what are you doing...!" Hoshino protested angrily, but before she could finish her words, he had already withdrawn his hand and squatted down before she got angry, so that his eyes were level with hers, and smiled: "I will do my best to protect Meng, but in exchange, when we come back, you have to make peace with her; she is actually very hurt when she makes you angry, and you know it very well and you are also very sad... right?"

"That kind of thing..."

"Don't keep your good temper for outsiders, but keep your bad temper for your favorite people. This is the advice from a teacher, right?" After saying this, he couldn't help but laugh first: "Even though you have a bad temper towards everyone."

"...You really like preaching!"

"Because I'm a teacher. But if possible, I actually prefer to praise others, and accept compliments from others. I will never refuse cute children who act like a spoiled child to me. If you have anything you want to talk to me about, I'm always welcome to do so."

He waved his fingers, expressing his expectations like a treasure, but what he got in return was Hoshino's undisguised look of disgust: "...disgusting."

"Well, I knew you would say that, but I just said that. If you really act like a spoiled child with me, I don't think I can get used to it for a while." He shrugged and stood up again, planning to go downstairs to meet the two of them.

However, when he was going downstairs, Hoshino suddenly said: "No matter how nice you talk, you are not a Kivotos after all. A bullet can easily kill you, and you still dare to talk about protecting others?"

"It seems that you don't believe me at all."

"I don't deny that part of what you said is correct." Hoshino was at the upper end of the corridor, looking down at him condescendingly: "But I hate people who brag."

"Hmm..." The irritating attitude at the beginning made him hesitate for a moment and helplessly spread his hands: "Although I really want to convince you, I'm sure you won't believe it with words, right?"

"Of course, even if I change my mind about you, I won't be stupid enough to believe that a fragile outsider like you can protect us... Is it true that adults like to brag?"

"That's really too much... If I have the chance, I will prove myself with my actions, but..."

"....What else do you want to say?" Xingye looked a little impatient. He glanced back helplessly, then walked down the stairs again without looking back, shaking his head and saying:

"Although I don't know what you've been through in the past, I still hope that you can trust me a little bit and be less harsh on others if possible... Although it is necessary to be vigilant, being too harsh will hurt others and yourself, and..."

"what?"

"....I don't really like preaching, and I don't know how you see me, but I really hope to have a good relationship with you, because no one knows which will come first, tomorrow or an accident. I don't want to have any regrets, and I don't want you to have any regrets either."

After he finished speaking, Mo Lu's figure disappeared around the corner of the stairs, leaving only those slightly lonely words echoing in the corridor.

This touched Xingye who was standing there, and he couldn't help but whispered: "Did the teacher have that kind of experience?"

Although the seniors always get into trouble, but... when they come back at night, maybe I should take the initiative... buy some snacks for the seniors? And be a little friendlier to the teacher? After all, although he is a bit nagging, he is not a bad person.

——His voice inexplicably lingered in his mind for a long time and could not be dispelled, making Xingye look at the direction where he disappeared and feel secretly worried.

Chapter 15 Lost in the Desert

Compared to the past, when they were alone or with two people, now it became a group of three, which made Zimeng feel inexplicably excited, and she walked in front with great enthusiasm.

Bai Zi was also unusually excited, looking around like a kid on a picnic, which made Mo Lu observe Bai Zi with great interest from behind, and he couldn't help but tease him:

"Baizi, it turns out you also like treasure hunting?"

"Do you like it...?" Bai Zi stopped and looked back in confusion: "Is this love?"

"Isn't it??"

"I just think that if there was money, Mo Lu wouldn't have to work so hard."

"Uh... well, I've already told you that you don't have to think about these things." The girl spoke as a matter of course. This overly sensible and cute look made Mo Lu stunned for a moment, and then he patted her head in distress and sighed: "But Baizi is indeed a good child."

"Is this... a good kid?"

"Well~ If I were a few years younger, I would definitely pursue Baizi, yo?"

"Chase...? Why? Am I not standing right here?" Bai Zi looked up blankly, not realizing that this was a joke.

The overly serious question made him feel a little embarrassed for a moment. Meng looked back with a speechless expression: "Although I know that the teacher and Baizijiang have a good relationship, but... shouldn't we also consider whether the person is suitable for joking? And Baizijiang is still a child!"

"If the other person wasn't a child, it would be really bad to make such a joke, right?"

"Hmm~~~ It seems so?" Meng thought about it seriously and couldn't help but smile: "Indeed, although the teacher dotes on Baizi, it is impossible for him to have bad intentions towards a child."

"Of course, need I tell you?"

Why did Meng believe in him, but Prana, who had been with him for a long time, always had prejudices against him? - Meng's trust comforted Mo Lu, but at the same time, he felt mixed emotions.

However, Meng and Baizi, who were immersed in excitement, did not notice his mood change, and still admired the desert scenery with great interest, as if they were really on a treasure hunt.

However, under the scorching sun and the rolling desert heat, after walking for about three hours, the excitement of the two was almost gone... The three of them were also sweating all over due to the sun.

Fortunately, the sun has set and the temperature is gradually dropping, but unfortunately...

"Where exactly is this place..." Mo Lu took a sip of water and looked around, but he could only see yellow sand all over the sky. He could only look at his guide.

Meng's expression became complicated instantly when she heard that, but she still forced herself to smile and tried to muster up her energy: "No, it's okay! Although the location is wrong, no, but! As long as we walk in the direction where the sun sets, we will definitely be able to return in no time! Because we are walking to the west!"

"Is it really okay?" Mo Lu was hesitant to speak for a long time and could only accept this proposal temporarily.

The treasure hunt went smoothly at first, but unfortunately they lost their way in the desert halfway.

The energy here is abnormal and the magnetic poles are chaotic, so satellites and compasses are useless.

When I wanted to turn around...the footprints disappeared inexplicably, and the surrounding areas looked almost the same. It was simply a treasure trove for those in distress.

"There's not much wind today...normally the footprints shouldn't disappear so quickly, right?" Squatting down and touching the sand and stones at his feet, Mo Lu frowned instinctively, feeling that something was not right.

Meng smiled and waved his hand: "Don't be so suspicious~ Maybe a sand dune suddenly collapsed and buried the footprints. This kind of thing is not uncommon~"

"Is that so? But why do I feel like it's man-made..."

"How is it possible~" Meng patted his chest and boasted in a self-torturing manner: "Don't look at me as the student union president of Abydos. On the surface, I seem to have great power, but in fact, Abydos is burdened with 7 million in debt, and all the former student unions that can be sold have been sold~ What else is worth others' concern?"

"This... seems to be the case?" He nodded blankly, but couldn't help asking: "But how did Abydos borrow so much money?"

"The original amount owed would be much higher, because many local control rights within the autonomous region were used as collateral, and later on, they were taken away to pay off the debts when they couldn't be repaid. If after I graduate... Hoshino-chan can't pay the interest and leaves Abydos, those will probably be taken away in the end, and Abydos will become history forever, right?"

Even the cheerful Meng couldn't help but have a gloomy look in her eyes when she mentioned this matter.

We can guess that her efforts in treasure hunting are in the hope of reducing the burden on Hoshino so that he doesn't have to carry the heavy burden of Abydos.

But these words also made Mo Lu couldn't help asking: "What if the creditor wants to get the whole Abydos in advance? Will this be..."

"No, what can you get if you get it early? There's nothing here, just sand. Even if there was something, it would have been sold by the former student union a long time ago."

"....Is that true?"

"If there is really any problem, I will definitely protect the teacher and Shirako-chan~! Although I am not good at fighting, I am quite good at protecting people~"

Meng patted his chest with a smile on his face, causing ripples in the air, making Mo Lu not know where to look.

Judging from common sense, it seemed to be the same as what Meng said, but he always felt that something was wrong.

But now that he was in the desert, he didn't have the time to care about these things. He could only think about this problem after he returned:

"...Forget it, let's think about how to get back. Even if I miss dinner, I should still be able to make it in time for a midnight snack if I'm lucky, right?"

"Yes, I'm sorry~ I'm the one who brought you here... But! But! I'll treat you to a midnight snack~! Anything is fine!" Meng's face was full of guilt. He smiled awkwardly, bowed his head and apologized, and even offered to bleed himself.

"Very good, then you should get ready to wash the dishes."

"Please, please show mercy~!" Thinking of her already empty wallet, even though she felt guilty, she was worried that she would really go to wash the dishes, so she clasped her hands together and begged for mercy, luckily looking at him so pitifully.

But he just smiled and said nothing, planning to tease her more when he got back.

Now he led the two of them to the dark place on the back of the sand dune, and patted the seat next to him, allowing Bai Zi to sit next to him.

She even leaned on him like a lazy kitten. When Mo Lu stroked her silver-gray hair, the young girl shook her head slightly, then closed her eyes and comfortably enjoyed the leisure time in the desert evening.

Chapter 16 Aren’t you falling in love with every girl you meet?

Bai Zi, who was always wary of others, was very intimate with Mo Lu, which made Meng, who was watching them, a little envious:

"No matter how many times I see it, Shirako-chan and her teacher have such an enviable relationship. It would be great if Hoshino could act like a spoiled child with me like this..."

"After a while, the rebellious period will be over and there shouldn't be any problem, right?" Mo Lu smiled and waved his hand.

"Really?" When I heard this in my dream, a glimmer of hope appeared in my eyes.

"Of course, once the rebellious period is over, he will definitely become docile. Hmm~ Now that I think about it, I want to play with the less prickly Xingye. When the time comes, I'll ask you to let me play with Xingye too..."

Before he could finish the words he was expecting, the girl in his arms suddenly reacted. Like a wary kitten, she raised her head and stared at him with suspicious eyes.

This made him change his words with a smile in order to avoid teaching the child bad things: "...I don't mean anything weird, I just mean to play together."

"....play?"

"Literally."

Mo Lu, who really only intended to tease Xingye, smoothed Bai Zi's hair while speaking, hoping that she would believe that he was an upright man.

The solemn assurance dispelled Bai Zi's suspicion, allowing her to lean on him and rest again.

But the way Meng looked at him seemed a little strange, and he even hesitated before asking:

"teacher....."

"what?"

"You always liked to make Hoshino-chan angry. Isn't it because... that's the girl you like?" Meng stared at him suspiciously, and asked with a look of doubt on her face: "Just like a child, you deliberately use that method to attract attention because you like her?"

"What are you talking about? I provoke her? One bullet from me will kill her. How dare a weak man who can't even stop a tank gun?" Thinking of the perversion of the Kivotos, he couldn't help but roll his eyes and retorted angrily: "Xingye gets angry with me easily, maybe it's just because she is irritable. Otherwise, think about it, I also like you and Baizi, do you think I have ever angered you?"

"It seems so?"

Meng nodded slightly in disbelief, but just as she looked away, the next moment, as if realizing something, she suddenly jumped up from the ground, her cheeks flushed, and she exclaimed in bewilderment: "Wait, wait a minute! What do you mean? Me, me? And Baizi-chan likes it too? - You... don't you fall in love with every girl you meet?!"

"...What do you mean by falling in love with every girl you meet? Do kids nowadays think so extreme?"