Spring, C.E. 61
Eleven-year-old Nangong Wentian had been squatting in the corner of the back kitchen, staring at the screen of the "Star Core" for three whole days.
Ever since he discovered that incomplete file on the Dark Web last winter, he had been relentlessly tracking the clues of the "Annihilation Project." For three months, he had been like a patient spider, weaving a meticulous web in the depths of the Dark Web, capturing every piece of information related to that name.
Canard Pars.
This name was like a thorn stuck in his heart, impossible to remove.
"Wentian," Xiao Guang squatted beside him, holding a baked sweet potato, "You haven't slept properly for three days. Eat something."
Nangong Wentian took the sweet potato and took a bite, but his eyes never left the screen.
Xiao Guang sighed. At sixteen, Xiao Guang was already much taller than him, but in front of Wentian, he was still that tag-along kid. He was used to Wentian being in this state—once he fixated on something, he would forget to eat or sleep until he found an answer.
"Any new discoveries?" Xiao Guang asked.
Nangong Wentian was silent for a moment, then said, "Yes."
He pulled up a file. The title was incomplete, but the content was more comprehensive than last time:
"...Experimental Subject Number K-01, Codename 'Canard Pars.' Born at the Mendel Institute on September 1, C.E. 57. Genetic optimization rate... did not meet expected standards, judged as a 'failure.'"
Xiao Guang leaned in, staring at the screen. Although he couldn't understand most of the words, he recognized the term "failure."
"Failure?" he frowned. "What does that mean?"
Nangong Wentian didn't answer, continuing to scroll down:
"...Originally scheduled disposal procedure was interrupted due to an assistant's unauthorized release. The experimental subject escaped. Whereabouts unknown."
"...C.E. 58, the Eurasian Federation captured the experimental subject and transferred it to a special research facility. Conducted numerous live experiments on it, attempting to reverse-engineer the Super Coordinator gene sequence."
"...Experimental Log: 37th live tissue sampling, tolerance good. 58th neural response test, exceeded expected values by 300%. 92nd mental stress test, signs of violent tendencies emerged..."
Nangong Wentian's fingers paused on the keyboard.
Live experiments. Neural tests. Violent tendencies.
Behind these words was a child about his own age, locked in a laboratory, studied and tormented like a lab rat.
He continued scrolling:
"...C.E. 59, the experimental subject escaped a second time. Pursuit record: The experimental subject displayed extraordinary physical ability and reflexes, breached three blockade lines. Three members of the pursuit team were seriously injured, one died."
"...During the pursuit, a leader made direct contact with the experimental subject. According to survivor reports, after subduing the experimental subject, this leader had a brief conversation with it. Content of the conversation unknown."
"...Afterwards, the experimental subject changed its escape direction, its target seemingly... to find someone."
Nangong Wentian's brow furrowed slightly.
To find someone? Who?
He continued searching, but the file ended abruptly there. The last few lines were blurred, only a few words faintly visible:
"...Kira Yamato...original...prove worth..."
Kira Yamato.
Nangong Wentian's heart jolted.
In the original story, Canard did indeed have an obsession—to defeat Kira and prove he wasn't a failed product. The one who gave him this obsession was a mysterious man.
Could it be the "leader" mentioned in the file?
He took a deep breath and continued searching the Dark Web.
Two more days passed, and he finally found a relevant document—an internal report from the Eurasian Federation, dated late C.E. 59.
The report mentioned that an unidentified Coordinator had appeared near Canard's escape route. The man wore sunglasses and casual clothes, moving with ease. When he passed by the pursuit team, he even nodded at them.
The pursuit team tried to question him, but the man vanished in an instant.
At the end of the report was a note: "The man's characteristics highly resemble those of a certain ace pilot from ZAFT, but confirmation is impossible."
Nangong Wentian stared at that line, a name flashing through his mind.
Rau Le Creuset.
Wearing sunglasses, moving with ease, remaining calm even when passing by the pursuit team—this fit Creuset's personality perfectly. More importantly, Creuset had always harbored deep hatred for humanity. It was entirely possible he would use Canard to deal with Kira.
"Interesting," he murmured softly.
Xiao Guang asked from beside him, "What's interesting?"
Nangong Wentian didn't explain and continued searching.
Over the next few days, he found more fragmented information:
A medical record showed that during his imprisonment by the Eurasian Federation, Canard had attempted suicide multiple times. Each time, he was saved and then subjected to further experiments.
A psychological evaluation described him: "Emotionally unstable, irritable, aggressive. But when calm, displays extraordinary rational judgment. Filled with hatred internally, yet possesses a strong desire for 'freedom.'"
A witness described him as "like a beast driven into a corner."
Nangong Wentian leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.
Like a beast driven into a corner.
He recalled the blurry photo in the file—a black-haired boy with sharp eyes and tightly pursed lips, looking as if he was ready to attack at any moment.
Black hair. Not silver.
He opened his eyes, silently correcting his understanding.
Canard Pars, black hair, born in C.E. 57, six years older than himself. A failed Super Coordinator, imprisoned and experimented on by the Eurasian Federation, successfully escaped, currently being pursued. Temperamentally volatile and irritable, but rational and extraordinary when calm. Filled with hatred internally, yet yearning for freedom. Incited to defeat Kira to prove his worth.
Now, he should be on the run. He could be anywhere, possibly in Orb.
Because the file mentioned that the pursuit team's last sighting of him was near Orb.
Orb.
That was the capital of Orb, and also where he was about to go.
"Wentian," Xiao Guang's voice came from beside him, "what are you thinking about?"
Nangong Wentian opened his eyes and looked at him.
Sixteen-year-old Xiao Guang, his eyes still clear, his face filled with concern.
"Thinking about someone," he said.
"That Canard?"
"Yeah."
Xiao Guang fell silent for a moment, then asked, "You want to help him?"
Nangong Wentian didn't answer.
Did he want to help? Of course he did. That boy's suffering was worse than anyone's. Treated as a failed product, imprisoned for experiments, tortured, hunted down, exploited—he hadn't had a single good day since birth.
But could he help? He was only eleven, with no ability, no resources, nothing he could offer to help that boy.
Moreover, Canard wouldn't trust anyone. How could someone abandoned by the world so many times easily trust a stranger?
"Wentian," Xiao Guang suddenly said, "we have money now."
Nangong Wentian was taken aback. "What?"
"That deal last time, wasn't it 190,000?" Xiao Guang said seriously. "If you want to help him, we can use that money."
Nangong Wentian looked at him, warmth rising in his heart.
This boy never asked "why help," only "how can we help."
"Xiao Guang," he said, "thank you."
Xiao Guang scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. "What's there to thank? We're brothers."
Brothers.
Nangong Wentian smiled, then turned to the screen and began creating a new file.
"Star Core, create new file, name 'Canard Pars.' Priority: high. Key information: black hair, born C.E. 57, Super Coordinator failure, Eurasian Federation test subject, currently on the run, possibly in the Orleans region, temperamental but rational, inner desire for freedom, being incited to hunt Kira."
He thought for a moment, then added a note:
"If possible, make contact early, aim to become allies. But proceed with caution—this person is extremely dangerous and extremely fragile."
Xiao Guang watched from the side. Though he couldn't read the words, he could sense that this person named Canard was very important to Wentian.
"Wentian," he suddenly asked, "how do you plan to find him?"
Nangong Wentian was silent for a while, then said, "No need to find him."
"No need?"
"He'll come." Nangong Wentian looked out the window. "Orleans is big, but if he's really there, we'll meet someday."
Xiao Guang nodded, not fully understanding.
Outside the window, spring sunlight streamed into the back kitchen, falling on the old, worn-out "Star Core."
On the screen, Canard's file lay quietly, waiting for a future that might never come.
Nangong Wentian stared at the blurry photo, looking at the black-haired boy, and silently thought:
"Canard Pars, if you really exist, if you're really on the run, if you're really in Orleans... wait for me."
"Someday, we'll meet."
Outside, a breeze rustled the leaves.
In the back kitchen, the cursor on the Star Core's screen blinked on and off, like a distant star.
It was Canard's star, and also the person he would illuminate in the future.