“I think it’s different. You folks didn’t want it. So it was wrong. But after I learned about the majority Chinese way…I guess I chose it.”

“What about your parents?”

Feng shook his head silently. They could hear a cricket warming up as though preparing a song. Feng watched Bugz reach for his hand. Her touch sent a tingle running through his body. He thought of his mom. He wondered why she hadn’t reached out like this, like she used to when he was a little boy.

“I’ll show you all you need to know about my parents.” Feng opened a video on his phone. It showed a young Feng in what appeared to be a principal’s office. Feng narrated the conversation for Bugz.

“See, up to this point, I was resisting, telling them I wanted to go home. And this is where the headmaster explained there was no home to go back to. My mother and father didn’t want me.” The boy on the screen lowered his head to cry. “Right there, that’s when he told me my parents could’ve brought me home within a week if they’d only rejected their stupid beliefs.” He stared at the video as the corners of his mouth drew downward. “What kind of parent puts anything ahead of their kid?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Now you know.” Feng shook his head. “There is no ‘going back’ for me. Only forward. I saw Alpha livestreaming a few weeks after that video was taken and the rest is history.”

The crow called out a few more times and flew off.

“So what was the problem?” Bugz asked. “You sound like a good little boy. Believing everything the government told you.”

“I guess I was. But Clan:LESS became really important to me too. At least until you got me in that first battle.” Feng chuckled and glanced at Bugz, who smiled. He continued. “Anyways, long story short, they can’t monitor you in the ’Verse like they can on other digital platforms, so they think you’re suspect. They asked me to quit Clan:LESS. I didn’t.”

Bugz was silent. A slight breeze rustled the leaves at the edges of the clearing.

“I guess as much as I love my country, I love Clan:LESS more. They were there for me.” Feng looked off into the woods.

“That’s messed up.” Bugz let go of Feng’s hand. “That’s why I showed you mercy? So you could run around with people who deny my right to exist?”

Feng had no answer. He could only watch as she walked toward the mouth of the bush trail where Waawaate had dropped them off.

CHAPTER 26

Bugz heard Feng’s loud footsteps behind her, seemingly crunching every twig and branch in the forest. City boy. She made no effort to slow down. Finally he caught up to her, almost out of breath.

“Bugz, wait,” he said.