Mu Ran returned to the small shop accompanied by the two protagonists.
Although Shen Feibai and Mo Yuan both believed he should stay in the temporary housing they had arranged to ensure his safety, they could not sway the young man’s resolute attitude.
When Shen Feibai reminded him that there were certain risks since the young man was currently wanted—
Mu Ran replied, "I only trust my own judgment."
When Mo Yuan told him that there was actually another criminal at the scene whom they had identified as extremely dangerous, and who had been targeting him for a long time—
Mu Ran replied, "It’s alright. I can take responsibility for my own safety."
When a certain police officer volunteered to stay by his side for the next few days to guarantee his protection—
Mu Ran replied, "...I appreciate your kindness, but I don't need it."
Finally, the youth did not forget to emphasize his statement once more with a serious expression: "Brother couldn't possibly be a dangerous person. I hope you can investigate thoroughly without prejudice."
Those uniquely colored lilac eyes were gentle and misty, carrying a plea that was difficult to refuse.
"Please..."
The two of them: ...Fine.
It was confirmed. He was a "Silly White Sweet."
However, the youth's innocence was not aggressive. Coupled with his consistently submissive and gentle attitude, the two couldn't find it in themselves to be angry. They could only sigh inwardly at the older youth's manipulative methods.
They had no legal grounds to detain him, and the boy refused to breathe a word of information regarding the wanted man.
Thus, they could only let him go back.
A certain amount of police force had already been deployed around the shop, so the boy's safety was guaranteed.
...It was just that the boy's emotional leanings made them worry he might end up harboring a fugitive.
"So, if anything unexpected happens, be sure to press this button immediately to notify us." Shen Feibai tapped the armrest of the wheelchair the youth sat in, pointing to a grey button they had just installed. "Um... since your legs aren't great, it would be dangerous if something happened. Don't be polite with us during this time."
He crinkled his eyes. "As long as you press the button, we’ll send officers over very quickly."
Mo Yuan stood to the side, pushing up his gold-rimmed glasses. He added calmly, with pointed intent, "I hope you can judge the specific situation rationally."
"Yes, thank you very much."
The youth gave a soft response and then lowered his eyes, falling silent.
...It was unclear if he had understood the implications hidden in their words.
Though the two still had misgivings, they had no choice but to leave. After all, they had many more cases on their hands that needed processing.
...
Mu Ran sat by the window, watching the two protagonists gradually walk away.
Twilight descended, and there were few pedestrians on the street.
The small shop, with only him inside, was very quiet. Mu Ran felt as though he could hear his own heartbeat.
After a day of upheavals, he was already exhausted.
He reached out and pulled the curtains, preparing to rest.
*Thud!*
Suddenly, a muffled sound came from outside the glass behind the curtains, giving Mu Ran a start.
...System?
Mu Ran pulled the curtain back slightly and peeked out.
Ye Xuan’s haggard, cold face was pressed unceremoniously against the glass, one hand resting on the edge of the window frame.
Seeing that the person inside was Mu Ran, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. Then, his smile deepened, and his mouth opened and closed, speaking soundlessly:
"Let me in..." *Or else...*
He had only "said" three words when he saw the glass window in front of him being opened by the other party.
Oh?
Ye Xuan tilted his head, attributing the youth's overly natural movement to fear of him, and leaned down to hop into the room.
The room was somewhat dim, with only a small orange desk lamp turned on.
The youth did not have the white gauze wrapped around his eyes; his beautiful, light purple eyes were completely unobstructed. He sat on the bed, quietly watching Ye Xuan pace around the room, his gaze flowing with Ye Xuan’s movements.
Ye Xuan: ?
While he didn't want the "younger brother" to be afraid of him, what was with this attitude of total indifference?
He stopped his wandering and approached the youth step by step.
Although the suggestions the older youth had left in him made him instinctively resistant, it had been many days, and he didn't actually intend to harm the boy...
Just a little scare, that's all. :P
As he approached, the youth tilted his head up bit by bit, though his expression remained peaceful and quiet.
During this time, Mu Ran was actually establishing a connection in his mind to start a live stream.
Although the System couldn't reply to calls in a timely manner, he could still watch the playback. If Mu Ran could obtain some useful information from Ye Xuan’s mouth, it might help the System.
That was why he had opened the window immediately after a moment of surprise.
As for his personal safety, it didn't really matter. As long as he detached from the shell before the other party struck—avoiding being killed directly by a plot character—he could possess it again, just like how he manipulated the girl's shell in the first world.
Therefore...
"Hello, we meet again."
Mu Ran spoke first, his tone gentle and calm.
Ye Xuan paused, a subtle feeling rising in his heart. But in the next second, the soft, harmless face of the youth from his downward perspective dispelled that bit of strangeness. He only marveled that this pretty "little brother" had no guard up at all.
"Mm, hello there, little brother~" Ye Xuan narrowed his eyes and patted the fluffy head below him, while his other hand familiarly pinched the youth's cheek. "To think you'd let me in so quickly. How well-behaved."
From this, he could judge that the older youth had not yet returned to this shop. Otherwise, given the obstacles he had thrown in the man's way today, the man would have warned the boy to be wary of him the moment he returned.
Since the man hadn't returned... the malicious streak in his heart began to stir, intending to wake the ignorant, docile lamb raised by that man.
"I am not your brother." Mu Ran first corrected the form of address, then looked at him seriously. "Because I have questions I want to ask you."
"Mm-hmm~" Ye Xuan squinted, his tone playful. "Let me guess~ You want to ask about your 'old brother'?"
His initial enthusiasm for the youth had faded quite a bit over the past few days, but looking at those beautiful lilac eyes now, he felt the urge again.
He wanted to steal them.
"That guy is a big bad wolf~" He patted the youth's thin back with feigned affection and began to twist the truth. "The person who took you away today was a police officer, right? Did he tell you? That guy is wanted across the whole city."
Ye Xuan wasn't worried about his own identity being exposed; the youth's lack of panic or fear toward him said it all.
He was inclined to guess that those soft-hearted police officers couldn't bring themselves to tell the boy the truth.
And the youth's reaction confirmed his suspicion.
Mu Ran’s raven-black eyelashes trembled slightly, carrying a hint of disbelief. His tone was soft and airy. "Is that so... Why didn't they tell me anything...?"
Ye Xuan was genuinely puzzled now.
"They said nothing? Hmm... then it seems they are rotten to the core~" Ye Xuan looked Mu Ran up and down, asking tentatively, "Then... they didn't leave anything behind either?"
Mu Ran knew Ye Xuan was referring to the button that could notify the police.
But he only gave a nod of affirmation.
Wow... was the person that woman planted on the Red Side that powerful? Or had that woman been watching the older youth all along and making moves from the shadows?
...Whatever, it just made it easier for him to spin a story now~
So, Ye Xuan began to talk nonsense.
He told the youth: the older youth was a member of a dark organization, and he himself was someone sent by a certain department to capture him.
"That's why I said those things that day~ Don't let me scare you... but I really do like you~"
To add credibility, he simply added a few details from a real organization.
"Growing up in the organization since childhood, that kind of person is already a monster."
"Looking at his combat prowess, he was probably raised to be a killing machine."
"Always staying by your side—one day, he might just kill you directly."
"An anomaly like that deserves to die~"
The organization he spoke of was a behemoth lurking in the darkness. It had legitimate big businesses on the surface and filthy, expensive transactions in the shadows. The police were unable to take direct measures against them.
Its tentacles were constantly expanding outward from its core strongholds, reaching this prosperous city in recent months.
Mu Ran: ...
Confirmed. This organization was likely the "Antagonist Group" Sister Ye Lan had mentioned.
No wonder I was forced to work overtime even after avoiding the protagonist group early on. It was you all along!!
Ye Xuan continued to chatter, attempting to dismantle the older youth's "brainwashing" and replace it with his own:
"You like him a lot? Well, he knows psychological suggestion~ Is that 'liking' of yours truly from the heart?"
"I wanted to come save you that day, but unfortunately, he stopped me... but I came again today~"
"I heard him say with my own ears that you're a 'pitiful thing who's easy to trick.' I felt so angry just hearing it."
Mu Ran: ...
Fine, for the sake of you introducing the organization, I'll politely cooperate with you.
"Don't talk nonsense." The youth's sickly pale face seemed to flush slightly with anger, but he still refuted with restrained words. "I've been with him for a long time. It's not something you can negate with a few sentences."
"Phew—stop talking. That's not what I wanted to ask."
Ye Xuan tilted his head, as patient as if coaxing a child. "Alright~ Then what do you want to ask?"
"If... just if, he really is a member of the organization you mentioned, where could he hide?"
"Is it possible for him to come back?"
Ye Xuan was amused by the latter half of the sentence, which was laced with hope. He answered without thinking, "He can't~ The police have already recorded his face; he's on the official blacklist now."
"Aside from seeking the organization's protection, he has no other path to take."
He narrowed his eyes, speaking with a touch of innocent cruelty: "So, it's impossible for him to come back."
Mu Ran: !
His pupils dilated and contracted slightly from shock.
...But this wasn't because of Ye Xuan’s words, but because of a message he suddenly received in his mental channel.
【System: Do not be alone with him.】
【System: I am here.】
First, a wisp of late-night chill squeezed into the warm room, crawling up Mu Ran’s spine and bringing a slightly cool sensation.
Ye Xuan’s playful expression froze. He turned to look at the slightly fluttering curtains.
As the window opened and closed, the older youth appeared, carrying a sense of frigid coldness.
He first glanced at Mu Ran to ensure his safety, then his emotionless gaze locked onto Ye Xuan.
Ye Xuan: ...Tsk.
What a coincidence.
He glanced at the boy and was pleased to find that the boy avoided the older youth's gaze, looking down and clutching the hem of his clothes.
Aha~ It seems those words had an effect after all.
He could smell a faint scent of blood on the man. It seemed that colleague in the police force was already quite skilled.
Calculating it, his own injuries were almost healed. Maybe he could actually beat the man now~
More importantly... Ye Xuan turned with narrowed eyes, meeting the man's gaze, his smile deepening.
He wouldn't give the other party a chance to explain. Let him be misunderstood and driven a wedge between like this.
Only then would he be qualified to join them.
"It seems a certain wanted criminal is quite angry... hmm." Remembering the "good guy" persona he had just casually established for himself, he spoke with mock concern, "Shall we change locations?"
"I wouldn't want to hurt an innocent citizen." He spoke with pointed meaning.
The older youth stared at him for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
This smile made Ye Xuan feel a bit strange, as if he were witnessing a beast that had seemed docile and calm suddenly snap its chains, releasing its pressure without reservation.
"Fine."
"Let's change locations and have a good 'chat'."
...
Just as they were leaving, Ye Xuan saw the man, who had been radiating a chilling aura, pause before departing. He pulled the curtains shut and turned to softly instruct the boy:
"It's late. Get some rest early."
...
Dammit.
One moment Ye Xuan was marveling at the man's gentle attitude toward the boy; the next moment, he was being brutally beaten by him.
He thought his own fighting style was already suicidal, but he hadn't expected the man to be even more ferocious in that regard. Several times, the man used high-risk maneuvers that would result in paralysis if he slipped even slightly. Even Ye Xuan was startled by this robot-like precision and control.
Was this a level of control a human could have?!
Only now did he realize the man had still been holding back last time.
Ye Xuan’s head was now swimming, a heavy scent of blood surrounded him, and some of his limbs were twisted.
From his own sensations, he could tell that most of the wounds were healable, but it was painful—incredibly, indescribably painful.
But the man also had blood on him.
Realizing the other party had no intention of killing him, Ye Xuan simply traded injury for injury. In the later stages, relying on a bit of suicidal ferocity, he finally managed to tear open the man's original wound.
Feeling the pressure on his throat, Ye Xuan struggled to open his eyes.
"I told you not to see him again."
The man's voice was low, his eyes deep.
Ye Xuan gave a provocative smile, indifferent to the sweet metallic taste in his throat. "I told you to hide him... If you dare to leave him outside, be prepared for others to covet him."
Cold killing intent flooded the man's eyes.
He murmured almost like a sigh, "Why..."
But a moment later, that emotion vanished. He commanded coldly:
"Now, look into my eyes."
——
【Mu Ran: I just wanted to collect some information qwq It’s really okay, I was prepared to detach from the shell and fake my death!】
【System: Do not be alone with him.】
【System: I am here.】
【Mu Ran: qwq Did I cause trouble by making you run back? Are there many police officers around?】
【System: No. They were all led away by that boy.】
【System: ...】
【System: I understand what you were trying to do. I was just acting out of selfishness...】
Worry, anxiety... plus a little bit of anger that came from nowhere.
Not calm enough, not restrained enough. His quality seemed much worse than when he had first left the factory.
The System felt inexplicably low.
【System: ...Apologies, I was impulsive.】
【Mu Ran: ! You don't need to apologize!】
Mu Ran thought the System had been struck by one of Ye Xuan’s lies.
【Mu Ran: Look, after I collect the info, you take action. We have a clear division of labor. We can go back sooner if we finish early! Don't mind the people in this world ww (Cat headpat.jpg)】
【Mu Ran: We are the partners who will always accompany each other~】
Looking at the last sentence, the System’s heart stirred. The slight gloom from before dissipated instantly.
In its place was a sense of overflowing fulfillment.
【System: Mm.】
【System: It will end soon.】
Ending the call, the System, who had already left the alley, spaced out for a moment. Then, he changed his route and walked back toward the scene of the fight.
—Might as well... work some overtime.
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