Monster - Chapter 37
Chapter 37: Problem Child
"Shut up! Go away!"
Lin Sandie wanted to scream this at the incessantly crying Little Fool, but she felt that if she gave in to her temper and yelled at a child, she would irreversibly degenerate into an unreliable adult. The veins on her cotton-stuffed forehead throbbed. Controlling her state of Spirit Separation, a hand extended from the black fog and pulled Little Fool—who was kneeling on the ground, crying while eating fried chicken nuggets—in front of her. Still, she was burning with anger, silently continuing to fry the chicken.
"Little Rabbit is mine," Little Fool continued to cry, turning to hug the black fog behind her tightly, smearing snot and tears all over it. Although the black fog felt cold, corrupt, and evil to the touch, it was Little Rabbit, and she didn't want to let go at all.
Lin Sandie was actually more unhappy, more miserable than her. Her father and stepmother had been killed by her younger brother, who still hadn't been caught. Then she was framed, forced to fight to the brink of death, and who knew what else she would have to face. During this time of being half-dead, she also had to be a nanny to a little savage in this other world. Just how far would the heavens push her before they were satisfied?
With one hand holding Little Fool and stroking the back of her head, Lin Sandie resentfully tossed the prepared chicken nuggets into the hot oil. Then, under the cautious gazes of the Maple Bud people, she portioned the fried chicken into disposable plastic bowls.
Once they confirmed the food was for them, the Maple Bud people happily picked up the chicken nuggets and devoured them, eating until their eyes welled up with tears. They had never imagined such delicious food existed in the world. It was truly worthy of being cooked by a "god."
In her current state, Lin Sandie couldn't smell the food's aroma; she could only see and hear. But watching others eat the food she prepared with such joy lifted her spirits slightly, and she finally found the right mindset to console Little Fool.
Even when dealing with children, adults have their vulnerable moments. Adults also need to be understood and cared for.
"Little Fool, why do you think Little Rabbit isn't yours?" Lin Sandie asked gently, picking up a lukewarm piece of fried chicken and bringing it to her mouth.
She had previously considered what it would be like to get along with a six or seven-year-old child. Having no experience raising children, she had flipped through some books on child education in her spare time. One piece of advice was that when facing an unreasonable child, you must first help them identify their emotions, and only then could they learn to control them.
"Because they'll snatch you away," the problem child said aggrievedly, tears still on her face. But she softened and bit into the fried chicken offered to her. "I'm going to beat them up!"
The problem child fiercely shook her small fist.
"I won't be snatched away. You're my partner, they're not," Lin Sandie put down the chopsticks and took a piece of paper to wipe the tears and snot from her face. "Besides, we have a bond that others don't. You know, that thing you released before, called a 'Line'? There's an invisible line between us too. Even if I'm far away, you can still find me."
Regarding Sentinels and Guides, partners who formed a team naturally had a connection that others lacked. It seemed Guides also had something like pheromones that allowed Sentinels to track them. She just didn't know if her rabbit doll form could emit those pheromones, or if Little Fool could even smell them.
"What's a bond?"
"You'll know once you learn more words," Lin Sandie said perfunctorily, keeping Little Fool close as she continued her work. She had already fried all the chicken, but it wasn't enough to satisfy the appetites of the Maple Bud people. She started preparing chunks of venison.
"But you have to learn to share with others, okay?"
Lin Sandie guessed that Little Fool had lost her family not long after the war between the Aztecs and the Spanish began. She must have wandered alone for at least several months, living a solitary life like a little wildcat. When she encountered food, she exhibited an unparalleled possessiveness. But she was so small that she often couldn't win fights for it, which was why she was bruised and swollen when they first met. She had clearly been baptized by the law of the jungle—the survival of the fittest.
But this way of life wasn't sustainable in the long run. If she were to leave this world, Little Fool would need to learn how to get along with others. Lin Sandie wanted to teach her this. Thinking about it this way, temporarily staying with the Maple Bud Tribe wasn't a bad choice. Besides, there were side quests here to earn points.
"I don't want to."
"Why not?" Lin Sandie handed a freshly fried piece of venison to Little Fool. "Look, this is their venison. I'm giving it to you, and they didn't rush over to hit you."
Little Fool pursed her lips, took the venison without a word, and leaned against the black fog behind her.
Lin Sandie didn't nag her further. After satisfying everyone's appetites, she was so tired that she retreated back into the rabbit doll. The state of Spirit Separation could be maintained for a long time if not used for intense attacks, but it couldn't be kept up indefinitely. Preparing dinner today had left her completely drained. It wasn't physical exhaustion, but mental fatigue.
After helping Lin Sandie clean up, Little Fool ignored the Maple Bud people, hugged the rabbit doll, and curled up in the sleeping bag Lin Sandie bought, falling asleep on her own.
The Maple Bud people, however, after enjoying the perfect meal, bowed down in sincere worship for a while before some went on guard duty and others went to rest.
After several days of trekking, the group finally arrived at a simple village nestled in a mountain hollow the next afternoon. It wasn't large. Judging by the surrounding thatched huts, the population was no more than one hundred people, mostly women and children. At least, after having Little Fool take her on a tour, Lin Sandie didn't see any able-bodied men in the village.
In the vegetable plots cleared around the village, Lin Sandie discovered that the residents mainly grew corn and squash. However, it wasn't the harvest season for these two plants; it looked like they would have to wait at least three or four more months before they could be eaten.
There were also a few potatoes in the plots. Lin Sandie dug one up and saw that they were still very small and not fully mature. They would need at least another month before they were ready to eat.
"Is this the staple food for people in this Tower World? I wonder if rice can be grown here?" Having grown up eating rice, Lin Sandie naturally thought she should be feeding Little Fool steaming hot rice.
"Side quest triggered."
"Please improve the staple crops of the Maple Bud Tribe."
Time limit: None.
Success reward: 500 points.
Failure penalty: None.
"…Are there any rules for how you issue quests, Pie?" Lin Sandie asked helplessly.
Pie remained silent.
After the tour, Sister Flower Cow settled Little Fool into a house made of stacked stones. The back wall of the house was built against the mountainside. Compared to the other thatched huts, this had to be the best house in the village. Then she hurried out, probably to introduce them to the other villagers.
"Little Fool, how about we stay here for a while?" At least until she could teach Little Fool how to get along with others, and wait for her to grow a few years older before going out. Besides, having a fixed place to live would not only allow them to practice coordinating their skills but also let Little Fool learn more about life and culture.
"Why?"
"After we finish all the side quests here, we'll go to the White Bear Tribe together. By then, we'll be stronger and won't have to worry about being bullied," Lin Sandie said, telling one hundred percent of the truth.
"Oh." Little Fool lay on her stomach on the straw-covered bed, kicking her little feet as she looked at a children's picture book Lin Sandie had bought. After days of careful feeding by Lin Sandie, she might not be much fatter, but at least she no longer looked as skinny as a little monkey.
Lin Sandie, meanwhile, leaned against her thin arm and started browsing the online store, calculating what to buy to complete the side quest without wasting points.
"Little Rabbit, I love you." After finishing the picture book, Little Fool suddenly leaned down and kissed Lin Sandie's cheek.
"Why?" Lin Sandie couldn't help but let a hint of a smile enter her voice as she glanced at the title of the picture book, I Love Bobo Bear.
"Because Little Rabbit is very kind and made delicious food for Little Fool. Little Rabbit is very brave and scared away the bad monkeys in the jungle that wanted to steal our food (mental deterrence). Little Rabbit also picks up Little Fool so she doesn't fall into holes (Spirit Separation state). Little Rabbit is soft (the nature of the rabbit doll) and nice to hug. That's why I love you," Little Fool answered very seriously, parroting Bobo Bear's good qualities and applying them to Little Rabbit. She was, after all, a very smart child.
"I guess you little savage have a conscience after all." The black fog suddenly appeared, and a hand reached out to pinch Little Fool's cheek.
Just as Lin Sandie was about to get a new picture book for Little Fool, her vision suddenly plummeted as if she had missed a step. Lin Sandie's leg kicked out involuntarily. Then she saw a vast expanse of white before her. A soft white light flashed overhead, and several doctors in masks were surrounding her.
Lin Sandie blinked blankly. She felt as if her whole body was about to split open from the pain. There seemed to be an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose, and her throat was too dry to make a sound.
"Increase the sedative dosage." She vaguely heard a male voice, and soon after, Lin Sandie fell back into a deep sleep.
"Ah." At that moment, a meaningless cry escaped Lin Sandie's throat.
"What's wrong, Little Rabbit?"
Hearing Little Fool's childish voice, Lin Sandie jolted fully awake. Her memories of Aztec came flooding back.
She remembered just waking up in a hospital bed for a moment. Although she was only awake for a few seconds, she had seen several doctors surrounding her. But at that time, her self in reality had absolutely no memory of Aztec.
"Pie, why can't I remember my memories from here when I wake up?" Lin Sandie ignored Little Fool and hurriedly asked Pie.
"Your experiences in Aztec are equivalent to your dreams. You won't remember everything from a dream in reality. You can bring one piece of important information back to reality with you." As Pie explained, Lin Sandie's personal screen appeared before her, showing a small function: Memo.
Why were there so many inconvenient restrictions? Lin Sandie was speechless. She guessed that her real self was probably still undergoing surgery. But she had already been in Aztec for several days. Why wasn't the surgery over yet?
Could the time difference between Leviathan and Aztec be that significant?
"Pie, if I stay in Aztec for one day, roughly how much time passes in Leviathan?"
"About one hour."
Was the gap really that big? Lin Sandie was stunned. This meant that once her real-world injuries healed and she was no longer constantly unconscious, her time with Little Fool would become short and regular. If she slept for eight hours, she could only spend eight days with Little Fool. Then, she would be awake for sixteen hours, meaning she would be away from Little Fool for sixteen days.
She didn't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing, but losing her memories of Aztec every time she woke up was definitely not a good thing.
"It feels like I've been split into two people. When I'm awake, I live my life in Leviathan, and when I'm asleep, I live my life in Aztec. But deciding to settle in the Maple Bud Tribe for now isn't a bad choice. At least when I'm gone, someone will look after Little Fool, who's still so young."
Just as Lin Sandie was chaotically thinking about her future, she heard a clamor of voices from outside. She immediately snapped back to reality and told Little Fool to get up and go outside. She hadn't forgotten that she was in a primitive jungle tribe.
The person leading the group was an old woman of about seventy. Her hair and eyebrows were white, her face was covered in tattoos and painted with blue, white, and black pigments. On her head, she wore a more elaborate and beautiful feathered headdress. She looked like a shaman of considerable status in the tribe.
In a primitive tribe, while the chief was responsible for daily affairs like hunting and farming, matters of divination and sacrifice fell to a highly respected shaman.
"You're the child Flower Cow spoke of, the one favored by the gods?"
"I am." This time, Little Fool answered on her own without Lin Sandie's prompting. Facing a room suddenly filled with adults, she showed no fear. Instead, she said naturally, "We will be staying here."
…That wasn't a bad answer. Lin Sandie was quite satisfied with Little Fool's performance and instructed her, "Keep going. Say, 'I will help you overcome your difficulties.'"
"I will help you overcome your difficulties."
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