Monster - Chapter 124
Chapter 124: Star City - A New Arrival
On the afternoon of June 1, 2024, in the Tower World of Leviathan, two women with identical faces and a Doberman Pinscher with a drooping head were trudging along a deserted highway more than ten kilometers from Star City.
The woman with long black hair tied in a ponytail had her light jacket tied around her waist and was complaining as she walked.
"Why doesn't Leviathan have trains or planes? It makes no sense. The phones are all touchscreens… I'm speechless. Their tech tree is completely skewed."
In fact, there were trains and planes outside the Disorder Land.
The pink-haired woman walking alongside the one with black hair subconsciously retorted in her mind, but she was too exhausted to utter a single word. She just silently dragged her leaden feet forward. The cuffs of her white shirt were rolled up, and her back was soaked in sweat, revealing the faint outline of the silver mechanical 'Scorpion' beneath the fabric.
These two were none other than Lin Sandie and Lou. It was now the afternoon of June 1st, and they still hadn't reached Star City. This was because the business sedan Lin Sandie owned, which Lou had driven into the Disorder Land, had finally given out at noon, forcing them to continue on foot.
Although they had earned a fair number of points from the various monsters who had coveted them along the way, the vehicles capable of traversing the wilderness of the Disorder Land sold in the system mall were simply too expensive. Lin Sandie saw no need to buy one, figuring it would be more cost-effective to save their points for the Remnant auction the next day.
But now, she was beginning to regret that decision. Although the sun wasn't scorching, a heavy downpour at noon had left the air incredibly muggy. Compounded by the fact that Lin Sandie's injuries had yet to fully heal, after walking for three or four consecutive hours, she felt as if each step she took would be followed by her collapsing to her knees.
She was running on sheer willpower alone.
"Huh?" Though equally drenched in sweat, the perpetually chattering Lou suddenly stopped. She quickly turned to Lin Sandie and said, "Wait for me. I'll be right back."
With that, she took off like a gust of wind. Lin Sandie watched her go, puzzled, and saw a hillside in the distance where a flock of sheep was leisurely grazing on the green grass.
Lin Sandie twisted open a bottle of mineral water and took a swig. Then she crouched down, poured some into her palm, and let Summer (the name she had given the Doberman) drink.
"You're too big. You might have to make your own way to Star City later. Will that be a problem?" Lin Sandie asked, her voice hoarse. She poured water into her palm a few more times for Summer. The dog lapped it all up, licked its master's fingers, and then looked at her with a solemn expression, its bright eyes seeming to say it was no problem at all.
After more than half a month together, the dog knew its new master wasn't like its old one, who was quick to beat or curse it. She didn't force it to attack people it didn't want to bite. Though a bit aloof, it didn't dislike its new master.
"Good." Lin Sandie looked into Summer's eyes and poured a little water on its back to help it cool down.
A short while after giving Summer its instructions, Lin Sandie heard the distant sound of hooves. Sure enough, she saw Lou galloping toward her on a tall, bay horse, a triumphant smile on her face that outshone the midday sun.
"I bought it from that shepherd. What do you think?" Lou's horsemanship was clearly excellent. Just before reaching Lin Sandie, she expertly guided the horse in a small, showy circle, bringing it to a halt beside her. She looked down from her perch and asked.
"Not bad," Lin Sandie complimented, twisting the cap back onto the empty water bottle and returning it to her Space Bag.
"This will save us a lot of time getting to Star City." Of course, the main reason was that Lou could see Lin Sandie was at her limit. She knew that if they kept walking, Lin Sandie would surely aggravate her injuries. To her regret, they hadn't encountered a single person they could hitch a ride with since the car had broken down.
Grabbing Lin Sandie's outstretched hand, Lou pulled her up, seating her securely behind her on the horse. It was Lin Sandie's first time riding, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around Lou's waist.
"Have you ever ridden a horse before?" Lou asked, pulling lightly on the reins and glancing back at Lin Sandie.
"This is my first time. Please don't go too fast." Lin Sandie loosened her arms from around Lou's waist a little, suddenly conscious of how sweaty she was. In that respect, she still couldn't be as nonchalant as a true adventurer.
"Then you'll have to hold on tighter," Lou said with a feigned serious expression, which quickly broke into a wicked grin before she spurred the horse forward.
Clinging tightly to Lou's waist on the back of the horse, Lin Sandie felt the scenery rushing past, making her lose her sense of control. She surrendered herself completely to Lou, body and soul, letting her guide them onward. No matter what lay ahead, no matter what they might encounter, she yielded all control to Lou, entrusting her very being to her...
Lin Sandie is opening her mind to me.
Holding the reins, Lou suddenly sensed it—a gentle, completely harmless aura enveloping her. Her own spirit was forging a tighter bond with Lin Sandie's. This sensation, which had once only occurred during their moments of physical intimacy, was now happening more and more frequently. It always reminded her of how Little Rabbit used to hold her when she was young.
Of course, she would never want the kind of intimate relationship with Little Rabbit that one would have with a lover. So, in bed, even when Lin Sandie opened her mind and created a bond akin to a Sentinel-Guide connection, Lou could ignore it. But to feel it now, under ordinary circumstances, was something Lou found herself resisting.
She felt nothing when others opened their minds to her. Why was it that only with Lin Sandie did her thoughts always turn to Little Rabbit?
Lin Sandie wasn't Little Rabbit. For her to develop such feelings felt like a betrayal.
Once we get to Star City and after that auction, I should part ways with Lin Sandie. The more my powers recover, the more missions I'll have to undertake near Tree. Hanging around her all the time will only put her in danger.
Lou pulled back from her infatuation with Lin Sandie, forcing herself to be calm.
Right, and I need to return Carlo's grandmother's Citizen ID to him. Should I tell him the truth—that his grandmother sacrificed herself to earn points for their family? Or should I lie and say she died peacefully and was buried somewhere with a nice view?
Lin Sandie said she controlled the other zombies, having them bury each other before she released her control. Carlo's grandmother must have been among them...
And then there's the girl from Silver Stone City who hired us to kill Enzo. She said she'd be waiting for us in Star City. I need to give Lin Sandie her share of the points from that job.
All sorts of thoughts surfaced in Lou's mind, most of them revolving around Lin Sandie.
They rode the rest of the way in silence. By the time they arrived at Star City, it was after seven in the evening. Where there had once been only a monotonous wilderness, a city now rose abruptly before them. Even from a distance, they could see brilliant neon lights that made the entire metropolis glitter like a giant, iridescent jewel.
Star City was a coastal city, and as they drew nearer, the air grew noticeably more humid, carrying the scent of the ocean.
Lou slowed the horse as they entered the city. Compared to the other travelers arriving by car, motorcycle, or on foot, the two of them looked as if they had come from another era.
The clouds on the horizon seemed frozen, painted in the blended hues of dusk and nightfall. A giant silver moon had already risen, casting its light upon them and splitting every pedestrian's shadow into two distinct shades, one dark and one faint.
"This place is also called the City of Freedom. It's full of scoundrels and con artists, so you need to be careful when you're out and about."
Lou said this, turning her head to Lin Sandie, whose face was pale from the bumpy ride. Lin Sandie nodded, fighting the urge to vomit. She took out her phone to check the map. "Keep going. The hotel is still a ways off."
Before coming to Star City, Lou had arranged with Carlo to stay at the city's best hotel.
Following Lin Sandie's directions, Lou guided the horse toward their destination. They drew many stares, but no one stopped them.
It was nearly eight o'clock when they finally arrived at the best hotel in Star City: the Monica Hotel.
"The auction starts at 7:30 tomorrow night. I've already ordered the tickets. We'll head out at 6:30 tomorrow afternoon. The rest of the time is yours to schedule as you please." After checking in for two rooms at the front desk, Lin Sandie efficiently took the key cards and laid out the plan for Lou.
"Aren't we going to get some dinner together?"
"I have something to take care of, and besides, Summer isn't here yet." Lin Sandie tucked the key card into her pocket, gave Lou a wave, and headed back outside.
Ignored by Lin Sandie for the first time since they had entered the Disorder Land, Lou blinked. A strong sense of unease washed over her, tinged with a flicker of anger.
Doesn't she know she could be in danger in Star City without me around?
Lou's brow furrowed slightly. She pursed her lips, picked up her own key card, and turned toward the elevators.
She grumbled inwardly, Is my protection worth less than that dog's? She might have powerful artifacts, but the protection I provide comes with absolutely no negative side effects.
Feeling indignant, Lou reached the elevators but then veered off into a nearby restroom. She quickly disguised herself as a handsome young man with short hair, then slipped back out of the hotel to see what Lin Sandie was doing.
Pretending to be a young man stepping outside for a smoke, Lou stood by the entrance and casually glanced over at Lin Sandie, who was on the phone. She was standing off to the side of the hotel entrance, the light glinting off her glasses and obscuring her expression.
"...Do you think that organization can shelter you?" Lin Sandie's voice was far colder than when she spoke to Lou, utterly devoid of emotion. Her face was a blank mask, making it impossible to guess her thoughts.
Who is she talking to? It sounds like someone she knows. But what acquaintances could she possibly have in the Disorder Land?
As Lou eavesdropped, she felt a pang of jealousy, like a girlfriend catching her partner secretly seeing someone else. The Lin Sandie she knew before would have told her everything.
The indignation Lou had just managed to suppress flared up again. Then she heard Lin Sandie say into the phone, "I know where you are. If you have any sense left, you should go back and see Mom and Dad..."
So, it was her younger brother. The one who turned into a monster and killed their parents.
Hearing this, everything clicked into place for Lou. She realized that the phone—Yan Ting's Remnant—must be telling Lin Sandie everything.
While relieved that Lin Sandie wasn't hiding things from her, Lou still felt that something was off.
That phone is far too partial to Lin Sandie... Right, it was originally Yan Ting's Remnant. I wonder how Lin Sandie feels about it?
No, this is wrong. I'm getting way too invested in Lin Sandie. Back in the wilderness, there was nothing to do, and she was the only one around. But now that I'm in Star City, maybe I can find some other fun...
Lou decided she wouldn't indulge this possessiveness she felt toward Lin Sandie anymore—it was unhealthy for both of them. She would go out and have some fun tonight.
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