Monster - Chapter 126
Chapter 126: Star City - I Disagree!
She thought Lou would go to a hotel with that tall woman, but from her puppet's perspective, Lin Sandie saw them walk down the bar street before turning into another, even livelier dance club.
So she loves to party… Lin Sandie sat in the taxi, her face cold as she glanced at her phone. She had already called twice, but Lou hadn't answered either time.
Upon arriving at the bar street, Lin Sandie got out of the car and headed straight for the club where Lou was. The realization that her actions resembled those of a wife catching her cheating spouse soured her expression. When she entered the club and saw Lou dancing intimately with the tall woman, the rage manifested physically. Her head felt like it was splitting open, and the scorpion on her back seemed to be trying to burrow into her flesh. Gritting her teeth against the pain, Lin Sandie sat down at the booth where Lou and the tall woman had been sitting and waited.
No matter how angry she was, starting a direct confrontation wasn't Lin Sandie's style.
Lin Sandie knew that when it came to her first Guide, Lou lacked self-awareness. She refused to wake up from her delusion. Even if she vaguely knew deep down that her search was futile, she would always find reasons to convince herself otherwise. If she stumbled upon some trivial detail or a clue of dubious authenticity, she would become ecstatic, her conviction in her years of effort and waiting reaffirmed. She would persuade herself that these minor details were the breakthrough she needed to find, to finally be reunited with, her long-lost Guide.
On this matter, Lou was hopelessly obsessed.
Her gaze returned to the dance floor. Lin Sandie saw Lou with her long hair unbound, an indulgent smile on her face, completely carefree. It was as if her world was intact, had never collapsed; as if her world was full of light, excitement, and joy. The Lou at this moment was just like the one in the photograph Kang Yi had first shown her. Lost in her own dance, she was like a sweet fruit in the dead of night, luring everyone's gaze.
This was the kind of person she was—possessing a loyal, innocent, and sensitive side, but also a wild, dangerous, and indulgent one.
She had always managed the loneliness and pain accumulated over so many years so well. She could always soothe her own emotions, always handle her feelings properly. No matter who she met, she could ultimately convince herself to let go and continue her long and winding journey in search of the Little Rabbit, year after year, shuttling back and forth between countless Tower Worlds.
All her anger dissolved into a low sigh. Lin Sandie let her eyes follow Lou's figure, her mood gradually calming.
After a while, Lou was still pouring her passion onto the dance floor, but the tall woman she was dancing with returned first. She was startled for a moment upon seeing Lin Sandie at their booth, then an interested expression appeared on her face. "Well, well, you two really do look exactly alike."
Lin Sandie looked at the woman who had casually sat down beside her. She had a head of what looked like soft, short blonde hair, her features were stunning and bold, and her voice sounded familiar.
"Jian Yi?" Lin Sandie recalled the woman who had made that baffling phone call to her earlier tonight.
"That's me." A brilliant smile bloomed on Jian Yi's face as she extended a hand to Lin Sandie. "Even though you and Lou Lou look the same, your temperaments are completely different."
Lou Lou? Lin Sandie paused for a moment before shaking her hand. "She seems drunk."
"A little, but this is Bite Mark's territory. No one would dare cause trouble," Jian Yi said, her voice bright and charming, her smile infectious. Her short golden hair seemed to glow irresistibly under the dim, ambiguous lighting.
She probably couldn't reach me, so she went to find Lou instead, Lin Sandie thought, nodding. "I'm here to pick her up…"
"Lin Sandie!" Lou's cheerful shout interrupted her. She squeezed through the crowd to their booth and collapsed onto Lin Sandie, laughing. "Let me tell you, Jian Yi gave me this super amazing liquor. Wow~ It's been so long since I've felt this light-headed."
"…Are there any side effects?" Lin Sandie ignored Lou, frowning at Jian Yi.
"None at all. It's my own concoction, 'Drunken Life, Dreamy Death.' People need to relax sometimes, you know? Want some? You look like you could use some relaxation too." Jian Yi grinned and pulled a small, square metal flask from her pocket.
"No, thank you."
"Lin Sandie!" Lou suddenly hugged Lin Sandie's neck tightly. "You're not allowed to talk to anyone else."
"Do you have any idea that you're currently a bounty target worth 60,000 points?" Lin Sandie asked helplessly. She hadn't forgotten that Lou's name and photo were still on the Rose Society's bounty list. It was also why she was reluctant to go out in her own body. If she hadn't been in such a hurry tonight, and if she wasn't confident in her puppet's protection, Lin Sandie would have definitely put on a disguise before leaving.
After all, Star City wasn't the Disorder Land; it was densely populated.
"Heh, I took care of a few reckless fools on my way out just now," Lou said, now draped completely over Lin Sandie, her smile a little silly.
"Should we go back?" Lin Sandie asked. She had just checked the time; it was already past one in the morning.
"Alright." Lou sighed, then sat up straight from Lin Sandie's body and grinned. "But let's have a drink. I've never had a drink with you before."
"Ah, you two have such a great relationship. I've always wanted a sister," Jian Yi remarked wistfully from the side.
Which eye of yours sees us as sisters? Lin Sandie was slightly annoyed, but wanting to get Lou home quickly, she waved over a waiter. She perfunctorily ordered two beers and toasted with Lou.
"Cheers! Lin Sandie~" Lou called out again before tilting her head back and gulping down the beer. When she set the bottle down, a smile was back on her face, followed by an irrepressible burp.
Lin Sandie also finished her beer, then stood up and hoisted Lou onto her back.
"You have our contact information. Get in touch if you need anything," Lin Sandie said briskly to Jian Yi, who had been sitting there watching them with a smile.
"Okay, San San~" Jian Yi stood up to see them off. Only then did Lin Sandie notice that Jian Yi was nearly 1.8 meters tall, with long legs that could rival a model's.
An overly familiar woman. That was Lin Sandie's assessment of her. Carrying Lou on her back, she walked outside. She felt something was off about Lou today and wanted to get back quickly to ask her privately what was going on.
Lately, Lou had indeed been giving her a strange feeling, as if she were in a tug-of-war with something.
Outside the bar, the street was still ablaze with neon lights and bustling with activity.
"This is far enough. Thank you," Lin Sandie said, bidding Jian Yi farewell.
"My, you sisters are so close~ If only I had a younger sister~" Jian Yi remarked again, seeing Lou, who had always been wary of her, lying on Lin Sandie's back as docile as a harmless girl.
Is this person really the Jian Yi who was once ranked second on the Universal Game Machine? Lin Sandie couldn't help but wonder, seeing how the other woman seemed completely unable to read the room. She continued walking toward the end of the bar street with Lou on her back.
"Lin Sandie~" Lou, with her arms around Lin Sandie's neck, let out a soft sigh. The sound seemed to strike Lin Sandie's heart, filling her with a sudden, inexplicable panic.
"Hm."
"I've told you before that because so much time has passed, there are many things I don't remember clearly. But even after living for so long, you still remember some things that are carved into your soul, right?" Lou's voice was very, very soft, as if it might vanish at any moment. "You also have things you'll never forget, no matter how much time passes."
"I do."
"When I was little," as soon as the words left her mouth, Lou's voice was already tinged with a sob, "when I was little, I thought I would go to all sorts of places, have all kinds of adventures, eat all kinds of delicious food, meet all kinds of people, and see all kinds of beautiful scenery. Because I love adventure, I love to travel… I believed from the bottom of my heart that I would have a companion on my journey. I would be with her, and she would adventure with me… She, it could only be her. I… I never thought my companion could be anyone but her."
Lou buried her face in Lin Sandie's neck and began to sob quietly. "I… I really believed since I was a child that the person who would walk this path with me could only be her. But… I was wrong."
A sharp pain seized Lin Sandie's heart. Lou's heartfelt words brought tears welling up in her eyes. She lowered her head, and the tears dripped from her face onto the road beneath her feet.
Not knowing how to respond, Lin Sandie could only walk forward in silence, carrying Lou on her back.
Once they left the bar street, the night wind blew, and Lou's sobs gradually subsided. She slid off Lin Sandie's back and wiped her face messily with her hands.
"You go on ahead. I'm waiting for someone."
Lin Sandie's mouth moved. She wanted to say, The person you're waiting for will never come. Stop waiting.
But in the end, she didn't say it. She just stood silently beside Lou.
Neither of them spoke. They stood there, watching the endless stream of cars and the flashing neon lights on both sides of the road.
Lou's once-hazy eyes became clear and bright. All traces of crying vanished from her face, replaced by a serious expression, as if she were about to make a declaration.
"Lin Sandie, let's end this game of playing house." After saying this, she raised her hand to hail a taxi.
"I disagree." Lin Sandie immediately grabbed her raised hand, her gaze fixed on Lou with unprecedented sternness and gravity. "If this really is a game, and you were the one who started it, then the right to end it must be mine. And I want to keep playing!"
"…"
"I came looking for you today because you promised me that while we were playing this game, you wouldn't get involved with anyone else."
"I didn't."
"I know you didn't, but I have the right to be suspicious, and I have the right to bring you back to my side," Lin Sandie retorted even more harshly.
Lin Sandie hailed a taxi herself and forcefully pulled Lou into the car with her.
"I have the right to demand that you follow the rules of the game!" The Lin Sandie of this moment revealed a side Lou had never seen before. Usually, Lin Sandie was polite and composed, but regarding what happened tonight, she was no longer restrained. Instead, she was aggressive, even deliberately unreasonable.
"And you have no right to call it quits!"
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