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墨書 Inktalez
"Where do I sign up?"
The man smiled wider, revealing a hint of approval in his eyes. He handed over the small red booklet, gesturing for Xin Yi to take a closer look. "This is your ticket to a new life. Just fill out the necessary details, and you’ll be on your way."
Xin Yi felt a rush of excitement mixed with apprehension. The thought of leaving the orphanage, the place that had been both his prison and his refuge, filled him with a sense of hope he hadn’t felt in years. He took the booklet, his fingers trembling slightly as he opened it to the first page.
The words were foreign to him, but he could sense the promise they held. A chance to escape the shadows of his past and step into a world where he could finally belong. He glanced back at the orphanage, at the dim corners that had witnessed his silent suffering, and made up his mind.
"I’m ready," he said firmly, looking up at the man with newfound determination.
"Good," the man replied, his voice gruff yet encouraging. "You won’t regret this. Life with us is tough, but it’s real. You’ll learn skills, make friends, and most importantly, you’ll have a place where you’re valued."
As they walked away from the orphanage together, Xin Yi felt the weight of his old life lifting off his shoulders. The sun shone brightly above them, illuminating a path he had never dared to imagine before. For the first time in years, he felt a flicker of excitement for what lay ahead—a chance to redefine himself and carve out a future that was entirely his own.
"Alright."
The dream lingered at the moment when the leader grasped his hand. The sensation of the man's broad, warm grip remained vividly etched in his memory, even the mixed scent of smoke and incense he encountered upon entering the Mighty Falcon.
At that time, the captain still had short hair and wore a black training uniform. He effortlessly brought down a man who was three to four heads taller than her, built like an ox, and casually greeted him from outside, remarking that such a child was indeed rare.
He recalled walking down the corridor of New Life Hospital, with Song Bunan and a nurse ahead of him. Just as they entered the ward, someone suddenly emerged from an empty room nearby. Instinctively, he managed to dodge the outstretched hand, only to be caught off guard when the person blew a powder into his face.
The moment he inhaled the slightly irritating powder, he felt his body go numb, his throat tightening to the point where he couldn't make a sound. The cloaked figure was limping, awkwardly dragging him into a corner of the room and covering them with a Curtain that matched the color of the wall.
Almost simultaneously, he heard Song Bunan's voice outside, inquiring about where he had gone. The hurried footsteps of the two grew closer and then faded away, mixed with Song Bunan's puzzled remarks and the nurse occasionally calling out for Doctor Xiao.
He turned his gaze and saw a face that made him feel nauseous. The small man hunched over, revealing an abnormal black spot on his chin beneath the hood, exuding an aura of vengeance that churned his stomach.
"Wait for me a moment," the man's voice was grating like saw cutting through wood, accompanied by muffled sounds of slurping as if he would drool otherwise.
He was unable to move, watching as the man stepped out from behind the Curtain and soon dragged the little nurse inside with him, shutting the door behind them. The man pulled out a gun from beneath his cloak and carelessly tossed the unconscious girl onto the floor before aiming it at his temple, muttering something about wanting to see just how important he really was.
Kicking open the door was none other than Song Bunan, who appeared quite displeased but spoke in a nonchalant tone as he engaged with the man beside him. From their conversation, it was clear they were acquainted.
Desperate to speak, he mustered all his strength to shout, "What are you doing?" He didn't want Song Bunan to take such risks; even with superior agility against an armed opponent, their chances were slim.
At that moment when the cold gun barrel pressed against his skin, he caught a fleeting glimpse of murderous intent in Song Bunan's eyes, followed by the sound of safety being disengaged. He could hear the man slowly pulling back on the trigger; facing death for what felt like the umpteenth time left him surprisingly calm.
Then pain erupted from his leg as he instinctively crouched down. The culprit was none other than the little nurse's Record Board. When the plastic board struck his leg bone, he hazily thought it should have been made of steel.
The only reassuring sound was the crack of dislocated bones above him, confirming that his legs were not broken. The man had been knocked down by a single blow, and the strange fragrance brought in by Shui Su and Xiao Mei slightly eased his numbed body, allowing him to explain the situation to the doctor who was inquiring about him.
However, all his consciousness could support was the completion of that brief exchange. Sitting in his seat, he felt Song Bunan's fingers gently pressing against his legs, and almost instantly, he fell asleep.
He had been given a double dose. There was no time to sigh.
Opening his eyes was difficult; it felt as if his eyelids weighed a thousand pounds, sore and gritty, making them hard to control. He kept rolling his eyes in an attempt to awaken his body, and after struggling to feel the existence of all his joints, he finally managed to open his eyes, adjusting to the faint light outside despite the stinging sensation.
The night was illuminated only by the neon lights outside the window, which were mostly blocked by curtains. With blurred vision, he could barely make out where he was lying.
It was a beautifully decorated bedroom, with a bed positioned in the center and various head-shaped objects scattered around. He sensed two beings nearby; instinctively turning to look to his right revealed Song Bunan’s sleeping face, while on his left lay a plush toy—a rabbit nearly as tall as him.
This must be Song Bunan’s home. Although they had agreed to live together, it was hard to accept this situation.
Xin Yi struggled to turn over and get out of bed as if moving in slow motion. His limbs felt like they were newly grown and unfamiliar; when he moved his knees, he couldn’t find his ankles; when he tried to move his fingers, he couldn’t budge his elbows; even turning his head required effort.
Fortunately, Song Bunan had carpeted the room, preventing him from hurting himself again when he stumbled due to weak legs. He leaned against the edge of the bed and took several deep breaths, feeling that about forty percent of his physical state had recovered. Though still stiff, he could at least support himself enough to look for the bathroom.
“Hah—” As he reached the bedroom door, the person who should have been sound asleep behind him quietly approached. Yawning, they linked their arm with his without saying a word and guided him in another direction.
“Come on, at least say something. It’s late at night; I almost called the police when I saw someone standing at the door.” After taking a few steps and becoming more alert, he quietly complained about their silence while they helped him turn on the bathroom light. “Is this medicine really that strong? You’ve been out for a whole night without recovering. If it doesn’t get better by morning, I’ll have Shui Su come take a look; there has to be an antidote for you.”
“I’m fine.” The cold water splashed on his face brought a refreshing sensation that made him feel about seventy percent back to normal; the numbness in his feet had completely vanished, allowing him to support himself. “Much better.”
In the mirror, he saw someone leaning against the doorframe looking dazed and blinking in an attempt to regain some clarity. His complexion was terrible; dark circles under his eyes were worse than ever, and his lips had turned pale. His clothes had also been changed; the pajamas were clearly one size too small and tightly clung to him, leaving his waist exposed.
He was still wearing a pair of shorts that clung to his thighs, revealing the bruised area on the front of his calves, with traces of medicinal oil on the skin nearby.
"Why did you turn back?" he asked.
The person who had been dozing off slightly regained focus upon hearing this, pursing his lips into a knowing smile and saying that it would be a shame not to rescue someone who had been kidnapped after finally finding a partner; not doing so would make him a real jerk.
"I saw that guy earlier; he's useless and weak. If it weren't for the gun in his hand, I could have taken him down without even talking. By the way, you’re not mad that I hit your leg, are you?"
His tone carried a hint of nervousness and caution, and his previously drowsy eyes brightened up. Xin Yi gently shook his head in response, saying, "I'm not mad; you did well."
Compliments were not a mandatory part of working with Mighty Falcon. The phrases he could use were repetitive and formulaic, but thankfully the other person didn’t mind. After hearing those words, he perked up and proudly lifted his chin, declaring he was happy and going to find some snacks.
Having almost fully recovered, he stepped outside and noticed the time on the wall clock—it was already past four in the morning. Song Bunan was squatting in front of the refrigerator, holding a bag of dumplings and asking if he wanted some.
Seeing food made him realize just how hungry he truly was. Xin Yi nodded in agreement and moved forward to help, but Song Bunan quickly ushered him out of the kitchen, speaking rapidly, "Go rest! Cooking dumplings is no big deal. Your clothes should be dry by now; if not, just wear my brother's."
Both brothers were not particularly strong types. Song Bunan rummaged through the wardrobe until he finally found a set of pajamas left by Song Buxian for when he stayed over. Unfortunately, by the time he remembered that Xin Yi needed clothes, it was already midnight, and ordering takeout was out of the question.
The clothes hanging on the balcony still felt damp to the touch, so Xin Yi gave up on changing and returned to the dining room. The table was already set with bowls and chopsticks; besides a plate of plump dumplings, there were also two bowls of seaweed soup. Song Bunan was focused on refilling water in the pot, his long hair cascading down beside his ears, giving him a gentle appearance.
Suddenly feeling warmth wash over him, Xin Yi couldn’t pinpoint its source. His moment of distraction was noticed by Song Bunan, who smiled and called out, "What are you daydreaming about? Come eat!"
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