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墨書 Inktalez
The vehicle shuddered slightly, the acrid smell of gasoline invading the nostrils. In the muddled haze of his mind, it felt as if a nerve had been ignited, and in an instant, the scene shifted back to the sunlit Stilt House. The pungent odor gnawed at his brain, and a fierce flame erupted, jolting Yuan An awake from his slumber. Strands of hair clung to his face, cold sweat soaking through his back.
It was a dream, yet another dream.
Yuan An let out a sigh of relief as his stiff body relaxed against the chair's backrest. Habitually, he reached to wipe away the cold sweat, but suddenly felt a constriction around his wrist. The icy touch pulled his chaotic thoughts back to reality. He shook his wrist where the handcuffs were locked, the metallic sound of iron clashing still cold and unyielding. The tight cuffs nearly strangled his wrist, leaving behind glaring circles of bloodstains—some already scabbed over while others still oozed.
This was the handiwork of Sister Jiu. She had shared the vehicle with Yuan An, under the pretense of being a caretaker. As e's pet, the driver and Field Duty personnel turned a blind eye to her childish antics as she tormented her newly captured prey throughout the journey.
Outside lay an expansive wasteland; distant poplar trees stood proudly while clusters of red willows dotted the monotonous backdrop. The brown earth stretched out desolately into the distance. At the farthest point visible, a massive barrier could be seen, beyond which swarmed heads hinted at their identities. Retracting his gaze, he looked toward the front of the Cabin where a row of Black Iron Fences blocked the convoy's path. Beyond the fence lay a circular trench, with a suspension bridge spanning across it, connecting the vast land to the isolated Lonely City.
Despite being trapped, Yuan An felt fortunate compared to his fallen companions. As long as he was alive, there remained some hope deep within him.
From Land to sea and back again in less than half a month gave him an illusion of vast changes in time.
Yuan An stared blankly at the towering city walls while Sister Jiu beside him had already begun chattering away. This long and peculiar journey would be enough for her and her former partners to boast about for a lifetime.
The driver and co-driver were Foreign Operatives; following e on Field Duty missions had become routine for them, accustomed to various sights along the way. At that moment, they were merely tired and indifferent to what significance or value the girl sitting in the back held for them; for them, it was only Garrison's fine wine and women that marked the journey's end and reward.
The convoy halted for more than ten minutes when Yuan An caught sight of a Blonde Woman in the rearview mirror. She jumped out from the back seat holding what appeared to be a walkie-talkie and casually approached their vehicle, tapping on Yuan An's window.
Yuan An turned his head and looked at her expressionlessly. The Blonde Woman gestured towards the window, signaling him to open it for conversation.
Yuan An rested his hands on the door handle but couldn't reach the button. Sister Jiu quickly leaned over to press down on the window button first and playfully blew a kiss at the Blonde Woman. Ignoring her gesture, the Blonde Woman’s sapphire eyes scanned Yuan An's wrist without saying anything before beckoning Sister Jiu to unlock his handcuffs.
E appeared to be in a good mood, her golden hair flowing as she pointed at the towering city walls and asked, "How does it feel?"
Yuan An flexed her stiff, aching wrist, unsure of what she meant.
"Everything that island has, we have here. Everything that island lacks, we have here too." E's eyes sparkled with pride and arrogance as she smiled and said, "This is where the true beginnings lie. You are different from ordinary people; those of value belong here."
Yuan An turned her face away, remaining silent, her heart calm and undisturbed.
"Starting out is always a bit uncomfortable, but you'll adapt." E felt strangely different at that moment, shedding the cold-blooded killer image from the island and transforming into a diplomatic ambassador, guiding a lost traveler back to their homeland.
The one-sided conversation did not last long. As they walked, Yuan An noticed restaurants, hospitals, bookstores, clothing stores, small supermarkets, bars, and even banks. The storefronts were mostly uniform in design, resembling other buildings she had seen before—generally low in height and exuding a peaceful small-town atmosphere. Various architectural styles were visible; although sometimes mismatched, they blended together to create a lively sense of playful chaos.
As they continued walking, Yuan An caught a whiff of an unfamiliar yet familiar scent. Squinting ahead, she saw a row of simple eateries with half-open counters displaying grills, frying pans, iron plates, and steamers.
A young couple passed by her side, dressed in clean and fitted matching outfits, chatting easily. The girl held a cup of milk tea while the boy carried her bag and clutched a skewer of sizzling meat sprinkled with chili powder and cumin.
Yuan An felt increasingly dazed, everything around her seeming so unreal as if something had shattered in her mind.
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