Diary 12:
The next morning, Long Dao and I wasted no time going out and explore Lan. The streets looked similar to Lai, which is that there were many people and a lot of shops. But there is something odd that catches my eyes. Everyone here seemed so … closed. I mean, people here still talk and do business and stuff, but I just get a feeling that all of them are wearing a public mask.
But, there is someone that stood out,
Long Dao and I were walking the streets to observe how people are living in Lan. When we turned to another street, I saw a young man, likely my age as well I think, having an argument with a restaurant owner. While the owner's face was all angry, this man just laughed all the time.
I and Long Dao stood at the corner of the street and watched the whole thing.
"General, do you see that man?" I whispered.
"Don't call me general here," she replied.
"Uhm… Long Dao, do you see him?" my mouth felt weird calling her by name.
"Yes, what about him?" Long Dao asked back.
"He looked so… free. He is different from the people here," I explain.
"And? Why is that important?"
"A unique person will always know some secret knowledge," I answered.
Long Dao looked back at me. She made a doubtful face, "I thought you are a logical person, not making assumptions like this."
"It is always like that in games. A person who stands out like that is always a hiddenly useful character" I said confidently.
"Huh?" she raised her eyebrows.
"Oh, nothing. Keep watching," I forgot that she didn't know anything about games.
Although we couldn't hear what conversation the man and the restaurant owner were having, Long Dao and I still watched their behaviors and expressions.
Suddenly, a scream came out of nowhere. "Ah! Robber!" a woman yelled.
Long Dao and I turned our heads in the direction of the sound. There, we saw someone was running away while there was a woman laying on the ground.
Without any thoughts, we both rushed to the robber. But when we were there, the robber was caught already.
It was the young man from before. He was able to catch the robber within seconds. He then took the woman's bag from the robber and handed it to her.
"Lady, are you ok?" he asked while handing back the bag and helping her stand up.
"Thank you so much!" she replied and took back her bag.
She then opened and checked her stuff. While that was happening, we saw the man just walk away quietly.
Seeing my chance, I immediately ran for him. "Hey!" I called.
The man turned his head back. He looked confused as to why this stranger was calling him. "Uhm… Do I know you?" he asked.
"Can you join us?" I asked.
"I don't know what you mean by that?" he still looked confused.
"I want you to go with us," I said. Long Dao finally arrived too.
"Haha. I think your friend here has something wrong in his head," the young man laughed.
"Yes, I think so too," Long Dao agreed with him. I glanced at her hearing those words, but she just turned the other way.
"Please take care of your friend. I have something to do right now," he waved his hand and walked off.
We looked at him to a far enough distance, then Long Dao asked, "What were you doing?"
"What do you mean?" I replied.
She quickly glanced at me and it gave me back a shower. "Don't act in front of me. I know that you are not dumb enough to recruit someone straight up like that," Long Dao was as sharp as ever.
"Alright, alright," I smiled it off. "From observing him, we can see that he is a carefree person. With that, when I approached him like how I did, he would think that I am a crazy person or someone mentally ill," I started explaining.
"Well, you are both," Long Dao cut in my words.
"Hey!" I almost yelled, but she just looked the other way.
"Continue," she said.
"Well," I was still upset with her constantly messing with me like that. "If something happens to him and we, meaning me, jump in and help him, his eyes will see me differently and I will leave a strong impression on him. We will have a better chance recruiting him with this."
"I see. Not bad," Long Dao understood my intention.
"Long Dao is so smart!" I teased her and was about to rub her head, but a quick stare shut that off.
"Your hand will be on the other street if you act like that again," she coldly said and walked off.
"Can't even take a joke," I followed her. "How can you find a husband if you are always scary like that?" I said.
"I already have one," she said, and that was when I knew, I f*cked up.
"Shoot! Why did I remind her of the arranged marriage? You idiot!" I scolded myself. "Wait! But she never said that she never complained about it though," that thought made me look at Long Dao more closely.
As always, Long Dao was walking with a straight back and looked elegant without even trying. She looked so perfect, without a flaw. Well, besides her constant threats, but only I know about that.
"She knows how to fight and lead. She cares about the people without seeing them as a lower class. She is born into the most powerful family in the nation but doesn't eat fancy food," I was evaluating what I have known about Long Dao for the past few days.