A mobile phone lied on the floor. It rang for a moment before stopping.
Within the living room, a bottle of cola was lying horizontally on the floor. A drop of cola dripped down onto the floor.
A fat adorable cat came over and gave it two licks. It then turned around with disdain; jumping onto the sofa, it nestled itself behind a pillow.
Within the living room… not a single person was in sight.
As for the door to the house… it was left open.
…
Chen Xiaolian had already run out through the staircase.
He did not take the elevator and had instead chosen to run down the staircase in a frenzy.
After rushing out of the building, he gasped heavily for breath, inhaling the fresh air.
What is going on? What is going on? Just what on Earth is going on argh?
Earlier, he had been feeling relaxed. It was a feeling of being the final survivor, born of the realization that everything on the plane was a dream. That joyful mood has now completely disappeared!
It is not a dream!
It is not a dream!
If it was, then where did that shitty cat come from?
In his anxiety, Chen Xiaolian rushed out from his residential area and came to the roadside.
What do I do?
Call the police?
Chen Xiaolian’s face turned bitter. What am I supposed to say when I make a report?
Am I to say… I may have had a dream? That dream then turned real?
Would the police officers send him to the mental hospital?
His thoughts became confused… surprise… panic… there was even fear!
Liquor!
That is right! I need to drink a glass of liquor!
En, there was no supermarket on the roadside. Chen Xiaolian instead burst into a small pub located within one of the residential streets.
“A bottle of beer! Quick!”
“Do you want Snow or Tsingtao? We have the Horizon Trekker Special…”[1]
“Like I care! Just give me one quickly!”
Behind the counter, a middle-aged uncle cast a peculiar glance towards Chen Xiaolian. He then casually took out a bottle of beer… the most expensive one.
“Ten!” The middle-aged uncle then inquired. “Do you want us to prepare some extra dishes?”
Chen Xiaolian raised up the bottle of beer and bit the cap off the bottle. He then gulped down several mouthfuls.
He retrieved the money from his pocket and placed them on the counter.
As he was about to leave, the middle-aged owner who was behind the counter suddenly said something.
The middle-aged owner’s face was originally petty; but in an instant, he appeared to have transformed into a different person.
“The truth is… that was truly not a dream.”
“Pu!”
Once he heard those words, Chen Xiaolian sprayed out a mouthful of beer. His face was no different from one who had bumped into a ghost as he stared at the owner.
The owner looked on with a serious expression. “Are you curious? I can give you an explanation…”
“Explain your sister! I do not want to know anything! I do not want any part of it!”
Chen Xiaolian turned tail and ran.
After Chen Xiaolian ran out of the pub, the owner became momentarily stunned. He then scratched his head as he looked about in confusion. “En? Did my mind turn blank again?”
…
Chen Xiaolian charged out of the pub, his face set into a mask of panic as he reached the traffic junction. The traffic light was currently red leading to Chen Xiaolian waiting helplessly together with a number of pedestrians as the vehicles drove to and forth before him.
Suddenly, an aunt who was carrying a vegetable basket right beside him turned her face. With a serious expression, she stared at Chen Xiaolian. “You were so brave and decisive back in the instance dungeon, why are you panicking so now? Truth be told, even though it was not a dream, perhaps it could lead to you acquiring even more…”
“A a a argh!”
Chen Xiaolian let out a wretched scream. He ignored the fact that the traffic light was red; he left the crowd of pedestrians and dashed through the river of vehicles until he reached the other side.
The aunt’s body shuddered a few, then she glanced at the vegetable basket in her hand. “Eh? Did I blank out?” Catching sight of Chen Xiaolian who was running awkwardly through the incoming vehicles in the middle of the road, she uttered. “Hmph, youngsters these days have no character, running red light…”
Chen Xiaolian ran madly. Halfway through, he saw a taxi stopping by the roadside. Coincidentally, its passenger was coming off. Chen Xiaolian got in and shouted. “Quick, move! Quick, move!”
“Where to?” The driver turned around.
“Go downtown! Quick!”
Chen Xiaolian then uttered the name of the most bustling street – he was now panicking and instinctively thought of that place.
The taxi began to move…
Along the way, Chen Xiaolian nervously kept an eye on the driver’s face. He was fearful that this driver would suddenly say something weird.
When none was forthcoming, Chen Xiaolian felt his heart becoming slightly calm.
He saw that the taxi had to stop due to a red light at an intersection. Chen Xiaolian then anxiously looked out the windows.
The driver slowly spoke out without turning his head. “Even if you are afraid, do you not want the reward for completing the instance dungeon? That was something you obtained by risking your life.”
Chen Xiaolian. “…”
“It is pointless. No matter where you go, as long as there is someone else beside you, I will be able to talk to you,” The driver looked at Chen Xiaolian through the rear view mirror. He grinned to reveal a set of teeth that was yellowed from smoking. “In this world, you cannot escape from me.”
“You are mad!”
Chen Xiaolian forcefully opened the car door and ran out… running towards the other side of the road…
At that moment…
A black Land Rover roared forward. Seeing Chen Xiaolian about to be knocked over, the Land Rover fiercely decelerated. The front side of the car then made a turn to avoid a direct hit, resulting in it only lightly grazing Chen Xiaolian.
Even so, Chen Xiaolian remained knocked over by the vehicle and fell to the ground.
The Land Rover stopped.
A black, longhaired girl wearing a mouth muffle came out. Her eyes were cold, with traces of suppressed anger in it.
“Are you all right?”
The masked girl squatted down beside Chen Xiaolian.
Seeing Chen Xiaolian getting into a seated position, the girl finally let out with a furious tone. “You crazy fellow! Why are you running around in the middle of the road? Are you looking to die? No matter how urgent your situation may be, you should not take your life as a joke!”
Chen Xiaolian sat down, then looked blankly at the girl. His eyes suddenly turned sharp. “We… we met before!”
The masked girl. “What?”
“Airport! Airport!” Chen Xiaolian shouted out and jumped up. He disregarded the fact that his elbows and knees were scraped raw. He got up and grabbed onto the masked girl’s shoulders. He shouted out in excitement. “Outside the airport! Do you remember?’
“Ah! You are the perverted freak who was harassing my sister!” The masked girl’s eyes turned round and wide.
“Your sister… your sister…” Chen Xiaolian’s face suddenly turned heavy. He stared at the masked girl, and spoke in a trembling but serious voice.
“I am going to ask you a question! Please tell me the answer! It is extremely important! It is very, very important!”
This attitude from Chen Xiaolian caused the masked girl to become shocked. “You… what did you say?”
“Your sister! Your sister… her name! Is it Soo Soo?”
“… … … You sicko! You actually dare to set your eyes on my sister! Spit it out! How did you find out her name?”
The masked girl became enraged and let loose a fist, which connected with Chen Xiaolian’s nose! Chen Xiaolian grunted before collapsing down. However, the masked girl followed it up with several vicious kicks!
“Freak! Sicko! You dare set your eyes on an under aged girl!”
Many passers-by quickly gathered around…
Next, a uniformed police officer squeezed himself in after pushing the crowd aside. “Stop! Stop fighting! Stop now!”
…
… …
Half an hour later, in a police station located in the vicinity.
Chen Xiaolian had a wad of cotton stuffed into his nostrils, his expression a blank as he sat there.
The masked girl was seated upon another table.
“That person is a perverted freak! He stalked and even secretly inquired about my little sister! My little sister is only ten years old! He is a paedophile! We had already met before at the airport. Unexpectedly, he actually followed me all the way. I do not even know how he managed to find me! Police officer!”
The masked girl emotionally shouted out.
The officer who was seated across her, listened quietly and replied in an indifferent tone. “Take off your mouth muffle! We are currently taking down statements! Answer what I ask of you first! First, explain why you are beating people up in the streets!”
“…” The masked girl seethed with rage. She viciously cast a glare at Chen Xiaolian who was seated not far away.
Then, following the officer’s order, she took off her mouth muffle.
The face revealed was one filled with an aura of youth. In addition… it was unexpectedly beautiful!
A delicate oval face with soft facial lines, straight nose and bright eyes. At the moment however, those eyes were filled with constrained fury.
“Name?”
“… Qiao Qiao. Qiao from arbour tree (qiáo mù). Maiden name Qiao, surname also Qiao,” Qiao Qiao scowled and continued. “18 years old, ID number XXXXXX… occupation, student. My school is XXX high school. Residence at XXX Street XXX number…”
The officer raised his head to look at Qiao Qiao. “Yo, you are quite practiced at this eh.” Having said that, he typed in something into the computer before raising his head to look at Qiao Qiao. “It turns out you have experience! Looking at your records, you have been detained twice in a year due to fighting cases. Heng… It seems you have yet to learn your lesson. This time, it’s assaulting others on the street?”
Qiao Qiao gritted her teeth without saying anything.
The officer sighed. “I have seen many little girls like you who rely on their status as a minor to go on a rampage. I will give you this advice: Little girl, you are already eighteen. Protection for minors could no longer shelter you. If you continue causing problems in the future…”
“Officer! He really is a perverted freak! He has his sights set on my little sister!”
Qiao Qiao shouted.
Chen Xiaolian was seated not too far away. However, his gaze was fixed upon the wall as he looked on in stupor.
Soo Soo…
The little girl’s name is really Soo Soo!
Hehe… hehe… hahahaha…
What else could he say? What else could he hope for?
The pet cat emerged from my own luggage.
Then, I met someone who said something bizarre to me…
Chen Xiaolian who had been pressured to the point of collapse was betting it all on the masked girl’s answer.
Soo Soo!
That is right! That little Korean loli is indeed called Soo Soo!
With this, there was no way for him to consider it as fantasy.
A strange smile appeared on his face. Then… He suddenly stood up.
…
Chen Xiaolian turned to face the police station hall and shouted out:
“Hey! Are you still there? Didn’t you say that I cannot escape from you? Very well! I will not escape anymore! I want to talk about it now!”
Everyone in the hall turned to look at this youngster; their faces etched with bewildered shock.
At that moment, a uniformed middle-aged man walked forward and stood before Chen Xiaolian.
“Are you willing to talk now?”
“En,” Chen Xiaolian smiled bitterly. “My emotions have settled down.”
“Good, come with me.”
The middle-aged man led Chen Xiaolian out of the police station hall with a swagger.
Seeing this, Qiao Qiao became shocked. “He, how could he be allowed to go?”
“What do you care? That man is our instructor! He is probably taking him to get his wounds examined! Little girl, first take care of your own matters! Why did you beat up someone else?”