When the Little Brag opened his eyes, he saw a face hanging upside down from above, staring straight at him as it leaned against a tree, smoking a cigarette.
Imdiately after, he realized that it wasn't the other person hanging upside down, but himself.
He was hanging from a tree, with nothing to support him.
He instinctively struggled, but to no avail; he instinctively disappeared again, only to see the rope start to wriggle as it tried to climb up in an effort to escape.
CLICK. A soft sound.
He stiffly turned his head and saw the smiling big brother with a gun in his hand.
The dark muzzle of the gun was pointed at him.
"Na?" Huai Shi asked kindly.
Without waiting for an answer, he fired a shot into the sky, and the loud bang demonstrated the power of the gun.
Well, it was one he had found in the toolbox of the car.
It looked like Ali was indeed privileged.
After gasping for air, the child finally learned to behave.
"Na?" Huai Shi asked again, in Latin, Dongxia language, and halting Jawi language, "Age? Occupation? What do you do?"
"...Sayul!" The kid swallowed, materializing from the air, raising his hands in surrender, a ss, and responded in Jawi language, "Sayul Lhamdan, ten years old. Uncle, spare , I... I just saw you asking about Madura and wanted to sneak a ride in your car!"
Huai Shi frowned in displeasure.
Not because the Little Brag wanted to sneak into his car, but because... he had called him old!
"You should call 'handso big brother,' understand?" Huai Shi brought the gun closer, and the kid nodded frantically, his face turning red from hanging upside down.
So, Huai Shi pulled the trigger.
The shot snapped the rope.
The Little Brag plumted from the air and was grabbed by the collar by Huai Shi, who tossed him beside a tree stump.
Without untying the rope from his feet, Huai Shi found a cleaner stone and sat down, scrutinizing the frightened Little Brag. "Invisibility, what's that about?"
The child's eyes shifted, about to say sothing, but then he saw Huai Shi's ever more benign smile. "You know? I, your big brother, really love to ss with brats... especially the type who try to freeload on a ride..."
Sayul swallowed dryly.
"I don't know, one day I just could... Nobody else could see ; it was as if I didn't exist..."
Huai Shi nodded, understanding the situation.
A wild Sublimator Little Brag.
Ten years old?
Isn't that a bit too young?
"Where are your parents?"
"They... they're waiting for in Madura... They're all famous masters... very powerful, and they have nineteen underlings, each with a gun, lots of guns... They're all... all very powerful!"
"..."
Huai Shi crossed his legs, sitting on the stone, watching him rack his brains to make up lies.
Keep bluffing. Go on, keep bluffing.
Under his scrutiny, the child's expression gradually beca embarrassed, and he couldn't continue.
"Alright, don't be afraid." Huai Shi ejected the magazine from the handgun, sliding out each round in front of the child, and dropping them to the ground before tossing the handgun back into his pocket.
He leaned forward, drawing close, and looked the child in the face.
"I won't kill you, nor will I harm you—as paynt for sneaking a ride in my car, you must answer my questions honestly. Only then can I take you back to your parents."
"..." Sayul went silent, turning his head away awkwardly.
After a while, he said, "They don't want anymore. I ran away alone—my mom married soone else, and Dad got a new son. Even if you take back, I'll run away again."
"Where is your ho?"
"I don't know. I ran away a long ti ago, over half a year. I've forgotten where to go back to; I don't even know where this place is."
"..."
Huai Shi was silent for a long ti, scratching his head. "So, all this ti, you've been surviving by using your invisibility?"
Sayul nodded.
"Good, Sayul, your honesty has earned you fair treatnt."
Huai Shi took a deep breath and then looked seriously into the boy's eyes, his gaze turning icy. "Tell , during all this ti, have you used your ability to hurt others?"
"...I... I haven't!"
Sayul went pale as he was stared down by those emotionless eyes, shaking his head frantically. "I... I've only stolen a few things I needed. I had no choice; I don't have money... I swear, I only took a little."
"What does it feel like to kill soone?" Huai Shi asked indifferently.
"I've never killed anyone!" Sayul scread in panic. "I haven't!"
"What about the harm caused?" Huai Shi pressed on. "Don't you find this ability convenient? Even if holding a knife, nobody would notice; you could kill soone and no one would know it was your fault... You could even do whatever you want with those pretty little girls, couldn't you?!"
The malice of the Mountain Ghost suppressed his consciousness, digging out lies and the truth, inch by inch.
"I haven't, I really haven't."
Sayul struggled with all his might, now scared enough to cry, sobbing as he shouted, "I swear, sir, I swear, I only took a little bit of stuff, a little bit of money... I just wanted people not to see , that's all I originally thought. As long as they didn't beat , it would be fine. I never wanted to hurt anyone!"
"..."
Huai Shi was silent and then suddenly reached out.
He rolled up Sayul's sleeves, opened his collar, then stripped off his shirt and pants, inspecting his skin inch by inch.
Burns from cigarette butts, scars left by blisters, and cuts from blades, as well as the abnormality in his right hand's bones—it had been broken but hadn't healed properly.
He finally understood why Sayul wanted to run away.
Why had he developed such a Soul?
After a long ti, he silently redressed him, lifted his hand, and untied the ropes.
Sayul was still crying, looking at him with terror and shrinking back.
"Okay, stop crying."
Huai Shi sighed, raised his hand, and rubbed his hair. "Co on, I'll take you to get sothing to eat. Then, I'll find a place that will take care of you."
"I... I don't want to go to the orphanage." Sayul's face turned pale again, and he shook his head with all his might. "I... I've seen that place; it's like Hell, sir, please."
"...I won't send you to the orphanage."
Huai Shi shook his head. How could he not know what an orphanage was like, especially in a place as chaotic as Indonesia.
The Astronomical Society has special institutions for fostering Sublimators. It's all to ensure Sublimators can properly reintegrate into society and not cause any trouble with their abilities.
How much could it cost to raise a kid? Skip installing a couple of surveillance caras, and the money would be there.
Once in Madura, he would contact the Astronomical Society to take Sayul away.
Before that, he had to make sure Sayul hadn't completely fallen. Even if he passed Huai Shi's scrutiny, he wouldn't pass the Astronomical Society's assessnt.
Those bastards who used to work in those vacant floors had no idea what rcy ant; they would definitely conduct mind reading and mory searches directly.
Fortunately, Sayul hadn't completely lost his moral compass from living on the streets.
Otherwise, even if Huai Shi wouldn't go as far as killing him, he would have imdiately turned around and sent him to the border prison in Jakarta.
"Let's go. We'll eat first."
Huai Shi smiled at him, unashadly using the 'link of the Soul' to make the little brother think he was making sense.
Thanks to his own good looks and influence, the terrified Sayul gradually cald down and began to trust this gentle big brother a little.
However, soon after they left the woods, they saw the SUV on the road speeding away into the distance.
It had been parked on the roadside...
"Ah, my car..."
Huai Shi raised his hand to the back of his head in disbelief. "Stolen?!"
How much ti had passed?
Soone drove my car off while I was just taking a leak?
Along with Huai Shi's backpack and wallet, a whole bunch of equipnt...
"It's stolen." Sayul clearly accepted this reality faster than Huai Shi and looked at him with sympathy. "Don't be sad, it happens all the ti."
Contrary to his expectations, Huai Shi did not rage.
He didn't even beco furious and chase after it.
Instead, he stood there calmly, with a slightly troubled expression, but it wasn't that he was angry about the car being stolen; rather, he seed to be considering: where to find sothing to eat next?
"You're not in a hurry?" Sayul couldn't believe it.
"Why should I be in a hurry?" Huai Shi retorted.
This is the Current Circumstances.
This is the Central District of the Current Circumstances.
Even if it's a bit chaotic, what does it matter? In Dongxia, one might still have to wrangle with the Social Security Bureau, but in Indonesia... Heh, daring to steal from the Astronomical Society? Pal, are you tired of living?
Besides, is my stuff so easily taken?
Who knows how much of Huai Shi's sweat is on it, how many viruses have been left behind; once Huai Shi releases the control, it will instantly beco a mobile contamination source.
That sounds like seeking death.
"No worries. Shall we go find sothing to eat nearby?"
Huai Shi shook his head indifferently, reached out, and grasped Sayul's hand. "Co on, what do you feel like eating? I'll treat you. I still have two hundred US dollars on , enough for a good al."
Fortunately, they had already reached the outskirts of Madura, a city where finding sothing to eat wouldn't be difficult.
Half an hour later, Huai Shi and Sayul were sitting inside a Colonel Chicken Nuggets chain, enjoying air conditioning, eating a bucket al, and drinking soda.
Since they were already there, Huai Shi decided to first look for the philosopher Tilaral had ntioned. After that, he'd call the Jakarta branch to check where the car had gone.
But when Huai Shi tried to call the philosopher, no one answered.
He dialed several tis, but the line was busy each ti.
Confused, he put down the phone and glanced at Sayul, who was gobbling down his food. Huai Shi couldn't resist slapping him on the back of the head.
"Eat slower! It's all for you, okay? Eating like that, you're sure to get diarrhea!"
Sayul mumbled an acknowledgnt, his face shiny with grease from the fried chicken, glanced up at Huai Shi, and continued devouring the food. Huai Shi couldn't help but roll his eyes.
Alright, looks like I'll have to spend more money on stomach dicine for you when we leave...
Just as he was feeling resigned, the phone rang again.
"I'm sorry, I was teaching a class and couldn't answer the call."
The voice on the other end was deep, with a polished and standard Latin accent. "Is this Mr. Huai Shi from the Astronomical Society?"
"Ah, yes, that's right." Huai Shi nodded. "Do you know ?"
"Tilaral ntioned you when he called yesterday, and he told about your doubts. I would be delighted to share so of my modest insights with you."
"Let see... my next class is in about ninety minutes, we could talk before then," the philosopher said. "If it's not too much trouble, could you please co to the city? I'm a bit busy with work at the school and can't leave."
"Of course, no problem."
Huai Shi readily agreed. "I'll be there shortly."
After a polite farewell, the call ended.
And Huai Shi began to look forward to the philosopher's answers.
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