Chapter 139: He Seems Quite Normal Now

“Young man, what should I call you?”

Outside the warehouse, one of Elder Snake’s subordinates offered a box of cigars.

Elder Snake, plump and languid, selected one from the box. Lit by the flame held out by her subordinate, she slowly exhaled a large plume of smoke, looking utterly entranced. The cat nestled in her arms, engulfed in the haze, also seemed deeply intoxicated.

Then, Elder Snake casually pulled out another cigar and handed it to Gecko, asking with a smile as she did.

“My name is Zhang San, and he’s Li Si.”

Gecko took the cigar, took a puff, and instantly choked, coughing. “Sister, is your cigar moldy?”

Elder Snake took another contented drag of her own. “Something from before the Cataclysm. Re-toasted.”

“I heard some rumors about your department before.”

Then, without attempting to expose Gecko’s lie, she smiled and said, “I always thought they were exaggerated, but seeing it with my own eyes today, I know they hold truth. Never mind other things… being stared down by so many guns, and neither of you even blinked…”

“That shows you have a lot of confidence!”

As she spoke, she glanced smilingly towards Gecko. “Young man, are there many like you in Qinggang City?”

Gecko took a small drag of smoke and blew smoke rings, joking, “Well, that depends on what aspect…”

As he said this, his eyes flicked over Elder Snake’s plump figure. “As handsome as I am? Only a few in Qinggang match that.”

The surrounding subordinates couldn’t help but shoot Gecko sideways glances.

But Elder Snake didn’t seem to mind Gecko’s teasing at all. Instead, she gave him a soft, meaningful look and chuckled. “Indeed, I haven’t met many as handsome as you… But I meant another aspect. Neither of you looks old, nor like trained soldiers. Yet I feel… you wouldn’t flinch even if everyone around me fired at once…”

“Is it because you’re confident that you could still deal with a weak woman like me, even if all these guns fired simultaneously?”

“…”

Her expression was intrigued, smiling brightly.

“My confidence isn’t great.”

Gecko also smiled, answering honestly. “At best, fifty percent. And that’s only if I’m close to you.”

Then he looked towards the warehouse, adding, “But if it were our little Captain…”

He seemed to ponder seriously. “…he probably wouldn’t just deal with you. He might deal with everyone.”

……

“Hmm?”

Elder Snake blinked, her expression shifting slightly.

“Elder Snake should have noticed…”

Gecko lowered his voice slightly, grinning. “…he’s all about reason. But you really shouldn’t be unreasonable with him…”

Elder Snake nodded thoughtfully.

The cat in her arms narrowed its eyes, seemingly fast asleep.

Just then, someone approached from the side. “We got it out of him. Hei San took a gold brick from that guy in red trousers. Then he started acting crazy. Helped the guy buy several people at dirt-cheap prices. Helped him gut them. Even helped him watch the surroundings… Even now, he claims he met his true love and insists nothing’s wrong.”

Elder Snake waved a dismissive hand. “Serves him right for taking bribes and catching trouble.”

“Lock him up!”

Then she turned back to Gecko, smiling gently. “Those methods are scary enough. But you two… are clearly on another level. Caught him so easily. People like you… must be highly valued in Qinggang City?”

Gecko slowly exhaled a large plume of smoke—an obvious after-hit.

Then he looked at Elder Snake with a half-amused expression. “True enough. We have certain privileges in Qinggang.”

Elder Snake’s gaze became playful, seemingly casual. “Oh? Like what? I’d like to hear…”

Gecko gave Elder Snake an appraising look from head to toe, his grin turning suggestive. “For example… soliciting girls’ services isn’t illegal?”

Elder Snake took a moment to process his meaning.

She looked utterly bewildered, staring at Gecko in disbelief. “That’s it?”

“That’s just one perk.”

Gecko knew what Elder Snake was fishing for. His expression turned a bit more serious as he said softly,

“The bigger reason is… we prefer staying inside the city walls.”

“There you can go to school, hold jobs. After work you can head home, buy groceries.”

“When I feel like working, I pick an exciting mission. When I don’t, I just lounge around all day…”

“I don’t have to stay tense like fighting roosters all the time…”

“Most importantly… girls on the street aren’t too scared to wear short skirts…”

“…”

“Elder Snake…”

At this point, he turned to them with a smile and said, “You all seem quite lively here, but there is one problem…”

His gaze swept over those who stood baring their chests to the cool breeze, guns in hand, snot running to their lips, looking utterly unconcerned.

He spoke slowly: “It’s… a bit too wild.”

Hearing Gecko’s words, Elder Snake frowned slightly, seeming as though she wanted to say something.

Just then, a short figure, wrapped in a black plastic sheet, hurried over. They looked like they had urgent news but hesitated to approach. Only after Elder Snake gave a slight nod did they hastily step forward, whispering a few words. Immediately, Elder Snake jolted sharply, her face flooding with disbelief. She even cast a glance tinged with something close to fear towards Gecko.

“You… what you shouted over the loudspeaker earlier…” Her voice was strained, unnatural even in its cadence. “Was it true?”

“Loudspeaker?” Gecko blinked, then laughed as he caught on. “What were you thinking? That was just to trick you…”

Elder Snake looked at him. “You just said we were too wild,” she said, instinctively glancing up at the heavy, black sky before adding with a cold snort. “…as if yours in Highwall City… aren’t wild?”

Gecko didn’t understand why Elder Snake suddenly seemed colder. ‘Could it be she doesn’t like people who brag?’ he wondered in surprise.

He was just about to explain when suddenly, a blood-curdling scream tore through the air.

The scream came from inside the warehouse.

Listening closely, it was unmistakably the voice of that Puppet-Type Ability User who had been wearing the Red Suit.

Its sheer volume sent a jolt reverberating through everyone outside, making their hearts pound.

The sound itself carried such raw pain and dread, shock and terror, that it evoked an indescribable chill.

The armed figures holding guns nearby, even Elder Snake who had just moments ago been chatting and smoking with Gecko – they all instantly broke out in goosebumps. Eyes wide with fright, they stared towards the warehouse.

People of The Wilderness were experts at using rough justice. Elder Snake’s own collection of… instruments was considered unmatched in the wastes.

Yet, try as they might, none of them could imagine what kind of implement could wring such a scream from a man’s throat.

The screaming didn’t stop. It only climbed higher and shriller.

Even the cat sleeping in Elder Snake’s arms was startled awake. It turned its head towards the warehouse, its feline expression seeming strangely… perturbed.

Elder Snake’s first instinct was to look out beyond the town’s limits.

Only then did she turn back to Gecko. Her face was serious now, unable to fully hide the tension underneath.

Gecko’s own voice tightened slightly, and he swallowed hard.

After a brief pause to collect himself, he turned to Elder Snake. “Well… of course,” he managed, “we do have a few… less than normal folks ourselves…”

Elder Snake turned her gaze to him fully, her eyes taking on a peculiar look.

…

The screaming lasted for several dozen seconds before abruptly cutting off.

Then, deep silence settled over the warehouse. The people outside remained unusually quiet too; not a word was spoken by anyone.

A considerable time passed. Suddenly, the warehouse door was pushed aside, and Lu Xin walked out.

He appeared deep in thought, his expression also holding a trace of… something like fear? Lingering shock?

‘What’s he afraid of now?’ Gecko couldn’t help but think, mentally linking it to the recent events. ‘Was that scream from the Man in Red Suit… what scared him?’

‘But didn’t he cause that scream?’

‘Is he scared… of himself?’

…

“I’ve obtained all the necessary information,” Lu Xin walked towards Gecko. It was noticeable that Elder Snake took a barely perceptible half-step back as he approached. Catching sight of Elder Snake’s subordinate still holding the cigar, Lu Xin smoothly took it and handed it to Gecko. He continued, “It looks like we should move quickly. There’s no time to escort this man back to Qinggang City. Could we temporarily hold him here?”

He then looked directly at Elder Snake. “Qinggang will send someone to collect him.”

Elder Snake was momentarily taken aback. “Young Brother Li Si… You trust me?” she asked, surprise evident.

Lu Xin paused, seemingly processing ‘Li Si’ for a second, then nodded once. “I trust you.”

Before apprehending the target, they had worried the people of Blackwater Town might shield him or that allowing him contact might trigger unnecessary complications. But now, he was captured, and the interrogation was complete.

Lu Xin was quite confident.

There was little chance he could stage any surprises now, and even less that they would simply let the Man in Red Suit escape…

Even if freed, he might not even attempt to run!

…

“It’s comforting that the little brother trusts me…” The woman called Elder Snake licked her lips, smiling softly. “But… he isn’t exactly normal, is he? Can I really… hold him?”

Lu Xin followed her look. By the light spilling out from the warehouse entrance, they could see the figure in the Crimson Suit, seemingly unharmed, crouched on the ground. There were no visible wounds on his body, yet he trembled violently. His facial muscles twitched ceaselessly.

A deep terror radiated from his eyes. Tears and snot mingled, smeared across his face.

When noticing someone’s gaze land on him, he screamed with utter hysteria:

“Monster! Monster… all of them…”

“ALL OF THEM ARE MONSTERS!”

…

The surrounding atmosphere instantly became oppressive. Countless eyes turned towards Lu Xin.

Lu Xin simply shook his head calmly. “Don’t worry,” he stated. “He is perfectly normal now.”