Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Explosion! That’s Art! (2/4)

Ke Chen City.

A nameless hill one hundred kilometers north.

This hill originally had no road, but because people occasionally traveled between Valve City and Ke Chen City and frequently passed through this place, a small path was gradually formed due to the increasing number of travelers.

At this moment, there is a well-dressed middle-aged man walking slowly along the path created by previous travelers.

And because there are no lush plants on the hill for shade, he holds a parasol, as if leisurely taking a walk...

Moreover, beside him, there’s a little girl with an expressionless face.

They look very much like a father taking his daughter out on a countryside trip, though the daughter doesn’t seem very happy.

Yet the middle-aged man, akin to a father, is very tolerant of the little girl, his words full of gentleness, even though the girl’s mood seems not so good, he occasionally chats:

"Qianqian, aren’t you tired walking like this? Do you want me to carry you?"

"Qianqian, last time I saw you, you weren’t this tall yet!"

"Qianqian, how are you getting along with the Gluttonous Legislator?"

"Qianqian, why don’t you talk to me?"

"Qianqian, why are your hands so cold?"

"Qianqian, why not try to escape?"

"..."

All the conversations are one-sidedly initiated by the middle-aged man, but regardless of how he tries to talk to the little girl, all the words slowly dissipate in the air, ending in silent response.

Only occasional insect chirps and bird calls seem to respond to the middle-aged man’s words...

But these responses are not what the middle-aged man wants, and he just finds these voices annoying, lacking social awareness.

"Qianqian, do you feel it’s a bit noisy?

If you don’t respond, I assume you’re feeling the same as I do.

If you find it noisy, uncle will help you out."

The middle-aged man stopped walking, released Qianqian’s hand, and made a writing gesture with his hand in the air, weak light flickering in the air.

Suddenly, there was a pen in the middle-aged man’s hand.

He used the pen to write in the air: 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Unconditional silence, fundamentally so."

In an instant, the words visible in the air slowly meshed into the space.

Thereupon, the wind beside the middle-aged man ceased its noise, and the birds stopped chirping.

From Qianqian’s perspective, many birds and insects that were happily singing on the small trees fell down, and even the birds flying in the sky lost their lively energy...

Unconditional silence.

Qianqian swallowed her saliva, feeling her limbs growing even colder.

And when the middle-aged man took her hand, Qianqian didn’t feel a trace of warmth, only intense discomfort, and stomach cramps due to the discomfort.

Seeing Qianqian’s pale face, the middle-aged man smiled gently and continued holding her hand, walking toward the top of the hill:

"Qianqian, those cute little birds could have been happily alive, who do you think caused their deaths?"

"..."

After a period of silence, Qianqian spoke:

"Me."

"Ah, finally willing to speak to me, what a kind child! I said I have a knack for coaxing children... Do you know where we’re heading now?"

"I don’t know."

"Let me tell you, fifty-three Extraordinary members of our faction died here, although they were all first bloomers with not very significant abilities, they were Extraordinary after all, the comrades of our faction, who do you think has such audacity to target our faction?"

"I don’t know."

"I guess you don’t know either, but it’s okay, later when we go up there, we’ll figure it out, of course, assuming the location provided by [Dog Legs] is accurate, you still remember Dog Legs, right? He used to hold you when you were little."

"I remember."

"..."

The two of them quickly reached the top of the hill in "light-hearted" chats.

At first glance, there was dark red blood, scattered limbs, and all sorts of wild animals benefiting from nature’s offerings...

Corpses.

Seeing their bodies, Qianqian could imagine how these little animals ate "gifts from above," happily chirping in various voices, only to inexplicably...

Meet their demise.

The cramping feeling in Qianqian’s stomach grew more evident; she felt like vomiting...

Logically, Qianqian wasn’t unfamiliar with these scenes.

She even had gone through more bloody scenes.

For a while, her understanding of the world was—

Human beings are merely meat that can think.

But ever since she became an employee at Happy Milk Tea Shop, Qianqian felt that comparing people purely with meat is an enormous insult!

In the shop, she witnessed couples’ embrace, the bond between spouses, parent-child connections, friendships among friends...

Things she had never experienced in the Gluttonous Legislator’s laboratory.

Life, beyond being alive, should have a way to live!

As a person, she should have her own way of living, rather than becoming merely a shell for the Gluttonous Legislator!

Recently, after indirectly hearing from Teacher Lin about Ke Chen City soon joining the City Joint Committee, Qianqian thought...

As long as she stays in Ke Chen City, then, she will have plenty of time.

She will grow up, learn from Teacher Lin how to make a perfect cup of milk tea, become a competent Milk Tea Master, go shopping for lingerie with Sister Chuchu, curl hair, get a manicure, wear beautiful makeup together...