Chapter 3: Pursuit (Middle)

Watching You, who stormed out the door with a basket in hand, I couldn't help but clench my fists in excitement. This time, I finally won against her! As for safety concerns, I wasn't worried at all; if any man dared to lay a hand on You, there would surely be a special news report tomorrow about an unidentified male corpse. Not everyone can deal with a several-thousand-year-old fox spirit. I helped You close the shop door and then walked towards my car. Just as I was getting into the car and preparing to start it, that disgusting, foul smell reappeared. Truly an annoying fellow. Judging by the feeling, he should be somewhere within three hundred meters around me. I twirled the car key in my hand several times before finally deciding to follow him. Although it was quite unpleasant, if I could complete the task early, I would be able to freely squander the 100,000 yuan I had just obtained.

This is the thing.

Do not think that I will express gratitude towards you, after all, you are merely a human

Are you really giving it to me for free

Huh? What are you talking about

As I walked out of the convenience store with a cigarette in hand, the empty street showed no trace of the little girl. Although it was only a matter of seconds, that little girl had completely vanished. Never mind, now is not the time to concern myself with such trivial matters. I took out a cigarette and continued driving towards my destination. When I arrived, I felt something was amiss; the large sign reading "City Center Hospital" was indeed the place where I had taken Ouyang Ying for treatment last night. If that is the case, then You should also be... After parking the car, I closed my eyes and began to search with my mental perception. Sure enough, I sensed that familiar warmth, tinged with an alluring energy, coming from a hospital room at the end of the corridor on the sixth floor.

Hmph, then for the time being, let m.hetushu.com serve as your lack of malice towards me

"How is this possible? Mr. Zhun's magic smoke binding spell. Even if I unleash all my demon power, I still cannot break free!"

Ah, it is very dangerous for a child like you to run around at night. Hurry back home.

Here you go, take it

It seems that if we do not intervene in the ongoing conflict between the wonders of this world and vending machines, problems will arise. Fortunately, I still have a few coins in my pocket, so I hurriedly inserted them. After that, I turned the knob, and a few round candies fell out from the exit. I picked up the candies and placed them in the little girl's hand

Alright, alright

The magic smoke binding formation is ineffective against that guy

Before she could react, the magic circle had already tightly bound her body

However, no matter how it changes, it is ultimately a species transformed by the human soul, and it is impossible for it to possess the power to confront us non-human species. Moreover, I do not believe that Mr. Ren is the kind of person who would go easy on others; could there be some other reason?

Hmph, then forget it. I'll just find a man to hitch a ride with!

The night breeze flowed in through the car window, making me feel much more comfortable. Unlike usual, I did not turn on the radio to listen to music. I reached into my pocket and found only an empty cigarette box left. Looking around, I noticed a convenience store not far ahead, so I parked the car by the roadside and walked in.

You see, you still came, didn't you? How frustrating. If only I had known you would bring me here.

Hello, I want to know what exactly you intend to do. In any case, this cunning fox is unlikely to do anything beneficial for me. Thinking back to the times I accompanied her out, there has not been a single occasion that turned out well, and this time will surely be no exception

Are you giving this to me for free

Once again, footsteps echoed in the corridor, but they did not belong to You, nor to Ying, nor to me

The left hand is the devil, the right hand is the divine

Regardless, I will still investigate the records concerning Jack. In human society, there has always been a substantial amount of unverifiable documentation regarding his whereabouts. It is likely that reaching a conclusion will take some time.

The girl took a few steps back, but her eyes remained watchfully fixed on me. Only when she saw that I made no move did she relax a little, resembling a small animal cautiously testing an unknown object

Upon hearing my words, You appeared quite surprised

I closed the door to the ward and said to You, while Ying looked at me in confusion

Of course, what do you think it is? It is an automatic vending machine for equivalent exchange, not a candy stall set up by an uncle on the roadside

How on earth did that guy break free from my magic circle

There is no need to ask, let's go see the patient together

Mr. Zhun, please do not make such jokes, let me go quickly

The girl pointed at the automatic candy vending machine, puffing up her little face

Really... what on earth are you thinking...

This damned little brat actually distorted someone else's goodwill into this. However, I don't have the time to argue about it now, so just be grateful for my magnanimity

The little girl held a teddy bear in one hand and received the candy with the other. She then looked at me with suspicion

... ... ''

The excellent general handed the peeled apple to Ying, then smiled slightly and stood up

What are you talking about

Other reasons... Although it has been considered, it is fundamentally impossible, based on theoretical grounds, for anything to escape from a magical smoke formation that binds all matter. The space created by sealing the atmosphere with magical power can even solidify and block water and light; mere humans have no chance of escape.

The little girl asked again, her face filled with disbelief

Although You said so, I seem to have grasped something, yet at this moment I am unable to express it well

Indeed, it is quite difficult for Miss You to come here alone

Mr. Zhun, what are you doing!

In any case, please do your best when you see him next time

You don't feel anything unusual, do you

It seems that staying any longer would be of no use, so I stood up to prepare to go home. However, at that moment, You smiled and placed a blue basket in my hand.

Gazing at us in a daze, completely unable to comprehend the conversation between us

I apologize, I would like to inquire about...

I want to eat what is inside, but no matter how I command it, it refuses to spit it out

Although Ying is lying on the hospital bed, she still looks the same as before. When did the two of them form an alliance of offense and defense?

It is truly strange; even You is unable to break free from the binding formation of the magical smoke. ... It seems completely ineffective against that guy; what on earth is going on ...

Of course I know

Are you unable to break free

The sound coming from behind startled me. I turned around and saw a little girl dressed in a bright red velvet dress, holding a teddy bear, fiercely kicking the candy vending machine in front of her. With her golden long hair and a face as delicate and charming as a doll, she would indeed be an adorable little creature if she kept quiet. At that moment, it seemed she noticed me watching her and turned around.

Ah, hurry back home

Hello, human. Why doesn't this thing listen to me

I walked into the hospital lobby, intending to inquire about something at the information desk, but was astonished to find that the area where the staff should be stationed was completely empty. Although the hospital was brightly lit, it was eerily silent, devoid of any sound. At the very least, there should have been the sound of nurses moving about, yet in this vast hospital, only the echo of my footsteps could be heard, which was rather chilling. I couldn't quite grasp what was happening, but the most important thing now was to ensure the safety of You and Ying. Although You need not worry, it is hard to say whether she would adopt a self-preserving attitude and leave Ying behind in case of an emergency. The strong scent of the Ripper made it impossible for me to discern his location. Regardless, I decided to head to the sixth floor first.

I apologize, sir. Here are the cigarettes you requested

I refuse; you go by yourself.

What the hell is this thing? Why won't it come out for me

Therefore, I am here to protect Ying. However, now that you are here, I will leave it in your hands.

Oh? Are you not going?

Leaving behind this sentence, the little girl quickly ran out of the convenience store. Just as I was about to lean out to see how she was getting home, I heard the voice of the store clerk behind me

The despicable fellow, actually disregarding my words

On my way to the sixth floor, I remained safe and sound, but this was not a good omen. Until now, the enemy had not shown themselves, which only heightened my anxiety. I arrived in front of Ying's hospital room and reached out to open the door. The scene before me left me in shock; You was sitting by Ying's bedside, peeling an apple for her. The two seemed to be in very good spirits, chatting and laughing together. Upon seeing me, a hint of displeasure appeared on You's face.

That guy has arrived

I understand

What are you doing

This scent lingers only faintly in the vicinity; rather than being a mere odor, it is more akin to a certain sensitivity. Just like a flame or a block of ice, the closer you are to it, the hotter or colder you feel, and vice versa. The sensation surrounding Jack the Ripper is reminiscent of a knife that has just scraped flesh, a nauseating blend of the metallic tang of blood and the rust of iron. Ordinary people cannot perceive such things; only we, the bearers of the aberrant, possess this distasteful ability. I started the car and followed the trail of the scent left behind by that individual.

Even if you make the saddest expression with your lovely face, I will not be deceived. I know better than anyone that even if you cry heart-wrenchingly, your inner nature is that of a cunning fox, secretly laughing. Even if you can fool others, do not think you can deceive my eyes.

Perhaps due to the impending closing time, there were not many people inside. The long shelves were filled with various goods, and the lights at the end had already been turned off. It seemed that if it were not for me, the only customer, the store might have already closed. The clerk could not find the cigarettes I wanted and had to go to the warehouse to get them. Meanwhile, I stood idly in front of the cash register, waiting without anything to do.

Until nightfall, I remained in the café contemplating this issue. With one hundred thousand yuan in hand, I could afford to take a break from driving for quite some time. Although I can now leisurely enjoy coffee in the café, accepting money from others means I must also alleviate their troubles. The primary task at hand is to capture the individual deserving of this one hundred thousand yuan. However, compared to this, I would rather go out every day to drive and pick up passengers; it seems I am destined for a life of toil. Watching the busy figure of You as she tidies up to close the shop, I extended my hand and drew a magic circle in the air with my cigarette.

I snapped my fingers, and like solid smoke, it gradually disappeared. At that moment, Youcai stood up, still in a state of shock.

Hmph, you wouldn't want to lure me somewhere with just a few candies to do something shameless, would you? Are you a fan of young girls?