Mochen arrived at his usual eating place. His steps were sluggish, like someone carrying an invisible burden on his back.
"Old man, the usual," Mochen said to the food vendor, his voice sounding tired.
The vendor, an old man with a face full of wrinkles but friendly, looked at him and smiled. "Alright. Fried noodles extra spicy to chase away the demons in your head, right?"
Mochen just nodded weakly. He walked, pulled out a creaking wooden chair, and sat down. He waited in silence, staring at the people passing by like a never-ending river flow. He let out a long sigh, trying to expel the tightness in his chest.
Among those people, his gaze fell on a group of small children. There were five of them, playing chase cheerfully. One of them stood out, wearing fine silk clothes that contrasted with his friends' rough cotton shirts. It was clear he was a rich kid.
Maybe his parents are silk merchants or officials, Mochen muttered to himself.
They laughed, the sound of children's laughter that should be pure. But then, a small incident happened. The rich kid bumped into his friend. Cries broke out.
And Mochen narrowed his eyes, as if seeing something familiar. The other children looked at him pityingly for a moment, before turning into little predators. They scolded the rich kid, cornering him. One of them stepped forward, extending his hand with a little thug gesture.
"Hush money," the kid said.
The rich kid, who probably just wanted to be accepted, stared at him in silence before taking a pouch of Mora from his silk pocket and handing it over.
Seeing that scene made Mochen narrow his eyes. A wave of nausea suddenly rose in his throat. The scene was like a cracked mirror reflecting last night's events.
The memory came uninvited, dragging Mochen back to the dark alley that smelled fishy.
In his memory, he saw his own hands. Hands holding the arm of a stranger. The man pulled and tugged, trying to break free, his eyes wide with desperation. But Mochen held him. He didn't hit, he just held. But wasn't the one holding just as guilty as the one hitting?
Then, his boss approached. Punch after punch landed. The sound of bones cracking. The sound of flesh tearing.
Seeing this in his memory made Mochen tremble. He remembered wanting to vomit at the time, but he held it back because he was afraid of his boss.
Isn't this excessive? his conscience whispered, awakening too late.
However, his boss didn't stop. The stranger's face was ruined. Turned into a red pulp without shape.
Not long after, the boss stopped. Blood dripped from his hand onto the paving stones. Drip. Drip. Drip.
Mochen glanced in his memory, staring at that ruined face. He remembered wanting to speak, wanting to apologize, but his mouth was locked by fear. He turned his face away, unable to look at his own handiwork.
And now, in this bright stall, the guilt choked him.
At that moment, the order arrived. The plate was placed on the table with a clink.
"Enjoy, kid," the old man said.
Mochen snapped back to the present. He looked at the old man and nodded stiffly. "Thanks."
The old man left. Mochen stared at his back, then shifted to the food. The steaming fried noodles, their aroma tempting. He inhaled the scent, trying to enjoy this simple pleasure. His face relaxed a bit.
He picked up the fork, then paused again. The fork reminded him of the holding hand.
Poor guy, Mochen thought. With a face like that, I bet he won't have the confidence to appear in front of people again. Society won't accept him.
Some might pity him, but most will be disgusted. Consider him a monster. That's what it means to live in the world....
The world is cruel....
No. The world is innocent. It's the humans who are cruel... cruel because they don't accept differences.
Mochen diverted his gaze from his food, back to the children on the street. The rich kid had already left. And his friends who had pretended to care were now mocking him while counting the coins.
"So stupid, he doesn't realize we've been using him!" they exclaimed, laughing uproariously.
Mochen turned his face away. Don't judge a book by its cover. How ironic, what they're doing is the exact opposite.
Then, he closed his eyes for a moment.
It's just a matter of time until that stranger leaves Liyue. If it were me, I'd lock myself up and wait for death to come slowly.
Die as a loser.
Mochen muttered, trying to console himself with fatalism. Well, no need to think about it, what's done is done. Even if I regret it, it doesn't mean I can change it. What's spilled can't be scooped back up.
At that moment, the stall door bell rang softly. A man entered. He walked with firm, confident steps toward the table next to Mochen.
The man wore a gray collared shirt with a front pocket, neatly tucked into loose-cut brown pants. His clothes were simple but exuded a calm dignity.
Mochen, who was reluctantly eating his noodles, glanced slightly, curious.
Who is this new customer?
But then, when he saw the man's face, his eyes suddenly widened. The noodles in his mouth nearly spewed out. He choked, coughing lightly while pounding his own chest.
That man...
That man is here!
Moreover, he's sitting right next to him!
Their distance is even less than a meter!
Mochen swallowed saliva that felt like gravel. He slowly glanced again, afraid of seeing wrong. He stared at the man's face intently.
And once again, he widened his eyes, this time horror creeping on his scalp.
This man! He's healed!
How is that possible?!
Mochen's memory of that night was still fresh. The ruined face. The broken nose. The swollen shut eye. That was permanent damage. Even the best doctor at Bubu Pharmacy would need months to heal it, and it would definitely leave horrible scars.
However, on this man's face... instead of scars, there was perfection.
His skin was smooth like marble. His nose perfectly straight. His eyes clear and sharp. Even, he looked more handsome than before being beaten.
Am I hallucinating?
At that moment, the man suddenly turned to him. He stared at Mochen in silence. His gaze was calm, flat, but somehow felt piercing to the bone marrow.
Feeling this gaze, Mochen's neck hairs stood up. Cold sweat flowed down his back. He immediately felt chills!
Not long after, the man tilted his head slightly, as if asking without words: "What's wrong? Why are you staring at me like you've seen a ghost?"
This!
What's with his expression?
His face is so innocent!
Mochen clearly remembered this man had seen his face when he held his arm. This man stared at him desperately at that time.
But now....
He seemed like he never knew that Mochen was one of the perpetrators who made him battered!
Still with widened eyes, Mochen muttered in his panicked heart... Does he really not remember me?!
Is my role not even worth remembering???
No! I won't accept that. That's highly unlikely!
Then why?
Is he pretending not to recognize me?
Is it just a facade so I think that way, then he'll attack me when I'm off guard???
Arghhh... this is giving me a headache.
Knowing the man's eyes were still staring at him with innocent curiosity, Mochen couldn't take it anymore. He turned his face away with a trembling body.
Not long after, Mochen stood up with a jerking motion. He had lost his appetite. His chair creaked loudly, attracting the attention of some other customers.
He walked quickly, almost running, approaching the food seller. He tossed some Mora coins onto the counter with trembling hands.
"Keep the change," he muttered quickly.
The old man narrowed his eyes at him, confused by his customer's sudden change in attitude. Then he glanced at Mochen's table and found the ordered food not finished. Still intact, even.
He widened his eyes, his mouth opened but he didn't say a word at first. Then, he turned to Mochen, staring into his eyes in silence before tilting his head.
"Why didn't you finish it, kid? Was it not good?"
Mochen swallowed. He glanced briefly at the man at the next table who was now casually ordering tea.
"Numb," Mochen answered shortly.
After saying that, without waiting for the old man's response, he left. He exited the stall, breaking through the afternoon sunlight that felt stinging.
He walked quickly, getting as far away from that place as possible. His heart raced like a mad horse.
During the journey, he felt followed. He felt the man's gaze sticking to his back.
He's a monster!
He must be a monster!
Or a sorcerer!
Ordinary humans can't heal like that!
Mochen muttered to himself, clenching his sweaty hands ... I have to report this to the boss right away!
...
That afternoon, your stomach growled loudly. Hunger attacked you like a tidal wave. You stopped at the nearest stall without thinking twice. The aroma of fried garlic and broth lured you in like a moth to a flame.
As you entered, the door bell rang. Kling. The sound reminded you of the bell on Ganyu's waist, making you smile faintly.
You ordered food from the old man who owned the stall. "One portion of fried noodles, sir. And warm tea."
After that, you looked around, searching for a comfortable spot. You found an empty table in the corner, strategic enough to observe people but hidden enough not to be too conspicuous. You approached it and sat down.
While waiting, you daydreamed. Your mind drifted to last night's events, or at least, what you remembered about last night's events.
Now I've gotten help from the system....
Though he's a bit stingy because he gave me a gacha item that I don't know what problems it will cause me, but at least there's help. That needle... that thing is terrifying yet amazing.
You touched your smooth cheek. No scars. No pain. Just skin that felt foreign under your fingertips.
Well, I shouldn't be greedy. I don't know what he'll do to me if I expect more.
Thoughts about the system made you shudder. That thing wasn't just an interface; it was a sadistic entity that enjoyed your suffering as entertainment!
Maybe death is actually the best gift I could get if that really happens... at least better than eternal torture in this nowhere world.
Imagining this made you shiver, even though the afternoon air was quite warm.
You shook your head vigorously, trying to dispel the dark thoughts like shooing away flies.
Now I have to think about the next plan... this is annoying because not everything goes as hoped. Even meeting Ganyu is very difficult.
You let out a long sigh.
At that moment, in the midst of your reverie, your neck hairs suddenly stood up. It happened just like that. And you immediately felt a strange sensation, like ants crawling on your nape.
Because it was itchy and curious, you turned to the side.
You were being stared at!
At the next table, sat a young man.
He stared at you for quite a long time. However, for some reason, his eyes were wide open, his eyeballs trembling like marbles about to fall. His face was pale ashen, as if his blood had just been sucked dry. His mouth slightly open, but no words came out.
You furrowed your brow. What's with this person???
Why is he staring at me like that?
Does my face look scary? You reflexively touched your face again. Ah, no way. This face is perfect thanks to that needle.
You narrowed your eyes, scanning his appearance from head to body. His body was sturdy, sleeves rolled up showing muscles accustomed to hard work. His skin sunburned. His clothes rough and dusty.
Working at the harbor, a cargo carrier, like Henri?
Why is a muscular guy like that staring at me with fear?
Usually people like him make others afraid, not the other way around!
You kept staring at him in silence, challenging his gaze. You tried to remember his face. Had you seen him before?
No. My memory is blank about him.
Not long after, the man couldn't take it anymore. He turned his face away with jerky movements, like a broken wooden puppet. He stood up roughly, his chair creaking loudly. He hurried away from his seat, even his food unfinished.
After paying, he left the stall in a short time, walking quickly, almost running.
You still narrowed your eyes. Your eyes still focused following his direction until his trembling back was no longer visible behind the street crowd.
Weird person.... you let out a quite long sigh. Why is this world full of people like this....
...
A/N: Bruh, lately I've been playing Genshin too much until I forgot I have to write 3 chapters this week 💀 Well, now I've finished 1 chapter, so 2 left... euh, I haven't got ideas for the next chapter, but I'll try to complete this challenge somehow. Tomorrow or Friday I'll write again.... I'm trying to make this story not repetitive. Because I understand that repetitive stories are definitely boring. Perhaps some of you have noticed that this chapter is quite short... well, that's how it is. I sincerely apologise for only being able to convey this much in this chapter. You can see the next chapter sooner on my patreon whose link is below:
https://www.pâtreon.com/Junxt
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