E·L·M

"That doesn't sound like a compliment," Liu Bai complained, somewhat annoyed. "Don't worry, you can put your hand down. There's no curse or anything like that."

"You should have said so earlier!"

Pardofelis grinned sheepishly, carefully removing her hand from her eyes and scrutinizing Liu Bai.

"Wow... Ghost Lord, you're so handsome! How did you die? Ptooey! No, Ghost Lord, just pretend we didn't say anything!"

"... It's okay, anyway, I was somewhat prepared for your reaction."

Liu Bai answered calmly.

"But speaking of how he died... he was blown up, wasn't he?"

A computer exploding is still an explosion... but it's really a wonder I still remember why I time-traveled after all these years.

"Explode?"

Upon hearing Liu Bai's answer, Pardofelis's eyes immediately lit up with curiosity, and she began to look Liu Bai up and down.

What are you looking at?

"I want to see where your part got blown up... cough cough cough!"

"It's alright, I was somewhat prepared for your answer."

Liu Bai put on a mature and calm expression, but a few seconds later, Eden's sharp gaze made Liu Bai subconsciously cover his vital parts.

"What are you covering up?" Eden, his eyes filled with undisguised suspicion as he saw Liu Bai's actions.

"I also want to ask you, what are you looking at!"

Liu Bai was unusually agitated.

"As a lady, is that a place you should be looking at?"

"You didn't really get hit by an explosion there, did you...?"

Eden's expression began to change.

Well, if Liu Bai really exploded there, Eden wouldn't be too surprised. After all, with Liu Bai's face, it would be easy for him to be a scumbag. It would be understandable if that thing exploded due to overuse.

And Liu Bai doesn't seem to react to me at all... Waaah...

"I became a ghost because Lao Tzu computer exploded and smeared my face with grease... what nonsense are you thinking!"

Liu Bai ended the conversation with a dark expression.

Judging from her expression, he knew that Eden's mind was wandering off somewhere else.

"I see..."

Eden nodded, somewhat puzzled.

"So Liu Bai, are you still a virgin?"

"Whoa!" Pardofelis exclaimed in a cheering manner from the side.

Is this what they call a love story between a human and a ghost in the storybook?

"..."

"..."

Liu Bai was the first to fall silent, and Eden, noticing Liu Bai's silence, also fell silent.

No way, I was just asking casually.

Although her previous questions were a bit inappropriate, they were just jokes between friends, or rather, jokes meant to make Liu Bai realize that she was a woman.

According to her original plan, Liu Bai should have nodded reluctantly, and then she should have taken the initiative to ease the tension...

Eden's expression was already somewhat distorted.

"Mobius?"

"No."

"She isn't one?"

Eden's expression changed from distorted to subtle.

For some reason, she felt a strong urge to send the recording of this conversation to Mobius.

"Then... where is she now?"

"Um... not in this world?"

Although he knew it was sophistry, Liu Bai still gritted his teeth and chose to use it—after all, if he didn't, the atmosphere would be a bit awkward.

"Then... please accept my condolences?"

"Yes, mourning, mourning..."

Chapter 321 E. L. M.

The following afternoon.

"Sorry! This concert has come to an end. Thank you all for your apologies!"

Pardofelis held up a huge wooden sign and shouted to the bustling crowd in front of her.

"If you gentlemen don't mind, you can give me a... cough cough, please support Miss Eden in the future!"

Pardofelis was halfway through her hawking when she realized it was a benefit performance, not a street performance.

What a pity...

Pardofelis held up the sign with difficulty, glancing with some regret at the crowd who were still immersed in the Eden song, some deep in thought, some shedding tears.

If each of these people were to collect ten yuan, they would probably make eight or ten thousand yuan, right?

—The effect of Eden's first performance was even more exaggerated than Eden himself had imagined.

At first, unsurprisingly, there were only about a hundred people, but as Eden sang one song after another, by the time the event ended, Pardofelis estimated that there were already eighteen hundred people.

(Although Eden's singing is really good...)

If I encountered this kind of singing elsewhere, I probably wouldn't mind tipping someone with a Canned Food meat.

As Pardofelis shouted, the group of people snapped out of their daze, took a deep look at Eden as he stepped off the stage, and turned to leave in an orderly fashion. Some even bowed to the makeshift wooden platform before leaving.

"Call..."

After Eden stepped off the stage, he lost his balance and nearly fell to the ground.

"They really pushed themselves hard today."

Liu Bai gently supported Eden from the side.

"You really tried your best, Eden."

"It's amazing you could tell."

With Liu Bai's help, Eden weakly found a stone stool to sit down.

"I just don't understand the tune, it's not like I don't know you."

Liu Bai patted Eden's back to help Eden catch his breath, then glanced at the departing crowd.

"It seems like the response has been quite positive."

"You chose a good subject... Predicaments and struggles, is this what Dusk Alley is all about?" Eden breathed a sigh of relief.

"More or less."

"Hmm... I think I understand a little bit now."

Eden nodded.

"Now you can finally give me some feedback, right? I sang this to you."

As Eden spoke, he glanced at the microphone beside him.

I don't know if this thing was broken when Pardofelis got it, or if it was improperly stored later, but in any case, the pronunciation is a bit off.

Although Liu Bai could repair it, he didn't have the tools. So, as the concert approached, Liu Bai simply possessed the microphone, temporarily fixing it and also giving it two buffs: one called "Soul Suppression" and the other "Purification"...

Although there was no glorification of Eden's voice, the accompanying spiritual comfort may be the reason why this concert was able to end so smoothly.

Incidentally, Eden's intense performance this time was also partly due to Liu Bai's spirit possessing the microphone.

After all, the distance during the performance always gave Eden the illusion that they were about to kiss, so Eden gave it his all in order not to disappoint Liu Bai.

But... actually, for Liu Bai, it was like someone yelling in his ear... well, I should say it was a pleasant howl?

In any case, Liu Bai didn't actually hear anything clearly; he could only see Eden's state and the reactions of the audience.

"Hmm... if I had to describe it, my brain was trembling?"

"It's really strange that a ghost would make such a comment."

Although Eden was still complaining, a smile had already appeared on his face.

She was satisfied with this evaluation.

"A wonderful performance, Miss Eden."

Aponia walked over, holding the old, borrowed camera.

"Your voice is truly... I'm sorry, I find it difficult to describe your sacred singing voice, Miss Eden."

Compared to Liu Bai's inexplicable remarks, Aponia's overflowing praise did not elicit any reaction from Eden.

Eden had heard enough of this kind of praise from others—though it sounded arrogant, it was simply the truth.

"Here you go, this is today's recording."

Aponia handed the camera's memory card to Eden.

"Aponia, Miss Aponia, for taking care of me these past two days," Eden said sincerely after accepting the memory card.

Although the other party may have an ambiguous relationship with Liu Bai, Eden's personal impression of Aponia is still very good.

"Miss Eden, are you leaving?"

"Well, I've been in Dusk Alley for two days now, and there are still a lot of things waiting for me outside... I might have missed a lot of things these past two days."

Actually, it mainly concerns the Moth Chasers to Fire. Although Eden and Liu Bai received some documents before they arrived, there was still a lot missing before a department could be fully established.

"Also, I'll take Pardo with me. Miss Aponia, you don't mind, do you?"

"She's not from the nursing home, Miss Eden doesn't need to inform me."

Aponia responded calmly, but still glanced at Pardofelis subconsciously before adding.

"... Being able to follow Miss Eden should be a good thing for Pardo."

Being a thief in Dusk Alley, it's fine if you don't get caught, but if you do... So Aponia was genuinely happy for Pardofelis.

But the next moment, Aponia was stunned, belatedly realizing what Eden meant, and smiled at the red-haired singer in front of her.

"I'm sorry, I don't intend to leave Dusk Alley. I appreciate your kindness, Miss Eden."

Aponia nodded slightly to Eden, then began helping Pardofelis clean up the mess.

"Miss Aponia is really perceptive." Eden sighed, watching Aponia's back as she worked.

"After all, Aponia grew up in Dusk Alley." Liu Bai's tone was also somewhat puzzled. "She's just stubborn, not slow-witted."

"Like ascetics?"

"It might be even worse than that. Her path is more difficult than that of an ascetic—she is walking on a single-plank bridge with no end in sight."

Liu Bai sighed as he spoke.

Aponia is "meaninglessly" saving people, whether they are Honkai disease or simply suffering, they are not so easy to save.

Eden probably understood what Liu Bai meant, glanced at Aponia's figure, and then sighed.

"Let's talk about something happier... By the way, Liu Bai, have you thought of a name for the shell company?"

"Name?"

"If you dare say anything like 'exquisitely beautiful' or anything like that, I'll turn on you." Eden could remember that name for half her life—it was only then that she realized Liu Bai was somewhat terrible at naming things.

"No, not really... How about E. L. M."