I Think I Saw a Monster. / Black Swan: What a Wonderful Encounter.
"A Masked Fools is no small fry to be trifled with. And she's even given you her mask."
Gallagher spoke casually, but was clearly cautious.
And he perfectly played the role of a Security Officer.
"I'm sorry, but I need to confirm that you are indeed guests who received an invitation. Could you please provide the name of the other guest?"
Gallagher gestured for Lin Shuang to follow him to a quiet street corner so as not to obstruct pedestrians.
Lin Shuang followed casually, not minding that Gallagher investigated her name.
"Her name is Sparkle, a Masked Fools. As for who hired her, I have no idea."
Lin Shuang sold the information about the Sparkle without hesitation.
After reaching the roadside, seeing Gallagher seemingly genuinely investigating, Lin Shuang turned and spoke up:
"Rather than investigating me, I'd like to confirm one thing with Mr. Gallagher: who exactly appointed you to be in charge of the Security Officer's duties?"
Lin Shuang's voice was neither loud nor soft, but Gallagher stopped moving.
The way he looked at Lin Shuang clearly changed.
"Miss Firefly, are you a guest specially invited...? You don't seem to be here simply to enjoy a vacation."
~~~~~
288
Chapter 288 It seems like I've seen Monster.
Gallagher spread his hands and sighed helplessly:
"I've been feeling that young lady is paying inexplicable attention to me lately, and I guess that's why."
"Of course, the Security Officer of the Charmony Festival is someone who appeared out of nowhere. It's hard not to notice him."
Lin Shuang stared at Gallagher as she said this.
Of course, Lin Shuang didn't really think that way.
In fact, it wasn't until she and the Firefly realized the problem and inquired about Sunday that the issue arose.
All the parties involved in the entire Charmony Festival were in contact with Gallagher.
No one questioned it.
No one has ever questioned Gallagher's background.
Even if no one can tell who Gallagher is working for.
It was obvious that the man in front of them had some kind of ingenious method to avoid everyone's sight.
Even Sunday.
"Haha, is that so? I think there's probably some misunderstanding involved."
Gallagher laughed quite calmly, showing neither nervousness nor any other reaction.
"Misunderstand?"
Faced with Lin Shuang's questioning, Gallagher explained:
"If I remember correctly, although that young lady grew up in Penacony, she left here a long time ago to explore the Galaxy. She only recently returned because of her Family's invitation."
That's right.
Lin Shuang nodded slightly, while Gallagher shrugged and sighed softly:
"I was actually drafted because of a manpower shortage. Strictly speaking, I've been retired for a long time, so it's normal that the young lady and her Brother don't recognize me."
As he said this, Gallagher suddenly gave a subtle smile, displaying an expression that seemed to say, 'I hope you understand.'
"The position of Security Officer was indeed obtained through some manipulation by the Hound Family. Please be lenient in this regard."
Lin Shuang neither confirmed nor denied Gallagher's reasons.
That sounds plausible.
If Lin Shuang hadn't obtained that Light Cone, and hadn't just met with Sunday, she would definitely have accepted this explanation first.
But before Lin Shuang could respond, Gallagher suddenly said:
"By the way, Miss, you weren't hired by your Family specifically to investigate me, were you?"
"I only have a personal relationship with the Firefly, and besides, the Family wouldn't hire an outsider to handle internal affairs."
Lin Shuang glanced at Gallagher strangely, feeling that the question was deliberately trying to confirm her relationship with her Family.
Gallagher, however, breathed a sigh of relief.
"I'm relieved to hear you say that, Miss Lin. So, what brings you to Penacony this time, Miss Lin?"
"The Clockmaker's Legacy?"
Lin Shuang didn't try to hide anything; after all, any major power would know this news, so there was no point in hiding it.
But speaking of which...
Lin Shuang suddenly remembered something she had almost forgotten.
When the Firefly first talked to me about the Watchmaker...
Something was mentioned before.
The Family had no idea who wrote those Invitation with hidden inscriptions.
The Firefly suspected it was an inside job, and Lin Shuang had thought the same thing before.
But I just saw Sunday.
Judging from his attitude, Lin Shuang felt that the mole's actions were probably not only related to the Watchmaker.
If the traitor in the Family refers to the Watchmaker's faction.
There's no reason to keep it from the Firefly on Sunday.
The Watchmaker is a legendary figure who liberated Penacony, and Sunday, as the head of the family, is on the side of the Watchmaker.
There's no need to act in secret; they can simply vie for control within the Family.
Isn't that a perfectly legitimate thing to do? Is it really necessary to do it secretly?
The name "Watchmaker" is not a taboo word in Penacony.
If we discard this guess and try a different approach...
On Sunday, while acting as an inside man, he had absolutely nothing to do with the Watchmaker's affairs.
If the Invitation with the secret message was sent by someone else...
Lin Shuang's gaze towards Gallagher became somewhat strange.
The guy in front of me is of unknown origin, yet he somehow managed to rise to the high position of Security Officer without his Family's knowledge.
It seems quite reasonable that they could send out a special Invitation without informing their Family.
If I can Security Officer right under my Family's nose, switching a few Invitation is a piece of cake.
And.
Legendary figures like Watchmaker.
Even if the Family gradually seizes power through some means.
But if we were to say whether he could leave one or two hidden agents within Penacony...
When necessary, a character like 'Gallagher' can be deployed to strategize and carry out actions.
That seems easy for people to accept.
"Hey, miss, the way you're staring at me is really scary."
As she pondered, Gallagher's voice roused Lin Shuang from her reverie.
When he came to his senses, he saw Gallagher scratching his head, looking embarrassed.
"Your gaze was really sharp just now, even though you look quite cute. I felt like you could see right through me."
Sorry, I was a little distracted, thinking about something for a moment.
Lin Shuang offered a brief apology.
"Miss, you shouldn't get so lost in thought on the street. It's dangerous."
"I'll be careful."
"Now that the misunderstanding has been cleared up, I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave. If you need anything, you can go find the Bloodhound the streets."
Gallagher politely said goodbye to Lin Shuang.
Then he turned and left.
Lin Shuang did not stop her.
But as she watched Gallagher leave, in the shadow beneath Gallagher feet...
There was a moment like that.
Lin Shuang seemed to see a very ferocious phantom figure flash past in the shadows.
"Um?"
The flashing was so fast that even Lin Shuang, with her sharp eyesight, began to doubt whether she was seeing things.
"What's wrong, Miss Lin?"
Gallagher turned around and asked with concern, but Lin Shuang shook her head and said nothing.
Wait until Gallagher is far away.
Lin Shuang turned and left, her expression turning serious.
For a moment, I felt like I hadn't misread it.
Lin Shuang felt a subtle sense of familiarity with that figure.
Lin Shuang felt that it looked somewhat like the thing that killed Firefly at the end of a chapter in a game she had read.
They all have a strange, grotesque quality.
Is that Monster related to Gallagher? It can't be controlled by Gallagher, can it?
Gallagher has problems, and big problems at that?
Lin Shuang didn't expect to get the truth out of him in just one meeting.
But having seen both Sunday and Gallagher today, Lin Shuang already feels she's receiving way too much information.
I wish I could be poked like Firefly.
This way, at least we can know what happens after we die in our dreams.
~~~~~
289
Chapter 289 Black Swan: What a wonderful encounter.
He parted ways with Gallagher.
Lin Shuang looked at the red and white mask still in her hand.
After thinking about it, I simply put it on the bench by the roadside.
Since it was something she got from Sparkle, to be honest, Lin Shuang didn't really want to carry it with her.
It feels like it might suddenly exhibit strange functions at very subtle moments.
However, after Lin Shuang threw away the mask and walked for a while...
With a snap.
The red and white mask fell out of nowhere in front of Lin Shuang landed at her feet.