Act18: Where Angels Fear to Fly

Foreword:

You won't grow up if no one says "no" to you.

Leo Tolstoy | War and Peace

[Part 1: Similarities]

A Farewell to Arms tells the story of Frederick Henry, who volunteered for the Red Cross during the later stages of World War I and went to the northern Italian front to save lives.

The young man was wounded by artillery fire while on a mission. In a hospital in Milan, he met and fell in love with a nurse named Catherine. He decided to leave the army, escape the brutal battlefield, and go to Switzerland to live happily ever after.

But Catherine died in childbirth, leaving the story with only one sad ending.

Through his description of the couple's love, Hemingway also indirectly recounted his own experiences during World War I.

All of Mali Pero's thoughts and actions are driven by his true will.

His initial ruthless attack on Fiego Sebasti stemmed from deep-seated jealousy.

After becoming Blood-giving Monster, he became unpredictable and was controlled by various hormones in his body.

In this regional qualifier, the anonymous player had four admirers and followers.

They all possess some of the qualities of gunsmiths; the memes of heroes influence these teenagers, leaving an indelible spiritual imprint on their growth.

The four bullets fired at Fiego Sebastié were a testament to Mali Pero's jealousy.

He didn't have A Hao's good luck. His parents had him firmly locked into Forty District. As for Galahad College, that was wishful thinking!

He didn't come from a wealthy family like Daniel Fragerak, where children from rich families always stand at the finish line and watch their competitors at the starting line walk the tightrope.

His life lacked even Tauson coach, a mentor to nurture this wild horse.

He was a very selfish child because his parents raised him the same way.

One must be as elegant as an aristocrat, as benevolent as a moral saint, while simultaneously being selfish and ruthless in making money.

One should treat others with courtesy and refrain from using violence, but one should not talk back or fight back when faced with physical punishment from parents.

We must understand that this world is full of goodwill, but we must also maintain a degree of malice, because winners are always few, and only the strong can rise to the top.

These contradictory ideas nearly tore Mali Pero to pieces.

--If it weren't for the anonymous gunsmiths, the gunsmiths' instructional videos, and the free online courses, Mali Pero might have gone mad long ago.

To him, what A Hao and Daniel possessed was something they were born with; he couldn't be jealous of it, he could only watch from afar and envy them.

When facing Fiego Sebasti, he was finally able to humbly muster the courage to unleash his inner malice with the hormones of a blood-soaked monster, completely transforming his jealousy into four vicious drug bullets, which he fired into the eyes of this lucky man.

All of this seemed so natural and beautiful to Pellegrini.

This kid has become cruel, indifferent to life, and capable of ruthlessly killing Homo sapiens.

But what the angels of the Immortals Alliance didn't expect was—

--Mali Pero's metamorphic configuration is so complex.

The gunsmith's students, and Fiego Sebasti, could replicate knightly combat techniques and inherit the Nameless One's fighting style, but Mali Pero possessed something they lacked.

That was a level of focus far beyond that of ordinary people, a ruthless mind and unwavering patience.

Mali Pero was closer to a gunsmith than the other three young men because they shared similar upbringing. They all had loved ones imprisoned and burdened with heavy responsibilities; the pressures of life forged him into a piece of steel.

He is more mature than A Hao and more decisive Daniel.

Fiego valued jousting more than life itself, but life is not a competition.

--Mali Pero's desire to win was by no means weak, but the word "victory" was too far away, too difficult, for him.

Without you, I'm like a soldier who's lost his armor and weapons; I don't know how I'll survive.

This is the excuse Yukiko uses to subtly express her love for Mali Pero, reflecting her awkward feelings as a Japanese girl. It's also a line from the movie "A Farewell to Arms".

Money and beauty were things that Mali Pero deeply loved and pursued in his life.

He neither rejected the dressing room socialites who offered themselves to him, nor did he reject Pellegrini's influence.

Only two things bothered him—

Groba's death is a foregone conclusion; the dead cannot be brought back to life, and this revenge must be taken.

Pellegrini repeatedly told Mali Pero about the justice of the Blood-giving Monster, repeatedly urging the young man to regard Yukiko as his mother. He said that Mali Pero had been reborn! Yukiko's essence was that of a mother who nurtures new life!

But can this set of fallacies and heresies really allow him to live with a clear conscience?

Whenever Pellegrini brings up this matter, he tries to persuade Mali Pero to accept the cannibalistic worldview, just like the source of all the tragedy in "A Farewell to Arms" —Catherine's unborn child, which caused her to die in childbirth.

Even Pellegrini probably doesn't understand that this kind of statement is like dancing repeatedly in Mali Pero's minefield, twirling on Yukiko's grave, and pushing Mali Pero further and further away time and time again.

Just because of this book, just because of this book.

Mali Pero is about to open the gym doors, and at this moment, he believes it's all over.

Using sweet words and four drugged bullets, they deceived Pellegrini's "eye in the palm."

They used the life of an innocent woman to deceive Pellegrini's [mouth in the palm of his hand].

Even if he truly becomes a cannibal and has already devoured human flesh, he will still make the angels pay the price.

"Everyone's here."

In the empty gym, only A Hao, Daniel, and Fiego were present.

The Roman Holiday Hotel was not open to the general public during the event, and the only ones practicing their skills diligently during their rest time were these three naive young men.

A Hao is still waiting for Little Shark's ice cream and doing bench presses with Daniel.

Fiego, still recovering from an old injury and needing to readjust to his new eye, rested by the pool table.

Mali Pero appeared at the door, and the three of them stood up at the same time.

A Hao: "What are you trying to do?"

"Maybe he's here to work out," Daniel, his eyes filled with intense hostility. His teacher had previously mentioned that Mali Pero had very likely become Blood-giving Monster.

Fiego didn't say anything; enemies meeting are bound to be furious. He picked up the cue ball from the pool table and threw it out with all his might!

Mali effortlessly caught the thrown object and crushed the white ball.

Meanwhile, Meteor had just healed the little shark and, carrying the delirious Sharks Chili, crossed a street more than 700 meters long, about to return to the Roman Holiday Hotel.

"We need to contact A Hao and the others right away!" Little Shark regained consciousness and immediately told Meteor to call the students, "Pellegrini's target is your students!"

The two had already entered the elevator. There was no cell phone signal, and they would reach the 24th floor in less than a minute.

Meteor glanced at the elevator's control panel and explained to Little Shasha, "This can't be rushed!"

A scorching wind swept across Lion King Avenue, echoing between the skyscrapers.

Pedestrians on the street stopped and stood still, momentarily panicked by the sudden falling object.

It started with a plump lady walking her dog. As she and her beloved Giant Poodle crossed the entrance of the Roman Holiday Hotel, the plump lady immediately became aroused by the posters of the Moon God Cup contestants.

"Yohahahahaha!"

"Isn't this my adorable little Daniel!~"

"His stern and unsmiling demeanor is just like Mr. Victor's!"

"Little baby, let Mommy give you a kiss! Hehehehehe!~"

When the poster was stained with lipstick, the fat lady turned around to pull the leash, only to drag back a bloody dog's head!

"Ah!!!------"

Her pupils trembled, she shuddered from the sudden fear, and was almost scared to death.

A shard of soundproof glass fell from a great height and decapitated her beloved dog; the Giant Poodle's body remained upright, not falling.

Pedestrians looked up and saw thick, broken shards of glass in mid-air, like a hailstorm about to crash down!

Lion King Avenue descended into chaos in an instant. The awnings of the shops along the street were smashed to pieces, and some unlucky souls even had their arms severed on the spot by these sharp knives!

[Part ② - At the End of the Road]

"Storm Eye of the Storm!"

The howling wind carried Mali Pero's furious roar.

In the gym, the three little guys were no match for him at all, losing almost in the first round without any warning.

Fiego Sebasti was beaten to a pulp by a powerful spirit and his flesh and bones were shattered, sticking to the mirror in the yoga room. A Hao and Daniel were bleeding from their mouths and noses, and suffered severe head injuries.

"Well done, Mali Pero!" Pellegrini's eyes silently observed everything.

Mali, holding A Hao in one hand and Daniel in the other, dodged the iron blocks and steel bars flying everywhere in the gym.

The power of the Storm Eye was so great that the steel cable of the flying bird device snapped under its immense force, leaving a shocking crack as it hit the floor.

The wind from the high-rise building rushed in through the recessed windows, and the 42-degree Celsius airflow ruffled his blood-red hair. The neon lights between the buildings illuminated his eyes.

"Let me have a taste first!" Pellegrini couldn't wait to personally taste the soft flesh of Shao Jinghao's nape.

"Wait!" Mali Pero immediately controlled his arm, switching the prisoner to his own hand. "Now that I've captured him, how do I get him into your hands?"

Pellegrini didn't hesitate. "Kill them! Then eat them! Or just eat them raw, no problem!"

"Changed your mind?" Mali Pero cursed. "I hate scum who go back on their word, and I hate leaders who change battle plans at the last minute—we agreed to capture them alive, but now that we can't capture them alive, we'll kill them."

"The longer it goes on, the more things might go wrong! You might as well keep them all inside!" Pellegrini exclaimed excitedly. "I have high hopes for you, young man! These two essences are a reward for you! Their worthless lives are far less valuable than yours! As long as you return safely to my side without bringing any strange followers, I will be very satisfied."

"Tell me the evacuation route." Mali Pero peered out the window at the streets and alleys on both sides of Lion King Avenue. At both intersections, Guangling Zhixi patrol and security personnel were stationed, and soldiers were evacuating the crowd.

Pellegrini immediately said, "Really, why not give it a try?"

"The more you say, the less chance I have of surviving," Mali Pero cursed. "Tell me the correct evacuation route before you kill me, you bastard! I don't have time to eat! And this is prey I finally caught! If you turn out to be unreliable, I can use them as hostages to exchange for my life!"

Pellegrini reminded him, "Very good! Very good indeed! Look into the glass of the hotel building's exterior, raise your hand, and show me your eyes; I need to observe the terrain."

Mali Pero abandoned the two prisoners and proceeded according to the Immortals' orders.

"Mali boy, the southwest and northeast corners of the building are the central air conditioning ducts and the kitchen and bathroom exhaust pipes. They are very spacious, extremely spacious—with my soul power assisting you, you can easily float over with the two prisoners, create an air duct, and slide down the <Tornado>'s giant roller like a slide! In the gap between the 21st and 20th floors, you can go directly into the first-floor kitchen."

"Storm Eye of the Storm!"

Mali Pero called out Soul's real name, grabbed A Hao and Daniel, the two brothers in distress, and plunged headlong into the raging wind.

Meteor sprinted towards the gym, but was still a step too late; the students were losing money far too quickly.

He only saw three figures disappear outside the window, leaving behind a mess of metal scraps and rubber sheets, and Fiego Sebasti lying on the verge of death in the yoga room.

Mali's right hand remained pressed against the building's outer glass, his mind reeling in the weightless environment as he tried to grab onto something—[Eye Of The Storm Eye] was also damaging his right arm, the gale-force winds carrying shards of glass cutting through his flesh.

"It's perfectly safe!" Pellegrini warned, "Don't be afraid, kid, my Soul Power is protecting you! The General of Tears can't hurt you! His Soul Power has limited range!"

Mali Pero did not reply.

He was completely focused, his body tense, protecting his two unconscious compatriots.

Yes, they were all students of the gunsmith; they were compatriots.

The thought of the gunsmith filled Mali with strength.

"Pellegrini, is there someone important in your life?"

Pellegrini couldn't understand what was wrong with this kid at this crucial moment.

"Ah! Of course! Of course!"

The incarnation of a deity shattered the soundproof window in the southwest corner, and next to the yellowed sheet metal of the chimney stood a large aluminum door.

Mali opened it and poured the power of the Storm Eye into it. In the confined space, scorching air surged upwards, like a pair of warm, large hands supporting their bodies.

Is she your teacher? Or your lover? Or your child?

Pellegrini grew suspicious. "Why ask this?"

Mali: "We're about to become colleagues, and I'd like to get to know you."

Pellegrini: "Heh heh heh. Neither! Neither, lad!"

Mali: "You tell me yourself, or do you want me to guess?"

Pellegrini: "He was the first person I ate."

Mali: "How did you become Immortals?"

"There was once a wise philosopher who took me, a slave, as his apprentice." Pellegrini told a simple story, "He did not despise my humble origins, believing that all human beings should be equal and treated fairly. He taught me mathematics, told me the secrets of astronomy, instructed me on how to draw, and took me to sea."

"Even when I was very old and unrecognizable, he still had that young and handsome face."

"I finally understand, he was a fraud, there's never been any equality for all beings."

"This guy is an immortal being, hypocritically maintaining that arrogant attitude of pitying the world, watching me grow older and weaker day by day, and then lamenting the impermanence of life."

"I don't know how he did it, just like all the medical experiments in ancient times."

"I managed to poison him until he was unconscious, then ate him, and in doing so, I received this favor as well."

"My heart is broken. After all, he was my teacher, the one who transformed me from a beast into a human being."

"He is my guiding light, an angel sent by heaven to save me."

He told me—

"You won't grow up until no one says 'no' to you."

"This has benefited me greatly, allowing me to grow from setbacks, learn from failures, and become stronger."

"I regarded him as my lover, a love that transcended romantic love and brotherly friendship."

"When I ate him, I suddenly felt enlightened! My narrow-mindedness instantly transformed into kindness and compassion, and my soul became clear!"

"It turns out that all feelings and all ties are insignificant in the face of time."

"Once you receive this blessing, the sky's the limit, and the stars in the universe are yours to roam freely."

You will meet many people, experience many things, and everything will be new.

Mali Pero followed the flue into the main kitchen, then carried his two unfortunate companions toward the sewer system, where he saw the capital's luxurious drainage and sewage system—the canals connecting to the man-made river of the geysers in Forty-One District. A speedboat was already prepared; this was the lifeline Pellegrini had arranged for Mali Pero.

Mali Pero asked, "Did you get the book?"

Pellegrini Tuan paused, tilted his head, switched the radio communication channel to the combat team, and inquired with his men who were out buying books.

"Mr. Mali has grown up. We are all men of our word. Did you buy the book he wanted?"

"Not yet, boss!"

"I went to four bookstores, and the staff at each one said they didn't have it. The manager of this store was even rummaging through the warehouse!"

"I have a lead! Boss! I have a lead! The shop assistant told me that batch FS10401 just went out of stock, and the printing factory is very close to here! I'll ride my motorcycle over there! I'll go get it for you right away! Going through all that trouble is pointless, I might as well just go directly to the manufacturer!"

Pellegrini hesitated for a moment when he heard this.

Is it a coincidence? Is it really a coincidence?

Printing plants cannot be built in the city. Water resources are very precious in Forty-One District. Not only the printing industry, but also other chemical and hardware factories are uniformly arranged in the suburbs.

Outside the Cangyue Lake Resort, several logistics distribution centers along the intercity expressway are connected to industrial parks in the suburbs. After all, in the underground world, there are no trucks without roads, and no door-to-door delivery without this system.

Pellegrini's food truck had been circling around the printing plant. In order to withdraw the troops from the city as quickly as possible and to better welcome Mali Pero, he chose to stop in the downstream area of the Crescent Lake waterway.

"Looks like luck is on our side! Mali, kid!" Pellegrini was all smiles, not taking the matter to heart. In just over ten minutes, he would be leaving—returning to the Immortals Alliance with his bountiful spoils to swagger around.

In such a short time, unless the nameless person grew wings, there was no way they could catch up with him.

"You're right, Lady Luck favors the brave."

Fifteen minutes later, the young man who went to the factory to buy books returned. He looked unharmed and in good spirits, wearing a food delivery rider's helmet and covered in dust.

"Boss! Boss! Mr. Pellegrini! Is this the book you're looking for?!"

"Here it comes! Here it comes! You bastard! Didn't I tell you? You're not allowed to call me by my real name while on a mission!!" Pellegrini excitedly licked his lips, shifted his body, and squeezed towards the RV door.

The book's cover still smelled of ink; it was indeed brand new.

Open the first page --

He then saw a pattern that looked familiar.

That was a photo taken from the perspective of a drone on Lion King Avenue, and it's already firmly imprinted in the catalog.

A scene depicting Mali Pero using the power of the Storm Eye Eden to flee in panic.

The kid's right arm disappeared into the storm, and the bloodstains left on the glass became a sentence.

"Go to the printing factory, you're sure to find him."

Pellegrini parted the pages of the book, not immediately grasping the painting's deeper meaning; he was completely absorbed, engaged in a lively discussion with Mali about the past and the future.

--It was such a small matter as buying books that he never took it to heart.

Behind the pages of the book, a pair of bright cat eyes protruded from the black helmet.

As he got closer, Pellegrini finally caught the scent of the gunsmith and the terrifying spiritual pressure emanating from him.

"You just answered that your name is Pellegrini, didn't you?"