That Year

After Lin, I walked home.

He checked the surveillance footage but couldn't find the thief. It must have been an exceptionally shrewd and highly skilled individual; even Lin couldn't figure out who stole it.

In the end, I had no choice but to go to the police station to file a case and get a temporary ID card.

The police officer who helped file the case said something that really bothered him, "It's that airport again..."

Does this mean that many people have been robbed at this airport, and yet no one has been caught?

Of course, what Lin cared about most was...

"I... I was robbed?" Lin sat on the sofa, biting his fingers and shaking his leg. He grimaced, his eyes wide, and muttered, "I was robbed?"

A dark emotion that had been building up since Prometheus was brewing in Lin's heart. He was constantly betrayed, threatened, and imprisoned by those around him, and he was always frustrated... And now, even a petty thief was bullying him.

Are you kidding me!

You don't even bother stealing from those normal couples who can have a normal relationship! You have to steal from me, someone who's already unlucky enough!

Did I do something wrong? Is all of this my fault?

What is this feeling...?

"..."

"..."

"Laugh."

"Hehehehehe..."

The boy grabbed his hair with both hands and revealed an inhuman smile.

"A bumper harvest! A bumper harvest!"

The girl, nestled inside a cat costume, contentedly sorted through her day's "harvest" in her own little world.

A pair of bright, clear heterochromatic eyes stared at the banknotes in her hand, while her long, soft brown hair, as smooth as a cat's fur, clung to her rosy cheeks.

Holidays are definitely a good time; there are always more fools with too much money and no sense of reason. Hehe, I'm lucky.

She picked out all the cash, and then secretly put the car keys, ID card, bank cards and driver's license—things she didn't need—into the lost and found later. Even thieves have their code of honor; she couldn't let someone lose everything.

"Hmph... Let's go home later... hmm?"

Just as the girl was about to go home, she was suddenly drawn to someone.

He was a very... trendy young man, about the same age as her, dressed in designer clothes. Any one of his items would probably cost more than her entire month's earnings. He also had the air of a pampered young master and a delicate, refined look.

He ignored the girl's doll and walked straight into the airport, which made the girl hesitate.

She has three principles she doesn't steal.

First, the poor don't steal. She's more like a Robin Hood-like thief who robs the rich to help the poor, and she wouldn't do something that would drive someone to suicide.

Second, she couldn't bring herself to steal from the elderly and children.

Third, smart people don't steal. If she were to steal from someone who looks not only rich but also very shrewd, she might get herself into trouble.

And this boy... just happened to not meet any of her three principles of not stealing.

They dressed like nouveau riche and looked rather dim-witted, making them irresistible targets for everyone.

Forget it, I'll just finish this order and go home.

The girl took off her mascot costume, changed into her usual disguise clothes, and quietly followed the boy.

Qixi Festival Special: The Thief and the Cream Puff (Part 2)

"So it was you."

The girl was now covering her skirt with shame, trying to prevent the boy in front of her, who was grinning wickedly, from seeing what was underneath her skirt due to gravity.

He got caught.

She hadn't made a mistake in three years, but today she actually fell for a rich young man?

She had no idea how she was discovered. She followed this person to a secluded corner and was then grabbed by one foot and lifted up.

Lin sized up the girl in his hand, who looked even younger than him, and stared at her with a ferocious expression. "Say it! Your name!"

"Eek! Don't, don't be angry, big brother. My name is Pardofelis. Let's talk this out..." Pardo was so frightened by his fierce and menacing appearance that it looked like he was about to bite her head off. Her cute and petite face turned pale.

"Don't be angry? Hmph... Do you even know who you stole from!"

Pardo's face grew even more terrified. If this young master said such a thing, did he mean to drown her in the river?

"Spare me! Brother, we were wrong! We didn't recognize your greatness! You are handsome, dashing, intelligent, reasonable, outstanding, upright, elegant, and have the heart of a tiger while being gentle like a rose! Please let us go this time!"

Lin was amused by the guy's rhyme and couldn't help but laugh, "You've been practicing this for a long time, haven't you? You beg for mercy as soon as you get caught."

"Not much, just three hundred times." Seeing that Lin's expression was improving, Pardo breathed a sigh of relief and smiled apologetically.

"Still grinning? Lead the way!" Lin's expression changed again, making Pardo tremble with fear.

After being released, she was on the verge of tears as she led Lin to find the things she had stolen. How could this guy change his attitude so quickly?

"It's all here! Brother, you've found everything, so why don't you..."

Pardo watched in terror as Lin squatted beside the mascot costume, taking stock of his stolen belongings. He slowly put his wallet, keys, and other items into his pockets one by one. He didn't touch what belonged to others, but he was determined to get all of his own back.

Indeed, everything is here. Pardo was caught by Lin before she could even sell the stolen goods.

Based on Lin's usual temperament, he might not have let Pardo off so easily, but along the way he had asked Pardo why she did such a thing, and surprisingly... he didn't dislike her that much.

Pardo has lived alone since she was a child, growing up in solitude with nowhere to go and no fixed abode. The only thing she knows is how to conceal her scent and move silently like a cat, which she learned from cats. So, all she can do is steal.

She doesn't steal from just anyone; those she does steal from are usually not good people, and most of the stolen money is given to people who are even poorer than her and unable to make a living.

"You mean I look like a bad guy?" Lin glared at her.

She immediately flashed a fawning smile, "Um... Big brother, you were wearing a hat and a mask back then, you looked so sneaky, you really didn't seem like a good person. If you had shown your true face earlier, how could we possibly..."

"You mean this is still my fault?"

"No! No! It's all our fault!" Pardo apologized bitterly.

She didn't understand why Lin, who was so handsome, was so fierce.

In the past, Lin would have been lenient with Pardo, who had her own reasons, after all, he considered himself a very kind-hearted person.

... But why should Yu do that now?

Yes, Pardo is pitiful, and her outstanding appearance makes her even more lovable. She did find everything back, but why did he let her go?

Just because he's a good person?

Are you kidding me?

Did Prometheus consider his feelings when he pinned him down?

Did Mobius consider his feelings when he led him from the basement to the swimming pool?

Or did the Sakura sisters conspire to ambush him, and did Eden consider his feelings when he threatened him with his girlfriend?

So the question is, why is he now considering Pardo's sake?

Lin snorted and his gaze roamed brazenly over Pardo's body, making her shudder and get goosebumps.

... How come this little girl doesn't look malnourished at all?

"..." Lin's arrogant and undisguised gaze was fixed on two certain parts of Pardo's body. These seemed even more developed than Prometheus's, didn't they? He frowned and asked, "You're not lying to me? You really are starving?"

"I..."

Lin had already gotten the answer from Pardo's unfocused gaze.

"I, I, I just eat a little better each time! After all, you can't skimp on your stomach, no matter what you're poor about!"

"..."

This guy is really a master thief. It takes real skill to steal to this level. Moreover, Lin is certain that Pardo is not as helpless as she claims. The clothes and mascot costume are very clean, so she definitely has a place to stay.

"Tsk tsk tsk, you're still lying to me." Lin shook his head with a sigh, his right hand gripping Pardo's shoulder tightly like an iron clamp. "She really is a hopeless child, she needs some punishment."

"W-what?"

Pardo's smile was forced. She seemed to have sensed something and tried to break free from Lin's grasp, but beneath Lin's nonchalant expression lay an unusually strong force.

"You stole my car keys and wallet today, which made me miss my date with my girlfriend, sigh..." Lin lied without changing his expression, feigning regret, "We were supposed to get married after she graduated, but we broke up so easily..."

In reality, Yan Luo didn't come out for the date at all because of his exams, while Eden was personally escorted onto the plane by him.

But... it doesn't matter, the reason doesn't matter, what matters is... that you only need one reason.

"Huh?! Is that so?!"

Pardo was extremely flustered, her pretty face filled with panic and helplessness.

"Yes, so..."

The regret vanished from his face, replaced by a wicked, malicious, and filthy strange smile.

Before Pardo could react, she was pinned against the wall with both hands on either side of her head.

"You should make it up to me, right?"

"... Huh? Me? No... me?! That can't be right!" Pardo finally understood the meaning behind Lin's gaze that had swept over her so many times. She trembled and tried to run away, but she had nowhere to escape. "Lin, Lin, Brother Lin... I'm not good-looking, and I don't have a good figure. I'm just... I'm the kind of person who, even if you fed me to a tiger, would only have bones after taking a bite! Brother Lin!"

"How could that be? My lovely little Pardo."

Lin's fingers gently brushed across the side of her face.

"Whether there's no meat or not, I'll find out by tasting it myself."

"No... Ugh! Ugh ugh ugh!"

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Chapter 112 That Year

What exactly is fate?

Human beings are destined to go from birth to death.

The decline and decay of prosperity is destiny.

It seems ethereal and intangible, yet it also seems to be always around us.

What kind of "thing" is fate, as Aponia talks about, to her?

"The Eighth Honkai War will end soon." Aponia didn't try to maintain the silence; she picked up a book from the corner and blew off the dust.

Lin noticed that this book was placed at the very bottom of all the books, which meant that it was the first one to be completed.

"Humanity will win this time, just like ever before, by paying the price, defeating the enemy, and moving forward amidst the grief of loss."

"Is this also fate?"

"Yes, this is also our destiny."

Lin looked down at the hand emerging from the darkness and the book in her hand.

Aponia gently curled the corners of her lips. "This is... a return gift from last time."

"...That's not me, so you don't need to return the favor." But Lin simply raised his head, looked into Aponia's eyes, and said, "Let's make a bet."

"...bet?"

"If I win, you can no longer give these books to others, whether they ask you for them or not." Lin gently pushed the books back, and said calmly, "If you win... you can ask for whatever you want."

Aponia tilted her head in confusion; she didn't quite understand what Lin was talking about.

"Do you firmly believe that fate cannot be changed? Humanity will continue to pay the price in the Eighth Honkai War, Brenda will sacrifice herself, Griseo will become Flame-Chaser... This is the future you see."

"..."

"We'll bet on whether the 'fate' you see is unchangeable, but in return, you must assist me."

Aponia laughed for no apparent reason. She smiled openly at Lin, and in the dim light, her smile was as sacred as the Mona Lisa's... yet dangerous.

"Any request is acceptable?"