Home (9)

As the footsteps faded away, the world returned to silence. Yingying hugged her teddy bear and sat obediently on a roadside rock, lowering her head and pressing her face against the bear's. The motion sent her long hair hanging messily over her face, making her look somewhat creepy and pitiful.

Ding Shi searched within the reach of the headlights for something flammable. Mu Mu crouched in front of Yingying, brushed aside her hair, and said softly, "Yingying, don't be afraid. How about big sister tells you a story?"

Yingying nodded.

Mu Mu said, "Fifty years ago, a city saw a string of missing-person cases. All those who vanished were young girls. Although the authorities kept urging everyone to stay alert, the number of disappearances continued to rise. A policewoman changed into casual clothes after work and wandered around the places the missing girls often visited."

Mu Mu said, "One day, she met a little girl. The girl had fallen down, was covered in muddy water, and limped as she walked. The policewoman went over, asked what was wrong, and offered to take her home. When they entered an alley, the little girl slipped. The policewoman stepped forward to check on her, only for the girl to spray a bottle of liquid at her. Before long, the policewoman passed out."

Mu Mu said, "Yingying, why do you think that little girl was so bad?"

Yingying's eyes darted around. "Because a bad person instigated her to do bad things?"

Mu Mu shook her head. "No. It was because she wasn't a little girl—she was an old woman in her thirties."

Yingying finally raised her head and met Mu Mu's eyes. For the first time, her left hand left the teddy bear. A dagger in her hand suddenly stabbed toward Mu Mu's heart. Mu Mu firmly seized her wrist with her left hand and looked at Yingying as she said quietly, "Let me tell you a secret, Yingying. Big Sister Mu Mu is a police officer too."

With that, Mu Mu grabbed Yingying by the shoulders and slammed her hard onto the ground. She took the dagger from Yingying's hand and frisked her from head to toe, but found nothing else.

Mu Mu pulled out Yingying's shoelaces and tied her up. Feeling that something was off, she turned around and saw Ding Shi building a fire by the roadside, utterly unconcerned with what had happened here.

Mu Mu called out, "Hey."

Ding Shi looked at Mu Mu. "Yeah?"

Mu Mu gestured for Ding Shi to look at Yingying. Ding Shi thought for a moment, unable to find the right words, then gave a thumbs-up. "Great job."

Mu Mu asked, "You knew she was a dwarf?"

Ding Shi replied, "More or less."

Mu Mu said, "You knew she was dangerous, which was why you suggested either that you and Chu Yu go look for Yingying's parents, or that you stay behind alone. Wasn't that to keep her from attacking our companions?"

Ding Shi did not deny it. "Yes."

Mu Mu said, "Just now, I was less than fifty centimeters away from her, while you were gathering deadwood ten meters away. Did you think she wouldn't attack me, or did you think I could subdue her?"

Ding Shi gave her a direct answer. "I knew you were a police officer."

Mu Mu looked startled and suspicious. "Really? I dyed my hair, and I dress all alternative. How did you figure out I was a cop?"

Ding Shi said, "No comment." Just a little undercover agent. I'd seen through her at a glance. When Mu Mu had been pulled into Ita World, she must have happened to be carrying out an undercover assignment.

Mu Mu set Yingying down on the ground and walked over. Using the firelight and the headlights, she studied Ding Shi. Ding Shi smiled and reminded her, "Big Sister, this is Ita World."

Mu Mu looked at Ding Shi. "Could we put it this way? We're the two best fighters on this team?"

Ding Shi disagreed. "Brother Kai should be a good fighter, right? He is a private detective, after all. And Sun Heaven is built like a tank. Besides, our captain, Chu Yu, should have received professional combat training."

Mu Mu crouched beside the fire. "One more question. Why did you suggest going with Chu Yu to look for Yingying's parents? Why not go alone, or have the men go with you?"

Ding Shi replied, "No particular reason."

Mu Mu said, "You suspected we might leave you behind and drive off with the four of us."

Ding Shi asked curiously, "Why would you think that?"

Mu Mu said, "Just a guess. Am I right?" She looked at Ding Shi.

Ding Shi replied, "Of course not."

Mu Mu said, "Last question. Would you abandon your companions and clear the stage alone? By companions, I mean the four of us. I'm clarifying because I'm not sure you even see us as companions."

Ding Shi again asked curiously, "Why would you ask something like that?"

Mu Mu replied, "I think you have the ability to reach Far North Province alone if you lose us. You knew from the start that I was a police officer, but when we split up, you didn't stop me from staying behind. That means you want to keep a low profile, and it also means you don't care whether they live or die."

Ding Shi said, "You think too badly of me. Besides, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Mu Mu looked back at Yingying. "I want someone to pry her mouth open. You know I can't do it, and neither can Chu Yu and the others. You understand? Even if someone has the ability to kill, they can't cross that psychological threshold of actually doing it so quickly."

Ding Shi said, "Neither can I."

Mu Mu said, "You'd rather put the team in danger than reveal your trump card."

Ding Shi asked in return, "How do you know I can do it?"

Mu Mu said, "I can't be certain, but you know whether you can or not."

Ding Shi said, "Even though she's a dwarf, she looks no different from an ordinary little girl. Suppose I could pry her mouth open—what do you think Chu Yu and the others would think of me? They'd think I was dangerous and brutal, that I'd abandon them the moment I got the chance."

Mu Mu said, "No, they wouldn't. Because we need you."

Ding Shi said, "I don't see it that way. It may look like we lack the money to buy fuel, but we can run into players in every city. Chu Yu has plenty of Ita coins, so there's a good chance she can trade for the travel funds we need."

Mu Mu said, "You can read maps."

Ding Shi said, "Before setting out, you and Chu Yu planned the route to Far North Province. Chu Yu can't read maps, so you must be the one who can. The only reason I guided the navigation then was because your position was inconvenient. And you've already spoken with Chu Yu, and she agreed to keep your identity secret. That way, if problems arise within the team, you—the seemingly weakest member—can help Chu Yu deal with them."

Ding Shi added, "You volunteered to stay behind not entirely because of the fake Yingying. You also wanted to assess me. May I ask why?"

Mu Mu said, "As I said, you have the ability to reach Far North Province alone. So what's your answer?"

Ding Shi replied, "I'll do everything I can. I won't betray my companions."

Mu Mu stared into Ding Shi's eyes for a long while, then took out a small flashlight. "I believe you. Now, will you go support them, or should I?"

Ding Shi took the flashlight and stood up. "I'll go."

Watching Ding Shi disappear, Mu Mu was deep in thought. When Ding Shi had suggested taking the unnamed road, she had become wary. She did not know what Ding Shi's purpose was. Was it really to solve their shortage of travel funds?

Ding Shi: A fall into the pit, a gain in your wit. This was called exploring a dungeon. If the five of them explored a dungeon together and only one person could survive, Ding Shi believed his own chances of survival would be fairly high. That was also the real reason he had not suggested exchanging for more dungeon coins in the examination hall, but had instead proposed taking the route through the no-signal zone.