Relationships Aren't Set in Stone

From their perspective, with seven or eight people on their side and a little girl plus a few hesitant friends on the other side, they had the advantage.

"Um... I don't know you. Forget about borrowing money, could you please make way?"

Suika glanced around. Although many people were pointing and whispering, their eyes were unfocused when they looked at the thugs, clearly indicating that they had all been oppressed by these guys.

"We've gotten to know each other now that we've borrowed the money!" One of them spread his arms to block Suika's way as she was about to leave.

Killing these thugs would be effortless for Suika, but killing someone in public would mean she could walk away, but Matt and the others might be in trouble.

So Suika sighed, then took out the Ibuki Gourd with a helpless expression.

"Hey, you guys, you've got hands and feet, why do you have to be thugs? To be honest, you don't even deserve to drink this Burning Knife..."

Five minutes later, Suika released her grip, tossed the last thug, who was already unconscious from being drugged, to the ground, and said to the stunned crowd not far away.

"Everyone saw it, right? I didn't hit these guys. They just got drunk and lay here!"

After saying that, Lainie's clothes and the others quickly disappeared down the street.

After they left, the people around gathered around, spat at the few drunk thugs who had passed out, and then called the police.

When the sheriff arrived and saw the unconscious people lying on the ground, he was initially alarmed, thinking a murder had occurred in the street.

Upon entering, he discovered that the group was simply too drunk to speak and became completely unconscious, which infuriated him.

When inquiring with nearby businesses and residents, the information received was varied and contradictory, with all sorts of conflicting accounts.

It's obvious everyone's trying to pass off inferior goods as superior ones.

After all, these guys haven't done anything good here over the years, and the neighbors have long hated them, so naturally they won't give them any information that would benefit them.

The sheriff was fully aware of the situation and could only send men to drag the dead dogs back to the police station.

After leaving this place, Suika earned the admiration of her companions.

If last night's display of force showed them Suika's power, then today's move made the boys feel incredibly satisfied.

"Hey, Sister Suika, how much wine is in that gourd?" the second brother Trevor, asked curiously.

"Want a drink?" Suika was all too familiar with that look in the other person's eyes. It was the look of a gourmand at fine food, a lecher at beautiful women, and a drunkard at good wine. You could tell at a glance that this was a like-minded friend.

Suika glanced at Trevor, surprised that her usually aloof second brother had such a hobby.

Upon hearing Suika's words, Trevor glanced at his younger sister, who was captivated by the surrounding shops, then blushed and nodded.

Suika took a small cup out of her pocket.

What kind of alcohol do you like to drink?

"Anything is fine, anything is fine..." Trevor nodded vigorously, staring at the wine glass in Suika's hand.

"Burning Knife, this liquor is pretty strong, be careful!"

Suika poured a glass of clear, crisp white wine and handed it over.

Trevor quickly took the glass and, fearing his younger sister would find out, downed it in one gulp.

As a result, his face instantly turned bright red, but he kept his mouth shut as if afraid of vomiting.

"I already told you, this liquor is strong... Be careful."

Suika reached out and patted him on the back. It took Trevor half a minute to recover.

"What a potent liquor! No wonder it's called 'Burning Knife.' One sip feels like having a scorching long knife slice through your throat and down to your stomach."

But it felt so good!

Trevor finally spoke after his expression softened.

"Hey second brother, that's not fair! The three of us brothers are out having fun with our little sister, and you're sneaking off to drink with Suika..."

Just then, Ford's voice came from the side.

"Brother Ford, would you like a drink?"

Upon hearing Ford's words Trevor was so startled that he almost dropped his glass, but Suika reacted quickly and grabbed it.

Then she raised her glass and swirled it at the other person.

Chapter 485 Relationships Are Not Absolute

"I want one too! I want one too!"

Just then, Lainie, who had been playing in the distance a moment ago, somehow appeared next to the group.

"No way, what kind of kid drinks alcohol!"

Before Suika could refuse, Ford, as the eldest brother, flatly refused.

"No, no, I want it!" As the apple of her eye, Lainie's rebellious spirit immediately emerged. The more you forbid me from trying it, the more I'll insist.

Just as Ford was about to pick up Lainie, Suika stopped him.

"If little Lainie wants to try it, let her try it!"

"But..." Ford tried to say something, but Suika pressed down on his shoulder.

"Children are very curious. If you don't let her try it, she might secretly try it when you're not looking, and that could cause problems."

It's better to do it in front of everyone, so that no matter what happens, at least we can resolve it."

Ford's resolve wavered upon hearing Suika's words.

After all, he was still quite young, so he naturally knew that Suika said was true. He recalled how he had secretly drunk his father's wine out of curiosity, and ended up sleeping in the cellar for a whole day and night.

After he got out, he learned that his parents had been searching for him for a whole day and night.

Finally, he felt a whole night of combined love from both parents.

He still vividly remembers that night.

It's a little better if I'm a boy, but my little sister is so cute, what if something really happens to her, and she gets taken away by someone with bad intentions...?

Ford shuddered.

"Besides, this stuff doesn't taste very good... especially for a child, she won't like it."

Children's sense of taste differs greatly from adults'.

Many adults dislike stimulants like alcohol, let alone children.

The Burning Knife poured out by Suika is an extreme example of this.

She was certain that after taking a sip, Lainie would never want to touch alcohol again for the rest of her life.

After Ford agreed, Lainie happily drank a bottle capful of liquor under the pitying gazes of her three brothers.

The next second, her face changed, and she vomited it all out while coughing incessantly.

Fortunately, Suika had come prepared and sent Terry, the youngest of the three sisters who was the closest to Lainie in age, to buy a can of fruit juice.

Just as Lainie was about to cry, he handed the drink to his sister.

After chugging down a whole bottle of beverage to wash away the alcohol in her mouth, Lainie finally felt alive again.

The strong liquor she had just tasted burst with a fiery spiciness that made it almost impossible for her to breathe.

The liquid that flowed down her throat and into her esophagus made her understand why this drink was called Burning Knife).

She vowed never to touch alcohol again in her life.

Seeing the horrified look on her face when she saw the drinks, Suika knew her plan had succeeded.

After resolving the issue with Lainie, the group prepared to circle back via another street.

"By the way, will what happened earlier cause any trouble?"

Ford thought of the thugs who had been drunk and passed out on the ground.

"What trouble?"

We didn't fight or brawl. Those guys stole my wine jug and then got drunk themselves. I've already done more than enough by not calling the police and accusing them of robbery.

You should know that while Burning Knife a type of strong liquor) isn't exactly expensive, it's not cheap either. The amount they drank was enough to warrant a robbery.

Besides, we're only staying for one day, leaving tomorrow. I estimate those guys will be drunk for at least a day or two. By then, we'll be long gone. Even if they want to cause trouble, do they think they'll be able to find us?

Suika smiled crookedly, like a dragon king descending, as if she had everything under control.

After hearing Suika had to say, the others breathed a sigh of relief.

Although everyone looks big and burly, the oldest, Ford, is only eighteen years old. When he gets carried away with his passion, he may be fearless.

However, once they calm down, they can become very timid and afraid of everything.

So, after receiving reassurance from Suika, the group relaxed.

Back at the hotel, they immediately told their father Matt, about it.

Matt looked at Suika apologetically after hearing this.

There's only one place the other party would know that Suika has money: when she's eating.

When he took the bag of money out, it attracted the attention of people with ill intentions, which led to what happened next.

Fortunately, the processing of the Suika was done very well.

There was no conflict with these thugs.

Therefore, regardless of whether there are any hidden forces behind the scenes, there is no way to continue to harass Suika under these circumstances.

It can be said that Suika made the best choice at the time.

Thinking of this, Matt couldn't help but admire Suika; she was indeed a Catastrophe Messenger.

Even he might not be able to make that kind of on-the-spot judgment.

He didn't care at all about the trivial matter of his little darling taking a sip of wine.

In his view, it would be a good thing if Lainie could truly stay away from alcohol from now on.

However, to avoid trouble, the group left the hotel early the next day and drove straight out of the city.

After all, if others know about that bag of money, there might be informants in the hotel.

If the other side is shameless and insists on keeping them here, even if their actions are flawless, being stuck with such a persistent pest will always leave them feeling unhappy.

After leaving the town, everyone's mood improved again.

"Suika, what does Rhodes Island do?"

I think I've heard this name before in the old mining area.

On the bus, Matt noticed that Suika was sitting by the window, gazing absentmindedly at the scenery outside, so he started a conversation and asked her a question.

"Rhodes Island, it's an organization that specializes in researching how to better treat Infected."

We currently have the most effective blocking medication available in all of Terra.

Suika finished speaking, Matt suddenly realized.

"Oh, oh, I remember now."

Old John said that their medicine seemed to have been bought from your people.

The medicine you sell is good and cheap, but it seems quite difficult to buy it. Old John used to treat your medicine as a treasured possession, and he wouldn't take it out to use it unless it was in a very critical situation.

Old John was the doctor at my last mine."

After Matt finished speaking, Suika was somewhat surprised. After all, although the Infected were not as feared as the mysterious man, most people still avoided Infected plague.

Moreover, none of the family members Infected, but when they talked about Infected, they didn't show the fear and disgust that ordinary people have.

Matt sighed after noticing Suika's surprise.

"You think I'm not afraid of Infected, right?"

Those of us who work in the mines deal with Originium every day; we've seen it all before.

In the last mine I worked at, Infected made up 40 percent of all the miners.

We're all just trying to make a living, and who knows, we might have been sitting at the same table eating as each other yesterday, and now we're in this terrible state because of one accident..."

Steel Carrot City, No. 486

Matt stopped there, clearly losing the desire to continue.

And the Suika is understandable.