"Uncle Duncan, I'm going to school!"
Amidst the cheerful greetings, Nina ran down the stairs. She turned around and waved to the second floor, and then ran towards the door.
The rest day is over and today is the day to go to school again.
But before she could reach the door, Nina suddenly stopped. She saw a figure shaking behind the shelves not far ahead. The figure came out, and it was Shirley.
"Ah, Shirley," Nina stood happily and waved to the girl in front of her, "I asked you where you were. Do you want to go together?"
"Together?" Shirley blinked in confusion, "Where are we going together?"
"Go to school, today is ten..." Nina said subconsciously, but she realized it halfway through her words, with a slightly embarrassed expression on her face, "Ah, sorry, I forgot...
Shirley was not her classmate, nor was she in school. The previous pleasant experience of getting along on campus was just a scene. Nina herself knew this, but after all, it was something that actually happened. Many times , she will still forget.
The expression on Shirley's face became strange for a moment, and her eyes showed apology again, but she quickly recovered and shook her head gently: "I won't go with you, I'm in that school. .. 'Investigative activity' has been completed.
"That's right," Nina pursed her lips, and soon returned to her usual smiling face, "Sorry, I forgot. Then I'll leave first?"
Well," Shirley nodded, but then she seemed to remember something and added, "By the way, Nina... I'm going home today.
"Go home?" Nina was stunned for a moment. It seemed that just two days had passed and she had already taken Shirley as a member of this place as a matter of course. Unable to react, "You're not here anymore?"
"I have to go home. I'm only staying here temporarily," Shirley waved her hands and said what she had wanted to say for a long time. "I also told Mr. Duncan and he agreed.
Nina didn't say anything for a while, just a little dazed. After a few seconds, she hesitated and said: "Then...will you come back in the future?"
Whenever possible, I really don’t want to come here in the future. I even want to steal a boat ticket and run away to avoid the limelight.
The thought of running away from the bottom of her heart came to Shirley's mind for a moment, but then she seemed to feel a line of sight falling on her through the floor of the second floor. She quickly shrank her neck subconsciously: .. ..I will come to you when I have the opportunity. After all, my home is not far away, ha, haha.."
Nina tilted her head. For some reason, she always felt that Shirley's reaction just now was strange, but soon she didn't think much about it. She was already happy again, because the other party promised to "come to her when there is a chance." Satisfied, he waved his hands happily, turned around and ran out of the door like a gust of wind, disappearing on the street outside the antique store.
Shirley watched Nina running away in a daze. After a moment, she suddenly realized that there was a figure standing on the stairs not far away, watching her calmly.
She quickly turned around and bowed to say hello with a rare politeness in her life: "...Good morning, Mr. Duncan!"
"You are much more polite now, as a girl of your age should be," Duncan said calmly, walking down the stairs slowly, "Have you made it clear to Nina? You are going home today?
"...I've made it clear," Shirley lowered her head, not daring to speak too loudly, for fear that the boss would go back on his word if he was unhappy, "You also agreed, I can leave today."
"Why are you so nervous again? You were fine yesterday. How can you reset your nervousness every morning?" Duncan shook his head in confusion. He stepped forward and patted Shirley's slightly thin shoulder. "Relax, I I never said that I would ban you somewhere. I just invited you to be a guest here for two days. You can go back when you want to, and you can come at any time when you want to come.
"I...I know," Shirley nodded repeatedly, and then felt a little helpless. Actually...actually I'm not that nervous. It's Agou who is always nervous. As long as you get close, he will be nervous instinctively. , and then its tension gets transferred to me.
"Agou... well, there's nothing we can do about it. Its nervousness seems to be due to the keen perception of the deep demon." Duncan shrugged, and then looked at Shirley, "But don't you really think about it? You You can stay here. The conditions where you and Agou live seem to be a bit rough, and it's not safe enough after dark. In comparison, this is a very safe place."
A subspace shadow said that his lair is a safe place. This statement is both reasonable and outrageous. However, Shirley thought for a long time and could not find any point to refute this statement (mainly there is no refutation) Guts), so in the end I could only let out a series of silly laughs: ..ah haha...
that... !
Forget it, I just said this, don't worry about it." Duncan knew what was going on as soon as he saw the other party's reaction. He waved his hand, "You can leave if you want. Anyway, you now know how to establish a relationship with me. Contact, if you find new clues about those Sun Cultists, remember to call me at any time.
Shirley nodded silently.
After two days that seemed like a dream, she finally got permission to leave here and got the chance to stay away from this terrifying existence. But when this opportunity really came... she suddenly found herself at a loss.
Chatting and having fun with a "friend", living under the care of an "elder", a warm bedroom, bright lights, delicious food, and a peaceful life without fear of nightmares or hiding from guards.
Now she was allowed to leave.
For some reason, Shirley came up with a ridiculous idea——
A bright world had briefly opened to her, and now the door was closing.
Obviously not long ago, this was her dream. In fact, it is still the same now. She is just... a little confused.
In the spiritual connection, she suddenly heard Agou's low voice: "Our lives are going to get back on track, Shirley."
“Yeah, it’s time to get back on track.
Shirley muttered softly in her head, then she looked up and wanted to say goodbye to Mr. Duncan.
But at this moment, the expression on Duncan's face suddenly changed slightly.
In the dark, he felt a breath passing by in the distance. This... was one of the marks he left!
"Mr. Duncan?" Shirley noticed the sudden serious expression on the other person's face, and she was a little nervous. You..."
"I sensed a breath," Duncan said softly before Shirley finished speaking. He raised his head and looked into the distance, "It seems to be coming from that direction.
Shirley didn't react for a moment: "A breath?"
"It's a small fire I left for that little bug." Duncan lowered his head slightly and looked into Shirley's eyes. "Do you still remember that weird umbrella guy who attacked you on the edge of the dream?"
Shirley was startled for a moment, then her eyes widened: "Is that the broken piece you put home? .... But it's not in the dream world..."
"Yes, that was the attacker who appeared in the dream world," Duncan's tone became profound, "but now I feel that mark in the real world."
Shirley stared, and she suddenly thought of what Mr. Duncan had said to her in that nightmare:
Maybe it was more than just a dream.
"Shirley," Duncan's voice suddenly came, interrupting the girl's memories. He lowered his head slightly with a smile on his face, "Before you go home, will you come with me to explore again? Of course, if you don't." ....”
"Go!" Shirley replied immediately before the other party finished speaking. Her attitude was so firm that even she was startled. Then, as if to ease the embarrassment, she explained, "...that thing appeared in the fire." What happened on the streets after that must have something to do with the fire that year...'
Duncan pressed Shirley's shoulder: "Then let's go together.
"How do we get there?" Shirley took a breath, "Can you confirm the exact location of that thing? We have to take the bus like last time..."
Duncan smiled and shook his head: “Now I have a more convenient way of transportation.
Shirley was startled for a moment. She was about to ask about the convenient mode of transportation when she suddenly saw a shadow flying down from the stairs on the second floor out of the corner of her eye, accompanied by a series of sharp and weird female voices: "Go to the second floor." Xianqiao, go to Chenghua Avenue... Big seat! There is a big seat behind...
.Melon seed drink and mineral water! Keep your feet on both sides!
The sudden appearance of a swift shadow and the sudden strange noise startled Shirley. When she saw what it was, her eyes suddenly became even wider than before: It was that weird pigeon! That thing A pigeon that can eat French fries almost the same size as itself in one meal!
The next second, under Shirley's stunned gaze, Ai had already circled rapidly in the air, green flames soared from its body, and the innocent white dove that was just a second ago turned into a white dove in the blink of an eye. The terrifying spirit bone pigeon.
Shirley "....!"
She turned her head back with a stiff neck, as if she wanted to confirm something with Duncan, but before she could speak, she felt a blur in front of her eyes...
Amid Ai Yi's constant "big seat, there is a big seat behind", a vortex like a flame door flashed past, and the next second, a swift white pigeon rushed out of the antique shop and flew straight to distance.
