After a long silence, Gin finally spoke slowly, reminding him, "You still have a meeting this afternoon."
This was even giving him a way out.
Akai Shuichi clearly showed an expression of relief. However, given her depth of calculation, such an obvious display was clearly partly an act.
As expected, in the next second, he spread her hands and said languidly, as if making an invitation, "A farewell?"
Gin tilted her head, leaning lazily against the Sofa, observing him with a half-smile for a long while. He suddenly curled his Lip corner, his thin lips pulling into a subtle arc, as his Right hand naturally rested upon the Black-haired agent's Left hand.
I remember you have a moniker.. called 'Silver Bullet'?
As he spoke, he slowly grasped Akai Shuichi's hand, that person was very cooperative—one could even say he was overly proactive in his cooperation.
A look of reminiscence appeared on the Silver-haired man's cold face, making him look a bit more gentle. He spoke slowly, his voice flowing through the Living room: "I remember when I was first learning sniping, a Senior told me that when a novice is performing a long-range sniper shot on an Enemy, it is best to aim for the heart."
“Although aiming for the head ensures a higher death rate, the difficulty is also greatly increased,” Gin continued. “But if the target is the heart, even with a slight deviation, you can still guarantee a hit to the internal organs—the survival rate remains low.”
That would increase the margin for error.
As Gin spoke, he slowly raised his hand, forming a gun gesture and aiming it at Akai Shuichi's Heart.
His eyes held a faint, ambiguous smile, making it impossible to tell whether it was teasing or joy.
"What do you think?" Gin asked.
"Ah." Akai Shuichi covered the back of Gin's hand. The cool sensation spread through his palm, as if ripples were spreading through his heart. He was also smiling, while smiling, he spoke slowly:
My Instructor taught me the same way.
..
The meeting the Black-haired agent mentioned earlier was not an excuse. After a subtle display of skill—fortunately, there was no one else in the Villa—Akai Shuichi stood up and left.
It seems the work of the FBI isn't easy either.
But thinking about it [male], it makes sense. As the world-renowned FBI, which is affiliated with the US Department of Justice, if they don't crack down on criminals (at least on the surface), support Justice (regardless of whether this justice is hypocritical), love the Federation (..), care about the lives of citizens (please listen to the question: what is the next sentence of "Free America"?), etc, how could they live up to the Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity they profess to uphold?
You have to realize that those with ability work more!
Moreover, there's a bonus~—though the amount of this bonus isn't even a fraction of what Gin earns.
The Silver-haired man gazed toward the direction of the door from afar, after a long moment, a trace of a smile escaped from his lips.
A curve of a smile, whether it was a sneer or a grin, was impossible to tell.
Gin's gaze was fixed toward the Entrance, but his eyes did not reflect the sight of the Entrance.
He murmured thoughtfully, "Possessiveness.."
Clearly, it wasn't that he hadn't realized the Black-haired agent's obsession with that nonsensical question; it was just that when it came to the reason behind it, he was always somewhat uncertain.
What he did understand was that this might be due to possessiveness—after all, he had tasted the pork and seen the pig run (though of course, the proverb should probably be reversed these days).
What he doesn't understand is that he has rarely experienced an emotion like possessiveness.. to the point where it is difficult for him to feel or recognize what kind of emotion it is, let alone make an appropriate judgment.
However, he was a selfish individual who did as he pleased; although he was curious about this matter, he didn't dwell on it.. If he didn't understand, then he simply didn't understand. Hadn't he survived all those years just fine?
.. And, there will be plenty of time in the future.
The most important problem right now is not this, but..
A certain Jade Ping An Kou!
Ah, wait, I made a mistake. Let's start over.
The most important issue right now is not this, but..
A certain mysterious existence whose presence was almost zero, yet who haunted him like a shadow—a Sy—ste—m!
Chapter 229 Chapter 208 It is Pandora
What is a System?
There are many types of Systems.
Under normal circumstances, they often possess very powerful abilities. Some are personified: they can act spoiled, negotiate, or even form pairings; others are unconscious: purely mechanical, nothing more than emotionless objects.
Some Systems are a coexistence of crisis and opportunity, capable of granting you Rewards that others struggle to obtain in a lifetime, yet also capable of erasing your existence in an instant (such as the God System in the infinite flow created by Z University); of course, there are also some Systems that are clearly more composed of cheat-like elements.
Sometimes, they are merely tools; even after everything has ended, you will never know where they came from or where they go, or why they fell upon you; sometimes, they also exist like a mastermind, becoming the final Boss.
Of course, there are also those times when you will explore what the so-called "System" truly is.
Wait..
Broadly speaking, one could almost say that the System is quite busy.
By comparison, the System in this story.. how weak is its presence?! Just looking at these comments from the reader Little Angels, one can tell just how faint their impression of the System is!
*Ahem.*
However, generally speaking, the existence of the System can, to some extent, provide a certain amount of help to its host.
Gin stared at the Jade Ping An Kou before him, unable to help but fall into deep thought.
No doubt about it, as a character in a two-dimensional space, Gin clearly does not have much "knowledge" regarding the "System"; he is simply confused.
The System that he and Shiratori Midori shared clearly had little presence. In all these years, the few things it had done were likely providing the Plot and saving Shiratori Midori.
.. Oh, when it was first bound, it actually helped him once.
Besides that, it was as if it had died; no matter how much he poked at it, it wouldn't move.
Gin's emotions toward this System could be described as both complex and indifferent. He had always harbored a sense of distrust toward the System, not only distrusting the stance of the System (or rather, the Mastermind behind the System), but also distrusting the System's abilities.
Therefore, prior to this, he had always treated the missions issued by the System with an attitude that was a mixture of "unmoved" and "cautious analysis."
But ultimately, this System—whether it was a god or a ghost, an enemy or a friend—was still "bound" to him and Midori, which made the highly controlling Gin feel quite.. displeased.
And wary.
This is simply nothing out of the ordinary. If a mysterious person were to suddenly appear in your home one day, you had no idea of that person's stance or origin, you couldn't drive that person away.. it would be perfectly normal to remain wary!
Even as time passed and the System never showed any hostility.. however, Gin was, after all, a cold and rational man. He knew the phrase "boiling a frog in lukewarm water," and he was also very, very repulsed by the idea of becoming the "frog" in that idiom.
From beginning to end, he never once felt at ease with the System.
Gin had no intention of fighting the System to the death—not because he thought he couldn't, but because he felt it was unnecessary. After all, after all these years, he and the System had never had any conflicts.
After all, that person was a purely mechanized product.
So get the hell out of here right now!!
*Ahem.*
As for the result, the System had contributed more or less to Resurrecting Midori—and by the way, this matter actually made him believe in the existence of the so-called "Soul." After all, Midori had lived in the Jade Ping An Kou for so long.
It did indeed "provide" some help.
Gin was no longer a child. To get something, one must give something—that was the order of the adult World.
By a stroke of luck, he had ultimately completed the mission.. even though he hadn't given much thought to the System when he made his decision.
Therefore, he naturally did not know what he would lose if he had not completed the mission. With a missing link in the evaluation criteria, Gin's analysis could only rely on speculation.
This made him want to send this "Uninvited guest" away even more.
"Zhenjun?" Shiratori Midori's voice pulled him from his thoughts. Gin looked up at the girl beside him; she had a slight frown, her fine brown hair resting lightly against her forehead, her gaze fixed on Gin with worry.
Seeing that Gin had come back to his senses, Shiratori Midori breathed a small sigh of relief, her brow smoothing out, though her tone still carried a hint of unease: "Are you okay?"
I'm fine.
Gin shook her head and said indifferently.
The matter of the System could be considered a secret between the two of them. They both understood it clearly and maintained a tacit silence, telling no one else but each other.
“I've already seen.. it,” Shiratori Midori said, her lips slightly pursed, then continued, “And also..”
She did not continue, but her fair, slender hands reached for her chest, clutching the fuzzy shirt into several folds.
That was the place where the Jade Ping An Kou used to hang.
Gin understood what she wanted to say.
The original nature of the System is impossible to trace. But from the very beginning of the story, its host has been Shiratori Midori, who subsequently shared it with Gin.
From this point on, any Message regarding the System that Shiratori Midori could see, Gin could naturally see as well, vice versa.
"If it's something like 'thank you,' there's no need to say it." She turned her head, her expression much softer than usual.
Because I've already said it," Shiratori Midori replied calmly, then sighed. "I know..
Her gaze shifted to the Jade Ping An Kou that Gin had taken away and then returned to her, a trace of inexplicable reluctance surfaced in her heart.
However, Shiratori Midori's voice remained calm: "Do you want to destroy it?"
"Not temporarily," Gin replied.
At dusk, the sky was painted in a pale golden hue by the sunset glow. The sunset glow spread across the sky, carrying a faint crimson, like rouge blended onto a woman's cheek.
Midori's home is not large, but it is decorated in a very cozy style. Most of the furniture leans towards a light and convenient style, suitable for a woman living alone. The two-bedroom, one-living-room layout is more than enough for Midori, the presence of a guest room also makes it convenient for Nana to visit from time to time.
When Gin first entered the door, the style felt strangely familiar at first glance. A few seconds later, he realized it was likely the work of Shiratori Nana.
The incandescent lamp in the room made the living room much brighter, with the light filling every corner, creating a silent contrast with the sunset outside.
Faint light cast upon Gin's cheek, with his bangs covering half of his face and casting a light shadow, adding a touch of softness to his fair and cold face.
His expression remained certain and confident.
Just like every mission before, Gin always faced the unknown with such certainty and confidence, plucking the fruits of victory.
Midori curled her lips, forming a genuine smile.
His mood lightened significantly, matching his clear voice at this moment: "Looking at you, you must have some clues already, right?"
Although she did not fear the so-called System as Gin did, Midori still felt some apprehension toward this auxiliary tool of unknown alignment.
"Yes," Gin replied.
He looked up and suddenly spoke, "Is there dinner?"
Shiratori Midori was stunned by this completely irrelevant topic and said blankly, "Are you hungry?"