After weighing the pros and cons for a while, Li Andy was about to ask Sophia for her opinion.
But he found that the girl had already fallen asleep, her breathing calm.
“…”
At this moment, Youxi, who had finished her morning prayers, quietly pushed open the door.
She glanced at Sophia sleeping soundly on the bed, then walked directly to Li Andy and skillfully sat on his lap:
“Brother, Sophia…she had nightmares all night.”
Li Andy sighed lightly, casually resting his hand on his sister’s waist, and the chair beneath him, understanding, gently swayed:
“She’s just an ordinary person; her soul’s strength and mental resistance are relatively low. After being swallowed by that monster, it’s inevitable she’d suffer some contamination.”
“What about Brother?”
Youxi gently rested her head on his shoulder.
“What exactly is in Brother’s shadow?”
Li Andy fell silent, and the chair stopped swaying.
This girl, she’s quite cunning.
She said she didn’t care and wouldn’t ask, but she was still secretly trying to uncover the secret.
Yesterday, after Li Andy devoured the puppet mother and rescued her, he realized that this girl had actually remained conscious the whole time, hiding in the monster’s shadow, silently witnessing everything he did.
That unresisting plea for help was probably an act too.
“Is Brother angry?”
Youxi’s lips curved slightly as she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“I’m just curious. If Brother won’t say, then I definitely won’t ask again in the future.”
“…”
Li Andy was silent for a moment, then asked,
“Then what do you think is in my shadow?”
“I don’t know.” Youxi shook her head, “But I know it can contain madness.”
“Madness?” Li Andy frowned slightly.
“Mm, just standing within Brother’s shadow, it feels…very quiet here.”
As she spoke, she guided Li Andy’s hand to her chest.
“Sophia sleeping soundly on your bed is probably for this reason too.”
It’s very peaceful standing in my shadow…
Is it due to the characteristic of devouring relics? Can it also devour some negative things?
Wait, you said it’s very peaceful in my shadow, does that mean it’s… not peaceful normally outside?
Didn’t you say there was no price?
Thinking of this, Li Andy’s breathing involuntarily slowed.
Youxi smiled, not giving Li Andy a chance to ask, skillfully blocking his mouth and ending the topic.
Li Andy sighed inwardly, closed his eyes, and let her take what she wanted.
Some secrets, once spoken, will change and then become another secret.
Before Youxi left, she told him:
“Brother, no matter what Sophia chooses, I hope you can support her.”
“Even if she might die?”
“Brother, you won’t let her die.”
The girl smiled sweetly and gently closed the door.
A moment later, Sophia’s eyebrows twitched slightly, and she groggily opened her eyes, looking at Li Andy, who was changing clothes shirtless, with a hint of confusion.
“Awake? Then get ready to go. We’ll have lunch at Mrs. Harveys’ place,” Li Andy said.
Sophia blinked, then immediately sat up.
“I fell asleep?”
“What else?”
Sophia frowned:
“Then when I was asleep, you didn’t do anything, did you?”
“What do you want me to do?” Li Andy retorted.
Sophia pouted, got out of bed, and ran back to her room.
After she finished changing, the two took a car to the Husband and Wife Harveys’ estate.
The mansion was still as luxurious, but many of the painted decorations had been removed, making it look much brighter and more transparent.
“Andy, you’re here? Oh, Sophia is here too~”
Mrs. Harveys greeted them with a smile, very affectionately.
It wasn’t like an employer receiving a client; it was more like a mother welcoming a relative’s child.
“I’ve prepared desserts and black tea, come in, come in…”
“Mrs. Harveys, good…good morning…”
Sophia was still a little awkward, carefully calculating the value of various foods in her mind.
Li Andy, after greeting, directly sat down casually, not treating himself as an outsider at all.
“Andy,”
Mr. Harveys put down his newspaper and asked:
“The academy explosion yesterday was…”
“We did it.”
Li Andy admitted frankly,
“The gas explosion and the plague incident are all external excuses. The current administration of Nine District is still at West Suburb Church, holding our Sister Anna responsible.”
“That commotion was indeed quite big…”
Mr. Harveys scratched his head with an awkward laugh.
“Andy, don’t worry, I will make a goodwill donation to the church later.”
Li Andy nodded with satisfaction, he liked such generous employers:
“Remember to go to West Suburb for worship.”
“Understood, understood.” Mr. Harveys gave him a knowing look.
Sophia, standing by, was greatly puzzled by this.
Aren’t we a normal commission? Why does it seem so much like an illicit transaction?
If she knew this could avoid the General Church’s audits and the “bloodsucking” procedures of various sectors, she would probably understand.
Mrs. Harveys hesitated for a moment and asked:
“Then Andy, our Molly…”
“I’m sorry.”
As Li Andy spoke, their eyes immediately dimmed.
But Li Andy’s next sentence made their eyes widen again, “I can wake her up… but I’m not sure if her memory will be complete.”
“As long as she can wake up, that’s good!”
Mrs. Harveys stood up, her body trembling slightly.
“Madam, calm down.”
Mr. Harveys comforted his wife, but his own hands were also trembling.
Li Andy didn’t make them wait long and went to Molly’s room with them:
“Madam, please wait outside.”
Mrs. Harveys nodded excitedly, tears in her eyes, and left with her husband.
Inside the room, only Li Andy and Sophia remained, along with Molly on the bed.
Li Andy paused briefly, then took out a slowly beating mechanical heart.
【Relic: Clockwork Heart】
He did not devour this relic.
“Andy, are you really going to use Meilin… to deceive them?” Sophia was a little hesitant.
Li Andy looked at her and asked:
“Have you seen the academy’s personnel files?”
“Huh?” Sophia blinked.
Li Andy explained:
“I investigated the people Molly was in contact with, but before entering the ‘Domain,’ I never found Meilin’s file.”
Sophia’s eyes widened involuntarily:
“Are you saying Meilin is Molly??”
But the next second, Li Andy shook his head.
“No?” Sophia asked.
“I don’t know.”
Li Andy replied,
“That monster actually only has the ability to fuse and vitalize. The form of a mechanical construct probably came about by fusing something else to create such a thing.
“This afternoon, I’ll take you to Black Alley. You can get information there that only insiders know, and maybe find some answers.
“Moreover, do you know, the Husband and Wife Harveys’ donation to us is very, very large… It’s almost all of their assets.
“We, as commissioned agents, are not robbers. When we accept money, we must return hope. Even if… this might be false.”
Sophia pursed her lips and said nothing more.
Li Andy came to the bed and slowly held up the Clockwork Heart.
Ability: Counterfeit.
Outside the window, light and shadow shifted, and the room gradually darkened.
Li Andy slowly closed his eyes, and in a void, he saw a hazy figure sitting with knees drawn, incredibly lonely.
“Who… are you?” the figure asked.
Li Andy did not answer, instead asking:
“Do you remember who you are?”
The figure was silent for a moment, then shook its head.
Li Andy reached out his hand to her and said:
“Then from today on, your name is Molly, Molly Harveys.”