Chapter 409

I'm really getting curious. Why does every step you take walk on thin ice, and the options you prepare for yourself always come with a strong self-destructive impulse? Shadow asked curiously, "Do you really believe 'the greater the risk, the greater the reward'? I can't see you being so loyal to the company."

Hmph, there are many things you can't see… so you also can't see how I will win everything." Shajin said coldly.

The premise is that you can actually do it.

Shajin smiled meaningfully: "Let's wait and see."

The Foundation Stone beside his feet had disappeared; it was an illusion created by 【Harmony】. Shajin heard intermittent footsteps beside him, he turned his head, and saw that the Aiweijin child was not far away.

Shajin went up and asked him whether he had found his parents; the other party said of course, not only did he have dad and mom, but also a sister, the four of them had just played hide-and-seek here.

The child put his hands on his hips, smiling so much his eyes narrowed into a slit: "I'm so happy, on the way here Dad also let me experience a 'banana peel movie'."

Shajin's tone suddenly became gentle: "You mean 'film', right?"

Exactly, that's it. Put many, many paper prints together and they become a moving mural." The child said seriously, "Put me and Dad, Mom, and sister together, and they become a family.

You should try it too, sir! Look, you've been frowning all the time; at an amusement park you should be happier.

Shajin forced a faint smile and lightly nodded: "Okay."

——

Black Robe Riot Squad

"Lai En?"

The Fatherland pushed open the door to his son's bedroom; the small bed was moored in the darkness, the orange night light like a lighthouse casting its glow.

The Fatherland sighed, "Lai En, don't pretend to sleep; I can tell."

Lai En turned over under the blanket, facing him: "Do you want to discuss filming with the production team?"

"Yes, that's very important. It will determine your future influence among fans; we must make a documentary with you as the protagonist, similar to Shajin's, recording your experiences from childhood to now—you know, this is quite taxing. I hope you can fall asleep within half an hour after I leave; can you?"

"Okay."

"First, hand over your phone."

Lai En reluctantly took out his phone from under the pillow and handed it to the Fatherland; it was playing Shajin's fan-made song, and without guessing one knows that before he came in, he had been hiding under the blanket scrolling videos.

"Dad, I think I can't compare to him." Lai En said softly, "I don't have his kind of childhood experience, nor his kind of luck…… I can't become him."

"No, you can, and you can even do better than him." The Fatherland stroked his son's head, "Don't you think we could also represent 【Preservation】? Moreover, Shajin likes to play tricks and is more cunning, while you…… Lai En, you are kind, fearless, and upright; believe me… you are more like a hero than him."

"But……"

What he dare not tell his father is that, after Shajin smashed his own Foundation Stone and used deceit to get past Xingqiri, he had already become a fan of his, just like many of Shajin's supporters online. But as the Fatherland's son, if this got out it would be too embarrassing, and the Fatherland would never allow it. Moreover, judging from recent trends, the Fatherland intends to mold him into a second "Shajin".

But he cannot become Shajin, nor does he want to become Shajin; he simply wants to use his own superpowers to save people—but the Fatherland always tries to complicate things, even staging a robbery himself.

"Lai En, listen to me." The Fatherland looked at him seriously, "Do you know what these Shajin fans want most?"

"Shajin?"

"No, no, no, you're completely wrong." The Fatherland corrected, "It's someone like 'Shajin', with a tragic childhood, handsome, confident, assertive, intelligent. But the question is, does America have such a person? No! Not just America, the whole world doesn't!"

"But Lai En, we want to create such a person, so we have hired the world's top screenwriters and directors; they will craft the most suitable background and upbringing for you, as long as you can win over all of Shajin's fans' support…… Lai En, believe me, someday you will thank me."

——

Shajin played a hamster ball game with the child and successfully scored high; when he excitedly wanted to share it with the child, he found the surroundings empty, with no one around.

"... Boring."

He continued forward, and when he arrived at a pinball machine, the shadow behind him let out a deep sigh.

"Why aren't you speaking?" Shajin glanced back at him.

"You have indeed piqued my interest… I admit there are still some things about you I don't fully understand."

Shajin let out a cold snort: "This time you are actually quite sincere."

"Sincerity is one of my few precious qualities; no need to emphasize it. Do you see that labyrinth? Before you walk out of it, I will be able to understand you completely." Shadow said, "Our shadow city tour hasn't ended yet, your life-flash continues… and I don't mind dragging this process out very long."

Shajin followed the child's voice into a labyrinth; in a dead end, Shajin saw a pair of handcuffs placed on the ground.

"This is……"

"Need a hint? This is a pair of handcuffs, placed on you. That man gave you your first 【job】, your first pot of gold… I remember it clearly. You wrapped that chain around your fist, that was the only tool you could find. Then, in that labyrinth, you……"

Shajin gritted his teeth: "... Shut up."

Shadow gloated a little: "Oh… you don't want to face that past? You don't want to admit your life is only worth sixty t'anba?" Shadow chuckled lightly, "In my view, neither of those is a normal answer… you refuse to face it only because it proves your weakness."

——

Chainsaw Man

"Hey hey, what's wrong with this guy? Why does he keep sprinkling salt on people's wounds? Can't Shajin just punch him to pieces?"

This shadow is really noisy, so noisy that even Denji can't stand it. It's just like a mosquito buzzing around at night—biting you is secondary; mainly it wants to annoy you.

"How can he be dispersed? This shadow is Shajin's inner projection, and also part of Shajin." Hayakawa Aki sighed, "He seems to be destabilizing Shajin? I don't know why he's doing this…… but he is exposing the side of Shajin that he tries to hide, the unknown aspect."