Chapter 553: NO. 136: One who dares to ask, one who dares to answer

NO. 136: One who dares to ask, one who dares to answer

Qielineni Texas, she and Lapland Salzuo are undoubtedly Rupert people.

The name of this ethnic group is defined by their homeland, but in the Holy Terra Federation, this group's tail and ears, and even those called 'primitive' over-beastified, have directed their appellation 'lupo' toward the language once called the world language.

In that language, lupo means 'wolf'.

Just as the species of Shihuaiya and Tianhuo are called feline, this corresponds to the meaning of 'felid' in Hongwen English.

On the land named Terra, the naming of various ethnic groups clearly has the endorsement of a pre‑civilization very similar to that of the Holy Terra Federation, but these are not the focus now; the focus is that Lapland and Texas are undoubtedly wolves.

No place to return to, everywhere are wilderness wolves.

Wolves that have left the group and found a place among other tribes.

Lone wolves and pack wolves, though their lifestyles differ, both have sharp claws and fangs—Aomo, who is skilled at observation and summary and has even looked up basic information himself, has always had this awareness, and at the same time he has labeled Lapland and Texas as the joker and the honest one.

But labeling people is not a good habit.

It is not merely a lack of etiquette, but also a breach of information.

While labeling, it also solidifies the impression, thereby blinding your eyes so you cannot truly and rationally view the other party comprehensively.

Thus when Texas spoke those words, Aomo subconsciously raised his eyes but could not reach the angle of the rearview mirror, so he could only look toward the driver's seat.

Her gaze still fixed on the road, unmoving, indeed made him feel for a moment that he was hearing an auditory hallucination.

But the next second after he looked, Texas glanced sideways at him.

Those bright and gorgeous gradient pupils, with a golden base, reflected his astonished self.

The slightly raised corners of her mouth also showed her delight.

"I thought you wouldn't be scared."

"I also thought you wouldn't joke."

"Joke?"

"Maintaining some friendships can be especially exhausting; Texas shouldn't be this impulsive, by the way, are we stuck in traffic?" Aomo said, glancing outside the window.

"Yeah, we're stuck," Texas said, looking up at the roof made of anti‑peeping glass, "even up there."

The number of hovercars in Boundary Gate District is not large, but this scarcity is also a pattern compared to other cities; the mid‑air corridor during rush hour is also a formation.

Because of this congestion, Texas, who seemed idle, rubbed the tool pack wrapped around her waist; when Aomo thought she was looking for a tool, she actually pulled out a snack box from inside.

"Quantifying friendship makes you like a businessman, Lin Dun; it really doesn't suit your appearance." She said, pulling out a chocolate bar from it and handing one to Aomo.

A 13‑year‑old kid saying such materialistic things seems abnormal no matter how you look at it, but eating snacks is just natural.

"How unfortunate; at this age with this appearance I am exactly like this, and judging by my guess, your performance at this age must also be out of the ordinary."

Aomo said, not taking it, but instead wearily raised two fingers and poked his own forehead.

Because he realized.

He also understood that half an hour ago, he would not have said such a thing.

Furthermore, he heard Texas reply like this: "You're right."

"So are you ready?"

"Ready…" This question would leave most people baffled, but for Aomo, whose thought process is roughly in sync, understanding is almost instantaneous.

Rather, the angle of this sentence is spoken from his side.

Because pondering Texas's past and deeply analyzing a person does not match his previous attitude.

Just as that earlier statement said, maintaining some friendships can be especially exhausting.

In this, a sense of distance is important.

His ease in getting along with Texas comes precisely from their parallel lack of an 'interface point'; many friendships should be like this, especially for parties who both have troubles.

Once they have any involvement, the cost of maintaining the friendship will grow exponentially over time, not merely as 1+1=2.

But Texas's words just now were already probing his position, which is a prelude to the appearance of an 'interface point'.

No, this review should go back even earlier, to when I answered Lapland's question and helped her identify Texas's goods……

No, it should be even earlier, when she let Lapland in and treated herself as a scarecrow……

But at the very beginning, wasn't it me seeking her help……

Such a review goes on endlessly; Aomo chose to give up.

Moreover, one cannot overlook the self making those step‑by‑step choices; if any step had chosen conservatism and detour, it wouldn't have come to this, so half of it is self‑inflicted.

Ah……

Aomo poked his forehead again, feeling that this state was somewhat bad.

The child's lingering petty nature remains, but he is ultimately not that 13‑year‑old kid.

But Texas still gave him room to choose.

Perhaps it's because she looks at his 13‑year‑old appearance, perhaps out of her own kindness, or perhaps it's leniency toward the first native of another world whom everyone has acknowledged.

"Are you ready?"

This sentence is practically like the affection‑trigger inquiry in a dating‑sim game, and moreover it's the troublesome confirmation required before entering the affection‑corresponding relationship of the next stage.

At the same time, the Penguin Logistics crew's connections are tight, binding like a sort of 'box push'—when you are close with one of them, the others' attention follows in succession.

That would be a multiplied cost of interaction.

Just as with the Xiangyu siblings and Muhai Xingzi, the director, 13‑year‑old Aomo would instinctively keep his distance.

But frankly, that choice of aloofness back then, if applied to others, would mostly have turned them into complete strangers.

Even after years of separation, meeting again still allows them to catch up as if they'd been together every day—such friendship and such friends are truly precious.

He actually feels grateful to the Xiangyu siblings and that director for their specialness, and has resolved to schedule regular visits to them in his itinerary, but how should he measure his overlap with the Penguin Logistics crew?

Frankly, cutting off that overlap with them entails no loss.

You might as well think about how busy you are right now!

Starting today, I will no longer see them, and it won't hinder my life.

In the end, I don't need to rely on Penguin Logistics' network to conduct activities with my current reputation, nor is it necessary to use it as a stepping stone to contact Rhodes Island.

He can openly visit; even if Rhodes Island members might be dissatisfied because he proactively distanced himself from Penguin Logistics, such people wouldn't be all, and it wouldn't hinder his observation.

It's merely that contact is no longer as close.

Even Texas gave him a choice, that's a fallback laid out before him; if he backs down, the other side would likely treat it as if nothing happened.

But...

Would he repeat the mistake of his 13-year-old self, hoping these people are like that rare and uncertain fluke of the Murksea Detective Agency, or choose to hide his head and expose his tail, living like a thief, feeling guilty toward everyone?

He turned his head toward the window; the summer car window naturally served the air conditioning and stayed shut, and at night, under the cabin lights, his reflection appeared.

He remained silent, while Texas didn't stare at him, merely still paying attention to the road ahead.

The hands freed from the snack box still rested on the steering wheel, showing no sign of anxiety or tension about transporting hazardous goods.

It didn't even seem like she was waiting for his answer.

After all, she had also noticed somewhat what kind of person Aomo is.

Rather, in Penguin Logistics, aside from Mostima, she was the one who paid the most attention to Aomo's every move; this attention dated back to when Aomo was a client, because she was the team captain, and also Texas.

This title represents the last surviving member of its mafia family.

He won't be a hotheaded rookie.

That's why she can get along with Aomo so steadily.

It's basically mutual observation; based on a certain understanding, they can achieve a tacit non-interference agreement without explicitly stating it.

So she indeed has little expectation, even her mood is not good right now.

Because giving a choice is also forcing someone to state their position.

She could have pretended not to hear, but she still threw out that question.

So she feels she messed up.

It's hard to say whether it's because of the commission, or because Lappland's proactive attitude to contact Aomo led her to decide to probe actively.

She also reviewed; the review noted that her mindset today wasn't stable enough, even her body as well.

During afternoon work she had occasional abdominal pain, prompting her to recall her lunch for a while, and she decided to have dinner at a familiar place with pasta to resolve it.

Now that illusion came again, making her subconsciously arch her back and half-lean on the steering wheel, counting the slow-moving vehicles ahead.

Then she even seemed to have an auditory hallucination, hearing a sentence from beside her.

"I'm ready."

"? What?"

She turned her head in surprise toward Aomo, the chocolate bar she had clenched in her mouth almost falling out.

This is also a rare lapse for her, but the child over there didn't mock her, merely looking at her with a slightly strange gaze.

"I said I'm ready, but you seem not ready."

The boy said, extending his little hand, and pulled out the chocolate stick that was clamped between his fingers like a cigarette.

This counts as making up for his previous attitude, while also covering up his embarrassment.

Also because the shampoo scent at his nostrils was too clear, Texas took a shower before working at night, letting him and Angel, Lappland wait a while.

Lappland still shouted from the bathroom door, "Don't take it seriously," leaving him and Angel bewildered.

And now it's Texas's turn to be bewildered: "No, I'm just a bit surprised."

And Aomo held that chocolate bar, examining Texas further, his expression becoming even more subtle.

"No, I'm saying you... uh... feel abdominal pain, and then the past few days your work schedule was disordered, also you didn't get enough sleep..."

Aomo hesitated slightly, seeing the other's expression as if they hadn't reacted yet, he raised his hand and twisted his nose bridge.

In the end, he decided to just say it outright.

"Are you on your period?"

"... Seems, possible."