Chapter 554: NO.137: The guess is definitely correct

NO. 137: The guess is definitely correct.

【Lapulande: Hey hey hey! We've already delivered two rounds over here, why have you only done one round over there? That's so embarrassing! @Texas】

【Lapulande: Where is everyone? What are they busy with?】

【Lapulande: Hey hey hey? I haven't been disconnected, right?】

【Nengtianshi: @Lindun, why don't you ask him? It's totally normal for Texas not to reply to you.】

【Lindun: Main reason: traffic jam; secondary reason: Texas is feeling a bit unwell, went to the supermarket to buy emergency supplies.】

【Nengtianshi: Ah… she's been busy day and night these past few days, and even though we advised her, she didn't listen, and now something really went wrong?】

【Lindun: Minor issue, and besides, you also have the qualifications to advise others on their schedule?】

【Nengtianshi: I don't want to hear that talk anymore; I sleep a steady seven hours!】

【Lindun: Schedule, meaning one's daily routine, labor, and rest; in modern usage it describes the time period during which these three states occur.】

【Nengtianshi:? How did we start popularizing science?】

【Lindun: What do you think?】

【Lapulande: Don't bother with that stubborn angel, is what's happening with Texas really true? I don't believe it—take a photo and let's see.】

-----------------Lindun uploaded an image——————

【Lapulande: Who let you take a photo at the supermarket!】

Otherwise, what do you want me to photograph? Texas leaning on the wall from menstrual cramps?

Aomo, leaning against the wall by the supermarket and browsing his terminal, muttered to himself in speechless exasperation.

It hasn't come to that point.

Although menstruation is an unavoidable issue for female primates, menstrual cramps are often caused by cold-induced blood stasis.

Pain occurs when the blood stasis obstructs the uterine palace and vessels.

In other words, any woman who is usually active or even exercises can effectively alleviate, or even prevent, menstrual cramps through smooth blood circulation.

Aomo didn't think Lapulande could possibly experience this feeling himself; just like in the office these past two months, only Xi would be like that for a couple of days, panicking.

In the house, she has the lowest amount of exercise.

Even Suzi, who most of the time can't take care of herself, has never complained about her period; compared to her taking good care of herself—this possibility, Aomo leans toward her not having any serious issue.

Of course, modern medical technology is also a factor.

In the Border Gate District's large supermarkets, and even some chain small supermarkets, they sell disposable physiological stabilizers, known for being cheap and convenient, outselling the Restorative Magic Potion that the Source Energy Alchemy Association has repeatedly improved and promoted.

This is also what Texas is currently going to purchase.

Although her condition isn't that bad, she apparently has no intention of yielding those transport commissions, so she can only prepare early to avoid any accidents.

As for accompanying her…… even if Texas doesn't mind, Aomo still chose to wait outside.

With his current appearance, going to the women's goods section with Texas…… the latter would likely draw strange looks from the staff.

But if it were his original appearance, he would be the one being stared at.

Although Texas looks young and pretty, in her restrained attire she carries a touch of upper-class elegance and crisp beauty, utterly unlike a woman in her late twenties about to turn thirty; simply stepping through the door draws glances from the counter and nearby customers.

But, in the Border Gate District,

This combined charm of looks and temperament will obviously be overshadowed by the fame of those at the forefront of trends.

Do you understand the value of the demon trainers of the three "Dark Horse Girls"?

Although strictly speaking, his voting popularity in the Dark Villain Faction is even more astonishing, and that's probably the most widely known fact, but that's ultimately a vote at the federal network level.

Although a million fans actually broken down per region isn't that dense, in the Border Gate District it's not as heated as the temporary buzz of being a trainer.

By then, even Texas's charm will become fuel for the newfound fame.

The Border Gate District's third-rate entertainment newspaper is no more moral than Terra's local wine report.

Rather, since they're all third-rate entertainment tabloids, don't expect the journalists to have any integrity.

But none of that matters, since he didn't go, and now he's more like a kid; theoretically, there's nothing to fear.

Theoretically……

As he thought that, while continuing to scroll through the light screen, he suddenly sensed an intensely purposeful gaze.

That gaze was so familiar, carrying the scrutinizing meaning he knew all too well.

So his first reaction was to turn his body sideways.

Not only did he not look toward the source of the gaze, he instead turned his back to the other party and stepped forward.

He needed to go past the supermarket's main doors toward the opposite alley.

As for "how to deal with followers and surveillants," he's been experienced since childhood, let alone now that he's fully equipped, with cards and bracelets both present.

But he clearly underestimated a variable.

"Where are you going?"

Before the separated sensing doors, the wolf woman holding a plastic bag looked somewhat puzzled at the child in front of her, seeing his expression stiffen slightly, and instinctively wanted to cast her gaze around.

"Don't look, just walk past normally."

A sentence without detailed explanation, even the voice a bit soft, made her ears twitch slightly.

Texas didn't respond, nor did she look around; after withdrawing her gaze from him, she simply walked straight toward the freight truck.

At the same time, Aomo also entered the alley.

A man still wearing a windbreaker in the summer rushed past Texas's side; before that he had been staring directly at Texas, but afterward he still decided to dash into the alley.

In that alley there was naturally nothing, leaving only the man who had been scanning the alley left and right, irritably kicking open a nearby trash bag.

"Did you hear what they said clearly?"

"It was too faint, I couldn't capture the content," a small metal ball drifted out from under his windbreaker's shadow, emitting a muffled male voice, "and moreover, the angle of the photo you initially took was too poor; facial scanning could only confirm a sixty percent similarity to Aomo Lindun."

"Just the side view alone can guarantee sixty percent, so the front must be at least eighty percent! Maybe it's him himself!" the man said irritably.

"How do you explain him shrinking?" the voice inside the metal ball said sternly, "Magic potion? Or the so-called monster ability? I think it's more likely a relative of Aomo Lindun, after all his parents are only missing, not confirmed dead."

"What difference does seventeen years of missing versus dead make? You might as well say that kid is Aomo's son!"

"A 19‑year‑old having a kid who looks eleven or twelve? That's not really appropriate, huh?"

"He's not human; since he awakened as a demon, who knows his offspring's growth cycle?" The man, annoyed, walked back to the alley entrance, gazing in the direction Texas had gone, "Right! That wolf‑eared woman was calling him, right?"

"I think she looks familiar; she seems like someone from Penguin Logistics."

"Aomo Lindun also works part‑time at Penguin Logistics—that matches!" The man raised his hand and pulled up a photo album on the terminal, looking at the first ten snapshots, which included the moment the wolf‑eared woman stopped the boy.

"What matches? Forget it, just assume it matches; makes writing easier, but how do we spin that woman and the de‑aged Aomo Lindun…?"

The man enlarged the last photo; you could see the woman's puzzled expression and the boy's unnatural side profile, then he rubbed his chin and said, "What if we step back?"

"Step back?"

"Just assume he's Aomo's son."

"Oh, that line of thought!"

The metal ball suddenly cleared up.

——

"What are you doing now?"

On the already moving truck, Texas kept an eye on the rearview mirror while reversing into a parking spot, while also noticing Aomo with one hand gesturing in midair and the other fastening his seatbelt.

Since he suddenly appeared in the passenger seat, he's been doing this, never explaining what just happened.

"I'm trying to wake a vacationing Digimon to work overtime, to help me check whether that observer's network plans to post some bad content."

"As a fellow worker, Texas tilted his head slightly, thought for a moment, ignored the fact that coworkers were calling for overtime, and asked, 'Did you wake it?'"

'"Not yet, I'll give it a few more jabs," the little boy jabbed wildly at the air, his fingertips bending slightly from the poking, "If that doesn't work, I'll have to bring in the PR person I hired early."'

Texas seemed to realize: "So that person is a paparazzo?"

'"There's a 60% chance it's a paparazzo, 30% chance it's an Uma Musume fan, and 10% chance it's my own fan," Aomo said, suddenly letting his hands drop and leaning back against the chair, "No way, that Witch Beast guy's contact is completely cut off."'

He sighed, looking at his suddenly transformed small hand, the Garaltoron card appearing on it, a bit of black aura dissipating, then some electric sparks flickering out.

His barely filled spirit couldn't handle the complex computing; a momentary error didn't hurt his brain, but caused Garaltoron's computing power to short‑circuit slightly.

As expected, the safest use of the card is still transmission or direct attack… Aomo stared at his aching small hand, thinking.

'"Need some ointment?" Texas glanced at his slightly red and swollen fingers, freed a hand to open the small drawer on the console, "That person's attire is really unnatural; if it isn't some specially made outfit, he's probably a paparazzo."'

'"Specially made clothing" refers to garments with runes etched inside or even loaded with a miniature temperature‑control system, able to keep one tightly wrapped or even fully armed in the summer heat.'

'"Uma Musume" victory outfits are basically this type; likewise, the frontier lighthouse group once sent Aomo a riding outfit together with a motorcycle—that black, wind‑proof‑looking garment is essentially a special outfit usable for starship or mecha piloting.'

Aomo just thinks it's rarely useful, so he's left it in the closet to gather dust.

The Rhodes Island company's tech department still hasn't mastered this clothing technique, so every year staff ask about progress on the forum.

Texas usually doesn't care much about it, but Angel often mentions it beside her, in the group chat, to the point the boss got annoyed and still gave them a set for the core members.

Not only is it a uniform, but also a set of victory attire in some sense—just like what she's wearing right now.

Lappland's remark was indeed a joke; Texas's boots look stern and stuffy, but actually don't quite match 'congee etiquette'.

Insisting on taking a bath before leaving can only be said to have disgusted Lappland.

To be frank, even if the specially made clothing only provides the lowest level of winter warmth and summer coolness, it's still far more expensive than ordinary clothes.

Having one or two pieces in an ordinary person's wardrobe is already nice, let alone a full set including shoes.

So Texas, noticing that the man was still wearing boots, felt even more that he was just a paparazzo.

Dressing like that is just to hide something underneath the clothes.

Aomo never even bothered to look back, but he didn't doubt Texas's judgment; that's also the worst‑case scenario, and it could even implicate the other party.

So he couldn't help but mutter: "You're really calm, huh— that paparazzo might drag you into his scheme too; don't expect any integrity from such a person."

'"I've been through that before, though it was a long time ago," Texas said, eyeing the lane where traffic had eased a bit, looking for a way to break through the flow, even though she was only driving a truck, "And I don't care how others see me."'

'"How carefree," Aomo said after quickly applying the ointment and putting it back, "Thanks."'

'"No need to thank me," she said lightly, "So what are you planning to do?"'

'"I'm in touch with PR, currently haggling with the other side," Aomo said irritably, "I haven't gotten him to change the contract; it's just a matter of starting work a few days early, and the extra pay keeps getting pushed back and forth."'

'"I'm not asking about that; I'm asking whether you want to just stay in the car later."'

'"Sitting in the truck and letting you haul those dangerous goods?"'

'"After this happened, your risk of being recognized again will be high," Texas patiently explained, "Those little reporters' social circles are actually broad; any information spreads quickly."'

After she spoke, she glanced at the kid, seeing him tapping away at the air, as if he hadn't heard her at all.

So she let out a sigh, fell silent again, and focused on monitoring the truck's condition.

【Lindon: @Angel, is there any hidden‑identity mask in the No. 1 cargo truck?】

【Angel:? Do you think our Penguin Logistics is some shady logistics company!】

【Lappland: Ha, could it be legit?】

【Lindon: I think Penguin Logistics often has times when direct action is inconvenient】

【Angel: If you put it that way, I can only say you're right! The second cardboard box in the trunk marked with a halo contains a gift my sister sent from the Divine Blessing Gospel class】

(End of chapter)