Chapter 233: The Hippie from New York

Hawkins Town has recently experienced some strange events.

First, a woman named Qiaoyisi Bairesi claimed that her son Wei Er was missing. Sheriff Jim led a search for a long time, but found nothing.

Such a thing is extremely rare in Hawkins Town.

The town is small, and many residents have been lifelong playmates, classmates, coworkers, and relatives, so major cases like disappearances or murders are unheard of, and even robberies are rare.

That was bad enough, but just a few days later, a sophomore girl at Hawkins High School—Ba Ba La—also vanished!

In less than half a month, two people disappeared in succession! It was simply unbelievable.

This left the townsfolk of Hawkins Town in a state of panic.

Mrs. Mo Gen was the same; because of this, when a stranger said he wanted to rent her house, she was unusually wary.

"You say you're from New York? Hmph, you aren't trying to fool me, are you? Someone like you would never settle in a place like Indiana, where nothing ever happens?"

Mrs. Mo Gen sized up the man before her, whose looks were as handsome as a TV star and whose noble bearing was full of suspicion.

Mrs. Mo Gen wasn't the type to swoon over good looks; she was well‑versed! The man sported silver hair and looked like a rock‑playing hippie! Even in chaotic New York that might happen, but Hawkins Town is plain‑spoken, and such a person is rarely seen.

Naimi Xisi nodded gently, adjusted his gold‑rimmed glasses, and appeared even more elegant and noble.

"My grandmother is from here; I'm only back to see the hometown where she grew up. Rest assured, I won't be a long‑term tenant—this is a two‑month rent, a total of 1500 US dollars."

Naimi Xisi spoke clearly, his accent revealing a well‑educated upbringing, with no trace of an Indiana dialect.

This eased Mrs. Mo Gen a bit; she was born into wealth, her parents died leaving a large inheritance, and the small villa with a side wing before her was a property she didn't need.

Renting such a large house for 1500 US dollars over two months would be impossible in New York, but in sparsely populated Hawkins Town it was a great deal.

Mrs. Mo Gen's eyes flicked, she took the money, then said, "You'll be responsible for utilities and the garden in the back; if weeds grow, you'll have to pay for them."

Naimi Xisi nodded in agreement, and the old lady happily took the money and left.

After the person left, Naimi Xisi looked around in all directions and plopped onto the soft sofa.

"Finally, I can feel modern life again."

He sighed, grabbed the remote and turned on the ancient, huge‑screen TV, which immediately began playing commercials.

"America in 1982—still quite a gap from today."

Naimi Xisi shook his head at the TV, a modern antique, closed his eyes, and began recalling what had happened during this period.

That day after leaving the laboratory, he trekked through the forest for several days, drinking stream water when thirsty and hunting animals when hungry.

Fortunately, it was still summer, and even if prey were scarce, the forest bore plenty of berries to stave off hunger.

He walked for a full seven days before finally emerging from the forest.

During those seven days, his Mana recovered to nearly a quarter, giving him just enough self‑defense.

His magical power, however, recovered very slowly; although the Magic Net showed a faint response, only a tenth of his magic was restored in a week.

After exiting the forest, he found himself in a small town, where a few thugs mocked his ragged hospital‑style garb, silver hair, and looked as if he had escaped from a mental asylum.

Benefiting from his recovered strength, he used the Suggestion Technique to compel them to hand over all their money, totaling over two thousand US dollars.

Unfortunately, without the Mind Gem he couldn't freely erase memories; his Psychic Ability does allow memory deletion, but only up to the most recent five minutes. He wasn't sure of the exact era here, and modern law enforcement is strong, so killing indiscriminately would likely draw attention.

So he erased most of their memories and left.

"Next, I need to restore my power, then locate Subject 11, but most importantly—"

Naimi Xisi's gaze darkened: "I still must find the missing Throne of Subject 11."

"Doctor Bu Lun Na?"

While Naimi Xisi contemplated his next plan, the laboratory, already littered with corpses, finally saw the National Forces intervene.

Before the disaster, Doctor Bu Lun Na had escaped a temporary business trip; now he returned with the US Military, his face ashen as he surveyed the lab's devastation.

"Doctor, there are no survivors left in the laboratory," a soldier reported as he approached.

"Have you found the bodies of Subject 11 and Subject 17?" Doctor Bu Lun Na, indifferent to the soldier's words, asked with a slightly trembling voice about the two Experiment Subjects.

"No, we only located the bodies of Subject 15 and Subject 16."

!

Bu Lun Na nodded, relieved; Subject 17 held a highly significant secret he hadn't yet deciphered, and it could not be compromised.

As for Subject 11.

She must not be harmed either!

Doctor Bu Lun Na spoke rapidly: "Order the Communication Reconnaissance Squad to monitor all telephone traffic in Hawkins Town, searching for any information matching the profiles of Subject 11 and Subject 17."

"Additionally, dispatch personnel immediately to the second underground level to secure the Rift."

"Yes, Doctor!"

Receiving the order, the soldiers sprang into action, riding a concealed elevator to the laboratory's deepest level.

This was a place Naimi Xisi had never discovered before.

"Quick, quick, quick! Redesign the protective measures!" a Squad Leader said, pointing at a wall in the center of the second underground level, surrounded by shattered glass.

At the wall's center was a Rift emitting a faint red glow, its edges lined with lifelike, subtly undulating tendrils—truly eerie.

——

Two days later, in the forest.

Bathed in moonlight, Naimi Xisi returned to this forest.

This time he came not to hunt.

The previous time he traversed the forest, he had spotted traces of the laboratory's monsters at night.

Back then his power was depleted, so for safety he could only evade.

Now his power hasn't fully recovered, but it is sufficient to defend himself against those monsters.

He came this time to capture one and see exactly what those creatures are.

In his memory, during the month before, the Magic Net of this world had fallen into a dead silence.

But that day the Magic Net suddenly changed, and a monster appeared right after; he couldn't help but suspect the two were linked.

As a Mage, he was extremely curious about this phenomenon.

(End of Chapter)