Ita Era

Chapter 46 Going Home (9)

As the footsteps faded into the distance, the world returned to silence. Yingying, clutching her teddy bear, sat obediently on a roadside stone, her head bowed, her face pressed against the bear's. This gesture caused her long hair to hang loosely, obscuring her face, making her look somewhat eerie and pitiful.

Ding searched for flammable materials within the headlights' coverage area, while Mumu squatted down in front of Yingying, gently brushing her hair aside and softly saying, "Yingying, don't be afraid, let me tell you a story, okay?"

Yingying nodded.

Mumu said, "Fifty years ago, a number of disappearances occurred in a certain city, all involving young girls. Although the authorities have been urging everyone to be vigilant, the number of missing persons continues to rise. One policewoman would put on plainclothes after get off work and loiter in the places where the missing girls often appeared."

Mumu said, "One day, she met a little girl who had fallen and was covered in mud and water, walking with a limp. The policewoman went up to ask her what was wrong and took the little girl home. When they got into an alley, the little girl slipped and fell again. The policewoman went to check on her, but the little girl was holding a bottle of liquid and sprayed it at the policewoman. A little while later, the policewoman fainted."

Mumu asked, "Yingying, why do you think little girls are so mean?"

Yingying's eyes darted around as she said, "Because a bad person instigated her to do bad things?"

Mumu shook her head: "No, that's not right. She's not a little girl, but an old woman in her thirties."

Yingying finally raised her head and met Mumu's gaze. For the first time, her left hand left the teddy bear, and a dagger in her hand suddenly stabbed towards Mumu's heart. Mumu firmly grasped her wrist with her left hand, looked at Yingying, and whispered, "I'll tell you a secret, Yingying. Sister Mumu is a police officer too."

After saying that, Mu Mu grabbed Yingying's shoulders, slammed her to the ground, took the dagger from Yingying's hand, and searched her body thoroughly, but found nothing else.

Mumu took Yingying's shoelaces and tied them up. Sensing something was wrong, she turned around and saw Ding Shi making a fire by the roadside, completely oblivious to what was happening.

Mumu spoke up: "Hey."

Ding Shi looked at Mu Mu: "Hmm?"

Mumu gestured for Ding Shi to look at Yingying. Ding Shi thought for a while but couldn't find the right words, so he gave a thumbs up and said, "Great job."

Mumu asked, "You knew she was a dwarf all along?"

Ding Shi replied, "It's alright."

Mumu said, "You know she's dangerous, so you suggested that either you and Chuyu go to find Yingying's parents, or you stay behind alone. Isn't that to prevent her from attacking our companions?"

Ding Shi did not deny it: "Yes."

Mumu said, "I was less than 50 centimeters away from her just now, while you were collecting dead wood ten meters away. Did you think she wouldn't attack me, or did you think I could subdue her?"

Ding Shi gave the answer directly: "I know you're a policeman."

Mu Mu asked in surprise, "Really? I dyed my hair, and I'm a non-mainstream person. How did you realize I'm a police officer?"

Ding Shi: "No comment." Just a little undercover agent; he'd seen right through her long ago. It seems Mu Mu was on an undercover mission when she was pulled into the Ita world.

Mumu put Yingying down on the ground, walked over, and observed Ding Shi by the firelight and car headlights. Ding Shi smiled and reminded her, "Sister, this is the Ita World."

Mumu looked at Ding Shi and said, "Can we understand it this way: we are the two most capable fighters in this team?"

Ding Shi disagreed: "Kai Ge should be quite good at fighting, right? After all, he's a private detective. And Ri Tian is such a big guy. Besides, our Captain Chu Yu should have received professional combat training."

Mumu squatted down by the fire: "Let me ask you another question. Why did you suggest going to find Yingying's parents with Chuyu? Why didn't you go alone, or have the boys go with you?"

Ding Shi replied, "For no reason." Mu Mu said, "You suspect we'll abandon you, so the four of you drive away."

Ding Shi asked curiously, "Why do you have such thoughts?"

Mu Mu said, "I guessed, am I right?" and looked at Ding Shi.

Ding Shi replied, "Of course not."

Mumu said, "One last question: would you abandon your companions and complete the game alone? By companions, I mean the four of us. I'm explaining this because I'm not sure you'll consider us your companions."

Ding Shi asked again, curiously, "Why would you ask such a question?"

Mumu replied, "I believe you have the ability to reach the far north province alone even without us. You knew from the beginning that I was a policeman, but when we were divided into groups, you didn't stop me from staying. This shows that you wanted to keep a low profile, and it also shows that you didn't care about their lives."

Ding Shi said, "You think too badly of me. Besides, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Mumu turned to look at Yingying: "I hope someone can pry her open up. You know I can't do it, and neither can Yuyu and the others. You understand? Even if someone has the ability to kill, they can't overcome the psychological threshold of killing in a short time."

Ding Shi said, "I can't either."

Mumu said, "You'd rather put the team in danger than reveal your trump card."

Ding Shi countered, "How do you know I can do it?"

Mumu said, "I can't be sure, but you know for sure whether you can do it."

Ding Shi said, "Although she is a dwarf, she looks no different from an ordinary little girl. Assuming I can get her to talk, what do you think Chu Yu and the others will think of me? They will think I am dangerous and cruel, and they will abandon me at the first opportunity."

Mumu said, "No, because we need you."

Ding Shi said, "I don't think so. It may seem that we lack funds to buy fuel, but in fact we can meet players in every city. Chu Yu, who has a lot of Ita coins, has a great chance to exchange them for the travel expenses we need."

Mumu said, "You can read a map."

Ding Shi said, "Before we set off, you and Chu Yu planned the route to the far north province. Chu Yu can't read a map, so you're the only one who can. The reason I was the one who guided the navigation was because your location was inconvenient. You've already communicated with Chu Yu, and she's agreed to let you conceal your identity. This way, if problems arise within the team, you, who seem to be the weakest in the team, can help Chu Yu solve them."

Ding Shi added, "You stayed voluntarily, not entirely for the sake of the fake Yingying, but also to confirm my situation. May I ask, why?"

Mumu said, "I said you have the ability to reach the far north province on your own. So what's your answer?"

Ding Shi replied, "I will do my best; I will not betray my comrades."

Mu Mu stared into Ding Shi's eyes for a while, then took out a small flashlight and said, "I believe you. Now, are you going to support them, or should I?"

Ding Shi took the small flashlight and stood up: "I'll go."

Watching Ding Shi disappear, Mu Mu was lost in thought. She had been wary since Ding Shi suggested taking the unnamed road; she didn't know his purpose. Was it really just to solve the problem of insufficient travel funds?

Ding Shi: "A fall into a pit, a gain in your wit—that's called exploring dungeons." Assuming only one person can survive in the dungeon with Chu Yu and the other three, Ding Shi believes his survival rate is relatively high. This is also the real reason why Ding Shi didn't suggest exchanging for more dungeon coins in the examination hall, but instead suggested going to the non-signal zone.

(End of this chapter)