Miss Assassin is heavily addicted

Chapter 26.5. A Funeral & A Pair of Shoes

—Northern Street. Church—

On a rare sunny day, white doves perched atop the clock tower, and butterflies fluttered among the lush green lawns and flowers.

The entire spy team is attending a funeral.

Inside the church, a priest in monastic robes stood at the top, holding a cross and silently reciting confession. His face was solemn, tinged with sorrow, and he kept stroking the white marble cross in his hand, as if communicating with the will of God.

Below the church, two rows of seats were occupied by many people.

Their appearances and styles varied; there was a poor woman choking back tears, holding the hand of a dirty, bewildered child of a few years old.

An elderly man sat on a chair, staring blankly at the white pillar between the churches, clutching a photo of a smiling young man tightly in his hand.
Today is Saturday, and every week the church on Northern Street holds a funeral for those who deserve to be buried. Anyone can attend by paying 50 crowns and listening to the cleansing service performed by a choir of nuns and believers, witnessing the peace of souls.

Mark and the others were also sitting here.

At this moment, an invisible sorrow seemed to float in the atmosphere of the church, making everyone's heart feel as if it were dripping with sadness.

Emma Doren.

The priest solemnly pronounced the names, his hands holding the crucifix and his eyes lowered. He held up an open book in one hand, on which were excerpts of the souls who needed comforting this week.

As soon as the words were spoken, someone on the bench slowly stood up.

A woman in a black dress held flowers in her hand, her face streaked with tears, and was accompanied by a middle-aged man who looked dejected.

The two of them walked to the marble coffin at the very front of the church, slowly bent down to offer a bouquet of flowers, and remained silent.

"Their children were abducted and murdered."

A sigh floated in the air.

Upon hearing this, Mark awkwardly turned his head away. He was truly uncomfortable in the atmosphere and could only watch the performances of the other members of the spy team.

The psychiatrist Monica was looking down, her glasses frame in her hands, as if she were bearing her grief alone—but a few seconds later, when Mark heard her soft, even breathing, he covered his face, feeling a little uncomfortable.

Then look at Lawrence next to her.

Lawrence, with his blue hair and blue eyes, had no expression on his face. He sat upright, his eyes calm. Yet, when he wasn't making a face, he looked like a ruthless killer, naturally exuding a sense of loneliness.

But soon, a murmured sound began.

"11321...11322...11323..."

Lawrence was counting in his mind to pass the time, but perhaps because he had been doing it for too long, he lost focus and unconsciously started reciting it out loud.

Mark felt even more uneasy, thinking that his teammates were really bad at acting. What if Yugiri noticed? — Thinking of this, he looked at Yugiri's seat with slight worry.

A beautiful young woman with long black hair and red eyes, dressed in a black iris-like dress, sat on a bench under the church dome, lost in thought.

Mark had no idea what she was thinking, but she seemed to be the least sad one there.

My thoughts wandered without me even realizing it.

Soon, the priest's solemn voice rang out again.

"Leon Rossi".

After he finished speaking, Mark stood up as if facing a formidable enemy, somewhat flusteredly picking up the bouquet of flowers beside his seat. This was his first time attending a funeral of this kind, a mass-like event, especially one where the victim had supposedly died; he was naturally a little lost.

Meanwhile, the psychiatrist Monica slowly woke up, casually picked up the bouquet of flowers beside her, and followed behind.

Then Lawrence snapped out of his daze and rubbed his head:

"11675."

Finally, Yugiri caught up with the group, her skirt swaying gently.

Four people walked down the aisle in the center of the church toward the carpet of the white marble coffin, with grieving people sitting on chairs on either side.

The white coffin at the front is a stone carving, a symbol of remembrance, containing no human corpse, but rather a symbol of longing.

It was surrounded by bouquets.

The four men stood in front of the coffin, lined up in a row, each with a different expression, as if they had returned to the time when this spy squad swore an oath to the flag, only now one of them was missing.

The priest spoke slowly and compassionately:
"Please say a final goodbye to him."

Upon hearing this, Mark on the far left pursed his lips. He recalled seeing He Ye at the Big Bird Bar not long ago... There was no way to mention a final farewell. Who knows, he might see news about that guy in the newspaper again someday, strumming his guitar and singing.

Lawrence remained silent, thinking about what He Ye had done two days ago. He thought that the guy not only didn't need to say goodbye but also had to flatter him, and he actually came up with such a trick to attack a female police officer from the National Security Bureau.

However, it must be admitted that
Outstanding effect.

The four men stood silently before the coffin for a moment. The solemn priest, seeing their bewildered expressions, couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.

Finally, Monica broke the silence, bent down to present the bouquet, and whispered:

"Leon, may you rest in peace."

puff--

Mark's shoulders trembled as he suppressed a laugh. He felt he had to risk his life to keep his mouth shut. What bad luck! Monica had hit his funny bone like that...

Mark could only turn his urge to laugh into a trembling sob.

"Ah...uh...Leon, I...I'll miss you..."

Mark blinked painfully, squeezed out a few tears, and said in a grievance with a contorted face, putting down the bouquet and biting his lip, not daring to say anything more.

Lawrence was actually the most normal one.

Goodbye, Leon Rossi.

His words were less a farewell to people and more a farewell to his identity—he calmly placed the bouquet down.

Finally, there's Yugiri.

She gently placed the bouquet down without saying a word, then looked at the coffin surrounded by flowers in front of her in silence. The black iris girl's eyes held unfathomable emotions... There was no crying or sadness, only an indescribable feeling.

Finally, the four returned to their seats and continued to wait for the ceremony to finish. Mark, watching the others' genuine emotions, wondered if he had given himself away; Monica put down her glasses to catch up on sleep; and Lawrence counted the numbers from earlier to kill time.

Just then, the bells on the church bell tower were struck, their long, clear sound echoing through the lush, green building.

White doves spread their wings, and feathers drifted down.

……

The camera turned.

—Narcissus Street. Hidden alleyway—

"Achoo!..."

The sudden sneeze puzzled He Ye. He leaned against the wall and choked on it, then, after catching his breath, he squinted his teary eyes, wondering who was slandering him behind his back.

Nicole, who was standing nearby, glanced at him and asked with concern, "Sir, have you caught a cold?!"

"How could I easily catch a cold..." He Ye shook his head. "Where were we just talking about?"

"Oh, so you told me to wait here for you to come out!"

Nicole replied.

Oh, so that means everything's been explained... I was stunned by the sneeze.

He Ye thought to himself, waved his hand, and walked towards the hidden alleyway, leaving Nicole with some instructions:

"Then do as I say. Just wait patiently for me to come back here. I have something to take care of."

“Okay!” Nicole said happily.

So He Ye left and walked towards the hidden alleyway, counting the banknotes he had brought with him, feeling lost and melancholy.

It's Saturday, a rare sunny day, and Big Bird's Bar is open as usual. However, he and Nicole are off work today, so they can relax without a care in the world.

Zhou Xin had already settled his account after get off work last night. The middle-aged foreman paid him 1500 crowns, a sum that stunned the other three members of the band.

Nicole Griffiths was paid 500 crowns.

"Sir, sir, this week's salary has been paid, here's the whole thing for you!"

She had just received her salary and came running to him excitedly. It was right after get off work, and everyone was cleaning up or sitting at the bar chatting and joking. Hearing this, many people turned their eyes to her, including Miss Bena—the bartender with extraordinary ideas, who stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

"Have you forgotten what I taught you? How could you spend money on a man?"

Thinking back now, I still feel a little guilty about accepting it.

He Ye currently has a total of 2000 crowns, which is enough to leave this place, but only a week has passed and the Bapulo Credit Lending Company incident is still making headlines.

Moreover, he cared about this matter to some extent, so he went out today to find out the background of it—this was the first time He Ye had gone out since the wanted poster with a 50% likeness to the portrait was issued.

The journey was uneventful.

After entering the hidden alley, you are surrounded by people who are in a hurry. The light here is a bit dim, like the narrow and compact hutongs of the Republic of China era.

There is another name for this place.

black market.

As long as you have money, you can buy guns and bullets, but usually the guns are homemade or old-fashioned, because country A's gun regulations are strictly enforced after they were promulgated.

Besides weapons, you can also buy intelligence; all kinds of intelligence are available, as long as you have enough money.

However, 2000 crowns is obviously not enough to spend lavishly.

They stopped in front of a general store. The owner, a boy with an afro, saw He Ye approaching and raised his eyes slightly in a wary manner, because He Ye's hat was pulled down low so that his face was not visible.

"What do you want?" the shopkeeper asked.

"Do you have any information about the Baplo Credit Lending Company from eight days ago? I want to know some inside information," He Ye said in a low voice. "For example, why were there so many children in that company?"

The afro-haired shop owner was silent for a moment, then lit a cigarette.
"1000 kronor, no bargaining."

“…Fine.” He Ye said with a pained expression.

The two quickly completed the handover.

After paying, He Ye picked up the brown envelope and opened it as she walked, but as soon as she lowered her head, she felt a sharp pain in the back of her neck—damn it, the old injury from two days ago had flared up again; that girl was really ruthless. Recalling her blushing cheeks and murderous eyes, He Ye still felt a little sad.

He patted the back of his neck... and continued opening the envelope.

Inside were two photos, a record sheet, and a clipped news report. The person in the photos was an obese, middle-aged police officer from the National Security Bureau.

He Ye didn't recognize him, but he could tell that he was a high-ranking police officer, a lieutenant colonel.

"Is Chief Kech supporting the activities behind Baplow Credit Lending Company? ... The reports don't mention those kids; they've been deliberately omitted. At the same time, the NSA doesn't want to delve any deeper into this matter because escaped prisoners are nothing compared to the honor of a lieutenant colonel."

He Ye quickly sorted out the whole story.

He then put the items back into the envelope, filled with emotion.

Having finally figured out some of the things that had been puzzling him out, He Ye walked back to the entrance of the black market and saw Nicole, who was idly leaning against the wall with her eyes downcast.

He Ye came to her side and patted her head.

"Sir, are you done?" Nicole looked up.

"Yes, the matter is settled. Let's go."

He Ye said that he walked ahead of her towards the bustling section of Narcissus Street. Nicole was a little puzzled by this, so she quickly followed and asked:
"Aren't we going back? Where else are we going?"

"I'll go buy you a pair of shoes," He Ye said casually. "You should get rid of those leather low heels."

"Huh?" Nicole looked down.

She looked at her low-heeled shoes, which had become somewhat dull from long-term wear and tear, turning from brown to dark brown, but they were still wearable as long as they weren't damaged.

Nicole wanted to say it was unnecessary, why buy shoes for herself? It would be better to save that money, she knew He Ye wanted to go to even more distant places to see more beautiful scenery.

"No need, sir, these shoes fit me perfectly."

Nicole walked beside her and tried to persuade her.

"This little bit of money is nothing, it's all paid wages," He Ye said magnanimously.

“But that’s your money,” Nicole said.

He Ye was speechless for a moment when she heard this. She realized that He Ye always liked to argue in strange ways. If she continued the conversation, He Ye would definitely say that it was money that was being repaid. So after thinking about it, He Ye simply stopped talking.

Anyway, she'll happily follow along.

As I walked to the shoe shop, there was only a white-haired woman inside, sitting in front of a sewing machine making cloth shoes. She looked kind and gentle.

The store is filled with all kinds of shoes.

Unsurprisingly, He Ye led the depressed Nicole into the shoe store. The middle-aged woman glanced at them briefly and then smiled and told them to make themselves at home. There were no sales staff or sales pitches here, which seemed like a breath of fresh air.

He Ye didn't mind, since the prices here didn't seem like a rip-off.

"What shoes do you want to wear?" He Ye walked in front of the shoe cabinet, looking around like a customer selecting jewelry.

"I already said no." Nicole pouted and turned her head away.

He Ye turned her head and thought that she was just like the naughty child her parents used to be when they went shopping. Why was she throwing a tantrum?
"Then you can sit down, I'll pick one for you."

"..." Nicole couldn't persuade He Ye, so she sat down sullenly.

Wandering in front of the dazzling array of shoe cabinets, with the bustling streets of Narcissus Street outside, Nicole sat on the soft chair for changing shoes, watching He Ye's serious expression as he stroked his chin. She simply watched quietly, which slightly calmed her frustration.

Soon, He Ye picked out a pair of shoes.

A pair of white Mary Jane shoes, flat style, perfect for someone like Nicole who walks a lot every day.

He Ye placed the shoes in front of her, and Nicole blinked as she looked at the beautiful Mary Jane shoes in front of her, and she was indeed a little tempted.

So, girls—

He Ye saw it all.

She took off her brown leather low-heeled shoes herself, revealing her fair toes compared to the shoes, then hooked her hand over the heel and put them on properly.

Nicole then stood up and walked around, feeling a little uncomfortable.

Perhaps it's because the shoes are too short.

He Ye used the same trick his mother used to use when choosing shoes for him. He made Nicole sit down again, and then pressed down on the toe of the shoe with his hand. He found that his fingers were pressing directly on her toes through the leather. Generally, there should be a few centimeters of space between the toes.

"I'll get you a pair that's a little longer."

As He Ye spoke, he walked around in front of the shoe cabinet with the flat shoes in his hand, comparing them. Not long after, he brought back a pair of slightly longer shoes of the same style.

Nicole's feet swung gently, her fair ankles bearing the marks left by her leather shoes, which had actually been a bit tight for some time. She sat on the soft chair watching He Ye walk back, feeling a little shy because her soles were ticklish from being touched.

"Sir, you are so kind to me."

He Ye didn't hear this. Instead, he frowned and used the old woman's trick again. He pressed down on the toe of the shoe and found that the size was just right this time, which meant it was a good fit.

It seems I don't need to make another trip.

"Madam, how much?"

He Ye clapped his hands and stood up, looking at the white-haired woman who was making cloth shoes. The woman looked at him, smiled, and simply held up three fingers without saying anything more.

He Ye left 30 yuan on the counter as a gentleman and then left with Nicole, who was carrying her new shoes.

She could have just put them back on, but she refused to do it no matter what. What a stubborn person. Shoes are meant to be worn.

"Now we can go home," He Ye said, patting the back of his neck, which was throbbing slightly.

“Okay!” Nicole smiled happily.

She suddenly ran up and bumped into my shoulder. Her short, shoulder-length black hair bounced in the sunlight. Following me, she seemed like a squirrel, praising and cheering.

"Sir, I'm so touched. I may never be able to live without you for the rest of my life!"

"..." He Ye suddenly felt a headache coming on.

However, he sighed and said nothing, just walked with his hands in his pockets. He figured he could just run away when the time came, since there was nowhere to find him in the world.

"Ah... I want to drink when I get back," He Ye muttered, looking at the azure sky.

“I’ll adjust it for you, sir!” Nicole said.

……

—Northern Street. Church—

The sun gradually sets in the azure sky.

As dusk deepened and the crimson sunset dipped below the horizon, a breathtakingly beautiful glow shone through the air, while people stood on the lush green lawn.

Someone is singing.

Trained nuns and believers sang the Kyrie, comforting the grieving souls, and the family members present sighed or shed tears.

Until the very end.

The flowers swayed in the wind, and the crowd gradually dispersed.

The four members of the spy squad left the church, walking in silence as the setting sun trailed behind them, its light a poignant reflection of the sorrow of the dead, but in reality, a testament to their uneasy feelings about the fake funeral.

Lawrence was the first to leave. As he walked to the street corner, he waved to indicate that he was going somewhere. Monica told him to keep a low profile lately, but it was just an unimportant conversation.

Mark was the second to leave. Before leaving, he pretended to leave, because the funeral itself was meant to resolve Yugiri's inner conflict, and he wanted to show appropriate grief for the deceased Heno.

So Mark pinched his bruised thigh, told the two to accept their fate, and left with a sob in his mouth. In reality, the greasy old man just wanted to sleep and rest.

In the end, Monica and Yugiri returned to the psychological clinic together.

"call--"

Back home, Monica let out a long sigh of relief, hanging her coat on the rack as she looked at Yugiri—who was petting the white Garfield cat that had greeted them upon their return; she had brought the cat with her.

Monica understood that today's events were worthwhile; at least Yuugiri was no longer grieving Leon's departure, and she was now quite stable.

"What do you want for dinner?" Monica asked.

“Either is fine,” Yugiri said.

After this brief exchange, there was silence. Then, Yugiri put down the Garfield cat and returned to her room.

open the door.

The white curtains fluttered in the room, a gentle breeze drifted in, and the setting sun cast sharp, piercing shadows through the window. It was very quiet here.

On the desk were sleeping pills, a water glass, and two fluffy hand puppets, a blue gentleman puppet and a pink lady puppet, both of which looked very cute.

Yugiri sat down by the window.

She stared silently at the two fluffy hand puppets, letting time slip by. Whether it was exhaustion or some other, more sorrowful emotion, she simply remained in a daze.

At last,
I remember the sound of him every time he came home.

After a long silence, she slowly picked up the two hand puppets, recalling the dialogue that would be there even in the last time—a very ordinary dialogue that made Yugiri feel at ease.

“I’m back…Sophia.”

It seems so.

"Welcome home, Leon."

The doll would reply like this.

The two dolls awkwardly opened and closed their mouths.

　Loris's character card and the other members of the spy squad's character cards have been updated. I originally intended to finish writing this volume, but someone suggested that I release them ahead of schedule.

　　This chapter is the final slice-of-life scene in Volume Two, after which a continuous main storyline will begin.

　　Thank you to the several green tangerines for the donation, and thank you to Susu for being overly cautious with her donation.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)