I'm Going to Renege on My Promise

Lynch rushed to the station square in the Grand Cross District at top speed, completely ignoring that the sky had already darkened and the red moon was rising.

He didn't even have time to pay much attention to the security guard and the bearded Truen greeting him at the club's entrance, charging straight up to the third floor.

His heart was very uneasy now.

Based on his understanding of the lady officer, her unusual behavior clearly indicated she had something she wanted his help with, yet she was extremely hesitant. That was why she had simply left when she saw he wasn't there, without even leaving a message.

For Officer Natalie to seek his help, it had to be a highly troublesome matter, and perhaps even dangerous.

Lynch hoped he was just being overly sensitive and that she was actually fine, but he didn't want to gamble on it.

Ever since his transmigration, during his most difficult times, Officer Natalie Angel had stayed by his side through thick and thin. Now that she might need help, if he hadn't noticed, that would be one thing, but pretending not to know now that he had would be a complete failure of his responsibility as a man.

Therefore, Lynch checked his gear, making sure he was fully armed and even bringing along the newly purchased Lawrence's Pipe, before heading straight over to knock on the door of Room 304.

Please let her be home, please let nothing have happened.

His heart raced with anxiety as he kept praying in his mind. It wasn't until the door opened that Lynch finally let out a long sigh of relief.

But halfway through his sigh, the breath caught in his throat. In that moment, he forgot how to breathe.

Uncharacteristically, the lady officer was wearing a long, black chiffon dress today. The hem of her skirt fluttered as she moved, occasionally revealing her legs clad in black stockings. On her head was a wide-brimmed lady's hat, with a pure white feather tucked into the crown, looking exceptionally playful amidst the sea of black.

She wore light makeup on her face, softening her slightly sharp features. Her chestnut hair fell behind her in curls, exuding the pleasant, clean scent of soap.

This was the first time Lynch had ever seen the lady officer dressed in women's clothing. His only thought was that she was breathtaking, making him feel as though his twenty-odd days in this world after transmigrating had been lived in vain.

Lynch opened his mouth, wanting to offer a few compliments, but for the first time found his mind incredibly sluggish. He stared blankly for a long time before managing to squeeze out a single word: “Wow.”

“Lynch? What are you doing here?”

Lynch wasn't the only one staring blankly. The lady officer was also stunned to see him, her gaze quite complex as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

“I have a friend who knows a stubborn woman. Whenever she needs help with something, she refuses to say it outright. He didn't want to hide at home making wild guesses, so he had to take the initiative to come over and see what exactly that woman wants to do.”

“You...” Her expression was fierce at first, but it quickly softened. The lady officer bit her lower lip gently, staring at Lynch's face for a long moment before whispering, “I really didn't expect you to suddenly rush over. But... I'm truly happy that you showed up. It seems fate is a very mysterious thing.”

“So, what's going on? For you to actually put on a dress, this is too bizarre.”

“I was already a woman! What's wrong with me wearing a dress?” The lady officer lightly tapped Lynch's hat with her fist, glared at him, and then dragged him into the room. Her voice was cheerful, and a joyful smile lit up her face. “It's nothing major. I just suddenly felt like having a drink and wanted someone to keep me company. Since you've stumbled into this, don't even think about running away today. Come in and drink to our heart's content with me.”

“Huh? Just for this?”

“Of course. A person who wants to drink can be very terrifying.”

Lynch, who had been dragged into the room, found that the lady officer really was drinking. The bottle of wine he had gifted her when he first moved into the apartment was sitting on the coffee table, with a half-empty glass beside it.

The lady officer shut the door firmly. Skillfully retrieving another glass, she poured Lynch a small half-glass of the blood-red liquid, topped off her own drink, and then gave Lynch a firm push, sending him to sit on the long sofa. She sat down beside him, raised her glass, and stared at Lynch with shining eyes.

“To our acquaintance. Cheers.”

Lynch was filled with suspicion, feeling that something was definitely off, but he still raised his glass and lightly clinked it against Officer Natalie's, then drained it in one gulp just as she did.

“I'm very glad I insisted on going to your house to look for you back then, which gave me the chance to get to know you,” Officer Natalie said, picking up the wine bottle to refill both of their glasses. “You showed me the resilience and persistence of ordinary people. Even without any power beyond common knowledge, you still faced the mystery with calm and wisdom, completely changing my view of ordinary people.”

Lynch sighed, realizing that the woman's mood was definitely abnormal. Although he couldn't figure out the reason, he still held his glass out to lightly clink against hers. “It seems you've suffered greatly because of ordinary people before. That must be why you were so cold to me when we first met.”

“It was my father. He was also a Watcher when he was alive, an old friend of Victor's. His codename was L, and like me, he was a Soul Severer under the Lord of Order, holding a rank five authority.”

The lady officer leaned her head back against the sofa, staring at the ceiling. Her dazed gaze seemed to see images of the past.

“He was the greatest father in the world. He not only taught me how to fight, but also how to be a true Soul Severer, and what justice, order, and the responsibility of a transcendent are.” She sighed softly. “He often told me that we Watchers have a duty to protect innocent civilians, because every penny we receive ultimately comes from their taxes. We must protect the people who support us.”

“Is that why you suddenly rushed in that night and pinned me to the ground, and did it several times?”

The lady officer giggled. Uncurling her legs from the sofa, her high heels lightly tapped Lynch's thigh as she whispered, “Yeah, I admit it. I really did want to protect you, to try and save you. And I was luckier than my father, because the one I wanted to save was you.”

“He...”

“On his last mission, the one he saved was also an ordinary person who didn't want to die, who insisted on investigating the truth with my father.” The lady officer smiled mockingly and shook her head. “Unfortunately, that person didn't have such a firm will. He failed when confronting his own fear and weakness. Not only did he allow himself to be devoured by mysterious filth, but he also ran around in a frenzy, disrupting my father's plans. This left my father critically injured and on the verge of death. He barely managed to drag himself back to the Watchers' entrance before collapsing.”

Lynch sighed and reached out, intending to gently pat Natalie's gloved hand. However, the lady officer reacted violently, snapping her hand back instantly. At the same time, she glared at Lynch with a fierce look. Only after staring at him for a moment did her gaze gradually soften, and she smiled as if nothing had happened:

“I didn't even get to see him one last time. He only left me this cane sword. That's why I've always hated ordinary people getting involved in investigations; I felt they would only be a drag. Until you showed up.”

Lynch frowned, the suspicion in his heart growing heavier. What on earth was wrong with this woman? Why was she acting as if she had drunk too much?

“You've helped me a lot over these past few days. With you by my side, I've been very happy. If it were possible, I'd want to continue being happy like this. Thank you, Lynch.”

Lynch bowed slightly. “My honor, lady.”

“Heh. Then, be honored one more time, and do me another favor.”

Lynch took a deep breath and pressed, “Help you with what?”

“Do you still remember our bet? The three conditions I owe you.” The lady officer smiled, slowly removing the glove from her left hand—the very hand Lynch had almost touched just now. “I'm sorry, but I'm going to renege on my promise.”

In an instant, Lynch's pupils contracted, and his hair stood on end.

Her rough hand was now covered in pustules of various sizes, exuding an incredibly bizarre aura. The rotting flesh on the pustules seemed to have come alive, writhing frantically as it spread up her arm.

Lynch suddenly realized that this was exactly where the blood had splattered when she severed the tentacles of the twisted Mr. Klin this afternoon.

“Truen is fine, but as it turns out, I'm the one who's in trouble. I've been contaminated, and the twisting has already begun.” The lady officer sighed, tossing her father's relic to Lynch. “Do me a favor. Send me off while I'm still human.”