Have Mercy!

Could suppressing the uncontrolled mystery relic really wake little Janet up?

Even Lady Luna could not provide a definitive answer, as it depended on her specific condition.

All that could be said was that anything was possible.

This left Lynch feeling particularly uneasy.

He did not understand why he worried so much about little Janet’s safety. She was merely a stranger he had met for the first time, yet ever since attempting to save her inside the relic, he inexplicably felt a peculiar sense of concern.

In his past life, when watching medical dramas, doctors often displayed an unprompted sense of responsibility toward patients they had treated. Back then, he had never quite understood it. But experiencing it firsthand now, Lynch finally grasped that strange emotion.

It was the feeling that since he had influenced her fate, he was responsible for seeing it through to the end.

【Heh.】

“What is it?” Lynch paused in surprise. It was rare for Lady Luna to speak up on her own initiative.

【Nothing. You are doing fine.】

Lynch felt a bit baffled, but Lady Luna had already fallen silent again. He could only shake his head in confusion and let the matter rest. Ahead of him, the bread cart and the old residential buildings were already in sight.

As soon as he drew near, screams and weeping drifted down through a second-floor window. The chaotic commotion caused Lynch’s heart to sink, stirring an ominous premonition.

Had something happened?

Growing increasingly anxious, Lynch strode up to the second floor. Finding the door unlatched, he didn’t bother knocking and pushed it open directly.

No one was in the entrance room. The weeping, shouting, and screaming were coming from behind the cloth curtain.

Lynch rushed over and pulled the curtain aside, only to see Mrs. Sterling and the children gathered around little Janet’s bedside.

And little Janet, who had been comatose with faint breath not long ago, was now sitting propped up against the headboard. Though still frail, her eyes had regained their vigor, and she was speaking in a clear, crisp voice:

“I felt like I had a really long dream. I dreamed of a lot of terrifying things, but I can’t remember what they were. I only recall two very powerful people suddenly rushing into my dream and pulling me back to the factory. I was a bit scared, so I ran all the way home, and then I woke... up...”

The girl looked at Lynch holding back the curtain. To her, he was a stranger who had suddenly appeared in her house, yet why did this stranger look somewhat familiar?

While she was wondering, she saw him smile at her, place an index finger before his lips in a shushing gesture, and then place a hand over his chest and bow like a gentleman before silently backing out from behind the curtain.

A very strange person.

Having just awakened, the girl was still groggy. Without dwelling on it, she assumed it was just a hallucination and continued recounting her experience to her family. Outside, Lynch wore a faint smile as he exited the crowded room.

Leaving this time for the reunited family, he decided the five-shilling commission could wait until tomorrow.

Lynch didn’t know why, but the sour mood ruined by Grant and those dead executives had suddenly cleared up, and even his footsteps felt much lighter.

Although this job was a financial loss, the feeling of successfully saving someone’s life was truly wonderful. Perhaps he could continue living this kind of life in the future.

“Do you enjoy sights like this, neighbor?”

【Scenery is merely scenery.】

“People still have personal tastes in scenery. How was the scenery along the way?”

【The path of immortality has just begun, and the scenery has only just unfolded.】

“Don’t change the subject, neighbor. Give me a straight answer.”

【Mm.】

“What does ‘Mm’ mean?”

In high spirits, Lynch chatted away, pestering Lady Red Moon, who gave him the cold shoulder, as he walked through the web-like alleys. Halfway through, he suddenly heard snippets of conversation from up ahead.

The voice sounded remarkably familiar.

Immature yet as clear and crisp as a mountain spring, it was distinctive enough that he recognized it at once as little Martha’s voice.

That little brat was already able to run around outside? It seemed he hadn’t hit her hard enough.

What was she plotting now? Surely she wasn’t planning another robbery? Didn’t she agree to hold off on robbing people for now?

Lynch frowned, thought for a moment, and decided to go take a peek.

In any case, all his abilities were sprinting down the path of a voyeur anyway; wouldn’t not peeking be wasting Lady Red Moon’s generous favor?

【Hm?】

“Nothing, you misheard.”

Checking that no one was around, Lynch slipped into the shadows, concealing his form, and crept toward the sound. Rounding two corners, he saw a group of children gathered in the alley.

Sure enough, there was little Martha, along with Robert, who had swindled information in Fox Lane yesterday, and several other kids who had participated in mugging Lynch. The group of children was currently gathered obediently around Martha.

“Martha, do we really have to stop? Things are going so well right now, why quit?”

“Yeah, don’t listen to that jerk. He even hit you, so he’s definitely not a good guy.”

“Keep leading us, Martha, we need you. We can do it on the sly; that jerk will never know.”

“Stop talking, you’re annoying me! If we keep doing it, I’ll get beaten again. That guy hits really hard, and Mom didn’t even protect me.” While all the other children were sitting, little Martha alone remained standing, clutching her rear and complaining, “He said doing this is wrong. Although I don’t quite get it yet, he seems willing to reason with me, so I want to hear him out first. Before I figure it out, let’s pause for a bit. In case he’s actually right, I don’t want to make Mom sad anymore.”

“Then what about us?” the little brats immediately clamored. “We could keep doing it while you figure it out!”

“Can my ass! Shut up, all of you. Don’t worry, over the next few days, I’ll try to get in touch with the reporter sister to see if she can find us some temporary odd jobs. I won’t let anyone go hungry.”

Hm?

Peeking from the side, Lynch’s eyes sharpened as he realized he had been overlooking this issue all along.

For Maya to comfortably entrust Martha with delivering the photographs, the level of trust between them definitely exceeded that of ordinary informants. Maya could contact Martha directly, and it seemed they had agreed upon a way for Martha to contact her as well. In that case, perhaps he could use this method to get in touch with Maya directly.

After a moment’s thought, Lynch reached a decision: it was indeed worth a try, but he had to ensure Martha’s safety first and prevent her from getting involved with anything related to mystery.

Seeing the gang of little brats still noisily cursing him, Lynch wasn’t angry; rather, he felt somewhat gratified. Words spoken behind one’s back were always the most credible. Since this kid was fulfilling her promise so quickly and truly trying to stop, there was no harm in giving her a chance to reform. After all, she hadn’t committed any unforgivable evil, and if she could mature from this, it wouldn’t be a bad thing.

“Alright, alright, it’s settled. Everyone scatter! We’re pausing operations for now, and no one is allowed to act on their own.” Hearing the clamor around her, Martha waved her hands impatiently. “Saying stuff like ‘don’t take advantage of people’s kindness’ without explaining it clearly, only knowing how to beat me! Hmph, that jerk, just wait for my revenge! Once I get the chance, first I’ll do this to you, then that, and finally... What’s with those expressions on your faces? Have you all lost your minds?”

Right in the middle of beating up Lynch in her head, Martha suddenly noticed the surrounding children’s expressions turn utterly terrified. They were all pointing behind her as if a monster stood there.

“Don’t try to scare me! There’s definitely nothing behind me, I won’t—”

Halfway through acting nonchalant, the little girl suddenly bolted. Unfortunately for her, the person behind her wasn’t fooled and reached out a hand beforehand, catching her by the scruff of her neck.

“Why don’t you show me what you’ll do to me first, little Martha?”

“Aaaaah! Uncle Lynch, spare me! I won’t do it again!”

“Ow, ow, ow, ow! It hurts, it hurts!”