"Oh! Another young person who isn't afraid of death. Here's a piece of advice: don't think your ideas are so advanced."
"death? That kind of subject is so overdone; I even bought one from Doctor Edward. He said it was... a one-of-a-kind, high-end anonymous donation, but it was actually terrible, all hype."
"The effect was so bad. At first, a monster covered in eyes stabbed me in the stomach, and after that, besides vaguely seeing some tall buildings and lights, all that was left was the world spinning, almost making me throw up..."
[March: Oh no, did he buy the real thing?]
Aventurine asked with some reluctance, "Is that all?"
"What else?" The Old Woman shrugged and continued, "Don't expect too much from Penacony's film industry's foundation… They even call this kind of thing avant-garde art. Isn't it laughable?"
"You're right. I won't bother you anymore. Have a pleasant day."
A monster covered in eyes—that description is quite similar to that Memory Zone Meme, but tall buildings and lights… these things have nothing to do with death, do they? It's probably just a dream bubble pieced together from rumors.
The voice in my head… it's a bit deadly, getting closer and closer.
Subsequently, Aventurine stopped a Hound who was on patrol.
This Hound had brown skin, muscular build, and a series of somewhat ferocious scars on his arms like medals.
"Stay safe, friend. If you encounter danger, the Hounds are always at your service."
Aventurine walked up to him with a pale face, extending his hand and handing him a gem: "This gem is for you."
The strong man's expression was complex, as if he were looking at a sparrow covered in mud; a bird that couldn't fly wouldn't be far from death.
"Friend… you don't look so good. If you need help, I can contact the hotel to forcibly awaken you." He said with concern.
[Welt: I heard that some people with suicidal tendencies will act abnormally generously. Perhaps this Mr. Hound thinks so too.]
[March 7th: In that case, this Hound is a good person, isn't he?]
[Guinaifen: Seriously, does no one see that he really has a strong self-destructive impulse? I feel like it wouldn't be surprising if he committed suicide at any time.]
[Ratio: I already recommended him to see a psychologist, but unfortunately, he never listened to the advice.]
Aventurine frowned slightly, a hint of exhaustion in his eyes, but he still shook his head and refused, "No need, I still have something to do." His voice was low and firm, as if he was trying hard to control some emotion.
However, upon hearing the other party offer help, the look in Aventurine's eyes clearly brightened considerably, and he said softly, "But still, thank you."
The strong man seemed a bit surprised by Aventurine's reaction. After a moment of silence, his expression became somewhat complicated as he said, "Alright. Don't push yourself. If you need anything, come find us Hounds."
Aventurine nodded, indicating understanding.
Then, as if he suddenly thought of something, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, and he asked with a hint of teasing in his tone, "Hmm, I actually want you to help me with something… As Penacony's best Hound, have you recently dealt with any illegal immigrants?"
"Illegal immigrants? How could Penacony have illegal immigrants? There's never been such a thing." The strong man denied without hesitation, his face still showing a bit of surprise and confusion.
"Alright, I wish you all the best in your work." Aventurine shrugged helplessly, then turned and left.
The Family really won't tell the Company anything… Ugh, it's just nonsense.
Does everyone get tortured like this before joining the Family… Damn it, I even want to send my brain out as evidence….
As he continued forward, Aventurine was contemplating where to go next when he was suddenly drawn by a burst of noise. It turned out there was an open-air bar not far away, and a drunken man was sitting inside.
The man sat alone in a booth, holding a bottle of wine, constantly pouring it into his mouth. As he drank, he mumbled to himself, "A drink to drown a thousand sorrows, no dreams, no worries… Hey, I really should become a poet."
Aventurine approached the man curiously, noticing his flushed face and hazy eyes. A thought struck Aventurine, and he pulled out a sparkling gem from his pocket, gently placing it on the table in front of the man, and said to him, "This is for you, pal."
The man looked up, squinting at Aventurine, then let out a burp and slurred, "Oh? *hic*… You… you're giving this to me? I didn't expect there to be someone who wants to be a good Samaritan in this place…"
Then, he shook his head again, seemingly trying to sober up, and continued, "Or are you pitying me? Never mind, it doesn't matter… As long as there's… surlada, that's enough. Who says that's the true meaning of dreams? Haha…"
"Drink less surlada, friend, it's good for your health." Aventurine earnestly advised the man in front of him, who was clearly a bit drunk.
"Oh! Heh heh, you're right… But before that, I want to see… the Demon of surlada." The drunkard responded with a serious expression.
Aventurine asked with some curiosity, "The Demon of surlada?… Can you tell me more about it?"
The drunkard's tongue seemed a bit tied, and he mumbled indistinctly, "Heh heh… Good… Hey! It's that kind of… long-necked, seahorse-like monster!"
"I heard that this kind of monster likes to appear in front of drunk people… and especially favors those big idiots who are completely drunk and just lie on the side of the road, snoring away! Haha, it's so much fun…" After speaking, the drunkard let out a silly laugh.
Aventurine secretly shook his head, sighing inwardly, "It is indeed interesting. Thank you for the entertainment." He thought this person was probably already drunk and hallucinating, but out of politeness, he still humored him.
The feeling of pain returned, and Aventurine, with a somewhat pale face, bid farewell to the drunkard. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he noticed a Pipi playing a roulette wheel nearby.
His eyes lit up, and he immediately changed his mind, deciding to focus his attention on this Pipi.
Aventurine approached the Pipi and politely asked, "Beautiful lady, I wonder if you are free now? If it's convenient, we can chat together."
The Pipi heard the voice and slowly turned her head. When she saw Aventurine, she didn't show much enthusiasm. Instead, she put her hands on her hips and said warily, "You want to chat with me? Okay, but no sensitive topics."