Hearing the name "Tao Yao," Hiyakura felt her heart skip a beat.
She struggled to maintain her composure, not wanting to show any signs of distress.
"Tao Yao?"
She repeated, trying to keep her voice calm, "You mean... the woman who left a fairy seed on me?"
Violet nodded, adding:
"That's right, it's her. According to our information, she has been frequently seen in the western district of the city recently. We suspect she may have some sort of secret base or contact point here."
Hiyakura felt a wave of dizziness.
The western district? Isn't the orphanage located there?
Could it be...
Tao Yao wants to do something bad in a place like the orphanage?
No, that's impossible.
She shook her head, attempting to dismiss the absurd thought.
"Do we have a specific action plan?"
Hiyakura asked, trying to focus her attention on the mission.
Jasmine took out a map from her pocket and spread it out in front of the three.
"We need to search this area separately."
She pointed to a circled area on the map.
"Each person is responsible for a section. If you find any suspicious clues, inform the others immediately. Remember, Tao Yao is very dangerous, do not act alone."
Hiyakura looked at the map and found that the orphanage was right on the edge of the search area.
Her heart raced again, a complex emotion surging within her.
"Hiyakura, you will be in charge of this area."
Jasmine pointed to a section on the map that included the orphanage's location.
"Be especially cautious of any unusual persons or incidents. Tao Yao is cunning and may disguise herself as an ordinary person."
Hiyakura nodded mechanically, trying to suppress her unease.
She didn't know whether she should tell her companions about Tao Yao.
Because after witnessing Tao Yao's tenderness towards the children...
She was utterly confused.
She couldn't distinguish if Tao Yao was a villain.
Truly unable to discern...
"Let's start the operation now."
Violet said, interrupting Hiyakura's thoughts.
"Stay alert and keep in contact. If you find Tao Yao, do not act rashly, call for backup immediately."
The three nodded to each other and then set off separately.
Hiyakura watched Jasmine and Violet walk away, filled with an unprecedented sense of confusion.
She turned and walked towards the area she was responsible for, her heart full of contradictions and confusion.
Hiyakura's heart was overwhelmed with contradictions and confusion.
On one hand, there was the bad woman her friends spoke of.
On the other hand, she could not forget the tenderness Tao Yao showed to the children in the orphanage.
This complex emotion collided violently within her, leaving her feeling more confused than ever.
She wandered aimlessly, her thoughts drifting.
Unknowingly, her footsteps brought her to the doorstep of the orphanage.
Hiyakura suddenly snapped back to reality, realizing where she was.
She instinctively wanted to turn and leave, but at that moment, her attention was drawn to a scene before her.
In the distance, she saw Tao Yao standing with the children, a gentle smile on her face.
The sunlight bathed her, casting a soft halo around her.
The children gathered around her, their eyes sparkling with joy, seemingly engaged in listening to her tell some interesting story.
This scene made Hiyakura hold her breath, a surge of indescribable emotion swelling in her heart.
At that moment, Tao Yao seemed to notice Hiyakura standing afar.
She said something to the children.
Then she gently patted their heads and started walking towards Hiyakura.
Hiyakura felt a wave of nervousness, unsure how to respond to the upcoming conversation.
Tao Yao approached Hiyakura, still wearing that gentle smile.
She tilted her head, looking a bit puzzled as she asked:
"Hey? Didn't we agree to go shopping? Why are you back so soon?"
Hiyakura was momentarily speechless, unsure of how to respond.
She couldn't just say that she and her companions had just received a mission to capture Tao Yao, could she?
How could she say something like that out loud!
Her brain whirred as she tried to think of a reasonable explanation.
In the end, Hiyakura inexplicably told a lie:
"I... I couldn't find the way, I didn't know where to go shopping..."
As soon as she said it, Hiyakura regretted it.
She inwardly cursed herself; this excuse was far from convincing!
She was an adult, how could she not even find her way?
She anxiously glanced at Tao Yao, worried that she would look at her strangely.
However, to Hiyakura's surprise, Tao Yao's reaction was completely different.
A glimmer of understanding and sympathy flashed in her eyes as she gently said:
"Oh, I see... Sorry, I didn't think it through. How about this, I'll go with you to buy things."
Hiyakura was taken aback.
Clearly, she didn't expect Tao Yao to apologize first.
Before she could react, Tao Yao had already walked over to the children, whispered something to them.
Then she returned to Hiyakura's side and naturally linked arms with her, as if they were good sisters.
"Let's go! Hiyakura!"
Tao Yao said with a smile, her tone filled with a hint of excitement.
And so, Hiyakura, in a fog, followed Tao Yao out of the orphanage.
Her heart was filled with confusion and contradictions, yet for some reason, she felt an inexplicable sense of comfort.
The two arrived at a nearby commercial street and began a delightful shopping journey.
Tao Yao seemed to know every shop here, leading Hiyakura through various small stores.
They picked out beautiful colored pencils and sketchbooks for the children at a stationery store, and then bought some educational toys at a toy store.
When selecting ingredients, Tao Yao showed surprising attentiveness.
She carefully checked the freshness of each fruit, picked the most tender vegetables, and even asked Hiyakura for her opinion on what the children liked to eat.
Watching Tao Yao's serious profile, Hiyakura couldn't help but feel a warm sensation rise in her heart.
Along the way, they passed a snack shop.
Tao Yao bought two servings of ice cream and handed one to Hiyakura.
"Try this, I heard this shop's ice cream is the best on this street!" Tao Yao said with a smile.
Hiyakura took the ice cream and carefully tasted a bite, instantly captivated by its flavor.
During the shopping process, Hiyakura gradually relaxed.
She realized she was actually starting to enjoy her time with Tao Yao.
The two chatted and laughed, as if they had truly become good friends who could talk about anything.
Hiyakura even forgot her original mission, completely immersed in this unexpected happiness.
Unknowingly, the sky darkened.
On the way back to the orphanage, Tao Yao walked ahead while Hiyakura, like a diligent porter, carried big and small shopping bags, following beside Tao Yao.
The orange-red sunset cast a warm glow on the two, creating a soft halo around them.
The streetlights gradually lit up, adding a touch of warmth to this peaceful evening.
Hiyakura looked at Tao Yao's back, her heart filled with complex emotions.
She didn't know how to perceive this person known as the "Fairy Apostle."
During this day's interactions, she only saw the playful, gentle, and caring side of Tao Yao, completely unable to connect her with the terrifying fairy apostle spoken of by Jasmine and the others.
"Tao Yao, about the secret you mentioned before…"
Hiyakura suddenly remembered what Tao Yao had promised her earlier.
After completing the mission, she would tell her a secret.
Uh...
Now it should count as completing the mission, right?
"Little Hiyakura, didn't you say you weren't curious?"
Tao Yao suddenly laughed.
Then she nimbly approached Hiyakura, smiling widely at her.
The latter was left speechless.
"..."
Perhaps feeling bored.
Tao Yao stopped teasing Hiyakura and suddenly became serious.
"Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Since you want to know about me, it's fine to tell you. Actually… it's not much of a secret, just my own dream, an unrealistic, yet somewhat crazy dream."
"A dream?" Hiyakura was a bit confused.
For a moment, she couldn't quite grasp what Tao Yao wanted to say.
"Hiyakura, you've experienced a lot in Glimmer City, right?" Tao Yao suddenly asked, without directly answering.
"Well, not much really, just some odd missions. Although there were constant troubles, most have been resolved, it's overall not bad…" Hiyakura replied softly.
She had indeed experienced some things in Glimmer City.
Without exception, most were human sufferings caused by disaster beasts and calamities.
"Then after experiencing those things... do you ever feel that this world is quite terrible?"
Tao Yao suddenly posed a question: "Disaster beasts, calamities, pollution, and the dark thoughts shown by humanity in the face of disasters…"
"A world like this is simply beyond terrible, to the point of being irredeemable, right?"
Hiyakura remained silent.
Tao Yao wasn't playing coy.
She spoke quite seriously.
"My dream is to take this completely rotten world and..."
But just then, a sharp voice suddenly shattered the tranquil air:
"Monster, let go of Hiyakura!"
Hiyakura jolted back to her senses, seeing Jasmine and Violet rushing out from a nearby alley with a group of city guards in uniform.
Jasmine was holding a firearm.
Violet wielded a daito.
Both assumed a fighting stance, their eyes filled with vigilance and hostility.
Tao Yao stopped in her tracks, turning to face the two who had suddenly appeared, looking somewhat dazed.
"Hiyakura, come here quickly!"
Jasmine shouted loudly, her eyes filled with concern, "Stay away from that monster!"
Hiyakura stood frozen, feeling immense confusion and helplessness.
She glanced at Tao Yao, then back at her companions, unsure of what to do.
Her mind was blank, unable to make any decisions.