Zongman: Evolution Paradise Chapter 038

“Speaking of which, Xu Lun, why do you have that white card? Are you really not part of the organization?”

Haibara Ai still couldn’t suppress the doubt in her heart. As soon as the outsider left, she wanted to get an answer.

“Can’t every player buy one?”

Xu Lun asked strangely.

As long as one was a player, they could naturally buy such items in the Paradise.

He didn’t understand why Haibara Ai would ask such a strange question.

“Player? What’s that?”

To his surprise, Haibara Ai looked utterly bewildered, not quite understanding what Xu Lun was talking about.

Xu Lun frowned. He seemed to have miscalculated some things.

Seeing how skillfully Haibara Ai used the Paradise’s items, he had assumed she had already encountered these things within the organization.

As it turned out, Haibara Ai didn’t know? She even thought it was something unique to the Black Organization!

Xu Lun fell into thought.

Then, he raised a hand, and a golden light emerged from his palm, coiling around Haibara Ai.

Xu Lun demonstrated his Golden Light Curse and asked, “You’ve lived in the organization for so many years, haven’t you seen anyone with special abilities?”

“Are you referring to this when you say ‘player’?”

Haibara Ai thought for a moment and said, “There are quite a few people with special abilities in the organization, but they are all referred to as ‘that kind of existence.’ At least, I’ve never heard the term ‘player.’”

“Xiao Ai, are there many such people in the Black Organization?”

“Codename members, and some special positions, all have some special abilities. Especially Gin, just being near him makes my skin crawl…”

“I remember you were a codename member too.”

“I’m just a prisoner of the organization.”

Haibara Ai was somewhat speechless. Although she had been in the organization for so many years and had constantly tried to figure out where their special abilities and items came from, she was severely warned every time.

Xu Lun felt he had been careless and began to explain what a player was, helplessly: “A ‘player’ is someone chosen by a place called the Paradise… they complete missions to gain abilities and items… players will gain qualifications…”

“So that’s how it is. No wonder those strange creatures the organization gave me to research were all dead, with no living specimens,”

Haibara Ai mused thoughtfully. She was just a prisoner and a tool responsible for research, with no loyalty to the organization whatsoever.

No wonder not even a shred of information was revealed to her.

“Then, can I become a player? I want to gain power.”

Haibara Ai looked at Xu Lun expectantly. Facing the pressure from the organization, she desperately wanted power.

“In your current state, you want to become a player? Are you planning to die in the trial?”

Xu Lun advised Haibara Ai to be realistic about her own level. Trial missions varied, and it was even possible to be forced to fight for your life against a beast.

Were Haibara Ai’s small arms and legs planning to gamble her life in the Paradise?

Haibara Ai looked at her tiny body, temporarily suppressed the matter in her heart, and no longer brought up becoming a player.

…

Late at night

Haibara Ai, wearing pink rabbit pajamas, had taken over Xu Lun’s bed, playing on his phone.

And Xu Lun was sleeping on a makeshift bed on the floor.

“Xu Lun, why did you bring me back?”

Haibara Ai put down her phone, rolled over, and looked at Xu Lun, asking casually.

“Actually, I originally thought that as a codename member of the Black Organization, you would know more information about it, which is why I brought you home.”

“Who knew you didn’t even know about players.”

Xu Lun yawned, speaking with a hint of complaint.

“I’m sorry that I can’t help you with anything.”

Haibara Ai pulled the blanket over her head and said grumpily.

After a while, Haibara Ai poked her head out again, unable to resist asking Xu Lun, “Since I’m useless now, are you going to kick me out?”

“Why would I kick you out?”

Another problematic girl, Xu Lun sighed inwardly.

“For a runaway with a codename like me, the organization’s priority for pursuit is very high. Keeping me by your side, once the organization finds out, I’ll bring you danger.”

Just thinking about such a scene made her body tremble uncontrollably.

Haibara Ai curled her body up, suppressing the fear in her heart.

She continued in a complex tone, “Anyway, you don’t have any deep grudge against the organization. Just find a place to hide.”

Clenching the blanket with her fingers, Haibara Ai waited for Xu Lun’s reply.

A reply that would make her give up hope.

How could anyone be willing to risk their life to protect someone like her?

Not to mention, they had only met today.

Perhaps she would be out on the streets tomorrow, or maybe even tonight.

Haibara Ai thought.

Xu Lun sat up and looked at Haibara Ai, saying with some helplessness, “You’re taking the Black Organization too seriously. There’s no need to be so afraid. Once I’ve developed for a while, I’ll scatter their ashes.”

Xu Lun didn’t have any deep grudge against the Black Organization, but the Black Organization’s hatred for him was probably more than a little.

Even without Haibara Ai, he would still deal with the Black Organization.

Unexpectedly receiving such a reply, Haibara Ai’s thoughts were interrupted. She looked at Xu Lun somewhat blankly. After realizing, her heart rate quickened a bit, and finally, she turned her head away, blushing: “All you do is brag.”

“If you’re really scared, I can sleep on the bed too.”

Xu Lun raised an eyebrow, not explaining anything to her.

“Pervert.”

Haibara Ai mumbled, her face flushing even more.

Yet, for some reason, she didn’t say no.

She hid herself in the covers again, nervously clutching the blanket, moving slightly to the side to make space, and whispered, “You can come up…”

Unfortunately, Haibara Ai misunderstood Xu Lun’s meaning.

Xu Lun picked her up, blanket and all, placed her on the makeshift bed, and lay down on the bed himself.

“Experts say it’s more secure to sleep on the floor.”

Haibara Ai: “…”

This time, no one disturbed them again, and Xu Lun drifted into dreamland.

In his dream, Kirisu Mafuyu, Shiina Mashiro, Katou Megumi, Yukinoshita Yukino, Haibara Ai… all surrounded Xu Lun.

But why were they all problematic girls?

Xu Lun broke out in a cold sweat…

—

Yukinoshita Residence

A figure vaguely appeared in the room. Her mother and sister had been waiting for her for a long time…

—

A certain small river

Hachiman Hikigaya climbed ashore from the murky river water. Looking at the moonlight, he wondered how to explain the few hours he had been out of contact to his parents.

—

Loid Forger opened his eyes, and a clap echoed in his ears.

“Clap, clap…”

A figure completely cloaked in black was in the shadows, casually clapping a few times in a pretentious manner, and said in a grating voice, “As expected of someone Gin-sama values. Have you decided on your codename?”

Loid Forger calmly glanced at him.

“Tequila, I am now your equal. Show some respect.”

“Respect?”

Several shadows flickered in the room, appearing behind Loid Forger.

Tequila tilted his head and said, “You should first show some respect to your senior.”

Facing the chilling threat behind him, Loid Forger merely looked at him with disdain. Tequila wouldn’t dare to lay a hand on him.

As for the codename, Loid Forger chose to reclaim the name he had bid farewell to three years ago.

“Vesper.”

“This is my organization codename.”

Tequila mused, “Vesper cocktail? Codename Twilight?”

With a light chuckle, Tequila stepped into the shadows, but his head rotated 361 degrees, and he said maliciously, “Congratulations on seeing the real world.”