Rope's abnormal reaction made Jeanne worry slightly. She wondered if she had run a bit too fast and overstimulated the girl, causing some kind of mental decline.
Currently, Rope's face was filled with the joy of someone who had discovered a new continent. The terrified look from before had vanished completely; instead, she was savoring the sensation of Jeanne's high-speed sprint.
But thinking about it, it wasn't that strange. For someone who spent every day using a grappling hook to fly over eaves and run up walls in this neighborhood, it was perfectly understandable to fall in love with extreme sports.
"Can you handle it again? Your face was as white as a sheet when I stopped. If we run once more, aren't you afraid of ending up in the hospital?" Jeanne sighed helplessly as she looked at Rope, who was still immersed in her excitement.
What was originally an emergency retreat during a narrow escape had turned into a thrill-seeking extreme sport for this girl. Jeanne wondered if she had accidentally flipped some strange switch in the girl's head.
At this point, Rope finally returned to a state of calm from the rush of adrenaline. She smiled sheepishly at Jeanne while scratching the back of her head. Not just the speed—the things she had witnessed today surpassed what she would normally encounter in half a year of wandering the slums. One could say she had truly "seen the world."
"So, where are we going next?"
Rope was both afraid and curious about Jeanne's next move. She feared that if she kept following Jeanne, she might lose her life in the next second. Yet, she wanted to witness it—to see what other once-in-a-lifetime events Jeanne would encounter, and how they might relate to her.
"As for what's next..." Jeanne glanced at the slip of paper. It read: 74 Forest Road, Lin's Candy Shop. From the name alone, it was clearly a shop specializing in various sweets. "Do you know Forest Road?"
Jeanne asked Rope, inquiring about the location of this administrator who dwelt in Lungmen's shadows.
"Forest Road? You're going there? That's not part of the slums anymore. It's not far, but the living conditions are worlds apart!" Rope had snuck into that enviable place more than once, looking on with longing. Living in such a place had once been her dream.
Fortunately, because it was close to the slums, the management of the Infected wasn't as strict as in other areas. As long as an Infected person like Rope snuck in and didn't get caught, nobody really cared. Consequently, for most children in the slums, their entire imagination of a "good life" was shaped by those neighboring streets. Sadly, those dreams had long since shattered.
"That's right, Forest Road. Once we get there, your job will be finished. After I deal with all this, I'll be heading back too."
Reflecting on the day's events, Jeanne felt she needed a bit of time to digest everything. These incidents seemed unrelated, yet they also felt connected in some way. But first, she had to handle this meeting. If those people waited too long without news or if they wanted information, they might actually involve this rabbit-girl.
The reason they were so polite was because of Jeanne's own capabilities. They didn't have the power to control her, and they didn't want to lose any more brothers in such a place. Rope, however, was different; she was just a small-time thief. She didn't have Jeanne's skills, which was why she had been so nervous facing the mob.
"Alright then, but I can only take you to the edge of the street. I don't know why, but management there has been extremely strict lately. It's very difficult for me to sneak in."
Rope cheered up at the news of finishing her shift. It wasn't about the money; it was that the job was finally over, and she needed to find a place to hide. She was worried the gangs would circle back to catch her, so she planned to find a secluded spot to lay low until the chaos blew over.
As for the Lungmen dollars, she didn't mention them again. Having received so much help from Jeanne, she felt embarrassed to ask for payment. She treated it as if she were just showing someone around for free.
"Let me tell you, there's a candy shop there you should visit if you have time. They sell great stuff. I used to love hanging out near that shop." Rope recalled the shop, thinking of how she used to hide nearby just to breathe in the sweet aroma lingering in the air.
It was a candy shop—selling high-end sweets that Rope had never even seen before. To her, such rarities were considered extremely precious luxury goods. Moreover, the old shopkeeper was a genuinely good man. He had once given her a small bag of candy while she was hiding, saying they had gotten a bit damp and clumped together, so they couldn't be sold.
She still wondered how that old man had found her when she was hidden so well. And even though that bag of candy had clumped into a single block, it was truly delicious...
"Let's get moving. I can practically see the drool coming out of your mouth," Jeanne teased as she watched the reminiscing Rope. It was as if a memory had triggered a loop of nostalgia.
Jeanne wondered what Rope's expression would be if she told her that the "kind old man" was actually the Rat King of the slums. Jeanne kept the thought to herself and let out a faint, imperceptible smile. Being kind-hearted, she decided not to break the illusion.
"Ah, right, right!" Rope snapped out of her memories and led the way toward Forest Road. Thinking that her job was almost over, she felt incredibly emotional about the day's events.
"No, I really can't take this! You've helped me so much; I really can't accept this money..."
Just a moment ago, Jeanne had stopped at an ATM, saying she needed to withdraw cash. After doing so, she turned and handed 1,000 Lungmen dollars to Rope. Seeing such a large amount, Rope refused immediately. She had already decided not to charge anything for today, yet Jeanne had doubled the original amount!
"Take it. Consider it compensation for me leading you into such a dangerous place. You were scared half to death today." Jeanne stuffed the money into Rope's hand with a firm attitude. She didn't pull back her hand despite Rope's clear refusal.
Lacking Jeanne's physical strength, Rope found it hard to push the money back, even though she was desperate to stick to her principles. Jeanne had saved and protected her; she didn't want to take a cent. Although this money could significantly improve her life and the lives of the other poor for a long time, she wanted to hold onto her resolve.
"Consider it for those patients! There's still a chance they might relapse, right? You'll need these funds to help them. It's decided—no more refusing."
As she spoke, Jeanne held Rope's hand to prevent her from handing the money back. To Jeanne, this amount was nothing, but to Rope and those patients, it was a literal lifesaver.
"I'll come visit them when I have time. Remember to record when their symptoms flare up and when they take the medicine I gave you!"
With that, Jeanne saw the hesitation in Rope's eyes. She took a few quick steps and vanished down the street, not giving the girl a chance to object.
Rope was forced to accept the money. She planned to use it to buy food. Everyone had been without a source of food for a long time due to their illness, and many families had perished because of it.
Rope's gaze was complicated. As she was walking back, lost in thought, a hand suddenly clapped onto her shoulder. It startled her, but when she turned, she saw a tall figure with green hair and a single horn. It was Hoshiguma.
"I didn't expect to find you here. Get in the car and come to the L.G.D. with me. We need your help with something."