QT: Against My Will (Volume 1)

3.13 - Grandma - Downfall of Humanity

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Bing Shi stepped out of the airport with her luggage in hand, greeted by the refreshing sweetness of the spring breeze. As she stood by the roadside, she patiently waited for her taxi to arrive to take her to her new apartment.

Although she had never visited this city before, it felt oddly familiar. The office buildings glittered in the sunlight, and advertisements for various products and services adorned the buses and skyscrapers.

One of the most popular items being advertised was a highly nutritious, non-thirst inducing emergency food ration that sold out on its first day. Due to its low cost, which was only around two dollars a day, the average family had at least one box of these rations.

While not everyone was stockpiling food and water, many were making mental plans and taking precautions by installing metal bars on their doors and windows to protect their homes from fictional thieves.

Finally, they arrived at a modest six-story apartment complex where Bing Shi paid the taxi driver and stepped out. She took out her keys from her rucksack, ready to open the main door, but to her surprise, it was already open.

Glancing up, she thanked a man in a hoodie with a polite smile, "Thank you." On a closer look, she recognized the scarred jaw immediately. Her eyes darted around the area in panic, her stomach churning with discomfort.

'What is the unruly man doing here?'

["Kuro, what is Ren Han's address?"]

[He wrote down his parent's house address, and it's corresponding with the database.]

Ren Han looked down at the surprised girl, her nervousness radiated through her skin. People who saw his face would avoid his gaze at most. Taking a step back, he made a path for the girl to pass.

Bing Shi excused herself and moved straight to the elevator.

Ren Han changed his mind and returned to his ground-floor apartment. From there, he parted his curtains and watched as the girl ran towards a taxi. Did she leave because of him? Did she know him? The previous Ren Han didn't remember her. He called the landlord and learned her name.

LuLu Tan, a reclusive streamer who had been on a hiatus for ten months. The first thing which came to his mind was, 'Bing Shi...'

His colleagues told him he was the second person to who she responded. Connecting everything together, it had to be her.

Had he just discovered the identity of the most sought-after person on the planet?

The following morning, he sent her a message with a grin stretching from ear to ear

(Ren Han): LuLu Tan.

Bing Shi was searching for a new place to stay inside a tea house. There was no way she was living near a man who could make her flinch in discomfort. Her eyeballs almost fell out from her eye sockets, caught off guard by a message that appeared on her phone.

["Ren Han knows my identity! How? We just met!"]

[Host, maybe you overreacted. And he took notice of it?]

["Wouldn't a normal person assume that I'm socially awkward? Is he LuLu Tan's fan? But I changed my make-up and hairstyle. Did he found my information through the landlord? With his connections, he could dig even deeper..."]

'Why did I try to find Xuan Mu?'

'Now, my life is in danger...'

(Bing Shi): Oh my, did you just discover my secret? How impressive! Are you expecting a prize for that, Mr. Detective?

Ren Han blinked at the message, he thought she'd try to threaten him with her power. She could send someone to kill him... effortlessly.

(Ren Han): Who are you? A fūcking holy mother?

(Bing Shi): Your curses are hurting my stomach. Holy? Yes. Mother? No. I hate kids. Now, it's my turn...Who are you? More like, how old are you?

'As a SWAT officer, his behavior is too unprofessional. He behaves like an uncultured kid.'

'But the way he ate the lemons, and his rebellious attitude towards adults reminds me of my young Xuan Mu... except...'

'I never heard Xuan Mu saying an f-word..'

(Ren Han): Ziek Leoners. 16 years old. I suppose we are similar.

Then, he sent her information he gathered about the previous LuLu Tan: video records from cameras, satellites, microphones, her credit card information, and even nudes from her phone...

(Ren Han): There is no way you are LuLu Tan. After the hiatus, I found nothing about her.

Bing Shi took a deep breath as she reread the message.

'He is underage...?!'

(Bing Shi): Do you have a system?

(Ren Han): What system?

'Don't tell me... he did it alone?'

'Why does he have to be a genius too?'

(Bing Shi): We are not similar. I made a deal with a devil to gain power over the network. It's confidential, so keep it to yourself. By the way, how did you end up here? Are you a local?

(Ren Han): Nah, I ended up here because I wanted to blow up a school. What's your story?

He had managed to fool those from his previous life into believing that he wanted to blow up a school when he stole Grace's phone. However, he was under constant surveillance, when would he have time to access such weapons? There was a limit to his hacking skills.

(Bing Shi): Haha, that's like every student's secret fantasy come to life! (｀▽') When I was a kid, I used to dream about blowing up my school too! As for me, I'm just a wandering spirit, searching the universe for my lost boyfriend.

Death was not the end, there was still a chance she could meet him.

Ziek grinned.

(Ren Han): I could notice that. How old are you?

(Bing Shi): I don't want to reveal it.😭You are going to laugh at me.

(Ren Han): Are you older than me? By a hundred? Or a thousand?

(Bing Shi): By a lot! I'm 26. I feel like a granny compared to you. 😭

'Or 28, or 30? No! I'm forever 26.'

(Ren Han): Grandma Bing Shi. It suits you.

Bing Shi was about to retort but stopped abruptly.

'~ Stupid. Don't lower your guard because he is a kid.'

'Yeah! I almost fell for the same trap again!'