Second Lead Syndrome (1-187) | ✓

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Cecil comprehended the information from AI500, and she looked down at the children tugging on her dress. She did not have the heart in her to push them away or pry their hands off. 

Hana was getting tugged on as well.

[ Would you like to accept this mission, Cecil Lan? ]

AI500 was still prompting her for an answer. 

“Give...give me some time to consider.” 

The children started speaking once again in desperate voices.

“We may be very poor, but...but we will work hard our whole lives to repay you!” 

“No, you don’t need to do that,” Cecil furrowed her eyebrows. “It’s--” 

“Please find our parents, big sisters and big brothers!” 

“The bad guys…” one of the children started to sob. “The bad guys took them away!” 

“Bad guys?” Hana questioned. 

The guide was growing pale, rushing forward to stop the children. Xue stepped in his way, blocking him as he narrowed his eyes. 

“You are hiding something,” Xue pointed out. “I have deceived enough to know that, just by looking at you this entire time.” 

The guide swallowed nervously. “I-I am trying to help the young masters and young mistresses stay out of trouble!” 

Xue and K’xug stared at the guide in askance. 

The guide began to sweat nervously, swallowing his saliva. 

“He isn’t trying to help, but to keep an eye on all of you.” An unfamiliar presence intruded in their conversation.

“Big brother Yun!” 

“It’s Yun!”

The children who wanted to pour out their sorrows about their parents being taken away by the bad guys stopped. They immediately brightened up at the presence of the caramel brown-haired man that had the mein of a gentleman, dressed in a plain black kimono with a purple waistband.

The guide’s face twisted in an ugly manner when he saw Yun. 

“Go ahead,” Yun adjusted his glasses, composed. “Tell your lord what you saw here today. Don’t need to bother recruiting them.” 

The guide clicked his tongue, and he cast one last glance at the four of them, storming off. 

Cecil looked back and forth between the guide and Yun, bewildered. 

“Why are all of you out here again?” Yun frowned, his tone disapproving. “We told you repeatedly to avoid the main streets, especially here. It isn’t safe.” 

“We wanted to find more good people to help find our parents.” 

The older child among them answered. 

Cecil and Hana slowly stood up, and Hana observed Yun closely, pouting. 

I know this man from somewhere…

Yun sighed, shaking his head. “Stop doing useless things, go back. You are not helping anyone and putting yourselves in danger.” 

Some of the children sucked in their lips, not appreciating Yun’s scathing words. The older child lost his composure, clenching his fists. 

Yun turned to the four of them, his face expressionless.

“The four of you should stay away and continue playing tourists,” Yun advised, adjusting his glasses once again. “And Haru is still angry at all of you for destroying our ships.”