Volume 1 Chapter 100: Trading Sincerity for Sincerity
“At the very least...” Lin Luoyu meaningfully glanced at Heidi beside them, who was puffing her cheeks unhappily, “I’m much more useful than this vampire from the Arsis Empire, you know?”
Heidi: “???”
What is wrong with this person? Why does she keep targeting me for no reason?! I don’t even have a grudge against her!
Hearing those words, the blonde girl’s delicate brows immediately tightened together.
But before the unconvinced Heidi could argue back, she suddenly realized something much more important.
—How does this human know who I am? And how does she know about the Empire?
She clearly could not sense any magic from her at all!
Thinking about how this human was also the one who provided information about Liu Li, Heidi instantly raised her inner caution to the highest level. The words she had been about to say were immediately forgotten.
“So? What do you think? As long as Miss Bai agrees, from now on I’ll only gather information for you alone~”
The slanting sunlight shined onto Lin Luoyu’s smooth black hair, giving it a faint golden glow.
Her close-fitting short dress lightly outlined her graceful figure. Every movement carried an indescribable charm.
Her lively eyes blinked softly, making people unconsciously lower their guard, like moths flying into fire on their own.
“Whatever kind of information you want, I can get it for you~”
The smile on Lin Luoyu’s pretty face deepened.
Leaning slightly closer, she looked at the expressionless Bai Muxue with a sly gaze. Her red lips, still lightly licking the lollipop, parted slightly as she spoke:
“Or maybe... you want me to wear a maid outfit too, just like her? Or perhaps some even more... difficult-to-describe clothes?”
Her warm breath lightly brushed against Bai Muxue’s cheek, bringing a strangely tingling feeling.
“Eh...”
Looking at the girl’s beautiful and lively face, Bai Muxue quietly pressed her lips together.
Honestly speaking, when such a pretty girl stood right in front of you and said things like, “I can wear any outfit for you~,” it was hard not to feel tempted.
Even Bai Muxue could not help blushing slightly at this moment. Even her breathing seemed to become a little uneven.
However...
As a miserable office worker who had already been repeatedly beaten down by society, feeling tempted was one thing, but she had long passed the age of being easily controlled by a young girl.
Not to mention, during the short time she had known Lin Luoyu, this girl had already made similar jokes several times.
At first, Bai Muxue would blush, panic, and not know how to react.
But now...
After calming herself down, Bai Muxue stayed silent and simply stared directly at the beautiful face so close to her.
Her cold and indifferent gaze felt like sharp ice cutting across Lin Luoyu’s cheeks, causing the detective’s pupils to shrink slightly. Her slender body unconsciously tensed up, and even her soft lips became a little dry.
It felt as if some piercing pain had suddenly stabbed straight into her heart.
The surrounding air seemed to quietly disappear during this silent confrontation, making the afternoon sunlight feel even hotter.
“U-Um...”
Caught between the two of them, Heidi looked a little flustered as the sudden silence continued.
She looked at her young miss, then at Lin Luoyu, whose smile still remained on her face. Seeing that neither of them seemed willing to speak first, Heidi decided to break the strange silence herself.
But before she could say anything, she tilted her head slightly, as if she had heard something again. A surprised expression appeared on her face.
“Eh? Sasha, you mean... the two of them are confronting each other? I-Is that true?”
A duel is not limited to fists and magic alone. A battle of pressure and momentum is just as important. The first person whose heart shows weakness will have a harder time using their true strength and is more likely to lose.
Heidi had learned this before during combat training.
But just now, she truly did not notice it at all. She had only thought her young miss was angry because this human girl kept making overly bold jokes...
Mm, so the two of them had actually been secretly fighting each other this whole time...
As expected of Miss. I didn’t notice anything at all.
But based on Miss’s personality, shouldn’t she transform immediately...?
Or was she planning to observe the situation a little longer?
For a moment, Heidi’s thoughts started wandering again as she stood there watching.
In the end, Bai Muxue was the one who finally broke the silence. She softly sighed, stood on tiptoe, and firmly knocked Lin Luoyu on the head.
“How many times have I told you already? Young girls shouldn’t make such excessive jokes.”
“Ow!”
Lin Luoyu cried out in pain. Her cool act instantly collapsed as she covered her head and muttered quietly.
“I’m not joking though... What if? I mean, what if I’m serious...? Seriously... even if it’s fake, can’t you just cooperate with me once...?”
“Do you even believe that yourself?”
Bai Muxue’s tone remained completely calm.
“Detective Lin, the world is not simply black and white, and people are not simply good or bad. But I believe sincerity should be exchanged for sincerity. If you truly want my friendship, then show me your sincerity first.”
Bai Muxue did not understand why this girl, who normally never became personally involved with her clients, seemed strangely attached only to her, always saying embarrassing things like today.
What, does she think teasing me is fun or something... Young girls these days really are...
Bai Muxue quietly clicked her tongue in her heart.
But if this person really thought such tricks could make her panic or lose confidence, then she was seriously mistaken.
“Sincerity... whether it exists or not, doesn’t it all end up the same?”
Lin Luoyu froze for a moment.
Then, faster than turning a page in a book, her expression changed into a bright smile, as if what she had just received was not a scolding but a happy agreement instead.
Meanwhile, Heidi nodded blankly as if she half understood, while Sasha inside her mind quietly laughed.
“It’s not the same, Detective Lin. Everyone living in this world has their own reason for doing so. Whether it’s a reason to fight... or a reason to keep living. Maybe it’s simply wanting to help the person in front of you, or wanting to protect the people beside you.”
Bai Muxue’s rosy lips spoke calm and indifferent words. Her clear eyes stared straight at Lin Luoyu without blinking, while a faint smile appeared at the corner of her lips.
“So then, Detective Lin... what exactly are you fighting for?”
When dealing with girls who like pretending to be mature, the solution is simple. Just act even more mature than they are.
And sure enough, Lin Luoyu unconsciously fixed her gaze on Bai Muxue.
That faint and elegant smile entered her eyes.
Her pale skin, delicate features, and almost transparent appearance under the sunlight made Bai Muxue look like a gently swaying tulip, beautiful and elegant.
Even though Bai Muxue’s smile was perfectly calm and graceful, for one brief moment, Lin Luoyu quietly shivered.
It was a strange smile mixed with gentleness and affection.
Even though Bai Muxue was younger than her, Lin Luoyu suddenly had the illusion that the person standing before her was not a pretty teenage girl, but an experienced middle-aged adult who had already seen countless things in life.
Everyone around Bai Muxue always said that the young lady of the Bai family was arrogant and reckless because of her background.
But every time Lin Luoyu interacted with her, she never felt that way at all.
“Yes... what am I fighting for? Why doesn’t Miss Bai try guessing?”
Even though her emotions had slightly stirred, Lin Luoyu’s smile still looked carefree.
“Heh, I’m not guessing.”
As if she had already grown tired of this meaningless confrontation, Bai Muxue covered her mouth and yawned lightly, completely refusing to continue playing along.
She grabbed Heidi’s hand and turned to leave.
“Oh right, later remember to help me investigate the lead singer of the band called ‘Stardust.’ I want all of her information.”
As she passed by the still-standing Lin Luoyu, Bai Muxue stood on tiptoe and lightly patted her shoulder.
“And one more thing. I’m only paying half the fee for today’s information.”
“That’s the price for making so many strange jokes at me.”
Casually waving her hand, the girl slowly walked farther away like the wind itself, gradually disappearing into the dazzling sunlight.