OJTTEG-Chapter 29: Wait, Why Is My Phone Cracked?

"Why are we meeting again?" he says with a long face. "I was ready to meet my great-grandma, and you pulled me back? How did you even manage that?"

"Where would an orphan like you get a great-grandma from?"

"Figure of speech."

He touches his chest, where the fatal wounds have healed. His hoodie, now tattered, lies discarded to the side, revealing his strong upper body.

"I just wanted to try," An says, turning her head and pulling her clothes tightly to prevent any exposure. "Since your blood can heal my injuries, I thought maybe I could heal yours."

"You gave me your blood to drink?"

He smacks his lips.

So that's why there was a metallic taste!

But if An used her blood to revive me, does that mean she no longer wants to kill me?

"What kind of thing is this?" Haunter wonders, feeling his still-weak body. There are two holes where the steel rods pierced him, now covered with freshly grown, pale skin.

"Vampire skills? That's insane." Haunter gestures, pointing at his eight-pack abs. "Look, abs. Impressive, right? I especially allow you to touch them."

"No way, I had no such expectations. I just wanted to try," An retorts, giving him a glare and swallowing. "I really didn't expect you to be so easy to save."

"You don't plan on killing me anymore? I was really dead just a moment ago."

"We'll talk about killing you later," An points beyond the ruins. "That killer you mentioned earlier is probably outside. He just mimicked Ormond's voice."

"Are you sure?" Haunter closes his mouth and listens carefully.

"But I heard your voice."

"What?"

Haunter listens for a moment.

"Hold on, kids! I'm coming in to save you!"

It really sounds like Ormond, but Ormond's location is nowhere near here.

Haunter chuckles, "Who's gonna believe that?"

"Don't you feel dizzy?" An asks, her eyes wide. She almost believed it for a few seconds just now.

If it were anyone else, they might have kept believing it and walked right into danger.

"Nope."

This guy's sanity might be higher than expected. Could it be because he's a resurrected one?

"Anyway, we need to either take him down or get out of here."

"..." Haunter stares at her motionlessly.

Feeling Haunter's gaze, An seems puzzled.

"What is it?"

"Why do you think I'd help you?" Haunter replies. "I just don't want to ruin Ormond's family. But here's the problem: what are you, exactly? Just because you revived me doesn't mean I have to help you."

"I..."

"I didn't ask you to bring me back to life."

"I want to save Ormond, but I can't do it alone... No one can catch that killer, and I can't guarantee I'll escape from him."

An suddenly becomes a bit incoherent, seemingly unsure why she's acting this way, and lowers her head awkwardly.

"You came here to kill me, and I defeated you and let you go. I also said I don't want to live; we should be even. And yet, you want me to do more?"

Haunter tilts his head, watching her evasive eyes.

"Heh."

He lies back down.

"Let's just pretend I'm already dead."

"...Second resurrection."

An suddenly lifts her head, nervously brushing her short hair back.

"What?"

"Let's consider this your second resurrection. The version of you I wanted to kill is already dead. You saved me once, and I saved you once. Now we're even."

As if making a decision, An's gaze becomes sharp again.

"If you help me, as long as you don't harm me or my family, I'll consider you as one of my own and never target you again. If you need anything, I'll assist you fully, including access to books on the mysterious... You should know how complex it is to establish a new network under a different identity."

"You have only five seconds to decide."

Sweat seeps from An's palms as she grips the edge of her clothes, her voice trembling. It's hard to imagine the courage it took for her to say this. For a 17-year-old girl, this choice is overwhelming; at her age, she should be enjoying her school life, not making life-and-death decisions.

"Five."

"Four."

"Three..." Haunter sits up, looking at An with a complicated expression.

So, if he agrees, she'll listen to him from now on? Plus, access to the Reed family's collection of books. It's worth noting that Ormond keeps books on the mysterious locked in a vault nearly a meter thick, impossible to open by normal means.

"Two."

"..."

Why the pause?

"You don't think I'm going to agree at the last second like in the movies, do you?"

"...One."

No movement.

An grits her teeth and turns to lean against the wall.

Alright, relying on oneself is the way to go; the Reed family's descendants can't afford to hesitate now.

After all, the family motto is: "Either do something now or watch others die."

An mutters under her breath, making up her mind. Even if no one helps her, she must do something.

In this moment, time seems to slow down, carrying a sense of a hero embarking on a journey from which there's no return.

"If you want to take him down, I do have a few ideas."

Ah, the naivety of a 17-year-old girl. Just as An steels herself, a hand lands on her shoulder.

Ugh.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're really good at ruining the moment?" An covers her face.

Haunter mysteriously pulls out a plastic bottle from his pocket, holding his phone in the other hand, with a somewhat sly grin.

"My spotlight and other props got wrecked in the collapse."

"But this Glock pistol and the holy water in this plastic bottle are still intact."

"You..."

Did he agree? An wants to ask but hesitates.

"I happen to have a wish too—showing these damned mysteries a thing or two."

"I'm in. Heroes don't back down."

Haunter watches An's expression as he speaks. It's disappointing how calm she is.

"I knew you'd agree," An suddenly bursts into laughter, wiping the corners of her eyes. "How much do you think I know about you? You'd do anything for your own gain."

It seems he's finally connected with this extreme, troubled girl.

We can say we're on the same team now, right?

Once they seemed like arch-enemies, but now their relationship feels much more normal.

How interesting. Not long ago, he was considering going solo to study, but now he's inexplicably been pulled back by this girl.

But overall, this option is actually better. Once he gets familiar with An, her backing becomes his backing!

"Interesting," Haunter sighs.

"Hmph."

"You were just being stubborn, weren't you? You were really afraid I'd say no."

Under Haunter's gaze, a vein suddenly appears on An's forehead.

"Wait, why is my phone cracked?"

Haunter tries to peel off the screen protector, but the inner screen is cracked too.

"Why'd you drop my phone? Practicing your strength?"

"Hmph."

An turns her head.

"Not allowed?"