The next day,
Hoshimi Aya took Ling out early in the morning to the hospital and had all the bandages removed.
The wounds underneath were almost completely healed.
So, they didn't reapply any bandages this time.
"I told you it was just a minor scrape."
"This quack insisted on bandaging me up. A little medicine would have been enough."
Hoshimi Aya complained. She was absolutely sick of the attention she received these past two days while wearing bandages.
"Yes, yes."
"But the doctor must have his reasons for doing that."
"No matter what, it was for your own good."
"But since the bandages are off and the wounds are healed..."
"Aya, isn't it time for you to take a bath?"
"It seems like you've been marinated."
Saying this, Ling sniffed Hoshimi Aya's body and put on a disgusted look.
"!!!"
"What's wrong!"
Hoshimi Aya started sniffing herself, but besides the lingering scent of medicine on the bandages, there was no other smell.
Of course, the scent of her own body didn't count; it wasn't foul.
Besides, she hadn't practiced martial arts or sweated these past few days, so how could she smell?
"Ling, I don't smell at all!"
"Isn't that just the smell of medicine?!"
"Last night you were hugging me to sleep and didn't mind, but now that the bandages are off, you mind me!"
"Believe it or not, I'll use you as a projectile weapon later."
Hoshimi Aya warned, hooking her arm around Ling's, and the two continued walking hand-in-hand.
Suddenly, as the two passed an alley entrance, they heard a familiar voice.
Seeing this, they exchanged a look and decided to sneak a peek to see who it was.
Inside the alley stood four figures.
One pink and three white.
It was Belle, Anby, and the other two.
"Speak up, Anby."
"Whose idea was this?"
Belle questioned the three people in front of her.
Anby, Twiggy, and Girl A all kept their heads down, fiddling with their fingers, none of them answering.
"Do you know how much money, tens of thousands of currency, I lost because of your unauthorized actions?"
"Tell me, who did it!"
Belle questioned again.
"It was Little A who did it."
"It was all her idea."
Twiggy pointed at Girl A beside her while moving closer to Anby.
Girl A: "..."
"Belle, see? She admitted it herself!"
"This matter isn't on me or Captain Anby."
Twiggy wildly translated Girl A's words.
Girl A looked at Twiggy with a trace of disbelief in her eyes.
"..."
Finally, Girl A nodded, admitting that she was the one who did it.
"Twiggy, this was your doing, wasn't it?!"
"Don't think I can't understand what this little mute is saying, so you can deceive me."
"You're fined half a month's wages, and you have to sleep on the sofa for half a month!"
Belle pointed fiercely at Twiggy.
"...Understood."
Twiggy lowered her head in silence. Her wages weren't much to begin with, and now half a month was docked.
It seemed the day she could buy a good weapon for Captain Anby would have to be postponed.
"Belle, I'm sorry. We also weren't clear on exactly how much that item was worth."
"Twiggy said she found a buyer. I figured since that thing hadn't sold for so long, I'd let Twiggy sell it."
"Belle, if anyone must be punished, punish me. You can punish me however you want."
Anby lowered her head, looking like she had made a mistake.
Girl A: "..."
"All of you, one after another, are the same."
"Are you all trying to rebel?!"
Belle looked at them and questioned.
Instantly, the group's already weak morale weakened even further.
Girl A: "I... I... made... a... mis... take... Ni... Ni... cole... Old..."
Before Girl A could finish her stuttering words, Belle interrupted her.
"What are you, a little mute, babbling about?!"
"If you can't speak clearly, then practice more."
"Stop learning bad habits from those two all day long!"
After speaking, Belle pulled Girl A behind her.
"Belle, I'm sorry. We won't do this again next time."
Anby apologized with her head down.
"It was all my fault. I saw that thing gathering dust."
"Captain Anby said that item was something you were planning to deal with, so I just thought I'd help handle it."
"I didn't expect the price to already be set so high. We still lost tens of thousands of currency."
Twiggy admitted her mistake like a child who had done something wrong.
"Fine. Seeing how sincere your attitudes are, I'll let it go this time."
"I will find good buyers for those things; you don't need to worry about it."
Belle was somewhat helpless. The items couldn't be recovered; this was the only way now.
...
Ling and Hoshimi Aya waited until Belle had finished scolding before coming out to greet them.
"Hmm, Ling, Dumb Fox?!"
"Why are you two here?"
Belle asked, puzzled.
"Aya and I heard a familiar voice and came to check. We didn't expect it to be you guys."
Ling said with a smile, and Hoshimi Aya nodded in agreement, indicating they had just arrived and hadn't been eavesdropping on the previous conversation.
"Is that so."
"Right, I have a piece of news to tell you."
Saying that, Belle looked around.
"What news? You're being so secretive."
Ling asked doubtfully, unsure what news made Belle so mysterious.
"I recently stumbled upon some information. It seems there's some organization looking for news about the Dumb Fox."
"And they are making quite a stir. I'm afraid their intentions are not good."
Belle lowered her voice. She had originally planned to go to the Video Store to relay this news.
But she was delayed by Anby and the other three.
"Targeting me?!"
Hoshimi Aya was a little uncertain.
Who on earth was bold enough to do this?!
Her strength was definitely top-tier, below only the Void Hunter.
It might not even be impossible to match them.
And now someone was targeting her!
"Belle, do you know what organization it is specifically?"
Ling frowned and inquired.
This matter might possibly be related to Aya's past.
After all, besides the Hoshimi Family and H.S.O.S 6, very few people knew about Aya being with them.
So, it could only be related to the former Aya.
...
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