"Although I don't know when I'll become a full member, the income is already very high…"<br><br>"Every month there's a fixed salary of five thousand, plus a thousand from the company, making it six thousand!"<br><br>"And now, with tasks needing investigation or cleanup, there are extra rewards…"<br><br>"The reward for eliminating a level one psychic monster is thirty thousand, and for a Level Two Spirit Monster, it's three hundred thousand…"<br><br>"Even without task rewards, my two jobs together make six thousand monthly. Deducting five hundred for meals, that leaves fifty-five hundred, totaling sixty-six thousand yearly, or six hundred sixty thousand over ten years…"<br><br>"The Red Moon Elementary School needs to move quickly. Their current place doesn't have timely utilities, and it's too close to the Walled City, very dangerous. I found out earlier that buying a big house away from the Walled City, enough for a teacher, a guard, and over a dozen children, costs over a million. If I save fifty-five hundred a month…"<br><br>"In fifteen years, it'll be enough…"<br><br>"…"<br><br>As Luke Sin did the math in his mind, he suddenly felt filled with hope.<br><br>I'm still young; fifteen years is doable.<br><br>Moreover, every time I take on more tasks, I earn more substantial rewards, right?<br><br>Of course, there are many issues, like how I need to become a full member fast. What if I'm dismissed before then?<br><br>If everything goes smoothly, not only can I buy the big house sooner, but I'll also have more money for food, and maybe even take Teacher Fawn to the main city for treatment for her leg.<br><br>…<br><br>…<br><br>With these thoughts, Luke Sin got off the bus, moodily keeping his hands in his pockets while walking slowly down the street.<br><br>Near the apartment, he stopped, not in a hurry to go back yet.<br><br>"Brother, what are you doing? Mom and Dad are waiting for you to come back for dinner!"<br><br>A voice sounded from the nearby streetlight. Looking up, Luke Sin saw his sister sitting on the lamp’s crossbar, cradling a patchwork bear. Her thin legs swung in the night breeze, a mysterious smile on her face.<br><br>"Sister, I actually have something to discuss with you."<br><br>Reflecting, Luke Sin slowly raised his head and looked at his sister on the lamp post, saying, "I've just gotten a new job that pays much more money. We could rebuild our old home, and I really want to do it. However, there might be many instances in this job where I'll need abilities. I wanted to ask…"<br><br>He paused slightly, "Could you share your might with me?"<br><br>"Share my might?"<br><br>His sister on the lamp post smiled, a somewhat eerie grin: "What will you give me in exchange, brother?"<br><br>Luke Sin thought for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Shriek fowl?"<br><br>His sister's smile vanished, her form blurred, as if about to disappear.<br><br>Luke Sin hastened to say, "Wait, wait, let's discuss…"<br><br>With this new job I've found, it looks like I could earn a lot. Of course, I must do my job well.<br><br>And the very first task in this job is handling this sister…<br><br>Although his sister stopped when he called, she was still upset and silent, only gazing at him hauntingly.<br><br>Luke Sin felt somewhat helpless, testingly asked, "What exactly do you want?"<br><br>"You know…"<br><br>His sister's eyes glittered with a mysterious grin as she jumped gracefully like a spider, landing beside Luke Sin. Squatting lightly, looking up, she said, "I want interesting toys!"<br><br>Luke Sin furrowed his brow slightly.<br><br>At this point, his sister’s eyes lit up, directly looking ahead.<br><br>Under the dim streetlight, a drunk man was urinating against a wall.<br><br>Her eyes sparkled sinisterly, her expression holding some strange cruelty, "I like toys that can move, that can talk. I enjoy complete toys, for only when they're complete can they be torn apart and sewn back together…"<br><br>"Brother, could you give me this toy?"<br><br>"If you do, I'll lend you my might…"<br><br>"…"<br><br>"Don't just harm others so easily…"<br><br>Luke Sin spoke softly, watching the man who finished urinating and began kicking a trash can, "It's illegal."<br><br>His sister giggled, seemingly cruelly, softly saying, "Then why can others harm me?"<br><br>Luke Sin was momentarily silent, unable to answer.<br><br>He observed her delicate little face, at this moment appearing with an ill-fitting crack, a pained look in her eyes.<br><br>"If you don't want me to hurt others, lending yourself as a toy for a while would do…"<br><br>His sister's gaze fixed on his, her smile becoming eerie.<br><br>Luke Sin remained silent, neither answering her nor refusing, watching her slender fingers reach toward him.<br><br>Her fingertips fine and sharp, seemingly with invisible power.<br><br>Touching someone led to horrifying consequences. <br><br>Yet, as her fingers inched toward him, they abruptly slowed down.<br><br>Her fingers did not pierce his body, only lightly brushed against his spine, through his clothes, tracing a long scar. Hideous, it hinted at the terrible damage done when it first formed.<br><br>"You've always been a fool, brother…"<br><br>She softly murmured, her voice low, "When others hurt me, only you would rush in to protect me."<br><br>Her previously eerie expression softened, resembling a simple, fragile little girl. Both hands reached around him, embracing him without harm, as if she wanted her face buried into his body. He saw her tiny form trembling lightly, sobbing without sound in the silent alley.<br><br>Watching her cry like that, he sighed gently after a long while.<br><br>Some things were dreams overlapping reality, or fantasies merging with truth, becoming indistinguishable to him.<br><br>Later, he gently held his sister's shoulders and smiled, "Sister, do you know I am not the same as before?"<br><br>Her tear-streaked, grimy face couldn't hide her curiosity, "What?"<br><br>"I just found another job; I have money now!"<br><br>Luke Sin said seriously, "So, I can't get you those toys, but I can take you to buy toys!"<br><br>Pointing towards the bustling street, he said, "Buy whatever you want, get whichever kinds you like!"<br><br>"Is that good?"<br><br>Hearing this, her eyes twinkled, appearing to forget her sadness just now.<br><br>Her tear-lined face broke into a smile, nodding vigorously.<br><br>"…"<br><br>The money for defeating the minor mind beast was left in the Red Moon Orphanage, but the savings from Luke Sin's work over the years amounted to over two thousand. He found an old ATM and withdrew all the money, then took his sister to the busiest street in the old district.<br><br>After all, now with the new job, earnings would surely increase.<br><br>Barbie dolls in ornate costumes, plush bear hugs, jointed puppets, squeezable baby toys shouting "Kiss, cuddle, lift high!"… Luke Sin bought a plethora of toys in one go, from the street's start to its end—some stockpiled since the Red Moon Incident, others freshly made after.<br><br>Ignoring all glances, he spared no penny… spending to the last cent…<br><br>If she nodded or her glance suggested interest, he bought it all.<br><br>He knew others couldn't see his sister; when talking or holding hands with her, he'd receive strange looks. At ordinary times, he'd care, but not today.<br><br>He did his utmost to fulfill his sister's wishes.<br><br>Ultimately, holding four or five bags, backpack laden with big bears, and arms full of toys, amidst some peculiar looks from others, they reached the bridge. The toys piled high.<br><br>His sister sat at the pile's center, eyes glowing.<br><br>Twisting off Barbie heads, pulling bear eyes out, ripping bodies, interchanging puppet limbs, removing batteries from plush toys that cried "Kiss, cuddle, lift high!"… she destroyed, dismantled these toys, her face reflecting unprecedented contentment.<br><br>Watching quietly from a rail, smoking, he observed his sister.<br><br>"I'm very happy, brother!"<br><br>Finally, she looked up, her smile unexpectedly pleasant.<br><br>Luke Sin's heart eased, he responded, "Then will you lend me your might now?"<br><br>Standing amid shattered toys, her eyes shone bright as she smiled:<br><br>"My silly brother, didn't you know, you can actually forcefully use my power?"<br><br>"…"<br><br>"I know."<br><br>Luke Sin replied after a slight pause, "But I still wanted to ask you."<br><br>Her slightly contorted face turned into a truly joyful smile, then she stretched her delicate palm toward him.<br><br>"When you need me, I will always be here!"<br><br>Gazing at her eyes, Luke Sin seriously extended his hand.<br><br>"Pa!"<br><br>Under the scarlet moon, he and his sister's small hands lightly high-fived, sealing a kind of promise.)
