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墨書 Inktalez
Anna walked down the stairs, and two giant Lizard creatures opened their eyes alertly, still flicking their long, blood-red tongues and swaying their long tails. The beasts' pupils remained cold, devoid of any warmth.
However, this time, Anna suddenly felt that they were not so terrifying anymore.
It was merely for survival, for food—such a simple need.
No matter how frightening they were, could they be more terrifying than humans?
The rain had stopped at some point; the living room window on the first floor was left open, allowing a lot of rainwater to drift in, soaking the curtains and the floor by the window. The wind continued to blow, but the curtains, heavy with water, could no longer flutter.
Opening the bedroom door and feeling the wind blowing in from outside, she realized it was already damp and cold.
Anna took out a lighter and burned the transparent paper in her hand that bore Andy's black fingerprints, watching it turn to ash bit by bit. Without changing her clothes, she walked straight to the bathroom, determined to wash away both the scent on her body and her clothes.
A sleepless night, a dreamless night, a night with nothing happening.
Anna lay directly in the bathtub filled with warm water while wearing her pajamas. It was already past four in the morning; although autumn had arrived, dawn would break in about an hour.
Anna had long lost her desire to sleep. She leaned back in the tub, staring at the ceiling. It was so quiet that she could hear even the sound of air entering her lungs and being exhaled through her nostrils. This time, those strange sounds did not appear again. Closing her eyes, her mind was filled with distorted images of Kim Mi-kyung—her twisted yet calm smile, her hoarse but unperturbed words, and a string of commands that Anna needed to find a way to use...
Living forever in a sterile giant glass box, existing in a place devoid of light, all the beauty she once took pride in had completely vanished—ugly, fragile, fierce. What was it that sustained Kim Mi-kyung's will to live? And did Andy truly love Kim Mi-kyung as he claimed?
Preservation?
This was the definition given by Kim Mi-kyung. Anna had to admit that this definition was incredibly accurate; whether it was Kim Mi-kyung or Anna Zheng, both had become 'items' that Andy desired and found scarce. Since they were items, they naturally needed to be well preserved. Anna let out a cold laugh; she had even foolishly hoped for a peaceful resolution to this matter, imagining that if the truth were revealed, everything could be forgiven and forgotten. How naive—she had already made so many resolutions before but found herself wavering once again.
It felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over her, completely extinguishing the flicker of hope she had managed to rekindle.
Finally, the white light on the horizon began to brighten, and the water in the bathtub had gradually cooled down without her noticing. Stepping out of the tub, she felt a chill envelop her body.
Anna picked up a towel to dry herself and changed into clean clothes. The birds outside began to chirp more brightly, and Anna glanced at her reflection in the mirror, her face haggard from a sleepless night. She attempted to smile, but it took several tries before she succeeded.
She had to smile; she had to continue ignoring those who were oblivious. Because the situation had not yet been resolved and was even approaching a critical point. It would either succeed or, if she wasn't careful, they would both fall into the abyss.
Seeing Anna stretch as she came down from the second floor, she let out a big yawn.
Andy asked, "Miss Anna, didn't sleep well?"
"No, I've just been too tired these days and can't catch up on rest. Once I get through this period and take a vacation, it will be fine," Anna replied as she went to pour herself a glass of milk and put two slices of toast in the toaster. After they were done, she brought them to the coffee table and sat down to eat.
"You’re so tired; I told you not to work so hard. You could just come work for me," Andy said while flipping through today's newspaper.
"How can I? I'm your sister; I don't want to work under you. I want to be self-sufficient," Anna said with a smile.
Andy chuckled, "By the way, did it rain last night? I didn't hear anything."
"Rain? How would I know?" Anna replied.
"We both slept too soundly and didn't close the windows. Look, the rain came right in," Andy said.
Anna furrowed her brow as she looked in the direction he indicated and sighed, "Oh no, this is bad; the wooden floor is soaked..." She set down her bread and prepared to clean up.
Andy said helplessly, "Alright, Miss Anna, you have less than ten minutes before you need to leave. I've already called the cleaning staff to come over. You should hurry up and finish your breakfast."
Anna replied, "Fine...," sitting back down. "But how can you still sleep so soundly like when we were kids? If someone came at night and kidnapped us, you wouldn't even know."
"You're one to talk; you're the same," Andy chuckled. "Besides, this room has an alarm system. If someone breaks in through the window or forces the door open, it will automatically alert and send the location. The nearest police station is only a three to four-minute drive away, so the police will arrive in less than five minutes."
Anna was surprised. "How come I didn't know about this?"
"You wouldn't break in, so why would you need to know?"
"Wow, that's impressive," Anna exclaimed.
"The people living in this area are all influential figures from business and politics, so of course it has to be like this."
Anna smiled, fell silent for a moment, deep in thought, then slowly spoke, "Andy, what kind of job would it be if I really worked with you?"
"What's with the sudden interest? Have you figured something out?" Andy asked.
"No, I'm just asking because besides my current job, I don't know what else I could do," Anna said with a hint of frustration.
"That's simple. Whenever you have a day off, I'll take you to see it. By the way, you've only been to my workplace once, and that was for..." Andy suddenly stopped when he noticed Anna's obvious discomfort about bringing it up. He smiled and said, "Alright, let's not talk about that. Next time you have a day off, come with me, and if you find a position that suits you, let me know."
Anna nodded lightly and said, "I'll think about it first and see."
Andy raised an eyebrow and said, "Miss Anna, you're truly unaware of your good fortune. Do you know how many people are eager to get into Century Group? Now that we're giving you the chance to choose, you're still considering it. Sigh... alright then, take your time."
"Then I should thank Chairman Zheng for his appreciation," Anna joked, lifting her milk and taking a big sip, her gaze vacant on the reflective surface of the coffee table... Berlin, Germany.
"Your little friend seems to be getting into dangerous situations again."
"Then you should go back and help her."
"You almost got caught by her in the bar last time."
"She was looking for me, and I was happy about that."
"Then why not meet her?"
"Hehe, it's not the right time yet... You should go back. If something really happens, make sure to protect her for me."
A moment of silence...
"I always thought you were getting close to her because of that person, but they have already broken up, and he is gone now."
"Gone...? Isn't she trying hard to get him back? He will come back; I know him."
"You can't be serious about this."
"This is something for later; let's talk about it then."
"Alright, then I'll head back."
"Well, go ahead."
It was Monday again, time for the show recording, but today was a bit special. In Kwang-soo's small room, a large crowd had gathered at the entrance.
"Anna, Anna, stop daydreaming and check if everything is set up in the study. Dong Wan, you go to the balcony and bedroom. Yufei, head to the kitchen, hurry up; we’re starting soon," said Miao PD.
Lee Kwang-soo nervously watched everyone's actions, afraid they might damage something precious.
Jung Kook and Jae-seok patted his shoulder, encouraging him to relax. "Hey, Kwang-soo, it's just a game; it will be over quickly."
Jung Kook added with a smile, "Yeah, Kwang-soo, I promise that if the last game is Name Tag Ripping, I won't go after you until the very end."
Kwang-soo smiled faintly and nodded helplessly.
"Camera Crew, Camera Crew, adjust the cameras quickly; we’re starting in ten minutes," Miao PD said, already overwhelmed as he urged everyone to work while checking his cue cards and game details.
"Hyung, I’m going to the bathroom," Kwang-soo said to Yoo Jae-suk.
Yoo Jae-suk nodded and watched as Kwang-soo walked into the bathroom. No one expected what would happen next, which left everyone completely startled.
"Ah!!" A scream came from the bathroom.
Instantly, a group rushed over and broke down the door, not caring whether Kwang-soo had his pants up or not...
"What happened?"
Anna also heard the commotion and rushed in from the study, leaving her work behind. She saw Kwang-soo lying on the ground with his legs in the air, grimacing, and there was a deformed bar of soap on the floor.
"Kwang-soo, are you okay?" Yoo Jae-suk and Kim Jong Kook were the first to rush over and crouch down.
"Don't... don't move me, hyung," Kwang-soo said tremulously.
Seeing the situation, Miao PD immediately halted the recording. "Quickly call for an ambulance. Today's recording is over."
"Who threw the soap on the ground and didn't pick it up..." Kwang-soo weakly complained.
It was already futile; with so many people around and such chaos, perhaps the person who knocked it over did so accidentally and didn't even notice.
Fearing he might have injured a bone, no one dared to move Kwang-soo's body. Lying on the cold ground was enough for him until the ambulance arrived. When the paramedics saw a room full of people, especially so many celebrities, they were genuinely surprised.
They placed Kwang-soo on a stretcher, and Yoo Jae-suk and Ji-hyo followed the ambulance.
"Miao PD, what should we do now?"
Looking at this sudden embarrassing situation, Miao PD glanced at the time, sighed, thought for a moment, and said, "Safety is definitely the priority. Let's stop today's filming for now. Is next week's filming plan ready?"
Dong Wan stepped forward and said, "The plan is ready, but it will take at least half a day to set up the venue and facilities. Also, we have an appointment with Mr. Cha Seung-won next Monday."
"Then... here's what we'll do: Park Soo Eun, try to contact Mr. Cha Seung-won's manager to see if we can schedule him for filming Running Man tomorrow or the day after. Once confirmed, Anna and Dong Wan, you two immediately prepare the game facilities and props for Mr. Cha Seung-won's episode."
“Miao PD, even if Mr. Cha Seung-won can adjust his schedule, this preparation is still too rushed,” Anna said.
“I know, but there’s no other way. We have to make these plans and see how Kwang-soo is doing. Regardless, we need to be prepared for emergencies,” Miao PD replied.
Everyone fell silent; no one expected such an unexpected turn of events.
“Alright, let’s leave it at that for now. Everyone wait here for a bit. If there’s nothing wrong with Kwang-soo, we’ll continue recording when he returns. If not, we’ll proceed as I just mentioned. Understood?” Miao PD said.
“Okay, understood,” everyone replied. Some rested on the sofa while others sat down directly on the floor.
Having fallen in the bathroom, and given Kwang-soo's height, it must have been quite a fall. Anna sat on a small stool on the balcony, trying to think about what to do next if Kwang-soo was indeed injured. However, her worries overshadowed her thoughts…
Why did things have to go so wrong? If he really hurt himself, it would be a painful ordeal, and it wouldn’t heal in just a day or two. Anna knew all too well what that felt like. She sighed lightly as she pondered.
At that moment, she truly hoped Lee Kwang-soo had pretended to fall because he didn’t want to film at home; at least then there wouldn’t be any real pain involved.
Moreover, the day after tomorrow was a day off. If Kwang-soo couldn’t record today, there was a high chance they would have to work overtime the day after tomorrow. That would mean she couldn’t go with Andy to Century Group, which would be terrible…
For whatever reason, Anna just hoped nothing serious had happened to Kwang-soo…
With her heart racing anxiously, over two hours passed before Brother Jae-seok finally called.
Listening to Brother Jae-seok explain the situation on the phone, Miao PD furrowed his brow tightly. Anna felt her heart start to race; could it be that he really had sustained some injury?
Once the call ended, the PD put down his phone.
"Dong Wan" cautiously asked, "Miao PD, how is it? Is there nothing wrong with Brother Kwangsoo?"
Miao PD sighed, causing everyone's hearts to sink. Anna thought to herself that it was over; the next time she saw Lee Kwang-soo, he would be in a wheelchair...
Miao PD slowly spoke, "After a detailed examination..." He paused for a moment and suddenly smiled, "They said there's no problem. He can come back soon and continue filming."
"That's great! As long as he's fine." Excitement was evident.
Anna finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. As long as everything was okay.
Due to the filming being delayed for half a day, what was originally expected to wrap up around eight in the evening continued until the early morning. However, since Kwang-soo had no major issues, they were still able to complete the progress satisfactorily, and everyone felt relieved. Although there was a delay, it did not disrupt the original rhythm.
Although Kwang-soo's injury did not affect filming, Miao PD decided to make changes to the final segment's name tag ripping game.
"Anna, Dong Wan, you two keep an eye on the recording up front. I need to go to the last location and make some changes to the program," Miao PD instructed Anna and Dong Wan.
"What?" Dong Wan exclaimed in surprise.
"Even though Kwang-soo is fine now, it's better to be cautious. The name tag ripping competition is too intense; I'm afraid something unexpected might happen," Miao PD said.
"Changing the game so suddenly and without prior testing is too risky," Anna replied. "Could we ask Jung Kook to secretly rip off Kwang-soo's name tag at the beginning? That way..."
"No, Anna, I understand your point," Miao PD said. "But you know that if we arrange something that shouldn't be arranged in advance, even if it appears natural, it will still seem intentional."
Anna nodded apologetically; this was a fundamental principle of outdoor variety shows that she had momentarily forgotten in her urgency.
"I understand," Anna said.
"Alright, I'll go first. Are you two okay?" Miao PD asked.
"Yes, we'll do our best, Miao PD. Don't worry," the two replied in unison.
Miao PD seemed relieved, nodding with a smile as he headed directly to the last location with a few necessary staff members.
In the end, what was originally planned as a game where Kwang-soo's beloved items' photo fragments were to be placed behind the members' name tags, along with finding hidden picture fragments in the mall to piece together a complete image and guess the name, turned into Kwang-soo becoming the judge. The members had to find various photos in the mall and could compete against each other, while Kwang-soo did not participate but only waited to provide secret hints and clues and to make judgments.
Although it might not have been as exciting as originally planned, it still maximized the theme while ensuring Kwang-soo's safety.
When filming ended, Anna wanted to ask Kwang-soo how he was doing but found that he was already surrounded by staff and members. Seeing him smile brightly, Anna felt relieved and smiled slightly. She didn't approach him but instead picked up her things and said goodbye to Dong Wan, who was also about to leave, before quietly departing.
After turning the corner onto the small road leading home, Anna noticed that the lights were out again. Just as she momentarily lost focus, a figure suddenly appeared ahead.
Anna barely had time to react when a sharp screech of brakes sounded. The impact left her unable to lift her head for a while.
Realizing she might have hit someone, Anna quickly unbuckled her seatbelt with trembling hands and got out of the car. Sure enough, a man who looked like a homeless person was lying on the ground in front of her car, seemingly unconscious.
Anna was completely panicked this time.
"Are you okay? Wake up," Anna rushed to his side and crouched down, eager to check on his condition. But in the next moment, the homeless man's eyes suddenly opened. Just as Anna sensed danger and wanted to back away, a glinting knife was pressed against her neck.
"Don't move or scream. I won't hurt you," the homeless man said.
"Alright, I won't call out. If you want money, it's in my bag in the car. I can go get it for you."
The homeless man smiled coldly, "Anna Zheng..."
The moment he uttered her name, Anna was shocked to the core, confirming that this person was intentionally targeting her, not just a simple con artist looking for money.
"You know me?"
"I don't want to hurt you; I just need to discuss some matters with you."
"Discuss what? Who are you?"
The homeless man cautiously glanced around at their surroundings and the house where Andy was not far away.
"This isn't the place to talk. Get in the car."
Anna helplessly looked at her house door, which was close by, but the wiring on this small path must have been tampered with by him. Even if he attacked her here, there would be no surveillance evidence left behind.
After a moment of thought, Anna slowly made her way toward the car.
The man let Anna into the back seat while he took the driver's seat and started the car.
If luck had truly been this bad, Anna felt she could have died a dozen times over these past two years. Since she had managed to survive each time, it seemed fate had not yet reached its end for her. Though it was exhausting, she still had life ahead of her.
The car didn't drive for long and didn't head to some desolate place as Anna had imagined, where she would be dismembered and left in the wilderness. None of the horror movie scenarios unfolded.
The man parked his car in front of a brightly lit 24-hour convenience store.
He turned off the engine and took out a slightly deformed pair of gold-rimmed glasses from his pocket. If it weren't for his shabby clothes and appearance, even though she had never seen him in person, Anna should be able to recognize who he was.
"What do you want?" Anna's heart gradually calmed down as the sense of danger slowly dissipated.
"I've known about you for a long time, Miss Anna Zheng, since the incident involving Mr. Yoo Jae-suk."
"What?" Anna was taken aback.
"I'm ashamed to say that at that time, because of your relentless pursuit of Mr. Yoo Jae-suk's matter, I almost had to take action against you. It was precisely because I learned a bit about you that I decided to find you. I must admit, it is somewhat embarrassing."
"So you're saying you were the instigator behind Brother Jae-seok's incident?"
"You could say that. I think, Miss Anna, you must have guessed who I am."
"Presidential candidate Lee Ji-hyun, although deemed guilty, I have always understood that with his wealth, power, and influence, it would be impossible for him to have the police chief and deputy chief at that time, along with so many others, help him conceal the truth. Moreover, how could he create chaos in a hotel under Century Group? All my speculations tell me that Lee Ji-hyun is merely a scapegoat, while the real mastermind capable of orchestrating all this is the supporter behind him—Century Group."
The homeless man smiled. Despite being covered in dirt, Anna noticed that his eyes always sparkled with light, completely different from those who had lost hope in life.
"Miss Anna Zheng, you guessed correctly. Everything that happened back then was orchestrated by the highest leader of Century Group—me... Jin Yu Cheng..."
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