AZI Volume 2 Chapter 19

"…"

Towards the sight of her younger sister being taken as a hostage, a frown appears on Jing Yin's face, and this is something that neither Long Hua nor Tian Cheng had missed.

(Jing said—she doesn't get along with her older sister, but I guess the hate isn't mutual.)

Clearing his throat, Long Hua looks to Nian Tao Tao and Jing Yin, and says—

"Right, I got two hostages now. Just to let you know my doll here is an HX98 by Mobility Tech. With your vast intelligence network, you should know that this model of HC dolls was canceled due to a buggy AI. Her acting up every now and then isn't usual. Just the other day, she committed arson when I wasn't watching, so I won't be held responsible if Jing's pretty little head just so happens to roll from a malfunction."

"…"

"Look into it."

Compared to Nian Tao Tao—who is still a bit baffled by this unusual change in the situation, Jing Yin looks to the Moon Guard to her right, and orders him to confirm this bit of information.

"I need to make it as believable as possible, so there's no need to glare at me like that, is there?"

Sensing Tian Cheng burning a hole in the back of his head with her gaze, Long Hua throws an apologetic expression at her.

"You sure this is going to work?"

Much like her mother, Nian Yao Yao also finds this situation to be just as ridiculous.

"Beats doing nothing. C'mon, play along with me for all it's worth."

Replying as such, Long Hua returns his focus to Nian Tao Tao.

"My demands are rather simple. Prepare me a getaway car."

"I still don't think you'll do it, young man."

In response to Nian Tao Tao's reply, Long Hua smiles like a snake, and adds—

"I may not do it, but I could just as easily hand your precious daughter over to my doll. At that point, it might already be too late."

"…"

"How did that saying go again? Something along the lines of "no tears would be shed until the casket is met," you mentioned how she's about to reach 200 years of age soon. Don't you want to see her still be alive and kicking during that time—instead of being buried six feet under?"

"…"

"Careful now, my right hand might slip."

With Nian Yao Yao digging her heel onto his shoe with enough force to make him feel a bit of pain, Long Hua purposefully shakes his hand in an unsteady manner.

"Lady Jing, what he said is true."

Getting off the phone, the Moon Guard confirms that the information Long Hua had given to them to be true, to which Jing Yin asks—

"What now, Madame Nian?"

"…"

With a frown of contemplation on her face, Nian Tao Tao is utterly unsure of how she should go about dealing with this situation.

"Yin, you think he's…- Let's talk outside."

Just as Nian Tao Tao and Jing Yin turn around, Long Hua calls out to them.

"Hang on, if this is going to be a long conversation—tell your guards to bring me some food and drinks. I didn't get to eat my fill since you all so rudely disrupted my dinner."

Towards Long Hua's shameless demand, every single person—regardless of friend or foe, directs an expression of disbelief and scorn at him.

(Uh, being looked at like this is actually quite painful… I guess my face just isn't as thick as shizun's.)

"Master."

"What?"

"Do not be concerned about their looks."

"…Thanks."

Knowing Tian Cheng to not be among those who are looking at him with disgust is somewhat comforting, but there was also something oddly sad about this.

"…Do as he says."

Leaving these words behind, Nian Tao Tao and Jing Yin move outside to hold their conversation.

"Alright then. Quit standing around, and get me some food!"

With how much commotion there had been, it goes without saying that all the hotel staff and customers had already left the building.

With that being the case, the task of bringing Long Hua and the others food and drinks is left completely to the Moon Guards.

"You're a real scumbag…"

Emerging from the MAU's chest, Qing Yue looks to Long Hua with the same expression as everyone else beneath her mask, prior to leaping off the machine and storing it away.

"That's one interesting Relic you've got."

"Hmph."

"Childish."

Towards being given the middle finger by Qing Yue, Long Hua shoos her away with his left hand.

...…

Outside of the hotel—

"Well, what do you make of this situation, Yin?"

"Certainly an interesting turn of events."

To prevent the city from interfering with their business, Nian Tao Tao has thoroughly isolated the area around the hotel in a one-mile radius ahead of time.

Among the vehicles that are parked on the streets, two in particular stand out—being a white luxury car and a black helicopter.

Other than those two, there are two semi-trucks attached to large trailers designed to transport MAUs.

Every other vehicle that is left to be named all shares the same appearance—being a black SUV.

"I'm not very willing to just give up on that map."

"If anyth-"

"I know."

Thinking deeply about their current dilemma, Nian Tao Tao raises another question for Jing Yin, being—

"What do you make of that young man?"

"He definitely possesses a Relic, so he's clearly a Sinner, but I feel as if…"

With an expression of doubt on her face, Jing Yin pauses in her speech, to which Nian Tao Tao guesses—

"Immortal like?"

"Correct."