Chapter 39

Randy ignored him.

David acted like a good father: "Do you want to talk to us about how you feel about losing a friend?"

This further probing annoyed Emma. She was a self-contained person who, when confronted with troubling issues, wouldn't think about solving them but would instead instinctively harbor resentment toward the one who raised the question.

So her response was somewhat cold.

"I don't think there's anything to discuss."

This surprised David; his daughter's reaction also left him puzzled. It didn't seem typical for someone of her age, or even a normal person.

At critical moments, Randy had to step in to save the situation. If they continued talking, Emma's impatient attitude might reveal the problem to David.

"No emotions; it might just be a temporary mental block against sadness, to prevent too much sorrow. This is a normal phenomenon. Just like me, when my parents first passed away, I had no feelings at all. The sadness needs to be gradually shared over time.

For someone experiencing death for the first time, it seems unreal. It's just a cold word, and it might take a while for it to reach the heart."

"Yes, I think that's how I feel!"

Emma looked down, putting on a helpless expression.

"Sorry."

David quickly apologized, feeling that Randy's words made sense and feeling sorry for how mature he was at such a young age, clearly indicating that the child carried pain within.

"Sorry, Emma, I shouldn't have pressed you at this time. And Randy, I'm really sorry for bringing up your painful past."

Randy waved it off indifferently: "It's fine, I've gotten used to it."

Emma, seeing this example, found a model to follow.

"You're such a strong child."

David looked at Randy with admiration.

"Randy, have you faced any difficulties in your life? Maybe I can offer some help, like with your studies. You're still in high school, right? If you're willing to continue studying, I can sponsor your college education."

The sponsorship would certainly cover more than just tuition; it would also include some living expenses. In America, even the most obscure community colleges have tuition starting at $10,000, and more reputable schools start at $20,000, with prestigious schools being even more expensive.

Including other expenses like accommodation, insurance, and medical care, it's not uncommon to need $40,000 to $50,000.

So there are many student loans available. Many college students end up accumulating $200,000 to $300,000 in debt without gaining much knowledge, which is very liberating.

Emma listened with anticipation, as it was not her money being spent, so she wasn't concerned. What interested her more was the favor that could be returned, potentially giving her more leverage in the future.

But Randy just shook his head: "I appreciate your kindness, but I don't need it."

"Alright."

Everyone has their own aspirations, and David understood. He thought about Randy's injuries, possibly due to being bullied at school, which might have caused him to fear education.

David was genuinely grateful, so he continued suggesting.

"Would you like to work at my company? Learn some architectural design and drafting. The salary is quite good."

If this were the real world, and Randy's methods were effective, he might consider it.

"Thank you, but if I ever consider it, I'll contact you."

"Okay."

David nodded and then proactively asked for Randy's contact information, handing over two of his business cards.

The two then went back to fishing.

It was unclear if Randy's aura of menace was too strong, but no fish seemed to bite for a long time. On the other hand, David kept catching one fish after another, and they were generally quite large.

This made David's smile even broader and a bit embarrassed.

"It's been a long time since I went fishing, so all the luck must have accumulated for today."

"Hehe."

Randy congratulated him.

But Randy remained silent, which was quite strange; despite pretending to fish by the sea for several days, he always came back empty-handed.

David, on the other hand, took photos of the fish he caught, showing them off while receiving Emma's perfunctory praise. David then released the fish back into the sea, perhaps wanting to convey a kind worldview of non-violence to the children.

Just a short while later, David's phone rang. Looking down, he saw it was a call from an employee at the company, likely about work-related matters.

"Randy, can you help me with the rod? There's another fish on the line. I'll take this call."

Randy jogged over and took the rod. David immediately left his position to answer the phone, but since the signal was poor, he climbed a few steps up the cliff.

As soon as he left, Randy's line went slack.

Then both fishing rods were motionless.

This made Emma on the side laugh.

"Looks like your luck isn't good; the fish are avoiding you."

"You shouldn't casually comment on others' luck, you know? Emma?"

Without David, the two returned to their usual selves, with Randy putting on a cold expression.

"That only means my dad is better at fishing than you."

After a day's absence, Emma's awe had faded considerably, and her competitive spirit came back.

Randy asked, "If someone shows off in front of you, and their friends mock you, what would you do?"

Emma's expression changed: "I'd want to kill him."

"So, it's best to avoid making such comments in front of me in the future. You know we share similar thoughts."

Randy continued to impart wisdom as if he were an elder.

Emma didn't mind this kind of threat.

She knew Randy, though seeming mature, made decisions based on pragmatism rather than acting impulsively due to minor disputes, unlike herself.

She then shifted topics and asked about other concerns.

"Is what you said about postponing grief true? Will I also be sad about Milo's death in a few days?"

Emma saw Randy as a larger version of herself, and every word he said was valuable experience she couldn't easily obtain elsewhere.

"You probably won't. You're a truly cold-blooded person, with no emotions."

Randy could tell from Emma's expression that she had little tolerance for family and was a typical ungrateful person.

"I knew what you said before was a lie. Were you the same when you were a child?"

"Not at all. I was much stronger than you."

Randy rarely reflected on the past, speaking about his own situation in a nonchalant tone.

"There was a poor boy whose family conditions were poor. But he had a very successful uncle abroad. The boy's parents made a grave mistake and had enough of being looked down upon in their country, so they chose to smuggle their family to their uncle.

The uncle, who valued family ties highly, warmly welcomed them, providing significant spiritual and financial support. But the boy's cousin was very hostile, repeatedly bullying and humiliating him, and at school, he was treated like a slave.

I don't know what the boy thought, maybe fearing to spoil his parents' relationship with the uncle, he silently endured. But he also envied his uncle's wealth and his cousin's prestigious position at school.

Desiring something means pursuing it. The boy firmly believed in this, so after a dinner at his uncle's house, he turned on the gas late at night and watched as his drunken parents and cousin died in their sleep. After timing it right, he quietly returned to the living room to lie down, waiting for 4 a.m. when his uncle, who was preparing to catch a flight, would be woken by the alarm and rescue him.

In the end, he succeeded.

The uncle, who still kept his habit of sleeping with the window open that night, was severely affected by carbon monoxide poisoning, but the boy managed to call for help. He became the only survivor and heir of the family besides the uncle."

"That boy's luck was indeed very good."

Randy said with certainty.

Emma naturally thought this was Randy's personal experience but then realized.

"Wait, didn't your stepmother just pass away? I get it now; did you later kill your uncle? Is the recent one your adoptive mother?"

Randy looked at her but did not respond or explain.

He even felt wronged. He didn't have such a strong killing intent; many of the things he did were just compromises made out of necessity for a purpose.

"Randy, you're just like me."

Emma continued, feeling inspired by the story and immediately extending an invitation.

"Have you considered coming to live with us? I won't treat you like my cousin did. As long as I speak up, my parents won't refuse another child. We can even prepare a carefully planned performance where you save me again at a critical moment. This will certainly make my parents more satisfied with you."

She was genuinely looking for someone to rely on for communication, ideally someone who could also help her solve problems.

This was a good offer. Randy had considered taking over someone's place before, but David's job and complex social relationships were too difficult to manage.

Moreover, David's enthusiasm and sense of justice weren't suitable for long-term interaction.

"I'm not interested, but I extend an invitation to you as well. People like you are rare. Perhaps you could inherit my legacy in the future."

Talent didn't matter much to Randy; he had ways to defy fate, so temperament was what he valued most.

Similar to Carrie, who had great strength but ultimately could only be a pawn or a hitman, changing her nature was too difficult. Even if successfully reshaped, a small issue could trigger old traumas.

Just like Azou from the 'Yakuza Incident,' who had risen to a high position and became so brutal but was essentially still a coward.

Emma was still too young to understand the meaning behind this but was sure that if anything happened in the future, coming to find Randy was definitely the right choice.

Their conversation more or less ended here. David hung up the phone and came back, but his expression looked serious. However, as he approached the two, he quickly resumed his relaxed demeanor.

"How did it go, Randy? Any gains?"

"Not bad…"

Emma immediately exposed the lie: "In fact, not a single fish was caught. The one you had before ran away!"

David quickly reassured: "Oh? It's okay; patience will eventually bring results."

Randy also nodded in agreement: "Indeed."

David then took out a portable music player from his bag and handed it to his daughter.

"Emma, why don't you listen to some music first? Daddy needs to talk to Randy about some things."

Emma frowned, but seeing Randy's glance, she could only take it reluctantly.

"Alright."

"Very good."

After putting on a piece of music for his daughter, David immediately cast a worried glance at Randy.

"Randy, do you know what's been happening in the town recently?"

Before Randy could respond, he continued.

"Like the clown Emma mentioned yesterday, it might really exist. I heard stories about it when I was a child, but we never really believed in it since it hadn't appeared for decades. But recently, it seems to have come out again. I just received a call from a company employee; he's planning to take leave and temporarily move away from the town for safety reasons. His family has young children, and his home is in the western city district. I also called the police chief to confirm; there have been over ten disappearances in the town recently, and there have been two serious murder cases. If things aren't stopped in time, it might soon cause panic."

Randy feigned surprise.

He was actually quite surprised that the clown dared to commit so many crimes at once.

But upon closer thought, Randy felt it might not be as exaggerated as it seemed. Perhaps the police had also included the previous disappearances of Carl's group and Rick's group.

Rich people receive information quickly, so it was likely that many in the town hadn't noticed the abnormalities yet.

David continued: "Randy, don't think I'm alarmist. I understand you're still living alone, and when we passed by your home on the way to the seaside, there were three missing children from the small woods in front of your house."

David only knew a few missing points from the police but didn't know the specific details.

"So, Mr. David, what do you suggest?"

David sincerely invited: "I think you might consider temporarily staying at our home. Our home is on the mountain in the upper city; it's a separate city system, so it would be much safer."

"Thank you for your kindness, but please allow me to decline."

For Randy, this was a crucial time. As long as he obtained the lotus seed, it would be a turning point.

David was puzzled: "Randy? The situation might really be urgent."

Randy remained persistent: "I understand. I've also heard the rumors about the clown, but I'm not afraid of it. If I encounter danger, I will definitely contact you immediately."

"Alright, if the situation becomes even more critical, I will reconsider."

David thought carefully and had to agree.

He remembered the clown rumors from his younger days. The monster mainly targeted children, like those around Emma's age or slightly older, perhaps around thirteen.

So Randy, who was close to adulthood, might not be its target. Hence, he didn't insist too much.

What he needed to worry about now was his daughter Emma. She had once encountered the clown, so it was time to let the nanny from last week's interview start work earlier.

After discussing serious matters, Emma's headphones could be taken off. In fact, she could eavesdrop on the conversation as long as she covered her ears and put on the headphones. No one would notice.

She had only a vague understanding of the clown, as she had first heard of it from Randy's instructions.

Emma began to speculate. Could it be that the clown was related to Randy? It seemed he knew a lot, even using the clown's identity to act.

Or perhaps the clown was actually him in disguise? This guy seemed to be a perverted killer.

So interesting.

The three continued to stay like this. Although David was hooked for a long time, he was quite tired and mentally drained, and he considered calling off the activity several times.

Because his daughter had moved the stool away again, chatting and laughing with Randy, seemingly enjoying herself greatly.

David found it hard to interrupt.

As it approached noon, Randy finally stopped the conversation.

"Alright, leisure time is over for now."

But Emma's expression seemed not fully satisfied.

David smiled and replied: "Yes, lunch time is approaching."

"How about we visit Randy's house for lunch? He must be very good at cooking!"

"I don't know how to cook."

"That's okay. It doesn't matter if he can cook or not."

Emma continued to smile and then quietly sent a signal: "I haven't gotten my medal yet; I can't go back empty-handed!"

Randy thought for a moment and finally nodded: "Okay, let's go then."