AITAMITB Chapter 26

Who is comforting whom…

Zhao Xiaokui could feel Su Mingyue’s concern. The extraordinary power detector is not always accurate, just like when it was used on Zhao Xiaokui, it was sometimes accurate and sometimes not. Whether it could detect her extraordinary identity entirely depended on her mood. Currently, although the detector showed no response, who knew if it was the case for someone like Zhao Xiaokui?

Zhao Xiaokui, who looked very frightened, was not really worried. She stood below, somewhat bored. She was like someone who already knew all the clues in the secret room but still had to grit her teeth and wait for her companions to find them one by one.

Fortunately, Lin Bai and the others didn’t make them wait long.

After controlling the man, they quickly found the long-lost memory eraser in his pocket and searched around. Finally, they found a dazed girl wearing revealing clothes in the bedroom.

Lin Bai, unconcerned about taboos, searched the bedroom and the person together, ensuring the other party wasn’t dangerous. After confirming that they were a victim rather than an accomplice, he went out to call Zhao Xiaokui and Su Mingyue.

In the face of the physically and psychologically damaged victims, the two men were skilled in fighting, but the identity of women was more appropriate.

During the process of reporting this matter upwards and waiting for relevant personnel to take over, Lin Bai and Gou Rixin were questioning the man in the living room, while Zhao Xiaokui and Su Mingyue were attempting to talk to the woman with a vacant expression in the bedroom.

Looking at Bai Jingru’s current appearance, thinking of the proud and beautiful girl in the encyclopedia, Zhao Xiaokui couldn’t help but sigh.

She had such a bright and promising life, but it was ruined by a scumbag.

“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. You’re safe now… No one can hurt you.”

When Su Mingyue tried to touch Bai Jingru, her body instinctively shrank, showing little reaction on her face. However, fear seemed to have penetrated into her bones.

Seeing the current appearance of the girl in her early twenties, Su Mingyue felt a twinge in her heart.

At this moment, the questioning outside the door had just begun.

“What’s your name?”

“Liu… Liu Qiang.”

“Age.”

“Twenty-five.”

…

When Zhao Xiaokui heard Liu Qiang’s age, she was somewhat surprised. With his appearance, she thought he was at least in his thirties or above.

Under Lin Bai’s cold expression and Gou Rixin’s stern face, Liu Qiang dared not act recklessly. He honestly explained in detail how he found the memory eraser.

Like most people living nearby, Liu Qiang had a low level of education and worked in a factory doing odd jobs, earning just enough to make ends meet.

One day, he heard from a friend that there were valuable items thrown away by wealthy people in the trash bins of high-end neighborhoods. Taking them out could fetch a good amount of money. Timid and not daring to steal or rob, Liu Qiang was willing to pick up trash. He would give cigarettes and alcohol to the security guards, explaining that he was just collecting garbage, ensuring that residents wouldn’t complain. The security guards, seeing him being honest and not doing anything wrong, turned a blind eye and let him in.

The discarded items from the wealthy residents amazed Liu Qiang, with many things appearing almost new or completely untouched. With this income, he stopped going to work, scavenging the trash bins of various high-end neighborhoods every day. The memory eraser was found this way.

Meeting Bai Jingru, in his words, was destined.

“Damn destiny…”

Unable to hold back, Zhao Xiaokui muttered under her breath.

“Kids shouldn’t curse!” Su Mingyue gave her a disapproving look but firmly stated, “Scum!”

“At that time, I was rummaging through things in that neighborhood, and my wife saw me and asked what I was doing…”

“Who’s your wife? Watch your mouth.” Gou Rixin harshly kicked him, causing Liu Qiang to gasp for breath. Wanting to call the police for assault, the words were on his lips, but seeing Gou Rixin’s eyes as if he were looking at a dead man, he couldn’t say a word.

Bai Jingru had just returned and was unfamiliar with the surrounding residents. Due to living abroad alone for many years, she was extremely wary of strangers. Upon finding Liu Qiang, who seemed suspicious near her door, her first reaction was to loudly scold him and inquire about his background.

At that moment, Liu Qiang, full of smiles, cursed his misfortune. Planning to slip away, he accidentally pressed the memory eraser, which he couldn’t figure out the purpose of, into his pocket. Unfamiliar with the use of the memory eraser, he opened it to the maximum on the first attempt. Bai Jingru, an ordinary person, couldn’t withstand such an impact and fainted on the spot.

Initially, Liu Qiang didn’t realize that Bai Jingru’s unconsciousness was caused by the instrument in his hand. He thought she had a sudden illness. The security guards knew about him entering, and he feared that they might report him, saying he caused Bai Jingru’s death. He wouldn’t be able to explain himself then.

Unexpectedly, when checking Bai Jingru’s condition, he found the girl to be very beautiful and elegant. She was a completely different type from the online streamers and internet celebrities he usually pursued. Filled with lust, he dragged her to a secluded place, intending to take advantage of her. However, Bai Jingru suddenly woke up at this moment, with no recollection of him, loudly demanding to call the police.

Liu Qiang, afraid of being discovered for his actions, covered Bai Jingru’s mouth and nose. Just before she was about to faint, he accidentally pressed the button on the eraser again. Now, she fainted just like he had seen before, eyes rolling back.

When Bai Jingru woke up again, she still didn’t remember him.

This time, Liu Qiang discovered the existence of the memory eraser.

Considering himself the chosen one, he believed that whether it was the memory eraser or Bai Jingru, it was Heaven’s compensation for the hardships he had endured over the years.

Zhao Xiaokui was somewhat shocked by what he did next.

Things like memory erasers, which modify and erase mental powers, can have some side effects after frequent use, and she was well aware of it.

Liu Qiang noticed that after having her memories erased twice, Bai Jingru seemed confused. Emboldened, he directly claimed to be a worker invited by her to check the water and electricity situation at home. Surprisingly, the dazed Bai Jingru believed him.

Successfully entering the house, Liu Qiang took advantage of Bai Jingru’s disorientation and repeatedly used the memory eraser. He finally convinced Bai Jingru, making her believe that she had to go to a very secluded place without surveillance to meet a friend.

Using the memory eraser, Liu Qiang forcefully molded his own life into a sensual story.

However, real life is not as unreasonable as the world depicted in stories, and numerous anomalies can’t simply be glossed over magically.

Unlike an appendix or a blind appendix, memories erased by the memory eraser don’t grow back. However, sometimes, over time, the person involved may recall certain scenes, and the more memories erased, the more they may remember.

When Night Watchers use the memory eraser, it’s usually to delete scenes that shouldn’t be seen. Even if they recall later, they might think it was a dream or that they hallucinated. But Liu Qiang wiped out most of Bai Jingru’s memories, treating her as if she were mentally impaired. How could Bai Jingru not notice the clues?

Therefore, initially thinking of enjoying a harem of three thousand, Liu Qiang had to repeatedly use the memory eraser on Bai Jingru when he realized that her memories occasionally resurfaced. This device has two functions: one-on-one usage and one-on-many usage. Night Watchers choose based on their needs. Liu Qiang, a high school dropout, couldn’t understand the symbols on the eraser initially, using the energy-consuming one-on-many function. It not only consumed a lot of energy but also had a wide radiation range, causing trouble for many neighbors besides him.

The Night Watcher’s attention was ultimately drawn to the ghostly events deliberately created by others.

The room wasn’t soundproof, and the narration from outside could be heard clearly.

At first, Bai Jingru had an expressionless face, but as Liu Qiang narrated, tears streamed down her cheeks.

Zhao Xiaokui wasn’t very skilled at comforting people. Observing Bai Jingru’s dry and disheveled hair, filled with oil stains as if it hadn’t been properly washed for a long time, she didn’t mind placing her hands on it. She controlled the flow of water in the air, gently washing Bai Jingru’s hair.

Regarding her misuse of extraordinary abilities, Su Mingyue glanced at her but didn’t say much. Although officially registered extraordinaries were warned not to use or expose their powers in front of ordinary people, she hadn’t joined yet, right? The girl probably didn’t know those rules, so if she used them, she used them.

Water is perhaps the most ferocious yet gentle existence in this world. It can unleash towering waves, overturning massive ships, and at the same time, it can be gentle and soothing, relieving the fatigue of the body and soul.

Secretly within the water she controlled, Zhao Xiaokui added a spell of illumination.

Carefully concealing that faint glow, she used her fingers as a comb to gently untangle Bai Jingru’s knotted hair.

The spell of illumination, aside from its powerful impact on light-fearing creatures like vampires, is not very useful in general. Even as a light source, there is a glow spell that is more efficient and energy-saving. However, as a characteristic spell of the light species, its faint but rare ability to comfort the soul can be considered a therapeutic remedy for psychological trauma.

Under her soothing influence, Bai Jingru’s trembling body gradually calmed down, and in her murky, dim eyes, a faint glimmer gradually brightened.

Like Tony, the master in a barbershop, Zhao Xiaokui transformed Bai Jingru’s dry and unruly hair into smooth, glossy locks. The forcefully moisturized black hair looked as if it had undergone special care, appearing lustrous and sleek.

Bai Jingru, with her hair arranged on both sides of her shoulders, asked, “Is it nice?”

Su Mingyue looked at Bai Jingru, whose hairstyle had changed in an instant, feeling a bit amused and helpless. They hadn’t even taken a photo yet, and Zhao Xiaokui had already improved the victim’s appearance.

However, considering the Bai family’s influence, Bai Jingru probably didn’t need to play the victim, and the man outside wouldn’t fare well either. So, Su Mingyue let Zhao Xiaokui continue.

Bai Jingru lowered her head, looking at the hair in front of her chest, reaching out to grab a strand. It was smooth and silky as if it had never missed any maintenance or been pulled and tugged forcefully.

Zhao Xiaokui hadn’t thought too much when she did it, but now, looking at Bai Jingru’s expression, she inexplicably became nervous.

Bai Jingru slowly raised her head to look at her. Zhao “Tony’s” poker face didn’t change, “How is it? Does the beautiful lady find it suitable? Need any further adjustments—”

She was hugged.

Bai Jingru, who had been silently shedding tears without much reaction, suddenly reached out and hugged her.

Su Mingyue gave her an approving look.

Zhao Xiaokui gave her a wink in response.

Su Mingyue couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

…

Bai Jingru cried until she fainted. While unconscious, she still tightly held onto Zhao Xiaokui’s clothes, as if grasping onto the last straw of salvation.

When the ambulance arrived, Zhao Xiaokui had to carry the person down from upstairs and directly place her in the ambulance.

The moment she ruthlessly took the clothes from Bai Jingru’s hand, Bai Jingru woke up.

She looked at Zhao Xiaokui and asked, “We can still meet again, right?”

Zhao Xiaokui smiled at her and blinked.

In such matters, she couldn’t casually make promises.

Zhao Xiaokui was not the kind of scummy girl who would rush forward to latch onto a wealthy and beautiful lady.

Bai Jingru seemed to understand her intention and smiled gently. Her smile was pale, but there was a sparkle in her eyes.

She said, “I understand.”

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