Besides the staff of the show, Inner City residents are also watching this battle between the man and shark live.
They project a virtual image into a meeting room where they are sitting around a grand roundtable, and discussing with each other. In front of them is a giant screen split into numerous camera angles. Bright and his companions are currently the subject of these screens.
Different from the staff of the show who are largely amazed or shocked, their taste and vision are more critical.
âIf an arm or a leg was eaten it would have been more entertaining. To fight a group of sharks unarmed and escaping unscathed; has the Director become soft?â This is an unpleasant voice to hear, and makes one picture a cold reptilian creature. His pitch is also unsettling, and hissing sounds can be heard in the utterances. Especially when pronouncing words beginning with an [s] sound, when air flows in the gap between the surface of the tongue and the teeth, the fricative voice sounds especially unnerving and chilly.
âHeâs old.â Hopkin says coldly, feeling no amity for the self-important old fart.
He stops looking at the screen and instead focuses on the wine glass he is playing in his hands, so that his boiling anger inside does not reveal itself.
The show is currently showing the aftermath of the battle. Some of them are eating and recovering stamina. Some are happy about the points sharks have given them. Some are mocking number 56 for the verdant life he has.
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Hopkin feels as if that âlooking at all the greenery growing out of your headâ remark of Thin Bamboo from the Dwarf and the Giant pair is directed at himself.
Right now, his Bright is being hugged tightly by another person. That Ginger seems as if he is a gigantic octopus with his limbs turned into tentacles, wanting to wrap them around Bright without ever letting go.
What displeases him most is that the man fails to not only reject it and define a clear boundary between them, but he even has a smile of relief on him that is full of warm and joy. He is patting Gingerâs back again and again, telling him tenderly, âitâs ok.â
Those brown pair of eyes are filled with another person. His strong arms are hugging another person. Even his kind speech is directed towards another person.
Since the man entered the waters for Ginger, Hopkin has started scheming an unforgettable punish for the man. Make him regret playing the hero, to give up on searching for something as laughable as companionship from the people who betrayed him. There should be no trust and sacrifice between contestants, and he will help him remember that lesson well.
âI only discovered just now, but how Ginger cries has a special taste to it.â An Inner City aristocrat has declared his interest in Ronald. As the first one to speak, others will not compete with him out of courtesy.
To be honest, the friendly boy down the street type is never one that attracts attention or leaves a deep impression, but it might be quite fine if you sit down and have a good tasting. It is like a mountain spring, with an aftertaste of freshness and sweetness. Though it is not as unique in taste as all the other types of soft or hard drinks, but with it as a basis, whether youâre brewing wine or a cup of tea youâll be able to end up with a better taste overall.
The Inner City aristocrat comments, âbecause he managed to survive from certain death, he is full of fear, both current and lingering, but also full of joy and gratitude from being saved. The emotions are full and complex like a well-shaken cocktail.â
Hearing the discussion going like that, Hopkinâs mood sinks further. He also has a bad premonition. He raises his head back up and looks back at the screen, observing Brightâs expression.
As expected, the manâs reaction is different from normal. Those who do not know him well may have a hard time telling it, but Hopkin has had a similar experience with him. The man does not respond to both soft and hard tactics, and his only weakness is in this salty bodily fluid.
In the camera, Bright had to spend a long time before Ginger would leave his embrace. The time they spent is definitely longer than what is acceptable for companions. He did not do it by force, nor did he do it with verbal rejection, but he carefully, affectionately, lightly pinched Gingerâs arm, reminding him that he should have finished adjusting emotionally after that outburst.
Someone notices another side to this.
âBeautyâs expression is also meaningful. He has to have seen the sharks back then, but he did not alert Ginger. Is he regretting his softness in his inaction, or is he envious of him and is wishing that he was the one who was trapped instead?â
Someone who just joined their meeting answers, ânumber 199 has a heroic leadership personality that is demanding of loyalty, whether in teamwork or companionship. If Beauty was the one trapped just now he would probably not go that far. Only Ginger whose disposition seems to be a weak, pitiable, innocent victim can trigger his protective instincts.â
âOh, Detective, even you are here.â Says someone who seems to be surprised.
The Detective grins, and nods in courtesy, answering, âhe is interesting.â
Hopkinâs attention is drawn to Detective who has just arrived, while sampling the words he used silently. Weak? Innocent? Then a coldness sweeps across his expression. Protecting the weak, a laughable psychological need to fulfil his own pride by being relied upon, being thanked and being needed. This is a weak point of the man.
He continues running his hand over the wine glass in his hand, while examining Ginger this time. The teenagerâs eyes are still reddened and wet, looking like a small animal that is easily frightened. His cheeks are reddening while his eyes are sparkling as he observes the manâs reaction, seemingly apologetic for his outburst just now.
Hopkin thinks he should be feeling better as he has learned of Brightâs weak point further, and will be able to use the influence Ginger has on Bright to pummel that man. Yet at the same time he has to admit that he is not happy that this influence exists. It would be good if their relationship were destroyed.
Hopkin will not let his time be wasted on the insignificant speck that is Ginger, but he cannot ignore what the Inner City people are thinking. The Detective has indicated his interest in Bright more than once. To continue to ignore it will start to become socially unacceptable and leave behind a potential risk. Besides, as the man becomes brighter and brighter, more people will start paying attention to him. Too many toys are shared, gifted or exchanged among the Inner City aristocrats.
âNumber 199 is physically durable, so he can probably survive for quite some time. You can ask Gentleman to let you borrow him.â Someone gives a suggestion to Detective in a quiet voice. Everyone knows that toys that have been handled by Gentleman all end up crippled or dead, so basically nothing that he has played with can still be enjoyed by others. To persuade Detective to âfight forâ something that has caught Gentlemanâs attention is definitely not an amiable act, but it is not an act of much malic either. Itâs just on the level of mischief.
The Detective understands that and does not mind following his advice. Before this, number 199 would have been a grade-D mystery at best, but now he is grade-A. He does not have many hobbies besides mystery solving. Returning him to Gentleman after he has resolved his burning questions should not be a loss to him either.
He locks his gaze with Hopkinâs and does not manage to read anything much from it. The man is both intelligent and wary, one of the few people who can compete with him intellectually. It is just that his personality is twisted and his methods cruel and strict. He always distanced himself from him, to each playing with his own because he thinks of him being like that as troublesome. Nobody could have guessed that because of this one contestant in this season, he will be trying to pry something away from his hands.
The Detective goes through what he found special about number 199 and his inquisitive mind is itching. He surrenders to his strong curiosity and tries to coax Gentleman.
âYou have probably also noticed that he has many secrets. First, his personal growth is so fast it is astonishing. From episode one to six, his stamina, bravery, speed, power, and other aspects have seen significant growth. I suspected that he was holding back at first, and certainly, he did, and the power that he has shown should still even be a vast underestimation of his actual power. Yet just the level he has displayed is already among the pinnacle of human achievement. I suspect his true strength may be close to or even beyond what we know of as the limit of mankind. The truth is, however, he has not been strong from the very start. He has grown in the competition at a speed that can be said to be explosively high-flying, strengthening a great amount each day. That can be evidenced fromâŚâ
The Detective is continuing his nonstop verbal analysis drawn from the everyday clues he has observed. Hopkinâs expression heads from chilling to freezing. Due to what Detective has said, more and more Inner City aristocrats are paying attention to the taciturn man. This is not a good thing at all.
âAlso, his origin is a mystery. We often simply categorise anyone without a bracelet as Outsider; I have to say this generalisation is too indelicate. Those in charge of Outer City security matters should have a good hard look at their brains. Oh, back to the topic. I investigated and did not find any single record of him entering the City from Outside. Those smugglers and traffickers who always think theyâre so smart are actually completely under our observation. Yet number 199 is as if he has suddenly appeared in the City. This is miraculous!â
The Detective has become excited; what he said has huge implications. Nobody can appear out of thin air. This man of unknown origins and utterly incompatible with the City appearing as he did begs the question of what objective he has.
âYou mean, someone made him âintentionallyâ?â
Everyone was just going to watch a drama unfold originally, but they have become serious as they continued listening. The Detective is not someone who cares about trivial everyday matters generally and is a bit unhinged, but he is the one who is closest to the truth each time. What he has said cannot be brushed off.
âIs him entering the show something someone has done on purpose?â Some people are growing restless, and we have to purge them again?
Though the Detective shakes his head, ânot enough evidence for a conclusion.â
âIt could also be that the rats Outside have entered the City with some new method we didnât know, since the Watchdogs have become less and less obedient recently. They need some good discipline so that it does not bite its owners.â
The Watchdog refers to the military that is in charge of defence matters of the Outer City and the Outside. The Inner City residents are displeased that they smuggled a bunch of furries into the show, not because theyâre too dangerous that they make the show unsafe, but because the doggies are not obedient and are acting on their own thoughts.
While discussion of the origin of number 199 was ongoing, Director received a communication and also joined it. He adjusts his square glasses, then says in a refined tone, âthorough investigation will be conducted. The show cannot be affected.â He seemingly passes his gaze over Hopkin innocuously. The latter is expressionless.
âGive me number 199, Gentleman,â the Detective looks earnest, as if afraid Hopkin will not agree, he adds, âseven days. I only need seven days.â
Hopkin realises this is an ambush against him. Maybe Director and Detective have planned it beforehand, maybe not. As a result they have managed to loosen his ownership over Bright.
The issue of number 199 has escalated from mere entertainment to an official matter.
When faced with everyone, Hopkin can only choose to cooperate. He suppresses his displeasure and hidden anxiety. He knows what Detective is playing at. He used this situation and other peopleâs goals and baselines to make him concede.
âI will notify you.â Hopkin tells Detector indifferently, his emotions unreadable.
This is both a promise and a condition. The investigation must be conducted under his supervision. The Detective hesitates but knows he cannot take a mile for his inch and pressure him too hard. He agrees.
When he thinks about how he can explore number 199âs secrets as he pleases, Detective is quite thrilled indeed.
In contrast to his excitement is the mood of Hopkin which has been sinking continuously.
Authorâs notes: Hopkin: ( holding his façade firmly in place ) QAQ