Chapter 14

The turning point came one day.

Noble arrived at Bernie's shop as scheduled. Bernie was still at the counter explaining to the customer that the shop was closed and would not accept any more customers today. The two people were quite easy to talk to and left.

As soon as they walked away, Bernie didn't know whether he was talking to himself or seeking Noble's approval: "The store is closed? Why are there still people coming?" This was a waste of time.

Noble reflected on what he had just seen and realized the problem before Bernie did. He kindly reminded him, "Your sign hasn't been turned over yet. It's still 'open.'"

Bernie froze in his tracks, seemingly trying to remember if he'd adjusted the sign. After a few seconds, he finally reacted and rushed out like a cannonball. The cannonball nearly hit Jesse, who had just walked in. Jesse dodged as best he could, then the cannonball spun around and flew out of the store. Jesse was silent for a moment, then asked, "Is this the new way to treat customers?"

Noble didn't know who could answer this question, or how to answer it, but he still said, "Maybe." After all, you don't spend any money, so you're not really a customer.

He pushed aside the curtains, and the room was still in its familiar mess. Surprisingly, this made him feel more at ease than when Bernie had deliberately tidied it up before. Ice had found a chair from nowhere and was now sitting on it, eyes closed, headphones on. Noble guessed he was listening to music, and was quite absorbed in it, otherwise he wouldn't have reacted to them at all.

Jesse had already come closer and tapped on the wall. "ICE?"

"Oh," Ice opened his eyes, "You're here."

Jesse and Noble looked at each other and asked, "What's the matter?"

ICE took off his headphones and said slowly, "...I'm leaving Little Asia and going to America. What about you guys?"

/

Bernie said he wasn't involved. He was doing pretty well in Little Asia. He had no big ambitions, a place to live, a few connections to back him up, and a small hobby shop that was generating a bit of income. He'd recently gotten a computer to try hacking. His happiness quotient was undoubtedly in the top 1% of Little Asia's population.

In future generations, people like him might be called otakus. Otakus don't want to explore new maps and forge a new future. He says, "Brothers, go ahead. Once things stabilize, call me over to join the fun." He practically has "lack of ambition" etched on his forehead, and he's quite content with it.

ICE asked, "What about you?"

/

Do you want revenge?

Noble had thought about this question thousands of times.

If I go, I have to settle Xiaohua down first; if I don’t go for revenge, I have to find a safe place.

There were only a handful of areas in Japan not under Kowloon's control, and MUGEN was one of them. But was it always safe there? Noble didn't know, and he didn't dare to gamble.

The United States is a good option.

People always have to wait until later to understand whether their previous choices were correct. Noble can only make the best choice based on his current judgment.

Noble said, "Okay. I'll also bring my sister."

/

Jesse has his own set of guidelines: ultimate goal, phased goals, long-term plan, short-term plan. Leaving Little Asia was a must-do.

This place is cramped and chaotic. If I stay here forever, the old man next door who died quietly yesterday will be the future Jesse. That's still a relatively good outcome. The future of Little Asia is clear and predictable: live here, die here.

This wasn't what Jesse had expected. The world outside was full of opportunities. It was definitely more reliable than staying here.

Opportunities won't wait until you have everything ready before they arrive. Even though I know very little about the outside world, even though I haven't saved much money, even though I don't know how to get a proper household registration, even though...

There were so many reasons not to go out. Wait, wait, wait. He could always find a hundred or eighty reasons not to go out. And what was the reason to go out? There was only one: he wanted to go out.

He is 17 years old and he is growing up. He can feel that his body is getting stronger and stronger day by day, and his strength is growing stronger day by day. There is a force hidden under his muscles with nowhere to vent. He wants to go out. Little Asia is too small and cannot hold him. His stage should be in the vast and boundless world outside!

"Okay," Jesse said, "but what's your plan?"

After all, it's impossible for them to just board a plane to the United States right now, right?

/

Little Asia is close to the port and was originally close to the US military stationed in Japan.

The US Navy landed and left from this port, and countless people have used it to smuggle themselves across the border since then.

ICE has contacted the ship and they can leave from there.

"But before that," Ice said, "we have to do something big to Katsuya's group."

Bernie covered his ears, pretending he hadn't heard anything, and quietly left the room. He was quite good at reading people's expressions sometimes. Maybe it was just a little chicken's instinct for danger.

There seemed to be fire in ICE's eyes. Jesse was familiar with this kind of eyes because they were equally excellent and powerful... young and ambitious.

They are the same kind of people.

Jesse whistled. "Tell me more."

/

After that, the three of them agreed on a time, and Noble stood up to say goodbye. Night had fallen, and he gathered his thin coat and looked up at the stars.

"You're not counting stars, are you?" Jesse asked. He hadn't done that since he was ten.

"I heard that the dead become stars in the sky," Noble replied softly. "I wonder which star I will become after I die?"

"Liar," Jesse said, not knowing what he was referring to.

Noble smiled slightly. "Goodbye. I have to go back and tell For about this."

"Aren't you going to America with For?" Jesse had a good impression of For.

"For wouldn't want to abandon his children. He values ​​them more than himself."

"Are you willing?" He felt a little unbelievable.

"I'm a human being, an ordinary person," Noble said. "Xiaohua has the same blood as me - I have selfish motives, and she is the most important to me."

Jesse smacked his lips. He had no brothers or sisters, and few people he knew had living brothers or sisters. Therefore, his knowledge of such people basically came only from Noble. Although he thought that Noble was quite twisted, he didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

"Okay," Jesse said.

"Well, see you later."

Jesse stood at the door, watching the figure gradually disappear into the darkness.

"You look good lighting a cigarette now," ICE commented.

"Do you have any cigarettes?"

ICE spread out his hands: "No." After all, Little Asia's cigarettes are not cheap.