Chapter 33 Sixteen Years Old (Part 1)

Chuuya Nakahara said he would wait a while, and then waited until the day before New Year's Eve.

This was the result of Yokawa Rei protesting to Mori Ōgai.

With the New Year approaching and him still not back, Yao Chuanling angrily slammed his fist on the table.

"Our Chuuya has really become a workaholic since coming to your Hong Kong! We haven't seen him for a year and a half, and he's even lost weight from exhaustion. Reject this heartless company, give Chuuya a break!"

"Rintaro, give Chuuya a break right now!"

Alice, who was standing next to her, also raised her hand in protest.

She preferred her older sister, Yokawa Rei, to Rintarou, and had long been won over by her.

Her expression was so vivid and lively that Mori Ougai, despite his high position, did not feel offended; instead, he pondered it seriously.

"You're right. We can't let our model workers down."

He was reviewing documents while smiling like a fox.

"But if Zhong doesn't work, our Hong Kong triads will suffer a huge loss. Zhong deserves a lot of credit for being able to support so many people."

Yao Chuanling could understand the meaning behind his words, and Kuku dumped a large pile of gems and gold coins onto the table.

Elves are never short of money, so this pile of wealth is insignificant to them.

She's being very generous in this deal.

only……

The sucker angrily pushed the gold coins forward: "Heartless leader, isn't it right to give Chuuya a break? You've taken so much money from me, you should give him a longer break."

Chuuya should have been given a break in the first place, but some unscrupulous leader saw an opportunity to profit and raised the price arbitrarily.

"make a deal."

The accused ruthless leader knew when to stop.

The more Mori Ougai thought about it, the more he felt that bringing Nakahara Chuuya into the fold was an absolutely correct decision.

Besides being extremely useful himself, the extra staff member Yao Chuanling, who was given a bonus, also made many contributions to the port mafia.

"What would you do if someone tried to take Chuuya away?"

As Yao Chuanling was about to step out the door, he suddenly thought of this question.

It seemed to foreshadow something, or perhaps it was just a casual remark.

Although it was a casual conversation, she sensed something unusual in it.

"It's up to Chuuya to decide whether to stay or leave. If he doesn't want to, no one can take him away."

She paused, then spoke with firm conviction.

As long as she is there, and as long as Zhong is unwilling, no one can forcibly take him away.

Yokawa Rei roughly understood Mori Ōgai's unspoken meaning and immediately expressed his own attitude.

"I see."

Mori Ougai wrote something on the paper. After Yokawa Rei left, he handed the paper to Dazai Osamu.

It is a list.

Yao Chuanling's name was prominently listed in the first row.

Dazai Osamu's eyes sharpened, and he tightened his grip on the paper slightly.

“This is the optimal solution.” Mori Ougai twirled the scalpel, sighing as if with helplessness and regret. “I didn’t want to either, but she’s just too perfect. Besides, Rei-chan agreed.”

This will minimize the losses suffered by the Hong Kong underworld.

Zhongyuan Zhongye cannot leave Hong Kong | Black.

As for her, on the anniversary of her death, he will offer his sincerest condolences on behalf of the Port Mafia.

After all, the newcomers are from Europe, so they have to be careful.

Dazai Osamu gritted his teeth in anger: "Idiot!"

How could anyone be so foolish as to risk everything for that shorty?

Dazai Osamu knew she was very powerful, claiming to be invincible throughout Yokohama, but Verlaine was not on the same level as these people.

That madman is not someone to be trifled with; it's said that he has never failed an assassination mission.

From that day on, Dazai Osamu always stayed by Yokawa Rei's side.

Although he used to cling to her, it hadn't reached this point of being like a persistent leech.

Even when preparing a welcome banquet for Nakahara Chuuya, he stood aside, holding his nose and picking and choosing.

"Dazai, you've been a bit clingy lately."

While instructing Adai Bird to hang the banner higher, Yokawa Rei absentmindedly poked Dazai Osamu's face.

That's strange, so very strange.

Although she was happy to be with her friends, the child was clearly hiding something.

"It's all because someone insisted on playing the hero."

He glared at her and said sarcastically.

Oh.

I was being sarcastic and sarcastic.

Yao Chuanling knew he was angry, so she started to use her coaxing techniques.

"Xiaozhi, you have to believe me. Even if things go wrong, you're still here for me~" She thought for a moment and then added, "If it were you, I would do the same."

Dazai Osamu keeps some of his emotions bottled up inside. If she doesn't bring it up, he'll probably just be growing mushrooms in the dark corner by himself.

Even when their relationship wasn't as good, he knew that Yaochuan Ling was protecting Nakahara Chuuya. Now that their relationship has improved, he feels that she is biased.

She could disregard her own safety for Nakahara Chuuya, so what about him?

Could she also risk her life for him?

Now Dazai Osamu knows the answer.

They are the same.

"Waaah~ Yao Yao, I'm so touched."

The version of Dazai Osamu with egg-shaped eyes takes the firework tube that Yokawa Rei hands him; it's sticky and tantalizing.

Yao Chuanling possesses an abundance of love and is never stingy in sharing it.

She gave him just the right amount, enough to fill the void of insecurity he lacked.

Seeing his funny expression, she snorted, "Then be touched."

It's so easy to coax people.

She drew a smiley face on a balloon and looked at Dazai Osamu.

Stupid Dazai.

The welcome banquet was held at their usual billiards hall. Yao Chuanling had made a reservation in advance. It was the evening of the last day of the new year, and only a few of them were there.

The public relations officer was fiddling with the plum blossoms in the vase when she accidentally knocked one off. She guiltily put it in her pocket.

The wintersweet was very fragrant. A surgeon nearby curiously rubbed his hands together and his hands were covered in the fragrance.

"Doctor, don't cause trouble! Go and put up the paper-cut window decorations."

He looked as if he wanted to strip the flower branches bare and pick all the flowers to study them.

Yao Chuanling helped the surgeon carry the IV stand and pushed him forward.

"Yes, ma'am."

The surgeon said regretfully.

The elf claims to possess healing abilities, which intrigued the surgeon. He once considered dissecting her, but she dissuaded him, and Chuuya even got angry with him about it.

This little girl looks delicate and weak, but she's not easy to bully at all.

One punch was enough to knock him down.

At that time, they didn't know that Yokawa Rei was Nakahara Chuuya's good friend, and even with several people working together, they couldn't win her over.

"That loss was truly devastating."

The pianist noticed what he was thinking and went over to help him put up the paper-cut window decorations.

Yao Chuanling bought an exceptionally large window decoration, taller than all of them, and covered the entire wall.

The paper-cutters are skilled, and the tortoises and cranes depicting longevity on red paper are lifelike.

The surgeon clicked his tongue and walked away, but the silly bird really liked the paper-cut window decoration and admired it carefully for a while.

"May everyone live to be a hundred years old."

He said happily.

Fortunately, they lost that time, otherwise, once they found out, none of them would have gotten away with it.

This is the girl that Chuuya Nakahara likes.

The others in the flag association were slow to realize it.

Dazai Osamu looked disgusted: "What a vicious curse."

Those who spoil the fun will not be absent, but they will be punished.

Yao Chuan Ling cast a silencing spell.

This trick was learned from Abe no Seimei.

When she was little, she caused a ruckus and almost destroyed the house with a group of shikigami. Abe no Seimei couldn't bear to punish her severely, so he put a silencing spell on her, which allowed her to have three days of peace.

"Mmm."

Dazai Osamu blinked and raised his hands in surrender.

That's a really powerful move. Can he learn it?

If he didn't want to hear Mr. Mori speak anymore, he would put a silencing spell on him.

"You can be a mute handsome guy for now, and I'll let you speak later."

Yao Chuanling wasn't buying it and turned to direct the others to work.

She waved her small flag, displaying a leader-like demeanor.

The leader, with his hands behind his back, inspected the entire place and nodded in satisfaction.

The kitchen they borrowed contained buckwheat noodles in a pot, which were cold-cooked. The taciturn but good cook even added an egg for everyone.

Yao Chuanling wanted to go in and help, but they all chased her out.

On one hand, I was afraid of her terrible cooking, and on the other hand, I was worried that she would steal some of it.

I had prepared a cake for today, but a certain foodie with a sharp nose secretly showed it off.

Everything is ready; now we're just waiting for Chuuya to come back so we can celebrate the New Year together.

Bored while waiting, the PR officer suggested playing a few rounds of Truth or Dare to pass the time.

The handsome star was extremely skilled in the art of language. He looked at Yao Chuanling with a sly smile, clearly harboring some wicked intentions.

Chuuya, just you wait. Your older brother will definitely be your wingman.

However, they were so focused on guarding against Yokawa Rei that they forgot about Dazai Osamu, that little fox.

The members of the Flag Association took turns losing, and the public relations officer tried to team up with Dazai Osamu to make Yokawa Rei lose a round.

"No way!"

The little fox wrapped its arms around the elf's neck and decisively refused his request.

Dazai Osamu recalled the day they went to find Rimbaud, when Yokawa Rei hurriedly abandoned them and left. He tried to persuade Nakahara Chuuya to follow them, but was refused.

At that time, Zhongyuan Zhong also said the same thing—"I know who she went to see."

He remembered those words for a long time, and now he has the same confidence and reliance to refuse the PR officer.

What he wanted to know, what he asked, Yao Chuanling wouldn't hide from him.

Truth or dare doesn't appeal to him, and it's even less suitable for him.

How could Chuuya Nakahara possibly give him a discount?

Under the warm light, Dazai Osamu's gaze toward Yokawa Rei was delicate and gentle.

Besides, he didn't want her to lose.

The elf was competitive, and Dazai Osamu could imagine how unhappy she would be if she lost.

She would inevitably first look dejected, then obediently accept the punishment, and finally whine and beg someone to intervene on her behalf.

"A mere public relations officer, actually trying to bribe my Corporal Dazai, how audacious!" Yaochuan Ling overheard his plot and proudly revealed the King card in his hand, "Number 3! I know it's you, public relations officer. Number 3, say ten cheesy words to Chuuya later."

This isn't a difficult task for the PR officer. Even if Yokawa Rei didn't mention it, he would still tease Nakahara Chuuya when his mischievous side kicked in.

It's quite interesting that someone can get angry just because they like something; this is a consensus among everyone here.

"Too light, too light. The PR officer should perform a roar like a gorilla."

Ah-Dai-Niao leaned back on the sofa, shaking a finger and adding fuel to the fire.

Dazai Osamu just taught him to swing like a monkey, so when he gets to the public relations officer, he'll have to do a roar like a gorilla.

Don't think he didn't know; the PR officer secretly recorded a video.

Yao Chuanling thought Adai Bird's suggestion was excellent, and she was about to change her mind when she suddenly heard light footsteps outside the door.

She immediately made a gesture, signaling a group of people to stand behind the door.

"Bang—Welcome home, Chung-ya!"

The deluxe confetti cannons were filled with excessive amounts of confetti, and when six people set them off together, their vision was instantly blurred.

Dazai Osamu then added a firework tube after them.

Oh no, it's not Chuuya.

The ribbons fell to the ground, and everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

Dazai Osamu quickly pulled Yokawa Rei behind him.

Yokawa Rei and the Flag Association had never seen this person before, but Dazai Osamu knew very well.

Verlaine, the king of assassins.

The list he was given was one he had personally negotiated; the other party arrived faster than he had expected.

"First of all, thank you for your love and care for Chuuya."

A blond man with a small braid stepped into the billiard hall, gracefully brushing off the ribbons from his clothes.

He was a very polite and gentlemanly man, and spoke in an extremely gentle tone.

But the words that came out were cold and cruel.

"In order to take Chuuya away, I have no choice but to ask you to set off."

These are the people who held Chuuya back from staying with him.

Verlaine counted the number of people; no more, no less, they had all been captured.

Dazai Osamu's cell phone vibrated in his pocket, but he couldn't pay attention to it at the moment, his mind racing.

"Then let's fight."

Yokawa Rei patted Dazai Osamu on the shoulder, walked in front of him, and whispered to him to stay away from him later.

Like Chuuya Nakahara, Verlaine also possessed the aura of a god.

This fight is sure to be intense. Dazai Osamu is afraid of pain and his physical skills are mediocre. It would be bad if he were accidentally injured.

It is a privilege to be able to fight against a strong opponent.

It had been a very long time since the elves had fought so exhilaratingly.

The billiard hall was already a mess, so they moved to the forest battlefield. Since the forest was too confined, they flew into the sky again.

Dazai Osamu and Hajime watched from afar, the restless boy repeatedly turning his phone screen on and off.

"The younger generation is truly formidable."

Verlaine turned his head to wipe the blood from his face, and an eerie light emanated from his body.

He chuckled softly: "It's a pity that it ends here."

To push him to this point, he is a formidable opponent.

"This is for you."

Yao Chuanling had many wounds on her body. She didn't use lethal force, but Verlaine's moves were sharp and vicious.

It's up to you now.

The elf closed its eyes briefly, and when it opened them again, its original green eyes had turned into deep red vertical pupils.

Nature has two sides, like light and shadow, inseparable and intertwined. Springs and trees nourish all things, while tsunamis and thunder destroy everything.

Not killing was always just a self-imposed constraint for her.

Her sins go hand in hand with her kindness.

Verlaine met those eyes, his gaze chilling and indifferent as if he were being stared at by a large, ferocious beast.

"I am very impressed with your strength after using that power for the first time."

Compared to the gentle tranquility of "light," the power of "shadow" is violent and unpredictable, closer to the strength of an adult in their prime.

"Even gods cannot contend with nature, let alone a half-human, half-god creature like you?"

The wind howled, the sea surged, and the clouds in the sky grew thicker and thicker.

An almost overwhelming force.

A large crater was created by the impact, and the elf's fingernails grew long and sharp, pressing against Verlaine's neck.

"I...lost."

The artificial god lay helplessly in the pit, barely breathing as he spoke.

He accepted the adage "the victor is king, the loser is villain."

Verlaine thought he would be thinking about his brother, who was also a man-made experiment like him, but Rimbaud's image suddenly appeared in his mind.

Finally, he said, "Rimbaud, I'm sorry."

I'm sorry, all these years of teaching and companionship have been wasted on him, and he has never seen the light.

Paul.

As the first bell of the new year rang, its deep, ancient sound echoed through the depths of the forest, and Verlaine heard Rimbaud's voice for the first time in a long time.

We've finally arrived.

Dazai Osamu breathed a sigh of relief and followed behind Rimbaud and Nakahara Chuuya.

Upon seeing Verlaine, he immediately sent a message to Chuuya, asking him to bring Rimbaud along, arriving late for the New Year.

Yao Chuanling caught a glimpse of their arrival out of the corner of her eye, paused, and softened her gaze.

Chuuya Nakahara was completely bewildered. He had just gotten off the plane when he received a message from Osamu Dazai. He rushed to Sawakibu-cho to find him and then hurriedly rode his bicycle over.

"Yao Yao~ You're so handsome~ From now on, I'll rely on you to protect me."

Dazai Osamu glanced at Nakahara Chuuya with a hint of smugness.

So what if they knew each other early? He spent more time with Yokawa Rei than Nakahara Chuuya.

Seeing that Verlaine had no intention of retaliating, the relaxed elf returned to his original form.

She looked at them, and her first words were: "Happy New Year."

It's such a pity I didn't get to try the buckwheat noodles.

Yaochuan Ling was a little angry and was about to say something when Dazai Osamu handed her a bowl.

Happy New Year, Yao Yao.

He was observant and had already noticed that she was eyeing the food. Before the billiard hall was bombed, he protected a bowl of noodles.

They were chatting, and Rimbaud, who had met Verlaine, was also talking to Verlaine.

Everyone knew the whole story except for Chuuya Nakahara, who was kept in the dark. He looked completely clueless, but unwilling to be outdone by Osamu Dazai, he also wished her a Happy New Year.

Although Yokawa Rei mentioned Dazai when they sent messages, saying they were friends, Nakahara Chuuya didn't expect that their relationship would become this good in just a few months.

When the last bell rang, the matter was resolved smoothly.

"In that case, let's all eat together."

Still craving noodles after eating a bowl, Xiaoling, the person in charge, made the decision to go eat.

After a busy night, everyone must be hungry.

With Rimbaud and Chuuya both present, Verlaine was willing to settle down and have a proper talk with them.

The affected area was restored by Kusuo Saiki, and no one died throughout the entire incident.

It was the ending she wanted.

'You really know how to order people around.'

One night, a superpowered individual was woken up to do chores and complained.

"Thank you for your hard work, Kusuo. Come eat with me!"

She had just been in a fight, and now she was still feeling the aftereffects and didn't feel sleepy at all.

"I'm just an ordinary, unremarkable person," he said wearily. "For the sake of those hundred coffee jellies, I'm going to sleep now."

Kusuo Saiki likes coffee jelly, and Yokawa Rei, knowing his taste, sent him a hundred coffee jelly as a New Year's gift.

Good night and sweet dreams.

Realizing belatedly that it was bedtime, she felt apologetic and quickly put him to sleep.

'Good evening. '