13 Mink Street

This spot is still open, so it's definitely not a serious cafe.

In the same way,

Anyone who wants to go to a cafe to drink coffee at this point is definitely not a serious person.

Karen stood at the door of the cafe, looking at the neon shop sign hanging above:

【Above the magical fingers and the beautiful sky】

I "translated and understood" in my heart, and the name of the store should be understood like this:

【Finger Paradise】

The waiter at the door greeted him proactively, and Neo asked for a coffee shop.

The waiter looked at Neo and Karen, slightly surprised, but immediately said:

"Understood, arrange for the two immediately."

The coffee room is at the corner of the second floor. After walking in, although the space inside is not large, it is very deep.

There are two small sofas and a coffee table at the door, and further inward is the bathroom, which has a bathtub, further inward is a round bed, and further inward is a long sofa leaning against the floor-to-ceiling windows.

On the floor in front of the couch, an upholstered cushion is thoughtfully placed.

The lights in the room are dark red, very mysterious, and there are many photos of pornstars hanging on the wall, with charming and provocative expressions.

Karen sat down on the sofa at the door, stretched out his hand to pull the coffee cup, and found that not only the walls of the cup were covered with long-term sugar stains, but also cigarette butts were stuffed in the cup.

The waiter hands Neo a roster of people who deliver the coffee.

Neo took the roster and sat down on the sofa, and said to Karen, "I bought you wine during the day, and you bought me coffee at night."

"Okay, Captain."

"Well, that's it, eight on this page, plus fruit plate and drinks, by the way, is there any coffee here?"

"some."

"Add a pot of coffee."

"Okay sir, are you sure you want eight?"

"Sure."

"Okay sir, just a moment."

The waiter went out to make arrangements.

"By the way, have you brought Rael?" Neo asked.

Karen shook her head.

"What a coincidence, I didn't bring Rael either." Neo smiled slightly, "If we can't settle the bill then, we can only bet you here."

The waiter opened the door, and eight beauties with heavy makeup came in and bowed to Karen and Neo who were sitting on the sofa.

"Gentlemen, it's a pleasure to serve you."

"Yeah." Neo pointed to the surrounding area, and said, "Clean up this place within a quarter of an hour, and it will be considered that you have served."

The eight beauties were stunned.

At this time, the front desk manager came in and ordered: "Follow the customer's order."

The eight beauties started to clean the room.

Karen looked at this scene and thought it was a little funny, but he still reached out to call the front desk manager.

"Guest, what's your order?"

"Paper and pen for me."

"good."

Karen wrote Pavaro's Funeral Service number on it and tossed it to the manager:

"Please call this number, tell him that the young master is here, and ask him to bring the money."

"Okay, sir."

The manager guessed that this should be a young man coming here to play, and young men generally don't like to bring money with them.

After staring at the beauties and finishing cleaning the room, the manager brought them and the waiter out. Then, the manager returned to the front desk, picked up the receiver, and dialed the number on the note.

It should be a manor or a senior butler who answered the call.

"Hi, Pavaro Funeral Society is pleased to serve you."

"……"manager.

…

Karen poured coffee for herself and Neo, added two sugar cubes to each, then picked up a spoon and began to stir gently.

Neo took a sip of coffee, put down the cup, looked at Karen and asked:

"Now, shall we start?"

"If you are ready, captain, then we can start now."

Neo leaned back slightly on the sofa with his hands in his pockets.

Karen knew that this was a posture of self-defense.

"Should I speak first?" Neo asked.

"I can ask."

"Okay, you can ask."

"Captain, are you encountering some troubles now, and there is no way to solve this trouble in a direct way for the time being?"

"I don't think this should be considered a problem, and, at present, I have not found a reason to solve it."

"In other words, its existence is acceptable to you?"

"Yes, I'm trying to reach out and understand it."

"Has it always been like this?"

"No, to be precise, it started after Eliza's death."

"Before Miss Elisa left, did this problem always exist?"

"Yes."

"What was your attitude towards it at that time, did you reject it or deliberately forget and ignore it?"

"neglect."

Karen nodded, and said, "Miss Elisa's departure, has it taken away the last line of defense in your heart? I mean, for it, this has always been a problem."

Neo spread his hands and said as a matter of course: "I think, after losing a piece of my heart, I should find something to fill it."

"It, can it be filled?"

"It's not clear, I'm trying to verify and contact."

"Then we can visualize it as a metaphor. What can it be compared to, a big meal that takes a long time? A mysterious and charming woman? A heavy book?"

"Book."

"What kind of book, according to what I said, is it 'heavy'?"

"Wide and thick?"

"It can also refer to content."

"Not to mention, it's like a novel. It's not so charming, and it doesn't make me forget to eat and drink, forget to sleep and read it, but I can accept to take the initiative to reach out and turn a few pages in my spare time."

"So, you are looking at it from the perspective of an outsider?"

"Well, otherwise, can I still have a great sense of substitution for things that are not mine?"

Karen picked up the coffee, took a sip, put it down, leaned back slightly on the sofa, and looked at the captain sitting opposite him with a pensive expression.

Through the previous communication, Karen had a feeling that his original perception of the captain seemed to have deviated from the starting point, and the result of this initial deviation was that the more it spread outward, the more outrageous the error became.

"What's wrong?" Neo asked, "Is the problem serious?"

Karen frowned and said, "You are not lost."

"Huh? Who said I was lost?"

"You are...playing."

Hearing this sentence, Neo's eyes widened immediately, staring at Karen firmly.

At this moment, Neo's upper body was clearly sitting upright, his hands hanging down naturally, like a standing cobra.

Karen maintained his original posture. Only in this way can the opponent's vigilance be lowered.

This is not to say that the captain set up defenses against himself. In fact, it can be seen that the captain is really actively trying to receive psychological counseling, but human nature is common in many places. Karen knows that what he just said directly hits the spot The heart of the captain.

People's desire to protect the secrets deep in their hearts far exceeds the protection of clothes for their bodies.

Gradually, Neo began to relax his body, picked up a sliced ​​orange and put it to his mouth, and said while eating:

"I now believe that those psychiatrists are not all so-called liars."

"It's just because I know a little about you, Captain."

"You've been watching me?"

"Yes, it is."

"Why?"

"There are not many people around me that I can contact, and there are actually even fewer interesting people."

"Oh, I see."

Neo pointed to the fruit plate and said, "The fruit is very fresh."

"Okay." Karen also took an orange and put it in front of him. Instead of eating it, he took out a tissue and wiped the two fingertips that had held the orange earlier.

"You're right. I may indeed be playing, just like you said you were observing me. In fact, I am also observing it."

When saying this, Neo pointed to his chest.

Karen noticed that the captain did not point to his own face.

"Now, there are probably two possibilities."

"Well, tell me."

Karen poured the remaining half cup of coffee in front of him into the beer glass next to him, and two different colored liquids began to fuse.

Neo asked:

"You mean, after pouring coffee into beer, does this cup taste like coffee or beer?"

Karen shook her head.

"what does that mean?"

Karen picked up the cup of beer mixed with coffee and placed it in front of Neo:

"You can take a sip and see if you like the taste."

The two sat facing each other, staring at the slightly gray glass of beer.

"I don't know," Neo said, "because it's unpredictable, so I can't answer."

"But that's the key, captain, the result of continuing is likely to be beyond your control and perception."

Neo smiled and asked:

"So, in life, can the outcome be predicted?"

Karen was silent.

"The religion of reincarnation likes to preach that this life is doomed, and everything is only to prepare for the next life after reincarnation, but is such a life really interesting?"

Neo raised his glass,

continued:

"Many people like stability, and many people hate change; but I, you, and our team are not such people. We have always had uneasiness and restlessness in our souls that cannot be erased. They will refuse us to choose eternity. unchanging life."

Neo raised his glass and took a swig.

"ah……"

Neo looked at the wine glass mixed with coffee in his hand, and said with emotion:

"It's really hard to drink."

Karen nodded and said, "Actually, captain, you don't have any psychological problems, you are very clear."

"Oh?" Neo smiled, "I thought I should be the last to say this sentence, so that I don't have to pay for the treatment."

"You are walking consciously into the depths of a lava-filled volcano, but this is your personal choice and no one else can judge.

Walking safely over and over again with mediocre and paralyzed hands holding the round railings, and soberly appreciating the scenery on the road, step by step into the depths of the flames, even if the final end is to completely swallow myself...

These two paths of life are in fact indistinguishable from good to bad. "

"What about you?" Neo asked. "What's your choice?"

"I was just looking at the scenery," Karen said.

"And what about your future? Where is the end of the road you're on?"

"I have no idea."

"Hehe, don't you think that the unknown is actually the scariest thing?"

Karen looked at Neo, shrugged, and said, "Captain, if you continue to ask and answer like this, should I pay for your treatment?"

Neo spread out his palms and said, "Brightness—referring."

A soft halo appeared in Neo's palm.

Neo looked at Karen and said, "I think if we continue talking, we will touch on the real secrets of both parties."

Karen nodded and said, "Yes."

"I promised you that I would not take the initiative to pry into your secrets. I have always done the same, and I can guarantee it."

"I can feel it, thank you, Captain."

"But it doesn't include us taking the initiative to tell our secrets. Maybe we can try to exchange each other's secrets, what do you think?"

Exchange... a secret?

Karen looked at Neo, between the two, because of the circle of light, each other's appearance became a little blurred.

"If you want, take this circle of light over."

Karen didn't do anything, but asked, "Captain, I'm curious, why did you do this?"

"Because you used your performance to tell me that you are worthy of a secret exchange with me, which is an equivalent transaction. The most important thing is, don't you think, we continue to play this guessing game between the two of us If so, will it be very tormenting?"

"It's very torturous."

"Instead of continuing to guess and analyze, let's just be honest with the secret."

Karen bit her lip.

"You hesitate so much, hehehe." Neo smiled, "How big is your secret? Are you worried that you will be at a disadvantage?"

"It's just that I didn't prepare myself mentally before tonight."

"Well, let's take a step-by-step approach, divide our respective secrets into levels and stages, cut them up, treat them as pieces of chips, and place them on the gaming table bit by bit. If the bets are equal, we can Keep playing, what do you think?"

"Okay, I agree."

Karen stretched out his hand and took over the circle of light, which was still blooming.

Seeing this, Neo asked, "Then who should start first?"

"I keep calling you captain."

"Okay." Neo rubbed his face, "Then we have to go to a place first, is your servant here to deliver the money?"

"It probably hasn't arrived yet."

"Then let's go first, anyway, he will come to pay the bill, and we are not considered evading orders."

"OK, all right."

Neo stood up and walked to the deepest part of the room. Karen followed and stood in front of the French windows.

Then,

The two of them turned into black mist and floated out together.

...

It was still the VIP car, and the captain was still driving.

Karen, who was sitting in the co-pilot seat, looked out of the car window. Some parts of the city are lively, but overall, it is still sleeping.

"It's still too late for you to regret it now." Neo said, "After I start betting, you can only call."

"The meaning of secret existence is to be spread."

Neo nodded: "Indeed, communication is the only attribute of secrets. In fact, we show each other some things to save each other's time and energy consumption. When we use the light in front of each other, That means it has to go this far.”

"I know, I understand, and I like to keep secrets."

"Oh, by the way, there is another person in the basement of the photo studio. She is the envoy of the Light God Sect, and her name is Bertha."

"Bertha?"

"you know?"

"know."

"Don't worry, she doesn't know it's you, but next time you perform a mission, you need to get used to wearing a mask, because what you can see may not only be the mission target."

"Yes, Captain, I remember."

"I didn't kill her, I asked her to help me investigate some things now."

At this time, Karen found the street where the car was driving, which gave him a sense of familiarity. He often came here, the center of York City, King's Avenue.

Then, the car stopped.

"I think you should be very interested in this matter." Neo said while turning off the car and pointing out the window.

Karen turned his head and looked at the shop's sign: Lemar Pottery Museum.

So, the last time the captain purposely got off the car near here and said to go home, is he actively hinting that he is here?

In the collection room of Mr. Lemar's workshop that night, I saw Neo's portrait, which was placed next to Mr. Pavaro's portrait.

Karen followed Neo out of the car, and the store door was locked, but this kind of door lock can only prevent ordinary thieves.

I saw Neo gently hooked his fingers, and the door lock inside fell directly, but when he pushed the door open, the eyes of the ceramic dolls on both sides suddenly glowed red, Neo waved his hand, and the red eyes of the dolls The light was instantly shrouded in a layer of fog.

"I can call them to open the door."

"You better not let them see you with me and put on your mask."

"OK."

Karen touched the ring on his fingertips, and a silver mask covered Karen's face, changing his temperament at the same time.

At this time, Karen saw Mr. Lemar coming out with an axe, but he didn't see Serena. Lemar should have arranged for her to stay in the bedroom and not allow her to come out.

Cullen noticed that Mr. Lemar was shaking when he looked at the maskless Neo.

"Yes...is that you?"

Neo said, "I'm going to take my friend to visit your collection room."

"I thought you were dead a long time ago, but I didn't expect you to continue to live with this face, hehe, but do you think my studio is a place you can enter if you want?"

"I don't mind taking your sister away again, she should grow up, I mean, her soul."

"you……"

Lemar took out the key and threw it on the table.

Neo picked up the key and said, "You can go upstairs and continue to rest. You can come down after we leave. I won't steal your things. You should trust me in this regard."

Lemar gave Neo a savage look, then went upstairs with the axe in hand.

Neo took Karen to the basement, opened the door with a key, and the two walked in. Obviously, Neo had been here before and was familiar with the layout.

Mr. Lemar hates and trusts Neo. Using Serena's metaphor, it is like a girlfriend hitting your chest with a fist and shouting "I hate you to death".

Finally, two people stood in front of the wall covered with portraits.

"Do you believe in fate, Karen?"

"It depends on the situation."

"I admire Pavaro's persistence and integrity, and then, he recommended you, although not in the form of a recommendation letter.

Then, the shop where you used Pavaro's face to make a mask is actually the same shop as the one I chose. "

"Really, it's a coincidence."

Neo took out a ring from his pocket and put it on his fingertip. This ring is not made of plastic.

"Have you always been curious about what kind of face is under my mask?"

"Yes."

"Okay, that's my first round of betting."

The ring that Neo just put on gave off a slight light, and his body was also covered by a layer of light. Karen knew that the mask had been taken off.

Karen's gaze immediately moved to Neo's face, and Neo also turned around to Karen at this time, allowing his own face to appear in front of Karen.

"How can it be……"

Karen took two steps back.

"Are you surprised?" Neo said with a "smile", "It seems that you are very satisfied with my betting round."

In front of Karen, Neo's face...was covered with blood that seemed to have solidified, which instantly brought to Karen's mind the image of Mr. Pavaro taking the initiative to cut off his own face with his nails that night.

"The mask you asked Lemar to make is made of..."

Neo nodded.

road:

"That's right, it's my own face."

———

There is still at night, ask for a monthly ticket!