It's so painful! So hard! So difficult!

"Today, you've left me completely confused as to what kind of person you are. You look like someone of high status, yet you're used to everything here and act so casually. I have no idea why you're so used to it, or why you're doing this. Just like I don't understand why you gave me wine."

Firas leaned forward and said doubtfully, the confusion between his brows becoming even more pronounced.

"I've lived here for so many years, and I think I've met countless people, but I've never seen anyone like you. What are you, anyway? A scoundrel or a big shot from Rain City?"

"...What am I? Maybe it's all of them. It just means you haven't met enough people."

Bai Lin quickly gave her answer. She leaned against the door of the stable, shaking the bottle of wine in her hand.

"A person's makeup is complex. It's impossible to know everything about them through just a few conversations. At best, you can sense that I'm a bit casual. If you don't understand me, it's because we haven't spent enough time together, and you're full of imagination about my various behaviors."

"Just like you think of Rain City, you imagine it to be a beautiful place."

"I think it's very dirty there. People who can survive there, especially those in the upper class, know more about filth than we do."

Firas answered casually, while Bai Lin pretended to be surprised and said exaggeratedly,

"I didn't expect you to be so knowledgeable. You've truly refreshed my understanding. However, I don't necessarily know more than you do. The bosses there aren't much different from the casino owner I defeated today. They all order their subordinates around at will, treating them like nobody's business. They only make decisions based on their own judgment at certain moments, and most of the time, they just make excuses to protect themselves..."

Bai Lin put down his beer and said,

"Let's talk later, let's go out for a while."

Bai Lingfeng left as quickly as she could, leaving Firas stunned. After a while, she heard the sound of a large number of carriages and horses approaching from a distance, as if an aggressive crowd was heading this way.

Soon, the sounds of fighting and screams rang out, but soon, everything quieted down again. Then, Bai Lin, covered in blood, walked back and picked up the bottle, as if nothing had happened.

"They're the people sent by the casino owner's gang, right?"

Firas asked.

"Well, you have such long ears, they're quite sensitive. But aren't you afraid that if you hear something you shouldn't, I'll kill you? That would expose your hearing ability."

Bai Lin drank and casually chatted about dangerous topics. Firas laughed and said,

"If that were the case, I would have died long ago. Besides, you are so frank, what can I not hear? What happened between you and Miss El in bed?"

"...I really should reflect on whether I'm being too gentle with you."

Bai Lin took another sip, put down the bottle, thought for a moment, and continued,

"Let's continue with the previous topic. Yucheng is very wealthy and knows how to squeeze out the surplus value of others better than you do. However, the laws of the world are the same."

"Every society is a complex machine, one link after another. But if you see more, you'll find that the laws governing the world are actually very simple. If you want to get things done, you have to use connections, and if you want connections, you have to ask people for favors and give gifts... It's just that there are so many people and links in between, so it looks complicated."

"You guys are basically very direct here. But over there, they just complicate things a few times. Once you hear it enough and get used to it, you'll realize it's nothing."

Chapter 1087 Bitter and Stench

After hearing this, Firas seemed to be lost in thought, but he felt that Bai Lin's conversation was really refreshing. Just like the lingering moonlight, clean, as if there was a silver wind echoing in his ears. It was also like the wine in his hand, icy and refreshing, and after the refreshing feeling, it was full of aftertaste. She glanced down, raised her head and said,

"You said the people there are just like us here, they just make simple procedures a little more complicated. But I see they're all so polite. Are they hiding their true nature?"

"Yes, most people live their lives wearing masks. People will eventually go crazy, and living like that is tiring. But living in a complex world, you still have to wear a mask. If I had to live like that all the time, I'd probably be very tired too."

Bai Lin replied, and Firas laughed even more enthusiastically.

"So you prefer living here with us?"

"No, I don't care that much about my living conditions, but it would be better if it were better. Even if I don't care, I care for Al. Besides, I'm working hard right now to be able to live without a mask. So, don't look at me like this, I'm actually quite tired too."

Bai Lin laughed bitterly, but she didn't look particularly unhappy or bitter. Rather, bitterness was already a part of her life, something she was used to.

"But I think you're very free and easy."

"Maybe, but being free and easy doesn't mean you won't be tired. What about you? Do you consider yourself free and easy?"

"Me? If you cancel that agreement, I'll be more free and easy."

Firas took the opportunity and answered without hesitation.

"I don't want your life anymore. So what? Will you go back to robbing people and live a life of not being able to eat every day? Or will you be like most people here and eventually get old enough to marry someone who doesn't love you, and then force yourself to live with someone you don't even know if you like or not. When you get older, you start to doubt whether you would be more comfortable living alone, and he keeps bothering you...?"

The topic changed, and she was a little depressed when she spoke to Firas. She looked at Bai Lin's golden eyes, which were as pure as ever, making her feel a little uneasy. So Firas looked away and replied,

"Tsk, what are you doing with this thing called philosophy or something?"

"This isn't philosophy, it's just a casual chat."

"Well, what else can I do? If I don't do this, what else can I do? With a body like this, even if I make it to Rain City, I can only be ridden and played with by people with special hobbies. They don't welcome people like us there and regard us as inferior. It's better to stay here safely than to go out and explore the world. Who knows, I might end up dead in the wilderness one day..."

Firas waved his hand.

"You saw it too. Although I'm quite capable of fighting, you defeated me in a split second, right? I haven't been out there much, but I've heard there's everything there except a place for us to stay."

"..."

Bai Lin pondered for two seconds, nodded, and replied,

"Indeed."

"Your home is bitter and smelly. But it is still your home, even if you have no love for it. Most people who leave their hometowns do so because they hear rumors about the outside world and are given the hope of a better future. They believe it and go there. But we have no idea what the truth is, let alone those who haven't even tried to catch a glimpse. Going to the unknown is not a path that many people would choose."

"While not being able to defeat me isn't a big deal, in that respect, you could still easily die outside if you can't. I don't recommend you go. So, if you don't want to settle down in this stinking place, and there's nowhere to escape to, there's nothing you can do about it."

After hearing this, Firas felt like she had just heard some nonsense. She had come back here after a long journey. She put her hands on her hips in annoyance.

"Then you still..."

"Have you ever tried to do something visible? You're all gang leaders here, right? How about reaching the pinnacle of leadership and enjoying it more?"

Bai Lin asked, and Filas quickly shook his head and said in a depressed tone,

"My personality is that I am just a cannon, I can't be a big deal."

"If you want to do it, you can still do it."

"Okay, I accept your recognition of me. But I've already made a lot of enemies, and I don't know when someone will come to chop me down. I don't want to reach the top and have my head shine even brighter, so that everyone will want to take it. You have to know that here, no matter how powerful you or your forces are, no matter how terrifying you are, there will always be someone who has the guts to kill you."

Firas said so. Indeed, looking back at history, we will know that gangs are organizations built by passionate young people. The boss will eventually be watched by countless people who don't care about their lives. Not many of them can live a peaceful life, and most of them can't retire cleanly. Bai Lin nodded.

"I actually admire the courage to chop off someone else's boss's head."

"You admire it? The one whose head was cut off couldn't appreciate it."

"No, I'm talking about courage. Although it's the recklessness of the ignorant, you see, in Rain City, those who know too much have to wear a mask. Sometimes, knowing too much can become a constraint for us."

"Ignorant recklessness is certainly ignorant and flawed. Perhaps after knowing everything, I still have the courage to face difficulties and the same ruthlessness as before."

Bai Lin picked up the bottle, took a swig, and threw it aside. Filas looked at Bai Lin and laughed dryly.

"Hey, boss. I really don't mean to scold you, but if so many people had that kind of courage, would the world still be like this? To put it bluntly, most people are cowards."

"I actually think there are more courageous people. After all, everyone in the world knows that life is painful, but they still strive to live for love, like that of their parents, for the people or things they love. However, most of their lives are relatively stable. Only when they are about to encounter problems, when they face that 100% disaster, will they think about themselves and come to life when disaster strikes."

"And what about you? The dilapidated state and problems of the Rising Sun House are visible to the naked eye. You can survive, but suffering is already imminent. Are you all cowards too? Are you a coward too?"

Bai Lin's questioning was very intense. Sometimes she was certain, sometimes she pressed on. She was like a madman, a madman whose serious face could make people's teeth sweat. This made Firas, who was being questioned, a little nervous. She wanted to stop the questioning.

"I'm a wimp, okay?"

"Well, okay, I'll go check on your gang leaders in a few days to see if they're all cowards... Just wait for me a moment."

Chapter 1088 Death or Life

Bai Lin came and left in a hurry, leaving behind these words and disappearing. After a while, Firas heard a lot of noise coming from outside, and back came Bai Lin with more blood on his body.

"Aren't you here to meet the gang members? Is it appropriate for you to kill so many people like this?"

Having seen a lot of fighting and killing in Feralas, seeing Bai Lin using a knife as easily as drinking water, he couldn't help but feel a little scared. Bai Lin shook his head.

"There's nothing I can do. On the one hand, they were rude and violent first. On the other hand, it would be better for them to be scared and come to me personally with a conciliatory attitude than for me to go there myself. That's why I said a few days instead of tomorrow."

"I didn't just kill people. I also left some behind to bring back letters. But most of them are incomplete, otherwise they wouldn't be scary enough."

The terrifying words, spoken from Bai Lin's mouth, were even more convincing and frightening. Firas swallowed his saliva and replied,

"If we scare them more, won't they become even more timid?"

"That's not necessarily true. It's not the same thing. Just like you, you know I can really kill people, but you still slap me in the face time and time again... What, are you a little scared?"

Perhaps sensing that the atmosphere was different from before, Bai Lin asked without any concern. And Firas shook his head.

"It's a bit nauseating, thinking about you just coming back from all those limbs to talk to me, and even giving me a drink with the hand that you used to stab someone's internal organs—"

"So, do you want to drink?"

Bai Lin handed over another bottle of wine, which was stained with blood and looked a bit disgusting. However, Firas took it very neatly.

"Drink, of course I did. If I felt a little disgusted, I would stop. How could I continue to do odd jobs like robbing people?"

Most people grit their teeth, work, and live, forcing a smile and transforming themselves into something they dislike. Isn't that disgusting? But there's nothing we can do about it; everyone says it, everyone believes it. Gradually, we become numb, like this glass of wine stained with flesh and blood. More than the blood, what people see is the wine.

"Well, it's hard to say. I can tell at first glance that you haven't killed many people, even though you've done plenty of evil. You've certainly reached the point where you treat other people's lives as merchandise, but you're probably not used to walking among corpses yet."

Bai Lin analyzed this to Firas, and Firas rolled his eyes and replied,

"What's the next step now? Settlement of sins?"

"No, it's wrong to judge you by other laws. Evil deeds are real, but the law itself is a symbol of society. Since all of you are like this, if I want to judge you, I have to judge everyone together. If I use my own standards, killing you all would be more appropriate."

Bai Lin looked elsewhere, at this city, or rather this town, as if he was looking at a pile of burning firewood, full of enthusiasm, but not caring at all about the feelings of the firewood itself.

"But you have rules here too. Just like casinos have their rules, gangs have their rules. Where there are people, there are rules, and where there are rules, there are people who break them... So, why doesn't anyone try to break them?"

"Destroy what?"

"Your relationship with Rain City is terrible. They built hazardous factories here, dumped sewage into your area, ruined your land, and destroyed even your crops. They forced your people to do the most dangerous work, and you still scrambled to get it because it looked like it paid well. Even the rare talents were taken away by Rain City's favored schools. Even you yourselves are ashamed of being from the House of the Rising Sun."

"They are powerful and can protect you, but this relationship has long been unequal and should have been broken long ago, right? Haven't you ever thought about this?"

Bai Lin's question was light and yet every word was deeply felt, making the smiling Firas dazed for a moment. She said casually,

"Every few years, someone will do something like burning down the factories and buildings in Yucheng to show their attitude. They'll tell them you can let me live without dignity, but you can't stop me from dying with dignity. But what's the point? Those who have the courage are usually crazy. Even if we were all crazy, what's the point in doing that?"

"If nothing unexpected happens, this place will just keep repeating itself. When I get old, I'll be a grouchy old man who's too lazy to leave. I'll probably hit a wall a few times along the way. Even if someone steps up, what's the point? There's no way out here. Unless some miracle happens, like in a fairy tale. But is that even possible? This is reality."

"In the end, we still lost to the cowards of reality. If you're not, it has nothing to do with us. Rather, I'm a little curious. If you meet those people in a few days and find that they are also cowards, what will you do?"

Firas asked this question, she did not hide her thoughts at all, and spoke frankly about her weakness. Bai Lin asked the previous question again,

"Have you ever thought about that?"

"You've thought about it, right? Most young people have had such unrealistic fantasies."

"Then I will answer your question as well. If you lack the courage, then I will be the source of your courage. I am the miracle itself."

"You? You... are quite impressive, but Miracle, I don't think you are. You look too much like a human."

Of course, Firas didn't disbelieve Bai Lin, but he didn't think she looked like someone from a fairy tale. Bai Lin smiled and then tutted.

"Well, what else? Of course I'm human. I cry and get hurt. But most of the heroes who make fairy tales come true are also human."

"At least I can handle this, don't you think?"

A hearty laugh rang out from Firas' throat. This time, it was no longer a mockery; she probably smiled sincerely.

"Whether I feel the same or not is not important. What's important is that I've done bad things for most of my life, and someone unconditionally wants to help me with this. Regardless of whether it succeeds or not, I'm very happy, okay? Since you said you want to do this, then I must see it through to the end."

"I remember where I used to live. There's an area called Kowloon. If we were to clean up that place, we'd have to round up most of the young people in society. We wouldn't be able to hold all of them in prison, and society wouldn't even be able to function. So when Qianhong was ready to take them in, it took a lot of effort."

Chapter 1089 Duel in the West

Seeing the other party smiling like this, Bai Lin was also smiling.

"Only when justice is pursued by each individual can it be pure and clean, absolutely. But without lasting peace and stability for the greater good, there will be more chaos in the world. Only when there are big problems can there be small ones. So, you don't think I won't settle accounts, do you? I'm just not doing it for now."

"What do you mean, wait until I've worked hard for half my life and turned into an old lady before you come to deal with me? Fine then. Being able to be in close contact with a beauty like you in my old age is also a decent form of justice. I will always wait."

"Then you better wait. Don't let me find out too early that you're not being honest, or I'll regret taking you back and kill all of you."

-

This chapter is quite special.

Logically speaking, most of the bloody fights were skipped in the House of the Rising Sun arc. These near-crushing, almost unstoppable battles didn't need to be written about scene by scene. And there's been so much fighting lately, we couldn't let the audience get bored.

However, if we skip over it, this chapter, which is almost entirely composed of dialogue, will seem even more boring. After all, even the wife Katie Pellow, who is rarely mentioned on the trip, doesn't have enough scenes here...

At times like this, the whole novel is about the benefits of a beautiful girl, and the wine shows up! Let's show off the coolest and most awesome "appearance" in full.

The first person to appear was, of course, our protagonist, Bai Lin. She sat in a chair behind a desk, her back to the group. A faint light shone through the window behind the chair, faintly carrying her terrifying presence. The pale light couldn't penetrate the gloom.

The round-frame sunglasses on her face slowly slid down a little. She also turned her chair in time to reveal her true face to the oncoming crowd.

She was still wearing her Rain City outfit, the blood still lingering on it, even freshly stained, from the corpses piled in the corner. The man who had sat where she was five minutes earlier was none other than the former gang leader. The bloody bayonet in the middle of the table was also his personal belongings.

Unfortunately, Bai Lin also planned to use it, so he couldn’t use it for burial for the time being.