Girls' Frontline: My Apocalypse with Dolls

Page 225

He looked embarrassed: "Can you please stop talking? If it really were me, with her deep love, she should have recognized me the moment she saw me. But what's the reality? No. We can even get along as friends, and I'm helping her like this now. But she's not looking for me, and I'm saying things like, 'Could you be looking for me?' Please, don't be silly."

"But......"

"Stop it."

Before Xiao 9 could continue, he was interrupted by M16's cold voice.

She was also the only one present who didn't turn around, as if this farcical argument wasn't meaningless to her.

Xiao 9 looked somewhat sad, but she didn't dare to continue the discussion with the current M16.

M16 said without turning his head, "The story will continue to unfold. Don't try to interfere with it in your own way. If it doesn't go as you expect, it will only make the subsequent developments even uglier."

"But isn't it precisely because we guessed the story's ending might not be what we wanted that we wanted to interfere? We've worked so hard for so long, wasn't it all to change a story full of disappointments?"

Xiao 9 felt uncomfortable with M16's statement and her desire to refute it rekindled, but Luo Fan pulled her into his arms and persuaded her to stay calm.

"Stop talking, Xiao Jiu. I understand, but we really shouldn't interfere with this young lady's path in our own way. Besides, we really don't know if the person she's looking for is me. If not, there's no need for us to make things ugly in the end. It's not that we shouldn't do it, but it's unnecessary, you know?"

"No, Commander, you can't do this! What if it is? What if it is?! Isn't this just like what we did before? We worked so hard before, did we ever know what the result would be? We didn't! But wasn't our effort precisely to make the result... at least similar to the result we hoped for? Although she was just trying to find her lover, can her courage and determination really not be compared to ours?"

Xiao 9 seemed to be losing control of his emotions, but all Luo Fan could give him was a hug.

He now realized that he was actually a poor man; the girls needed very little, and he could give very little in return, and that was all the girls needed...

"Please, Commander, go talk to her. Even if it's not true, at least you won't have any regrets, right? Do you want that feeling of loss that just now linger in your heart forever?!"

"I'm so sorry, Little 9, I'm so sorry. I know you see yourself and all of you reflected in her, but..."

This has nothing to do with the world, this is not a war, we really have no right to interfere with her journey. We are her friends, but in the end we are just passersby on the road of life.

45 and 40 patted her shoulder from behind, but it had no effect; she could only nestle in Luo Fan's arms.

Just like they didn't have many choices in the past.

Most of the stories written on paper about searching for true love across the world are so complicated, and they all end with the characters finally meeting and growing old together. But stories are just a way to numb our senses. When we close the book, we still know that the world is full of helplessness and regret.

You have witnessed a story of searching for true love across the world, but you still cannot predict how it will end. You may hope that the story will have a happy ending like a real story, but the stereotypes of reality constantly remind you that this is unlikely.

You can offer help, but you don't want to interfere, because similar memories from the past have already left you scarred, and you don't want to witness another story end in such an imperfect way.

Like the girls, they sincerely hoped that Yingque could find her true love, but reason told them that this was probably unlikely.

Because their past efforts, like those of Yingque, were all for the sake of updating the world's edge, for a story with an uncertain ending, even if it meant giving everything.

They saw their own reflections in Yingque, and they hoped that the next person would have a better ending, but stereotypes told them that it was unlikely, and they did not want to witness another imperfect story happening before their eyes.

But Xiao 9 is an exception. She still holds onto hope for everything. However, apart from herself, their hearts are probably already weary, and they just want to protect everything they have.

No matter how much Ren Xiao 9 cried and fussed in Luo Fan's arms, Luo Fan remained unmoved, only able to gently pat her shoulder and hold her tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Little 9, I'm really sorry."

......

"Miss Maid, what... happened to them?"

"I don't know, maybe it's because of a storybook from last night; the ending wasn't very satisfying..."

P.S.: I'm going to be off again tomorrow. My dad was fiddling with the documents he needs to submit on the computer, and he couldn't figure them out even after trying all night. I can't even type anything.

Moreover, the main event is just around the corner.

311 New Year's Eve Dinner

PS: I highly recommend listening to "Maybe Christmas" by yiruma for a better reading experience.

What should have been a relaxed and enjoyable dinner time turned out to be surprisingly dull, making everyone feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Indeed, it seemed more like a moment of silence for someone's passing than dinner...

"This, this... all the dishes are here, why aren't we eating yet?"

Yingque was starting to doubt whether her cooking skills had disappointed everyone. If that were the case, she really wanted to eat all the food by herself to ease the awkwardness. Afterwards, she smiled and said, "Look, it tastes really good."

However, in Donghuang, there seems to be a habit of using alcohol in cooking, and there is never a shortage of chili peppers. Apart from the bartender, who is from Donghuang, it is normal for others to find it difficult to eat just by looking at it.

Oh... she forgot to consider that people from different regions have different tastes. She was too hasty...

But raising a question sparked a lively discussion among the other people.

The architect picked up his bowl and chopsticks, exclaiming with delight, "So we've already started eating? I thought we'd have to wait for the agent to do some kind of pre-meal prayer. Well then, let's dig in!"

Yingque and Luofan: "Uh, this is Chinese food, no need for pre-meal prayers..."

Agent: "Architect, do you have a problem with me?"

The architect, whose mouth was stuffed with meat and rice, almost spat it out. He quickly explained, "No, no, no, how could I dare? I'm just too hungry to wait any longer. Besides, at least the people in Griffin used to have canned food. Back in Ironblood, we couldn't even get a piece of meat... Everyone, eat up! I'm almost done eating. Is it called UMP45? Eat more and try to grow as big as your sister!"

She smiled and put the meat into 45's bowl, her intentions clearly good, yet she was met with a resentful stare from 45.

"You have absolutely no idea how to speak properly?"

"Huh?... Oh, right! You're a tactical android. Unless you change your body, you can't grow any bigger. Not to mention your sister, even someone as healthy as me can't grow any bigger!"

Uh, tactical dolls? Is it some kind of cosplay setting...? Yingque clearly didn't understand.

"You damn thing..." Sister 45 almost put down her bowl and chopsticks, nearly overturning the entire table, before being stopped in time by Sister 40 and Sister 9.

"Sister 45, forget it."

"Forget it, 45. Actually, you're fine the way you are now. At least it doesn't affect your mobility, right?"

Although Xiao Jiu wasn't in a good mood, she still had to think about everyone's dinner.

Moreover, this new friend's cooking skills are truly excellent! Although the style is different from the agent's, the rich flavor is something the agent lacks.

"Hurry up, Sister 45, don't be angry. This food is really delicious. Don't let those Ironblood guys steal it all!"

"You think you're worthy of competing with me?"

None of them had practiced using chopsticks beforehand, yet they skillfully clipped them together, though their technique was somewhat similar to Krav Maga when using daggers and bayonets...

The atmosphere finally livened up, and everyone started eating to their heart's content. The executioner and the alchemist also returned from the kitchen, carrying several bottles of wine used in the cooking.

"We can't waste this wine. It smells pretty good. Looks like we're going to drink until we drop tonight."

"Go back where you came from? Isn't this your home?"

"It's also roaring."

Even M4, who rarely drinks, took a glass from M16 and filled it with Moutai.

Tonight, everyone is equal. Glasses are filled with fine wine, bowls are brimming with delicious food. Forget all unpleasantness, chat and laugh, and sing and play music from dawn till dusk.

You can even see 45 arguing with the architect, Pascal chatting with Mrs. Grey, and Moriarty drinking with her agent; it seems that the issue of stance is not so important anymore...

Although the architect's erratic behavior seemed foolish, everyone could see that she was actually a person with high emotional intelligence. When the atmosphere at the dinner table was tense, thankfully she stepped in to ease the tension. It's just a pity that Sister 45 was used as a scapegoat...

After all, the story of Sister Taiping (45 years old) is already a well-worn one.

"By the way, isn't today Lunar New Year's Eve? Does this count as us having a New Year's Eve dinner?"

Luo Fan raised his glass, looking very happy, with a slight flush on his face.

In less than a second, the dog raised his glass, almost spilling the wine on RO: "I checked yesterday, and New Year's Eve dinner is supposed to be eaten with family, so of course it counts!"

Aren't they family? Then this is a proper New Year's Eve dinner.

"Hey, shouldn't we clink glasses together?" The executioner raised his glass.

"Of course, drinking inevitably involves clinking glasses."

Alchemists naturally followed suit.

M16 gave a soft hum and said nothing, but the slight grin on her lips and the raised hand did not lie.

Gradually, as if responding to a call, the girls raised their glasses one after another, waiting for the order to clink them together and pour the wine into the hot pot, making a "sizzling" sound.

Yingque hesitated. They were at the same table, but they didn't seem to know each other that well. She wondered if it would be inappropriate for her to raise her hand and join them.

But as before, the executioner and the dog grabbed her hands holding the wine glass from both sides and forcibly lifted them up.

"Huh?" Before she could react, she came to her senses and felt a chill on her hand.

That was the icy feeling left on my hand after the glasses clinked and the churning liquid splashed onto it.

"cheers!"

A group of Sus, who had no connection with her whatsoever, forcibly gathered her together.

But, I don't know why...

"Hmm? Miss, what's wrong?"

Yingque's reaction puzzled Luo Fan. For some reason, she was slowly sobbing...

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I hurt you too much?"

The executioner and the dog instinctively thought they had used too much force and accidentally hurt each other. After all, they were tactical androids, and their emotions were running high...

Unexpectedly, Yingque raised her head, smiling like an angel...

"No, it's just that I feel so happy to be able to have a New Year's Eve dinner with everyone like this..."

......

The initial doubts and bewilderment vanished at that moment.

Oh, she just cried because she was too happy, like a little kid...

"We also have to thank you for preparing this special dinner for us."

"Yes, I've learned a lot about cooking from you. Thank you so much."

"Eat more if you're happy. You made it yourself, why shouldn't you eat less?"

The beautiful young girl, bathed in the laughter and joy of her friends, seemed blinded by the happiness before her, unable to extricate herself.

Even now, she is still grateful to fate for giving her the opportunity to meet this group of boys and girls with very different personalities.

She will cherish them in the most precious corner of her memory, like a treasured photo album, and at every stage of her life, even in her twilight years, she will take them out and look through them repeatedly, often shedding tears for this special day.

Even though I haven't found her yet, I am already incredibly content.

"I don't have much time left to spend with you all. I may have to leave at any time. I still need to find him, but if I have the chance, I will definitely come back here again to have dinner with you all, have a few drinks, and laugh heartily."

"We will always be friends, best friends."

The girl's tear-streaked smile seemed to melt into the light, about to disappear...

312 Ying

Three hours after dinner, in Pascal's room

Yingque had finished washing up and climbed into bed. Pascal, as usual, had reserved a spot for her. The two of them were used to this kind of life.

“Um…” Pascal could hear the other person’s soft murmur amidst the rustling of fabric.

"Ok?"

"I might have to leave tomorrow..."

"So fast? It's only been a few days?"

To be honest, although I expected this time to come soon, it seems that no matter when it happens, it will never be within my expectations, just like the departure of friends and relatives.

The girl buried her head in the blanket and nodded almost imperceptibly: "Yeah, we've searched almost a kilometer around here, but there are no clues. I'll try again tomorrow. If we still haven't found anything, I'll probably leave tomorrow night..."

It sounds like we're very reluctant to part with her, but who could truly bear to part with this special human girl?

Pascal silently pulled the blanket up a little higher: "How about we have a meal together tomorrow before you leave?"

"Hmm... if possible."

"Of course you can, who says you can't?"

Ying Que quickly waved his hand: "Uh, I'm reluctant, it's just that I'm used to saying it this way."

Pascal's eagerness to avenge her really startled Yingque.

Pascal was speechless and didn't know how to react.

“You don’t need to be so reserved in front of us. They just seem unapproachable, but they are actually a group of kind-hearted children. If they really go crazy, they are wilder than you can imagine. Since they haven’t shown their crazy side, it means they like you.”

Looking back on what the girls did, it really was pretty crazy, in every sense of the word...

They're practically ready to tear this bar down.