Get comfortable, turn the page, and let’s see what this story has been hiding 🔥 ✦ A similar face.
And those pale blue eyes, as if cast from the same mold.
He really looked too much like her.
Cheadle’s emotions surged, and one memory pulled all the others behind it.
Her eyes gradually lost focus.
The figure she had missed day and night blurred and sharpened, slowly overlapping with the boy in front of her.
Fortunately…
He did not look like Hawk at all.
There was nothing more worth feeling grateful for.
As Cheadle lost herself for a moment, that was what she thought.
On the other side of the threshold, Kieran’s eyes showed surprise as he looked at the unexpected visitor.
A green-and-white outfit, long green hair, black narrow-rimmed glasses, and a pair of dog ears.
The Dog of the Twelve Zodiacs, Cheadle?
The image of Cheadle from the story he remembered flashed quickly through Kieran’s mind.
It basically matched the woman in front of him.
If he had to point out differences, she looked younger, and her nose was normal, unlike the small, delicate dog nose she deliberately wore in the later version he knew.
But the pair of dog ears alone was basically enough to confirm that Cheadle was already a member of the Hunter Association’s Twelve Zodiacs.
Otherwise, she would not have altered her image to correspond to the title of the Dog.
But…
His cheap father was actually connected to a member of the Hunter Association’s Twelve Zodiacs?
What was going on?
Even the memories left behind by the original body contained no relevant information.
And Cheadle’s reaction was a little strange.
While feeling deeply puzzled, Kieran withdrew the surprise from his eyes.
After confirming that she had not noticed that detail, he immediately showed a gentle smile and said softly, “Sorry.
Hawk went on a long trip some time ago and still has not returned.” “Mm.
Oh…” Cheadle slowly recovered.
After realizing she had lost composure, she quickly adjusted her state of mind and used as calm a tone as possible.
“I called Hawk before coming here, so I know he is not here right now.
But he said he will be back soon and told me to come to the temple first.” “I see.” Kieran thought for a moment and asked, “Did he say how long it would take him to come back?” “Yes.” As Cheadle spoke, she habitually raised her right hand in its white glove, palm facing upward.
“He gave an approximate answer of three days, in a very uncertain tone.” “About three days…” Kieran lowered his eyelids.
Counting the time, that would be exactly half a month.
But between the memories of the original body and his current understanding, Hawk looked like nothing more than an ordinary monk who loved meat and alcohol.
How exactly had he become connected to Cheadle?
Cheadle looked at Kieran as he lowered his head in thought, and her gaze softened.
Kieran suddenly looked up.
Cheadle quickly concealed her emotion and returned to a calm expression.
“Sorry if this is rude…” Kieran looked at her and asked tentatively, “Does Hawk owe you money?” “…” Cheadle was forced into silence.
The first thing she thought was: just how terrible was that bastard Hawk’s image as a father in Kieran’s heart?
Even worse…
When it came to owing money, Hawk really did owe her some.
Cheadle barely forced out a smile and said against her conscience, “Hawk does not owe me money.” After a pause, she pretended to be curious and asked, “Why?
Does he owe many other people money?” “Not much.
He just likes buying things on credit.” Kieran raised a hand to his chin.
“As far as I know, at the village butcher shop at the foot of the mountain, he owes for a few dozen pounds of meat.
He also owes quite a bit at the grain store.
But the general store is the worst.
He owes a lot there for cigarettes and alcohol.
The plump auntie who runs the shop is very nice, though.
She never…” “It must have been hard for you, having such a terrible father.” Cheadle’s expression dimmed.
She really did not want to keep listening, so she gently interrupted Kieran’s account.
Kieran smiled and did not continue the topic.
Instead, he invited her in.
Cheadle did not refuse and followed behind him.
Her gaze swept across the aura on Kieran’s body.
‘The flow and stability of his Ten are both very good.
At this level, even a talented Nen user would conservatively need half a year to reach it.’ ‘And Kieran…
the fact that he awakened Nen on his own under Divine Script suppression is already unbelievable.
Now he has reached this level of Ten in less than half a month.’ ‘In terms of talent alone, he is undoubtedly monster-class.
Wright’s teaching during this period must also have played a crucial role.’ Cheadle thought silently.
On her long journey here, she had investigated the recent situation around this scenic area to a certain extent.
So she knew Wright had recently dealt with a wanted criminal here, and she knew Wright had deliberately stayed in the temple for some time before leaving.
As for Wright “teaching” Kieran, that was Cheadle’s inference.
The basis for her inference was the conditions for licensed Hunters to increase their star rating.
To advance from One-Star to Two-Star, a Hunter had to personally train a One-Star licensed Hunter.
Therefore, many licensed Hunters who pursued star ratings would not miss any promising seedling over the course of their careers.
Taking disciples was extremely common.
Of course, not all licensed Hunters were like that.
Some took disciples or guided juniors according to personal preference.
But if it was the highly ambitious Wright, after noticing Kieran’s monster-level talent, he would inevitably approach, teach, and guide Kieran for the sake of advancing his star rating.
Cheadle’s inference was basically consistent with the facts.
However, given her current position and identity, she naturally would not mention it rashly.
“I forgot to introduce myself.” When they arrived in the courtyard, Kieran suddenly stopped, turned back to look at Cheadle, and smiled.
“My name is Kieran, though since you know Hawk, you should already know my name.” “Mm.
I have…
always known.” Cheadle also stopped.
Her eyes changed for an instant.
Yes.
She had always known, and she had always ignored him.
Even though her starting point had been protection.
Cheadle silently calmed her emotions, then introduced herself with a rather formal posture.
“Cheadle Yorkshire.
Two-Star Disease Hunter, and a member of the Hunter Association’s Twelve Zodiacs.” “Hm?” Kieran, who had already prepared himself, revealed a puzzled expression at the right moment.
He would not casually expose his identity as someone with knowledge of the future.
At this moment, he should naturally be confused by terms like Two-Star Disease Hunter and the Hunter Association’s Twelve Zodiacs.
As for the identity of a Nen user…
Although that had already been exposed in Cheadle’s eyes, the source that led him to become a Nen user was self-awakening.
Under those circumstances, he certainly would not suddenly act as if he knew a great deal.
Especially when the other party was his cheap father’s friend and very likely understood part of his situation.
“Kieran, was that introduction too formal?” Cheadle dropped the posture and looked at him with a smile.
At the same time, she guessed in her heart: Had Wright not mentioned anything related to the Hunter Association to Kieran?
“No.
It is just…” Kieran looked at Cheadle with a little hesitation.
That ignorant performance stopped at just the right point.
“Let us sit first.” Cheadle pointed toward the stone table and chairs in the courtyard and smiled.
“Treat it as a topic for conversation.
I will explain it to you slowly.” “All right.” Kieran nodded obediently and went to prepare tea and snacks.
Cheadle watched from the side.
So far, Kieran’s words and actions left her very satisfied, and once again, she felt grateful.
Grateful that her dear friend’s son did not look like his father, and grateful that her dear friend’s son had not been ruined by him.
During this formal contact, both Kieran and Cheadle had things they needed to conceal.
Cheadle could not expose her intention for the time being, and she would not take the initiative to reveal that she had specially investigated the temple’s recent situation before coming.
Kieran’s identity as someone with future knowledge was a secret he absolutely could not let outsiders know.
He could not reveal even the smallest clue.
Under the premise of having awakened Nen on his own, he could not abruptly behave as if he knew too much.
If Hawk, who knew someone like Cheadle, was also a Nen user, then Kieran would not have had to take that extra step.
Because both of them had things to hide, they each put on a certain degree of disguise from their own positions.
Relatively speaking, however, Kieran had more to hide, and what he hid was far more important.
After bringing tea and snacks, Kieran sat down.
Cheadle then gave him a detailed explanation of the Hunter Association’s existence and the weight carried by star-ranked licensed Hunters.
“It is hard to imagine…” After listening to Cheadle’s explanation, Kieran could not hide his amazement.
“How does Hawk know someone as important as you?
He really does not owe you money?” “Heh…” Hearing that, Cheadle could not help laughing.
She decided that Hawk’s image in Kieran’s mind had already fallen to an extremely serious point.
Although she hated Hawk, at this moment, she actually could not bear to make Hawk’s image in Kieran’s heart even worse.
So she once again said against her conscience, “Hawk really does not owe me money.” “Then how do you know Hawk?” Kieran asked curiously.
It was not that he absolutely needed to know, but in this situation, asking one more question was harmless.
Hearing that, the smile on Cheadle’s face stiffened slightly.
Less than half an hour had passed since she entered the temple.
But this brief contact had already made her, who loved the son because she loved the mother, completely fond of Kieran.
Because both his face and his mannerisms resembled her deceased dear friend far too much.
“Actually…” She hesitated for a moment, but finally decided to say it.
“Kieran, your mother and I grew up together.” At that point, she paused, then added, “If possible, I would rather not have known Hawk.” “So that is how it is.” Kieran showed slight understanding and pretended not to hear the second half of Cheadle’s sentence, which was full of hostility toward Hawk.
As for the original body’s mother…
Among the memories he had received, there were no fragments of the original body interacting with her.
He did not even know her name or what she looked like.
So naturally, Kieran did not have much of a reaction.
Seeing his flat response, Cheadle, who knew the truth, unconsciously bit her lip.
An impulse suddenly rose in her heart.
“Kieran, come with me!” “…” ✦ ✦ ✦ Ready for more?
CREATORS’ THOUGHTS EmberHollow Thank you for reading.
I hope this chapter pulled you deeper into the story.
Stick around, because there’s still a lot waiting just ahead.