"JhonD?"
"I've never heard of that name, so did this guy named JhonD do anything to you?"Crow turned around, leaned his back against the railing, and pulled out a thin cigarette from his jacket pocket. "You seem to be in a bad mood. Want one?"
"I don't smoke," Grim replied.
"Tobacco in the Year Of The Ark was very expensive."
"No matter how much it costs, I don't smoke."
"Really? You really have principles."
Crow lit a cigarette in his hand, put it in his mouth, and asked, "What did you see? Elevator Ark? Or are you sighing for the poor soul sent to the Surface?"
Grim glanced at Crow, his face full of smoky makeup, which made him somewhat uncomfortable. "My mind shouldn't bother you, right?"
Crow did not answer, only asked another question. "Since we are in consultation, we should get to know each other better."
"After all, you don't seem to be in a good state of mind at the moment."
"None of your business," said Grim.
"Don't tell me it's none of my business; I can understand your feelings."
"As a human, you can only watch your juniors being forced into a dead end by the Central Government and Nikke. You must be mad right now, right?"
"That's your opinion. Grim glanced at Crow and said coldly, " don't force your opinion on me."
"So you don't agree with my point of view? Very interesting."Crow became somewhat interested in Grim. He let out a puff of cigarette smoke and suddenly asked, "then let me ask you one more question."
"I ask you, who do you think is the persecuted party, Nikke or humans?"
"Nikke."
Grim's unquestioning reply left Crow speechless for a moment.
Then he took a cigarette from his mouth and asked, "Have you been to school?"
Grim loses his temper. "My level of education is clearly higher than yours."
Crow grinned. "In that case, the teachers of the military academy should have told you that Nikke is not a human, but only a disposable tool made of human skin. Why do you think alat will be persecuted?"
Grim frowned. "It's not a tool."
Crow laughed. "In your eyes, Nikke is not a tool? Oh, so what? Can you change the discriminatory attitude of most humans on the Ark towards Nikke? Can you get the Central Government on the Ark to change its policy and give human rights to a scrap metal scrap that can be recycled?"
"Of course you can't, right?"
"If the Ark is a deep abyss, then you are just a frog floating on the water, unable to do anything, just watching this puddle rise higher and deeper."
"And someday, you too will drown and be swallowed by this pool of water, finally falling into darkness and becoming one of them."
"..."
"Is that your opinion?"
Grim smiled faintly, with a hint of disgust in his eyes. "An antisocial terrorist who bombs trains and attacks civilians dares to criticize me?"
"Lower your head and look at this Outpost."
"Who do you think turned this place into a retreat for Nikke? Who do you think is fighting for their well-being and more resources for them?"
"It's me."
"I fought desperately on the Surface, just to get more votes in Ark and improve their situation."
"Not only that."
In every battle report I wrote, Nikke under my command received very high praise. I never take compliments for myself; I just want to give them a chance to upgrade their weapons and bodies to a higher level.
"And you're saying that I, like this, will one day be corrupted by the higher-ups of the Ark?"
"You're too naive, Crow."
Grim turned around, his gaze sharp as a sharp knife, piercing Crow's heart.
"When I fought for all possible gains for Nikke, what did you do?"
"Sitting on the soft sofa, criticizing me? Holding your phone, sneering at me anonymously?"
"Crow, go ahead and grumble loudly about me, but what's the point?"
"Do you think mocking me can defeat me? Do you think criticizing me would quench my desire to protect them?"
"I tell you, you will never succeed."
Grim turned his back, and under the dim yellow light, his shadow, like a giant, swallowed Crow.
"I will continue on my way, even if it is a tough fight, a struggle that requires the effort of my whole life, my answer is only one."
"I have never regretted, and never looked back."
Bang!
The roof door slammed shut.
Grim is gone.
Crow stared at the iron door; he was silent for a moment, then suddenly stretched out his hand, grabbing the iron railing on which Grim had just leaned.
The iron fence was still warm.
It can even be said that the heat is smoldering.
Crow stared at the iron fence. He thought that his heart had long died in years of oppression, leaving only a grudge against Ark: inciting Nikke, killing civilians, turning everything in this world into chaos.
But at this moment, this crazy woman, whose heart had long been dead, was touched by Grim's words.
"Counterattack Squad, Grim..."
Crow raised his Palm, silently repeating Grim's name.
Just as Grim turns around, he feels a wave of long-lost desires: to kill, to destroy, to possess, to watch pure ideals fall into decay indistinguishable from his own, to watch the twisted face of a hero dying and a villain born.
Is it love, or hate, or maybe jealousy?
Or even more strange emotions?
Crow wasn't convinced, but someone's imprint had been engraved in his heart.
"Grim, Grim..."
"You really are an interesting man. Had I met you ten years earlier, I would probably have unquestioningly joined your team, like the young girls around you, longing for your safety one day."
"But unfortunately, the current Me doesn't need you to be my hero, nor do I need you to save me."
"I have become dirty blood in the mud; I only want to defile and stain your pure heart."
"Hehehe..."
Crow dropped his cigarette butt, a mischievous and flamboyant smile adorning the corner of his mouth.
How long has it been since he laughed so freely?
Probably a very long time.
So long that he himself almost forgot that, in addition to revenge, there are more interesting things in the world.
"Grim, as long as I see your twisted expression, as long as I see you in your worst state, even if I am sent to the Rehabilitation Center to be destroyed, I will have no regrets in this life."
"So, how can I make such a noble hero fall into such a despicable and shameless villain like me?"
"I need to go back and think of a plan."
"The perfect plan."
Crow muttered to himself as he descended the stairs.
On that silent roof, no one was visible, just a speck of cigarette ash burning below.