The candy infused with "Nen energy" lay quietly in the little girl's hand....
The little girl smiled sweetly; anyone normal would have found it hard to refuse.
But... Wutong was not a normal person, he returned just in time, dutifully blocking the "knife" for Roy.
"Big brother has a toothache and can't eat candy. Thank you, darling."
"Really?" The little girl tilted her head and looked at Roy, who smiled and nodded at her.
The girl's mother, a gentle woman, timely pulled the girl's small hand and said: "Ena, don't bother the gentlemen."
She smiled apologetically at Roy and Wutong...
Roy and Wutong exchanged a glance, breathing a sigh of relief, yet...
Before they could fully exhale, their breath caught in their throats once more, unable to relax.
In their sight,
The store clerk dressed as a clown approached....
Surrounded by a group of children, he scattered candies as he walked, as if retaliating against his employer for low wages. Passersby each received a candy, and swiftly, he was in front of Roy and Wutong.
"Candy... chocolate-flavored... delicious... want some..." A ghostly pale hand reached over...
The clown, with a comically red nose, smiled at Roy, his bright, glaring red lips curving all the way to his ears.
Roy looked up and met his gaze, the clown smiling more sweetly than the little girl... His eyes passing over the clown's shoulder, focusing on the tall figures guarding the hall door not far away.
Why the Hunter Association hadn't taken action yet, what were they waiting for?
Is it that they hadn't noticed the issue with the "candy"?
Impossible.
Since the other party is a Nen user, they couldn't fail to notice the Nen attached.
They were allowing people to consume it, perhaps fearing an uproar that would let this "clown" slip away in the chaos.
But, are ordinary lives not lives?
Without a Thought Erasure Master, the Nen attached to the "candy" can't be removed easily... Or perhaps they are confident they can kill the "clown" with one strike before he activates his ability?
Roy's mind raced, directly refusing the clown's offer: "Sorry, I have congenital diabetes and can't eat sweets."
"Oh~, poor thing, luckily I have sugar-free ones here..." The clown flipped his hand and pulled out a candy from the large pocket on his chest, handing it over....
Roy: "..."
Shaking his head: "The sugar-free ones have additives; I don't eat them."
"Pure natural, no additives, eat with peace of mind." The clown smiled even more sweetly.
"If there are no additives, there's no taste, not delicious."
"Don't worry, it's flavorful, eat freely."
"He said he doesn't want it!" Wutong suddenly stood up, his tall figure like a wall, blocking Roy!
"Whoa... whoa..." The clown was "startled," hurriedly raising his hands and taking two steps back, spilling candies from his pocket, drawing many children to snatch them up.
"Beep... beep... beep... Attention passengers... Flight K3284 to Heavens Arena begins boarding..."
"Please proceed to gate G4 for check-in and boarding...."
"Beep... beep... beep... Attention passengers...."
At this moment, the airport broadcast sounded... The crowd surged, separating the "clown"...
He stood amid the crowd, pushed backward, his crimson eyes silently watching Roy, noticing the figures blocking the hall door moving. He emptied his pocket into the air, candies flying everywhere, drawing the crowd into a frenzy, slipping away in the chaos.
"He boarded the zeppelin." Wutong had tracked him the entire time, clearly seeing as he stood up and deactivated [Zetsu], employing [Gyo].
The young butler adjusted the glasses on his nose and said: "Luckily, the young master foresaw this and instructed me to change the flight in advance."
Foresaw?
Roy watched the Hunter Association personnel break through the crowd in pursuit, pondering in silence.
Next to him, the little girl had picked up a few more "candies," happily eating them, swinging her little legs, and said to her mother: "Mommy, big brother seems to be on the same flight as us?"
The woman smiled awkwardly at Wutong...
Responding was Wutong's cold gaze as he sat down without a word.
Half an hour later, Flight "K3284" carried the "clown" and the Hunter Association personnel into the sky.
Roy heard the engine's roar, glanced out the window, a chill emerging in his heart....
Clearly, the Hunter Association and the Police Headquarters were willing to hijack a ship of passengers to resolve the "clown" on the zeppelin... A place with nowhere to escape, even if the "capture plan" failed, a fall would kill him, but this meant a ship of innocent passengers were forced to become "sacrifices"...
"I witnessed the darkness of the Hunter Association early on when I went on missions with the Master," Wutong seemed to understand what Roy was contemplating, speaking silently: "Many of them don't really distinguish justice, often like us, just taking money to execute tasks...."
"But, whether the Master or Master Zeno, they more or less consider ordinary people...."
"They..." Wutong coldly laughed: "When extreme, they are inhuman.... "
The Hunter Association often contracts work for governments or corporations, delegating it to the hunters within the association.
For hunters accepting such missions, regardless of success, the association assures them of compensation determined by the risk and difficulty involved.
In other words...
National will is above the Hunter Association...
"Perhaps out of disgrace, the Mimbo Republic's high echelon, infuriated, secretly reached some agreement with the Republic of Padokea....."
Roy suddenly thought of Netero's close friend Jade, who, as the "shadow" of the Hunter Association in his early years, did quite a bit of dirty work for Netero... Otherwise, he wouldn't have had such intense resentment after death.
"Are you guys talking?"
The little girl, chewing on candy, curiously eyed Roy and Wutong, the two frequently communicating in lip-reading without making a sound, clearly piquing her curiosity.
"Ena, I told you not to bother the gentlemen resting."
"It's fine." Roy saw the woman frustratedly tugging at the girl's braids, smiling as he waved his hand.
His gaze fixed briefly on the candy she was chewing... Hoping the Hunter Association would exert some effort, ensuring a precious life wouldn't be senselessly lost.
At three-twenty in the afternoon.
The airport broadcast announced the commencement of check-in and boarding for Flight "K3285."
After waiting for a long time, Wutong stood up, following Roy, joining the crowd onto the zeppelin.
Coincidentally, after the change, they sat across from the woman and little girl.
"Due to the sudden change, the officials couldn't arrange a VIP cabin, so the young master will have to settle for the regular cabin."
"With tea, pastries, and acquaintances, there's nothing to be settled for..."
"Indeed, big brother, this time the pastries aren't sweet and have no additives, feel free to eat~"
Just as Wutong settled beside Roy, the little girl's mouth widened to her ears, smiling sweetly...
Roy and Wutong were startled, two guns pressed against the back of their heads.....
"Don't move!"