The Crispy Corners formed a circle, blinking their eyes one by one, silently watching everything before them.
They didn't understand why these two people had started this lengthy process again. However, this didn't stop them from quietly... silently immersing themselves in the scene before them.
For them, every atmosphere and phenomenon radiating love and various intense emotions could offer a rare sliver of solace to an aimless consciousness that seemed calm but was actually hollow?
They didn't know what they were doing, but their instinctive actions inadvertently revealed the thing they were instinctively seeking.
ooo
Mono's hands were already free from their bindings.
What does it mean to turn the tables?
Mono was finally getting a taste of what that word truly meant.
Did Six think she could make him suffocate?
But perhaps she hadn't anticipated.
His innate ability to hold his breath was stronger than hers, and now, he had even acquired the [Underwater Swimming] ability from the water ghosts.
Six did not succeed.
On the contrary, he deliberately... bit down tightly.
Weak little hands kept patting.
Breathing grew rapid.
It seemed she was about to become oxygen-deprived.
But still, she did not let go.
He had to teach this Stinky Girl a lesson, otherwise how could he recover the face he had just lost?
So...
When he finally released his grip, a certain Little Person wearing a yellow raincoat could only weakly tilt her little head, lean against his shoulder, and stick out her little tongue...
In such a dangerous environment, constantly having to do this and that felt rather inappropriate.
But when the moment came, what needed to be done still had to be done.
Otherwise, how could he salvage his dignity and face?
Six was ultimately punished and reverted to her obedient, well-behaved self.
Of course, if what had just happened hadn't occurred, Mono would have believed Six would always remain like this.
But now, that was hard to say.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
People always evolve over time. Some learn new skills and abilities, undergoing metamorphosis to ascend to a higher biological level; others, due to certain unexpected events, regress, even exhibiting atavistic traits, becoming neither fish nor fowl.
It's a difficult thing to define a person consistently with one adjective or one noun.
Because both people and circumstances are constantly changing.
This Stinky Girl, Six, is no exception.
Now... she has gone from being cared for by him to knowing how to take the initiative. Even though he later regained the upper hand, the change was undeniable.
Snapping back to attention, Mono noticed the surrounding Crispy Corners. Weren't these guys usually quite lively? Why were they all staring at them now? Mono felt slightly awkward.
Although he knew the Crispy Corners had no intelligence.
However, he did not have the peculiar preference for being watched and observed during... such moments.
"Hey, Sixth?" he whispered softly into the ear of the person still leaning on his shoulder, tilting his head slightly, "Get down once you've rested enough."
He didn't know how to describe the state of the person leaning on his shoulder.
Soft and weak?
Pitiful?
In any case, she was genuinely somewhat cute.
After a long silence...
Her still slightly rapid breathing gradually slowed down... But she did not let go, her head still buried in his shoulder...
What kind of mood is it to not want to be seen?
Thinking of what had just happened, she regretted it afterward...
So she shouldn't let go and allow others to see her still-flushed expression...
"Hey, although I'd also like to hold you like this forever, my arms are really getting tired
!!" Mono couldn't take it anymore.
When did Six become so clingy?
He really should find a way to correct this.
After he spoke, a long moment passed before a soft response came quietly... Then, Six released her grip and her feet touched the ground.
But she kept her head down and even reached up to pull her hat brim lower, completely
covering her face.
Mono curled his lip.
One should be a bit more honest sometimes, shouldn't they? Where was the shyness just now? But he couldn't be bothered to Make complaints right now.
"Alright, stop thinking about taking advantage of me. Once we get out of here, you can do whatever you want, but for now, focus!"
Mono reminded her.
They were still on the The Maw, after all. Being so careless wasn't asking for death? Little Sixth kept pulling her hat brim, not making a sound, just silently nodding. It seemed she wasn't planning to face him for a while. Helpless, he turned around again.
o... Seeking flowers..
As the affectionate scene ended, the Crispy Corners gradually came to their senses one by one, returning to their lively, bouncing selves.
Mono inquired about the exit once more.
Surprisingly, they didn't ask for a kiss again this time.
They simply crowded around them and led them to the side of the Boiler.
Then they pointed upward at the Conveyor Belt, winding its way up, used for transporting Coal Slag, its end unseen.
Mono was taken aback o
"So you're saying 'the entrance to the next level is up there?"
The Crispy Corners jumped up and down. Clearly, he had guessed correctly again.
Mono moved closer, silently looking up.
The Conveyor Belt formed a ninety-degree angle with the ground, towering into the clouds. Relying on it to climb up seemed almost impossible.
Fly up?
Mono instinctively felt a headache coming on.
Just as he was hesitating, the Crispy Corner--Little White--suddenly ran over again, tugged at his pant leg, and pointed to the nearby Boiler.
Mono was puzzled for a moment, then understood.
"You mean, if we fire up the Boiler, we can get this Conveyor Belt moving?"
More jumping ensued.
"Alright then, what are we waiting for? Let's get to work!"
Mono waved his hand grandly, issuing the order.
All the Crispy Corners promptly sprang into action.
Not long after...
Little white figures, each holding a pitch-black lump of Charcoal, scurried back and forth between the Coal Pile and the burning Boiler mouth, vigorously tossing coal into the Boiler.
Soon, the white Crispy Corners were all smudged with more or less black Charcoal, their bodies stained, looking somewhat pitiful.
The scene before him was somewhat reminiscent of the Soot Sprites in the Boiler room of Grandpa Kamaji in "Spirited Away" O
Mono also felt that at this moment, he seemed like a cold-blooded, ruthless capitalist who mercilessly exploited labor value without a shred of compassion.
Damn it, the wickedness of capital.
Of course, the Crispy Corners were still enjoying themselves tirelessly.
It seemed helping Mono made them very happy.
Mono was unusually moved once again.
If possible, perhaps he should also help them recover the part they were missing.
Things without [Emotion] are ultimately not human.
These Gnomes, deep down, probably still instinctively hoped to become Little Person again o...
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