In the blink of an eye, more than a month had passed since that shocking shooting. The chilly October wind began to sweep relentlessly downward, blowing all the way into Pinatol City. Looking at the falling leaves outside the window, Jones felt that the time had come.
He stroked the green gemstone in his hand. For nearly a month, the newspapers had been filled with headlines about the sensational shooting. Most residents could hardly fathom why the target of such an attack would be two beastman children. Yet, other than Jones and Marlow, who knew the truth, the townspeople wisely kept to themselves—at least it kept them alive.
What brought Jones the most peace of mind, aside from the fact that his identity remained undiscovered, was Seral's improving condition. For nearly a month, Seral had been almost entirely unconscious. He had been so severely injured that even the doctor had expressed grave concern for his survival.
Fortunately, Seral finally opened his eyes again this morning. Jones had been sitting right by his bed. Seeing Seral open his eyes, he didn't hesitate to climb onto the mattress and plant a passionate kiss on the slightly bewildered Seral's face.
Seral sat in a daze for a moment before realizing that Jones had just kissed him with such emotion. Blushing, it took him a long time to collect his wits. He had completely forgotten everything that had happened over the past month. He only remembered being ambushed on a dark, windy night; everything that followed was a complete blank.
He nearly bounced out of bed. "Jones!" he cried. "Thank goodness, you're all right!"
"Seral, I'm the one who should be saying that! What are you talking about!" Jones hugged him tightly, a flush spreading across Seral's cheeks. With that, Jones lifted his shirt to show Seral his wound.
"Granted, my injury certainly wasn't as severe as yours," Jones said, looking a bit self-conscious. "And you were the one protecting me that day. But I've been stuck in the hospital for nearly a month myself, and I've only just been able to get out of bed and walk around recently!"
"Really?" Seral exclaimed. "Does that mean my injuries are considered mostly recovered already? Can I walk around outside now?"
"Seral, I think you should temper your expectations!" Jones protested. "Listen to me, you were seriously hurt—even the doctor was shocked. He told me not long ago that given how deep your coma was, even if you managed to recover, you'd likely be left with chronic ailments!
"Of course, by that time you had already had your muzzle removed; maybe you didn't know about the muzzle, but the doctor monitored your health through it during that period. The fur on your belly was completely shaved off, and it took a long time to grow back!"
Seral hurriedly checked his abdomen. The fur had indeed grown back. Suddenly realizing he was naked, he pulled the bedsheet up over himself in embarrassment.
"Seral, I was the same way back then! Don't worry!" Jones stepped forward and pulled the sheet away. "Now that you're practically fully recovered, we should be able to go home! I've been stuck in this hospital for a whole month!"
"It's already been a month?" Seral asked, finding it hard to believe. "Goodness, it seems I really was unconscious for quite a while! Jones, I can't imagine how long you've been here watching over me. I'm so sorry!"
"Seral, what on earth do you have to apologize for?" Jones said loudly. "I should be thanking you for saving me, and I'm the one who caused you to lie here for a month! Seral, I should be the one apologizing to you, no matter how you look at it."
"Jones!" Seral cried. "I believe in you more and more now! It turns out you really are the Savior they talk about? If that's true, my life from now on is going to be full of adventure."
"Yes, Seral!" Jones shouted. "And I need to thank you, Seral; thank you for saving me." With that, Jones leaned in close to Seral's face, and while Seral was still basking in the moment, Jones kissed his furry cheek directly.
Seral turned his head to look at him abruptly, but Jones leaped off the bed, stuck out his tongue playfully, and bolted out of the ward. Blushing fiercely, Seral covered his face with the bedsheet. Then he noticed a greeting card sitting on the table by the bed, handwritten by Jones in elaborate script: *Wishing you a speedy recovery!*
Through the window, Seral watched Jones running down the street and suddenly realized that his life would no longer be as chaotic as before—yet it was now bound to be full of danger. He sighed, never expecting that his previously aimless days would turn out like this.
Jones hurried back home to find that Marlow had cleaned the place from top to bottom. Yet Jones still couldn't shake the memory: a month ago, Marlow had killed a man right here, and the gruesome state of the corpse had burned itself into Jones's mind.
Marlow had disposed of the waiter's body, and no one had come looking for it yet. But Jones was genuinely worried. What if last month's assassination attempt had been triggered by the waiter's death? If so, more trouble was bound to follow.
Besides, Marlow couldn't work a normal job anymore; the police department had indeed placed him on a list of dangerous persons. While this list at best only diminished Marlow's standing, once the situation fermented, Marlow certainly wouldn't have an easy time of it in the end.
At that moment, Jones suddenly thought of Jiggins. Two months had passed, and he had no idea where Jiggins was. Where on earth had he gone? Jones wished he could just turn the corner of the street and find the answer, though he knew that was wishful thinking.
Still, Marlow's life was going smoothly enough for now. He had gone out with his pistol that day without even having time to say goodbye to Jones.
At the same time, Jones realized that the time had come for him to set out. Whether alone or with companions, he truly needed to hit the road. Yet the books he had consulted, especially ancient and modern ones, barely mentioned the Northern Continent at all.
Very few modern books were left.
Jones walked into the library. The bookshelves before him were still piled high with volumes. Just like a month ago, he used the search terminal to look for books, but most of the content was stuff he had already seen, leaving him with no choice but to give up.
Stepping out of the library, he gazed at the slanting rays of the sun and finally let out a sigh of relief, relishing the temporary peace. At that moment, Seral came into his view.
Seral was already able to walk and was recovering quite well. Jones was tempted to rush over and hug his old friend, but considering Seral's health, he decided against anything so drastic.
He walked over, a sudden idea popping into his head: if Seral could embark on the path of adventure with him, perhaps it wouldn't be a bad thing for Jones at all!
"Seral, you're finally here!" Jones called out. "Come on, Seral, let's talk about something."
"Jones, I can already guess what it is," Seral replied. "I have a feeling it's something quite serious. Am I right in thinking that's what's on your mind? If so, that would be wonderful!"
"Seral, it is indeed a matter of profound seriousness!" Jones said. "Because I've suddenly realized that I'll be hitting the road soon! You know, walking that path of salvation! I'm not joking, and I'm not the type to live in idle fantasies."
"Jones, of course I know what you're thinking!" Seral exclaimed. "But are we leaving right now? Or should we wait until later?"
"Seral, that's precisely what I wanted to talk to you about," Jones said. "You see, you're still recovering, so I certainly can't drag you back into intense adventures just yet. But I wanted to give you a heads-up: if I really do leave in the future, will you come with me?"
"Jones, my goodness, do you really think I'd turn down an offer like that?" Seral smiled. "After all, you're my only friend. Whatever you do, as long as it's the right thing, I will always support you. As for this kind of adventurous life, of course I yearn for it! Why? Because for the longest time, my life hasn't been as fulfilling and thrilling as it is right now!"
"My word!" Jones laughed heartily. He put an arm around Seral to steady him and led him back into the apartment.