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From Human to Skeleton: Revived with Infinite System Crystals-Chapter 609 X on the sorbet
After a few moments, she pulled away, taking a deep breath. "Thank you," she said, her voice steadier now. She straightened her armor, her gaze growing determined once more. "Let's go. We need to get to the waiting room for the interviews."
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Ty nodded, stretching as he stood. As they turned to leave, he glanced over at JJ. She had her face buried in the pillow, her shoulders slumped as if weighed down by everything she had endured. He sighed. "Give me a moment, Yun." He walked over to JJ and leaned down, his voice gentle. "Everything is going to be okay, I promise. Just be safe and focus on what you can do." She looked up, her eyes rimmed with exhaustion and worry, but she nodded, managing a weak smile. "Okay," she whispered. "Me and Blue will do what we can." Ty gave her a reassuring pat on the head before heading back to Yun-Jin.
They moved towards the door, and as they stepped into the dim corridor, Ty's expression darkened. The air was heavy, and the drone buzz added a persistent background hum. His gaze remained ahead, but the thought nagged at him. "So who killed him exactly? I'm sure you've been planning something, right?" Yun-Jin didn't respond, her expression unchanging, and Ty could feel a slight tension in her step. He kept following her down the dimly lit hall, his mind wandering. Could she blame him for what happened? The idea made his chest tighten. Grief had strange effects on people—irrational thoughts, misplaced blame, and Ty had seen it all before.
They reached a door, and Yun-Jin paused, her hand grasping the knob. She turned it slowly, a low creak echoing in the narrow corridor. "In here," she said, her voice finally breaking the silence. "We can discuss what's been happening." She twisted the knob fully, and they stepped inside. The room was bare—just a handful of chairs arranged against one wall, and Yun-Jin's hand brushed against the switch, the overhead lights flickering to life, casting a harsh brightness across the room.
As the door clicked shut, Ty's eyes moved to the two men in uniform who stood in front of it. Their faces were impassive, their stances rigid. An uneasy feeling twisted in Ty's stomach, and he glanced at Yun-Jin. "What the hell is going on?"
Yun-Jin's eyes met his briefly before she turned to the guards. "Please, leave us. You know he's still a prisoner, so this is just a precautionary measure." The guards nodded, a curt "Yes, ma'am" escaping them as they gave her a slight salute. They moved towards the exit, boots echoing against the floor before they disappeared, the door clicking closed behind them.
Ty watched them leave, unease settling deep in his gut. Yun-Jin gestured to a chair, motioning for him to sit. He hesitated, eyes narrowed, his instincts on high alert. "What's this about?"
Yun-Jin settled into the chair across from him, her eyes flickering, as if she was working to steady her emotions. "It's about a few things—you, this entire tournament, and... JJ."
The mention of JJ caused Ty's breath to catch. He frowned, a sense of unease twisting sharply. "What do you mean about her?"
Yun-Jin paused, swallowing hard as if the words themselves pained her. She reached over, grabbing a folder from the table, and slid it across to Ty. "Here. Just take a look."
Ty grabbed the folder, his fingers feeling heavy. He slowly opened it. Inside, a glossy image was paper-clipped on the front. He leaned in, eyes narrowing. It showed JJ sitting at a table with a man—tall, cloaked, with a blindfold wrapped over his eyes. The edges of the photo were grainy, clearly taken in haste, but the tension between the two figures was evident.
Ty shook his head, confusion etching lines across his brow. "What exactly am I supposed to be seeing here? It's just JJ... sitting with some guy."
Yun-Jin exhaled sharply, her lips pressed into a thin line. "This isn't just any guy, Ty. This man… he's a member of the Black Bulls. And that"—she jabbed a finger at the image—"is the last time anyone saw this specific member alive, shortly after Lt. Daemon was killed."
Ty blinked, his brain scrambling to catch up. "Wait... Are you saying that JJ was talking to someone involved in Daemon's death?"
"Yes," Yun-Jin confirmed, her eyes locking onto his. "This photo was taken just after Lt. Daemon's death. The timing—the proximity—it's all too coincidental."
Ty swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. "And has anyone talked to JJ about this? What did she say?"
Yun-Jin shook her head, her expression dark. "Only a handful of us know about this, Ty. We haven't confronted her, and we haven't detained her either. Not yet."
"Then what are you suggesting?" Ty's voice had dropped to a near growl. "Are you thinking she's working with them? There has to be a reason for this. JJ wouldn't—"
"Maybe," Yun-Jin interrupted, her voice softening for a moment. "But for now, we don't have the luxury of trusting anyone blindly. If the Black Bulls are involved with her, there are only two ways this could go: either they cut all ties and vanish, or they eliminate her. They have too much to lose. We can't let them slip away—not after what they did."
Ty clenched his jaw, glaring down at the photograph, his hands tightening on the folder. Yun-Jin's words hit him like a punch to the gut. She wasn't wrong. If JJ was linked, even indirectly, it meant her life could be in danger. The thought of someone targeting her, the thought of losing more people—it was almost unbearable.
"So what do you want me to do?" he asked, looking up, his gaze hardening. "Just pretend I don't know? Pretend I don't care?"
Yun-Jin's face softened, a glimmer of sorrow crossing her eyes. "I know it's a lot to ask, Ty. But right now, patience is our only option. We need to draw them out, catch them all—not just the stragglers. And that means keeping her safe until we can end this, once and for all. Lt. Daemon used to tell me that sometimes patience is just as deadly as a blade." Her voice cracked slightly, and she looked away for a moment, regaining her composure.
After a few moments, she pulled away, taking a deep breath. "Thank you," she said, her voice steadier now. She straightened her armor, her gaze growing determined once more. "Let's go. We need to get to the waiting room for the interviews."
Ty gave her a nod, letting the tension from their previous conversation settle for a bit. As they began walking, his mind still whirled with everything she had revealed. He stole another glance at Yun-Jin as they moved, her armor glinting in the dim light, her eyes focused straight ahead, a mix of determination and something deeper there—maybe uncertainty. "We'll discuss this more as things play out, Yun-Jin. But do you really think JJ might be working with the Black Bulls?"
Yun-Jin looked taken aback by the directness of his question. "Wh-what? No, of course not. I mean… I don't know." Her hand flexed around the hilt of her sword, the movement almost absent-minded. "I'm being whipped around like a tornado with all the information being thrown at me, honestly it's a bit much to handle." She shook her head, trying to push through her thoughts. "But I think we should trust JJ regardless. She has been through a lot, and she's always had our back."
Ty nodded, frowning. "Yeah, you're right. She's always been there, but we still have to be ready for the worst. You mentioned her parents…" He hesitated, recalling the tragedy she had faced. "I mean, they were murdered, right? And Fernando, the guy who killed them, he was… given a second chance?"
Yun-Jin sighed, the weight of the words pulling her posture down for a moment. "Yes. He was brought back. The kingdom's decision, they saw something they could use in him. But to JJ… that could easily look like the kingdom aligning itself with her family's killer. She might view them as responsible. It's a lot of pain to carry."
Ty scratched his head, deep in thought as they approached the door. "Well, I mean, the kingdom kinda is responsible, aren't they? I mean, back where I'm from, he'd be lucky to even get the electric chair."
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Yun-Jin turned her head, a puzzled look on her face. "The what?"
Ty offered a small grin, realizing the foreignness of his comment. "It's a chair that shoots volts through someone—kills them if they're deemed too dangerous to keep alive."