One-Eyed Monster

Igor was starting to see Kadi in a new light, but what surprised him more was that Kadi actually knew these spirits needed help. Although Igor had told Kadi about these matters, Kadi hadn’t reacted as strongly then as he was now; his earlier reaction had been quite passive. But at this moment, Kadi’s desire to help was intense. This was almost inexplicable.

Igor knew Kadi must have perceived the pitiful plight of these missing spirits, which was why he was so anxious to help.

Indeed, Igor was right. Kadi’s strong desire to help stemmed from something he heard in the Little Black Hands’ discussions that resonated deeply with him. He, too, longed to know where he came from and where he was going.

The Little Black Hands had been discussing this very issue, which seemed to be their most profound problem. However, they were unaware that this same question had also troubled Kadi for many years. It was because of this question that Kadi had come to dislike thinking too much and had adopted a lifestyle of just getting by day by day.

But everything changed with Igor’s arrival. Although Kadi couldn’t quite pinpoint what exactly had shifted, he was very clear that he now had a firm goal: to find his missing self.

No matter what, Kadi was determined to find that self, to know where he came from and where he was going.

Therefore, for Kadi, the path ahead was a story of searching for himself. Though he didn’t like the idea, he knew he had to do it. After drifting aimlessly for so long, it was time to seek some answers for himself.

This was what Kadi had been mulling over recently; the matter had seeped into his very marrow. He felt that after driving out the intruders from Guru Mountain, he had to talk to Kevin about it. After all, Kevin was like a father to him, and such a journey of exploration to find oneself was something he needed to clearly explain to his father figure.

Of course, Kadi would undoubtedly be clinging to Igor...

And the Little Black Hands here also gave Kadi a sense of empathy. This feeling of shared suffering made Kadi determined to help them, even though he didn’t know if this group of Little Black Hands needed his help or not...

”They are like a bunch of pitiful children who, lost in their play, forgot the way home and now don’t know which way to go. Alas,” Kadi sighed, expressing what he truly felt in his heart.

Igor was shocked when he heard this. My God, aren’t these my own feelings from the Inner World? Could it be that I told Kadi about this after I came out? No, that doesn’t seem right. I shouldn’t have. I don’t think I mentioned this at all!

Stan Sol, on the other hand, was even more astonished. It was truly baffling to him that Kadi’s emotions could be so rich.

As for the Little Black Hands, they naturally overheard Kadi’s words as well. Their reaction, needless to say, was even more profound.

Perhaps Igor and the others had said many things before that the Little Black Hands hadn’t taken to heart at all. But it didn’t matter; this single sentence was worth a million!

The Little Black Hands’ emotions suddenly welled up. It couldn’t be helped; Kadi’s words had truly struck a chord deep within them.

What they had been desperately trying to figure out, wasn’t it simply to find their own place of belonging? And wasn’t their place of belonging their home?

They didn’t know where this home was, so they felt lost, unsure of where they came from.

And precisely because of this, they clung to every moment in this world. After all, the feeling of having no place to belong was bad enough; without a purpose, life was even more meaningless.

This clinging to the world was merely a way to numb themselves, to make themselves forget that place of belonging...

The Little Black Hands gradually felt they had found a kindred spirit. Kadi’s words had gone straight to their hearts, leaving them deeply stirred and unable to calm down for a long time.

They suddenly felt like wild beasts and birds of this world that had been captured—either locked in cages or imprisoned in cells. In any case, they had lost their freedom. Indeed, they truly were bound by something!

To return to nature was the dream of these captured birds and beasts, and now they felt it was their dream too.

If nothing bound them, they would at least be free. And if they could wield that freedom, they believed they could find their own place of belonging...

Sad thoughts arose one after another. Thinking of their current state, the Little Black Hands couldn’t help but feel disheartened. What on earth could be trapping them like this, denying them freedom, making them forget even who they were? If these youths hadn’t reminded them, they would have long ago forgotten they were spirits.

These youths, who had inadvertently awakened their fragmented memories, could now communicate with them. Yet, the Little Black Hands hadn’t thought to cherish this opportunity, to seize the time. Instead, they were still wasting it. It was truly shameful!

”Yes, yes, you’re right! We’re just a bunch of playful fellows who got so caught up in fun that we forgot the way back.”

”We regret it deeply now, but for some reason, we just can’t seem to muster the will to think seriously about it.”

”And we’ve developed a ton of bad habits too!”

The Little Black Hands started voicing their feelings again, one after another, but this time, there was no trace of their previous arrogance...

In the blink of an eye, their haughtiness had transformed into humility. The change was indeed quite drastic.

And as for the question Igor had asked, they now felt perfectly justified in not answering it!

This was the consequence of sympathy overflowing...

It had to be said, the image of playful children forgetting their way home was such a poignant, sad thing that it naturally evoked sympathy and a desire to care for them.

Consequently, Igor and the others quickly forgot all about the haughtiness and imperiousness these spirits had displayed earlier.

Especially when the Little Black Hands pitifully asked, ”Can you help us?” Igor and Kadi almost jumped for joy...

Stan Sol shook his head. He felt that, regardless, they still needed to find out what they had to know; otherwise, there was no way to help.

”You still need to answer the question we just asked,” Stan Sol interjected, ruthlessly shattering the atmosphere and catching the Little Black Hands completely off guard...

”W-why?” they stammered, becoming unbelievably tense.

”It’s quite simple. Even if we were to let you return to nature and act according to your instincts, I would still need to know your natural tendencies,” Stan Sol said calmly, while Kadi and Igor, standing beside him, stared at him with curiosity.

Clearly, everyone wanted to know exactly why Stan Sol had shattered the atmosphere...

”It’s simple. I can’t just release a fish into a forest, nor can I put a bird into a river, can I? Even if you are to return to nature, you must return to the correct place!”