His actions would eventually come back to bite him.
Jiang Chen had been a firm believer in this for a long time.
He had imagined countless possibilities for his women from the two dimensions to meet each other, but never imagined that when this day really came, the atmosphere would be so solemn.
Yes, solemn.
The already not so spacious living room became crowded because of the arrival of Xia Shiyu, Natasha, and Ayesha. Ayesha and Natasha were obviously brought by Xia Shiyu. Originally, Jiang Chen’s plan was to take it one step at a time and start with the most difficult one, but he did not think Xia Shiyu would bring the other two along.
The living room was silent to the point where one could hear the sound of a needle drop to the ground.
In the end, it was Xia Shiyu, who had the most serious expression, that burst out laughing.
The tense atmosphere in the room instantly vanished.
Although Xiaorou appeared to be the calmest on the surface, Jiang Chen could still feel from her expression that she just breathed a sigh of relief in her mind… Of course, Lilith was the exception. She was as expressionless as ever from the very start, and quietly observed the situation.
“Are you Sun Jiao?” Xia Shiyu looked at Sun Jiao while her bright eyes blinked. She walked up and took her hands, “Can you show me your world?”
During the interdimensional communication, Xia Shiyu met Sun Jiao before.
“Of course.” Sun Jiao felt a bit overwhelmed by Xia Shiyu’s move. She was slightly embarrassed and subconsciously said, “But there is nothing good to see over there.”
Xia Shiyu shook her head and smiled, “I want to go and see the world he has struggled in.”
…
Obviously, it was a plan that they discussed on the way here; Xia Shiyu’s proposal was approved by Ayesha and Natasha. Of course, Sun Jiao and the others didn’t have any objections. The portal was in the warehouse on Coconut Island.
After they passed through the portal, Xia Shiyu and Natasha both simultaneously showed a considerable degree of shock. Ayesha was a little better, but she was also shaken.
Except for Xia Shiyu who had chatted with Sun Jiao over the video call, Ayesha and Lin Lin were probably most familiar with each other. Every time Jiang Chen returned to the modern world; it was Ayesha who reported the status quo to him.
Lin Lin took Ayesha’s hand and led the way to visit her lab.
Perhaps it was his illusion.
When the girls noticed that there were a group of girls in the lab, Jiang Chen felt that the way Xia Shiyu and Natasha looked at him behind his back was a little strange, and even Ayesha looked troubled.
Can’t they see that they are clones?
Jiang Chen wanted to defend himself.
Fortunately, Lin Lin explained the situation on his behalf…
After they visited the Lin Institute, the group walked through the backyard and into the elegantly decorated mansion —the “inheritance” left to her by Sun Jiao’s father, and it was also where Jiang Chen and Sun Jiao lived in this world.
When Natasha stepped on the red carpet, she looked around curiously, touched the things around while she explored the place.
“This is… where you went every time you disappeared?”
“Yes,” Jiang Chen glanced at Natasha. “Aren’t you surprised?”
“After living together for so long, I already guessed what I can guess. It’s just that I didn’t expect it to be something so mysterious like another world. I thought it was some kind of alien relics, similar to Area 51 or something,” Natasha rolled her eyes at Jiang Chen, then as if she had thought of something, she added, “By the way, if you don’t trust me, you can use the truth-telling serum…I didn’t take the genetic vaccine anyway, that thing is still effective on me.”
Because of her previous profession, Natasha was well aware of the concern around her, so she mentioned the topic openly. If Jiang Chen wanted to use the truth-telling serum on her and asked her if she leaked the secret to someone, she would not feel any discomfort.
It was also human nature to doubt her.
“I wouldn’t use that stuff on my own woman.” Jiang Chen smiled.
The unexpected answer made Natasha look at Jiang Chen in a daze.
After a while, she recovered from her dazedness and suddenly smiled with her lips closed.
“Can I interpret that as you are trying to improve my impression of you?”
“No, it’s just that that stuff will make your mind more sluggish.” Jiang Chen shook his head and said softly, “And I think you should already know your mother’s…well, her real cause of death. There is no reason for you to continue to serve the KGB.”
“Have you… also investigated?”
There was uncertainty in her eyes.
Natasha used the word also.
“There is no need to investigate at all,” Jiang Chen sighed softly and said, “It’s your choice that told me.”
She was never a timid person, otherwise, she would not have wandered through the war zone all year round to provide intelligence to the KGB.
After she returned from Eastern Europe, she chose to retire from the place her mother used to work. If it was because of getting married and feeling tired of the war, it was far from the reason that would make her leave. Her departure could only prove that her country did something to disappoint her.
This was also proved in the later investigation by Ghost Agents.
Ms. Nikolayeva was actually a double agent. As for the identity of his wife and the cause of death, Natasha’s father, the “Bearded General” was certainly aware of the situation, and he even personally discussed it.
Because it was Team Alpha who did it.
…
“I’m going to prepare lunch.”
As soon as they returned home, Yao Yao quietly said those words and quickly slipped into the kitchen.
The aura in the living room was tense, so tense that the little animal felt a bit suffocated. Ayesha smiled at the girl that rushed into the kitchen because cute things would always gain the friendliness of others, it just so happened that her cooking skills were also quite good, so Ayesha said “I will help her” before she also went into the kitchen.
Because Lin Lin was worried that Yao Yao would get bullied, Lin Lin also nervously followed. Of course, the digitalized human who knew nothing about cooking could probably only taste the dishes. Xiaorou’s eyes moved back and forth between her sister and Xia Shiyu, then she smiled, walked out of the living room wittily, and left the space for the two.
Lilith was zoning out.
Since four people left, and Jiang Chen took Natasha for a tour around the mansion, the once crowded living room suddenly became quiet.
Just when Sun Jiao was hesitant to say something to break the silence, Xia Shiyu spoke first.
“Thank you for taking care of him.”
“Eh? Actually…” Sun Jiao fiddled with her bangs quite awkwardly, “Actually, I should be the one that says thanks.”
Contrary to her previous tough image, although her combat power was superior to the point where Jiang Chen was not even comparable, for some strange reasons, she felt that in front of the woman that came from another world, her identity was less powerful. She always felt that if Jiang Chen had to make a choice between the two worlds, he would definitely choose Xia Shiyu’s side.
In her subconscious, she thought the modern world was better than her world, and she envied everything about that world like heaven. Fortunately, Ms. Xia Shiyu seemed to be very friendly, her voice was also very gentle, and her words were very comforting, which made her tense state start to go away.
“Not at all.” Xia Shiyu smiled with her lips closed together, “I often hear him talk about things in this world, such as how dangerous this place is, how difficult it is to survive against mutants and predators… Do you know what he talks about most?”
“What?” Sun Jiao asked instinctively.
“He told me that he used a can of Coke to buy the lady who tied him up,” one corner of Xia Shiyu’s lips was turned up because of her smile, “He said that it was the best deal he made in his life.”
Sun Jiao laughed out loud and even burst into tears.
Xia Shiyu also laughed along with her.
Because of a topic they shared, the relationship between the two suddenly became closer, and the previous restraint was also diluted with laughter. Sun Jiao also restored her original careless character and was much more talkative than before.
The two’s conversation naturally revolved around “that guy”, from the first adventure together in the wasteland to the later expedition to North America, and finally back to the origin of the topic – the moment when the two first met.
“It’s like what that guy would say, and fortunately he ran into me. If it were someone else—”
“So, thank you,” Xia Shiyu said sincerely, “If you made another choice, my destiny would also have gone to another ending.”
It was not a joke.
That night, if Jiang Chen hadn’t extended a helping hand to her, even if he just watched as a bystander, her fate would have been extremely miserable. Even today, she still felt gratitude about that day, and her heart was beating to the figure that pulled her back from the abyss.
Although her immature self used to be so unkind, but outside of work, she had always been a more emotional woman than rational.
“As I said, don’t thank me…” In response to that sincere gaze, Sun Jiao scratched her cheek as they turned red, “If you were not there to help him and he just relied on himself, surely there is no way to achieve what he has achieved today.”
Xia Shiyu read the sincerity in Sun Jiao’s eyes.
After she stared at her for a while, Xia Shiyu suddenly smiled.
“I can see that you love him very much.”
“Of course,” Sun Jiao said seriously, “This is the only thing I won’t lose to you.”
“I don’t want to make it hard for me… because for him, you are also an important person in his life,” Xia Shiyu used the word “also” cautiously, and after a pause, bit her lower lip and softly said, “we…”
The pretty face gradually turned red.
Although she had made up her mind, it was difficult for her to say such an embarrassing topic.
She finally stomped her feet, got up from the sofa, and in Sun Jiao’s surprised gaze, sat down next to her, and whispered the embarrassing words into her ear…
—
Shuraba, or literal translation “Scene of Bloodshed”. The term originated in Buddhism that described the battlefield where Śakra and Asura fought. It became a term used to describe complicated relationships in romance, such as a love triangle. (Or maybe a love circle or octagon in Jiang Chen’s case?)
