Suddenly, my eyes felt sore, like someone had finally understood me.”
It was as if, after everything, I had finally been comforted.“]
“Tsk.”
The officer who had been asking the questions seemed like the talkative type. I gave him a sharp look. He glanced back at me and said, “There’s one more thing.”
“That girl, Luna Madison–she might be a victim like you. But the fact remains: she drugged you and helped those people.”} “Right now, you haven’t suffered any actual harm and she hasn’t committed any further crimes. So it’s your call whether we press charges.”
“If you want to pursue it, we’ll detain her. If not, she walks away free.“”
I was momentarily stunned.”
“I won’t press charges,” I said quickly.”
The truth was, I understood Luna’s actions. That’s why I hadn’t even considered taking her with me when I escaped.
For someone who’s had “parents” all their life, it’s hard to believe those same “parents” aren’t your biological ones.
If it weren’t for the memories from my previous life, I probably wouldn’t have believed it either.”
So, when Luna betrayed me to protect her “parents,” I didn’t take it personally.”
If I were in her position… I’m not sure I would’ve trusted someone like me, either.”
The officer nodded.”
“Alright, then. You’re free to go–there are people waiting for you outside.“”
The “people” he mentioned turned out to be the four livestreamers.”
The moment I stepped out of the interrogation room, they swarmed around me.”
“You’re the girl who messaged us?“”
“Huh? How’d you even get our numbers?”
I smiled at them. “I’ve got a friend who’s a huge fan of your short videos. I followed along and jotted your numbers down.”
Of course, that wasn’t the truth.”
We girls hardly ever watched TV, let alone used phones.
The real reason I knew their contact numbers so clearly was because, in my previous life–when I was locked in a basement by some nouveau riche creep–I used to stare out through the ventilation shaft just to feel like I was still part of the world.”
There was a gardener nearby who loved watching short videos under the shade of a tree.”
He always tuned in to streamers who exposed the dirty secrets of criminal syndicates and underground supply chains.”
I heard their voices so often that I ended up memorizing the ones who left the strongest impression on me.”
The four of them.”
They always ended their videos with nearly the same lines, even though they were completely different people.” Something like:
“We will bring light to this land. As long as you are in the dark, remember–I’m here. No matter where you are, no matter how far, believe this: I will find you. No matter what.”}
Cheesy? Yeah.}
But back then, I clung to those words.”
I used to fantasize about being rescued. I imagined hearing those lines and realizing they were coming for me.”
So I memorized their phone numbers.”
Back then, if I had even the smallest sliver of hope, I would have grabbed it with both hands.
But fate never gave me that chance.
So in this second life, I seized every opportunity. I wasn’t going to let anything slip by.”
Still, I didn’t put all my hopes in them alone.”
Having lived a long and bitter life before, I knew exactly how powerful public opinion could be.”
So even though I had already sent a distress message to the police at station 010, I still reached out to those livestreamers-
hoping they could expose the truth behind Woodstock and drag its darkness into the light of day.”
Thankfully, not every corner of this world is shrouded in darkness.”
There are always places the sun can’t reach–but they’re small and light finds a way eventually.@
I took a step back.
Then, with full sincerity, I bowed deeply to them.”
