现世。

艾迪西联邦?地狱厨房。

淅淅淅淅~~

这是雨水滴落的声音，这里的街道充满了钢筋水泥的冷硬美感，高楼大厦林立，狭窄的小巷中却常常充斥着烟火气息。

湿滑的路面映衬着路灯的昏...

雨水滴落的声音如嗡嗡的飞insect在耳边响起，Echoesofathousandtinywingsflutteringagainstmyskin,makingmefeellikeI‘mstandinginthemidstofathousandraindrops.Thestreetswereslickwithwater,reflectingtheneonlightsofthetoweringskyscrapersthatlinedthesidewalk.Theairwasthickwiththesmellofsmokeandgrease,waftingfromthechimneysofthebuildings.

Istoodattheedgeofthesidewalk,myfeetplantedfirmlyontheground,takinginthesightsandsoundsofthecity.Thehumoftrafficandchatterofpedestrianscreatedaconstantbackgroundnoise,asymphonyofhumanactivitythatneverseemedtocease.Ifeltalive,liketheenergyofthecitywascoursingthroughmyveins.

AsIgazedoutatthetoweringbuildings,Icouldn‘thelpbutthinkofthevastnessoftheworldbeyondthissmallcorneroftheuniverse.Theskyscrapersseemedtiny,insignificantcomparedtothemajestyofthestarsthattwinkledinthenightsky.Andyet,hereIwas,standinginthemidstofallthisconcreteandsteel,feelinglikeatiny,insignificantspeck.

Itookadeepbreath,feelingthecoolairfillmylungs,andbegantowalkdownthesidewalk.Thesoundsofthecitywereconstant,butasIwalked,Ibecameawareofotherthingstoo-thecreakingofthewoodensidewalks,thehumofthetrafficlights,thechatterofthepedestrians.Itwasacacophonyofsoundthatseemedtopulsewiththerhythmofmyfootsteps.

Ipassedbyasmallcafé,itssignreading“Eden‘s“inboldletters.Thesmelloffreshlybrewedcoffeewaftedoutintothestreet,enticingmetocomeinsideandwarmup.Ihesitatedforamoment,wonderingifIshouldindulgeinacupofcoffee,butthenshruggeditoffandcontinuedonmyway.

AsIwalked,Inoticedthatpeoplewerewatchingme.Someofthemstaredopenly,whileotherscastfurtiveglancesovertheirshoulders.Ifeltlikeaspectacle,acuriositytobegawkedatbythepassersby.Iwonderedwhattheysawinme,whatdrewtheirattentiontothisstrange,awkward-lookingyoungwoman.

Iquickenedmypace,feelingagrowingsenseofuneaseastheeyesfollowedme.Itwaslikebeingunderamicroscope,witheveryonewatchingandwaitingformetomakeamove.Ifelttrapped,likeIwaslivinginadreamfromwhichIcouldn‘tawaken.

Suddenly,ahandgraspedmyarm,spinningmearoundtofaceatall,imposingfigureinalongcoat.Hiseyeswerepiercing,hisfeatureschiseledfromgranite.Hesmiled,revealingasetofperfectlywhiteteeth,andIfeltlikeIwasdrowninginthedepthsofthoseeyes.

“Ah,welcometoEden‘s,“hesaid,hisvoicelowandhusky.“Iseeyou‘reenjoyingtheatmosphere.“

Inoddedwarily,tryingtoextractmyselffromhisgrasp.Butheheldtight,hisgriplikeavice.“You‘renewhere,aren‘tyou?“heasked,hiseyesnarrowing.

Ihesitated,unsureofhowmuchtoreveal.Buttherewassomethingabouthimthatputmeatease,asenseofcalmnessthatsoothedmyfrazzlednerves.“Yeah,“Isaidfinally.“Ijustarrived.“

Henodded,releasingmyarmandsteppingback.“Inthatcase,letmeintroducemyself.I‘mVictor,the...ahem...Managerofthisestablishment.“

Hissmilefalteredforamoment,andIcaughtaglimpseofsomethinghardandunyieldingbehindhiseyes.Butthenhecomposedhimself,andwelaughedalongwithhim.

“So,“hesaid,leadingmeintothecafé,“whatbringsyoutoEden‘s?Areyoulookingforaplacetostay?“

Ihesitated,unsurehowmuchtoreveal.ButtherewassomethingaboutVictorthatmademetrusthim,likeIcouldtellhimanythingandhewouldlistenwithoutjudgment.

“I‘mlookingforanewbeginning,“Isaidfinally,thewordsspillingoutofmeinarush.“Achancetoleavemypastbehindandstartfresh.“

Victor‘seyeslockedontomine,hisgazeburningwithanintensitythatmademeshiver.“Ithinkwecanhelpyouwiththat,“hesaid,hisvoicedrippingwithsincerity.

Andthen,likeaveilliftingfrommyeyes,Isawtheworldforwhatitwas-avast,complicatedwebofintrigueanddeception,wherenothingwasasitseemed,andeveryonehadsecretstohide.