Chapter 94: Can I Inherit Your Inheritance?

Evelyn Ford curled up on the bed, the twisting pain in her abdomen forcing a moan from her lips. It felt like a knife was stabbing her relentlessly.

Evelyn Ford gritted her teeth, letting cold sweat roll down her forehead. The pain had lasted for a full day and night; she felt like she was about to cash in her chips.

After the pain vanished, Evelyn Ford looked in the mirror. Her face was flushed and healthy, as if she’d just drunk a super-tonic. She couldn’t help but pat her own head.

’That bowl of biochemical warfare hurt for a day and a night, but I actually feel much better now.’

The pain in her abdomen was completely gone, and her complexion had improved significantly.

"Oh, you’re still alive." Just as Evelyn Ford stepped out of the bedroom, Eighteen walked out of the kitchen, a surprised look on his face.

’Is that something a person should say?’

Seeing her emerge from the bedroom, Mina and Lola quickly ran to her side, rubbing against her legs. Evelyn Ford picked them up.

"Mina, Lola, did a certain someone mistreat you?"

"Are you talking about me?" That certain someone had zero self-awareness, asking a question he already knew the answer to.

"What do you think?"

"If you die, can I inherit your estate?"

Evelyn Ford took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. ’Don’t argue with an idiot.’

"Too bad. I’m not dying. I feel great right now."

He nodded. "I can see that. So you should thank me."

"I’m hungry," Evelyn Ford said, ignoring his comment.

"I didn’t make any food for you." He sat down and began to enjoy his lunch. Evelyn Ford glanced at the meat he’d stir-fried; it was charred black and smelled burnt. ’He can actually eat that? He’s definitely not human.’

"Wouldn’t want to eat your cooking anyway."

Evelyn Ford went into the bathroom to heat water. She needed a shower; her body felt grimy.

Seeing the clothes on Eighteen, Evelyn Ford realized he hadn’t changed in a long time. Back in her bedroom, she pulled a burlap sack of clothes from her space. ’A debt is a debt.’ This was her way of repaying him for that bowl of blood, even though the memory still made her want to gag.

"Here."

He looked at Evelyn Ford quizzically, his heterochromatic eyes looking a bit dazed.

"Clothes. For you to change into."

"Is this my inheritance?" he asked, immediately opening the bag to check. Evelyn Ford chuckled.

"It’s a reward from your ancestor."

He stared at Evelyn Ford thoughtfully. "I want more, Ancestor."

Evelyn Ford was speechless.

"Did the wolves not show up?"

"They did." He paused, then said seriously, "A lot of them came. The meat is all outside. You should collect it."

Evelyn Ford opened the door and saw piles of meat buried in the snowdrifts outside. Nearby, a pole was draped with wolf pelts.

’What a ruthless guy.’

Evelyn Ford didn’t bother being secretive around him anymore. Both of their secrets were out in the open, so there was no point in hiding anything. Besides, she couldn’t beat him in a fight.

Evelyn Ford counted them—twelve wolves. It seemed he had wiped out the entire wolf pack of Broken Cloud Mountain.

After washing up, Evelyn Ford made herself a bowl of egg noodles. But the moment it was ready, he snatched it away.

"There’s none for you."

"I gave you the meat, so this is mine." He was completely shameless, devoid of any morals. Without even letting the scalding hot soup cool, he polished it all off in a flash.

"You’re a total bandit."

"Hmph. Wanna fight?" He had changed into a white sweater that gave him a youthful look. ’He’s so handsome, but his actions are so brutish.’

Evelyn Ford didn’t want to argue with a dog, so she just made another bowl.

"I saw that karst cave you mentioned."

Evelyn Ford turned to look at him, not understanding what he meant.

"Do you want to go see it?"

Without a second thought, Evelyn Ford refused. "No."

"Fine, I’ll go by myself then."

That afternoon, he did indeed go out and hadn’t returned by evening. Evelyn Ford fed Mina and Lola, then went to her room to sleep. ’Who cares if he comes back or not.’

The next day, as soon as Evelyn Ford stepped out of her room, she saw Eighteen sitting in front of the fireplace. On the table next to him was a lump of something yellow.

Evelyn Ford picked it up and looked at it, asking tentatively, "Is this Gold?"

"You want it?"

Evelyn Ford sensed a trap and didn’t answer.

"I found a lot of it. If you want it, I can take you to get it."

"What’s the condition?"

"I want to eat six dishes every meal."

Evelyn Ford was one step away from smashing the chunk of Gold on his head.

"What a shame. I don’t want it at all, and I’m not interested."

Evelyn Ford took out a ball of yarn, preparing to crochet another sweater.

He didn’t say anything more and went back to flipping through that book from before. When the firewood in the fireplace was about to burn out, he’d add a couple of logs.

Hearing a noise outside, he got up and went out.

A moment later, Evelyn Ford saw him return carrying a pheasant.

"You set traps outside?"

He nodded.

"We already have enough meat."

He shook his head. "Not enough. I need to eat a lot."

Evelyn Ford didn’t say anything else. ’It’s not like I have to do the work. He can do whatever he wants.’

"I’m going to build a new bed."

"Why?" Evelyn Ford looked at the folding bed. It wasn’t broken.

"The bed’s too short."

Only then did Evelyn Ford realize it was because he was too tall.

Evelyn Ford gave him a saw, a plane, and some nails, and he went outside to get busy again.

By evening, his new bed was finished, and it was quite well-made. He had also built a wardrobe next to it, where he placed the contents of his bag, all neatly folded inside.

"Do you need more blood?" he asked suddenly before bedtime.

"No." Evelyn Ford watched him warily, afraid he would try to force-feed her blood again.

"I forgot to ask, what’s your name?"

Evelyn Ford crossed her arms, looking down on him. "You first. What’s your real name?"

He fell silent, and Evelyn Ford didn’t speak either.

Perhaps his real name was his biggest secret.

Evelyn Ford wasn’t that interested in his name anyway. She yawned and was about to leave.

"My name is Ronan Kendrick."

Evelyn Ford looked back at him. From a few meters away, his emotionless, heterochromatic eyes were actually quite striking.

"I’m Evelyn Ford."

"This is for you." He handed the piece of Gold to Evelyn Ford, and she took it.

"Thanks, but you’re not getting six dishes."

***

Evelyn Ford never thought she would make peace with Eighteen—no, with Ronan Kendrick. With a person like him.

’I guess you could call it making peace.’

The blizzard still rustled down outside. Evelyn Ford was already asleep. Ronan Kendrick stood by the window, watching the world outside. After a long while, he picked up a knife, cut open his left arm, and removed a tiny chip.

From this day forward, there was only Ronan Kendrick in the world, no more Eighteen.

He walked to the door of Evelyn Ford’s bedroom, listening to the sound of her light breathing inside. Then, he opened the cabin door and stepped out.

Evelyn Ford opened her eyes and glanced at her pocket watch. It was one in the morning.

Mina and Lola were sleeping soundly, their heads snuggled close together.

’What is he doing outside?’

Although Evelyn Ford was curious, she wasn’t foolish enough to follow him. If she were discovered, she wouldn’t be able to gain any advantage against Ronan Kendrick.

Besides, it was so late and so cold outside. She had no desire to go out and suffer.

January would be over soon. ’When spring comes, the snow will melt, right?’